Year: 2019

Trainer Anthony Freedman is to have two runners in the Caulfield Guineas and the Thousand Guineas. Trainer Anthony Freedman is set to be two-handed in the two Guineas races on the opening day of the Caulfield Cup carnival. Freedman says Super Seth and Groundswell will contest the Group One Caulfield Guineas with the stable to be represented by Lyre and Southbank in the fillies division, the Thousand Guineas. Both races are for three-year-olds and run over 1600m on October 12. Freedman said Mark Zahra would ride Super Seth and Kerrin…

A second round of donations will be gifted to drought-stricken towns in northern NSW struggling to pay the rising cost of horse feed. The Australian Turf Club Foundation will announce on Thursday another lot of grants for racing industry participants to help pay for hay bales. It follows earlier drought relief in April across hardest hit parts of the state’s Central and Western Districts, with the ATC Foundation raising more than $60,000 and providing water in the worst affected areas. The ATC Foundation was announced in October 2018 to oversee…

He Kin Fly will tackle Saturday’s Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial (1400m). Photo credit: Race Images South Christchurch trainer Neill Ridley will get a tangible assessment of his chances for two of New Zealand Cup week’s major prizes when he produces He Kin Fly and Far Site at Riccarton on Saturday. Both horses have pleased Ridley in the leadup to their weekend assignments but their race performances will provide the best guide to their Group race prospects next month. Darci Brahma seven-year-old gelding He Kin Fly will tackle Saturday’s Coupland’s Bakeries…

Riva Capri will tackle the boys in the Group 2 Sacred Falls Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday. Photo credit: Race Images Guy Lowry has a plan to make amends for a Group 1 that got away. Lowry and training partner Grant Cullen produced Xpression as favourite for last year’s Group 1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton but watched on as she could only manage third behind Media Sensation and Valalie. The Hastings duo have Riva Capri set for the gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas (1600m) on November 16 and…

Probabeel is challenging for favouritism on the Group One Flight Stakes for three-year-old fillies. As the boss of New Zealand’s Te Akau Racing operation, David Ellis is used to success at home and abroad but takes nothing for granted. Te Akau has New Zealand champion Melody Belle vying to become the first horse to win the Hastings triple crown on Saturday and Te Akau Shark and Probabeel racing for Group One wins at Randwick in Sydney. Te Akau Shark is among the favourites for the Epsom Handicap while Probabeel is…

A 25 per cent share in the Kris Lees-trained Cups entry Mustajeer will be offered at auction. A 25 per cent share in leading Caulfield and Melbourne Cups contender Mustajeer is to be auctioned ahead of the Ebor winner’s tilt at the Australian spring features. Inglis will take bids through its Digital Online platform next Tuesday and Wednesday. Australian Bloodstock have bought a controlling interest in Mustajeer who has been transferred to trainer Kris Lees with the 25 per cent share offered by Gaelic Bloodstock. The former Irish horse arrived…

Looks Like Elvis will step into Group One company for the first time in the Turnbull Stakes. Brisbane trainer Bryan Dais dreams of having a Caulfield Cup runner and they can become a reality if Looks Like Elvis wins the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Looks Like Elvis is the best horse Dais has prepared and will be his first Group One runner when he contests Saturday’s 2000m race that gives the winner ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19. Dais isn’t underselling the magnitude of Saturday’s assignment,…

Jockey Brenton Avdulla has the Epsom Handicap ride on Gem Song at 52kg for the famous Randwick mile. At least four horses will carry half a kilogram more than their original weights in the Epsom Handicap with 10 of the 18 runners on less than 51kg. So far Kerrin McEvoy (Rock 50.5kg), Dom Tourneur (Archedemus 50.5kg) Michael Dee (Star Of The Seas 50kg) and Damien Thornton (Junipal 50kg) have been given permission to ride half a kilogram over those handicaps in Saturday’s $1 million race over the famous Randwick mile.…