Month: March 2025

Damask Rose winning Saturday’s $3.5 million Listed The NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie.Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Te Akau Racing, Blake Shinn and fantastic filly Damask Rose created a piece of New Zealand racing history when they took out the inaugural running of the richest race in the land, the newly minted $3.5 million Listed The NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie. The slot race is the centrepiece of the newly created Champions Day, a day featuring eight black-type contests, including four at Group One level. Open to New Zealand bred…

Commemorative winning the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au The James Cummings-trained Commemorative ($4.40) has capped off a terrific day for Godolphin, claiming the Group 3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) in stylish fashion to round out 2025 Randwick Guineas Day on Saturday afternoon. The daughter of I Am Invincible put the writing on the wall after a luckless effort first-up in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at the same course and distance, justifying a wealth of support with horse racing bookmakers prior to the jump. Jason Collett was…

What Black Opal Stakes Day 2025 Where Thoroughbred Park – 1 Randwick Rd, Lyneham ACT 2602 When Sunday, March 9, 2025 First Race 11:36am AEDT Visit Dabble Country racing returns to Canberra Racecourse on Sunday afternoon, where the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) headlines a bumper 10-race program. The two-year-old feature is surrounded by a quality undercard, including the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m) and Listed Canberra Guineas (1400m), with the pair attracting capacity fields on the ACT’s marquee day. The rail moves out +3m the entire circuit, and with…

Willydoit winning the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Memories of a confidence-denting defeat in last month’s Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) were blown away on Saturday as Willydoit powered to a dominant victory in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie. Willydoit strung together three increasingly impressive wins at the Auckland track during the summer and spent most of the last three months at the head of fixed-odds betting for the $1.25 million classic. However, the Tarzino gelding…

Alalance winning the 2025 Randwick City Stakes. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Tim Clark has claimed a race-to-race double for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott barn at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, with Alalcance ($2.80) grinding her way to victory in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m). The Mastercraftsman mare justified a wealth of support with horse racing bookmakers to secure the first-up victory, with Clark taking all luck out of the equation from the inside draw (1) to lead throughout the journey. Almania () pressed forward to ensure a genuine tempo throughout…

What Ascot races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Sunday, March 9, 2025 First Race 1:40pm AWST Visit Dabble The Listed Lex Piper Stakes and 1000 Guineas will headline the eight-race card at Ascot on Sunday afternoon. The track is expected to stay in the Good 4 rating that was posted at acceptances, with warm weather forecast across the weekend. The rail will be in the +7m position for the entire circuit, with the first race scheduled to jump at 1:40pm AWST. Ascot 1000 Guineas…

Joliestar ridden by Damian Lane wins the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Joliestar has bounced back with a slashing victory in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), giving Chris Waller his second victory in the race and Damian Lane his first success in the time-honoured contest. The daughter of Zoustar finished third in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes first-up, and punters were more than happy to give her another chance, as she was hammered in betting with Picklebet and jumped as a +240 favourite. After jumping…

Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner, Linebacker. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au The John O’Shea & Tom Charlton-trained Linebacker ($9.00) has tasted Group 1 success for the first time at Randwick on Saturday afternoon, fending off all challengers to claim the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m). The son of Super Seth had always promised to produce at the highest level across seven career starts, consistently finishing on the heel of Broadsiding ($1.60) throughout the spring campaign. It finally eventuated on Saturday with Zac Lloyd storming across to take up the running in the early…