There are few shrewder judges around than Peter Snowden – as his stable's strike rate regularly attests – so when the Sydney based handler brings a couple of horses south for a tilt at two valuable support races on the first group 1 day of the new racing season, it's probably worth paying attention.
Midwinter, Godolphin trainer John O'Shea had nearly given up on getting his best colt Astern to the Golden Rose. Now he is the favourite.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott will follow the Pierro path to the Caulfield Guineas with unbeaten colt Evacuation after his return win at Rosehill on Saturday.
Winx may look to have a lock on the Cox Plate, but as great as the Chris Waller trained galloper is, record-breaking trainer Darren Weir might have the legitimate challenger in Black Heart Bart.
Despite the promise of a spring of much content, emphasised by Caulfield's Memsie Stakes meeting, Melbourne is the "most depressing race scene in all my time", according to Shelley Hancox.
Bookmakers will explore offering betting on a quickfire form of horse racing set to be legalised in Queensland in an attempt to make up for revenue losses when NSW's greyhound racing ban takes effect.
There is honour in the bush when it comes to horse dealings and unbeaten filly Beside You is a case in point for trainer Barry Ratcliff.
Turn the clock back 12 months and Alpine Eagle had many eyes on him as a possible star of the spring.
James McDonald has "a soft spot" for Astern, that's why he rides him in Saturday's Run To The Rose at Rosehill, but it might not carry through to the main event, the Golden Rose, in a fortnight.
Michelle Payne says it will be hard to watch someone else ride Prince Of Penzance in the Memsie Stakes, but admits she is not at full fitness.
Dwayne Dunn ended a frustrating run of seconds to win his first Scobie Breasley Medal in a thrilling vote count at Flemington racecourse on Thursday night.
Racing Australia will look for a senior administrator with "significant racing knowledge and experience" to take over from departing chief executive Peter McGauran who will not renew his contract when it ends in December.
Blake Shinn is thankful to have a talent like Mediterranean waiting in the wings for the Golden Rose and believes he will move towards the top of betting for the group 1 after the Run To The Rose at Rosehill on Saturday.
Let's hope Bloodlines followers enjoy the feats of the world's highest-rated racehorse of all time, Frankel, with today's column following on from last week's exploits at the Arqana Yearling Sales in France where nine of his progeny sold for €3,800,000 ($5.6 million) at an average of €422,222.
Pound for pound there wouldn't be a breeder in Australia who has had as much success as John Camilleri in the last five years. Not that the man who produced Winx, Vancouver and El Divino will be shouting from the rooftops about it.
Gabrielle Englebrecht will start Cannyescent at Rosehill on Saturday after scratching him a number of times because of wet tracks in the past month. Cannyescent worked home well first-up when second to Chetwood at Canterbury and the fitness edge from that run has the Warwick Farm trainer more comfortable about running the four-year-old on a soft track.
Singing came from Germany with baggage, not all of his own making, but trainer Kris Lees is careful not to get too carried away about the stayer.
Premier trainer Chris Waller will find out at Rosehill on Saturday whether a handful of his three-year-olds have group 1 potential.
While Darren Weir's vast resources of quality racehorses will be on display this Saturday in the $500,000 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, another trainer from over the border will be hoping that his sole entrant can return to his best in the first group one for the season.
Victoria Police are making a new bid to ban controversial jockey Danny Nikolic from race tracks.
After only a year with Victoria Racing's big online investment, CEO Scott Perrin has left the operation.
At rain-soaked Ballarat on Sunday, one of the nation's finest fencers won a second Grand National steeple.
Fresh from a first-up win on Winx, Hugh Bowman will join the next generation of the family when he rides El Divino in Saturday's Run To The Rose at Rosehill as a lead into next month's Golden Rose.
Winx is a box office gold mine and if she keeps putting on a show like she did in Saturday's Warwick Stakes, punters should turn out in record numbers at Randwick in the next month.
After producing brilliant finishes at Randwick on Saturday, Divine Prophet and Omei Sword were lifted to the top of Golden Rose betting but neither are assured of starting in next month's group 1.
There wasn't a moment of doubt with Winx in the Warwick Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Brenton Avdulla has positioned himself to be the lightweight jockey for Godolphin and the Chris Waller yard and it delivered a black type double at Randwick on Saturday.
Harness Racing NSW will commence construction on another stable block at Menangle next month after the house full went up on the training centre.
While Darren Weir is convinced that his sprinting three-year-old Ken's Dream, who was victorious in Saturday's $120,000 McKenzie Stakes, has a bright future the trainer maintains it may not be this Spring that we see the best of the youngster.
Canberra's Fell Swoop topped off a break-out year for Matt Dale's stable.