The three-time Group One winner burst onto the Australian racing scene with a dominant win in the race last year but had to fight for a second victory, with the Chris Waller pair of Polly Grey and Kukeracha filling the placings just 0.75 and 1.25 lengths off the winner. Ridden by James Macdonald,… Read More »
A fast start was key to Snapdancer turning last start disappointment into success at the highest level as the five-year-old mare by Choisir took out the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville. While it was the first win in this race for training juggernauts Ciaron Maher & David Eustace,… Read More »
He wasn’t able to win the race named in honour of champion sprinter Takeover Target, but Jay Ford did manage to snare a coveted feature at the stand-alone Gosford meeting. The regular rider of the multiple Group 1 winner, Ford turned back the clock with a well-rated frontrunning ride aboard Rustic… Read More »
Elzamee has relished the drop back from ‘black type’ company to record an impressive win at Caulfield. Victory came in the Magic Millions National Sale (2000m) on Saturday after the three-year-old had competed at stakes level in his three previous outings. Providing both Jye Mcneil and the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable… Read More »
Blondeau has long promised to win a black-type race and he has finally delivered, spearing through along the inside to claim the Listed Takeover Target Stakes and continue a heady week for jockey Chad Schofield. It was Schofield’s third feature win for the Chris Waller stable in seven days after he claimed… Read More »
Irish-bred import Mankayan has made a winning return at his second Australian campaign with a stylish victory at Caulfield. Having his first start since finishing fourth in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) last December, the only time he was unplaced in seven starts at his first Australian campaign, Mankayan took out the Take It To The Neds Level Handicap (1600m) on… Read More »
In-form jockey Sam Clipperton earned his riding fee the hard way when partnering the Annabel Neasham-trained Numerian to a tough victory in the Gosford Gold Cup. With Rachel King on Main Stage setting a slow speed in front, Clipperton had to work hard to keep Numerian relaxed at the flanks of the leader before… Read More »
After 18 months being winless, Ranting has made a return to the winner’s enclosure at Caulfield after undergoing two operations. A wind operation coupled with a gelding operation saw Ranting take out the Ian Miller Handicap (1100m) on Saturday. The victory was Ranting’s second in 17 starts with his sole win… Read More »
After being given a 50-50 chance of survival, Lincoln Square has made a winning debut at Caulfield. The Greg Eurell -trained gelding took out the Thomas North Handicap (1200m) on Saturday after an operation took a nasty turn late last year. Eurell said Lincoln Square underwent a gelding operation late in the spring… Read More »
Tulloch Lodge youngster Resonator has booked his spot on the stable’s Brisbane winter carnival team with a courageous performance at the stand-alone Gosford meeting. The two-year-old mustered good speed out of the gates for Tim Clark but was pestered in front midrace by Ona Bender, who went forward after being trapped… Read More »
Dual Group 1 winner Shout The Bar has a date with Home Affairs after emphatically living up to her billing as the headline lot of this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale on Friday night. The Vinery Stud Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes winner for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott got to… Read More »
Emerging stayer Aleas has delivered Chris Waller a fourth Wagga Gold Cup and Chad Schofield a first, prevailing narrowly in a thrilling three-way battle to the line. As outsider Dream Runner cut the corner to join leader Five Kingdom in the straight, Chad Schofield aboard Aleas steered a wider course, bringing the gelding… Read More »
Wet weather has hampered the preparation of Biometric who is set to line up at Caulfield. The Lindsay Park-trained import was scratched from Sandown last Saturday and again at Warrnambool on Thursday because of the heavy tracks. Although rain is forecast on Saturday, the track is not expected to be worse… Read More »
Multiple Group 1 winning jockey Rodney Griffiths has died after a long battle with illness. Griffiths rose to prominence as an apprentice in the 1980’s before going on to ride more than 1400 winners in Australia and Europe in a career that ended following a fall at Caulfield at the age… Read More »
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable are likely to resist the temptation of sending Secret Blaze on a hurdling career despite the gelding showing promise over jumps. Instead, the practise of running Secret Blaze in a hurdle school last month was part of a training tool to get the gelding focussed for… Read More »
Instant Celebrity will chase back-to-back Robert Sangster Stakes success with her trainer believing she is in better order the second time around. The Phillip Stokes-trained mare won the Group 1 race over 1200m at Morphettville last year under a masterful ride from Craig Williams. This year, coming off knee surgery… Read More »
John Sargent is renowned for his knack with fillies and he is taking a trio of them to the Gold Coast, led by dual Group winner Four Moves Ahead. The three-year-old lines up in Saturday’s Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) alongside stablemate Mayrose, while ATC Australian Oaks placegetter Gin Martini ramps… Read More »
Mark Newnham is remaining upbeat about the chances of Lord Olympus in the Takeover Target Stakes despite the horse drawing wide for the second time in a week. Plan A had been a trip to Wagga for Thursday’s $200,000 Town Plate (1200m) but when he landed barrier 21, Newnham opted to instead… Read More »
Witchachar Star has continued his meteoric rise up the ranks taking out the Listed Warrnambool Cup. Backing up from a heavy track victory at Sandown last Saturday, Witchachar Star relished the heavy ground to record an impressive win over 2350m on Thursday. Witchachar Star was having only his seventh start for trainer Chris… Read More »
Wagga Wagga one day, Rockhampton the next. Jockey Brodie Loy is accustomed to travelling far and wide for rides but his schedule this week is a stretch, even for him. After riding at the Wagga Cup meeting in NSW on Friday, Loy will travel to Far North Queensland to partner the… Read More »
