Tulip is giving every indication on the training track she is ready to fire first-up in the Group Three Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caulfield. Saturday’s 1200m-race for fillies shapes as an intriguing contest on a big program at Caulfield, with Group One winner Shoals and Group Two winner Booker other… Read More »
There will be no prize money involved and she can’t add to her winning streak but Winx will run in a race of sorts on Apollo Stakes day. The champion’s program has been altered because of Hugh Bowman’s careless riding suspension and she will now make her comeback in the… Read More »
With Ollivander safely tucked away in the Blue Diamond Stakes, training partners Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra are hoping Bionics can join his stablemate in Victoria’s richest two-year-old race. The pair run in the colts and geldings division of the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Flemington-based Zahra… Read More »
Adding the Group One Australian Guineas to his Group Two Sandown Guineas victory from the spring is the autumn objective for talented colt Villermont. The Aaron Purcell-trained colt makes his return in Saturday’s Group Two Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield which looms as a key lead-up to the Australian Guineas… Read More »
With a weight-for-age win under his belt, lightly raced Thronum now gets his chance to chase a valuable first Group One win in the C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield. The four-year-old entire pressed his claims for a crack at Saturday’s Orr Stakes (1400m) when he controlled the Group Two… Read More »
27-year old Brenton Avdulla is fast closing in on the title of Australia’s premier jockey with the Sydney-based rider currently sitting 2nd in the national rankings, just 12 wins shy of Western-Australian cult figure William Pike. Avdulla is enjoying arguably his best season yet, at present just 5 wins short… Read More »
Darren Weir is excited about the way Tosen Stardom is going ahead his return in the CF Orr Stakes but Victoria’s premier trainer is less enthused about the Japanese import’s barrier draw for the Group One race. Weir has three of the top four chances in early betting for Saturday’s… Read More »
A field of 14 has accepted for the first Group One race of the Melbourne autumn carnival, the CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Champion trainer Darren Weir will saddle three runners in the 1400m contest, including last year’s winner Black Heart Bart. Weir will also start Japanese imports Brave Smash… Read More »
Melbourne jockey Ryan Maloney is looking forward to the challenge awaiting him and boom sprinter Nature Strip against dual Group One winner She Will Reign in the Inglis Sprint in Sydney. Maloney has ridden Nature Strip in four of the gelding’s five starts, winning three times and finishing second in… Read More »
Gun colt Merchant Navy is on target to make his return in the Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield as he builds to his main autumn target, the Newmarket Handicap. Merchant Navy is one of the headline nominations for Saturday’s Group Two Rubiton (1100m), one of two options considered for his return… Read More »
A tentative date as been given by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board to hear charges against those involved in the Lovani case. Racing Victoria stewards have charged eight people in connection to the probe that emanated from the alleged raceday treatment of the Robert Smerdon-trained Lovani at Flemington last… Read More »
Champion mare Winx has had a change of schedule following the unsuccessful appeal of her regular rider Hugh Bowman. Hugh Bowman lost an appeal against a suspension which keeps him out until after the Group Two Apollo Stakes on February 17 which was to be the champion’s first start of… Read More »
There’s no guarantee she’ll even head to the UK, but British bookmakers are already braced for the prospect of Winx adding a Royal Ascot success to her glittering resume. Trained by Chris Waller, Winx has won 26 of her 32 starts, the past 22 in a row including 15 at… Read More »
The racing career of Lord Of The Sky could come to an end if he is successful at Group One level. Trainer Robbie Laing is hoping that may be as early as Saturday when the seven-year-old runs in the C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Lord Of The Sky… Read More »
No matter when or where Winx begins her next campaign or who rides her, the champion is ready to go after another pleasing barrier trial when fifth behind top sprinter Redzel at Rosehill. Hours after Monday’s 1000m-trial, Hugh Bowman lost a bid to have a careless riding suspension reduced and… Read More »
Trainer Grahame Begg has walked away from the Cranbourne trials a relieved man. He had watched two-year-old Written By score an impressive 800m-trial win, but more important was the notification the colt had passed a barrier test. The two-year-old was slapped with the ban following his win on heavy ground… Read More »
Trainer Aaron Purcell is not fazed by the Cranbourne trial performance of highly fancied Australian Guineas hope Aloisia. The filly finished last in the 800m trial on Monday, but Purcell said the hit-out was part of her fitness program ahead of The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 17. Aloisia… Read More »
Star sprinter Redzel has shown he is back in race mode with his win in a barrier trial at Rosehill in which champion Winx had a solid hit-out to finish midfield. The 1000m-trial win was in contrast to Redzel’s effort two weeks ago when he was given a soft tune-up… Read More »
While the spotlight will inevitably fall on Winx during barrier trials at Rosehill, Hugh Bowman has another important assignment on Frolic. The three-year-old filly is closing in on her first race since April, and first for trainer Edward O’Rourke who was entrusted with the Golden Slipper runner-up when Michael Freedman… Read More »
Trainer Tony McEvoy is hoping to add to his contingent of Blue Diamond runners via the Preludes at Caulfield. McEvoy already has Run Naan and Saturday’s impressive debut winner Kinky Boom in the field for the Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 24 and hopes to add… Read More »
