Author: Editor BOAY

Reliable Man filly Annavisto (NZ) was an impressive winner at Mornington on Thursday for Caulfield trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. The three-year-old was well supported into $2.50 on debut and came from midfield to score a dominant three-length win under Damien Oliver in the Jane Neve Maiden Plate (1200m) Sporting the colours of Bill Frost’s Pendant Equine, Annavisto was purchased out of Tony Pike’s stable in New Zealand after winning a trial at Te Teko over 800m and she will now be set on a Classic path. “That…

The countdown to an historic Spring Racing Carnival has continued today with the closure of nominations for Australia’s premier staying races, the $5.15 million Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m). Total entries for both races are up on 2019 with the 143rd Caulfield Cup, to be run at Caulfield on 17 October, attracting 177 nominations (up from 143); while the 160th Melbourne Cup, to be conducted at Flemington on 3 November, has received 174 entries (up from 152). New Zealand trained gallopers entered…

The Chris Waller-trained Mo’unga turned heads with a stunning performance at Newcastle on Saturday which has resulted in the son of Savabeel being installed an early $8.50 favourite for the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 10. Unbeaten in two starts, Mo’unga came from the rear of the field in a Benchmark 64 1400m contest to comfortably account for fellow Spring Champion candidate Lion’s Roar, a son of Contributer, who is well regarded by John O’Shea. Ridden by Lee Magorrian, Mo’unga sports the colours of Aquis, who…

Trainer Jamie Richards was more than happy with the performance of stable stars Probabeel and Melody Belle after analysing their respective runs at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Last season’s Gr.1 Surround Stakes (1400m) winner Probabeel flashed home late in cramped quarters to finish second in the Gr.3 Show County Quality (1200m) while ten-time Group One winner Melody Belle finished 11th in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) but endured a checkered-passage. Richards had been expecting a positive performance from Probabeel despite her not showing much in two trials leading into the…

Former Kiwi-galloper Bee Tee Junior (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu) took full advantage of a six-kilogram weight advantage over race favourite Ablaze (NZ) (Raise The Flag) as he galloped clear in the concluding stages to capture the A$350,000 Australian Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat on Sunday. The Nom Du Jeu nine-year-old, who was having his first start over the bigger fences for trainer Rachael Cunningham, had been expected to figure prominently in the event and was sent out second favourite behind topweight Ablaze on the testing Heavy 10 surface. Rider…

Bay Of Plenty owner John Heale couldn’t have wished for a better tribute to one of his best friends when Bee Tee Junior (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) won the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) at Ballarat on Sunday. The Tauranga pharmacist watched the televised coverage from his home as Bee Tee Junior made a successful steeplechase debut to become the first horse to defeat fellow former New Zealand-trained galloper, Ablaze (NZ) (Raise The Flag), over fences. He scored by nine lengths with yet another New Zealand-bred, Michelin, 15 lengths back in…

Star Kiwi mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) is returning home after finishing an inconclusive 11th in Saturday’s Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) after enduring a troubled passage. While the second-up run failed to provide a true guide as to how the Jamie Richards-trained mare has returned, the 34-strong syndicate that race the dual New Zealand Horse of the Year are keen to enjoy their pride and joy in the flesh as opposed to watching her on TV from afar. “She’s booked to come home on Sunday,” Fortuna Syndications Director John Galvin…

Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman are bucking the trend and sending Australian-bound gallopers The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) and Quick Thinker (So You Think) directly to Melbourne next week. The pair will be set on a Cups path and are set to be met by travelling foreperson Aleisha Legg, who is currently in quarantine in Sydney after being granted a travel exemption by the Australian government. “Aleisha is in quarantine in Sydney at present and she gets out basically the day the horses arrive in Melbourne, which is Wednesday week,”…

One of the numerous eye-catching runs in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) on Saturday was the Team Hawkes-trained Zebrowski (NZ) (Savabeel). The son of Savabeel closed well to finish 4.7 lengths from impressive winner Verry Elleegant and will be set on a path towards the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). The Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up was bred by Windsor Park Stud, who retain an interest in the four-year-old gelding, who is a sibling to Hawkes-trained Group winners Leebaz, Polish Knight and Euro Angel. “He ran super, we’ve just got to…

Karaka graduate and elite Macau galloper Sacred Capital (NZ) (O’Reilly) has gone back-to-back in the M$800,000 Macau Gold Cup (1800m), repeating his emphatic victory in the same race 12 months ago. It was Sacred Capital’s fifth win at black-type level, and his career earnings have now swelled beyond M$5 million – the equivalent of NZ$955,000. He was a $580,000 purchase from the draft of breeder Waikato Stud at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. Sacred Capital had to overcome a wide draw on Sunday, but jockey Peter…