I had the pleasure of calling the historic Doncaster Mile 30 times, beginning with Bye Bye’s win in 1969. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have begun my Doncaster journey until 1974, but there was a dramatic development in the spring of 1968 when Ken Howard incorrectly plumped for Melbourne horse Joking in a desperately close Epsom Handicap finish. When the […]

Stuart Kendrick hopes rookie two-year-old colt Mister Larrabee can do the Winx colours justice when he makes his debut at Doomben on Saturday. Mister Larrabee will race in Peter Tighe’s Magic Bloodstock colours – royal blue with white epaulettes and a white M – which were sported by champion mare Winx. Sunshine Coast trainer Kendrick says the Smart Missile gelding […]

Clan Des Obeaux made it third time lucky in the Betway Bowl Chase at Aintree with a superb performance. It was also a red-letter day for Sir Alex Ferguson and his fellow owners, after the same colours were earlier carried to victory in the two previous Grade Ones by Protektorat and Monmiral. The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old was third in this […]

Amateur jockey Patrick Mullins to ride second favourite Burrows Saint for father Willie in Saturday’s Grand National after first choice Paul Townend broke his foot in a fall last week Amateur jockey Patrick Mullins will ride Burrows Saint at the Grand National  He will replace the injured Paul Townend, who suffered a fall last week   It will be Mullins’ fourth […]

Trainer John O’Shea hasn’t won a Derby – but that can change at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Lion’s Roar is set to give O’Shea his first classic success in the Group 1 $2 million ATC Bentley Australian Derby (2400m). O’Shea has had plenty of success with three-year-olds at feature race level including two Golden Roses with Exosphere (2015) and Astern […]

Angela Davies is still on a high following the win of Salina Dreaming at Warwick Farm last week and is looking for a stakes race in the coming months. The Dream Ahead mare bolted in by three lengths and confirmed she was ready to take on much better racing after Sydney’s autumn carnival is over in three weeks. “I thought […]

1.45 – SSS SUPER ALLOYS MANIFESTO NOVICES’ CHASE FUSIL RAFFLES ticks all the boxes. His second to Chantry House at Cheltenham is the strongest form, and trip and ground are perfect for the six-year-old. Market rival Hitman jumped well at Newbury but beat nothing and will have to improve. Paddy Power Plate hero The Shunter is improving fast and is […]

Newcastle racetrack is the unlikely home of the Doncaster Mile and ATC Australian Derby favourites for Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Proud Novocastrian trainers Kris Lees and Paul Perry are regular competitors at Group 1 level but this is the first time the leading provincial racing and training centre has had such a powerful presence […]

Rank outsider Freewheelin Dylan produced a remarkable front running performance to win the Boylesports Irish Grand National at odds of 150-1. The nine-year-old answered Ricky Doyle's every call to fend off a host of pursuers up the straight. Trained by Dermot McLoughlin, the gelding's first-time cheekpieces worked a treat as he bravely defeated Run Wild Fred (9-1) by a length-and-a-quarter. […]

The most famous horse race in the world is right around the corner – and for the sport's top chasers, it is all about the Grand National. Over the course of four and a half miles, it is the best-known steeplechase in the world in which 40 runners tackle Aintree's 30 spruce fences. Twelve months ago, Tiger Roll was due […]