Month: February 2022

Godolphin are left weighing up their options after seven-year-old gelding Cascadian took out Saturday’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. The son of New Approach was installed as the odds-on favourite in the small field of six after running third first-up in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes a fortnight ago. The British import found the box-seat early under Damien Oliver, stalking leaders Yonkers and Delphi before unleashing a powerful turn of foot to race past at the 100m mark. “He’s not the most brilliant gate horse and I…

Lavish Girl ridden by Ben Melham returns to the mounting yard after winning Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Lavish Girl made the most of a good start to lead all the way in the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Xtravagant filly controlled the race early, and then was able to hug the rail and kick away from the rest of the field to score by a length-and-a-quarter for jockey Ben Melham. Race favourite, Argentia, had…

The market had the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup down to a race in two between Ellsberg ($2.60) and Atishu ($3.90) at Randwick on Saturday, and after Atishu refused to take part in the race, Ellsberg backers never looked in doubt. It was a vintage Tim Clark ride aboard the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained entire, guiding the galloper to a dominant all-the-way victory. Despite all four of the earlier winners coming down the centre of the straight, Clark kept the race favourite hard against the running rail, proving that…

Promitto proved too strong in the Skyline Stakes. (Photo: Lisa Grimm) David Atkins’ unbeaten colt Promitto proved too strong at the end of the Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Royal Randwick, defeating Rise Of The Masses and Jemeldi in fine style. The son of Divine Prophet romped in on debut at Newcastle over 900m, and that was enough for Atkins to have a throw at the stumps at Group 2 level. Starting a $15 chance, Promitto was given a brilliant ride by Christian Reith, before letting down strongly in the…

Castlereagh Kid ridden by Damien Oliver returns to the mounting yard after winning the Autumn Classic at Caulfield. (George Sal/Racing Photos) “From an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan,” those were the words that Gai Waterhouse used to describe her Autumn Classic-winning three-year-old Castlereagh Kid. Having claimed a Gosford maiden a month ago, the Snitzel gelding has since gone on to claim a BM64 at Sandown last week, before coming to Caulfield and leading throughout the Group 2 event over 1400m. The win was aided by an absolute peach of…

Fireburn claims the Sweet Embrace Stakes. (Photo: Lisa Grimm) Fireburn continued on her winning ways in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Royal Randwick, booking her ticket into the Golden Slipper. The Gary Portelli-trained two-year-old made it three straight wins in the Group 2 event in what was her third attempt at 1200m. The daughter of Rebel Dane moved up stylishly on the outside of Xtravagant Star and Lady Laguna, to quickly put the field to bed and fend off the challenge from the fast-finishing She’s Extreme. Jason Collett…

Flying Mascot (NZ) ridden by Blaike McDougall returns to the mounting yard after winning the Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield. (George Sal/Racing Photos) Punters breathed a sigh of relief race two at Caulfield on Saturday, as the odds-on Flying Mascot proved too good in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m). Trained by Tom Dabernig, the four-year-old mare was able to lead all of the way under Blaike McDougall in the $200,000 event, beating home Under My Spell and Kahma Lass. The daughter of Tavistock was dominant at Moonee Valley on Cox…

Finance Tycoon ridden by Damian Lane wins the Neds Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Finance Tycoon returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since April, leading all of the way in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. The three-year-old colt went into the race as a $6 chance with most online bookmakers, while Generation ($1.60) was heavily backed late to win. Finance Tycoon hadn’t won since April when romping in by 4.5 lengths in the $1 million VOBIS Showdown at this track…