John Thompson didn’t have to think twice about a return race for one of his autumn carnival prospects. Thompson will start Zanbagh’s autumn campaign in the Guy Walter Stakes, a Group Two race honouring Guy Walter, the five-year-old mare’s first trainer. “There was no big decision to make about which… Read More »
Punters are betting against champion jockey Damien Oliver who decided to ride Flying Artie over Extreme Choice in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes. Flying Artie opened at $4 with Sportsbet.com.au but has had little to no support from punters since the barrier draw was conducted seeing his odds move out to… Read More »
Champion jockey Damien Oliver is confident Flying Artie can overcome a tough draw and provide him with a second Blue Diamond Stakes win. Oliver piloted Alinghi to victory in 2004 and heads into Saturday’s 1200m contest certain Flying Artie has improved from his first-up win. Flying Artie overcame the widest… Read More »
A mixture of the obvious and the curious will accompany Chris Waller’s bid for a fifth Chipping Norton Stakes win. In Winx, Waller has Australia’s best thoroughbred ready to take another step closer to Horse of the Year honours as she lines up as a prohibitive favourite in the Group… Read More »
James McDonald doesn’t expect Hartnell to topple hot favourite Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes but he is hoping the Group One winner can make a Sydney autumn carnival impact. As Godolphin’s No.1 stable jockey, McDonald chose to ride the BMW winner in preference to stablemates Magic Hurricane and Hauraki… Read More »
It has been six years since a three-year-old has won the Oakleigh Plate but bookmakers expect the age group’s drought to break. A trio of three-year-olds have made the final field for Saturday’s Group One sprint at Caulfield and two of them sit at the top of Oakleigh Plate markets…. Read More »
Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan has worked strongly ahead of his return to racing, ensuring there is unlikely to be a more enthusiastic stand-in jockey than Kerrin McEvoy at Randwick. Mongolian Khan will take on Winx in the Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday in his first start since winning the… Read More »
The Lightning Stakes placegetters are among first acceptances for next month’s Newmarket Handicap. Chautauqua, Terravista and Japonisme have been paid up for a return bout in the $1.25 million race over the straight 1200m course at Flemington on March 12. Twenty-four sprinters were paid up for Melbourne’s premier sprint including… Read More »
Sportsbet.com.au have posted Bounding and Heatherly at the top of Oakleigh Plate betting. The online bookmaker has opened Heatherly and Bounding at $5.50 for the Caulfield Group 1. Smart three-year-old Keen Array is $6.00 and the only other runner under double figures. Former West Australian star Black Heart Bart, now… Read More »
Flying Artie could challenge for favouritism in the Blue Diamond Stakes if he draws a good barrier. The final field for Saturday’s Group One race at Caulfield will be known early on Tuesday with the barrier draw later in the morning. Flying Artie has continued to firm since the announcement… Read More »
The presence of Chautauqua in the Lightning Stakes forced David Hayes to rethink his strategy with Keen Array. The three-year-old instead goes to the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday ahead of next month’s Newmarket Handicap. Hayes, who trains in partnership with Tom Dabernig, said he feared Keen Array would… Read More »
Winx will again be in the red when she attempts to claim her fourth Group 1 win in Saturday’s Chipping Norton Stakes. Online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au has opened the super mare as a $1.40 favourite for the Randwick race. Winx is tackling a strong field, which includes Hartnell ($6.00), Boban and… Read More »
Trainer Jason Warren will stick to his first plan with Puritan at Caulfield. The three-year-old has been entered for two Group One races on Saturday, the Oakleigh Plate and Futurity Stakes, but will be kept to his own age group in the Group Three Zeditave Stakes (1200m). Warren said the… Read More »
Peter Moody is down to one runner in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. The trainer will be relying on Hell Of An Effort in the $1.5 million race on Saturday if the colt continues to please him during the week. A winner at his first two starts, Hell Of… Read More »
Hugh Bowman will replace the suspended Tim Clark on Perignon when the filly tries for back-to-back Group Two wins at Randwick. Clark rode the Gerald Ryan-trained Perignon to her first-up win in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) but was outed at Rosehill on Saturday. He will miss Saturday’s Chipping Norton… Read More »
A week after the return of Cox Plate winner Winx, her stablemate Press Statement has stamped his class on the Hobartville Stakes. The $2 favourite for Saturday’s Group Two Hobartville (1400m), Press Statement tracked the leaders before cruising to the lead in the straight. In a couple of strides, the… Read More »
The fortunes of two sought-after stallion prospects have swung on the result of a protest hearing at Flemington. The Darren Weir-trained Palentino was first past the post in the Group Three CS Hayes Stakes ahead of the Mike Moroney-trained Tivaci. Craig Williams lodged a protest after being pushed wide at… Read More »
A relieved John Thompson has celebrated the winning return of First Seal at Rosehill while rival trainer Chris Waller has been left wondering about the future of Catkins. The two high-profile mares met in Saturday’s Group Two Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) with Catkins the $2.40 favourite ahead of First Seal… Read More »
Trainer John Hawkes’s judgment couldn’t have been more precise as star sprinter Chautauqua return to racing on a winning note in the Black Caviar Lightning. Hawkes told jockey Dwayne Dunn it wouldn’t be until the Group One sprint was almost over that Chautauqua would look like the winner. “John said… Read More »
Tony McEvoy favours heading straight to Sydney with Don’t Doubt Mamma the filly scored a narrow first-up win at Flemington. Options for Don’t Doubt Mamma include staying in Melbourne for the Australian Guineas or the Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington or going to Rosehill for the Coolmore Classic in Sydney…. Read More »
