Darley sprinter Mental has signed off from Australian racing with a Group One win in the $1 million Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington. Mental, trained by Peter Snowden, will be one of seven horses from Australia to join Sheikh Mohammed’s famous Godolphin operation. “This was going to be his swansong,”… Read More »
Trainer Robbie Laing has maintained his impressive strike rate in early-season juvenile races with the win of Direct Charge in the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington. The most experienced runner in the field, Direct Charge ($18) fought off two challenges, finally outlasting the equal favourite Crack A Roadie… Read More »
Jim Cassidy atoned for a couple of luckless rides aboard the Clarry Conners-trained Dear Demi to guide the filly to a resounding victory in the Victoria Oaks at Flemington. Owned by millionaire adman John Singleton, Dear Demi came from well back to storm down the outside and overhaul favourite Zydeco… Read More »
It’s worth a fraction of the Melbourne Cup but like the big race, only a select band can run in the spectacle that is the greys only race at the Flemington carnival. On Thursday, the Chris Waller-trained Arinosa lived up to her $3.50 favouritism to take out the $100,000 event… Read More »
Trainer Robert Smerdon knew Shamal Wind had class and ability before she ran at Flemington on Thursday, but he wasn’t sure how much. After her win in the Listed Gucci Stakes (1200m) he remains pleasantly uncertain. “I wasn’t quite sure how good she was,” Smerdon said. “This was her class… Read More »
Lloyd Williams has poured his money, his heart and his soul into racing. His reward is a fourth Melbourne Cup thanks to Green Moon. Although it could be claimed as a local victory against the might of the European stayers, Williams had to go to Europe to source his latest… Read More »
Green Moon has upstaged a star international field to win the Melbourne Cup in a race dominated by Irish-bred horses. Punters looked elsewhere after his failure as favourite in the Cox Plate last month but Green Moon ($20), ridden by Hong Kong-based Brett Prebble, stormed home to beat Fiorente ($31)… Read More »
Green Moon won a fourth Melbourne Cup for owner Lloyd Williams when he beat one of the best fields ever assembled for the race. Ridden by Brett Prebble, who flew from Hong Kong for the event, Green Moon dashed to the lead inside the final 200 metres to beat Fiorente… Read More »
Jockey Damien Oliver has reportedly admitted betting on a rival horse two years ago and expects to be slugged with a lengthy ban from the sport. Oliver, who will ride joint favourite Americain in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, has told friends he is facing a suspension of up to… Read More »
Anthony Cummings’ belief in his own judgment rather than form guides was justified on Saturday as Fontelina won the Group Two Yellowglen Stakes (1200m) to cap an impressive day. The four-year-old Testa Rossa gelding iced the meeting for Cummings following his victory with Fiveandahalfstar in the $1.5 million Victoria Derby…. Read More »
Appearance has upset a field of Australia’s best mares, including stablemate Streama, to win the Myer Classic at Flemington. Making her run from the back of the field, Appearance swept to the front at the 100m and then held off Soft Sand to claim the Group One. Secret Admirer took… Read More »
Anthony Cummings trained son of Hotel Grand has won the $1.5million dollar Victoria Derby at Flemington racecourse. Ridden by Damien Oliver, Fiveandahalfstar sat just behind the leader Jimando for throughout the race before taking up the running early into the straight and stayed on too strong to beat the horse… Read More »
Veteran galloper Alcopop has ended New Zealander Ocean Park’s unbeaten run of spring weight-for-age wins. Aided by Craig Williams’s deft navigational skills, Alcopop ($6) relegated the Cox Plate winner into third place in the $1 million Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington. Runner-up to Dunaden in the Caulfield Cup at his previous… Read More »
Zydeco has confirmed her status as the VRC Oaks favourite with a comprehensive victory in the traditional lead-up, the Wakeful Stakes at Flemington. Trained by Anthony Freedman for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley organisation, Zydeco went into the Group Two Wakeful (2000m) as the $3.10 favourite on the back of her third… Read More »
High-profile owner Nathan Tinkler’s thoroughbred fortunes took a turn for the better after Nechita landed the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington. Part of Tinkler’s bloodstock empire was sold during a two-day Gold Coast sale this week but Nechita secured her long-term place under Patinack Farm banner after outsprinting… Read More »
Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller will have his first live Melbourne Cup chance with a horse he bought in the hope of winning “an ordinary Saturday race”. The Waller-trained, Irish-bred Kelinni surpassed his modest ambitions with victory in the Group Three Lexus Stakes (2500m), the win earning him an automatic… Read More »
With an endless string of runners, octogenarian master trainer Bart Cummings can be forgiven for forgetting a few. But he was reminded of one in particular on Saturday as he fittingly struck in the first event on the card on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington…. Read More »
Permit will figure in a gear change for Saturday’s Lexus Stakes when he lines up as one of two Chris Waller-trained stayers chasing a Melbourne Cup berth at Flemington. Waller has last-start Group One Metropolitan runner-up Kelinni in the Lexus (2500m) along with Permit who will have ear muffs re-applied… Read More »
The return to winning form by Streama has boosted Guy Walter’s confidence ahead of her bid for a third Group One in Saturday’s Myer Classic at Flemington. The winner of last season’s Flight Stakes and Australian Oaks, Streama’s first two starts this campaign were mixed when she followed a first-up… Read More »
Glen Boss has played another starring role in a feature race with his dashing victory aboard Puissance De Lune in Wednesday’s Listed Bendigo Cup. Boss, who won Saturday’s Cox Plate on Ocean Park, steered the French import across from his wide draw to sit outside race leader Fiumicino. Puissance De… Read More »
