Month: January 2020

Queenslander Crack Me Up is equal topweight for the Carrington Stakes and Sunshine Coast Cup. Crack Me Up and Wu Gok are equal topweights with 59kg for the Carrington Stakes at Randwick with both also in the mix for the Sunshine Coast Cup in Queensland. The Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Crack Me Up is also equal topweight in the Sunshine Coast Cup with 60kg. Both Listed races on Saturday are over 1400 metres with track conditions to play a part. Randwick was rated soft on Tuesday with rain forecast later…

Streets of Avalon will begin his next campaign at Caulfield in the Listed John Dillon Stakes. After shelving thoughts to campaign Streets Of Avalon in Dubai, trainer Shane Nichols has turned his attention to a Melbourne summer and autumn preparation. That begins in Saturday’s Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Nichols also nominated Streets Of Avalon for Friday night’s Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m) at The Valley but confirmed the John Dillon was a better option than taking on a quality field at weight-for-age first-up. The trainer had considered…

Nature Strip (r) has cruised to victory in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm ahead of his race return. Triple Group One winner Nature Strip has cruised to a barrier trial win at Warwick Farm as he ramps up preparations for his return. Nature Strip easily led Tuesday’s 900m-heat on the course proper and went to the line hard-held under James McDonald. White Moss was second throughout and just maintained that position from Yes Yes Yes who worked home strongly. Trainer Chris Waller has Royal Ascot ambitions for both Nature…

Trainer Tony McEvoy still plans to set Sunlight for Royal Ascot but she will miss the Newmarket. Sunlight will not be ready to defend the Newmarket Handicap but the star sprinting mare is still being aimed at Royal Ascot after an off-season injury setback which required surgery. Four-year-old Sunlight suffered a chip to the outside of a splint bone in a hind leg in a spelling paddock accident after her spring campaign. Co-trainer Tony McEvoy believes it might have occurred from a kick by another horse or she knocked her…

Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (orange) is among entries for the Australian Cup. Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare features among nominations for the $1.5 million Australian Cup at Flemington while dual winner Harlem is also entered. Nominations for three feature Group One races at Flemington were released on Monday, with the weight-for-age Australian Cup (2000m) on March 7 attracting 67 nominations with a host of high-profile sprinters among the 60 entries for the $1.25 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on the same day. The $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m)…

Trainer Joe Pride hopes Passage Of Time will rebound over 1400m in the Listed Carrington Stakes. Joe Pride will try to salvage Superium’s campaign after his enforced scratching from a major summer target. Superium was withdrawn from the $2 million Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast last Saturday week when Queensland veterinary stewards ruled on race eve his action was not satisfactory. The decision rankled his trainer but Pride has entered him to run in an 800m-barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Tuesday and a 1400m-handicap at Randwick on…

Jye McNeil has a good book at Caulfield including Fresh in the Blue Diamond Preview for fillies. A successful appeal against a careless riding suspension has cleared the way for in-form jockey Jye McNeil to take some important rides at the Caulfield meeting featuring the Blue Diamond Previews. McNeil copped two careless riding suspensions in a week which threatened to keep him out until after this weekend, but he successfully appealed his ban for his winning ride on Amadeus in the Chester Manifold Stakes. McNeil now returns to riding on…

Balboa Rocks (blue/white stripes) and his sister Pennino will run in the Sunshine Coast Cup. Siblings and stablemates Balboa Rocks and Pennino will be opponents in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup for local trainer Darryl Hansen. The two are among 29 entries for Saturday’s $125,000 race over 1400m on Saturday with Balboa Rocks the defending title holder. Pennino surged past $500,000 prize money when she won the Mount Franklin Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Hansen said Pennino had been a stellar performer for the stable in each of…

Embrace Me will be an Australia Stakes outsider at The Valley but will take part on her pet track. A quality field looks set to contest the Group Two Australia Stakes (1200m) at The Valley, with six individual Group One winners among the nominations. The 1200m weight-for-age race is the feature on Friday night’s program and while entries have been extended the 14 nominations taken on Monday include Hey Doc, Scales Of Justice, Begood Toya Mother, Manuel and three-year-olds Microphone and Loving Gaby. A number of the horses nominated were…