Skew Wiff preparation back on track

It wasn’t exactly D-day for Skew Wiff at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, but the Kiwi mare’s trainer Mark Walker was still relieved to see her win. It was the four-year-old’s second start in Australia, following a sixth placing in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes on...

Waller’s Canberra Legend ready for The Beauford

He was well-supported when seventh at his Australian debut and the aptly-named Canberra Legend will appreciate the 2300m staying test in the $300,000 The Beauford at Newcastle on Saturday. By Great Britain stallion Australia, the four-year-old just faded late in the...

Better run puts Quickster in Thousand Guineas frame

Peter Moody has seen enough of Quickster to say that despite her double-figure odds she can still mix it with the more fancied chances in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on Saturday. Approaching the $1.5 million 1600-metre feature at her third start, the...

Material Dreams’ picket fence task at Caulfield

Nick Ryan has higher aims than a Group 3 race at Caulfield as he saddles up Munhamek in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, but earlier on the card his attention will be taken with the challenge for Material Dreams to add to her growing string of successive wins....

Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist dies

Protectionist, the esteemed winner of the 2014 Melbourne Cup, has died at age 13, Australian Bloodstock announced. Remembered for his dominant performance in the Melbourne Cup, where he triumphed by four lengths under the guidance of trainer Andreas Wohler and jockey...

Gravina can surprise in The Hunter

Though at longer odds in the markets, James Cummings is hoping Gravina can replicate similar form turnarounds of the past when he lines up at Newcastle on Saturday. The six-year-old lines up again in The Hunter (1300m) with the stable looking to go two places better...