JUST ACT NATURAL Paul Roberts believes a change in routine can give Just Act Natural a shot at returning to his best. The Natural Blitz gelding has been plagued by injury, but Roberts is optimistic he can get the best out of the six-year-old as he prepares for a feature race campaign. “To strengthen his…
DetailsAt next week’s WA Racing awards, it’s highly unlikely Mia Dolce will win two-year-old Horse Of The Year. That prize is generally reserved for Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winners. But if there was a prize on offer for the most durable and resilient juvenile of the past 12-months, then surely it…
DetailsIt’s been a big week in Western Australian racing, nationally and internationally. Joe Azzopardi kicked it off when he rode Sun Marshal to win the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) last Sunday. That momentum carried into yesterday when two former Group 1 champions, one in the veteran class and the other, plagued by injury, score…
DetailsRoyal Strata will be out to pass a distance test at Belmont, but trainer Justin Warwick believes she is in with sound claims after her run last week. Royal Strata hit the front at the 200m and looked the winner, but she couldn’t withstand the finishing burst of Zaratite, finishing 2 ½ lengths third. Royal…
DetailsRespected Pinjarra trainer Brett Pope caused a boilover at Belmont last Saturday when his emerging stayer, Rivalry Galore, landed a maiden win in the $100,000 Listed Belmont Classic (2200m). Starting as a $12 chance in the feature event, the Trade Fair gelding finished powerfully from the rear of a five-horse field to beat the state’s…
DetailsIt’s hard not to be impressed by Joe Azzopardi. In a world of show ponies and egotists, Azzopardi is respectful and understated. They are character traits which have made him so personable and popular with his peers and supporters. Throw in that he is an accomplished jockey and he is a young man who is…
DetailsScales Of Justice took an important step towards his return to racing when he completed a satisfactory jump out at Ballarat this morning (Tuesday). Trainer Lindsey Smith said the Group 1 winner was ready to launch his comeback in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. “He settled back in the field…
DetailsBATTLE STORM Owner Bob Peters and trainer Adam Durrant are still none the wiser about the shock defeat of Battle Storm last weekend. The Statue Of Liberty gelding was sent out a hot favourite, but suffered his first loss in a 1200m handicap on Saturday. Battle Storm failed to go past a winner in the…
DetailsMultiverse proved there was no certainty in racing when he scored a surprising win in the Tabtouch-Better Your Bet Handicap (1200m) at Belmont on Saturday. With Battle Storm in the line-up the popular consensus from punters was that the remainder of the four-horse field would be running for second billing. As he has been throughout…
DetailsIt took until race five, far longer than Pike and his supporters would have expected, but the champion rider broke the Australian record for the number of winners in a season when he guided Zaratite at Belmont on Saturday. Pike scored his 224th victory on the Grant and Alana Williams-trained Zaratite, the raging hot favourite…
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