Month: May 2020

Kementari heads the Godolphin assault on the Qld carnival, starting with the BRC Sprint. Kementari has arrived in Brisbane amid high hopes he can recapture his glory days on the racetrack. He will be the first of the Goldolphin horses to run in Brisbane for the winter in the Group Three BRC Sprint on Saturday. Kementari will be having his third run since returning to the track after being gelded when he was found to be sub-fertile in the breeding ban. He is the first of the Godolphin horses to…

Tommy Berry will again ride emerging sprinter Greyworm when he runs in the Takeover Target. Tools, rather than thoroughbreds, have been keeping Tommy Berry busy during a recent stint of self-inflicted time on the sidelines. The top Sydney jockey has endured a run of suspensions, one for careless riding and another for being overzealous with the whip aboard Pierata in his narrow All Aged Stakes defeat. While Berry has made the most of his time off, he is itching to get back to doing what he does best. “We’re on…

William Thomas will be out to claim another 1100m-sprint race at Caulfield. Trainer John Price says William Thomas will need to reach a new level if he is to win successive races at Caulfield. William Thomas produced a scintillating turn of foot, coming from last at Caulfield on April 18 to win the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m). He returns to the track on Saturday over the same distance in the Lamaro’s Hotel South Melbourne Handicap, this time with considerably more weight. Saturday’s line-up is not dissimilar to the one…

The Matt Dunn-trained Snitz returns to Randwick for the Listed Takeover Target Stakes. The enforcement of interstate travel restrictions because of COVID-19 has impacted trainer Matt Dunn more than most, but it could also deliver a surprising reward. Based in Murwillumbah, Dunn is a strong presence in his local NSW Northern Rivers region and also travels horses extensively to south-east Queensland. The latter has become difficult during the coronavirus pandemic with cross-border biosecurity protocols so Dunn has adapted by basing a small team in Sydney. It means being separated for…

Qld rider Baylee Nothdurft will seek an internal review of a three-month ban on a handling charge. Leading Brisbane jockey Baylee Nothdurft will seek an internal review of a three-month suspension he has received on a handling charge. Stewards reopened an inquiry on Thursday into Nothdurft’s ride on Vega One at the Sunshine Coast on April 25. Nothdurft rode Vega One when the gelding finished fourth in an Open Handicap (1000m) after coming from last on the home turn. After the race stewards took evidence about aspects of Nothdurft’s ride…

Sentimentalist will shoot for a hat-trick for new trainer Mark Pegus when he runs at Caulfield. Trainer Mark Pegus hopes his decision to bypass the Warrnambool Cup and bring Sentimentalist back in distance pays off with a hat-trick. After victories in the Stawell Cup and the VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield, Sentimentalist is aiming to add Saturday’s Neds Handicap (1800m) at Caulfield to his record. Pegus had Sentimentalist entered in Wednesday’s Warrnambool Cup, but thought the rise to 2350m may eventually end the gelding’s preparation. “If I went out to…

Trainer Steve Tregea will take Command’n’conquer to the Gold Coast to assess his carnival prospects. Unbeaten Toowoomba gelding Command’n’conquer will be on a look and learn mission when he travels to the Gold Coast. Command’n’conquer, who stands well over 17 hands, has won his only three starts at Toowoomba, his home track, and Doomben. At his latest he beat top three-year-olds Vanna Girl and Stampe at Doomben and trainer Steve Tregea decided to aim him for the winter races. The Queensland winter has been severely truncated because of the impacts…

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Andreas Wohler is among those supporting the Hanover meeting. Racing in Germany will restart at Hanover after being given clearance from the authorities. The sport has been on hold since March because of the coronavirus outbreak. Deutscher Galopp had planned to restart the action on Monday at Dortmund, with no spectators and strict hygiene measures in place. That meeting had to be cancelled as the necessary approvals were not given, but Deutscher Galopp president Michael Vesper has reported everything to be in place for racing to resume…