Racing from across the Globe
Weblec Smoke is playing with fire at The Meadows when he lines up in a hot 600 metre event. TAB have opened Weblec Smoke on the third line of betting at $5 with Australian Cup hero Fernando’s Riot leading the way from box eight at $2.40. “This week looks a tough race with plenty of speed in the race but saying that I am expecting him to run well,” trainer Matt Lanigan said. Last week at Sandown, Weblec Smoke made his debut over the middle distance, defeating a handy field…
John Barbara has done such a good job with promising youngster Alamosa Bill, which is chasing his third win from his last four starts at The Meadows on Saturday night, that he feared owner and fellow trainer Glenn Rounds would take him back. Alamosa Bill is a litter brother to Amarillo Highway, which is trained by breeder Rounds and has created a big impression in winning seven of his 12 starts. Rounds handed sibling Alamosa Bill over to John Barbara and after a slow start, impacted by a broken toe…
GRV CEO Alan Clayton has announced changes to the feature racing program in Victoria. “The only change to our prize money program is around feature races which represents a very small percentage of prize money,” Alan told RSN’s Gareth Hall. “It is important to GRV that feature racing continues in Victoria not only because it is great to see the best greyhounds compete against each other, but we also want participants and greyhound racing fans to have something to strive for and look forward to.” In addition to the feature…
Promising Harbour Views has been entered to make a return to racing at Sandown. Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams has big spring plans for Harbour Views but first the lightly raced import needs to get his rating up to warrant those lofty targets. Williams had planned to run Harbour Views first-up from a spell on his home track at Warrnambool next week. But when the 1400m handicap he had earmarked during the annual three-day carnival was scrapped on a reduced two-day program because of the coronavirus pandemic, those plans changed. Instead…
Godolphin’s Vin Cox says it is fitting Ribchester will replace his sire on the Haunui Farm roster. New Zealand’s Haunui Farm will stand champion European miler Ribchester after calling time on the southern hemisphere career of his sire Iffraaj. Haunui’s Mark Chitty said 19-year-old Iffraaj had served the stud well for 12 years. “After lengthy discussions with the team from Darley, we have made the decision to retire Iffraaj from southern hemisphere serving duties. At 19 years of age, the decision was made solely in Iffraaj’s best interests,” Chitty said.…
Hong Kong trainer John Moore has confirmed plans to return to Australia for the 2020-21 season. John Moore is looking forward to the challenge of setting up a stable with his brother Gary in Sydney after reaching a compulsory retirement age in Hong Kong. Moore, 70, is a seven-time leading trainer in Hong Kong and has applied for boxes at Rosehill and is set to join his brother who is already an established trainer at the racetrack. The Moore brothers are sons of inaugural Australian Racing Hall Of Fame inductee…
With the assistance of working groups of trainers and clubs, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has developed a return to racing plan which includes a flat stakes level of $15,000 for all races at 13 meetings during July. A number of initiatives will also be introduced with the focus on reducing costs and spreading returns for owners. They include ensuring a wider distribution of stakes to more owners, payments will be made back to 14th, no nomination/acceptance fees for those horses which start, and meetings scheduled to be held closer…
He might have underestimated the challenges of relocating to a new state but former South Australian trainer Mark Minervini has no regrets about his move to Newcastle. Having forged a successful 30-year career in Adelaide training horses like Group Two winners Go The Knuckle and Vormista, Minervini had, like many, started to lose faith in the direction racing in the state was taking. So in August last year, he and wife Michelle upped stumps to Newcastle and quickly fell in love with the town. Adjusting his business to a new…
The Astrologist (r) makes his return to racing at Sandown after almost a year off the scene. Off the scene since finishing second to the talented Rubisaki at Flemington last season, three-year-old The Astrologist is poised to make his return to competition at Sandown. The Astrologist did most of his build-up from Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s South Australian base before being sent to their Flemington stable to be prepared for Saturday’s Salute Frontline Workers Handicap (1200m). “He has trialled up twice in Adelaide nicely and it looks like he’s ready…
The all-jumps program to open an abbreviated Warrnambool carnival has attracted strong nominations in six races. The May three-day carnival has been shortened this year because of COVID-19 restrictions and opens on Tuesday featuring Australia’s longest race, the Grand Annual Steeplechase. Gold Medals and Zed Em, who have shared the quinella in the past two runnings of the race, head the weights. Zed Em has to carry 73kg if he is to repeat last year’s success, a rise of 3kg, while Gold Medals, the 2018 winner, has 69.5kg, and meets…