Year: 2019

Trainer Richard Litt’s star is on the rise with Castelvecchio ready to begin his autumn build-up. Warwick Farm trainer Richard Litt has had a career-defining year and is looking to build on the momentum. Castelvecchio gave Litt his first Group One win in the Champagne Stakes and ran a slashing second to Japanese mare Lys Gracieux in the Cox Plate. The colt’s owner, Ottavio Galetta, has bought Clarry Conners’ Victory Lodge stables at Warwick Farm with Litt to move in next year with room for more than the 22 horses…

A 2yo race at Eagle Farm may be split with so many youngsters trying to get to the Magic Millions. Racing Queensland will consider splitting a two-year-old race at Eagle Farm as it looms as a vital lead-up to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Saturday’s $125,000 race also carries two QTIS bonus payments and is one of the few 1000m-races in the lead-up to the $2 million Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 11. The 1000m-start at Eagle Farm is restricted to 10 starters but early indications are…

Damian Lane will be reunited with Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux in the Arima Kinen. Star Australian jockey Damian Lane will head to Japan with a chance to put an exclamation mark on a memorable 2019 when he rides Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux in her final start. Lane will be reunited with Lys Gracieux in next Sunday’s Grade One Arima Kinen (2500m) at Nakayama, having ridden the Japanese mare to feature race wins in the Takarazuka Kinen and Cox Plate in her past two starts. “I’m really looking forward…

Flying filly American Princess scores on debut at Te Rapa Photo credit: Trish Dunell Te Rapa winner American Princess is likely to be put aside for a short break as her trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman look ahead to some of the late summer two-year-old features with the impressive debutant. An eye-catching win at the Cambridge trials last moth saw punters install the Jimmy Choux filly as a warm favourite for Saturday’s Wentwood Grange Premier (1200m) and she didn’t disappoint as she overcame a chequered path in the home…

Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth (l) is building to a return with the major autumn races in mind. A stronger Super Seth is in the early stages of his build-up towards his next preparation which will be aimed at adding more feature race success to the Caulfield Guineas winner’s CV. The Anthony Freedman-trained colt capped his spring preparation with a thrilling win in the Group One Caulfield Guineas in October, charging home in the 1600m Classic to grab Queensland gelding Alligator Blood in the final stride. The David Vandyke-trained Alligator…

Unplaced Melbourne Cup runner Raymond Tusk has returned home to England to win at Newcastle. Group Two-winning stayer Raymond Tusk has made a successful return to English racing after an unplaced run in the Melbourne Cup. The Richard Hannon-trained horse won the All-Weather Championships Qualifier over 3300 metres at Newcastle on Saturday (Sunday AEDT). Raymond Tusk started the 11-4 favourite and was pushed to the line by Tom Marquand to beat French horse Funny Kid in a fighting finish by half a length. He finished 16th of 24 in the…