Month: March 2022

Malkovich ridden by Joshua Parr wins the ATA/Bob Hoysted Handicap at Flemington Racecourse. (George Sal/Racing Photos) Bjorn Baker and Josh Parr combined to complete a double for the day down the Flemington straight with Malkovich taking out the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) on Saturday afternoon. Parr joined the majority of the field by coming down the outside section of the straight. The Choisir entire showed good early speed before showing enough strength to narrowly hold-off a fast-finishing Brooklyn Hustle in what was a photo-finish. Malkovich, who was coming off…

Inspirational Girl (NZ) ridden by Damian Lane wins the Blamey Stakes at Flemington. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) The Danny O’Brien-trained Inspirational Girl has qualified for the $5 million All Star Mile after taking out the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. The six-year-old mare, who was having just her third start for the O’Brien stable, was slow to begin before jockey Damian Lane was able to find the rail and push up to a midfield position. Race-favourite Zaaki took the lead a little over 100m out after being held…

Hitotsu ridden by John Allen wins the Australian Guineas at Flemington. (George Sal/Racing Photos) Hitotsu scored a breath-taking victory in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace training partnership. The Ballarat-trained colt was first-up after a preparation last Spring that saw him progress from a Donald Maiden to a scintillating Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) victory in the space of just three starts. Hitotsu became the first horse to win the Australian Guineas first-up, and just the third horse to…

Converge claimed the Group 1 Randwick Guineas. (Photo: Steve Hart) Converge was able to deliver Tim Clark his 19th Group 1 victory, claiming the Randwick Guineas by a quarter of a length over Anamoe. The son of Frankel was sent out as a $7 chance in the 1600m, and despite a betting drift, he proved too strong for the red-hot favourite Anamoe, while Hilal finished third. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained gelding delivered his trainers a 14th Group 1 since they have been in partnership, while it is a…

Forbidden dominates the Canterbury Stakes field at Randwick. (Photo: Steve Hart) Just days after being stripped off the 2021 Canterbury Stakes due to Savatiano being disqualified, Hugh Bowman has notched up his 100th Group 1 victory – for the second time – aboard Forbidden Love in the 2022 Canterbury Stakes. The Richard & Michael Freedman-trained mare made it two wins in just seven days, after romping in to win the Guy Walter Stakes last Saturday, but this win was much more special given the Group 1 status. Ridden superbly by…

The decision to return with Forbidden Love on the quick backup paid off for trainers Richard and Michael Freedman in Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes. After dominating on the heavy ground last week with a comfortable win in the Group 2 Guy Walter, the stable chose to return to another rain-soaked Randwick track in the hopes of securing a second Group 1 with their talented mare. The daughter of All Too Hard was quickly inserted as the favourite when Zaaki was scratched earlier in the week, largely due to her…