Horse Racing News
Will Lightning get chance to strike in All Aged Stakes?
Chain Of Lightning’s TJ Smith Stakes win immediately stamped her one of the headline acts of this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, but whether she gets the chance to bolster her page this weekend could be weather dependant. The daughter of Fighting Sun is not a certain starter in the...
Distance rise to help Navajo Peak in JRA Plate
David Payne has taken the blame for Navajo Peak’s disappointing campaign, but he remains adamant the horse will respond to a distance rise in the JRA Plate at Randwick. The five-year-old posted the most significant win of his career in last year’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), prompting Payne to target him...
Grid Girl stays home for the Mornington Guineas
Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes have elected to keep Grid Girl in Melbourne for another start before the possibility of tackling Stakes company. Grid Girl will run in the Mornington Guineas (1600m) on Saturday rather than travel to Adelaide for the Listed HC Nitschke Stakes (1400m) on the inner...
Jockey merry-go-round on Maharba in Hareeba Stakes
With the potential of a jockey shortage at Mornington, trainer Grahame Begg and owner Gary Towzell got on the front foot in the search of a jockey for Maharba at Mornington. The three-year-old runs in the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) on Saturday, but longer-term Wagga-based Towzell has his eyes on a feature race...
Mitchell Pateman maintains faith in Almighty Class
Mitchell Pateman has never wavered in his opinion that gun three-year-old Almighty Class could win a major feature event, the only question in his mind was when and where. Pateman hoped it could have been at last year’s Ascot Pinnacles carnival, but the chance went begging and cruelly cut short by...
Dottie a Rich debut winner
Nicely bred two-year-old filly Rich Dottie provided Grahame Begg with a couple of firsts at Caulfield Heath. The win of the filly in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday was the trainer’s first two-year-old winner of the season as well as his first for Yu Long Investments. Rich Dottie is a daughter...
Steel Run arrives late on debut
Trainer Mick Kent will consider a trip to Queensland for the Winter Carnival following the debut win of Steel Run at Caulfield Heath. Having his first start in the Sportsbet Set A Deposit Limit Plate (1600m) on Wednesday, Steel Run needed every metre of that trip to score. Trainer Mick Kent will consider a trip...
Chris Waller colt could be a winter carnival Force
Chris Waller has long been a proponent of seasoning his later-maturing two-year-olds during the Brisbane winter carnival, and Canterbury winner Imperial Force is poised to follow that route. The highest price colt sold at last year’s Inglis Easter Sale, the son of Snitzel out of Gold Fever mare Ultimate Fever was a $1.6 million...
Linebacker poised to peak in G1 Champagne Stakes
A plan three months in the making will come to fruition on the final day of the Sydney autumn carnival when Linebacker chases a Group One win in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick. Trainer John O’Shea earmarked the final leg of the two-year-old triple crown as a target for the youngster before he...
Ben Melham breaks leg in Caulfield fall
Jockey Ben Melham has been transported to hospital following a fall soon after jumping from the barriers at Caulfield Heath. The fall has put Melham’s ride aboard Malkovich in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday in jeopardy. Racing Victoria stewards reported Melham was being transported to hospital with a...
