Wednesday January 30, 2008
Tinkler tots up $7m at NZ sales
THE phenomenal spending spree of Australia's latest thoroughbred high-roller continued on day two at the Karaka Yearling Sales yesterday when Queenslander Nathan Tinkler added a further eight gallopers to the 16 he bought on Monday.
Tuesday January 29, 2008
Bank Robber makes clean getaway
THE Gai Waterhouse-trained Bank Robber roared life into yesterday's Randwick race meeting, which left patrons fuming about the lack of facilities.
Monday January 28, 2008
The greatest Australia Day performer
WITH dumb racing administration and the Tabcorp move on the Northern Territory very much major topics, it's pleasing to reflect on one of the outstanding Australia Day horses, Manikato, and who made him great. Under the guidance of Bob Hoysted, a meticulous horseman, Manikato won five William Reid Stakes, the weight-for-age race once held at Moonee Valley on Australia Day. Manikato was a heavyweight which flew like a gazelle and left his opposition stung like a wasp. Loaded with raw ability carried by dicky legs, he had a bleeding conviction, meaning one more and he was out. Manikato was kept intact by the remarkable Hoysted. Manikato's regular jockey Gary Willetts recalled how, on hot days at this time of the year, Hoysted even rigged a Coolgardie safe, with wet bags on the walls of his float, to keep the gelding cool and contented. On Friday night for the Carlyon Stakes, the wfa sprint now at the Valley, Maldivian, despite being runner-up, showed he is a class act. He's no Manikato but a different type with
Miss Finland goes for gold
TRAINER David Hayes was yesterday unfazed after his champion mare Miss Finland turned in a lacklustre final gallop before next Saturday's $500,000 Lightning Stakes at Flemington.
Bookie stunned by TAB swoop in Territory
TABCORP'S interest in buying the Northern Territory-based sports betting company Sportsbet has perplexed Mark Morrissey, chief executive and 40 per cent stakeholder of the Betchoice Corporation.
Burgeis a diamond in the rough
CONNECTIONS of high-class two-year-old Burgeis have urged punters not to desert the filly for next month's $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes after her failure on Saturday.
Sunday January 27, 2008
Fury unleashes powerful sprint to burst Burgeis bubble
BLUE Diamond betting was thrown wide open when unheralded filly Siennas Fury scored an upset victory in the $100,000 Blue Diamond Preview Stakes (1000 metres).
Love at first sight: colt's fine debut for Moraitis
BIG-TIME owner Nick Moraitis was in raptures yesterday when Dubai To Sydney, a horse he was setting eyes on for the first time, gave John Hawkes his first city winner since splitting as trainer for Bob Ingham's Crown Lodge.
Albert a special tip for wildcard
SPECIAL ALBERT continued to push for an Inter Dominion series wildcard by winning again at Harold Park on Friday night.
A treble for Nikolic to savour
FINE, hard, competitive riding, featuring Dan Nikolic and reminiscent of the good ol' days returned to Royal Randwick on Australia Day.
Cassidy wins again, time to rename it the Kiwi Day Cup
NEW ZEALAND-born jockey Larry Cassidy cheekily called for the Australia Day Cup to be renamed after winning the race for the fourth time aboard the Gwenda Markwell-trained El Meroo.
Saturday January 26, 2008
Cugat won't stall this time
PUNTERS should be on alert about barrier problems - and not just
gates that require a grease-and-oil change - with Come On Cugat,
strongly fancied in the Hahn Super Dry Handicap at Royal Randwick
today.
Trial returns a positive verdict for O'Shea
JOHN O'SHEA'S Doncaster Handicap winner Racing To Win returned to the trial track at Randwick yesterday with an easy victory.
Webster has team right in the zone
PAT WEBSTER believes Mizone is poised to add today's listed Australia Day Cup at Randwick to his Frank Underwood Cup victory, but don't count on the in-form trainer putting his money where his mouth is.
Big Mal upstages rookie's big win
YOUNG Flemington trainer Simon Zahra found himself on the big stage last night as he prepared his first winner but despite the authority in the win of his horse Let Go Thommo in the group 2 Carlyon Stakes, the runner-up Maldivian managed to steal the show.
Friday January 25, 2008
Brown steps in for Rodd
VIRUS-STRICKEN jockey Michael Rodd will be out of action for at
least a week, meaning he will forgo the ride on the Mark
Kavanagh-trained Tipungwuti in Friday night's Carlyon Stakes at
Moonee Valley.
Conners aspires to another Slipper shot
A FIFTH Golden Slipper triumph is on the mind of trainer Clarry Conners but he knows not to get too attached to the feeling.
Farm trainers want youth day cut
WARWICK FARM trainers last night were up in arms after learning their Randwick counterparts will be compensated up to $1500 a horse in training per week when they are forced out of Randwick for three months because of the World Youth Day celebrations that will take place at the course in July.
Moore's a shoe-in to link up with Tommy
'Blow that whistle all you like, but you're not in a welter at Randwick now," Tommy Smith called over the fence to George Moore as Moore waited in the queue at the Pearly Gates. "If you'd got those cotton fingers working in your wallet and put more in the plate you wouldn't have to line up."
Sellwood on par with Cotton Fingers
"1. GREAT Australian? Yes. 2. One of our greatest jockeys? Yes. 3. Our greatest jockey ever? No."
Waterhouse's guiding light
Blake Shinn and Nash Rawiller have made enormous successes of their move to Sydney, but they haven't done it all on their own, reports John Schell.
It's all right on the night for the Valley
FOR many, the running of Friday night's Carlyon Stakes could prove to be one of those racing moments to cherish when budding superstar Maldivian kicks off his much-anticipated autumn campaign. But whatever the result, the group 2 race will mark a major milestone for the once-maligned night racing concept.
Thursday January 24, 2008
Jockeys face grilling after stipes find bets
RACING NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy may start interviewing jockeys as early as today over alleged betting on horseracing.
Wednesday January 23, 2008
Miss Finland on track to make Lightning raid
TOP mare Miss Finland stepped up preparations for her return in Saturday week's group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington with a strong gallop at trackwork yesterday.
Monday January 21, 2008
Rodd defends changing saddles
MELBOURNE Cup-winning jockey Michael Rodd is adamant he has made
the right choice in passing up the ride on Maldivian in Friday
night's Norman Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley.
