Music not in tune to one ratings gun
RATINGS expert Daniel O’Sullivan has cast doubt on the Stradbroke chances of top fancies Counterattack, Malaguerra and Music Magnate in Saturday’s $1.5m sprint.
QLD Racing
Bart gets Rawiller’s heart racing
BRAD Rawiller says any more improvement in Black Heart Bart will make him a formidable chance in Saturday’s $1.5m Stradbroke at Eagle Farm.
Johnston strikes gold in Lightning
KRYSTLE Johnston delivered her family one of their biggest successes when Executed landed a betting plunge in Wednesday’s postponed Listed Lightning Stakes.
Star mare lands perfect Stradbroke draw
FIELD/BETTING: Azkadellia’s perfect Stradbroke preparation continued into the barrier draw as track staff confirmed how much Eagle Farm had dried out since Saturday.
Byrne hooked on Kebede in Oaks
JOCKEY Jim Byrne wants to bound back to his Group 1-winning best on Super Saturday, after admitting he got things wrong with his Doomben 10,000 ride on Hooked.
Azkadellia ready to show brilliant best: Maher
BETTING: CIARON Maher says Stradbroke favourite Azkadellia is a more brilliant mare than her “brute’’ stablemate Srikandi who won the rich Queensland sprint last year.
War vet on Counterattack to help less fortunate
A BIG part of Geoff Grimish will rejoice if Counterattack wins the Straddie on Saturday. But the Vietnam War veteran will also feel a sharp pang of guilt.
Queenslanders stirring for Straddie assault
SUPER Saturday could also be Queensland Day as the home players look to turn around their flagging Winter Carnival fortunes this weekend.
Dreams can have a Habit of coming true
BJORN Baker is planning on replicating some Stradbroke magic of his own when Music Magnate attempts to break a 28-year hoodoo in Saturday’s $1.5 million race.
Straddie emerges the big winner from wild ride
UPDATE: SATURDAY’S big wet has paved the way for Stradbroke Day to become the most prestigious race meeting in Queensland history next Saturday.
Rescheduled races a nice compromise
FOR the cynics, the 9am call to abandon Saturday’s Oaks meeting was justification that the new Eagle Farm track does not live up to the hype.
Big wet ruins Stradbroke hopes for star duo
SATURDAY’S abandoned meeting is likely to rule out the fancied Kaepernick from this week’s Stradbroke, with Team Hawkes expected to keep him for the QTC Cup.
BRC counts cost of washout
THE Brisbane Racing Club was counting the cost of Saturday’s washed out its Oaks Day meeting, with early estimates putting the loss at $400,000.
The Last Say with Ray Thomas
SATURDAY racing comes to you today from Rosehill Gardens. Here’s all the last minute tips and info from Ray Thomas.
Trubia has to beat rain and rivals for Straddie slot
MICHAEL Lakey is hoping the grim Brisbane weather forecast on Saturday doesn’t rob Trubia of his chance to qualify for the Stradbroke Handicap.
Shades of optimism for rain delay
BRC chairman Neville Bell hopes the fact he had to wear sunglasses at Eagle Farm on Friday was an omen for Saturday’s Queensland Oaks meeting being able to dodge the predicted deluge.
Kebede can put icing on stable’s rapid rise
TWO years ago Matt Dunn dreamed big and gambled everything on an unfinished stable complex at Murwillumbah. That investment may pay off on Saturday.
Nathan’s Racebook
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races at the much-anticipated return to Eagle Farm, headlined by the Queensland Oaks.
Vandyke prays Maurus gets shot to snare Cup
DAVID Vandyke is sweating on Saturday’s Eagle Farm Cup going ahead, believing Maurus is perfectly placed to clinch the race formerly known as the O’Shea Stakes.
Eagle Farm back-up plan in case heavy rain hits
UPDATE: OFFICIALS will give Saturday’s scheduled return to Eagle Farm every opportunity to go ahead but contingency plans are being made in case the forecast deluge hits.
Oaks mudders, scuba gear and roulette wheels
THE Courier-Mail’s racing experts Nathan Exelby and Ben Dorries preview the Queensland Oaks meeting in the latest edition of Carnival Capers.
Jake takes the reins on a super double
WOULD you rather own a promising horse, or knock around with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. Jake Turpin considers himself blessed because he gets to do both.
Baker to maintain Imposing strike rate in Oaks
BJORN Baker won’t be wearing a snorkel on Saturday as he reckons the expected rain deluge would only be classed a light shower in his former New Zealand homeland.
Dwyer warming to Tavi Bay’s chances
HENRY Dwyer has no hesitation in labelling Oaks hope Tavi Bay a classier type than his 2014 Queensland Derby winner Sonntag and he is warming to the idea of repeating history on Saturday.
Capalaba dogs trial streaming
RACING Queensland will begin a trial this week aimed at generating revenue from the non-TAB race meetings run in the state.
