Originally scheduled to make his Australian debut in the Cox Plate, the mid-winter appearance of high-class French import Gold Trip might be a lower-key affair, but it will be no less anticipated. An Australian Bloodstock syndication and multiple Group 1 placegetter in Europe, Gold Trip was sensationally scratched on Cox… Read More »
Dan O’Sullivan might have wondered where his next good horse was going to come from after Affair To Remember’s injury-enforced retirement and it would be appropriate if it is Berkeley Square. The son of Territories, who runs in Saturday’s VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400m) at Caulfield, is from the same family… Read More »
As a nine-year-old his best days are probably behind him, but Lyall is hopeful of sneaking a few more wins out of the Viscount gelding. Lyall’s want could come as soon as Saturday with Great Again to make his stable debut in the $125,000 Listed Bolton Sprint (1200m). Great Again… Read More »
Trainer Kris Lees remains on weather watch with Mugatoo but admits the chances of the horse making his much-anticipated comeback in the Winter Challenge at Randwick are lengthening. While the 2021 All-Star Mile winner enjoys wet ground, the Newcastle trainer is reluctant to run him first-up on a rain-soaked track. Randwick was… Read More »
Group 3 winner Kiss Sum is back in work after a short break in Queensland as he takes his first steps towards an assault on the $10 million Golden Eagle. The rising four-year-old returned to Tracey Bartley’s Wyong stable earlier this month and is likely to kick off his spring campaign… Read More »
Streets Of Avalon is set to resume at Caulfield after a bout of travel sickness forced him to miss a start in the inaugural running of The Archer at Rockhampton. The Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday will kick start Streets Of Avalon’s latest campaign which may see head to the other side… Read More »
Mornington trainer Rob Blacker may have his first runners in feature Group 1 races during the Melbourne Spring Carnival. In a training career dating back to 1997, Mornington trainer Rob Blacker has only had one starter contest a Group 1 race. That was emerging stayer Tigertiger in the Sydney Cup (3200m) at… Read More »
Scallopini will be part of the new blood in Caulfield’s second $200,000 Group 3 sprint of July with the Queensland gelding set to contest Saturday’s Bletchingly Stakes. Co-trainer Steven O’Dea confirmed on Monday that the seven-year-old would fly south on Tuesday night with a view to contesting the 1200-metre event with Hall… Read More »
It is not often that a horse rising five years of age and having only his first run will attract as much attention as Argyle Lane did at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday. But then again, not every horse is a half-brother to Incentivise, trainer Steve Tregea’s former star performer,… Read More »
The introduction of the new The Big Dance and The Five Diamonds races to be held in November this year has piqued the interest of champion trainer Chris Waller. His New Zealand import Lord Ardmore ($2.45F) got the job done at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and Waller could target either race… Read More »
Grahame Begg’s stable star is back in work and will be solely focused on going one better in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) after running a gallant second to Incentivise last year. With no Incentivise to worry about this Spring, Begg is looking forward to the Spring after opting to… Read More »
Nicolini Vito is putting together a handy record for trainers Ben & Jd Hayes , recording his fourth win for the stable after being transferred from the Tom Dabernig yard in late 2020. Sent around at $12 over a distance (1200m) punters thought may be shorter than his best, Nicolini Vito drove… Read More »
Narrowly denied last start at Caulfield by the fast-finishing D’aguilar, Hezashocka made amends with a gritty win after settling well back in the field, out lasting second favourite Mankayan over the concluding stages to take out the VRC Members Handicap at $4. The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr trained gelding was… Read More »
The James Cummings-prepared Alcyone ($4.60F) has put the writing on the wall for a promising preparation with a dominant display at Rosehill Gardens. The four-year-old was too strong for Fiordland ($8) over the final stages, saluting by two and a quarter lengths, with Great Britain import Lovely Esteem ($15) and short neck back… Read More »
Exciting two-year-old Giga Kick made it two from two in the first at Flemington and will look to target early 3YO group racing next. Clayton Douglas’ gelding set tongues wagging with a dominant debut win at Sale in February, running good time from the front and posting a 44.5 Racing… Read More »
Trainer Bjorn Baker was unsure how Arapaho would perform on a drying Grafton track, but the horse showed another string to his bow with a dominant victory in the $200,000 Grafton Cup. A scintillating winner on a heavy surface at Rosehill in May, Arapaho’s best form had been in extreme conditions, including… Read More »
One of the most improved horses in training, Ranges has continued Team Snowden’s affinity with the Ramornie Handicap to give the stable it’s fifth win in the feature Grafton sprint. Taking eight starts to break his maiden, the five-year-old only won his first Saturday metropolitan grade race in November before raising… Read More »
Having passed a significant distance test in the Caloundra Cup, Arapaho will head to the second day of the popular Grafton carnival in search of a breakthrough stakes success. The five-year-old lines up in the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday after beating all but Le Don De Vie at his first… Read More »
The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable have Victoria Derby aspirations with Transzam and a part of that process involves a start at Flemington. The Byerley Handicap (1800m) on Saturday is the race that Griffiths and de Kock have earmarked for the son of Pierro ahead of a spring campaign. Griffiths… Read More »
A yearling out of a mare well-known to Australian racing has been a star performer on Monday’s first day of the JRHA’s Select Sale in Japan. The colt by Maurice from four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen was easily the standout performer in the first half of Day 1’s trade, getting… Read More »
