A case of weight and see for handicaps
NATHAN Bourke, the man charged with allocating weights for the Straddie, says nominations for this year’s race “don’t include a natural topweight”.
QLD Racing
Lightning strikes twice for Leebaz
MICHAEL Cahill was the latest jockey to climb aboard the Team Hawkes bandwagon as he guided Leebaz to victory again in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes.
Baker already an Imposing figure in north
THE emerging Bjorn Baker juggernaut hit full steam when his astonishing recent record in Queensland continued with a pair of Gold Coast winners.
Gold Coast Rewind: Leebaz goes back-to-back
THE Courier Mail’s Nathan Exelby and Ben Dorries review Saturday’s Gold Coast meeting, with comments from the beaten division and all the big winners.
Can’t Sheik that feeling
IT’S one thing to ride for the Sheik … it’s quite another to get to shake his hand.
Steve chasing more Moments in spotlight
TRAINER Steve O’Dea is not shying away from the challenge of a tougher task than last year in Saturday’s Hollindale Stakes.
Santa has presence to atone
LEE Freedman has tipped a quieter ride will bring a change of fortune for costly last-start Randwick failure Santa Ana Lane in Saturday’s Gold Coast Guineas.
Not so perfect prep has Dawnie in for long run
WILY trainer Clarry Conners concedes he has struck trouble trying to get Dawnie Perfect fit as she heads towards a crack at the Group 1 Queensland Oaks.
Nathan’s Racebook: Gold Coast
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races on the Gold Coast, headlined by the $350,000 Group 2 Hollindale Stakes, on Saturday.
Son of a gun pulls the right rein
NATHAN Purdon, son of the great New Zealand trainer-driver Mark, says fate made the decision for him leave his nest and test himself Down Under.
Value on the Volks wagon in Hollindale
HE has won more prizemoney than any rival and has two Group 1 wins in his past three starts, but Volkstok’n’barrell has been shunned as a $15 chance in the Hollindale.
Miss Cover Girl slips nicely into Silk Stocking
KELLY Schweida’s impressive mare Miss Cover Girl will not know herself at the Gold Coast on Saturday after finally snaring a decent barrier.
Blue army wheels out big guns for winter assault
GODOLPHIN has only been a bit player in Queensland since John O’Shea took the reins, but that could change over the next month, starting with Saturday’s Hollindale Stakes.
Ghisoni shakes up Stradbroke market
JOHN O’Shea has a good idea of what a three-year-old filly needs to win a big winter feature and bookies took note on Wednesday when Ghisoni was a surprise nom for the Stradbroke.
Currie throws Honey Toast in deep end
TOOWOOMBA trainer Ben Currie can’t wait to take on racing royalty and blue bloods when he proudly flies the Queensland flag in Saturday’s Hollindale Stakes.
Flying Baker has a winter hotpot
AS the Queensland Winter Carnival lost two of its biggest drawcards, it may have unearthed a rising new star in Bjorn Baker’s Oaks-bound filly Imposing Lass.
English stays home for winter
STRADBROKE Handicap markets have been shuffled after Gai Waterhouse confirmed Group 1-winning filly English will miss the Winter Carnival.
Buffering cleared of serious injury
A NIGHTMARE 24 hours came to an end for Brisbane trainer Robert Heathcote on Monday with news star sprinter Buffering could race on after being cleared of serious injuries.
Stewards not hot over base in city
ROSS Barnett will officially start as Racing Integrity Commissioner this week as stewards wait anxiously to hear how their roles will change.
Xtravagant plan coming right up
MANAGING owner David Ellis said a decision on a Brisbane campaign for New Zealand star Xtravagant will be made on Tuesday after his return to winning form on Saturday.
Gold Coast meeting can expect a bit of French flair
CHRIS Waller starts his Queensland carnival campaign with a team of runners at the Gold Coast on Saturday, which may include the Australian debut of French Group 1 winner Spiritjim.
Dufficy: Swear and Flow dominate on debut
SKY Thoroughbred Central’s Ron Dufficy gives his assessment of the most notable performances from Saturday’s meeting at Hawkesbury.
Gai has English in commanding fashion
TRAINER Gai Waterhouse has indicated English will bypass the BTC Cup and go fresh into the Doomben 10,000.
Cylinder fires first-up for proud Forster
DESLEIGH Forster labelled it the most satisfying moment of her training career as Cylinder Beach denied stablemate Too Good To Refuse in a thrilling Gunsynd Quality.
Canberra raider swoops on Victory
THE margin may have been narrow but Fell Swoop’s gutsy display earned him a first Group win in Saturday’s Victory Stakes at Doomben. .
Punters on top early at Doomben
MAURUS kicked punters off on the right foot and punters have had their eye in right through the first half of the Doomben card.
