Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) was reduced to just seven runners at final acceptances on Tuesday in a scenario that might best suit the thrilling front-running mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai). The first four home in Pride Of Jenni’s Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) win all accepted, including the Cups champion Half Yours, but there were only a handful of new players on the scene for Saturday’s $1 million race at final acceptance after 39 horses were originally nominated for the race. Vauban takes his chance back to 2000…
Day: 19 May 2026
Frankie Lor eyes tactical switch for Numbers
Frankie Lor is optimistic that implementing new tactics for Numbers (NZ) (Tivaci) can help the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) runner-up go to another level in Sunday’s HK$13 million Gr.1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin. Aiming to unlock more of the bull-headed four-year-old’s potential, Lor is hopeful the gelding, whose bodyweight exceeds 1,200lb, doesn’t always have to race at the head of the field and that an alternative racing pattern could add another layer to his development. “I’ve always thought that we should try to…
Single Choice has another Derby option
Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani will chase another Derby with promising stayer Single Choice (Anders), who headed north on Tuesday for Saturday week’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm. The gelding enters the Queensland feature off a solid effort for fourth in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) won by former Kiwi Wigmore (NZ) (Sweynesse). Single Choice tracked the eventual winner throughout but elected to go wide on the Soft 7 track and loop the field rounding the home turn, whilst the breaks came for Wigmore. “We were unlucky, I…
Highly-rated Agera readies for winter campaign
Agera (NZ) (Complacent) will have a weighty task on his hands this winter as the Group Two winner returns as a highly-rated galloper this campaign. The son of Complacent started the season on a rating of 70, but went on a stunning run of success through the spring, winning six of his 10 starts. Two of those came early on the Cambridge Synthetic, before his streak continued on the turf claiming the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) and Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1530m). Agera earned $267,000 for connections through that period of…
Hayes hoping lightning strikes twice in BRC Sprint
Ben Hayes admits he’s trepidatious about the prospect of Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto) running out a strong 1350m but says the gelding will be given his opportunity to do so on Saturday when he contests the Gr.3 BRC Sprint at Doomben. Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will & JD at Lindsay Park, won the race en route to Stradbroke Handicap glory with War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel), who also carries the Rupert Leigh silks with the lightning bolt, made famous by Chautauqua. While War Machine was already…
Jumal gets rub of green in draws for $200,000 Group 1
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Not that he necessarily needed it but Jumal has secured a big tactical advantage ahead of Friday’s $200,000 Group 1 Garrards NZ Sires’ Stakes 3YO Colts and Geldings Final (8.38pm) at Addington. The Steven Reid-trained star has drawn three for the 1980 metres and tellingly talented rival Forever Miki will start further out, at eight on the front row. The pair were one-two in last Friday’s semi final with many thinking Forever Miki would be a huge threat to Jumal if favoured by…
Blind Raise Brisbane bound
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise will soon be bound for Brisbane, following an impressive right-handed jumpout victory at Cranbourne on Monday. The two-year-old son of Ace High is the $4.50 favourite in early markets for next month’s Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) after producing strong wins over 1400m at Sandown and Flemington in his only two starts to date. The Cranbourne-trained youngster will head north for his Queensland debut in next Saturday’s Gr.2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Craig Williams partnered Blind Raise in the reverse-direction jumpout, where…