Having her first attempt over 1400 metres, Jim Taylor’s power mare Magnifisio has been ridden perfectly by jockey Jason Brown, winning the group two Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes. With the distance unknown beyond 1200 metres, Jason Brown slotted the horse ideally in a one-out-one-back position, taking the pressure off her to win powerfully. “It was an…
In thirty-two years of race broadcasting, John Hunt witnessed some of the greatest stories of the track, particularly from the world of harness racing. The champions, the glory, the tragedy, the drama, the passion and the humour. In the upcoming biography, The View From The Clouds (Vivid Publishing, $34.95), John Hunt peels back the layers…
August 2, 2014 Ihtsahymn has won WA Race Horse of the Year at the Western Australian Racing Owners Association (WAROA) awards ceremony, held at a gala function at the Hyatt Hotel on Saturday. Victories in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m), the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) and the Group 2 Cox Stakes (2100m) were…
Well the sun may have been out, but Strickland Stakes Day at Belmont Park this year was anything but inviting as punters were forced to rug up for another cold winter racing assignment. The majority of winners came from a handy position or better which threw our initial punting calculations into disarray, while the “bag-men”…
Effective the 1 July 2014 the Australian Racing Board (ARB) has amended the Australian Rule of Racing AR.64J to make it compulsory for Managing Owners or their representatives (Trainers) to notify RISA on the retirement or death of their horse. The single Retirement of Racehorses or Death Notification Form can be found by clicking here.…
Guineas Day at Belmont Park this year will be remembered for a variety of reasons – most of which centring around the dreadful weather conditions both rider and steed were forced to negotiate. But as the heavens opened, we were in a series of terrific races as the “mud-larks” finally got their chance to shine…
It is not often that you tip half the card and still have an ordinary day at the office, but that’s what transpired at Belmont Park this weekend as five of the eight public elects saluted with relative ease – sending shock waves through the Bookies ring. The “bag-men” were lynched from the outskirts, as…
It was a day of two halves this weekend at Belmont Park, as punters were forced to reassess racing conditions mid-program – and they managed to do this very successfully. By the time race four was concluded we were all convinced mid-field or worse was the place to be in running, but when It’s…
Effective the 1 July 2014 the Australian Racing Board (ARB) has amended the Australian Rule of Racing AR.64J to make it compulsory for Managing Owners or their representatives (Trainers) to notify RISA on the retirement or death of their horse. Please click here to see the attached documentation in regards to the requirements of owners &…
Champion sprinter Barakey will launch his comeback to racing in the Listed Goodwood Sprint (1300m) at Belmont Park in August. The Group 1 hero hasn’t been seen since he faded to finish ninth behind Buffering in last year’s Winterbottom Stakes (1200m). A planned trip to Melbourne in the spring and a transfer to Sydney trainer…
Earning $214, 215 in prize money from only 41 starts, Volition (Tweak) proved to be a very handy racehorse for trainer Paul Jordan and the Lima Syndicate. Fiona McKenzie, who was part of the Lima Syndicate and worked for Paul Jordan at the time, recognised the horse may have potential post racing. Considered to be…
The Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) Off The Track program aims to increase the demand for retired racehorses as pleasure and performance horses through promotion of the attributes of both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. Our mission is to facilitate the placement of retired racehorses in second careers by promoting the many re-trainers across the state…
One of the favourite programs of the Belmont Park season would have to be Italian Day, featuring the $125,000 Group 3 Roma Cup 1200m – a classic weight for age six furlong contest that attracts the state’s best sprinters. Past winners include mighty horses like Doctor Golly, Grand Nirvana, and Luckygray and today would see…
Twin City Solider has marched into Manilya Sprint (1200m) calculations after posting a comprehensive victory at Carnarvon’s season-opening meeting on Saturday. The Allan Hughes-trained gelding staked his claim for the $25,000 feature after demolishing his Gascoyne Hotel Handicap (1200m) rivals by eight lengths. The Medal Of Honour five-year-old was brilliantly handled by up and coming…
Alan Mathews was left speechless after Cool Trade extended her unbeaten campaign at Belmont on Saturday. “What can you say about her, she is just exciting,” said Matthews. “She is a very nice filly but at some stage I will have to sit down and map out where we want to go with her. “She…
