Earlswood set to turn form around

News Corp form analyst Brad Waters takes an early look at Saturday's Champions Day meeting at Flemington. BEST BET MURAMASA (Race 4, No.9) Muramasa has been a revelation this spring with two impressive wins. He's up in trip but expecting him to see out the 2600m and score again. VALUE BET RIVER NOIRE (Race 9, No.11) River Noire was grabbed on the…

Trainer Grahame Begg was delighted with how his two Cups contenders came through there trials at Cranbourne in preparation for their spring returns. Lunar Flare and Nonconformist both trialled over 1000m on Monday, on a track that was rated slow. With a berth in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup already assured courtesy of her win in the Listed Andrew…

Jockey Daniel Moore is reuniting with Uncle Bryn at Flemington ahead of a bigger assignment in the Caulfield Cup. Uncle Bryn contests the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday in a bid to emulate the deeds of Smokin' Romans 12 months ago. Smokin' Romans won the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield enroute to the Turnbull Stakes, and…

A start in the Melbourne Cup is up for grabs in The Bart Cummings at Flemington and Perth trainer Daniel Morton is eyeing off that spot. Morton will saddle Alaskan God in the 2510m Cup qualifier on Saturday where the winner obtains a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 7. But Morton will not lose any sleep if Alaskan God,…

Racing Victoria (RV) confirmed on Wednesday morning the primary structure of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival program, announcing some key enhancements for 2023. Several Group 1 races will have new dates in 2023, most notably the shift of the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m). Held traditionally on the Friday night before the Cox Plate, the Group…

The need to change calendars is as good a time as any to pull out the crystal ball and Brad Bishop has taken on the job of trying to find five horses who are not yet Group 1 winners but boast a ratings profile that suggests they have a strong chance to be in 12 months' time. A number of obvious contenders have been overlooked with the purpose of…

Godolphin is considering extending Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile to include one more race at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Trainer James Cummings has entered Golden Mile for both the Group 1 $2m Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Group 2 $1m Callander-Presnell (1600m). But it seems likely Golden Mile will be kept to 1600m with the…

The Caulfield Guineas is likely to be the next stop for Tijuana following his win in the Stutt Stakes Tijuana has claimed a second stakes victory by riding the speed to claim the Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley. The win on Friday night in the Group 2 race for three-year-olds over 1600m confirmed Tijuana's spring credentials and set him up for a start…

After an injury scare following his win at Randwick, Anamoe is back on track to continue his spring campaign Godolphin trainer James Cummings is not going to get too far ahead of himself with Cox Plate favourite Anamoe who is over his soundness scare. Anamoe was graded three-out-of-five lame following his victory in the Group 1 George Main Stakes…

Mornington trainer Rob Blacker says his stayer Tigertiger will be ready to run on Melbourne Cup Day. Options are the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1 or the other stayers' race, The Macca's Run, a Benchmark 96 race over 2800m. Tigertiger starts his Cup campaign this weekend with Blacker entering the seven-year-old for…

Sneaking into the Naturalism Stakes has given Uncle Bryn a chance to enhance his Caulfield Cup hopes The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable are treating the Naturalism Stakes as a mini-Grand Final for promising galloper Uncle Bryn. The Group 3 race over 2000m at Caulfield on Saturday provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Group…

First declarations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup along with the Cox Plate have been taken Lindsay Park trainers Ben and JD Hayes are yet to commit to a start in a spring feature for Mr Brightside after first declarations closed for Melbourne's three biggest races of the carnival. Mr Brightside, winner of the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at…

The last horse to win the Feehan Stakes carrying Lindsay Park's famous silks won the Cox Plate two starts later. Better Loosen Up carried the white, green and black colours of Lindsay Park to a narrow win in the 1990 Feehan Stakes before getting the money in Australasia's weight for-age-championship six weeks later. Better Loosen Up was a narrow…

Crucial Tuesday trial for top Caulfield Cup hope Caulfield Cup equal second favourite Nonconformist will trial at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning. Picture: AAP Quality galloper Nonconformist will continue his Caulfield Cup preparation via a crucial set of barrier trials at Cranbourne on Tuesday. Nonconformist emerged as a Group 1 contender last…

Bookmakers have forgotten a Cox Plate hopeful. Imported galloper Earlswood is nowhere to be found among the bigger bookmakers' pre-nomination markets on The Valley's weight-for-age championship. The four-year-old was set to tackle the Australian Cup but minor shin soreness prematurely ended Earlswood's autumn. However, Raymond said the issue could…

Callsign Mav is right to go for the Australian Cup despite missing a lead up run An elevated temperature causing Callsign Mav to miss a lead-up race will not dent the gallopers attempt at the Australian Cup. The former New Zealand galloper missed out on starting in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 26 with an elevated…

ONE of the nation's leading bookies has declared the Cox Plate match race between Winx and Hartnell will be a no race. "Winx is a moral,'' Tom Waterhouse declared from betting giant William Hill. "Hartnell has never beaten Winx and I can't see him beating her in the Cox Plate.'' Winx is the $2 favourite in most betting markets, including William…

Lindsay Park import The Summit will attempt to enhance his Caulfield Cup credentials in a Stakes race at Caulfield. The Summit snuck into the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) on Saturday with his trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes looking to enhance his rating with a win, or placing, ahead of his next assignment. The Group 3 Naturalism Stakes…

Imported galloper Bear Story is only weeks away from commencing his spring campaign after having a jump-out at Cranbourne last Monday. An official 1000m trial at Cranbourne on August 7 will be the pre-cursor to Bear Story resuming in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 19. After that it will be to Moonee Valley for…

Cranbourne trainers Ken and Kasey Keys have a healthy opinion of unbeaten colt Scheelite who will put his reputation on the line first-up at Caulfield. Against six opponents, Scheelite runs in the Vain Stakes (1100m) on Saturday where he will be pitted against Blue Diamond Stakes winner Little Brose and Golden Slipper runner-up Cylinder. Scheelite…

Annabel Neasham has swung former French galloper Bois D'Argent south to Melbourne for his first-up run to escape the Sydney heat. But Bois D'argent will meet some unseasonably hot weather when he runs in The Mugatoo (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. A top temperature of 37 degrees is expected on Saturday afternoon. Arriving in Australia for the…

Group 1 dreams of a winning major three-year-old race with Muramasa kick off at Flemington. The Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) on Saturday is where the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt kicks off his autumn campaign in the colours of Ozzie Kheir, John O'Neill and partners. The Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in April is…

Group 1 dreams of a winning major three-year-old race with Muramasa kick off at Flemington. The Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) on Saturday is where the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt kicks off his autumn campaign in the colours of Ozzie Kheir, John O'Neill and partners. The Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick in April is…

The need to change calendars is as good a time as any to pull out the crystal ball and Brad Bishop has taken on the job of trying to find five horses who are not yet Group 1 winners but boast a ratings profile that suggests they have a strong chance to be in 12 months' time. A number of obvious contenders have been overlooked with the purpose of…

New Zealand conditioner Andrew Forsman will get a better gauge as to the spring fortunes of Riproar after the gelding runs at Moonee Valley. A half-brother to Mr Maestro, Riproar runs in the Corporate Membership On Sale Plate (1500m) on Saturday as Forsman looks to lock in a spring campaign for the three-year-old. Mr Maestro ran fourth in the…