Nathan’s Racebook: Doomben
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races at Doomben, headlined by the Group 2 Victory Stakes, on Saturday.
Art of doing enough for Straddie ticket
TOWERING gelding Artlee is on a mission to clinch a place in the Stradbroke field as he starts a campaign that was mapped out a year ago in Saturday’s Victory Stakes at Doomben.
Harrison warns not to ignore Didntcostalot
TEGAN Harrison has assured punters Didntcostalot will give odds-on favourite Fell Swoop something to chase in Saturday’s Victory Stakes at Doomben.
Costa not asleep behind wheel as upcoming trainer
YOUNG Sydney trainer Michael Costa spent a year sleeping rough in his Holden Barina but now luxuriates in the simple pleasure of having a roof over his head.
Old mates ready to take on the world
MICHAEL Hawkes isn’t in Hong Kong for a holiday with Chautauqua. But if the grey flash doesn’t win on Sunday, he hopes Buffering scores another Group 1 for his old mate Rob Heathcote.
Butler finds his comfort zone
TO his great relief, Bathurst-raised Jack Butler has been living in Queensland for 15 months and hasn’t looked like kicking the bucket.
All cylinders loaded for Desleigh trifecta
DESLEIGH Forster has assured punters Cylinder Beach is fit enough to win first-up as the trainer attempts the rare feat of a stable trifecta on Saturday.
Kermadec joins big boys at stud
LAST year’s Doncaster Mile winner Kermadec is the latest in a long line of stallions to be retired to stud this year.
Why I’m riding for my brother
SATURDAY is the most important day of the week for most Australian jockeys. For Brisbane Group 1-winning hoop Ryan Wiggins, Thursday is just as important.
Buffering has champ in his sights
BUFFERING has stared down countless rivals during his career and on Wednesday in Hong Kong, he lined up the world’s highest-rated sprinter Chautauqua as his next victim.
Broadcaster goes the extra mile for Wilson
RACING broadcaster Radio TAB has paid tribute to late Queensland racecaller Wayne Wilson by sponsoring a race named in his honour.
Queensland glory in one Fell Swoop
MATT Dale is trying to replicate the serene surrounds of his Canberra base as gun sprinter Fell Swoop prepares for his first stay away from home to make tilts on the four major Queensland sprints.
Miracle escape in frightening horse float accident
HOPFGARTEN found his best form to win Saturday’s Ascot Handicap at Caloundra, but it was a race run in a cloud of darkness after a shocking float accident.
Accolades for rescuers in highway float crash
WITNESSES to Saturday’s float accident were full of praise for everyone involved in the rescue of the horses.
Fixed odds freeze targets pros but angers racegoers
PUNTERS are crying foul, while wagering provider UBET claims it is merely trying to meet its obligations to the industry and shareholders in the wake of a fixed odds row that has erupted.
Sunshine Coast Rewind
THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Sunshine Coast meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.
New Queensland era won’t be cost to industry
THE State Government has given an iron-clad guarantee the new model for racing in Queensland will not cost the industry one extra cent.
Rosy run’s in the Stars for Vandyke
DAVID Vandyke is not expecting any early miracles from his new Sunshine Coast base, but he is keen to claim a Group 1 from his new digs with gun filly Yankee Rose.
Nathan’s Racebook: Caloundra
COURIER Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby runs his ruler over the main races at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday and reckons Hopfgarten is the value bet.
Barsby maintains high standard from bad spot
IN our frantic, modern world it is often said a person is “between’’ jobs, houses or even relationships. Chris Barsby is between grandstands.
Dittman calls for change in claims
QUEENSLAND riding great Mick Dittman has called on authorities to change the rules so jockeys are not forced out of the industry after they finish their apprenticeship.
He’s a whip off the old block
LUKE Dittman has set his sights on some big races this winter but none would give him more satisfaction than winning the race named in honour of his father.
Sears over moon for unbeaten filly
TONY Sears scaled a career high in the Weetwood and now he is warming to the idea of winning feature races in consecutive weeks.
Stewards push for change to whip rules
STEWARDS are set to recommend Racing Australia make changes to the controversial new whip laws.
Nikitas on target for winter mission
MAGIC Millions placegetters Nikitas and Candika took their first steps to winter stardom on Tuesday as the pair gear up for J.J. Atkins tilts in June.
Skye fall surprises Zielke
JOHN Zielke was stunned to learn of Skye Bogenhuber’s two-month suspension and says he and owner Evan Hartley intend to give the jockey their full support at appeal.
Waterhouse eyes Queensland winter hot streak
BUOYED by her success in the All Aged Stakes, Gai Waterhouse is now looking to Queensland to build on her tally of 134 career Group 1 wins as the season draws to a close.
