Author: Editor BOAY

An impressive return from four months on the sidelines has earned comeback sprinter Paddy Wants Pats a crack at Thursday night’s Victorian National Sprint Championship heats (515m) at Sandown Park. Earlier in 2022, Paddy Wants Pats, a superbly-bred son of Group 1 winners Black Magic Opal and Striker Light, was enjoying a career best run of form. He won the Listed Western Districts Derby at Ballarat, and finished runner-up in the Group 1 Australian Cup, before being injured in the G1 Perth Cup final as the $3.50 second elect. “Last…

The Sylvester Doyle Puppy Championship final provided the first-ever Derby vs Oaks match race many hoped for but didn’t think they would ever witness at Longwood on Sunday. A few years ago, the NCA reverted to the original format where the Victorian Derby and Victorian Oaks was conducted before the Puppy Championship. And what a masterstroke it has proved with Kyanna (Victorian Oaks winner) and Rothwell Chunk (Victorian Derby winner) staging a course to remember. Kyanna (Dallas Massina) exited the slips the better and established an early one length lead.…

Entry Forms for the 2022 The Arrow Sweep Stakes – to be held at Healesville on Sunday 21 August – are now on sale and can be purchased by contacting the club on (03) 5962 2420 or by visiting the race day office. The cost of an entry form is $1,000 and permits the holders of the entry form to nominate one greyhound for The Arrow Sweep Stakes event. An unlimited number of tickets will be issued for the series however it is capped at a maximum of two entry…

Gippsland hunk Mr. Audacious was ‘bold and beautiful’ in a heat of the Group 3 Warragul St Leger (460m) on Friday night. Contesting his first start since June 15, the provincial ‘macho man’ registered his 11th win from 14 starts with a powerhouse exhibition. The “not for sale at any price” flying machine clocked a smart 25.66sec in Heat 4 – and that was after blowing the start! He displayed amazing acceleration after ‘hitting the ground’, and that was the end of the penny section. Prepared at Kilmany (near Sale) by…

Ray Shiells is no stranger to training a top class stayer, famously winning the 1990 National Distance Championship at Olympic Park with Clean Machine. So, it would be wise to listen when the veteran mentor says he’ll be “shocked” if boom distance prospect Shanlyn Hunter doesn’t continue on his winning way at The Meadows on Saturday night. Shiells, who prepares a team of just three at Diamond Creek, has only had the lightly-raced Shanlyn Hunter for five of his 21 starts. The son of 2014 Melbourne Cup winner Dyna Villa…

After upstaging superstar Wow She’s Fast – on the clock, at least – on Maturity Classic night, exciting prospect El Dorado will be striving to continue his ‘golden’ run in Premier Racing at The Meadows on Saturday night. Trained by his astute co-breeder, Daryl Holmes, El Dorado claimed Best Of Night honours at the Maturity meeting, stopping the clock at 29.78sec in a stunning 14.5L romp, eclipsing Wow She’s Fast’s 29.84sec performance in the Group 1 feature. It was El Dorado’s 12th win from 20 career starts and fifth from…

The Group 3 Warragul St Leger series (460m) has produced myriad esteemed winners. It’s perennially been a ‘stepping-stone’ to superstar status! Last year, we witnessed Aston Fastnet defeat G1 Melbourne Cup winner Koblenz. Dual G1 winner Qwara Bale finished fourth. And this year’s series, which kicks off with four exciting heats on Friday night, promises to live up to the St Leger’s historical lofty heights. For starters, they comprise Gippsland pin-up Mr. Audacious ($1.45) in Heat 4; Maturity Classic finalist Plaintiff ($1.60) in Heat 2; Maturity Classic third place-getter Kelsey…