#Ben Melham

The HK$18.5 million Longines Hong Kong Sprint has fast become a global sprint championship race, with horses lining up regularly from many of racing's leading jurisdictions to determine which horse is quickest. Originally run over the straight 1000m course as a Listed race, Hong Kong legend Fairy King Prawn won the first edition in 1999. The…

The Magic Millions Carnival just keeps getting better and this is an outstanding card as a prelude to next week. Gold Coast is a tight, tricky track and there is some rain around which should make for a soft surface and have them heading to the centre of the track in the straight. With the rail true those that can take a position in the first half…

Jamie Kah is without a ride in Perth's Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes after Blue Army galloper Vilana was scratched with a lameness issue on race morning. Vilana, the last start winner of the $1m The Hunter at Newcastle, had been the $5 favourite for the Winterbottom and one of two Godolphin runners. But Vilana was scratched on race morning after…

The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained Grand Impact has taken out the Blue Sapphire Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield. There was drama aplenty in the barriers before they jumped with the race favourite - Economics - flipping in the barriers and ultimately being scratched. Grand Impact ended up jumping as the $3.10 favourite with online…

One lucky Melbourne Cup punter pulled off the unthinkable on Tuesday, correctly guessing the order of the first four finishers to turn a measly $10 bet into $240000. Cup winner Almandin and Heartbreak City were neck and neck down the hope straight but to the punter's delight the Kerrin McEvoy gelding edged home - and Hartnell and Qewy followed in…

David Eustace (left) and Ciaron Maher (right) have Mexican Fiddler primed to break her maiden at Mornington on Thursday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images News Corp form analyst Brad Waters looks at Thursday's Mornington meeting. BEST BET MEXICAN FIDDLER (Race 1 No.3 - $2.80) Mexican Fiddler raced handy and tried hard on debut but will be…

The Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup Runner By Runner Guide Tuesday 5:00pm | Flemington Race 7 Not sure who to back with your annual punt on the Melbourne Cup? Maybe you've got no idea what you've just drawn in the office sweepstake? The TAB's runner-by-runner guide has all you need to know about the strengths and the weaknesses of all the horses in the…

Harry Coffey piloting Detonator Jack in his debut win at Bendigo last March. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Detonator Jack has been backed to the exclusion of all others in Saturday's 1600m Benchmark 100 at Sandown. Sustained support for the untapped galloper has TAB holding six times more on Detonator Jack compared to $3.10 second…

Carnival time out West comes to a close with day five of The Pinnacles upon us, with the inaugural (kind of) running of The Gold Rush. The 1.5 million dollar Group 3 weight for age feature has grabbed all the headlines, but the stayers have put together a handy bunch for the running of the G.A. Towton Cup. It's a bumper 10 race programme, and…

The Flemington finale takes place at 4am UK time, so it will be an early start for punters looking to kick start their Tuesday with a winner. But it's a British raider who could reward bettors with James Ferguson's Deauville Legend heading the betting. Who does Sun Racing tipster Templegate fancy for the big one though? Read on for his tip below…

Rothfire is the narrow Winterbottom favourite Queenslander Rothfire is the narrow favourite for Saturday's Group One Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot prior to Tuesday afternoon's barrier draw. A full field of 16 runners and one emergency have accepted for the $1.5 million sprint over 1200m. The field includes five interstate contenders, with the…

Versatile galloper Private Eye can round out a remarkable preparation with a second career Group 1 with the Joseph Pride-trained talent opening favourite for Saturday's Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington. Private Eye has announced himself as one of the most exciting horses in the country this preparation and can highlight his rise in the $3m…

From a $21 winner to now being favourite for the Caulfield Cup, that's the rise of Turnbull Stakes winner Smokin' Romans but can he repeat the effort in a fortnight? FIVE TO FOLLOW SMOKIN' ROMANS (Race 7) How could you not? History says Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winners usually go on with it in the spring and Smokin' Romans, apart from being in the…

News Corp form analyst Glenn McFarlane looks at the chances of every runner in Saturday's $3m Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington. 1. KOLDING (1) - $71 Trainer: Chris Waller Jockey: Damien Oliver GLENN SAYS: Group 1 winner who hasn't saluted since April last year. His two runs this campaign have hardly inspired confidence, especially a…

Cox Plate winner Anamoe dominates the Ladbrokes.com.au market for the final Group l of the Spring, the Champions Stakes (2000m) this Saturday at Flemington. The four year old is 4/4 this time in, all at Group l level, and looks primed to end the prep on a high this weekend. He opened $2.15 and is rock solid at $2.20. A couple of other runners from…

The results for the 2022 Melbourne Cup are in with the punters' favourite - Gold Trip - storming to victory. 1. Gold Trip (FR) 2. Emissary (GB) 3. High Emocean (NZ) 4. Deauville Legend 5. Realm of Flowers 6. Daqiansweet Junior 7. Smokin' Romans 8. Stockman 9. Knights Order 10. Vow and Declare 11. Arapaho 12. Hoo Ya Mal 13. Without A Fight 14. Grand…