Clouds develop QTC Cup intrigue
TEAM Hawkes is on weather watch while Todd Willan intends to roll the dice and scratch Artlee from a QTC Cup which is shrouded in mystery.
Ryan rewarded by sire’s success
GERALD Ryan is on the brink of a rare milestone and thinks stud-bound Spill The Beans is the horse to achieve it in Saturday’s QTC Cup.
Wide draw would be bonus for Falkenberg
IT’S not often a trainer hopes for a wide gate in a Group 1 race but that’s what Paul Snowden wants for equal Queensland Oaks favourite Falkenberg.
Smokies in mix as field takes shape
STRADBROKE smokies Kaepernick and Artlee could gain starts in Queensland’s premier race on Saturday week even if they don’t win the QTC Cup at Eagle Farm this Saturday.
McEvoy gives new track Perfect test before big day
MELBOURNE Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy has given the revamped Eagle Farm track the thumbs up, but hopes Saturday’s grand reopening isn’t ruined by torrential rain.
Pike keeps his cool as filly waits for Oaks start
STAR filly Ghisoni is out of the Stradbroke but Kiwi trainer Tony Pike says he won’t be dirty if his own equine glamour girl Provocative misses a Queensland Oaks start.
O’Shea chooses Ripper option for Ghisoni
TRAINER John O’Shea has confirmed star filly Ghisoni won’t run in the Stradbroke, Ambience is primed for the Queensland Oaks, and Holler is bound for Royal Ascot.
Wonder filly Ghisoni out of Stradbroke
STRADBROKE Handicap markets are set for a massive shake-up with wonder filly Ghisoni to miss Queensland’s richest race.
Get ready for the Straddie Magic show
THE Queensland carnival is set to get its first glimpse of “Magic Man” Joao Moreira.
Punters warned life at the Farm won’t be easy
THE woman who knows Eagle Farm like the back of her hand has warned punters to wear flak jackets when racing returns to headquarters on Saturday.
Straddie door ajar but Ghisoni might not take it
EVEN with Ghisoni now a near certainty to make the final field for the Stradbroke, Godolphin has indicated it’s more likely she will bypass the $1.5 million race.
Magnate rewriting Straddie rule book
MUSIC Magnate and Azkadellia look well set up to fire at Eagle Farm, given they have not been crucified by the handicapper in the Stradbroke, writes Nathan Exelby.
Nervous wait for Pike to gain Oaks berth
TONY Pike was still anxiously waiting on Sunday for a withdrawal from the Queensland Oaks to gift his equal favourite Provocative a start.
Faultless display gains Attention
TEAM Snowden again underlined its credentials as Australia’s most powerful two-year-old stable as Attention won Saturday’s BRC Sires Produce Stakes.
Mackintosh gutsy but Derby trip a worry
BLAKE Shinn admitted he had concerns about Mackintosh running a strong 2400m in the Queensland Derby after he only scrambled to victory at Doomben.
Music strikes right key
TAB BIG BETS: BJORN Baker’s purple patch of form ascended into Group 1 glory as Music Magnate won the third fastest Doomben 10,000 since the conversion to metrics.
Doomben Rewind
THE Courier Mail’s Nathan Exelby and Ben Dorries review Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 meeting in Brisbane, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.
Racehorse jumps for joy at winning post
BLAKE Shinn hopes this leap by Reneged at the Sunshine Coast yesterday is indicative that his Queensland carnival fortunes will take off at Doomben today.
The Last Say with Ray Thomas
SATURDAY racing comes to you today from Royal Randwick and Doomben. Here’s all the last minute tips and info from Ray Thomas.
Doomben a crucial test for Mogador
FORMER boom colt Mogador gets his chance for an overdue stakes success when he kicks off what could be a big day for Godolphin at Doomben.
Big freeze reunites old mates
CIARON Maher’s accomodation in Brisbane this winter is a bit like back to the future as he and famed John Meagher recall their time in Melbourne.
Group 1 reward if filly can Produce
PAUL Hammersley is using Glen Colless as his inspiration as he plots to make the most of his big-race opportunities in the next three weeks.
Azkadellia yet to peak as Maher eyes big one
WILL a near-fit Azkadellia still be good enough to round up her Doomben 10,000 rivals on Saturday with her grand final still two weeks away?
Nathan’s Racebook
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races at Doomben, headlined by the $750,000 Group 1 Doomben 10,000, on Saturday.
‘I have no stresses, I feel like I’ve already won’
HAPPILY now in remission from acute myeloid leukaemia, Queensland jockey Bobby El-Issa feels like he has already won the biggest race of all.
Bobby winning the biggest race of his life
BOBBY El-Issa feels like he has already won the biggest race of all. Anything else is a bonus.
Godolphin primed for carnival returns
HAVING opened their 2016 carnival account with Archives, the Godolphin stable is set to make an even bigger impact with their two Queensland trump cards.
Delectation a lip-smacking prospect
JAMES McDonald believes there may be a chink in the armour of Winter Carnival glamour girl Azkadellia in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000.
