Year: 2019

Premier Andrews has shrugged off celebrity withdrawals from the Melbourne Cup, amid cruelty claims. The Melbourne Cup is about everyday people and not celebrities, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says, as a number of stars shun the race that ‘stops the nation’. Singer Taylor Swift revealed last month she wouldn’t be going ahead with a planned performance, while actress Lana Condor pulled the plug on her attendance last week, with both citing scheduling issues. There is speculation that Tuesday’s race is losing popularity amid well-publicised animal cruelty revelations. “The Melbourne Cup…

Marmelo (above) and Ispolini have failed vet tests and will not run in the Melbourne Cup. Last year’s runner-up Marmelo and Godolphin’s Ispolini have been ruled out of the Melbourne Cup after failing veterinary scans. After showing signs of soreness, Marmelo had been referred to the University of Melbourne Equine Clinic to undergo a standing CT scan which indicated an incomplete fracture in his near fore cannon bone and another in his off hind cannon bone. Racing Victoria stewards studied an RV veterinary report and one from trainer Hughie Morrison…

Glen Boss will appeal the severity of suspension that has put his plum Melbourne Cup ride at risk. The hopes of three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss riding the favourite in this year’s race rest with the NSW Racing Appeal Panel. Boss was suspended for six meetings for careless riding at Randwick last Saturday but has appealed the severity of that decision. His ban was due to start on Sunday but the appeal has not been scheduled until Monday morning, the day before the $8 million Melbourne Cup in which…

Top Of The Range (right) has denied Brimham Rocks in the $400,000 Bendigo Cup. The Chris Waller-trained Brimham Rocks has fallen agonisingly short of a chance at securing a Melbourne Cup start with a narrow defeat in the Bendigo Cup. Ridden by leading Perth jockey William Pike, Top Of The Range ($8) denied Brimham Rocks ($6) by a long head in the 2400m Group Three race on Wednesday. Brimham Rocks was No. 37 in the Melbourne Cup order of entry leading into Wednesday’s race and needed to win and receive…

Four-year-old mare Aristia will aim for another Flemington Group One win in the Empire Rose Stakes. A year after winning the VRC Oaks at Flemington, four-year-old Aristia is set for another of the Group One features during the Melbourne Cup carnival. Trained at the course by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, Aristia runs in Saturday’s Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) when she will be striving to register her first win since taking out the Oaks (2500m) 12 months ago. Aristia won twice during last year’s Melbourne Cup carnival in…

Victoria Derby prospect Soul Patch will be one of two Group One runners for Ken Keys at Flemington. Trainer Ken Keys may not have had too many opportunities at the highest level but saddles two chances in a bid for an elusive Group One victory. Keys has been training for more than 30 years and from 40 starters in Group One races the closest he has come was in the 2014 Caulfield Guineas with Rich Enuff, beaten a neck by Shooting To Win. Saturday’s Victoria Derby day meeting at Flemington…

Trainer Chris Waller has numbers on his side in the Group One Cantala Stakes at Flemington. Toorak Handicap runner-up Night’s Watch features among a strong contingent for Chris Waller in the Cantala Stakes as the trainer bids to win the Group One handicap for a fourth time. Waller’s representation in Saturday’s 1600m race at Flemington also includes Epsom Handicap placegetter Star Of The Seas and eight-year-old gelding Life Less Ordinary while six-year-old mare Noire is first emergency. Noire is also an acceptor for Saturday’s Group One Empire Rose Stakes. Night’s…