Features

Bella Rosa (AUS) 2 f Snitzel – Swiss Rose by Thorn Park

Mid-September Cranbourne trial winner Bella Rosa, thrust her nose in front near the line for a game win on debut in the Bumble Stakes (registered as Ottawa Stakes) (Gr 3, 1000m)  on Tuesday. Racing in heavy rain, Bella Rosa was always among the leading group, narrowly headed at the crossing and was not asked for... Read More

Extra Brut a stylish winner of the Victoria Derby

Coming from well back early in the race, Extra Brut sprinted to the lead about 200 metres from home and was then able to hold off the strong finish of Stars Of Carrum (Fiorente) to score by a length with Chapada (Bullet Train) two lengths away in third place. Big disappointment of the race was... Read More

The race that stops the nation goes to another again

As long as the grandkids’ school still sends out circulars such as that pictured (exhibit 1). “What I did on Cup day”. No further description required. Everybody knows what Cup day is. “I watched a horse dad said he’d never seen before win the Melbourne Cup.” But as to stopping the world with the plethora... Read More

Finche has all the credentials to hand Waller his first Cup win

But could there be one final twist to the tale? The prospect of significant overnight rainfall has the potential to change the complexion of the race, particularly on a well-watered track, although so, too, does Chris Waller, as the acquisition of European import Finche (Frankel), sprinkled with a touch of the maestro’s antipodean magic, might... Read More

Derby Day: One of the greatest afternoons Australia has to offer

The volume of interest and attendees as it opens the superb four days of Cup week entitles it to top billing but as days go – and at the risk of being exiled from my home state – I’ve always been fond of Epsom and Turnbull DAY and The Everest now complementing the Caulfield Guineas... Read More

The really strong pace in W S Cox Plate was a surprising feature of the $5m race

With a final field of eight, the race was anticipated to be run at a steady to reasonable pace at best, but that proved far from the case. The overall time of 2:03.47 was only 0.53 seconds outside of Winx’s (Street Cry) track record of 2:02.94 established in her eight-length 2017 Cox Plate victory. The... Read More