Tavistock filly Pretty Tavi (NZ) belied her pedigree by comprehensively leading throughout to win her 1200-metre Mornington three-year-old fillies’ maiden by 4.5 lengths on Thursday. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Pretty Tavi ($5) burst from the inside barrier and provided rider Jamie Kah with little concern around the tight-turning circuit. “She was very professional today and well-educated and made my job pretty easy,” Kah said. “Sam (Freedman) said for a Tavistock she’s quite fast out of the gate and she’s got a good turn of foot. “She wasn’t fierce (in…
Year: 2022
Baster chasing Group 1 dreams as an owner
As President of the Victorian Jockeys’ Association, you would think Stephen Baster would be clued in as to the timing of Group 1 races. Before retiring in November 2019, Baster rode 14 Group 1 winners and had his finger on the pulse, but nowadays he is selling real estate on the Mornington Peninsula while also helping his jockey brethren. Baster has dipped his toe into horse ownership with a small share in Callsign Mav who runs in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Callsign Mav is…
Call for scholarship applications
The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, in partnership with the Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship Trust, are offering the opportunity of a lifetime for one young industry participant. Applications are now open for the Irish National Stud Scholarship, which supports the successful candidate to attend the renowned establishment to complete the internationally recognised National Stud Diploma course, beginning in January 2023. The recipient then returns to New Zealand to complete a six-month tenure at Trelawney Stud, known as one of the best producers of quality thoroughbreds in the country.…
Bary philosophical about venue change
No trainer was more affected by the abandonment of racing at Hastings last Saturday and the subsequent transfer of the meeting’s two feature races to Matamata this weekend than John Bary, but he is taking the decision in his stride. The Hastings horseman is set to travel north to Matamata with four runners on Saturday, with Spring Tide (NZ) (Darci Brahma) set to contest the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m), while Te Awa Bay (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Best Seller (NZ) (Wrote) will line-up in the Gr.2 AHD Hawke’s Bay…
Busy time for Bosson on Group One day at Matamata
Opie Bosson will turn the clock back on Saturday with a dozen mounts at Matamata, including three in black type events and an unexpected opportunity to add to his Group One tally. Eleven of his 12 mounts on the extended card will be in his role as retained rider for Te Akau trainer Mark Walker with star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) to potentially provide the highlight for the pair. The daughter of I Am Invincible wasn’t originally in the field for the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings…
‘Cup Countdown’
The clock is ticking… Yes, the ‘Countdown to the Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup’ has commenced. And tonight’s $15,250 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup Launch Special Event (515m) – Race 8, 8.58pm – is a taste of things to come! A crackerjack field will compete for a $10,000 first prize, including the three major players – Paddy Wants Pats ($3.00), McInerney ($3.50) and El Dorado ($3.80) – according to the fixed odds market on sportsbet.com.au. Prepared at Freshwater Creek by Kelly Bravo, Paddy Wants Pats (Box 3) has won 17 races from…
Ascot racing preview & quaddie picks | Saturday, October 8
What Ascot Races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Saturday, October 8, 2022 First Race 11:59am AWST Visit Ladbrokes Ascot Racecourse will host Western Australian metropolitan racing for the first time this season on Saturday. The track is currently rated a Soft 5 with no rain on the forecast before raceday, so we should be on a Good track when the first of 10 jumps at 11:59am AWST. The rail will be in the 3m position for the entire course. Ascot Best Bet: Treasured Star…
Douglas: Giga Kick can challenge big guns in Everest
Giga Kick edges out Alpha One in the Vain Stakes at Caulfield on August 13. Picture: Grant Courtney. He might be a $26 winning chance with Ladbrokes, but Giga Kick will continue his rapid improvement trend in next Saturday’s Everest. That is the opinion of the three-year-old’s trainer Clayton Douglas ahead of the world’s richest race on turf at Randwick. Despite the fact the field will be full of superstars, Douglas has every reason to be confident in his developing gelding. The Mornington-based Giga Kick is unbeaten from his four…
Morphettville racing preview & best bets | Saturday 8/10/2022
What Morphettville Races Where Morphettville Racecourse – 79 Morphett Rd, Morphettville SA 5043 When Saturday, October 8, 2022 First Race 11:59am ACDT Visit Ladbrokes Racing in South Australia returns to the Morphettville track on Saturday, hosting a huge 10-race card. The track is currently rated as a Soft 7 with more rain expected on Thursday; however, if no more rain falls and we get fine weather on raceday, the track shouldn’t be any worse than a Soft 6 or 7. The rail will be in the 10m position from the…
Eagle Farm races tips, odds & quaddie | Saturday, October 8
What Eagle Farm Races Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, October 8, 2022 First Race 11:43am AEST Visit Ladbrokes Saturday metropolitan racing in Brisbane returns to Eagle Farm today with a massive 10-race card, highlighted by the Queensland Cup for the stayers over 2400m. The track is currently rated a Good 4, and with only a small amount of rain around in the forecast, we should be on a very fair track on raceday. The rail will be in the 2m position for…