Good week for Darley’s Dubawi
New winners Calyx – Warda Jamila (2 f ex Promise Me by Montjeu) became the 19th individual winner for Coolmore’s former shuttle stallion Calyx (Kingman) when landing a mile novice event at Leicester on Tuesday. Calyx, who shuttled to Jerrys Plains Farm in 2020 and 2021, stood the 2023 northern hemisphere breeding season at Coolmore’s... Read More
Making the case
Although ambitious, the plan for Ladies Man (Zed) – convincing winner of the Livamol Classic (Gr 1, 2040m) at Hastings on Saturday – to head to the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m), has plenty of merit. The bookmakers might not agree but the six-year-old’s path has been plotted expertly by Allan Sharrock, a master at... Read More
Colt king pounces on Debutant chance Aardvark
Super quick Capitalist colt set for his first start in Harron’s silks at Caulfield Under different circumstances Aardvark (Capitalist) would have been heading to the Gold Coast this week as a possible sales-topping two-year-old, but instead he’ll race in tomorrow’s Magic Millions-sponsored Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Caulfield. The juvenile was a member of trainer... Read More
Bowman’s Sha Tin Trophy masterclass on California Spangle caps four-timer
Hugh Bowman crowned an outstanding display – and sealed a quartet – at Sha Tin yesterday with a masterful ride on California Spangle (Starspangeldbanner) in the Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (Gr 2, 1600m) to lay the foundations for the Tony Cruz-trained gelding’s defence of the Hong Kong Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) on December 10. Bowman’s... Read More
Flying Spur’s special Saturday
On one of Australian racing’s biggest days, the influence of the great Flying Spur shone through, not only through the winner of The Everest, but in the pedigrees of three Group 1 winners. The 1995 Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) proved a frustrating end to a frustrating three-year-old spring for Flying Spur (Danehill). In his... Read More
‘She was the closest mare that I’ve had an affinity with in my lifetime’
Tributes flow for Winx’s dam Vegas Showgirl after her sudden death, aged 21 John Camilleri, Peter O’Brien and the wider Segenhoe Stud team are mourning the death of champion broodmare Vegas Showgirl (Al Akbar), who died suddenly yesterday, but her ongoing influence on the Australian Stud Book is likely to be felt for decades to... Read More