Category: Featured

Caulfield Group 1 races reshuffled for 2025 Spring Carnival

AAP

Another Prophet winning the 2024 Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield Racecourse. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Racing Victoria (RV) and the Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) have confirmed a strategic reshuffle of three Group 1 races at Caulfield as part of broader programming changes to the 2025 Spring Racing Carnival and the 2026 Festival of Racing. The changes, which have received approval from the RV Board and endorsement from the Asian Pattern Committee, aim to bolster key racedays across Victoria and maintain momentum across the entire spring calendar. Following strong…

Tuesday’s best horse racing bookmaker promos & offers | April 15

AAP

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Tuesday, April 15. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for April 15, 2025, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paids $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet…

Zahra to reunite with Antino in All Aged

NZRacingDesk

Whether it is considered an ambitious move or not to take on the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) so soon, Tony Gollan has just as higher aims for Antino (NZ) (Redwood) closer to home as the topline Queensland galloper returns to the races this Saturday. Antino trialled last week at Eagle Farm finishing behind Rothfire (Rothesay) with a heavier staff rider aboard, and since then Gollan has been happy for his versatile six-year-old to line up in the All Aged over the 1400-metre trip at Randwick before a campaign over longer trips in Brisbane. “He was getting a…

Darren Danis, the ultimate athlete

NZRacingDesk

Sidelined jockey Darren Danis passed the first test in his journey to return to the saddle when he competed in the Ultimate Athlete Obstacle Race at Mount Maunganui Beach last Saturday. Danis sustained a fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae following an incident at the Waipa trials in November last year, and last weekend’s challenge was an important milestone in his recovery. The 32-year-old hoop had wanted to compete in the obstacle race and he was given the green light by his doctor to return to light physical activity just over…

Childhood dream turns into reality for Hawkins

NZRacingDesk

International racing journalist Andrew Hawkins’ imagination was captured by two things as a child, thoroughbred racing and the Canberra Raiders, and on Saturday he was able to combine his two loves. As a teenager, with the hope of one day racing his own horse, Hawkins designed a set of silks based on the colours of his three-time NRL Premiership-winning Canberra Raiders, and on Saturday he realised that dream when watching Bona Sforza carry those silks to victory in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton Park in Christchurch. It was…

Queensland calling Nereus after Cup performance

NZRacingDesk

Multiple Group-winner Nereus is being set for a Queensland campaign after powering into second in Saturday’s Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Trentham. The Waikato Stud-owned son of Savabeel has a strong affinity with the Upper Hutt course, having won the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2400m) last year before finishing sixth in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) in Victoria. His trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray opted to take a different path with the gelding this season, winning the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) before testing his abilities over the two…

Cap Ferrat set to chase Hong Kong Derby–QEII Cup double

AAP

Cap Ferrat faces strong opposition on FWD Champions Day. Photo: HKJC Cap Ferrat will aim to join one of Hong Kong racing’s most exclusive and esteemed clubs when he lines up in Sunday week’s (27 April) HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin. Trained by Francis Lui, Cap Ferrat prevailed in last month’s HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) by a short head at odds of $25 under Craig Williams, and the four-year-old is chanced with becoming the sixth horse to complete the Derby-QEII Cup double…

Bona Sforza wins Welcome Stakes in dream debut for Finnegan

AAP

Bona Sforza winning the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton Park on Saturday. Photo: Race Images South International racing journalist Andrew Hawkins’ imagination was captured by two things as a child, thoroughbred racing and the Canberra Raiders, and on Saturday he was able to combine his two loves. As a teenager, with the hope of one day racing his own horse, Hawkins designed a set of silks based on the colours of his three-time NRL Premiership-winning Canberra Raiders, and on Saturday he realised that dream when watching Bona Sforza carry…

Kiwi stayer Nereus booked for Queensland campaign in May

AAP

Multiple group winner Nereus is being set for a Queensland campaign after powering into second in Saturday’s Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Trentham. The Waikato Stud-owned son of Savabeel has a strong affinity with the Upper Hutt course, having won the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2400m) last year before finishing sixth in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) in Victoria. His trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray opted to take a different path with the gelding this season, winning the Group 3 Counties Cup (2100m) before testing his abilities…