Hope for trainers over lab testing of cobalt
RACING Queensland was the subject of national ridicule last year when five cobalt cases were thrown out, but the jurisdiction could now be used as a precedent for appeals.
English, Bart set for Stradbroke re-match
THE final day of the Sydney autumn shapes as an enticing prelude to the Brisbane winter carnival with English and Black Heart Bart likely to clash against each other.
Wehlow cops ban for positive meth test
QUEENSLAND trainer Greg Wehlow has been handed a six-month disqualification following a positive swab to the horse Island Tang.
Far from Happy as filly soon found Skye’s limit
SKYE Bogenhuber has vigorously defended a charge of not giving Happy Event every chance in the Dalrello Stakes before being suspended for two months.
Sweet delight after cup plan comes off
BEN Currie thought it was almost too good to be true. Everything had gone to plan with his Toowoomba Cup plot and the young trainer was waiting for something to go wrong. It never did.
Sears, Currie toast of the town
CELEBRATIONS carried on well into the night in Toowoomba after local trainers Tony Sears and Ben Currie landed the big feature double on Saturday.
Toowoomba Rewind
THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Toowoomba meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.
Jumbo-sized effort might deliver Weetwood
JUMBO Prince runs faster than his plain looks suggest and Michael Nolan believes he is poised to give Toowoomba’s most famous race an almighty shake.
Nathan’s Racebook: Toowoomba and Randwick
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby breaks down the big races at Toowoomba and Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Trot spot: A winning partnership
THE Chinese call it yin and yang, contrasting personalities fusing together to become a winning formula. It is tough to dispute the theory when you meet Shane Graham and Vicki Rasmussen.
Currie homes in on cup win
AS Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie ponders the next phase of his career, he would love nothing more than to live out a childhood ambition of winning his hometown cup.
Eagle Farm track launch setback
THE BRC insists Eagle Farm will be fit to stage its showpiece winter carnival meetings, despite Thursday’s decision to cancel a planned soft launch for May 11.
Racing stalls in planning vacuum
WITH Racing Queensland still unable to confirm a release date for its Tracking to Sustainability plan, fears are growing for the industry in the wake of Racing NSW’s massive prizemoney increases this week.
Snitzel price rises after stellar sales
OFF the back of a stellar sales season, Snitzel will join his sire Redoute’s Choice off a fee of $110,000 at Arrowfield Stud this year.
Coolring rises in Baker bid for Weetwood
BJORN Baker made his flying visit to Queensland worthwhile on Wednesday when he plucked barrier one for Coolring in Saturday’s Toowoomba Weetwood.
Swim star fails to make splash on return to track
SUPER swimmer Rebel Rover couldn’t convert his recent Moreton Bay heroics into a return victory at Doomben on Wednesday, winding up fourth behind Moss Harry.
Pike primed to strike back after nightmare
NEW Zealand trainer Tony Pike hopes to put a last year’s nightmare winter carnival behind him when he brings a strong contingent to Queensland this year.
Gai time worth weight in gold
THE opportunity to spend a day at the sales with Gai Waterhouse was the catalyst for emerging trainer Chris Anderson to back himself to build his own stable.
Lees could still be major player in winter
EVEN without Lucia Valentina, Kris Lees could still be a major Queensland carnival player, with his Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain being aimed at the Stradbroke.
Stradbroke finds some Azkadellia action
AZKADELLIA has zoomed to the top of Stradbroke betting charts with her sizzling Coolmore Legacy (Queen of the Turf) win at Royal Randwick.
Oink brings home the bacon on emotional day
EMOTIONS ran high after Oink gained the judge’s verdict and defied a protest to win at Doomben on Saturday.
Doomben Rewind
THE Courier Mail racing editor Nathan Exelby reviews Saturday’s Doomben meeting, with comments from the beaten division and the big winners.
Oradonna can make up for week from hell
LINDSAY Gough can be forgiven for being a shade pessimistic about Oradonna’s chances at Doomben on Saturday given the week the Eagle Farm trainer has endured.
Nathan’s Racebook: Saturday preview
THE Courier-Mail’s racing editor Nathan Exelby looks for the winners on Day Two of The Championships at Royal Randwick.
Buffering settles in for Hong Kong assignment
THE rock star treatment afforded to Queensland sprinting idol Buffering now extends to his travel.
Injured Dawson won’t miss Destreos milestone
IT was going to take a whole lot more than a busted tailbone and sore ribs to keep Kelli Dawson from partnering Destreos when he sets an Australasian record on Saturday night.
Big push to bundle Rundle
THE appointment of Rockhampton-based Jim Rundle as the thoroughbred industry’s sole representative on the new RQ board has been met with heavy criticism.
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