There's a common theme shared when some of Australia's best trainers explain what makes a good two-year-old. "The most important thing is they have to have speed, but it's better if they have speed and they're relaxed," six-time Blue Diamond-winning trainer David Hayes says. David Hayes and jockey Dwayne Dunn celebrate Reaan’s Blue Diamond win of 2008.Credit:Vince Caligiuri "There's a […]

The SDRA Country Championships Qualifier looks a wide open race with numerous winning chances and the good track should give all runners their chance. We’ve analysed the form for the important race and given an assessment of each horses chances and if we believe they can win or simply fill a placing. 1 – THE DOCTOR’S SON Resumes from a […]

The 2021 Queensland winter racing carnival will offer bold new levels of bang for its buck, in a bonanza for the state’s racing industry after much of last year’s carnival was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Courier-Mail can reveal this year’s winter carnival has received a prizemoney boost to $20.5 million – a $2 million increase from […]

The Big Breakaway will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival, with connections deciding to swerve the Bateaux London Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot. Colin Tizzard’s youngster had first been pencilled in for the Towton at Wetherby two weeks ago – but when that meeting was lost to the weather he was rerouted to Ascot’s Grade Two on Saturday. However, with […]

Cyrname heads a field of five as he bids to regain his Betfair Ascot Chase crown on Saturday. Paul Nicholls’ chaser won the race in devastating style in 2019, but was beaten when falling 12 months ago. His season started in perfect fashion this time around with an easy victory in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, but he disappointed […]

Training genius Murray Baker conceded he is surprised boom three-year-old Aegon has come up as favourite for his attempt to overcome a hoodoo on Kiwi three-year-olds in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens. Aegon, unbeaten in four New Zealand starts including the 2000 Guineas and Karaka Millions, is the $3.90 favourite against one of the strongest […]

Jockeys based in Britain and Ireland will be housed in separate weighing rooms at Cheltenham next month, according to plans under discussion. Riders from the two countries have shared the same changing room at racing’s major meetings since the sport returned from the coronavirus-enforced blackout at the start of June. But, as part of a belt-and-braces COVID-19 protocol at the […]

The Group 1 Australian Cup is trainer Grahame Begg’s goal with Nonconformist but claiming the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) on the way wouldn’t go astray. Begg believes the position of the $5 million All-Star Mile a week after the Australian Cup could detract from the quality of the Flemington event, which made it the perfect assignment for Nonconformist. […]

Sea The Shells could go on to much better things after making an impressive belated winning debut at Wolverhampton on Wednesday. Several minor setbacks kept the Mark Johnston-trained colt off the track as a two-year-old and having been meant to run last week, he got his career off to the best possible start in the Get Your Ladbrokes Daily Odds […]

Willie Mullins has scrapped plans to run Benie Des Dieux at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. The trainer says the ten-year-old has not been showing the right signs ahead of the Mares' Murdle. Bookmakers had her priced up at around 5-2 for the contest on the opening day, which she runs in regularly – and won it three years ago. The […]