Emotional scenes played out around the Riccarton birdcage on Saturday afternoon following a desperate finish to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) that saw Matamata visitor Pier justify his favourite’s tag by the barest of margins The three-year-old son of Proisir went into the race off the back of a stylish victory in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) with his many supporters confident he could prove even more effective at his first attempt over 1600m. Those supporters had their hearts in their mouths midway…
Year: 2022
Ellsberg grips on to take out Five Diamonds
Ellsberg did just enough to hold out Sibaaq in the inaugural running of the Five Diamonds. Ellsberg has claimed the inaugural running of the $2 million The Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens in track record time for Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou. A brand-new Special Conditions feature for the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, The Five Diamonds is run at set weights and serves as a nice attraction for five-year-old horses that may otherwise have been retired. Ellsberg took out the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on…
Zaaki leads throughout to claim VRC Champions Stakes
Zaaki (GB) ridden by Jamie Kah wins the TAB Champions Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on November 05, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Zaaki and Jamie Kah have taken out the final Group 1 of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, winning the VRC Champions Stakes over 2000m. The win of Zaaki in the Champions Stakes gives Kah and Annabel Neasham their first Group 1 winner for the Melbourne Cup Carnival, defeating the two favourites in the race, I’m Thunderstruck and Anamoe, who didn’t finish in the placings. Zaaki…
Pike lifts Sheeza Belter to victory in Hot Danish Stakes
Sheeza Belter under William Pike claims the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes. After a less than ideal preparation, Sheeza Belter has prevailed in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) for Peter and Paul Snowden with perfectly calculated a ride from William Pike. A mix of wet tracks and niggling issues had restricted the Group 1 winning three-year-old filly to just one run this spring in The Invitation two weeks ago, two months after her first barrier trial for this campaign. Settled three back on the fence from barrier one…
Alligator Blood fends off his rivals in Group 1 Champions Mile
Alligator Blood ridden by Tim Clark wins the Kennedy Champions Mile at Flemington Racecourse on November 05, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Alligator Blood has taken out the Champions Mile for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, capping off a successful spring campaign for the much-maligned galloper. Alligator Blood was kept safe in the market as a $5.50 second favourite with online bookmakers, following Private Eye who was heavily backed into a short favourite, who ultimately didn’t fire a shot in this race. Zaaki was the obvious…
Barber cuts down rivals in Golden Gift
Barber got his down just in time to claim the Golden Gift. Barber has put himself into Golden Slipper favouritism by overcoming adversity to take out the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens under a masterful ride from Hugh Bowman. Plan A went straight out the window for the James Cummings-trained youngster after the two-year-old Exceed and Excel colt blundering the start and jumped a length and a half last from barrier 10. Bowman decided to go back switch and to the inside and carve a passage to…
Roch ‘N’ Horse claims Group 1 Champions Sprint
Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) ridden by Jamie Mott wins the Darley Champions Sprint at Flemington Racecourse on November 05, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos) Roch ‘N’ Horse for Mike Moroney has given Jamie Mott his second Group 1 for the spring carnival, taking out the Champions Sprint down the famous Flemington straight. Although the winner has never finished worse than second down the Flemington straight, the market still didn’t want to know her as she jumped a $21 outsider with online bookmakers. Roch ‘N’ Horse sat…
Atishu proves way too good for her rivals in Matriarch Stakes
Atishu (NZ) ridden by James McDonald wins the Matriarch Stakes at Flemington. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Atishu has been way too good for her rivals in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes, giving James McDonald his first winner on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, with a very good book of rides to come. The Chris Waller-trained Atishu was an eye catcher coming out of the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day and on the quick seven-day back-up, she was backed heavily by punters, jumping as…
Last stride victory for Malt Time
Progressive mare Malt Time left it late but got in the deciding stride to register her first victory at Stakes level when she took out the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m). The lightly raced six-year-old was having just her 15th career start in Saturday’s feature event at Te Rapa, although she had well and truly hinted she would be a serious lightweight contender after storming to victory over 1100m under a 57.5kg steadier in lesser company at her last start. Carrying a luxurious 53kgs on this occasion, jockey Masa Hashizume…
Flash Feeling scores at Flemington
The John Sadler-trained Flash Feeling ran out a ready winner of the Australian Childhood Foundation Trophy (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday under a positive ride from apprentice Matthew Cartwright. The four-year-old son of Iffraaj held his spot after clearing the gates well, settling just behind a moderate tempo and pulled out too many guns when comfortably holding Wyclif and Coolth. Trainer John Sadler was represented by son Tom, who oversaw the entire scoring the third victory in his 11-start career. “Bravo to the team there at John’s. He’s obviously a…