Horse Racing News
Inglis Millennium a little surreal for Steve O’Halloran
Having spent almost two decades working for Gai Waterhouse, Steve O’Halloran admits it feels a little surreal to be saddling a rival runner in a $2 million race. O’Halloran was among Waterhouse’s go-to trackwork riders for many years, later working as a senior foreman and travelling with her horses to interstate...
Altermatum ready for Blue Diamond Prelude assault
It is the time of the year where the two-year-olds need to start showing their credentials if they want to be players in the big autumn races. At Caulfield on Saturday are the two divisions of the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m), one for the fillies and another for the colts and...
More seasoned Moravia ready for Eskimo Prince Stakes
Buoyed by what Moravia achieved at his first racing campaign, trainer Michael Freedman heads into the Sydney carnival optimistic the three-year-old can raise the bar again. Moravia made a rapid leap into black-type company at just his second start last August, placing in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) then beating all...
RedFox colt to light up the Inglis Millennium
Fully Lit announced not only himself at Rosehill on January 20, the two-year-old did a good job of also shining the spotlight on fledgling syndicator RedFox Racing. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt carried RedFox’s red and black colours to a win that elicited a much more raucous reaction than is...
Melbourne Cup winning jockey Mark Zahra on tight schedule
Time will be of the essence for two-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Mark Zahra as the Caulfield meeting nears its end on Saturday. A big sports lover and in particular American Football, Zahra is booked to fly to the US on Saturday night to attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on...
Aztec Ruler set to contest Cyril Flower Stakes
Stefan Vahala hopes adopting a patient strategy can begin to pay off both now and later in the year. The now arrives as soon as Saturday, (weather permitting) in the Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, Aztec Ruler’s first crack at Listed company. If that plan comes to fruition first-up and his campaign...
Mertens transported to hospital following Stony Creek fall
In-form jockey Beau Mertens has been transported to hospital following a fall in the opening race at Stony Creek. Mertens was riding the $1.65 betting site favourite Nobiallo in the San Remo Hotel Maiden Plate (1100m) on Tuesday when the first starter fell heavily near the 200m mark. Just Bolts, who was following,...
Soulcombe on the right track towards Australian Cup
Craig Williams says time has been the friend of Melbourne Cup runner-up Soulcombe after partnering the stayer in a track gallop at Caulfield. Chris Waller called on Williams to partner Soulcombe as the gelding builds to a potential target of the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in late March. Williams was aboard...
Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip building towards racing return
Mark Zahra has a soft spot for Gold Trip, the horse that provided the jockey with the first of his back-to-back Melbourne Cup victories. Zahra answered a call from trainer Ciaron Maher to give Gold Trip a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday as part of the entire’s build-up to a racetrack return. Gold Trip...
Ayrton’s custom-made G1 tilt in CF Orr Stakes
Mick Price is aware there are more suitable immediate options for Ayrton than this Saturday’s CF Orr Stakes, but he thinks it is the right Group 1 race to have a crack at. Waiting for him will be star miler Mr Brightside, but the $750,000 weight-for-age Group 1 event is run...