Year: 2025

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners Challenge Stakes Group Two Betting Guide Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025 Location: Randwick Racecourse – Sydney, New South Wales Prize Money: $500,000 Distance: 1000m The Challenge Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age sprint over 1000m, held by the Australian Turf Club at Randwick. First run in 1906, the Challenge Stakes is Sydney’s premier 1000m race, and has been part of the autumn carnival since 2003, serving as a key lead-up to the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m) and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m). Originally…

What Happy Valley Races Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, March 5, 2025 First Race 6:40pm HKT (9:40pm AEDT) Visit Dabble Happy Valley Racecourse is the destination for Hong Kong racing on Wednesday evening, with a bumper nine-race program lined up under lights. The rail is in the C+3 throughout the night, and with overcast conditions forecast on Monday and Tuesday, punters need to be wary of a possible track downgrade into the Soft range at some stage. All the action…

Tuxedo is primed to take on Saturday’s $1.25 million Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Shaune Ritchie couldn’t have wished for a smoother run with Tuxedo into Saturday’s $1.25 million Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). The Cambridge horseman, who trains with Colm Murray, has enjoyed a trouble-free run with the well-named son of Tivaci and Ball Gown ahead of Saturday’s Trackside-sponsored feature. “It’s getting harder to find the negatives around him, I suppose if you’re being picky then the traditional lead-up would…

Orchestral will contest Saturday’s Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Ellerslie has been the home of several of Orchestral’s career highlights, and trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are hoping she can add another on Saturday when she contests the $1 million Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). The daughter of Savabeel was unbeaten at the Auckland track as a three-year-old, stringing together three consecutive victories, including the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Group 1 New…

What Sandown Hillside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, March 5, 2025 First Race 3:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble Sandown will host an eight-race meeting on the Hillside track this Wednesday afternoon, where the first race is set to jump at 3:05pm AEDT. With warm conditions forecast on Tuesday and Wednesday, it is expected that the track will stay in the Good range after being rated as a Good 4 at the time of acceptances. The rail will be pushed out to the +6m…

Lucy In The Sky will contest Saturday’s Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Tony Pike will be represented in a number of the Champions Day features this Saturday, including the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), the first top-flight appearance for his promising juvenile Lucy In The Sky. The daughter of Hello Youmzain had a reputation before her debut at Ellerslie last month, and running as favourite she duly delivered, holding off a number of more-experienced rivals with authority. That performance was enough for Pike…

James Orman is chasing more success at Happy Valley. Photo: HKJC James Orman has hit the ground running in Hong Kong and the Australian heads to Happy Valley on Wednesday night armed with seven mounts including last-start winner Turin Warrior in the Class 4 Sichuan Bipenggou Tourist Attractions Handicap (1650m). Orman, 27, has made an immediate impact with two wins from six rides on a short-term contract which runs until after the race meeting on April 2. The in-demand jockey is eyeing more momentum at the city circuit as he…

Angel Capital ridden by Ben Melham winning the Autumn Stakes. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Angel Capital will continue his racing career under the guidance of trainer Chris Waller after Yulong Investments purchased the three-year-old following his impressive first-up win in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Former Trainer Clinton McDonald confirmed on Monday that the new ownership group had decided to transfer the Harry Angel colt to Waller’s stable. Angel Capital was the favourite for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) but was scratched on race morning…

James McDonald returns to the mounting yard on Aeliana after winning the Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington. (Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos) The Chris Waller-trained Aeliana will once again face some of Australia’s top colts and geldings in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m). “The Thousand Guineas is so late she needed an extra two weeks in the paddock, so she’s a bit behind the others,” Waller explained about the filly, who finished second in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) last spring. “It’s worked out well, but hopefully we’re not asking…