Diamond shines for Badel with Premier Plate success
Tourbillon Diamond (Olympic Glory) and Alexis Badel continued a rewarding partnership at Sha Tin yesterday with the duo nailing a stubborn win for trainer Danny Shum in the Premier Plate Handicap (Gr 3, 1800m). The five-year-old denied a fast-finishing Turin Redsun (Dubawi) in a rip-roaring renewal, overcoming a hefty impost to secure his second Group... Read More
Beauty Joy stuns in Premier Cup victory
Steadily bridging the gap to Joao Moreira in the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship with a four-timer, Zac Purton was left stunned by Beauty Joy’s (Sebring) incredible Premier Cup Handicap (Gr 3, 1400m) triumph at Sha Tin yesterday after the talented gelding conceded rivals a huge start before winning emphatically. Tailed off last at the 800-metre... Read More
Bargain Wanda out to justify owners’ decision to hold on for Tiara
The owners of consistent mare Wandabaa (Wandjina) could easily have cashed in the Group 3 winner at last month’s breeding stock sales but instead the syndicate elected to race her at the Queensland carnival in the knowledge they could be leaving money on the table by doing so. The Kris Lees-trained rising six-year-old mare has... Read More
‘It’s been a mounting issue for years and now it’s reaching a critical point’
There’s been an all-too-common theme in the conversations I have been having with racing participants lately; staff – and the lack of them. Leading trainers including Danny O’Brien, who is currently on the lookout for an assistant trainer, and Richard Freedman recently took to Twitter to express their concerns and pleaded for the industry to... Read More
Waller planning another Royal Ascot raid after Nature Strip’s romp
Connections set to call time on career of Home Affairs after stud-bound sprinter pulls up lame following Platinum Jubilee defeat The dust has barely settled on this year’s Royal Ascot carnival but already Chris Waller has his eyes set on a return to Europe’s showpiece meeting in 12 months’ time. Nature Strip (Nicconi) justified his... Read More
‘You don’t want to count chickens, because we’ve been close before, but it’ll be hard for So You Think to run him down from here’
I Am Invincible’s (Invincible Spirit) ascension from a non-Group 1 winning, $11,000 hit-and-hope stallion into Australia’s undisputed champion sire could effectively be sealed today, with Yarraman Park’s titan holding a stronger hand across the country than close rival So You Think (High Chaparral). The battle at the top of the general sires table has been... Read More