Golden Slipper winner Vancouver and Group One winning mare First Seal have both been ruled out for the rest of the spring. Trainer Gai Waterhouse told stewards on Tuesday, Vancouver would be spelled and not press ahead to the Caulfield Guineas for which he was one of the favourites. The… Read More »
NSW Premier Mike Baird was followed into Bart Cummings’ state funeral by a couple in well-worn coats and shoes – the old gent carrying a green shopping bag, his wife limping with what might be a dodgy hip. The St Mary’s Cathedral congregation looked a lot like a race day… Read More »
Racing identities, politicians, battlers and punters have filled Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral to farewell Bart Cummings, the man known to all as the Cups King. Cummings’ large family led mourners at the state funeral, but behind them was a congregation that exemplified the people the trainer had touched during his… Read More »
One of Australia’s top sprinters, Chautauqua, has made a winning return to racing at Moonee Valley. Having his first start since the autumn, Chautauqua reeled off impressive sectional times in taking out the Group Two McEwen Stakes (1000m) on Saturday. Ridden by Dwayne Dunn and sent out favourite, Chautauqua ($2.60)… Read More »
The Cleaner and his trainer Mick Burles will have another shot at trying to win the Cox Plate after claiming the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes for the second year in a row. After defying his rivals in Saturday’s Group Two weight-for-age race at Moonee Valley, The Cleaner returned to… Read More »
Godolphin has repelled the Chris Waller army in the Chelmsford Stakes – but not with the horse anyone expected. Waller had 11 of the 16 runners in the Group Two Chelmsford (1600m) at Randwick with Godolphin sending out two – Hartnell ($4.60) and Complacent ($41). The Waller-trained Royal Descent and… Read More »
Canberra galloper Fell Swoop has graduated to stakes company with a comprehensive win at Moonee Valley at his first try in Melbourne. The victory of the lightly raced four-year-old in The Cup Club Stakes (1200m) on Saturday was his third in a row, coming on top of wins at Rosehill… Read More »
Miss Finland’s daughter Stay With Me has produced a breathtaking finishing sprint to land her first stakes win and confirm herself as a leading Thousand Guineas chance. Stay With Me, by Street Cry, showed she has plenty of talent of her own as she sprinted down the outside to win… Read More »
Metallic Crown has held off all challengers to claim the Group Three Ming Dynasty Quality in at Randwick just 10 days after winning a midweek maiden. The three-year-old colt led for the majority of the 1400m race but was under siege in the final 200m before rallying to hold off… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse could have a genuine Golden Rose contender after all with Speak Fondly staking her claim with a dominant victory in the Furious Stakes at Randwick. The owners of Waterhouse’s long-time Golden Rose favourite Vancouver made the decision on Friday to bypass next week’s $1 million race. And English,… Read More »
On a day when Bart Cummings was remembered at racecourses around the country, one of his longest-serving workers has prepared a winner at Moonee Valley. Leon Corstens, who spent 23 years working for Cummings in Melbourne until starting on his own in 1994, was in the winner’s stall on Saturday… Read More »
Robbie Laing is being single-minded in his preparation towards chasing a second Victoria Derby win in three years. Polanski gave Laing his first Derby victory in 2013 and Kentucky Flyer is being aimed at this year’s edition. Following a win in a Cranbourne maiden on August 23, Kentucky Flyer scored… Read More »
A heavy track rating could be behind a solid move for Sweynesse at Randwick tomorrow. SPRING OFFER: Sign-up at Sportsbet.com.au via this link for a $501 FREE BET BONUS! The John O’Shea trained entire is the best backed runner in the Tramway Stakes with online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au. Sweynesse has firmed… Read More »
After a very impressive trial win last Friday on his home track at Warwick Farm, the Joe Pride trained Ball Of Muscle has been the best supported runner to take out the first leg of the quaddie at Randwick this Saturday, the Concorde Stakes (1000m). RANDWICK OFFER: Sign-up at Sportsbet.com.au… Read More »
Fell Swoop has shown himself to be a horse on the rise and the sprinter gets his first chance to try to shine at stakes level in a Listed sprint in Melbourne. Canberra trainer Matthew Dale has chosen Saturday’s The Cup Club Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley as Fell Swoop’s… Read More »
Dwayne Dunn is joining forces with one star of the Australian turf for the first time and reuniting with another in the two feature races on Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes day. Dunn rides Contributer in Saturday’s Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley while he will be back… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse remains adamant Vancouver is on track for a successful spring but has stopped short of committing him to a start in the $1 million Golden Rose. The colt was displaced as favourite for the Group One race when he was beaten in a Rosehill barrier trial on Tuesday…. Read More »
There are 140 horses nominated for this year’s Melbourne Cup and Protectionist is the best backed runner with sportsbet.com.au. SPRING OFFER: Sign-up at Sportsbet.com.au via this link for a $501 FREE BET BONUS! The online bookmaker has Protectionist on the fourth line of betting at $21. The six-year-old was trained… Read More »
Godolphin galloper Contributer is set for his first-up spring assignment after a familiarisation gallop at Moonee Valley. Trainer John O’Shea took Contributer to the track on Tuesday morning in preparation for his return in Saturday’s Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes on Saturday. It will be Contributer’s first run… Read More »
The horse on a mission to deliver Bart Cummings a fairytale 13th Melbourne Cup is set to begin his quest in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick. Precedence, already a four-time veteran of Australia’s most famous race, is one of 22 entries for the Group Two race over 1600 metres at… Read More »
