La Bella Diosa's efforts on the racetrack demanded she come to Australia for her autumn but the reasons she is here for Saturday's Surround Stakes has as much to do with things off the track back in New Zealand.
Tim Martin masterminded a huge betting plunge with Limbo Soul in her Rosehill debut on Wednesday and he has now turned his attention to the Golden Slipper.
The Canterbury quarantine centre will turn Godolphin blue for The Championships as Charlie Appleby will be the only international raider this year.
Victoria's racing eyes may be firmly set on Caulfield for a huge afternoon of Group 1 action on Blue Diamond Day this Saturday, but trainers, owners and breeders will cast their gaze north to Oaklands Junction 24 hours later when sales house Inglis hopes to auction the first ever $1 million yearling sold in Melbourne.
Trainer David Hayes admitted that he took a long deep breath when he realised just how poorly his vast group of competitors had drawn in Saturday's $1.5 million Blue Diamond.
What if they held a big money group 1 race and it turned into a Darren Weir benefit?
It wasn't the best weekend for top Sydney-based jockey Hugh Bowman, the man known Australia-wide as the regular partner of racing's glamour girl, Winx.
Trainer David Aiken believes Lennytheshark has become his best chance in Saturday's Miracle Mile at Menangle after drawing gate six.
Premiership-leading jockey Brenton Avdulla admits Hartnell will become the best horse he has ridden in the Saturday's Chipping Norton Stakes – but he knows there is definitely one better in the group 1.
Anyone who derives an income from wagering or racing will be banned from holding a position on Racing Victoria's board under a proposed shake-up of the industry's governance.
Top Sydney trainer Peter Snowden will bring the Lightning Ridge winner back for Canberra's biggest race.
She Will Reign is exciting but is still yet to match the figures of Magic Millions winner Houtzen according to times expert Vince Accardi, even after her stunning win in the Silver Slipper on Saturday.
Golden Slipper favourite She Will Reign could be the first horse to be a confirmed Everest runner with an investor to negotiate about buying a slot for the unbeaten flying filly in $10 million sweepstakes in October.
Senior English racing authorities believe that champion Australian race mare Winx could be a part of the major Royal Ascot meetings next year.
Battered, bruised, but not bloody and certainly not bowed.
While most in racing knew that David Hayes would have at least a third of the field for Saturday's $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, what they didn't know was if the trainer had chosen to start all of his qualified two-year-olds, the number would have swollen to a near monopoly for the stable.
The Lightning Ridge Plate will headline Canberra racing on Sunday with a potential $80,000 up for grabs.
Veteran Sydney sprinter Terravista scorched home to get up in the last stride under just returned jockey Corey Brown to give Warwick farm based trainer Joe Pride another Group One winner in an incident packed Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
In racing it's all about the timing.
Anthony Cummings always thought the Hobartville Stakes would be the hard one for Man From Uncle to win. Winning it at Rosehill on Saturday opened questions what will be his aim target for the autumn but he will get better.
She Will Reign's recovery from a costly split-second lapse has propelled her to Golden Slipper favouritism.
Offer any owner and trainer such a galloper, particularly a three-year-old with plenty of upside, and they would bite your hand off.
For South Australian trainer Chris Bieg the win of his tough mare Ample On Offa in Saturday's Asian Executive Stakes gave the horseman his first Flemington success.
The white knight of NSW racing fiefdom, Peter V'landys, bearded for action, is sharpening his broadsword to repel the invader, CrownBet, looking for new territory after a setback in China.
At least one punter thinks the Miracle Mile is a one-horse affair after placing a recordRecord bet on favourite Lazarus to win Miracle Mile wager on four-year-old Lazarus to win Australia's iconic race during the week.
It was always the intention to target La La Loopsy at the Country Championship even when she was trained by Leanne Aspros last season.
Michael Freedman, the youngest brother of Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman, has been granted a training licence in Hong Kong.
Queanbeyan trainer Joe Cleary excited about the Canberra horses not competing in this year's Country Champs.
Flying Artie, the favourite for the Lightning Stakes, is the highest rated three year old in action at Flemington on Saturday with a rating of 110.
The straight track at Flemington has always been the source of much intrigue, and at times annoyance for those in racing attempting to conquer the turnless stretch of grass that stages some of our most important sprint races each year.
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