Horse Racing News
Neasham trio ready to go the distance
The prospect of a soft rather than heavy track is music to the ears of trainer Annabel Neasham as she chases a first local win with former English gelding Perfect Play. The four-year-old will join stablemates Funambulist and Gulf Of Mexico in Saturday’s The Agency Real Estate Handicap (2400m) at Rosehill where the...
Step up in trip for King Magnus
Trainers Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock have long harbored the idea of testing King Magnus at 2000m. That will finally become a reality on Saturday at Flemington when the rising nine-year-old contests the VRC Member Peter Drake Plate. Griffiths and de Kock had been planning an earlier assault at 2000m, but the...
First Settler on trial for spring racing carnival sprints
Stakes races down the straight at Flemington in the spring are on the agenda for impressive debut winner First Settler. As part of the learning curve towards those contests, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained two-year-old will tackle the VRC Member Russell Dawson Plate (1000m) on Saturday. The Listed Poseidon Stakes...
Sir Davy kicks off for new yard
While the eyes of the racing world on the first Tuesday in November are on the Melbourne Cup at Flemington, Wangaratta trainer Daniel Mccarthy is planning on having a starter in another rich race north of the border. The Big Dance and its $3 million in prize money has attracted the attention...
Serendipitous timing for Mergeila’s debut
Ever seeking to fine tune his already slick training operation, Chris Waller has returned from a visit with legendary horseman Bob Baffert armed with some fresh insights and perspectives. In the US for a family holiday, Waller spent a day with Baffert at his Santa Anita stables, chewing the fat and talking all...
Romans ready to strike at Flemington
If assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is right, Smokin’ Romans is about to strike form at Flemington. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper contests the VRC Member Peter Drake Plate (2000m) on Saturday, one of five runners from the stable. A Group 1 winner of the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in October 2022, Smokin’ Romans...
Jockeys’ premiership battle set to intensify at Rosehill
James Mcdonald and Nash Rawiller will continue their premiership arm wrestle at Rosehill where both present with strong books of rides. Reigning titleholder McDonald sits on 84 Sydney wins this season, three ahead of Rawiller after both added to their respective tallies at Wednesday’s Randwick-Kensington meeting. McDonald has rides in all 10 races on...
Three down to one for Moody and Coleman
Skipjack will be the sole runner for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman in a two-year-old race at Flemington after the stable scratched their two other runners. Having accepted with Gallant Son, She Smashes and Skipjack in the VRC Member Russell Dawson Plate (1000m) on Saturday, the stable will be represented by only Skipjack. A debut...
Deny Knowledge too good in the Grafton Cup
A bold midrace move by Blake Shinn has helped secure Deny Knowledge her third stakes win in the Listed Grafton Cup and provide an almost immediate return for new owners Yulong. Content to let the speed go early, Shinn settled Deny Knowledge in fourth, but when the tempo slackened near the 1200m, he...
Spring plans open for Oaks winner
Many of Ciaron Maher's key spring players are nearing trial stage, but one of his Group 1 winners who might have a later start to spring than many is Socks Nation. The daughter of Sioux Nation was given several weeks off following her blowout win in the $700,000 Queensland Oaks at...