Horse Racing News
Take two for Bodyguard in G1 pursuit in the Golden Slipper
The disappointment of missing out on a Blue Diamond Stakes start will be all but forgotten if Bodyguard can stage an upset in the $5 million Golden Slipper. A smart winner of the Blue Diamond Prelude, the colt was one of the top fancies for Melbourne’s premier juvenile event before he was...
Golden Slipper 2024 favourites fare well at barrier draw
Gai Waterhouse is aiming to win her eighth Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and her second with co-trainer Adrian Bott, and their team of six have largely drawn low with headline act Storm Boy drawn barrier two for the $5 million race. The stable are enjoying a record two-year-old season and from their...
Draw suits Imperatriz in G1 William Reid Stakes
Star mare Imperatriz will bid to keep her unbeaten record at Moonee Valley intact when she seeks a second win in the William Reid Stakes. Imperatriz won the 1200m Group 1 sprint last year before going on to take the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m), the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and...
Overpass tunes up nicely for the Quokka defense
While Perth's glamour mare Amelia's Jewel strutted her stuff in a Perth trial on Monday, Overpass was doing the same at Rosehill Gardens ahead of their mouth-watering clash in next month's $5 million Quokka (1200m) at Ascot. Amelia's Jewel, who settled last in her four-horse trial, gave pacesetter Bopping Blue a six...
MVRC looking to finalise 2026 Cox Plate venue
The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) is gearing up to finalise the venue for the 2026 Cox Plate by mid-year, as the iconic racecourse undergoes extensive track reconstruction. Club CEO Michael Browell announced plans for an expression of interest process to determine the best-suited location, with Melbourne's other two racing clubs...
Zougotcha too classy in the Coolmore Classic
An injury to stable favourite Fangirl made for a tough week in the Chris Waller stable, but Zougotcha provided the perfect balm with a determined victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic. Zougotcha ($3.30 fav) defied a recent hoodoo for favourites and topweight of 57kg to deny all challengers in Saturday’s $1 million race,...
Zardozi lays down challenge to star NZ filly ahead of Vinery Stud Stakes
James Cummings is welcoming a clash with star New Zealand filly Orchestral after Zardozi served a reminder of her talents with a dashing victory in the Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill. The pair is on a collision course towards the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in two weeks and Cummings believes it will...
Pride Of Jenni too fast in the All Star Mile
Teaming up with owner Tony Ottobre has changed the fortunes of former Irish jockey Declan Bates. Two Group 1 wins in the spring aboard Pride Of Jenni have been added to on Saturday when the Ciaron Maher-trained mare led throughout to claim the $4 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield. “Tony, he has...
Victorian 2YO form reigns in final 2024 Golden Slipper lead-ups
Filly Drifting and Victorian colt Dublin Down are the final two horses to earn Golden Slipper spots, but whether they take up the challenge is yet to be decided. The Tony and Calvin Mcevoy -trained Dublin Down secured a berth with his upset win in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), staving off Anode and relegating short-priced favourite Gatsby’s into fourth. The...
First Immortal stakes claims for Spring Racing Carnival Cups
Father-and-son training combination Mark and Levi Kavanagh are looking for a fortuitous autumn campaign with First Immortal after his first-up win at Caulfield. First Immortal’s autumn campaign launched with victory in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) on Saturday which may lead to the gelding heading towards two ballot exempt races for the Spring...