Early 21st birthday present for Crystal Hackett at AYDC

Crystal Hackett’s having a week she’ll never forget across the Tasman. Today the talented junior turns 21, just a day after winning the second heat of the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships (AYDC) in Sydney. She’ll mark her birthday with two more drives at Bathurst tonight, at 8.37pm and 10.03pm. Hackett’s competing in her third AYDC. Yesterday her win at Menangle came with Cabana. It was a Kiwi quinella, with Our Chiquitita and Sam Thornley second. “We were a day early and to drive a winner on my birthday would be…

Grand Prix Stakes

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners Grand Prix Stakes Group Three Betting Guide Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024 Location: Eagle Farm Racecourse – Brisbane, Queensland Prize Money: $300,000 Distance: 1800m The Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Eagle Farm is one of Queensland’s premier racing events, showcasing the finest emerging three-year-olds in the state. Held annually at Eagle Farm Racecourse, this 1800-metre feature race has a rich history of producing future stars of Australian racing. Previously run at 2100m and 2200m, the Grand Prix Stakes is run at 1800m from…

B.J. McLachlan Stakes

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners B.J. McLachlan Stakes Group Three Betting Guide Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Location: Eagle Farm Racecourse – Brisbane, Queensland Prize Money: $300,000 Distance: 1200m The B.J. McLachlan Stakes is a Group 3 race for two-year-old sprinters, hosted by the Brisbane Racing Club at Eagle Farm. The 1200m BJ McLachlan Stakes is run under set weight conditions and has undergone various name changes over the years, including being known as the Tommy Smith Slipper, before adopting its current title in 2009. In 2024, the race…

Ripcord out to regain winning form in The Gold Rush

Ripcord. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos) Dual stakes winner Ripcord will need a form reversal to win Saturday’s Group 3 Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot, but trainer Luke Fernie is confident the four-year-old can bounce back and claim the $1.5 million feature. After a credible fifth in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington, Ripcord struggled, finishing last in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and ninth in the Group 2 Damien Oliver (1400m) at Flemington. Fernie believes Ripcord’s best form, which includes victories in the Listed…

Group 1 winner Militarize to resume racing career

Militarize. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Three-time Group 1 winner Militarize has returned to training after fertility issues prematurely ended his stud career. The now-gelded winner of the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m), and Group 1 Sires’ Produce (1400m) was standing at Newgate Stud Farm for a fee of $38,500 but only managed to get a handful of mares in foal during his first season. “Just a small handful (of mares in foal), so you never know, maybe they will be racing him in a…

Chorlton Lane secures Supernova start

Chorlton Lane. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Ciaron Maher has bolstered his chances for The Supernova at Pakenham on December 21, with the Moonee Valley Racing Club confirming that Chorlton Lane will race in its slot in Southside Racing’s $1 million event. Having already secured a place for Nadal, the winner of The Meteorite (1200m), in his own slot, Maher will now have two contenders in the inaugural 1400-metre race. Chorlton Lane, a five-year-old son of Mehmas, has an impressive record over 1400 metres, with victories in three states, the…

Dalgety’s late bid for the Junior Drivers’ premiership

By Jonny Turner  Wednesday’s racing at Oamaru could make or break Carter Dalgety’s national junior drivers premiership hopes. The midweek meeting is at the beginning of an impressive line-up of drives Dalgety has over the coming five days.  Dalgety (52) heads to Oamaru eight wins behind premiership leader Sam Thornley (60)who has a five-win lead over Wilson House (55), though this week Thornley is away at the Australasian Young Drivers Championships.  While Dalgety knows catching to two talented drivers in front of him is a huge ask, he knows it…

Canheroc chasing further Cups success

Canheroc will contest Saturday’s Group 3 Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Group Three performer Canheroc has just one Cup to his name, but trainer Chris Wood is keen to double that haul when they head to Te Rapa on Saturday to tackle the Group 3 Waikato Cup (2400m). The seven-year-old son of El Roca was victorious in the Listed Marton Cup (2200m) in January before running third in the Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m) later that month, and he added another Cup…

Cody Cole ready to cut the ribbons on Ancroft Stud’s Luna Star

Matamata trainer Cody Cole. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Ancroft Stud have not been short of top-quality fillies in recent years, and on Friday at Tauranga, Matamata trainer Cody Cole will kick off the career of another future prospect in Luna Star. Luna Star will be Cole’s first representative for the Philip and Catherine Brown-owned operation, with their colours made prominent with superstar mares Levante and Legarto, who have accumulated seven Group One victories collectively in the care of Ken and Bev Kelso. Passed in as a yearling…

Title hopes lift as Francis Lui prepares trio for Happy Valley

Francis Lui has won 951 races in Hong Kong. Photo: HKJC Francis Lui went a long way to boosting his trainers’ championship defence with a four-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday and the affable horseman takes a team of three to Happy Valley on Wednesday night as he aims to keep the ball rolling. Lui’s quartet sees him reach 16 wins from 144 runners across 27 of the 88 scheduled race meetings this term, with only five handlers currently ahead of him: Pierre Ng (23 wins), David Hayes (20), Mark…