Features
Spring carnival puzzle begins to take shape
Is Withhold a worthy favourite? In short, no. Roger Charlton’s five-year-old was hugely impressive when winning the Northumberland Plate (2m) in June, but he was gifted an easy lead on an artificial surface at Newcastle and he will face a very different test tackling stakes company for the first time at Flemington. Although his brace... Read More
More from Steve Moran
Winx Stakes offers vital clues for Saturday’s feature race at Randwick
However it may not be as daunting as it seems. The inclination is to imagine a plethora of left-field, long-shot outcomes but in the past three years there’s been only two winners at greater than 10/1 at either Caulfield’s Memsie Stakes meeting or Randwick’s Chelmsford Stakes fixture. The trick obviously is somehow determining which of... Read More
Theanswermyfriend runs deceptively fast mid-race sections in impressive Moonee Valley performance
A winner of one stakes race at Listed level in six wins from 22 starts, Theanswermyfriend is now in the stable of Darren Weir where the gelding has won two of his four starts for the leading trainer. Theanswermyfriend again went to the front on Saturday and after running along in the mid-stages he fought... Read More
Wagner (AUS) 3 c Bernardini – Ringstrasse by Redoute’s Choice
Wagner left his seven opponents trailing when recording his first win in four starts in the opening Everest Carnival Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury on Wednesday, beating Nicco Lad (Nicconi) by three lengths, with a head back to Vendome (O’Reilly) in third, in a time of 1:04.89. The Godolphin-raced colt was impressive in winning, resuming... Read More
Graff headed for greater glories
Unbeaten in three starts and blinkered for the first time, Graff was able to extend under pressure in the straight, just as he did in two earlier wins, to draw clear and win by two and a half lengths from Neutrality (Sebring), with Performer (Exceed And Excel) closing strongly for third, another length and a... Read More
Brutal shows he’s in shape for a Golden spring
Long John went on to win the Caulfield Guineas while Shamus Award, of course, was to beat all comers in the Cox Plate. That modest launching pad was the Listed Mitchell McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley. The 2018 edition was run last Saturday and, while it would be drawing a very long bow to suggest... Read More