Features
Conference and Blood demonstrate need for even greater focus on participant welfare
It can be all too easy to be dismissive of the mental and physical wellbeing concerns of racing’s participants – especially jockeys, trainers and stable staff – even though they have been aired more and more often in recent years. The usual platitudinous rejoinders often centre on the simplistic notion that the participants can choose... Read More
More from On The Watch
Shark shows his brilliance on the clock in stunning Chipping Norton victory
After drawing badly in stall 12 and conceding the leaders some eight lengths nearing the home turn, talented New Zealander Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) needed to produce an effort out of the box to win Saturday’s Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick. And he did. The five-year-old took a moment to... Read More
Mamaragan (AUS)
2 c Wandjina – Forbidden by General Nediym O: Aston Bloodstock (W J Mula), Mrs R J Mula, B G Mahony, Mrs A M Mahony, Miss C J Stone, Mrs J M Stone, D Burges, E Law, J L Martin, Mrs K Walsh, K J Pryke, L F Durney, M J Grace, G M Fraser,... Read More
Confessions: I love Randwick, Flemington, geldings…and I’m warming to Sydney
Not a bad joint this Sydney, I thought to myself last weekend after taking in Saturday’s racing in the harbour city. And rarely have I enjoyed the races as much as the fare presented that day from Flemington and Randwick. The nation’s two premier tracks raced superbly – lead or swoop it mattered not –... Read More
Group 1 winner Exosphere (Lonhro) sired his first winner
New winners Exosphere – Group 1 winner Exosphere (Lonhro) sired his first winner on Friday when the Godolphin homebred Thermosphere (2 f ex Glows by Canny Lad) posted a breakthrough win after two promising efforts. Trained by James Cummings, Thermosphere took out a two-year-old maiden at Newcastle over 1300 metres by a short-head from the... Read More
South African visitors set to enjoy another fruitful trip to the world’s sporting capital
There is something special about the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne which, of course, kicks off tomorrow morning. That may be slightly biased coming from a Melbournian who ironically has penned this from the North Sydney Hotel having just flown from Johannesburg en route to the mother city and notwithstanding that the best horse I’ve... Read More