Trainer Chris Waller is thankful the same weather conditions Via Sistina encountered in the Makybe Diva Stakes of 12 months ago will not prevail this weekend. Last year’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) was run on a heavy track after rain and hail fell during the meeting at Flemington resulting in… Read More »
Hawkes Racing has prepared its share of high-class colts but co-trainer Michael Hawkes says Nepotism is cut from a different cloth. The three-year-old will make his seasonal return in Saturday’s The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill as he embarks on a path towards the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at… Read More »
While the Ciaron Maher stable has three runners entered in the Melbourne Cup qualifier at Flemington, it is expected only two will take their place. Sayedaty Sadaty and Jennivamoose will head to the Group 3 The Archer (2500m) on Saturday, a race that provides the winner a ballot exemption into… Read More »
The anticipated clash between two of the Yulong Stud mares in the Cox Plate may still be on after a positive report from Sam Fairgray on Treasurethe Moment. Fairgray, the Chief Operating Officer of Yulong Stud, said Treasurethe Moment was back at trainer Matt Laurie’s stable after being hospitalised following… Read More »
For the third time in the past week, Via Sistina has had a change to her spring program and will now contest this Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. The 1600-metre event was identified as a likely next step for Via Sistina after her Winx Stakes win, but… Read More »
Coolmore Australia has announced with great sadness the passing of Champion Sire Fastnet Rock, who was humanely euthanised earlier today at his birthplace and lifelong home in the Hunter Valley. For two decades, Fastnet Rock stood as one of the most influential stallions in Australian breeding, leaving a legacy that… Read More »
A head-scratching barrier trial prompted a slight change of plan for dual Group-winning colt North England but he is set to chime back into the three-year-old features at Rosehill. The Kindergarten Stakes winner turned in a lacklustre trial effort behind T J Smith Stakes winner Briasa at Canterbury on August 18 when… Read More »
The Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are in a quandary as to the best way to get Mr Brightside to his Group 1 target of the spring. The King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 18 has been earmarked for the nine-time winner at… Read More »
Injury prone galloper Baraqiel has put all his ailments behind him to become a Group 1 winner in a mad dash at Moonee Valley. The Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin-trained sprinter burst through a narrow gap late in the race to take out the Moir Stakes (1000m) on Saturday…. Read More »
Bjorn Baker has delivered a milestone for the new-look Godolphin operation with Pericles providing the global powerhouse with its first Group win since moving to a public training model. Making his debut for the stable, Pericles ($9.50) burst between runners in the straight to comfortably take out Saturday’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes… Read More »
Trainer Clinton Mcdonald’s heartbreak at watching Angel Capital land the prize in the Chautauqua Stakes at Moonee Valley was eased 35 minutes later with the debut win of Rosberg. McDonald had prepared Angel Capital to win last year’s Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m), but after a further three starts the colt was… Read More »
Michael Freedman claimed the Golden Slipper with Marhoona but for a long time Apocalyptic was the filly he rated his top seed for the juvenile showpiece. On Saturday at Randwick she showed why with a stunning return in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m). A luckless second at her only other start in… Read More »
Angel Capital has made a stunning return to racing claiming a Stakes race at Moonee Valley in his first outing for Chris Waller. Purchased by Yulong Stud after starting his career with Clinton McDonald, Angel Capital was joined Waller soon after winning the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in… Read More »
Australia’s No 1 feature-race trainer/jockey combination, Chris Waller and James Mcdonald, teamed up to score another Wyong Cup success on Friday. Saltcoats carried McDonald to his fourth win in the $250,000 Listed event, all of which have come for Waller, who has now won the race nine times. It was a bounce-back… Read More »
Star mares Via Sistina and Treasurethe Moment will be kept apart until they clash in the Cox Plate. Yulong announced on Thursday the pair are Cox Plate bound with minor tinkering to their original programs. The Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina will bypass the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at… Read More »
The late Mike Moroney had a belief that The Pendragon could win a good race in Australia. After a Group 2 success in New Zealand and then chasing home high-class mare Orchestral in the Karaka Millions, The Pendragon was sent to Melbourne for a shot at the Group 1 Australian Guineas. The… Read More »
More starting point than destination race for stablemates Vauban and Sir Delius, the Chelmsford Stakes is still expected to provide important insights for their trainers as they plot the pair’s respective paths towards the Melbourne Cup. The duo will resume in Saturday’s 1600m feature at Randwick, the shortest distance either… Read More »
The template that resulted in Bella Nipotina delivering Ciaron Maher his maiden Everest win is again being implemented by the champion trainer, this time with All Aged Stakes winner Jimmysstar. The six-year-old will be in unchartered territory when he races over 1000m for the first time in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes at Randwick but… Read More »
The veteran of the Tramway Stakes field, Private Eye will be out to teach his rivals a galloping lesson at Randwick as he bids to notch his fourteenth career-win. The eight-year-old proved he had lost none of his zest for racing with a strong first-up win in the P B Lawrence… Read More »
Most horses are for sale at the right price, but the Clinton Mcdonald-trained Rosberg has a ‘Not For Sale’ sign hanging around his neck. McDonald has sold a number of promising three-year-olds over the years to Hong Kong but has said Rosberg is off limits. Such is the opinion of… Read More »
