Category: Australian Racing

Star jockey Blake Shinn is hopeful of returning to race riding in time for Saturday’s dual Group 1 meeting at Eagle Farm after sustaining a minor injury earlier in the week.Shinn suffered the setback during the Cranbourne jumpouts on Monday morning and subsequently missed his scheduled rides at Seymour on Tuesday and Sale on Wednesday.Despite…

Joliestar will have to overcome a wide draw if she’s to add a third Group One to her sparkling CV.Chris Waller’s four-year-old mare has drawn barrier 13 of 14 in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.In her favour however will be the man aboard, with James Mcdonald set to…

Trainer David Vandyke fears time may be against ambitions for promising filly Misting to book a start in next month’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm.Misting returned to racing for her winter campaign with an eye-catching second in a 1400 metre Class 1 Handicap at the Sunshine Coast on March 14.The daughter of Cosmic…

The Bjorn Baker stable has been on fire this year and it’s full steam ahead to Queensland for talented filly Dame Commander (3f So You Thinkx Glenbawn Dame, by Shamardal), who beat older rivals at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.Group placed in the spring, Dame Commander was not far away when finishing sixth in the Group…

South Australian Derby winner Femminile will go under the hammer at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast on May 27 but could still run in the Queensland Derby four days later.Femminile was among 77 entries on Tuesday for the Group 1 feature and Henderson said she will take her place for…

Mornington trainer Matt Laurie has forgotten how to lose on Sydney racetracks.After plundering the Sydney autumn carnival with three Group 1 wins from as many starters, Laurie struck again with Miss Icelandic in the Jeff Pendlebury Handicap (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.Miss Icelandic’s jockey Chad Schofield summed it up best when he said, “Matt…

The local stars repelled the fancied southern raiders on Saturday at Eagle Farm as the major players warmed up for the Queensland winter carnival.Spicy Martini won the $160,000 Listed Mick Dittman Plate (1000m) for Gold Coast trainers Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean, before Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke took out the $160,000 Princess Stakes (1600m)…

Matthew Smith has been pleased the preparation of emerging sprinter Headwall, who lines up as a key chance in the $5 million The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot today.Placed in both the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes this time in, Smith needed to see the once keen-going Headwall settle in well,…

Toowoomba trainer Dale Groves reckons if the Battle Of The Bush was contested on sand tracks, then his old warrior Moscini would be a raging-hot favourite.Now in its eighth year, Queensland’s showpiece country racing series kicks off in Goondiwindi on Saturday, with another 15 qualifiers to be staged in May and June across the state.The…

Otago will make his return to racing at Bendigo this Saturday, but do not go looking for the one-time Australian Guineas favourite among the entries for the day’s features.Co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have selected the $80,000 benchmark 70 as the likely kick-off point for the four-year-old, who will be having his first…