| Friday, July 4, 2008 |
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| Size wins Hong Kong trainers' title...Prebble 2nd to Whyte |
| Posted @ 10:00:00 EST |
| Not a bad year for the Aussies in Hong Kong even if Sth African Douglas Whyte was #1 jockey with a staggering 111 winners. John Size took out the trainers' premiership with 68 winners earning $A6.46m. Brett Prebble was 2nd on the jockeys' ladder with 83 winners. Darren Beadman rode 48 winners, Glen Boss booted home 34 and Zac Purton 29. Trainer David Hall had 40 winners for the season. |
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| RSPCA calls for immediate suspension of jumps races |
| Posted @ 07:40:00 EST |
| Hysteria reigns...The RSPCA is calling for an immediate suspension of jumps racing in Victoria. Sat's Grand National Steeplechase at Flemington now comes under scrutiny as never before in the long history of the race. Critics of jumps races have seized on the GN Hurdle fiasco last week as an 'ideal' scenario to push their case. |
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| Thursday, July 3, 2008 |
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| Dwayne Dunn signs up for 3 years with Lee Freedman stable |
| Posted @ 11:17:00 EST |
| But will it last? Dwayne Dunn is to be Lee Freedman's new stable jockey. He's signed a three year contract from Aug 1. He replaces Corey Brown who quit the Freedman operation in March. Racenet.com.au says the agreement is believed to be a lucrative seven figure retainer with incentives and options. |
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| Robbie plays down GN Hurdle fiasco |
| Posted @ 08:13:00 EST |
| Sensible talk...Respected trainer Robbie Laing says he's hopeful that the Grand National Hurdle fiasco will not spell the end of jumps racing in Victoria. RL says: 'Saturday's race couldn't be attributed to any of the things that have been talked about in the last few weeks...None of the horses hit the jumps and did somersaults, most slipped over in the greasy conditions, and I didn't think they went that hard.' |
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| Wednesday, July 2, 2008 |
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| Grand National Steeple: Lautrec holds top betting spot |
| Posted @ 14:31:00 EST |
Boom jumper Toulouse Lautrec has been installed the $2.15 fav for Sat's Grand National Steeplechase (4350m) at Flemington. Eskander's Betstar has Crisp Steeple winner Geeorb on the second line at $3.20. The only other runner under double figure odds is the Houlahan/Johnston trained Jamraan at $7.50.
Grand National Steeple
(www.betstar.com.au)
$2.15 TOULOUSE LAUTREC
$3.20 Geeorb
$7.50 Jamraan
$11 Shrogginet, Isti Bee
$17 Ginolad
$26 Conzeal
$41 Schumpeter, Father Patrick
$101 Tadakatsu, Manazab |
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| Brad steps up his assault on Robbo's 224 wins season record |
| Posted @ 07:47:00 EST |
Can Brad Rawiller set a winner-riding record in the last month of the season? He's going flat out and currently is on 202.5 wins, chasing Allan Robinson's record 224 wins. He missed four mounts at Moe when Tuesday's rain-hit meeting was postponed. BR has rides in five of the seven flat races at Sandown on Wednesday.
He's had enough...Morphettville trainer Mark Minervini is not renewing his trainers' licence and says he wants to take a break from racing. MM, currently back in 9th spot on the South Australian trainers' premiership, has been training for 15 years. He's come to the conclusion that for health reasons he needs a break. He says: 'There's more to life than horses and training horses...Maybe I'm having a midlife crisis but I'm very comfortable with the decision.' |
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| Tuesday, July 1, 2008 |
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| Doomben calls on members to merge with Eagle Farm |
| Posted @ 11:50:00 EST |
| Dragged kicking and screaming? The Board of the Brisbane Turf Club (BTC) is calling on its members to support a merger with the Queensland Turf Club (QTC). It says it wants to 'protect' Queensland's racing future. BTC Chairman Wayne Milner says the Board is recommending a vote in favor of a merger 'as soon as possible' as the first step in a 'bold new plan' to get Queensland on the Australian racing map. He says: 'Let there be no mistake, we would not be calling for another vote on a merger unless City Pacific Doomben's very survival wasn't in jeopardy.' |
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| Too wet...Stewards abandon Moe on Tuesday |
| Posted @ 10:30:00 EST |
| Tuesday's Moe meeting has been abandoned due to heavy rain causing the track to be unfit for racing. The track rating was Heavy-10 at 8am but a stewards' inspection ruled the track unsafe and the program was cancelled. |
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| Monday, June 30, 2008 |
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| Back from injury...Kibbutz set for Derby-Melbourne Cup double |
| Posted @ 15:18:00 EST |
| Kibbutz will attempt to become just the third horse in racing history to win Victoria Derby 2500m and the Melbourne Cup the following year. If he pulls it off he'll join the record books with Phar Lap and last year's winner Efficient. NZTM reports that Kibbutz embarked on his Melbourne spring carnival assault last week following an enforced spell due to injury and returned to the stable of David Hayes. |
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| Septimus leaps to top of Melbourne Cup betting |
| Posted @ 09:54:00 EST |
Irish stayer Septimus has leapt to equal favoritism for the Melbourne Cup following his victory in the Grp 3 2800m Curragh Cup at the weekend.
Septimus fever: The UK Racing Post says: 'Absent since beating Geordieland by five lengths in the Doncaster Cup in September, he was held up until beginning his effort over 2f (400m) out and after going to the front over 1f (200m) out, he ran on well without being subjected to a hard race. He was fit enough to see off the opposition and can be expected to come on a lot for the run. A multiple Pattern-race winner, he has yet to win a Group 1 but it will be a surprise if he does not put that situation right at some stage this season. The Irish St Leger in September was mentioned as a likely target with a wide range of options available to him before then.'
Latest Betstar market on the Melbourne Cup:
Efficient 15.00
Septimus (IRE) 15.00
Kibbutz 17.00
Tuesday Joy 17.00
Alexander Of Hales (GB) 21.00
C'est La Guerre 21.00
Gorky Park 21.00
Littorio 21.00
Maldivian 21.00
Weekend Hussler 21.00 |
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