Dunkel impressive but still with work to do

As we rush toward December 2, 2023, the first Saturday of the month, the promotion of the US$150000, 1600-metre Mouttet Mile continues apace but the line-up will have a notable absentee in Desert Of Malibu (USA). It was not possible for her to meet the eligibility earning threshold but conditioner Gary Subratie confirmed she would race over 1300…

THERE were two interesting ads in the official form book. Firstly, advising the recommended training fees now stand at $3500 per day to address the increase in the grooms' weekly wages to $5000 per horse. The $1.3-billion gap between owners' collective support of the horse population, therefore, continues to widen with only around $700 million…

Derby Day 2023 was undoubtedly another memorable one for perennial top-10 practitioner Patrick Tyrone Lynch with another success in 2400-metre Jamaica Derby run as the 10th of 11 races. The jockey-turned-trainer established himself in the top echelons of the profession with his first success in the Premier Classic in 2007 saddling The Bomber and…

OVER the 64 years of racing at Caymanas Park there have been bizarre decisions by the promoting companies. At the top of the list is the 2019 decision to stage the Jamaica Derby and the Jamaica Oaks 48 hours apart. Since the Oaks is not part of the Triple Crown series surely it would have been better to slot this Classic - restricted to fillies -…

Outstanding three-year-old The Lost Storm returned to the track with an effortless tune-up for the upcoming Group 1 $150000 Queensland Derby at Bendigo on Saturday night. Having his first start since winning the Vicbred Super Series (2YO Colts and Geldings) Final in December last year, The Lost Storm ($1.04 fav) stifled betting against his four…

The improving Strike Smart (Omar Walker) is on his way to winning his second race.(Photos: Naphtali Junior) THERE were sundry technical issues with a malfunctioning digital platform affecting the operation of cameras, leaving many punters unable to place bets. There was a significant delay to the start of the second event, which was understandably…

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…

NARACOORTE trainer Sue Murphy's dream of Hasta La War lining up in this year's Melbourne Cup is still alive despite the gelding not gaining automatic entry into the big race last Saturday at Flemington. Had Hasta La War won the $500000 Andrew Ramsden over 2800 metres, he would have been guaranteed a start in the 3200 metre Melbourne Cup in the…

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have four horses entered for this Saturday's Ballarat Cup, but they will monitor the likely quality of the field before settling on their number of starters. The 2000-metre event will be run in December for the first time and Maher is sensing an opportunity for some members of his stable who might not otherwise get…

With Shaiyhar's win over a shorter than ideal trip, co-trainer Natalie Young and jockey Blake Shinn both believe that there is a lot more to come from the French import over a further. The four-year-old notched his first win in Australia in the Henley And Villawood GFA House Plate (2000m) at Flemington at his second start in this country. After…

JOHN O'BRIEN and Brian Boodramsingh won more than half the events when horse racing continued Saturday at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. The powerful trainer/jockey combo combined to take four of the seven events during the second round of the Arima Race Club's 2023 Season. It was as close to a perfect afternoon as possible for O'Brien as his charges were…

Racing heads to the Tasmanian Turf Club on Friday night for a nine-race program where the Listed Launceston Guineas takes centre stage. Despite the rail being out 4.5m the entire circuit and the track coming up a Soft 5 for racing, we expect every runner to get their chance if good enough, with the track to play fairly throughout as it has been in…

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained stayer Persan has registered his first win in more than 18 months with an all-the-way win at Flemington. An emerging stayer through 2020, Persan eventually ran fifth in that year's Melbourne Cup and returned the following March to win first-up at Moonee Valley. But the stayer had been in the winning…

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr won't be aiming too high in the spring with Gunstock despite his impressive win at Caulfield. Gunstock took out the'last bid' Caulfield Cup ballot exemption race, the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) on Wednesday, in easy fashion. Sent out the $2.45 favourite under Jamie Kah, Gunstock registered a three-length win from…

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…

Race Review - Saturday, November 12, 2022 From the moment the 10 nominations were published, the first renewal of the 1900-metre, $6.0-million Jamaica Cup generated huge talking points. This marquee event was billed mainly as a clash of successful 2022 Classic aspirants, namely Atomica (Jamaica Derby & 1000 Guineas) and Blue Vinyl (Jamaica St Leger…

Rob Blacker would have preferred Harry Coffey stuck with Skyphios for Saturday's 3YO Cranbourne Classic, but the Mornington trainer doesn't have any complaints with his replacement rider. Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra will have his first ride on the son of Fiorente in the $175000 event. Blacker turned to the owners once he learned that…

Catch up on the week's harness racing action in our weekly review, thanks to Darren Clayton. Trainer Chantal Turpin's dominance of the two-year-old trotting ranks in Queensland continued last Tuesday when Razzleme Dazzleme (Sebastian K) claimed the Springboard Series Final. Driven by husband Pete McMullen, Razzleme Dazzleme was slowly into stride…

The Cunning Fox will be racing for a trip to the Gold Coast when he runs at Sandown. Lining up in the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Handicap (1800m) on Saturday, The Cunning Fox will be third-up into the contest. Trainer Patrick Payne has outlined plans to take the four-year-old to the Magic Millions race day at the Gold Coast on January 14, having…

The 2022 season of Futurity competition continued with the 96th renewal of 2000-metre Jamaica St Leger featured on the 10-race programme. Run as the 10th race, this second jewel of the Triple Crown was one of the most anticipated in recent years. Wide-margin winners of the 1600 metres 1000 and 2000 Guineas Atomica (163/4 lengths) and Blue Vinyl (9¼…

Russian Camelot stamped himself as a Melbourne Cup contender after he created history at Morphettville, becoming the first northern hemisphere-bred three-year-old to win a derby in Australia. According to Racing Victoria's executive general manager of racing, Greg Carpenter, 852 derbies have been run in Australia since 1855 and none have been won…

Rob Blacker would have preferred Harry Coffey stuck with Skyphios for Saturday's 3YO Cranbourne Classic, but the Mornington trainer doesn't have any complaints with his replacement rider. Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra will have his first ride on the son of Fiorente in the $175000 event. Blacker turned to the owners once he learned that…

Trainer Patrick Payne has meticulously crafted a three-run autumn blueprint for his highly promising stayer, Dunkel, with the ultimate goal of securing a coveted spot in the prestigious Melbourne Cup. Dunkel, a talented four-year-old son of Dundeel, has showcased remarkable form, boasting an impressive record of seven wins from 10 starts. His…

Talented stayer Dunkel, boasting an impressive record of seven wins from 10 starts, gears up for a busy racing period starting at Caulfield on Saturday, with a guaranteed Melbourne Cup 2024 start in sight if all goes as planned. Trainer Patrick Payne has carefully managed Dunkel's preparation, keeping him in work despite his sparing race…