Horse Racing News
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...
Bruised heel stops King Magnus
A bruised heel has put an end to the Cranbourne Cup hopes of King Magnus. The Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock-trained galloper was a notable absentee from acceptances for Saturday’s Listed 1600m race when they closed on Wednesday. King Magnus won the first staging of the revamped Cranbourne Cup on a rain-soaked...
Richard Litt unearths another Godolphin find
Northumbria has become the latest Godolphin cast-off to thrive under the tutelage of Richard Litt, taking his record to two wins from as many starts for his new trainer. Litt has a record of success with horses who haven’t quite met Godolphin’s lofty standards, purchasing the likes of Sedition, Munitions and Marnix...
Time the friend of Sisterhood
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable have been rewarded for their patient approach with Sisterhood after the mare registered a hard-fought first-up win at Sandown. Lining-up for her first start since March, Sisterhood took out the Ladbrokes Yard Comments Handicap (1200m) on Wednesday. Sent out the $2.20 bookmakers favourite under Ben Allen ,...
Waller rooting for another G1 win in the Railway Stakes
Sydney’s champion trainer understands what’s required to win Perth’s famous mile race, having prepared Good Project to take out Railway Stakes honours in 2015. Good Project came close to another Railway Stakes the following year when second to Scales Of Justice, giving Chris Waller three placings overall after Moriarty and Tom Melbourne...