Month: October 2019

A field of 17 including three from the northern hemisphere will line up in the inaugural $7.5 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill. Saturday’s race is over 1500 metres and is restricted to four-year-olds. Irish horse Never No More, trained by Aidan O’Brien, will be ridden by Pierrre-Charles Boudot who rode Waldgeist to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe earlier this month. Fellow Irish horse I Am Superman, trained by Michael O’Callaghan, will be ridden by Leigh Roche while English entrant Beat Le Bon will have Pat Dobbs in the…

Star three-year-old Bivouac is likely to be given his chance in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington. Godolphin trainer James Cummings has watched the colt work over the straight course at Flemington on Tuesday and indicated he would take his place in the 1200m-sprint. The winner of last month’s Group One Golden Rose, Bivouac was the odds-on favourite to win the Manikato Stakes at The Valley last Friday night. He found himself boxed in on the fence with no opportunity to work into the race. The Godolphin team…

Queensland apprentice Michael Murphy has been suspended for trying to cheat the scales. Apprentice Michael Murphy has been suspended for a month on a charge of trying to cheat while weighing out for a race at Townsville. Murphy is based in Brisbane but rides at several provincial meetings each week. Stewards opened an inquiry after the clerk of scales reported Murphy attempted to deceive him by placing his finger tips on the scales before a race on Sunday. Murphy pleaded guilty to engaging in dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent, improper or dishonourable…

Trainer Mark Newnham is happy with Victoria Derby favourite Shadow Hero ahead of the Classic. One-time VRC Oaks favourite Celestial Falls will miss the race but her trainer Mark Newnham still has the chance for Classic glory in Melbourne. Shadow Hero assumed favouritism for Saturday’s Victoria Derby with his Group One victory in the Spring Champion Stakes in which he beat Castelvecchio. The Spring Champion form looks even better now with Castelvecchio’s second in Saturday’s Cox Plate won by Japanese mare Lys Gracieux. Celestial Falls, winner of the VRC Oaks…

Hush Writer will try to force his way into the Melbourne Cup via the Hotham Handicap. Gai Waterhouse will launch a final bid to get to the Melbourne Cup with Japanese-bred, French import Hush Writer. The Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained stayer is one of 28 nominations in Saturday’s Hotham Handicap with the winner afforded a start in the Melbourne Cup on November 5. Prince Of Arran won the Hotham Handicap last year before going on to finish third behind Cross Counter three days later. Of the 28 entries, 18 remain…

Hay Tiger (green & white stripes) prevails in a blanket finish at Te Rapa Photo credit: Trish Dunell Outsider Hay Tiger sprang a minor upset at Te Rapa on Monday when he prevailed in a blanket finish to the BCD Group-sponsored open handicap (1600m). The Glenn Old-trained seven-year-old came into the race off the back of an unlucky ninth in the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) on his home track with punters happy to see him start at $19 on the tote, in a market that saw Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries…

Harlech has the situation well under control as he cruises to victory in the Group 2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes 91600m) Photo credit: Trish Dunell Matamata galloper Harlech added his name to the list of northern raiders bound for Riccarton next month when he dominated his three-year-old rivals in the Group 2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. The Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained gelding, who is rated a $10 chance in the Fixed Odds market for the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld New…