Category News

Final Chill’s improved form has surprised many, not least the gelding’s trainer. Kieran McDonagh admits he had doubts Final Chill would reach his current heights but after a string of victories his opinion has been swayed. Final Chill has exceeded expectations with consecutive wins and will chase a fourth victory in the Jericho Cup Qualifier …

Promising sprinter River Beau will target Group 3 races and bypass the Belmont winter season, according to trainer Bruce Watkins. River Beau secured back-to-back victories at Ascot last Saturday and his third from five starts this preparation as he looks to wind up his summer and autumn campaign with a feature race double. “We will …

Russell Stewart’s talented galloper Chantorque will look to get her campaign off to a winning start in the Glenroy Chaff Handicap (1000m) at Ascot on Saturday. The daughter of War Chant won the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) last November and will have the Listed Raconteur Stakes (1400m) in June as her primary target this …

Impressed by his fighting win, trainer Dan Morton will have Featherweight back in action for Saturday’s Group 3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ascot. The Snippetson gelding is on the quick turnaround for the final feature race of the juvenile season after displaying courage to end his maiden status last weekend. Ridden out strongly …

Trainer Simon Miller is looking forward to the return of Flirtini as the talented mare begins her countdown to dual Group 3 races in May. Flirtini is due to start in the Northam Stakes (1100m) on May 2 and will then target the Group 3 Roma Cup (1200m) at Ascot 13 days later. The Artie …

Trainer Brett Pope is yet to decide on the immediate future of yesterday’s TABtouch-Pinjarra Cup winner Divine Shadow. Divine Shadow scored an effortless 3 ¾ length win in the $120,000 feature, his first at Listed level. Pope said he wasn’t sure where he would send the gelding next but hinted at a winter campaign. “That …

Can lightning strike for the second time in a fortnight for Lunar Impact? David Harrison is less confident than he was in the WA Oaks, but he doesn’t mind going into the Schweppes WA Derby on Saturday as the underdog once more. Harrison only has to look back to Lunar Impact’s boil over WA Oaks …

Great Southern trainer Roy Rogers says stable newcomer Brutus Maximus has the ability to win the Tabtouch-Pinjarra Cup (2300m) on Sunday. Brutus Maximus raced his way into contention for the Listed provincial feature after passing a distance query in last Sunday’s Albany Cup (2100m). Facing his first acid test beyond 1600 metres, Brutus Maximus ran …

Champion jockey William Pike is confident he has a great opportunity of extending his dominance in the Schweppes WA Derby (2400m) at Ascot on Saturday. Pike is vying for his 10th WA Derby success and fourth in succession when he carries the hopes of punters with raging hot favourite, Western Empire. The Grant and Alana Williams-trained …

rainer Dan Morton will draw on Lunar Impact’s WA Oaks victory as motivation in a bid to win his first  Group 2 Schweppes WA Derby (2400m) at Ascot on Saturday. Lunar Impact scored a massive upset win in the WA Oaks (2400m), upstaging hot favourite Pure Devotion and Morton is hoping to do the same …