Weather watch on Caulfield track

Moonee Valley track staff freely admit that preparing the course for the double-header Cox Plate Carnival is a challenge, and the plan for Friday night's meeting is for a firmer track. Since the final Moonee Valley meeting of the 2022/23 season back in March, their focus has all been about providing the best surface for the club's showpiece…

The Livamol Classic on Saturday could be run on an ideal track if the Hastings weather plays its part this week. And that is even after the track came up heavy yesterday following a wet weekend. The track copped 17mls of rain from Sunday morning to lunchtime yesterday to put it back in the heavy range, where it was for the Arrowfield Plate meeting…

The 28-runner cavalry charge up the straight proved to be the final race of the week with the final three contests called off. An inspection had followed the Stewards' Cup, which was the fourth race of seven planned on a day when a large amount of rain fell on the course. A statement from the British Horseracing Authority stewards said: "Following…

Aidan O'Brien is all but sure to become Royal Ascot's most successful trainer when the world-renowned race meeting gets under way next week. Having rewritten so many racing records during a stellar 30-year career, the Irish man has a new one in his sights at British flat racing's showpiece event. With 81 Royal Ascot winners under his belt, O'Brien…

Caernarfon has been one of the best backed horses of the day in the Qipco 1000 Guineas (3.40) as she bids to give burgeoning trainer Jack Channon his breakthrough Classic winner. Channon, who took over the licence outright from his dad Mick in the new year, has made a flying start to his training career, saddling 12 winners already. He will be…

Aintree could be heading towards its biggest crowd on Grand National day since 2015 having sold all tickets for its main enclosures. The only tickets left for the showpiece on April 15 are on The Embankment, an area lining the first few fences away from the main course. A crowd of 64902 witnessed Noble Yeats win the Randox-sponsored National last…

The cold temperatures have returned to Britain and Ireland and are having a major impact on racing. Here is our quick guide to each meeting in the coming days and what temperatures are expected. Newbury Plumpton - INSPECTION AT 8.30AM ON RACEDAY Going: Heavy, soft in places on chase courseWeather: Temperatures dropped to -6C Monday night, highs of…

Ascot: forecast to remain cold with sub-zero temperatures at night through to Saturday The forecast in the lead-up to the weekend "presents challenges" for Ascot's Clarence House Chase fixture on Saturday, according to clerk of the course Chris Stickels. Continued frosts could scupper the Grade 1 card and the valuable meetings elsewhere this week,…

Kempton: hosts four Grade 1 races, including the King George VI Chase, on its Boxing Day card The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, the £250000 showpiece event on a Boxing Day featuring 77 races across Britain and Ireland, looks likely to be run on soft ground, which will delight connections of market leader L'Homme Presse. The Venetia…

Talented three-year-old Angry Skies will be given a shot at a large end of spring pot of gold when he runs at Caulfield on Saturday. The Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) has come on the radar of Lindsay Park trainers Ben & Jd Hayes after Angry Skies indicated he was not yet ready for a break. Angry Skies, a veteran of only four race starts which…

The sun has been shining on Caulfield Racecourse on Friday, allaying fears that a recent rain deluge might cause the Caulfield Cup to be postponed, but punters will need to back mudlarks on the sodden track. Despite the rain easing, the amount of water that has fallen in recent days mean the current Heavy 10 rating is unlikely to be upgraded, so…

A wet track will be to Moko's liking when she runs in the Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield Midway through the Thousand Guineas meeting on Wednesday Sam Freedman had a wry smile on his face that suggested he and his father Anthony had erred in scratching Moko. The Godolphin-owned filly was an acceptor in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on…

Jacquinot is in peak condition, he gets the right run from his good barrier, the likelihood of a very fast race tempo suits - the only box left to tick is the track conditions. This was trainer Mick Price's summation of crack colt Jacquinot's chances on the eve of the $15m The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Price, who trains in…

Race favourite Smokin' Romans has drawn well in barrier five for Saturday's Caulfield Cup, but the task of winning the 2400-metre group 1 may have suddenly got harder for the next rung of contenders. All the talk is about what the condition of the track will be following the Thousand Guineas meet on Wednesday, and ahead of forecast torrential rain…

The jockey roundabout and La Nina could combine to break a six-year drought for jockey Craig Newitt in Saturday's $5m Caulfield Cup (2400m). Newitt has ridden 33 Group 1 winners but none at the highest level since he steered Extreme Choice to victory in the 2016 Moir Stakes at The Valley. Champion trainer Chris Waller has provided Newitt with the…

Prix De Turn needs dry ground to have any hope of qualifying for the Caulfield Cup via Wednesday's Coongy Cup. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images. Cranbourne trainer Matthew Brown must run Mother Nature's gauntlet to give Prix De Turn the chance of a Caulfield Cup start via Wednesday's Coongy Cup (2000m). Prix De Turn must win the Coongy Cup…

Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes concedes there is no certainty even a proven wet-tracker like Mr Mozart will handle the extremely heavy conditions at Royal Randwick on Saturday. "When the track gets to a Heavy 10, then you can't say with any confidence if a horse will get through the going," Hawkes said. "Even those horses like Mr Mozart, who…

News Corp form analyst Brad Waters looks at the chances of every runner in Saturday's $3m Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. $3m GROUP 1 CAULFIELD GUINEAS 1600m, Caulfield race 8 Saturday at 4:30pm 1. TIJUANA (10) - $11 Trainers: Ben & JD Hayes. Jockey: Mark Zahra 57kg BRAD SAYS: Quality three-year-old proven at 1600m after winning the Stutt Stakes.…

Godolphin-owned and race favourite Golden Mile has drawn barrier five for Saturday's Group 1 Caulfield Guineas while second favourite Berkeley Square has drawn barrier two. Lloyd Kennewell, however, believes his three-year-old Meridius is the forgotten horse. Meridius closed off his preparation for Saturday's stallion making race over 1600m with a…

Rain on Wednesday morning had Cheltenham racegoers rushing for cover Light but continuous rainfall changed the going at Cheltenham twice before racing on Wednesday and forecasts for the area make conflicting predictions about whether the rain will now stop or continue through the afternoon. Clerk of the course Jon Pullin told the Racing Post that…

Wet weather at Cheltenham Racecourse on Ladies Day led to the ground turning soft before the first race started, which was won by the Willie Mullins-trained Sir Gerhard Champion trainer Paul Nicholls hit out at the decision to water at Cheltenham with rain on the forecast. The Ditcheat handler withdrew his leading contender Bravemansgame from his…

There was mild controversy at Cheltenham on Wednesday after officials watered the track on Tuesday evening only for rain to fall all day turning the ground heavy. Such was the volume of rain which hit the Prestbury Park track throughout the afternoon, the ground would likely have turned heavy even without the five millimetres which clerk of the…

Aidan O'Brien's stable representative T J Comerford has described Anthony Van Dyck's outside barrier as an added obstacle in his Caulfield Cup quest. Anthony Van Dyck drew barrier 21 in the Caulfield Cup but will come into 18 when the field jumps on Saturday. The 2019 English Derby winner will also have to contend with top weight of 58.5kg. In…

Big-race reminders of Boxing Day's past: statues of King George winners Desert Orchid (left) and Kauto Star stand guard in the Kempton parade ring Kempton's clerk of the course Barney Clifford anticipates soft ground for the start of the two-day Ladbrokes Christmas festival on Thursday. Clifford feels the ground has dried out at the Sunbury track…