By Garrick Knight An Oamaru twilight meeting presents as an unusual but interesting offering for punters on Thursday. Ben Hope will head down from Woodend Beach in North Canterbury to drive five of the team prepared by his parents, Greg and Nina. Among them is Baxter, a resuming four-year-old trotter that was deemed good enough by the Hopes to contest the Hambletonian Classic at just his second start last season. What’s more, the half-brother to former champion trotter Monbet ran third behind Lotamuscle in the Group 3 feature. He only…
Year: 2019
Johnson sidelined by injury
Danielle Johnson will again be missing from the riding ranks for a while after suffering a further injury. The Cambridge-based jockey has suffered a slight crack to her collarbone. ‘’She’ll be off for a month,’’ her partner, trainer Stephen Marsh, said. ‘’It’s minor, but the doctors are airing on the side of caution after the other injury she had to it.’’ Johnson, who has a career tally of 838 wins, spent the remainder of last season on the sidelines after suffering three fractures to her collarbone following a fall at…
Shark circling in Cox Plate
New Zealand raider Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and Sydney three-year-old Castelvecchio (Dundeel) have been included in the 14-horse field for the A$5 million Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m).
Horse welfare on ministers’ meeting agenda
Australia’s agriculture ministers will urgently discuss the welfare of retired racehorses after a scandal surrounding the animals being mistreated before being slaughtered.
Everest contenders remain in Darley Sprint
Several runners from Australia’s richest race ,The Everest, remain in contention for the feature sprint race of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.
Just Thinkin favourite for Bondi Stakes
Just Thinkin has assumed favouritism for the $1 million Bondi Stakes at Randwick, a new race for three-year-olds.
Long Jack’s Derby hopes hinge on Geelong
New Zealand trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman started their Victoria Derby ambitions with three contenders but are now down to one.
Qld calls probe into racehorse welfare
Queensland has ordered an urgent inquiry into the treatment of retired racehorses. An urgent inquiry into the treatment of retired racehorses has been ordered by the Queensland government The inquiry will be headed by retired District Court judge Terry Martin SC, with the support of Australian Veterinary Association representative Dr Peter Reid and oversight from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission. “It is a necessary inquiry to provide Queenslanders with confidence that the racing industry is doing everything possible to ensure the welfare of horses,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament on…
Lane senses weight of expectation in Plate
After claiming his first Caulfield Cup, star jockey Damian Lane is confident Lys Gracieux is the right horse to give him victory in another of Australia’s feature races, the Cox Plate.
Bivouac favourite to win WFA Manikato
After the Godolphin team opted not to run star colt Bivouac in The Everest, the three-year-old is poised to start a short-priced favourite in the Group One Manikato Stakes at The Valley.