Day: 4 April 2025

Habana will make his raceday return at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Group 2 winner Habana has bounced back from a health scare and will make a welcome return to action in Saturday’s Elsdon Park (1300m) at Ellerslie. The Zoustar gelding has won eight of his 21 starts and more than $420,000 in stakes, headed by a victory in last year’s Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). Habana was last seen on October 24 at Ellerslie, where he was beaten by a long head by Meaningful Star…

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike. Photo: Nicole Troost Sydney’s weather provided an extra challenge for horses heading into Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) via the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m), but Tony Pike believes Golden Century will be less disadvantaged than most. The Tulloch was originally scheduled to be run at Rosehill last Saturday, but that meeting was postponed to Tuesday. Golden Century lined up in the rescheduled race and finished seventh, making up ground despite racing greenly down the straight. Pike is happy to press on into Saturday’s Derby…

Wingman will contest the Manawatu Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association 3YO (1350m) at Wanganui on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Saturday’s Manawatu Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association 3YO (1350m) is likely to be the final start of the season for Wingman, who is the only horse to have beaten Group 1 star Leica Lucy. The Roydon Bergerson-trained Wingman showed bright promise in the spring with two wins from his first three starts. That included a 1400m three-year-old race at Trentham in early December, where he edged out Leica Lucy…

Love Poem will contest the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Stephen Marsh believes all the key indicators point to his well-bred three-year-old Love Poem giving her Australian rivals a serious run for their money at Randwick on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer will be trackside for Love Poem’s Australian debut in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) and can only see positives ahead of the opening leg of her two-start offshore campaign. “She’s great, she travelled over on Tuesday and…

Theoden will contest the Ascot Sports Bar Handicap (2225m) at Ascot Park on Sunday. Photo: Race Images South Winton galloper Theoden holds a strong record at Ascot Park, and trainer Leda Beck is hoping that continues on Sunday, with an eye towards the Riverton Cup (2147m) in a fortnight where the Southern Cups bonus is on the line. The six-year-old son of Proisir sits within range of securing the $50,000 winner-takes-all bonus, with 10 points up for grabs for the winner of the Riverton Cup, and Theoden is just five…

James McDonald and Wodeton storm home in the Chandon Handicap in race 1 at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, January 18. Photo: Bradley Photos Golden Slipper runner-up Wodeton will spearhead a blockbuster day at Randwick for champion jockey Ryan Moore, as the colt prepares to step out in Saturday’s Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m). Trained by Chris Waller, Wodeton will wear winkers once again and is expected to be ridden conservatively from barrier nine. Waller was full of praise for the way the Wootton Bassett colt has bounced out of his…

Plymouth ridden by Mark Zahra heading to the barriers before the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Trainer Glen Thompson is optimistic Plymouth can deliver a career-best performance in Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick, provided he gets the right run in transit. The son of The Autumn Sun was a strong fourth in the Rosehill Guineas last start, finishing just 1.5 lengths off Broadsiding despite being held up for a run early in the straight. “I thought he ran very well,” Thompson said. “He was a bit…