Horse Racing News
Imperatriz puts rivals to the sword in the G1 Manikato Stakes
Imperatriz’s Victorian spring romp continued on Saturday when the superstar Kiwi sprinter added another Moonee Valley feature to her resume. The Mark Walker-trained five-year-old lived up to her prohibitive quote when she cruised to a 3-1/4-length Manikato Stakes win as $1.40 favourite with online betting sites. It was her third win at...
Lunar Flare out of 2023 Melbourne Cup with career ending injury
Lunar Flare has been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup and retired with a career ending injury. Trainer Grahame Begg announced on social media the immediate retirement of the mare on Saturday. Lunar Flare had finished an unlucky fourth in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) on Friday night. “Regrettably Lunar Flare has been ruled out of...
Tom Kitten toys with G1 Spring Champion Stakes rivals
Tom Kitten made a one-act affair of the Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday, but fast-forward twelve months and James Cummings won’t be surprised to see him line up in a Cox Plate. Godolphin’s head trainer has a high opinion of the three-year-old, who gave sire Harry Angel his first Group 1 win in...
Cleveland boosts 2023 Melbourne Cup credentials in Moonee Valley Cup
Cleveland has won his first race in Australia from seven attempts, taking out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on Friday night. A former Sydney Cup favourite and now with Kris Lees, the former Joseph O’Brien trained stayer is already assured of a Melbourne Cup start. Under a typically composed...
Kiwi’s Valley Prowess is Crystal clear
It wasn’t the race she was initially targeted at, but Prowess got her win at The Valley on Cox Plate when she won an eventful $300,000 Group 2 Crystal Mile. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare entered the season one of the favourites for the Cox Plate, but a minor issue...
Zeyrek from last to first in the Craven Plate at Randwick
A decision to ride Zeyrek quietly despite a lack of obvious tempo has reaped rewards for Team Hawkes with the gelding charging home to win the Craven Plate at Randwick. Disappointed to see him settle midfield and wide in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) last start, co-trainer Michael Hawkes gave Tyler Schiller strict...
Augment can pass Belgravia Stakes test at Ascot says Pat Carbery
Jockey Pat Carbery is no stranger to Belgravia Stakes (1200m) success and wants to carry that momentum into Saturday’s Listed contest at Ascot. Pat Carbery won last year’s Belgravia Stakes with classy mare Amelia’s Jewel and before that rode Miss Solis (2013) and Megatic (2008) to respective wins. The pressure for Carbery to...
John Sargent Glad as plans come to fruition
John Sargent says Glad You Think So is “as good as I can get him” ahead of his Group 1 bid in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. The progressive three-year-old passed an important class test when a close fifth in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) last start, his first taste of...
Tom Kitten favourite for the Spring Champion Stakes
Even James Cummings seems a little surprised that Tom Kitten has put together a body of work that has him the short-priced favourite for Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick. That he is such a strong chance in a 2000-metre Group 1 doesn’t make a great deal of sense when you...
Chris Waller in line for more WFA Cox Plate success
Chris Waller knows what is takes to win the Cox Plate having trained Winx to win Australia’s best race on four consecutive occasions. But for something different this year, Waller will saddle his first three-year-old runner in the 2040m Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Militarize, already a triple Group 1...