A conversation in the jockeys’ room at Hawkesbury has Gary Portelli optimistic he might just pull off the unthinkable with Fireburn in the ATC Australian Oaks. Portelli didn’t realistically believe last year’s Golden Slipper winner would stretch to a middle-distance in the Vinery Stud Stakes, let alone be in contention for Saturday’s… Read More »
Regardless of what happens in the remainder of Anamoe’s career, his 2022/2023 season is going to be spoken of for many years to come. The son of Street Boss would be an unbackable favourite to be crowned Australia’s Champion Horse of the Year, thanks to six Group 1 wins, headlined… Read More »
A firm track and lack of match practice came against northern hemisphere raider Statement at her Australian debut, but connections are anticipating an improved performance under different conditions at Randwick. The dual black-type winner settled midfield in the Emancipation Stakes (1500m) and held her position to be beaten just over five… Read More »
High Emocean produced a career peak off a quick turnaround in the spring and trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have deliberately applied the same formula for her Sydney Cup bid. The mare finished a slashing third to stablemate Gold Trip at her only other attempt over the two-mile journey in last… Read More »
Melbourne Cup winning jockey Craig Williams has been given the all-clear to resume race riding. Williams announced on social media on Tuesday that he will make his return at the Sandown meeting on Easter Monday, April 10. The jockey has been sidelined following a fall at Flemington on March 11 that… Read More »
The weather and resulting track conditions will play a big part on whether Hezashocka runs in Melbourne or Sydney on the weekend. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hezashocka is an acceptor for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday while he also holds a nomination in the Group 3 Easter… Read More »
It has been billed as a match race for the ages and Queen Elizabeth Stakes joint favourites Anamoe and Dubai Honour will be even hard to separate out of the machine. The barrier draw for the rich 2000m contest took place in the Winx stand at Royal Randwick on Tuesday morning with Godolphin’s… Read More »
It may only be the beginning of April but it was as far back as November last year that Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott had White Marlin’s path to the 2023 Melbourne Cup laid out. Undefeated in five starts, including three runs in Australia since arriving from Ireland in early 2022,… Read More »
Trainer Kerry Parker says that Hope In Your Heart’s eye-catcher on a heavy track to finish fourth in the Doncaster Mile last Saturday hasn’t taken the shine of the mare’s demeanour as a short back-up into the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) is firmly the plan. Hope In… Read More »
Ed Cummings will monitor Arts over the coming days before deciding whether she backs-up in the ATC Australian Oaks following her scintillating win in the Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick. The Xtravagant filly unleashed a withering finish to come from back in the field and street her rivals in Saturday’s Group 3… Read More »
Her legendary father T J Smith won the ATC Derby nine times but incredibly, Gai Waterhouse made it a first win in the Sydney classic with Major Beel on Saturday. Waterhouse has captured most of the Group 1 races in her hometown but the Australian Derby (2400m) had eluded her… Read More »
A decade after Black Caviar won the second of her two T J Smith Stakes titles, Peter Moody and Luke Nolen have turned back the clock, combining with I Wish I Win to trump the country’s best sprinters. Chasing a record fourth win in Sydney’s flagship short-course race, Nature Strip… Read More »
Chris Waller has plundered the first two legs of Sydney’s juvenile triple crown with Militarize winning the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes two weeks after stablemate Shinzo’s Golden Slipper success. It continued a breakout two-year-old season for Waller, who is better known for his patient approach with horses and until… Read More »
There is a racing adage that you should forgive a good horse one bad run and James Cummings is hoping it rings true for Golden Mile in the Doncaster. The three-year-old turned in the worst performance of his career when last to superstar stablemate Anamoe in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) two weeks… Read More »
Chris Waller has been a ground breaker on many fronts but there would be few more satisfying moments than getting Nature Strip back to his brilliant best for a record fourth TJ Smith Stakes triumph. The champion trainer has experienced racing’s highest moments through Winx, won at Royal Ascot with… Read More »
He bumped into one better in the Golden Slipper but Cylinder will get the chance to finish his two-year-old season as a Group 1 winner when he lines up in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes. The colt was run down late by Shinzo in Australia’s premier juvenile race, but James Cummings felt he… Read More »
Former UK and Hong Kong galloper Munhamek will be lining up for the 12th start of his Australian career when he heads to Bendigo on Saturday. The seven-year-old has remained in work throughout his time at Nick Ryan’s Flemington stable and the Listed Golden Mile (1600m) on Saturday will be his first shot at Stakes company. Munhamek started… Read More »
He was bred to be a miler before showing early promise as a sprinter, but Tapildoodledo might just turn out to be a classic winner. The unheralded Queenslander confirmed his spot in Saturday’s $2 million ATC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick with a sweeping come-from-behind victory in last weekend’s Tulloch Stakes… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are in a race against time to have Converge fit for the Doncaster Mile after the four-year-old presented with a leg issue. The two-time Group 1 winner was found to have swelling in his off-hind leg after completing a routine workout on Wednesday. Bott confirmed… Read More »
Victorian trainer Julius Sandhu can never be accused of doing things by halves. Sandhu will have his first Sydney runner at Randwick on Saturday and it will be in the cauldron that is the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m). Lofty Strike will take his place alongside three-time race winner Nature… Read More »
