Horse Racing News
Okita Soushi Strikes Gold, into the 2024 Melbourne Cup
Ciaron Maher continues to build a strong Melbourne Cup hand and will add another to his team come the first Tuesday in November with Okita Soushi, who took out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday night. Okita Soushi ($11) was afforded a soft run just off the pace...
Victoria Derby 2024 looms for Spring Champion Stakes winner El Castello
Promising stayer El Castello is on target to back-up in the Victoria Derby after capping his rise from maiden winner to Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes hero in less than two months. The classic has long been the main mission for the three-year-old this campaign and provided he shows no signs of...
Belclare turns it on in The Invitation
Bjorn Baker didn’t get the timing of his tipping right, but he got the timing of his horse spot-on as Belclare raced to her first Australian win in the $2 million The Invitation. A dual group 1 performer in New Zealand, the mare had disappointed in two local runs but Baker’s decision to...
Baraqiel stamps his authority in the McEwen Stakes at The Valley
As a young horse Baraqiel tested the patience of Malua Racing and the ownership group by continually going sore. A $150,000 yearling purchase, Baraqiel did not make his debut until he was a five-year-old with victory in a Sale maiden. Success in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday...
Snowden stacks the bases in the Brian Crowley Stakes
The Brian Crowley Stakes will be a pivotal assignment for talented colt High Octane and trainer Peter Snowden is putting him on notice to perform. Snowden is certain the Blue Diamond Preview winner is the class horse of the race and he is hoping an outside gate gives the three-year-old the chance to...
Buckets Ridge sets sight on the Northam Cup
The name Buckets Ridge is starting to rise in notoriety in WA’s racing ranks, with the Listed-winning gelding primed for his assault in Sunday’s $150,000 XXXX Northam Cup (1600m) with William Pike booked to ride. To brothers Craig and Brett Ridge – along with the rest of the large ownership group...
Sprinter out to make a Grand Impact at Morphettville
The career of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Grand Impact has had many twists and turns in his brief career of the racetrack. The now five-year-old returns for his latest campaign as a gelding and has been dispatched to Adelaide looking for a win in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap...
Mr Brightside takes strapper on Cox Plate ride
Mr Brightside has taken his Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes on the ride of a lifetime as he has for strapper Will Evans. About to embark on his third start in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday, Evans has been his constant companion. Evans...
Perth test for Von Hauke in Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley
Mornington trainer Cliff Brown would like to see Von Hauke able to string some races together instead of being sidelined for some minor niggle. Von Hauke heads to the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday following another interrupted campaign. This year has been much of the same after Brown had...
Cox Plate horse in doubt to race
Connections of a UK galloper face an anxious wait to see if their horse will run in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Docklands underwent a Racing Victoria vets examination in quarantine at Werribee on Friday morning and noticed a change in the horse’s gait. The Harry Eustace-trained...