#WESTERN EMPIRE

Talented sprinter Jungle Jim looks tough to beat stepping up to 1200m after a strong win at the track last start. Quadzilla with Jett Hatton RACE 6 FIRST LEG Looks an open edition of the Standish. HALVORSEN (2) is shooting for his third win in the race, comes here off two good runs and has a good third-up record. WESTERN EMPIRE (1) the obvious…

It was a strange day at headquarters, all over by 3pm to avoid the heat, but it was a strong off-season meeting. The track played super and was only upgraded to a Good 3 for the last two races. We had winners dominating out in front when allowed to dictate tempo, but when they went along solid enough a horse like Princess Rhaenys was able to rush…

Straight track performer Vespertine is favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Standish Handicap (1200m) this Saturday at Flemington. Trainer Grahame Begg has a strong hand in the race, headlined by Vespertine, who hasn't raced since winning here on Cup Day in a Stakes race and looks ready to go for this weekend. She is favourite at $6 and just…

Epicenter, shown training before his second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, meets the winner of that race, Rich Strike, again Saturday in the Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The "Midsummer Derby" at Saratoga pits the first three finishers from the Kentucky Derby against one another again in…

While it feels like longer, Group 1 racing will return on Saturday when the Railway Stakes gets underway at Ascot Racecourse. For many, it is front of mind as we look to build on our Christmas shopping fund with Willie Pike and the chaps over in WA. The Punt Drunk team will also take a look at where the Darren Weir situation stands a couple of…

William Pike will be striving to win a fifth straight Railway Stakes on Saturday. Picture: AAP WA's star jockey William Pike ought to know the formula required to win a Railway Stakes. Pike has steered the last four Railway Stakes winners for powerful Perth owner Bob Peters in a streak that started with Galaxy Star in 2018 and included last year's…

Co-trainer Chris Gangemi is confident a tough first-up run has Massimo perfectly placed to claim a slice of history in Saturday's Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. SCROLL DOWN FOR JAY ROONEY'S BEST BETS The six-year-old boosted his prizemoney total past $1 million when running a close third, despite being challenged strongly for the lead, to…

With the new racing season underway we've put it to our stable of experts to lay their reputations on the line and hand out some predictions for the next 12 months, including their early selections for The Everest and Melbourne Cup plus what's the next'big thing' we've got to look forward to. THE NEXT BIG THING RAY THOMAS - Dylan Gibbons: The son…

The Chris Waller numbers continue to astound as the master trainer fell just short of $50m in prizemoney with 352 winners while the Wizard of the West headed east to put his wares on show landing 189 winners to be the most prolific jockey in the land. James McDonald kisses the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Quinn Rooney-Getty Images THE NATIONAL HONOUR…

Trainer Rhys Radford has big expectations for Comfort Me in Saturday's Group 3 Eurythmic Stakes (1400m) and the rest of The Pinnacles carnival at Ascot. SCROLL DOWN FOR JAY ROONEY'S BEST BETS AT ASCOT A virus wiped out the Playing God gelding's last campaign, but last year's Railway Stakes (1600m) runner-up has returned in top order after two…

Inspirational Girl's Caulfield Cup credentials will be tested in Saturday's Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. Inspirational Girl, who boasts a perfect second-up record (4-4), must go close to winning the $1m feature for prominent Western Australian owner Bob Peters to persist on the Caulfield Cup path. "This will tell us where we are…

Melbourne will kick off their Spring Racing Carnival on Saturday 10th September, with the running of the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. Formerly known as the Craiglee Stakes, the name was changed in 2007 to honour the legendary three-time Melbourne Cup winner. Incentivise took out the 2021 edition of the race, while other winners of the…

The News Corp racing and sports wagering team has put together an expert panel to give you, the audience the early inside running on feature races in Melbourne and Sydney this spring. The panel of six will be offering their early thoughts on all of the Group 1 races and other feature contests during the spring, through until the end of the…

I'm Thunderstruck dominates the Ladbrokes.com.au market for the main race on Saturday, the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. The Price/Kent trained five year old was massive fresh in the Memsie when a closing second to Snapdancer and looks extremely well suited at the Flemington mile. Opened $2.35 and is rock solid, sitting…