Kissinger gives Oliver a fourth Pakenham Cup

Jockey Damian Lane agreed that three-peat winner Glentaneous is a genuine contender for a race like the Adelaide Cup after the UK-import went from last-to-first in winning the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m). The traditional New Year's Day feature at Flemington saw the $2.70 betting site favourite settle at the rear of the field until into the home…

A pro-Palestinian rally has been under way since 10:30am. Police have split the protesters of about 40 into two groups. Protesters say pepper spray has been used. Four policemen carried out one protester who was chanting "free Palestine". Damien Oliver has scored another win in his last Melbourne Cup carnival and it is a treasured win on Melbourne…

Munhamek (GB) on the way to the barriers prior to the running of the The Damien Oliver at Flemington Racecourse on November 04, 2023 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images) Tough day for black bookers on grand final day but I've found a few that still have target races late in the spring or later this…

Trainer Michael Freedman is looking for a forward showing from his expensive colt Moravia in Saturday's $1 million Golden Rose at Randwick. Moravia, an $800000 purchase at the 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sales has won one of his three starts and ran second at his two other starts. Freedman, who has 50 horses in work at his Randwick stables said he's…

Kim Waugh, centre, will unleash two Sydney Cup contenders this weekend. Picture by Geoff Jones Things are just getting back to normal in Kim Waugh's house after the late nights of an Ashes cricket series. The leading Wyong horse trainer is married to former top cricketer Mark Waugh, who watched intently as Australia retained the Ashes in one of the…

Trainer John Sadler has relished a move to Pakenham. Picture Getty Images Veteran trainer John Sadler has called Pakenham's training facilities some of the best in Australia. Sadler took the advice of champion trainer and good mate Peter Moody nearly two years ago to make the move to Pakenham after it was announced training facilities at Caulfield…

Aberfeldie Boy will race in the $1m Queensland Derby on Saturday. Picture Getty Images Respected Melbourne based trainer Robbie Griffiths hopes a change of luck will help the chances of Aberfeldie Boy win the $1 million Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Griffiths, who trains in partnership with Matthew De Kock at…

Imported stayer and pre-nomination Melbourne Cup favourite White Marlin has tasted defeat for the first time at Pakenham. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained stayer headed to Pakenham on Thursday night to contest the rescheduled William Newton VC Handicap (2000m). Thursday night's race was programmed from Flemington on Anzac Day after the…

Emerging star Amokura has claimed the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in just her first racing preparation. The daughter of Kermadec was having her sixth race start, having won her previous two outings by 9 lengths and 2 lengths respectively. The three-year-old was Kris Lees' sixteenth Group 1 winner and his first since In Her Time in 2019, scoring…

A let-up with the view of tackling autumn staying races with Nobel Heights has been put on the backburner for now by trainer Matt Cumani. Instead, Nobel Heights will join stablemate Team Captain in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on Sunday. Nobel Heights has been racing in career best form, but unfortunately for Cumani, and…

News Corp form analyst Jett Hatton takes a look at the Flemington meeting on Saturday BEST BET POUNDING (Race 3, No.7) VALUE BET THE GUAVA (Race 1, No.5) EARLY QUADDIE 4, 5, 7/ 2, 3, 5, 7/ 7, 9, 14/ 4, 5, 6, 12 BIG 6 7, 9, 14/ 4, 5, 6, 12/ 1, 5/ 1, 4, 6/ 1, 8, 10/ 1, 2, 7, 12 QUADDIE 1, 5/ 1, 4, 6/ 1, 8, 10/ 1, 2, 7, 12 RACE 1 Not a bad race to…

The hype around Brayden Star leading into the Cranbourne Shooting Star, a rare class 3 race worth $175000 was justified as the lightly raced northern hemisphere three-year-old broke the 1500m track record with a comfortable … length win. Sent around a … favourite off the back of a 7.5 length win at Salisbury and a pair of impressive Cranbourne jump…

Group 1 racing continues out west with the running of the Northerly Stakes, while Pakenham will host its standalone Cup day meeting. As usual the Punters Inside Run team have crunched all the form, with host Matt Campbell and form guru Mick Sharkie aligning with their Group 1 thoughts. While bookmaker betr currently has Godolphin galloper Cascading…

Top Perth trainer Simon Miller hopes his first group one success will come from his star filly Amelia's Jewel in Saturday's $1.5 million Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot. The iconic race formerly known as the Kingston Town Classic had a name change this year to honour the deeds of former Perth trained galloper Northerly who was one of the best…

News Corp form analyst Brad Waters runs the early rule over Saturday's Pakenham Cup card. BEST BET BRAYDEN STAR (Race 1, No.7) Brayden Star ran on hard to score in record time at his Australian debut at Cranbourne. No reason he can't repeat that performance VALUE BET NOT TO BE MIST (Race 6, No.12) Not To Be Mist battled on steadily in heavy ground…

Matt Cumani is no stranger to winning the Pakenham Cup, but it is also a race that has caused the trainer a bit of grief. Etah James took out the Listed race over 2500m in 2019 forming part of a long-priced double for the Cumani stable that day. Cumani was not on course to see Etah James win at $61 after an earlier win by Future Score at $17. "It…

Future Score, winning at Pakenham in 2019, is among the leading chances in the Pakenham Cup on Saturday. Picture: AAP A Pakenham Cup win might make Matt Cumani more popular with punters, family and friends the second time around. Cumani won the 2019 Pakenham Cup with the $61 shot Etah James, not only to the chagrin of punters but also to those…

Last start Eclipse Stakes winner Milford is the Ladbrokes.com.au favourite for the feature race at Pakenham on Saturday, the Pakenham Cup (2500m). The Mike Moroney trained gelding was given a peach by Blake Shinn to win last Saturday at Caulfield over 1800m and despite the quick rise to 2500m, he holds the call at $5 in what is a wide open race. He…

Perfect Alibi and Tom Marquand: a first Listed winner for King Charles Monday: Yarmouth The King celebrated a first winner in black-type company when Perfect Alibi ran out an emphatic winner of the rescheduled Listed Beckford Stakes. Victory for the daughter of Le Havre was the second in the royal silks since the death of the Queen and came less…

Jungle Magnate wins the Group 1 South Australian Derby Picture: Atkins Photography A Caulfield Cup campaign awaits emerging stayer Jungle Magnate after a dominant victory in the Group 1 South Australian Derby on Saturday. Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr had the Morphettville feature circled on the calendar for the last six months and the long-range…

Warrnambool galloper Kissinger is set to have his first shot at a stakes race when he makes the trip to Pakenham. The Lindsey Smith-trained galloper is set to line up in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) on Saturday coming off victories in two of his past three starts. Kissinger scored at benchmark 70 level at Bendigo on October 2 while his most win…

Phillip Stokes has not always been as complimentary towards Russian Dancer as what he was after his win at Sandown on Saturday. It's no surprise the Pakenham trainer had some nice things to say, given the gelding secured Stokes and connections a $275000 payday when he ran down Toronto Terrier in the VOBIS Sires Guineas (1600m), which carried a…