Capriccio Completes Damian Lane Treble

Capriccio has claimed the Inglis Dash at Flemington to give Damian Lane a winning treble. Warrnambool trainer Daniel Bowman was happy to become another trainer pleasantly surprised by a result above expectations when his filly Capriccio won the $500,000 Inglis Dash. Following on from the Horsham-trained Lunar Fox’s win in the Australian Guineas at $301, Saturday’s Flemington meeting produced another big-priced winner with Capriccio claiming the 1100 metre race at $41. Bowman said Capriccio had been trialling well and he would have been happy if she had finished fourth or…

Verry Elleegant Triumphs In Stirring Dual

James McDonald has won a memorable renewal of the Chipping Norton Stakes aboard Verry Elleegant. In an epic battle that revived memories of grand galloper Octagonal, Verry Elleegant has edged out Godolphin pair Colette and Avilius in a thrilling edition of the Chipping Norton Stakes. Less than a length separated the first five horses across the line with the Chris Waller-trained mare lifting to land her seventh Group One win. Like Octagonal, who often won by narrow margins, Verry Elleegant scored by a half-neck and Saturday’s race was the fourth…

Boilover Of Lunar Proportions In Guineas

Lunar Fox has scored a major upset by taking out the Australian Guineas at triple-figure odds. In one of the greatest boilovers in a feature race, the Horsham-trained galloper Lunar Fox has taken out the Australian Guineas at odds of $301. In doing so he became the longest-priced Group One winner since Abaridy claimed the Caulfield Guineas at $251 in 1986. His trainer Paul Preusker wasn’t even at Flemington and he left the saddling duties to his partner, former jockey Holly McKechnie. The win gave Preusker, who is best known…

Sydney Raider Secures All-Star Mile Spot

Star Of The Seas, ridden by Damian Lane, has claimed the Group Two Blamey Stakes at Flemington. Sydney galloper Star Of The Seas secured a spot in the All-Star Mile with a tough win in the Blamey Stakes. Star Of The Seas held off a determined challenge from Fifty Stars, who was trying to become the first horse to claim the Group Two Flemington feature three years in a row. Jamie Kah’s mount Buffalo River set a fast pace in front and he was still four lengths clear with 200…

Sweet Win Moves Sargent Filly Into Slipper

John Sargent is three weeks away from having his first Golden Slipper runner after Four Moves Ahead rebounded from a setback to win the Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick. Renowned as a trainer of classic horses, Sargent is showing another string to his bow this autumn with Four Moves Ahead now unbeaten in two starts. The filly was scratched from the Silver Slipper last weekend after knocking her knee in a stable mishap and Sargent admitted it was a relief to see her win on Saturday. “We’ve had a hard…

O’President Reigns Supreme In Skyline

Chris Waller’s good season with two-year-olds continued at Randwick with O’President upstaging his more fancied rivals to snare the Skyline Stakes. The premier trainer has arguably his best group of youngsters yet with the likes of Home Affairs, She’s All Class, Head Of State and Shaquero all in Golden Slipper contention. O’President added his name to that list when he led throughout for Tim Clark in Saturday’s Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick to book a Slipper berth. “He will go (to the Slipper) for sure. The team behind the horse…

Tycoon Hums Home And Heads For A Spell

Tycoon Humma, ridden by Jamie Mott, wins the Very Special Kids Plate at Flemington. John McArdle will eschew chasing further two-year-old riches during the autumn with Tycoon Humma despite her keeping her undefeated record intact. Tycoon Humma, by boom stallion Capitalist, flew home to grab Kallos and win the Very Special Kids Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday to take her record to two starts for two wins. “She’s a nice filly but I think she’s looking for the paddock now,” McArdle said. McArdle said he used the same strategy…

Verry Elleegant triumphs in stirring duel

In an epic battle that revived memories of grand galloper Octagonal, Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) has edged out Godolphin pair Colette (Hallowed Crown) and Avilius (Pivotal) in a thrilling edition of the Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. Less than a length separated the first five horses across the line with the Chris Waller-trained mare lifting to land her seventh Group One win. Like Octagonal, who often won by narrow margins, Verry Elleegant scored by a half-neck and Saturday’s race was the fourth time she has won a major…

Star of the Seas secures All-Star Mile spot

Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park) secured a spot in the All-Star Mile with a tough win in the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m). The Chris Waller-trained gelding held off a determined challenge from Fifty Stars (Sea The Stars), who was trying to become the first horse to claim the Group Two Flemington feature three years in a row. Jamie Kah’s mount Buffalo River (Noble Mission) set a fast pace in front and he was still four lengths clear with 200 metres to go. Waller’s Melbourne stable foreperson Jo Taylor…

Richardson and Norvall double up in Matamata features

Local filly Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) carried the hopes of her breeder Sandy Moore and a mixture of racing newbies and experienced hands to victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). The two-year-old filly is raced by Moore, the vice-president of the Auckland Racing Club and members of the Social Racing Starting Gates Syndicate, which is managed by Auckland Racing Club Board member, Brent Cooper. The syndicate includes a number of members racing their first horse and they got the ultimate thrill of a…