Horse Racing News
The wetter the better for Maher’s Bella in TJ Smith Stakes
Connections of Bella Nipotina have welcomed the forecast for heavy rain in Sydney ahead of her rematch with benchmark sprinter Imperatriz in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick. Bella Nipotina has finished behind the Te Akau Racing star in all three starts this preparation but significantly, the runs have all been...
Orchestral bypassing Australian Derby for the Australian Oaks
An extra seven days between racing and the hope of a better weather forecast has led co-trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood to look to the Australian Oaks on the second day of The Championships rather than backing up in the ATC Australian Derby this Saturday. The three-year-old filly by Cox Plate-winning...
Annabel Neasham filly fresh and ready to Fly
Following the retirement of multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki, Annabel Neasham is looking to her next generation of carnival horses to step up to the plate, among them Light Fingers Stakes runner-up Learning To Fly. One of the best two-year-olds of her generation, the Justify filly spent nearly a year on the...
Doncaster Mile and Australian Derby favourites draw wide
Another Wil rocketed to the top of betting for Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) after winning the Doncaster Prelude on Saturday and remains a firm favourite at $3.50 with online bookmakers despite drawing barrier 21, which could come in to 17 if the emergencies fail to get a run. The lightly...
Mr Brightside to head to Sydney for the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes
The Lindsay Park team of Ben Will and Jd Hayes will press ahead with plans to head to Sydney with Mr Brightside for The Championships. After winning the Group 1 Doncaster Mile in 2022 and again last year, Mr Brightside is being aimed at the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on...
Easter Cup tilt for Ciaron Maher pair at Caulfield
The Ciaron Maher stable will head to a Stakes race at Caulfield with a two-pronged attack. The Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) on Saturday will feature Future History and Jennilala. Future History heads to Saturday’s contest having had one start since finishing 15th in last year’s Melbourne Cup behind Without A Fight. Maher was delighted...
Lindsay Park returns to Pakenham
The Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are about to take back under their wing a previous base they departed when their father David moved to Hong Kong. Lindsay Park’s stables on-course at Pakenham is back under the Hayes name after Peter Moody rented the complex following his...
Imperatriz ready to shine in TJ Smith Stakes
Star New Zealand mare Imperatriz will be kept to her pre-race routine in Melbourne before travelling to Sydney for the opening day of The Championships. The Mark Walker-trained mare will have her last piece of work at Cranbourne on Tuesday before being floated to Sydney on Thursday night to run in the...
Globe set for return in Victoria Handicap at Caulfield
After an aborted spring campaign, trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are looking forward to seeing Globe back on the racetrack. That will come on Saturday in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield. A winner of his first four starts, Globe was thrown into the deep end in the spring,...
Linebacker scores touchdown at Rosehill races
John O’Shea has confirmed Group 3 Baillieu winner Linebacker will bypass the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and progress straight to the final leg of the two-year-old triple crown. The emerging colt made it two wins from as many starts with a determined effort in Saturday’s 1400m contest, trailing leader Anode throughout and wearing down...