If you were lucky enough to finish “up for the day” following the second look at the Belmont Park for the season, you have done extremely well. With only the two favourites lining the punters pockets, the return was only ever going to be on loan, as a string of upset results plagued what was…
It’s been a sharp rise for Meryl Hayley’s I’m A Flash Unit, who enters this Saturday’s 1000m Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap at Belmont with confidence and momentum, after a near on flawless four start career. Drawn ideally from barrier three, this will be the toughest test for the humbly bred gelding from Danbird, who has…
There is never a certainty in racing but trainer Robert Meddings though he had one that was close to it at Geraldton last month. Meddings was ultra-confident Market Share would launch his Western Australian career on a successful note after a top warm up trial. But his hopes were cruelly dashed when the former New…
The battle between rival trainers Steve Wolfe and Paul Hunter lived up to the hype when they shared the spoils in the Leading Great Southern Trainer Premiership. Like two prize fighters going-head-to head in a 15-round heavyweight title fight the judges were unable to split the pair and declared the contest a draw. Wolfe strutted…
Pat Bermingham Jnr is reaping a financial windfall as well as personal satisfaction from the resurgent form of Kalgoorlie galloper Casino Gleam. The son of Casino Prince is repaying Birmingham’s faith after he shelled out $8,500 for the gelding in a dual buy with Miss Corningstone two years ago. Casino Gleam failed to salute at…
The return to Belmont Park card lived up to its notorious reputation dishing out a $37K+ quaddie for those lucky enough to share in the spoils, but punters were saved earlier in proceedings with a string of fancied runners saluting in style. Handy or better was the place to be, with all victorious conveyances coming…
The ANZAC weekend Ascot program provided a fitting farewell to the summer headquarters season, and as the rain fell from the skies we knew that Belmont Park was fast approaching. The card was also kind to the battle weary punters who had copped a battering over the last six months, as the money proved to…
Peck is showing positive signs and on raw ability should be winning the Diggers’ Cup (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday, according to trainer, Adam Durrant. Peck is on the quick back-up after handing Durrant his fifth Albany Cup success when he stormed home in an exciting finish to the $90,000 feature on Sunday. Bought for…
Easy to say that this Easter Saturday program at Ascot had a little bit of everything. A handful of favourites saluting, together with the all too common upsets, provided an interesting array of results that would arguably be defined as a “Nil-All” draw for punters and Bookies alike. Steven Parnham did best of the hoops…
Blackie’s Weekend Wrap – Ascot 12th April 2014. I realise that we are starting to sound like a broken record here, but avid punters alike would have to agree that Derby Day at Ascot this year was a clear victory for the Bookies – with multiple upset results littering the program. With only two favourites…
Tickets on sale now to the 2014 WAROA RACING AWARDS Saturday August 2nd 6.30pm – 1.00am Hyatt Regency Hotel Grand Ballroom Dress: Lounge Suit / Cocktail Entertainment Music: Daren Reid & Soul City Groove Star studded Stallion Services Auction Door Prize Thoroughbred Breeders WA • Champion WA Broodmare • Champion WA Sire • WA Thoroughbred…
Racing & Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) has consulted extensively over the last several months with the Kalgoorlie‐Boulder Racing Club (KBRC) on the date of the historic Kalgoorlie Cup meeting going forward. The KBRC has resolved that the preferred date to conduct the Kalgoorlie Cup meeting from 2015 onwards is the Sunday of the Queen’s Birthday…
Onadowntowntrain gave Brent Albuino a kick-start in the training ranks with a front-running victory at Ascot on Saturday. Albuino began training for Gold Front Thoroughbreds owners Alan and Sue Olive at their Gingin establishment earlier this year. His only other Saturday winner in town had been Lost Heritage for Yarradale Stud’s Ron Sayers. Onadowntowntrain (3g…
Tiarnna Robertson is hoping a step-up in journey will help offset Vitalism’s wide draw in the Group 3 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday. Robertson was dealt a blow when Vitalism drew barrier 12 in the $200,000 feature, but took some solace with her major rival faring little better. Hobart Jones, out to…
Leading into the 2014 running of the WATC Derby it’s appropriate to reflect on the recent history of the event and what could be a worrying sign for Saturday’s winner given current trends. Of the last six WATC Derby winners, only one (to this point) has gone on to win another race, which is fascinating…
