Month: May 2020

Saturday morning racing heads to Shepparton

Editor BOAY

Saturday morning greyhound racing heads to Shepparton tomorrow and greyhound racecaller-breeder-owner-trainer James Van de Maat has come up with a couple of each-way specials on the program. Mrs. Flintstone (Race 7 Box 2, 9.50am) “I think the best bet on the program would be to have a small each-way bet on Race 7 No. 2, Mrs. Flintstone… A recent change of kennel, might just be fresh and ready to fire over the 450m short course… Has been racing well over the longer trips but has been going pretty well.” Straaljager…

Extra race meetings scheduled for next week

Editor BOAY

Three extra race meetings have been included in the Victorian greyhound calendar next week at Warrnambool (Monday Twilight), Healesville (Tuesday Day) and Sale (Friday Twilight). GRV this week released details around its 2020-21 racing calendar – which comes into effect on 1 July – including the potential to run as many as 27 race meetings on some weeks to compensate for the potential loss of race meetings due to hot weather in the warmer months. Victoria traditionally hosts 23 weekly race meetings. RELATED ADDITIONAL RACE MEETINGS TO UNDERPIN PARTICIPANT EARNING…

2020 Gunsynd Classic Winner Supergiant Holds In a Photo

AAP

Supergiant led from barrier to box in a thrilling edition of the Group 3 $115,000 Gunsynd Classic (1800m) at Eagle Farm earning a Rough Habit Plate target and handing trainer Michael Costa with his first Group victory. The Kiwi-bred son of Red Giant came into the Gunsynd Classic on the back of a narrow second behind Vanna Girl on May 9 in Doomben’s Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1615m) and showed nice improvement stretching out to the 1800m. In a positive display of stamina, Supergiant was quick out the gates to…

Upset Victory Stakes Winner Victorem Onto Stradbroke

AAP

The Group 1 $350,000 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) is next on the winter agenda for Port Macquarie-trained gelding Victorem after his upset win in the Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm on the weekend. Prepared by Jenny Graham but currently based in Brisbane with local horseman Barry Lockwood, the I Am Invincible five-year-old showed just how talented a horse he is when he’s on-song winning the Group 2 $175,000 Victory Stakes (1200m) second-up. A double-figure outsider in betting after his failed run fresh at Doomben in the Group 3 BRC Sprint, Victorem…

Reykjavik gives Smith a Flemington double

AAP

A rise in distance and a patient ride by apprentice Lewis German has helped Reykjavik race to an impressive victory at Flemington. Getting out wide on a rain-sodden track, Reykjavik recorded a convincing win in the Apache Cat Handicap to give trainer Lindsey Smith a double with two former West Australian gallopers. Smith took out Saturday’s feature, the Listed Straight Six with Great Again, winning at his second Victorian start. Reykjavik showed his credentials in Victoria last season, winning the Listed Winter Championship at Flemington in July while also claiming…

Louise Day makes the most of city switch

AAP

Apprentice Louise Day has landed a winning double at Randwick on Witherspoon and Man Of Peace. A decision by Louise Day to switch from the provincial to metropolitan zone riding zone has been vindicated with the apprentice celebrating two milestones at Randwick. Day, who is indentured to Kris Lees at Newcastle, recently made the call to quarantine for two weeks in order to ride in town. After having immediate success aboard the Lees-trained Wandabaa midweek, she backed it up with another victory for her boss on Witherspoon at Randwick, her…

Great Again scores tough Flemington win

AAP

Former West Australian galloper Great Again has relished the wet conditions at Flemington to record a fighting first-up victory. Trained by Lindsey Smith, Great Again added a third stakes win to his record with success in Saturday’s Listed Straight Six (1200m). Great Again arrived in Victoria last year and had one start at the end of the spring carnival, finishing rearwards in a 1200m sprint at Ballarat in November. Returning from a break, Smith was planning a first-up assault on his Victorian hometown’s feature sprint, the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool,…

McGillivray needs stay to ride Stradbroke

AAP

Jockey Matt McGillivray is hoping he will be allowed to ride at Eagle Farm on June 6. Jockey Matt McGillivray will need a stay of a suspension if he is to ride in the big Group One race day at Eagle Farm on Saturday week. Stewards opened an inquiry after Red Chase and Thy Kingdom Come suffered interference at the 1100m in the second race at Eagle Farm on Saturday. McGillivray, who rode Enterprise Prince, pleaded guilty to careless riding and was suspended for seven days from midnight next Sunday…

Champagne Classic Results: Winner Rothfire New J.J. Atkins Favourite

AAP

The Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire is the new J.J. Atkins favourite for the Group 1 at Eagle Farm on June 6 following his dominant performance in the Group 2 $175,000 Champagne Classic (1200m) on Saturday. A winner of his opening four career starts, the son of Rothesay hadn’t raced since suffering his first defeat when runner-up at an odds-on quote at the Gold Coast in mid-March. Premier Brisbane horseman Heathcote was relieved to have his progressive gelding back in winning form fresh with jockey Jim Byrne guiding Rothfire to an all-the-way…

Victorem bounces back with timely Victory

AAP

Victorem is back in favour as a Stradbroke Handicap contender after winning the Victory Stakes. Coronavirus pandemic restrictions mean Port Macquarie trainer Jenny Graham might miss being trackside for her best opportunity to win a Group One race. The Graham-trained Victorem ($17) overcame a tumultuous two weeks when he beat Niccanova ($21) by 1-1/4 lengths in the Group Two Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Deep Impact ($9) was a long neck back in third place. The win gave Victorem ballot and penalty-free entry to the Group One Stradbroke…