Horse Racing News
Blinkers a Blessing for John Thompson’s charge
John Thompson’s decision to put blinkers on With Your Blessing has proven a masterstroke with the horse breaking a year-long drought from the winner’s stall at Kembla Grange. After taking on board the feedback from jockey Josh Parr following the gelding’s last start third at Rosehill, Thompson opted to make the change for...
Taunting too fast in the Apache Cat Classic
Teo Nugent made the most of his 53kg allotment and led a select field of sharp sprinters a merry dance in the $175,000 Apache Cat Classic (1000m) aboard Taunting for Michael Hickmott. Taunting ($6) showed excellent gate speed to hold out noted speedster Midwest ($4 EF) for the lead and travelled better around...
Detonator Jack explosive in The Gong at Kembla Grange
He had to settle for the minor prize in two lucrative races, but Detonator Jack has finally had his moment in the sun, responding to the addition of blinkers with a dominant win in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange. Trainer Ciaron Maher made the gear change after the gelding finished...
Racing passion rekindled for Hall and Riyazan
It is hard to get the passion for the horse and racing out of the blood. Vincent Hall was an accomplished jockey who retired from race riding in 2006 and only recently took out a trainers' licence. On Saturday, Hall will saddle just his eighth starter as a trainer when Riyazan lines up in...
Wiggum chases another healthy prize
With three-year-old sprinter Wiggum in form, Adelaide trainer Travis Doudle does not mind travelling over to Melbourne to race the gelding. Wiggum is on his third trip to Victoria and will be having only his sixth start when he lines up in the Frankston Sand Soil & Mini Mix Handicap (1200m) at Cranbourne on...
Distance test for Smashing Eagle
Not all horses thrive on the same workloads and for Smashing Eagle, the less he does on the training track the better he performs on race day. That has been co-trainer Gerald Ryan’s biggest lesson since the horse joined his yard earlier this year and not only has it resulted in...
Dan Morton a fan of WA Guineas contest
Group 2 status, half-a-million dollars in prize money and bragging rights are solid enough incentives. But if Dan Morton takes off his training cap and looks at the contest purely as a fan, he’s salivating at the prospect. Saturday’s WA Guineas is the undercard to the Railway Stakes (1600m), but holds intrigue on...
Low barrier a boon for Insurrection
Insurrection has camped on the speed in all five of his career wins, but trainer Michael Freedman won’t be surprised to see a different scenario unfolding when the horse lines up in The Warra at Kembla Grange. The $300,000 sprint has attracted a handy field of 14, several of them go-forward horses, and...
Blinkers and barrier key for Communist
A gear change sparked the first signs of a form revival from Randwick Guineas winner Communist and now Michael Freedman is hoping a change of luck at the barrier draw can provide another important boost. The four-year-old has drawn a single-figure gate for just the second time this preparation as he bids to...
Tempo on song for latest challenge
Handy sprinter Quick Tempo will make his second consecutive appearance at The Gong meeting but this time it will be to chase one of the day’s features. The gelding took out a 1000-metre benchmark race on the undercard 12 months ago, his performance there planting the seed for trainer Mark Minervini to return...