New Zealand colt Summer Passage will do his spring racing in Melbourne as connections chase an Australian Group One win. Runner-up to Invader in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes during the Sydney autumn carnival, Summer Passage has been back in work with trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott since early… Read More »
Classy sprinter Supido returns from a spell in the Sir John Monash Stakes chasing a first stakes victory, despite having been placed at both Group One and Group Two level. The Mick Kent-trained sprinter was given a break after finishing down the track in the Group One Galaxy in Sydney… Read More »
When Peter Robl rode Ninth Legion to a winning debut at Canterbury five years ago, the jockey-turned-trainer never envisaged he would still have a connection to the durable gelding. “He was a nice horse from the day he raced but I never thought he’d be racing as a rising eight-year-old,… Read More »
Victorian jockey Patrick Holmes has been sidelined for four months after testing positive to an unnamed banned substance. The 30-year-old returned a positive urine sample at a meeting at Swan Hill in early June. He was stood down from all riding and handling duties on June 27 and won’t be… Read More »
Trainer Ciaron Maher is looking to strike again with in-form mare Schism who is in line to race on a seven-day back-up at Caulfield. Schism has won her past two starts at Flemington, including last Saturday’s Leilani Series Final for mares, and is nominated for Saturday’s 1400m open handicap at… Read More »
New Zealand stayer Chocante will do his lead-up racing to the Melbourne Cup in Australia starting with three runs in Sydney. Trainer Stephen Marsh said Chocante, winner of the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) in June, would begin his campaign in the Group Two Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on… Read More »
The Bletchingly Stakes looms as the likely comeback race for multiple Group One-winner Lankan Rupee. The world’s former top-ranked sprinter has been off the scene recovering from a leg injury since finishing fourth in the Group One Darley Classic in the spring which was his second race back from another… Read More »
Group One winner Yankee Rose has taken the first step towards a spring carnival campaign with a solid barrier trial at Doomben. Yankee Rose had her first public outing on Tuesday since she finished unplaced in the VRC Oaks last November after which she was found to have a bone… Read More »
The world’s former top-ranked sprinter Lankan Rupee has ramped up preparations for his comeback in a Caulfield jump-out. The five-time Group One winner, who hasn’t raced since last spring, contested a 700m jump-out on Tuesday morning with his regular jockey Craig Newitt aboard. Lankan Rupee is scheduled to have another… Read More »
Badajoz is favourite to give James Cummings his first stakes win for Godolphin in the Ramornie Handicap but a wide barrier may tempt the stable to run him in another sprint at the Northern Rivers carnival. Cummings took over as Sheikh Mohammed’s head trainer in Australia on Saturday and met… Read More »
The proposed $11 billion merger between wagering giant Tabcorp and lotteries and wagering firm Tatts Group is set for more scrutiny – this time by the Federal Court. The the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has applied to the Federal Court for a judicial review of the Australian Competition Tribunal’s… Read More »
Murt The Flirt will take a handy fresh record into the Sir John Monash Stakes as he attempts to give trainer Brendan McCarthy a second win in the late-season sprint at Caulfield. McCarthy won the Monash Stakes with Regal Shot 16 years ago and has Murt The Flirt aimed at… Read More »
Burning Passion’s last-start Group Three win has put a little added pressure on his new trainer Mark Newnham. Formerly in the James Cummings stable, Burning Passion is among several horses to be transferred to Newnham with the former’s appointment as head trainer for Godolphin. But Newnham didn’t expect him to… Read More »
Frustrated Gold Coast trainer Bruce Hill is looking to take Man Of His Word to Sydney after having a run of bad luck in the Queensland winter. Man of His Word was one of the stars of the Brisbane summer winning the Brisbane Handicap and running second in the Bernborough… Read More »
Trainer Ben Currie is worried he is running out of horses to hold off Tony Gollan and win the state trainers title for the first time. Currie had a winner at Doomben on Saturday with two-year-old Ilovevegas who came from last to win. He then had a winner at Toowoomba… Read More »
Star Queensland filly Houtzen is ticking over nicely as she prepares for the biggest pay day of her career in the $10 The Everest at Randwick in October. Houtzen won the Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic (1200m) in January and then at her last start was fifth in the Group One… Read More »
The Robert Smerdon-trained Ability has continued his rise through the sprinting ranks during the off-peak period in Melbourne with a convincing win in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final. Well supported as $2.90 favourite in Saturday’s 1200m straight race at Flemington, Ability settled behind the speed before bursting through… Read More »
Tasmanian gelding Tshahitsi has capped a successful Melbourne preparation with a fighting victory in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final at Flemington. The five-year-old gelding has been in Melbourne for his six starts this preparation and Saturday’s win in the $150,000 race was his third of the campaign after successes… Read More »
Sparingly raced sprinter Kings Of Leon has delivered the type of city win trainer Matthew Smith had always hoped for in scoring at Warwick Farm. Emerging from a pocket in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1100m), Kings Of Leon ($5.50) produced a turn of speed that had the race won… Read More »
Boom colt Royal Symphony has again lived up to the hype with another dominant Flemington win in the Taj Rossi Series Final. The Tony McEvoy-trained two-year-old was elevated to Caulfield Guineas favouritism with some betting agencies after his impressive win at Flemington two weeks ago in a lead-up to Saturday’s… Read More »
