Horse Racing News
32 left in Melbourne Cup 2023 contention, penalty for Cleveland
A penalty for his Moonee Valley Cup win, combined with natural attrition, has Cleveland safely in the field for next week's $8.4 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup. Racing Victoria's head of handicapping David Hegan issued the Kris Lees-trained entire a 0.5kg penalty for Friday night's win under 55.5kg, taking his Melbourne Cup...
Hope In Your Heart chases G1 Empire Rose Stakes
After a luckless carnival in Sydney, Hope In Your Heart will embark on her first interstate mission in search of an elusive Group One win. Trainer Kerry Parker confirmed the five-year-old would head to Melbourne on Wednesday in preparation for the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington three days later, a race for...
Apulia on target for G1 Victoria Derby assault
Lindsay Park galloper Apulia has shown his Victoria Derby credentials with a strong win in a lead up contest at Moonee Valley. Apulia took out the Group 2 The Vase (2040m) on Saturday to provide the perfect launch pad into the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington next week. Providing Mark Zahra with the...
McEvoy continues dominance in $2m The Invitation
Quirky mare Espiona has given Kerrin Mcevoy a clean sweep of the first three editions of The Invitation, swooping late to get the verdict in a thrilling finish. McEvoy took out the race’s inaugural running on Icebath and backed it up last year aboard Promise Of Success before making it a hat-trick aboard the Chris...
Team Hayes looking on Brightside of the Cox Plate defeat
Ben Hayes and his brothers, Will and JD, are still trying to come to terms with being nosed out of Saturday’s Cox Plate with Mr Brightside, but they have not ruled out the prospect of having another crack at Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior before the year is out. Mr Brightside,...
Chrysaor hits the right gear
A preparation of frustration has had a happy ending for connections of Chrysaor after the colt gave Star Thoroughbreds a feature race double on the Spring Champion Stakes program. Trainer Chris Waller had been struggling to get the best out of the three-year-old, prompting him to make a raft of gear changes for...
Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior wins G1 Cox Plate
Champion James McDonald's faith in Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior has been vindicated with the jockey landing a second Cox Plate victory. After guiding Anamoe to success in last year's Group 1 weight-for-age championship, McDonald had to call on all his strength to get Romantic Warrior home in the 2040m contest...
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...
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...
