When Half Yours commenced his spring campaign, the father-and-son training team of Tony and Calvin McEvoy had aspirations of a Group 1 race in Sydney. But one fateful weekend where Half Yours was an emergency for a race in Sydney along with one in Melbourne swung the pendulum in a… Read More »
He came and he conquered. Ka Ying Rising, the Hong Kong superstar and world’s highest rated racehorse, underlined his champion status with an Everest victory for the ages on Saturday. After a build-up that included a controversial barrier trial defeat and injury rumours, the David Hayes-trained sprinter did his talking… Read More »
Two bone chips sitting on Robert Heathcote’s office desk are a constant reminder to him of how tough Rothfire is as a racehorse and his resilience to bounce back time-after-time. Under an Everest warm-up ride by Zac Purton, Rothfire ($13) broke what was fast approaching a two-year winning drought and… Read More »
The Thousand Guineas made a welcome return to the Caulfield Cup card, producing an epic edition that saw local filly Ole Dancer emerge triumphant over star Sydney visitor Apocalyptic. The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained daughter of Ole Dancer landed a breakout win in the $1.5 million Group 1, which… Read More »
The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable was disappointed to miss the Golden Slipper with Tentyris but another feature Group 1 is on the colt’s agenda following his win at Caulfield. Tentyris was one of the leading fancies for the Golden Slipper in March before being ruled out with a stress… Read More »
Autumn Mystery’s maiden win was a long time coming, but he will be chasing a hat-trick of wins in next month’s Victoria Derby after franking his status as a leading contender for that event at Caulfield on Saturday. Rory Hunter’s stable star prevailed in a thrilling edition of the Group… Read More »
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Sir Delius, who had been high up in Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate betting, has been withdrawn from contesting both races. Racing Victoria stewards, acting on veterinary advice, ordered the five-year-old’s withdrawal from both races on Friday. As part of the process to accept… Read More »
In horse racing, plans are made but don’t always come to fruition. For Phillip Stokes and his Caulfield Cup hope Deakin, everything has gone to a plan mapped out by the trainer soon after the stayer scored at Flemington in March. That victory came in the Roy Higgins Quality which secured Deakin a ballot exemption into… Read More »
A wide draw brought Briasa undone in The Galaxy but regular jockey Tyler Schiller has no fears of a repeat despite drawing gate 10 for his clash with Hong Kong sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising in The Everest at Randwick. Briasa went back to last from the outside barrier in The Galaxy and… Read More »
Chris Waller isn’t perturbed by the presence of bold frontrunner Pride Of Jenni in the King Charles III Stakes, comfortable the rival mare is well enough exposed not to sneak under their guards. Waller has Fangirl in the feature, the seven-year-old having clashed with Pride Of Jenni three times, beating her home… Read More »
Former Willie Mullins-trained galloper Vauban is on his third foray into the Melbourne Spring Carnival and will front up at Caulfield for the first time on Saturday. Vauban had gone straight into the Melbourne Cup in his two previous trips, but after running 11th in last year’s Cup was purchased by Australian Bloodstock and transferred into… Read More »
The Silver Eagle will be a fork in the road for lightly raced mare Gerringong as connections weigh up several feature race options in the coming weeks. Jockey Tim Clark, who partnered her when runner-up to Manaal in the Golden Pendant last start, said Saturday’s Randwick assignment would be important in determining where… Read More »
The task of toppling Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising isn’t the only thing on Chris Waller’s mind ahead of The Everest as the champion trainer prepares a three-strong squad for the $20 million race. Twelve months ago, Joliestar was luckless in the corresponding race, getting shuffled back to last on… Read More »
Bjorn Baker is nothing if not bold and he has no hesitation in defying convention by pitting three-year-old filly Within The Law against some of Australia’s most seasoned weight-for-age stars in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick. Within The Law has never raced against horses outside her own age group and… Read More »
A new recruit and a stable stalwart headline Joe Pride’s assault on the Sydney Stakes and he is expecting both sprinters to give the Everest consolation a shake. Godolphin gelding Golden Mile will make his debut for the yard in Saturday’s Group 3 sprint, alongside Coal Crusher and Dragonstone. While he says… Read More »
Not content with winning Victoria’s first two-year-old feature of the season, Lindsay Park further flexed its juvenile muscle in that state’s second. The Ben, Will and Jd Hayes training team provided the quinella of Wednesday’s $200,000 Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield when Torture defeated Free Flying. It followed Listed Maribyrnong Trial… Read More »
Ciaron Maher concedes it can now be rocks or diamonds with Pride Of Jenni, but Victoria’s leading trainer is optimistic the crowd favourite can make it back-to-back wins for the first time in almost two years. The veteran mare returns to Sydney to the first time in 12 months to contest… Read More »
Half Yours has eased at the top of the market for the Caulfield Cup despite drawing an inside gate in the 2400m handicap. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is now the $2.80 favourite to claim the Group 1 contest on Saturday after drawing barrier two. While odds-framers may consider the… Read More »
Trainer Michael Freedman had considered tipping Apocalyptic out for a break but reasoned the filly had enough left in the tank to chase another Group 1 success. After stretching the winning sequence to three in capturing the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 4, Apocalyptic is in… Read More »
Caulfield Cup entrant Meydaan has been given the thumbs up after completing a look at the course in preparation for the Group 1 handicap. Travelling foreman Paul Holley gave the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained galloper the all-clear for Saturday’s 2400m contest after partnering the gelding in a gallop at Caulfield on… Read More »
