Late entry Viridine is a short-priced favourite to win the Group Two Australia Stakes. James Cummings was more than happy to change his plans for sprinter Viridine when he saw the strength of the Australia Stakes field. Initially, the Godolphin trainer had entered only Isaurian and opted not to put Viridine in Friday night’s event. But when the Moonee Valley Racing Club only received five entries for the feature and extended their nomination deadline on Monday, Godolphin did an about-face, adding Viridine to the mix. Cummings said they decided not…
Month: January 2021
Juvenile Race Shapes As Millennium Preview
Trainer Annabel Neasham has Inglis Millennium aspirations for juvenile filly Ashema. The lure of next month’s $2 million Inglis Millennium has convinced trainer Annabel Neasham to roll the dice and run juvenile Ashema at Randwick despite an outside draw. The filly will jump from barrier 13 in Saturday’s The Paul Hoffman Handicap (1000m) and while it isn’t ideal, Neasham believes it is preferable to waiting a week and facing a seven-day back-up into the Millennium. “It’s a terrible barrier but you can wait a week and still draw badly,” Neasham…
Mystic Journey Flop Breaks Twitter & AFL Rivalry Resumes | Punt Drunk
Punt Drunk | Thursday, January 21 2021 Good Morning punters, and welcome back to another edition of Punt Drunk! First off a quick shoutout to everyone who engaged in our piece on the new Victorian Government legislation surrounding point of consumption tax, and if you haven’t had a chance to check it out you can find it here: Punters Cop It Up The Clacker While The Tossers Live It Up. Not So Mystic In-form trainer John Blacker had a feature race double in Launceston last night when Blaze Forth upset…
Farewell a staying king
Modern-day staying great Tornado Tears has retired after sustaining a wrist injury. In an end to a ‘whirlwind’ career, Tornado Tears – dubbed “Batman” due to his distinctive mask-like facial features – departs the racing scene a six-time Group 1 winner. The ageless staying monarch, trained by Robert Britton, is also a member of the sport’s exclusive ‘million-dollar club’. He sits seventh on the all-time stakes list, having amassed $1,003,835. Tornado Tears was also crowned the 2018/19 Victorian Stayer of the Year. And a glowing accolade was being hailed a…
MARVELLOUS MAEVE?
Former NSW speedster Aston Maeve has won 11 races from only 20 starts and finished third in last year’s Group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park in Sydney. But she faces a classy sprinter with 12 wins, who continues her comeback trail at Shepparton. Who? Well, you’ll have to check out the ‘Daily Mail’…
Meet the Delbridge family and enjoy their success
Of course when you ask a 15 year old to take a family photo it’s a selfie…
Aegon heads quality Karaka Million book for Innes
Ellerslie’s Karaka Million features are among the few major New Zealand races missing from the CV of top jockey Leith Innes, and he’s hoping star three-year-old Aegon can change that this weekend. Innes has ridden over 1500 winners, including 30 at Group One level – most recently aboard Aegon in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November. That son of Sacred Falls is unbeaten in three starts, having also won the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), and he is gearing up for an eagerly anticipated clash with top-class filly…
Trentham dress rehearsal for Da Vinci Girl
Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are looking forward to giving Da Vinci Girl her first look at Trentham on Saturday, with the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) her main aim at the Wellington track in March. The daughter of Zacinto has placed in all three of her starts since her 11th placing in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November, and her trainers believe she is a big chance in breaking maiden company in the Clubs New Zealand 1600 on Saturday. “Da Vinci…
Classic goals for McKee’s Karaka Million pair
Stephen McKee will have two runners in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday and he has Classic ambitions for both horses. Lord Ardmore finished fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in November and subsequently had the same result at Tauranga earlier this month after being held up in the straight. McKee has been pleased with his progress since then and he is looking forward to him going around in the rich feature on Saturday. “He is a horse who has really continued to…
Woburn Farm excited about Karaka yearlings
Adrian Stanley and Hannah Kettlety are in their seventh year preparing yearlings under their Woburn Farm banner and they believe they are bringing their strongest draft yet to Karaka in 2021. The Waikato couple will offer 20 yearlings in their Book 1 Sale draft, including seven for former Cambridge Stud Principals Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan. Stanley said he is pleased with all of his draft, but highlighted lot 52, the Written Tycoon colt out of Group One performer Pussy O’Reilly as the standout of their draft. “The standout…