Reports of Zanbagh’s retirement have proved premature and her owner Sandy Tait is excited to see his family’s famous red and white colours back at Randwick. The mare runs in Saturday’s Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) in what will be her third start for trainer John Thompson. After the sudden… Read More »
Bookmakers have marked It’s Somewhat as the pick of Godolphin’s two Villiers Stakes runners but trainer John O’Shea has a different view. O’Shea believes the handicapper has made the five-year-old’s task too tough with an outside barrier draw delivering a knockout blow. The horse finished a brave second to Mighty… Read More »
An ill-timed injury to Peace Force on the way to Brisbane has thwarted Gerald Ryan’s hopes of a two-state stakes double and he will rely on his Randwick runners, Red Excitement and Dances On Stars. Peace Force was the favourite for Saturday’s Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben but hurt a… Read More »
The Villiers Stakes (1600m) is the feature race at Randwick this Saturday and it is one of the better betting races of the year given it’s wide open and it’s usually a capacity field. The 2015 edition will be no exception and Sportsbet.com.au punters are betting wide. Happy Clapper is… Read More »
For the first time in four years, Monton won’t contest the Villiers Stakes. But the veteran racehorse will only break marginally with routine. He will instead run in a support race at the feature Randwick meeting when he resumes in Saturday’s Listed Razor Sharp Handicap. The gelding won the Villiers… Read More »
Jockeys can get it wrong when given a choice of rides in a feature race. But so far circumstances are falling into place for Brenton Avdulla after he opted to ride Happy Clapper over Red Excitement in the Villiers Stakes. Happy Clapper has firmed into $4.80 favouritism since drawing barrier… Read More »
Getting the ride on a thoroughbred like Mighty Lucky is the easy part for Nathan Thomas. The real challenge is making sure he stays on. In his own words, Thomas is about as low-profile as it gets for a jockey in Sydney racing. He books his own mounts and travels… Read More »
A wide barrier draw has done little to dampen the optimism of John Thompson ahead of Zanbagh’s tilt at Saturday’s Group Two Villiers Stakes. The 2014 ATC Australian Oaks runner-up has drawn barrier 19 of 20 for the feature Randwick mile but the trainer says the fact Zanbagh is a… Read More »
There is a theory in racing that in-form mares are reliable betting propositions. John Thompson is in the fortunate position of having two of them contesting separate feature races at Randwick on Saturday. The trainer will saddle up Zanbagh in the Group Two Villiers Stakes, the major race of the… Read More »
Happy Clapper will be looking to make it a hat trick of victories in Saturday’s G2 Villiers Stakes where he is the $4.60 favourite in a wide betting race. [betrace] Odds: Villiers Stakes market Bet here: https://t.co/e2REQSIGul pic.twitter.com/aVW7uUc1Ti — JustHorseRacing (@justhorseracing) December 9, 2015
Rex Lipp will happily switch Tinto’s racing schedule if the mare can win the Villiers Stakes on Saturday. Tinto has been set for the Villiers-Magic Millions Stayers’ Cup double, but Lipp said he would consider sacrificing the mare’s chance for back-to-back wins in the latter race should she return to… Read More »
A corporate bookmaker has posted Happy Clapper as favourite for the Group Two Villiers Stakes, something his trainer takes with a grain of salt. Pat Webster is under no illusions about the task ahead of the talented gelding in his first foray in stakes company. “Markets don’t mean a thing,”… Read More »
View the nominations for the 2015 Villiers Stakes. The Villiers Stakes will be run on Saturday 12th December at Royal Randwick racecourse. [betrace] 1 CASINO DANCER M 5 Mike Van Gestel 2 DREAM FOLK G 6 Gregory Hickman 3 DUCA VALENTINOIS (IRE) G 4 John O’Shea 4 FINAL DECISION G… Read More »
Gai Waterhouse will line up two runners in Saturday’s Villiers Stakes Field with Pheidon and Frespanol to represent her stable. Villiers will be strong race @atc_races Randwick Saturday. @GaiWaterhouse1 to have 2 runners. Frespanol @huet60 and Pheidon @AdamHyeronimus — Andrew Bensley (@AndrewBensley) December 6, 2015
Rivals when they last raced at Rosehill, Chris Waller-trained stablemates Telepathic and Vilanova will head to different stakes races at Randwick. Telepathic, winner of the Listed ATC Cup on November 28 will come back from 2000 metres to 1600 in Sydney’s summer showpiece, the Group Two Villiers Stakes on Saturday…. Read More »
Unless there are any surprises when extended nominations close, Gamblestown will run in a 1400 metre-race at Randwick instead of waiting another week for the Group Two Villiers Stakes. With nine entries for Saturday’s Benchmark 93, nominations are extended until Tuesday morning. Gamblestown’s trainer Joe Pride said if it looked… Read More »
The Chris Waller-trained Telepathic has earned herself a spot in the Group Two Villiers Stakes with a comfortable win at Rosehill. The five-year-old was the clear favourite in the Listed Tyreel Stud ATC Cup (2000m) on Saturday at $1.50. Telepathic did not disappoint punters with a 1-3/4 length margin over… Read More »
Just A Blur’s Goulburn Cup win may rule her out of future country features with the Group Two Villiers Stakes a possible target. The five-year-old mare, trained by Barbara Joseph and her son Paul Jones, came from back in the field to score a decisive 1-1/2 length win over Moral… Read More »
John Thompson has been forced to change tack with Zanbagh, simply because the mare has done so well since her first-up win. The dual Group One placegetter found a home with Thompson at Randwick after retirement plans were shelved. Her win for her new stable on November 14 at Rosehill… Read More »
A Rosehill race designed as a springboard into the summer carnival for one horse is shaping as a career crossroads for his stablemate. God’s In Him, early favourite for the Schweppes Farewells Jimmy Cassidy Handicap, returns from a freshen-up on Saturday ahead of a campaign that will encompass the Villiers… Read More »
