Two bumper weekends of Classic trials could take place at the end of May under the “best-case scenario” planning for the resumption of racing. The British Horseracing Authority has been developing a provisional fixture list to ensure the sport is ready to restart when approved after being on hold since March 17 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The proposed fixture list will begin to be published next week, with a sub-group of the Flat Pattern Committee helping to prepare the program, prioritising the Classics and “other flagship races for horses…
Month: May 2020
Douglas joins Gold Medals in Annual chase
Jockey Clayton Douglas is looking to win a second Grand Annual Steeplechase on Gold Medals. Dual purpose jockey Clayton Douglas has been attending the Warrnambool May carnival for as long as he can remember. His father Vic trained three winners of the Grand Annual Steeplechase (Hoki 1995-96, Miracle Star 2000) while Clayton’s first ride in the 5500m marathon resulted in victory aboard the Symon Wilde-trained Gold Medals in 2018. They ran second to Zed Em last year and return for another attempt at the feature race on Tuesday’s all-jumps card.…
Queensland metro premierships to restart
RQ is set to announce it will restart premierships with Baylee Nothdurft leading the jockeys. Racing Queensland is expected to make a decision on when the metropolitan trainers’ and jockeys’ premiership count will restart this week. Racing in Queensland has been divided into regions with metropolitan racing in the south zone (centred on the Gold Coast) and north zone (Brisbane). Jockeys had to select a zone and there were restrictions on trainers’ travel. It meant all jockeys and trainers were not able to compete against each other. RQ decided in…
Bella Vella to bypass Group One Goodwood
Group One Sangster Stakes winner Bella Vella will be given a spell ahead of a spring preparation. Sangster Stakes winner Bella Vella is heading for a spell and will miss South Australia’s biggest sprint race, The Goodwood, at Morphettville. Trainer Will Clarken said Bella Vella had pulled up in great order following Saturday’s Group One victory against fillies and mares. “Although the temptation is high to push on to the Group One Goodwood in a fortnight’s time, I believe this bonny mare has given her all this preparation,” Clarken said…
Queensland stars dominate BRC Sprint noms
Vega One is among a stellar list of speedsters in the entries for the BRC Sprint at Doomben. The BRC Sprint usually plays an important part in the winter carnival but this year has developed into the unofficial sprint championship for Queensland-trained horses. The Group Three race has usually been run three weeks before the Group One Stradbroke Handicap and on Doomben Cup day. River Lad completed the BRC Sprint/Stradbroke double in 2014 while last year’s BRC Sprint winner Tyzone went on to run second in the Stradbroke. The distance…
House Of Cartier out to add Gosford Cup
House Of Cartier will try to add the Gosford Gold Cup to her win in the Wagga Wagga Gold Cup. Fresh from her win in the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup, House Of Cartier will now try to add the $200,000 Gosford Gold Cup. Four-year-old House Of Cartier is among 26 nominations for Saturday’s Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2000m) which this year is being held at Randwick. House Of Cartier, who was placed at Group One level a year ago in the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide, notched her first stakes…
Newcomer out to build trainer’s profile
Trainer Joseph Waldron hopes new acquisition Wagner can help build his profile. New Zealander Joseph Waldron has found the going tough since setting up as a trainer at Mornington. As a foreman for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Waldron travelled to Australia looking after horses such as Group One winners Mongolian Khan and Turn Me Loose. But in the 18 months Waldron has been at Mornington he has prepared just five winners from fewer than 70 starters. In a bid to build his profile, Waldron extended himself to buy Wagner…
Nerves kick in for Payne
Zed Em and Patrick Payne after last year’s Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) win. Photo: Alice Laidlaw/Racing Photos Nerves only come but once a year for Patrick Payne, and that time is now. The Warrnambool May Carnival is like Christmas Day for the Victorian trainer and he will once again have several live chances on one of Australia’s biggest days of jumps racing. “I love it,” Payne said. “It’s the only time I really get nervous about the horses racing, so I am looking forward to it. It’s exciting.” While the…
Patterson beaming about standout season
Taranaki trainer Robbie Patterson. Photo: Trish Dunell Despite the season being prematurely cut short as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, trainer Robbie Patterson still has plenty of fond memories to reflect back on. The Taranaki conditioner has accrued 19 wins so far this term, just one win shy of his 2013/14 season tally, which he hopes to eclipse in July. “It was a really good season and the strike-rate was great,” he said. “We had a lot of nice horses go to the races, so I’m pretty chuffed. “There…
Redwood gelding’s stocks rise at Sandown
Rising Red winning at Sandown on Saturday. Photo: Pat Scala/Racing Photos New Zealand-bred galloper Rising Red (NZ) (Redwood) has had plenty of setbacks with injury throughout his career, which made his victory in the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (2100m) at Sandown on Saturday even sweeter for his connections. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained gelding jumped well from barrier four and was taken straight to the front by jockey Michael Dee who was able to dictate terms throughout. The Chris Waller-trained Carzoff (Zoffany) put in a late surge, however, Rising Red…