Former Hawke's Bay jockey Michael Dee and Durston, winners of the Caulfield Cup on October 15. Now he goes for the double, booked for Lunar Flare in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty Images Hawke's Bay could hold two of New Zealand's more significant hopes in the 2022 Melbourne Cup, the three minutes and 20 seconds gallop that stops two…

Caulfield Cup favourite Smokin' Romans has drawn barrier five. Picture: George Sal-Racing Photos via Getty Images Jamie Kah's Caulfield Cup mount Smokin' Romans has drawn perfectly for Saturday's $5m Group 1 to comfortably hold favouritism. Smokin' Romans leapt to the top of Caulfield Cup betting after his last-start win in the Group 1 Turnbull…

Victoria's leading trainer Ciaron Maher has won 29 group one races at the elite level including a Cox Plate, Manikato Stakes, Caulfield Cup and VRC Oaks but he thinks imported galloper Light Infantry might be the best of the lot. Light Infantry runs in Saturday's $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill, under a unique training arrangement and his hit…

The most improved horse among Australian staying ranks has finally received a ringing Caulfield Cup endorsement from his stable as Smokin' Romans bids for one of the spring's signature races. Master trainer Ciaron Maher concedes Smokin' Romans has confounded him twice in the past month, creating a spring detour that has catapulted the horse into…

Crack colt Best Of Bordeaux is Coolmore Stud Stakes-bound after bouncing back to winning form in the slush at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Best Of Bordeaux, trained by Kacy Fogden, overcame a recent setback in training and led most of the way to win the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes. Coolmore Australia supremo Tom Magnier confirmed Best Of Bordeaux…

The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes takes place at Flemington on Saturday. Raced over 2000 metres at set weights and penalties for the stayers and worth $1 million overall, $600000 of which goes to winning connections. Incentivise won the race last year before going on to claim the Caulfield Cup. See our guide below: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace / Jamie…

Herald Sun form analyst Brad Waters runs the rule over Wednesday's Geelong meeting. BEST BET ASPEN COLORADO (Race 5 No.1 - $2.80) The talented galloper is starting to work through the grades and was an impressive winner last start. No reason he can't post another win at Geelong. NEXT BEST LASCARS (Race 2 No.11 - $3.60) Lascars is up against some…

Better for the first up run, Swats That is favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) this Saturday at Flemington. The Maher/Eustace trained mare resumed in the Bobbie Lewis three weeks ago when a closing third to Baller ( $8 - $8.50) and has a good record down the straight. She heads the market at $5.50. Roch N Horse and…

Progressive galloper Visinari is a short priced favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) this Saturday at Flemington. The Price/Kent trained import resumes after a fruitful Winter prep and resumes, potentially with eyes towards the Champions Mile on Cup Week. He gets J Kah fresh and finds a winnable kick off point,…

The Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights season gets underway at The Valley this week and the action is headlined by the 2022 Moir Stakes. The Moir Stakes has drawn an excellent field of sprinters and the market suggests that we are set for a very competitive race. We have analysed every single race on the card and our complete 2022 Moir Stakes Night tips…

Kiwi raider Dragon Leap heads the Ladbrokes.com.au market for the Sandown Stakes (1500m) this Sunday at Sandown. The four year old was down to run last Saturday in the Sir Rupert Clarke but was first emergency and didn't get a run. Instead, he comes here and is favourite at $3.80, in from $4.20. $4.20. The in form Miltary Expert, 2/2 this time in,…

Mankayan just holds the call with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Newcastle Cup (2300m) this afternoon in what looks a quality race en route to The Metropolitan. The Maher/Eustace trained import was very good when winning at The Valley and looks well suited up to 2300m. He is just favourite, sitting at $3.20, 10 cents clear of last start Rosehill winner…

Arapaho has been the early firmer with Ladbrokes.com.au for the feature race at Newcastle on Friday, the Newcastle Cup (2300m). The Bjorn Baker trained galloper has been up a while but is holding his form very nicely and should be suited up in trip. He has the one that has been backed early, into $6 from $8.50. Favourite for the race is Victorian…

News Corp form analyst Brad Waters runs the rule over Wednesday's Sandown Hillside meeting. BEST BET FROSTIN' (Race 6 No.7 - $5) Frostin' chased well when narrowly beaten on the Hillside track when resuming. He'll be fitter for that and should go close again on Wednesday. NEXT BEST CANTINA (Race 5 No.8 - $9) Cantina was fresh for this after a…

Doncaster Mile winner Mr Brightside just holds the call with Ladbrokes for the feature race at Caulfield on Saturday, the PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m). The Team Hayes trained gelding is first up with an eye towards the Cox Plate, but is the class runner of the field hence why he's favourite, just, at $3.40. The early firmer has been Bletchingly…

Alpha One, 2/2 this time in, is the Ladbrokes.com.au favourite for the Vain Stakes (1100m) this Saturday at Caulfield. The Team Snowden trained colt was a dominant winner at The Valley two weeks ago and with hard fitness under the belt, he holds the call at $3.60. Giga Kick is on the second line of betting at $4.50 with a gap to Millane at $6.00,…