Year: 2022

Asfoora to strong for competition in the 2022 Furphy Sprint

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Asfoora ridden by John Allen wins the Furphy Sprint at Flemington Racecourse on October 29, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Despite the impressive nature of her all-the-way win in the Caulfield Sprint last start, even this morning Henry Dwyer was mulling over whether to run Asfoora in the Furphy Sprint at Flemington. He need not have worried. His four-year-old mare was once again very impressive, winning the Group 3 feature over 1100m and worth $200,000 by three-quarters of a length. “I’ve been looking for reasons why…

2022 Melbourne Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw: Favourite Deauville Legend in 9

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The field and barriers are set for the Group 1 $7.75 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) with punters looking ahead to Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday for the 162nd edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’. Group 1 winning mare Montefilia is one of the best backed locals in the 2022 Melbourne Cup final field for Tuesday at Flemington. Photo: Steve Hart. There are twenty-four horses in the 2022 Melbourne Cup field including two internationally-trained raiders following the shock withdrawal of German galloper Loft on Friday due…

Icebath wins her first Group 1 in the Empire Rose Stakes

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Icebath (NZ) ridden by Craig Williams wins the TAB Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on October 29, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Even champion jockey Craig Williams giving her a kiss post-race and “taking her shopping” could not prevent Icebath from getting a little upset after the Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington. But who cares? At long last, this gutsy mare is now a Group 1 winner for Brad Widdup. The six-year-old – with just four triumphs from 37 starts prior to Saturday – showed…

Moody & Nolan combine to win the Golden Eagle with I Wish I Win

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Luke Nolen & I Wish I Win claims the $10 million 2022 Golden Eagle title at Rosehill Gardens. The team of Peter Moody and Luke Nolan have once again combined to take out the $10million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens with I Wish I Win in a scintillating performance. A winner two starts back in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m) at Sandown, the four-year-old Savabeel gelding then ran a last start fifth in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) leading into today’s feature event. Jumping from barrier 10…

Private Eye flies home to claim the 2022 Nature Strip Stakes

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Private Eye has flown home from the rear of the field with a huge run to take out the $3million Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens for Joe Pride. A first up win this preparation in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) before his last start second to Giga Kick in The Everest two weeks ago had the five-year-old son of Al Maher primed for a good showing today and stepped out at $5.50 with online bookmakers. Once again under the guidance of Brenton Avdulla, Private Eye was settled…

Beautiful finishing burst by Manzoice to win the Victoria Derby

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Manzoice ridden by Michael Dee wins the Penfolds Victoria Derby at Flemington Racecourse on October 29, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Manzoice’s finishing burst to win the Victoria Derby at Flemington was so good, jockey Michael Dee compared it to Durston’s triumph in the Caulfield Cup two weeks ago. Once again and just like the Caulfield Cup, master trainer Chris Waller had his $21 outsider expertly prepared for Saturday’s triumph in the Group 1 staying race over 2500m and worth $2 million. “Somewhat (similar to Durston’s…

2022 Victoria Derby Winner: Waller Claims Second Derby in Manzoice Boil-Over

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Punters were treated to a good old-fashioned boil-over on Saturday with Chris Waller’s $18 roughie Manzoice taking out the Group 1 Victoria Derby. The time-honoured staying feature attracted a quality field of three-year-olds over 2500m, but it was the son of Almanzor, a three-time Group 1 winner in France, who greeted the judge first. With rain falling, all eyes were on the favourite Sharp N Smart, who appeared to be home for all money along the fence until Michael Dee and Manzoice wore him down out wide. Like a few…

In Secret shows her toughness as she wins the Coolmore Stakes

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In Secret ridden by James McDonald wins the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on October 29, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) The sentiment from both James McDonald and James Cummings was clear after In Secret’s comfortable two-length win in the Coolmore Stakes at Flemington – she showed her toughness early. And this was the foundation for a brilliant performance which had champion hoop McDonald punching the sky in jubilation after crossing the finishing post. “There was some mucking around at the start where Economics had…

Sassy Merlot dominant in campaign opener

NZRacingDesk

Progressive mare Sassy Merlot (NZ) (Burgundy) made a winning start to her four-year-old season as she dominated proceedings from in front over 1200m on her home track at Matamata. The Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained daughter of Burgundy had raced against some of the best three-year-olds last season, including finishing second to La Crique in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham before rounding out her campaign with another runner-up finish against the older mares in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) in May. A winning performance over 850m at…

Veteran galloper does all the talking at Awapuni

NZRacingDesk

Hardy nine-year-old Pep Torque (NZ) (Nadeem) finally got the big win he deserved after producing a gritty performance that saw him dominate the finish to the Listed Mode Technology Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) at Awapuni. The Kirsty Lawrence-trained runner had been off the winner’s list since February 2021 before scoring a fresh-up victory over 1650m at Waverley earlier in the month, although he had managed four runner-up finishes between victories including being narrowly beaten in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata. Handled confidently by rider Kate Hercock, who had…