Month: September 2019

Well-bred Standout will step up in class when he runs in the Heritage Stakes at Rosehill. Golden Rose day has been a happy hunting ground for Gerald Ryan and he is looking to superbly bred colt Standout to continue his successful affiliation with the meeting. The local trainer took out the program’s namesake race two years ago with Trapeze Artist and he has won several feature races on the support program including the 2017 Shannon Stakes with Washington Heights. While he will not have a runner in the Group One…

Sprinter Faatinah will make a third attempt to win the Group One Moir Stakes at The Valley. Faatinah has the outside barrier against a quality field in the Moir Stakes but champion trainer David Hayes believes the gelding is still being underestimated in the Group One sprint. Seven-year-old Faatinah has finished sixth in the past two editions of the Moir (1000m) at The Valley and heads to his latest attempt off a recent win in the Group Two McEwen Stakes over the course and distance on September 7. That improved…

Trainer James Cummings and stable warhorse Hartnell who lines up in the Underwood Stakes. Godolphin trainer James Cummings rates defending titleholder Homesman as the horse to beat in the Underwood Stakes but believes the race presents as a great opportunity for his stable’s “gladiator” Hartnell. The Lloyd Williams-owned, Liam Howley-trained Homesman is $2.80 favourite for Sunday’s Underwood (1800m) at Caulfield after making an impressive season return with victory in the Feehan Stakes at The Valley on September 7. But nine-year-old Hartnell has firmed from $6 to $4.60 with TAB fixed…

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are keen to get Con Te Partiro to the Epsom via the Shannon. Tulloch Lodge has its sights on the Group One Epsom Handicap for Con Te Partiro if she can bounce back to winning form in the Shannon Stakes at Rosehill. Adrian Bott, who works in partnership with prolific Epsom Handicap-winning trainer Gai Waterhouse, has confirmed the stable is keen to get the American-bred mare into the showpiece mile on Saturday week. “We wouldn’t hesitate to back her up in the Epsom. It’s…

Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre steps to 1400m for the first time in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. A wide barrier is no concern to connections of Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre who will be out to stamp her Thousand Guineas credentials when she steps to 1400m for the first time in the Prelude at Caulfield. After trainer Anthony Freedman opted to bypass the Danehill Stakes a couple of weeks ago with Lyre because of a less than perfect scope before the race, the filly instead ran in an 1100m handicap…

Trainer Richard Litt has eonfidence Castelvecchio heading to the Group One Golden Rose. Earlier this week, trainer Richard Litt and his major clients, Octavio and Wendy Galletta, had two horses running at Orange, bringing home just over $1000 prize money between them. It is the sort of day that has been stock-standard for the trio and has helped to keep them level-headed as they prepare for what will be their most significant moment on a racetrack at Rosehill on Saturday. The Litt-trained, Galletta-owned Castelvecchio will take his place among a…

Mitch Beer with sister Ash. Photo: Supplied Albury trainer Mitch Beer has purchased last season’s Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) winner Bobby Dazzler from the stable of Stephen Marsh and is looking forward to training his latest Kiwi import. The four-year-old son of Zed has won three of his 14 starts in New Zealand and Beer said he would cost around A$40,000, including transport, by the time he arrives at his country New South Wales base. “He has obviously proven himself at a very good level,” Beer said. “I find ratings…