Articles by: Noah Strang

Williamsburg’s owners are already reaping the rewards from their decision to geld thoroughbred this year. The five-year-old finished first in Saturday’s NSW Jockeys Association Reunion Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill Racecourse. The race was Williamsburg’s first win since October 2022.

One of Chris Waller’s former star runners, Espiona, was sold at an online auction on Wednesday. The six-year-old mare fetched a near record-breaking fee.

Trainer Clayton Douglas announced this week that Giga Kick is ready to return to racing. The Group 1 winning gelding had missed nearly one-year with injury. Giga Kick is set to race in Sydney trial races all next month.

Tancred Stakes winner Kalapour is a doubt for hte upcoming Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington Racecourse this November. Trainer Kris Lees says he is unsure where his gelding stands. They will assess things over the next few races.

The Ed Cummings-trained mare, Arts, is set to make her return to horse racing this Saturday. The rising five-year-old will run in the ATC Thank You Stable Staff Handicap (1300m) at Randwick. It will be Arts’ first race since last October.

Chris Waller has revealed that three-year-old filly Joliestar is a candidate to run in this year’s Everest. Running The Thousand Guineas winner would be a bold choice for Waller. A similar bold decision to run push Zougotcha last year failed.

Eight percent of star Australian racehorse Mr Brightside has been put up for sale this week. The stake of six-year-old gelding is listed in the Inglis Digital online auction ending this Wednesday. The latest bid for Mr Brightside is $100,000.

Seven-year-old gelding Hit The Road Jack won the Deane Lester Flemington Cup on Saturday. The Symon Wilde-trained horse was a big outsider. Jockey Michael Dee rode Hit The Road Jack after the global CrowdStrike outage prevented Blaike Mcdougall from making it to Flemington.

Top trainers and breedstock firm Lindsay Park will be looking to pick up their second consecutive win at the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m). Gelding Port Guillaume is the horse they will be counting on at the $150,000 race on Saturday.

Trainers of 2023 Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) winner Romantic Warrior have announced that the thoroughbred will not attempt to defend his title this October. With one of the favourites now out, the Cox Plate betting market has changed significantly.