Last-start Group Two winner Vilanova is thriving in Melbourne and has has a good look at Moonee Valley ahead of his next assignment in the Alister Clark Stakes. The Chris Waller-trained Vilanova was one of two three-year-olds headed to Friday night’s Group Two Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) to gallop between… Read More »
Lankan Rupee’s Newmarket Handicap win has many touting him as the country’s best sprinter but Buffering’s trainer Robert Heathcote is convinced the Queensland star can confirm his claims this autumn. The winner of three Group One races in the spring, Buffering returns in Saturday’s Group Two Challenge Stakes (1100m) at… Read More »
Chris Waller has called on the handicapper not to crucify Catkins’ Coolmore Classic chances after she dominated her Wiggle Stakes rivals at Warwick Farm. The consistent mare posted her 10th win from 19 starts on Saturday, confirming plans to chase her first Group One win in two weeks. Waller’s only… Read More »
Fiorente has led home a one-two finish for the past two Melbourne Cup winners to claim the Group One Australian Cup at Flemington. Forced to make his run from the back of the field, Fiorente, last year’s Melbourne Cup winner, cemented his rise as an Australian weight-for-age star with a… Read More »
Boban has returned to winning form to deny It’s A Dundeel in the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm. With jockey Glyn Schofield in the saddle for the first time this campaign, Boban lifted on two unplaced returning runs to cut down It’s A Dundeel. Boban’s stablemate Hawkspur… Read More »
The Mick Price-trained Lankan Rupee has announced his arrival as the latest sprinting star of Australian racing with a clear-cut Newmarket Handicap win at Flemington. One of two runners in the $1 million Group One race for Price, Lankan Rupee raced away under jockey Chad Schofield to beat Spirit Of… Read More »
Alpha Miss has given her syndicate of owners a Golden Slipper conundrum after winning at Warwick Farm. The filly is not nominated for the $3.5 million race and connections will have to pay a $150,000 late entry fee to run. Trainer Gary Nickson said no decision would be made until… Read More »
Robert Smerdon was convinced Anatina had returned to training an improved filly and he had that opinion confirmed in a first-up win at Flemington. Smerdon thought the 1100m of Saturday’s Listed MSS Security Stakes was at the upper end of Anatina’s distance range, but the strength of her three-quarter length… Read More »
Realism will probably win out over optimism as trainer David Hayes finalises autumn carnival plans for Clifton Red after the filly scored a debut victory in the Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Flemington. As impressed as he was with Clifton Red’s Group Three success, Hayes said the Golden Slipper might be… Read More »
Chris Waller has a horse for the moment and one for the future as he assembles his best middle-distance talent against It’s A Dundeel in the Chipping Norton Stakes. It’s A Dundeel is an odds-on favourite to deny Waller four successive wins in the weight-for-race at Warwick Farm on Saturday,… Read More »
Damian Browne is free to ride Buffering in his comeback race after getting a stay of proceedings pending his appeal against a suspension which threatens most of his autumn carnival ambitions. The jockey was outed for six weeks after being found guilty of not giving Kingtantes every chance in a… Read More »
It’s A Dundeel will start his autumn campaign as the horse most trainers would like in their stable heading into a racing carnival offering $30 million in stakes. And with four weight-for-age races on It’s A Dundeel’s autumn timetable worth a combined $6.5 million, it’s not hard too see why… Read More »
Trainer Steve Richards resisted any temptation to run Marcado in the Blue Diamond and he expects the decision to pay dividends in the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington. Marcado scored a strong win in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington last month, a week before the $1 million Blue… Read More »
The Australian Cup has eluded jockey Damien Oliver but he has an undeniable chance to put that right on Fiorente. Oliver is unbeaten in two race rides on Fiorente having claimed last year’s Melbourne Cup and a first-up win in the Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. The Gai Waterhouse-trained import… Read More »
Chris Waller will revive the partnerships between two of his best horses and their regular riders when Boban and Hawkspur strive to recapture form in Saturday’s Chipping Norton Stakes. Glyn Schofield links with Boban for the first time this campaign while Jim Cassidy will reunite with Queensland Derby winner Hawkspur…. Read More »
It is a different track but Danny O’Brien is hoping for the same result when star colt Shamus Award meets Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente for the second time in Saturday’s Australian Cup. Shamus Award led all the way to win the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last spring with Fiorente… Read More »
Kathy O’Hara has never ridden a winner at Flemington but is looking to change that on the big stage in the Group One Newmarket Handicap. Sydney-based O’Hara was in Melbourne on Tuesday to put Newmarket-bound Va Pensiero through his paces in a jump-out down the straight in which he finished… Read More »
Having to defy history is not something that fazes trainer Danny O’Brien. He bucked the trend in last year’s Cox Plate when he sent Shamus Award into battle as a maiden and emerged triumphant. And it isn’t worrying him heading into Saturday’s Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) with Shamexpress who… Read More »
Anthony Cummings will leave a decision on an Australian Cup start for three-year-old Thunder Fantasy until acceptance time. Thunder Fantasy finished strongly for third in Saturday’s Group One Australian Guineas and is on the third line of betting at $8.50 alongside Foreteller for Saturday’s 2000m weight-for-age feature. Melbourne Cup winner… Read More »
The pre-race drama surrounding the withdrawal of the favourite could not take the gloss off Dissident’s win in the Hobartville Stakes. El Roca was taken out of Saturday’s Group Two race at Rosehill by stewards after he was found to have been given a treatment on Friday morning against the… Read More »
