Horse Racing News
Champion mare Verry Elleegant passes away
Verry Elleegant, one of the great mares in the history of Australian racing, has died while giving birth to her first foal. The 11-time Group 1 winner, whose crowning glory came in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, died in France while delivering the foal she conceived after a meeting with Sea The...
Begg building team for Sydney racing carnival
He has a handy record when he travels a horse to Sydney and Victorian-based horseman Grahame Begg has outlined plans for another raid on the upcoming autumn carnival sprints. Begg dipped his toe in the water at Randwick on Saturday when he saddled up Group 1 placegetter C’Est Magique, who finished a...
Stayers about to start autumn campaigns
Trainer Phillip Stokes is banking on residual fitness carrying two of his stayers a long way in brief autumn campaigns. Amade and Daqiansweet Junior, who competed successfully during the spring, are close to starting their autumn campaigns in coming weeks. The Listed Torney Night Cup (2500m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night will...
Werribee jump-out for G1 Australian Guineas hope
Trainer Mike Moroney will unveil one of his Australian Guineas contenders in a jump-out at Werribee. Pendragon will have his first serious test on Australian soil when he lines up in the second heat on Monday over 1100m. The colt, by U S Navy Flag, is at Moroney’s Flemington stable preparing for a shot...
Kimochi breaks black-type drought
Gary Portelli feared Kimochi was about to be the bridesmaid yet again when Learning To Fly ranged up to her in the Light Fingers Stakes, but his filly showed great courage to kick back and land an overdue black-type win. The three-year-old had finished runner-up five times in 10 starts, four of those in...
Switzerland on track for Golden Slipper
Chris Waller is zeroing in on a second consecutive Golden Slipper after Switzerland took his record to two wins from as many starts in the Pierro Plate at Randwick, outmanoeuvring the previously unbeaten Shangri La Express. The Coolmore-owned colt mustered speed to sit at the flanks of his Tulloch Lodge rival, who led...
Imperatriz takes out Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning
Imperatriz has brushed off the doubters following a poor trial at Cranbourne to extend her winning streak to six with a first-up win at Flemington. Success in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) on Saturday was the mare’s fifth Group 1 win on end and the fifth in her last six starts putting...
Riff Rocket claims Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes
The Chris Waller-trained Riff Rocket joined a rare bunch when he claimed the CS Hayes Stakes first-up at Flemington after winning a Group 1 staying feature in the spring. The Group 3 win over 1400m on Saturday came after Riff Rocket had claimed the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington...
King Of Sparta wins Expressway Stakes at Randwick
Having unlocked the key to King Of Sparta, Peter and Paul Snowden continue to reap the rewards, again producing the horse fresh to score a powerful win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick. In doing so, King Of Sparta claimed the scalp of Champions Sprint placegetter Buenos Noches, who was...
Fangirl romps home in in Apollo Stakes
James McDonald has thrown out a challenge to Fangirl’s autumn carnival rivals, declaring it will take a mighty horse to get the better of her this campaign on the strength of her exquisite first-up display. Fangirl ($2.10 fav) made a one-act affair of Saturday’s Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, deftly rounding up...