Azkadellia makes magnates of men
NATHAN Exelby and Ben Dorries preview the Doomben 10,000 in the latest edition of Carnival Capers.
Fell will swoop from sweet barrier
FELL Swoop has escaped the Doomben 10,000 microscope with Azkadellia dropping into the action, but no trainer was happier than Matt Dale after the barrier draw.
Kendrick plots divine intervention
STUART Kendrick admits he is having a throw at the stumps with Divine Centuri in Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000.
This lady is a champ
THANK heavens for Azkadellia. The star of the Queensland Winter Carnival stretched out at Doomben yesterday morning while all her Group 1 rivals were nowhere to be seen in Brisbane.
Derby could be Kiwi filly’s destiny
QUEENSLAND Oaks betting markets may be poised for a major shake-up with the favourite, classy New Zealand filly Provocative, potentially set to target the Derby instead.
Trainer takes cautious approach with Ghisoni
JOHN O’Shea admits the thinning of chances in the Doomben 10,000 makes it a tempting option, but he is still likely to keep Ghisoni against her own sex this weekend.
“Special” Kebede thunders into Oaks contention
JIM Byrne was worried he didn’t have much winter firepower, but he went bang when Kebede zoomed into Queensland Oaks contention at Doomben.
Snippets lands a huge hit to punters
SNIPPETS Land foiled a plunge on Religify and also punctured some Stradbroke aspirations when he claimed the Group 3 BRC Sprint.
FBI’s mojo is back as import takes out Cup
TAB BIG BETS: THE first fortnight of the Brisbane Winter Carnival has been like a time warp, winding the clock back to when the FBI dominated Group 1 racing.
Doomben Rewind
THE Courier Mail’s Nathan Exelby and Ben Dorries review Saturday’s Doomben Cup meeting in Brisbane, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.
The Last Say with Ray Thomas
SATURDAY racing comes to you today from Rosehill Gardens and Doomben. Here’s all the last minute tips and info from racing editor Ray Thomas.
Lister to celebrate special Doomben milestone
THE years have not dimmed lively 82-year-old Arthur Lister’s memories of his glory days and the former jockey is set to revive a half-century old milestone at Doomben.
Rawiller lauds magic man Weir
DARREN Weir’s go-to man Brad Rawiller gives an insight into the magic behind the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.
Cup big ask so Waller could save Best for last
CHRIS Waller is not sugar coating his chances in Saturday’s Doomben Cup, but is hopeful the meeting can unearth a genuine Stradbroke contender for the stable.
Nathan’s Racebook: Doomben
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races at Doomben, headlined by the $650,000 Group 1 Doomben Cup, on Saturday.
Lass has speed to overcome wide gate in Roses
BJORN Baker believes Queensland Oaks favourite Imposing Lass has plenty up her sleeve and he isn’t perturbed by a wide barrier in The Roses.
Little harness stars off and racing
THE future of the Queensland harness racing industry is embedded in the charge of the very light brigade.
Grand old lady is back on track
GRAND old lady Pat Cook couldn’t wait to reacquaint herself with another grand old lady, the Eagle Farm racecourse.
Carnival Capers: Farm’s sand trap, Doomben Cup
ALTHOUGH Ben Dorries was denied a punt on Thursday night at the new Eagle Farm track, he did see enough in Azkadellia’s run to confirm favouritism in the Straddy.
Azkadellia thrives as gates reopen at Eagle Farm
AZKADELLIA franked her high rating for the winter sprints as Eagle Farm went under the microscope for its first serious test in five barrier trials on Thursday.
Life at the Farm a welcome sight
AFTER more than $22 million of renovations and lying dormant for two years, Queensland’s premier racetrack Eagle Farm has sprung to life with a series of trials.
Cadogan’s speed catches Shinn’s eye
BJORN Baker added to his winter carnival arsenal when Cadogan showed an exciting turn of foot to win over 1400m at Randwick.
Best stepping stone to Stradbroke ticket
THE golden ticket up for grabs in Saturday’s Fred Best Classic looms as boom or bust for many of the best backed runners in this year’s $1.5 million Stradbroke.
Smerdon expects Noble run
AHEAD of the Doomben Cup, trainer Robert Smerdon says Noble Protector is ‘somewhere near’ the form that made her one of Australia’s most exciting horses last year.
Pike chasing Oaks bite with Provocative
AFTER unleashing a potential star two-year-old in Queensland last Wednesday, Tony Pike is hoping to qualify his impressive filly Provocative for the Queensland Oaks.
Suspended jockey in another controversy
FORMER leading Queensland apprentice jockey Luke Tarrant was due to return from suspension next month, but a police raid on his home has dealt another blow.
Ding, ding! Another round in trainers’ feud
THE icy feud between Brisbane’s two top thoroughbred trainers will be spotlighted in a stewards’ inquiry on Tuesday.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/qld-racing/page/193