Wootton Bassett has the golden touch at Arqana’s October Yearling Sale
Coolmore’s shuttler Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) dominated proceedings on the opening day of the Arqana October Yearling Sale as he accounted for three lots who fetched in excess of €200,000 (approx. AU$312,200) from the first 50 through the ring. But that was just a taster of what was to come. Anthony Stroud secured all three, with... Read More
Hong Kong’s young guns misfired but Panfield boosted his prospects
It was a case of more questions than answers after the Group 2 action at Sha Tin on Sunday. Lucky Patch’s (El Roca) win in the Premier Bowl Handicap (Gr 2, 1200m) seemed to scotch the notion that the sprint division’s elite echelon is on the cusp of reinvigoration, while the stamina-laden stallion prospect Panfield... Read More
Prebble’s amazing spring success doesn’t yet rival Johnson’s 1966 feast
The Memsie, Makybe Diva, Turnbull and Might And Power Stakes, plus the Caulfield Cup, has seen Brett Prebble accumulate a remarkable spring Group 1 tally, but it doesn’t yet rival the deeds of Jim Johnson in 1966. Johnson, who died in February this year at 92, also won the first four of Prebble’s quintet plus... Read More
Carricks’ Crystalised Group 1 vision reaping rewards after more than a decade in the making
Noorilim Park to take chances in Manikato Stakes with three-year-old filly Crystal Bound, a product of their $1.3 million mare Eleven years ago Noorilim Park’s Peter Carrick had a rush of blood at the Inglis Easter sale in Sydney. The Victorian businessman kept sticking up his hand as a Rich Hill Stud-offered filly by Zabeel... Read More
Dalasan holds pride of place in Cox Plate field for studmaster Hayes
Multiple Group 1-placed entire an outside chance for Saturday’s stallion-making Moonee Valley feature Sam Hayes will feel a sense of pride when Dalasan (Dalakhani), a five-year-old entire bred, owned and trained in South Australia, lines up in Saturday’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m). The Cornerstone Stud principal may not have any direct attachment to the... Read More
Spring racing at its best
A spectacular runaway Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and a heart-stopping Everest (1200m), captured the racing headlines this past Saturday. In the case of the Caulfield Cup, seeing is believing. Yet, even seeing how Incentivise (Shamus Award) sat wide from the outside barrier (18) around a tricky Caulfield track, went even wider rounding into the... Read More