Five-year-old Black Caviar kept her undefeated record intact Nov. 5 with another easy victory, this time in the Patinack Farm Classic (Aus-I) at Flemington. It was her 16th win.
Saturday, November 05, 2011For the second consecutive year, a French-trained winner of the Geelong Cup (Aus-III) captured Australia's most famous race, the Aus$6 million Melbourne Cup (Aus-I).
Tuesday, November 01, 2011Owner Simon O'Donnell takes another shot at the Nov. 1 Melbourne Cup with two, maybe three, entries this year.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Last year's longshot winner is the 3-1 early line favorite. Only five horses have won the Melbourne Cup more than once.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011It was shades of Kent Desormeaux on Big Brown as Australia's wonder horse Weekend Hussler was stunningly beaten out of a place in the $500,000 group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington Oct. 4. Longshot Littorio took home top honors.
Sunday, October 05, 2008Darley has renewed its sponsorship of the $1,005,000 Darley Australian Cup (Aust-I) for another three years, it was announced Sept. 16.
Monday, September 15, 2008Thirty-two days ago a horse named Light Fantastic raced at a lowly Victorian country track named Kyneton. On March 8 at Flemington in the group I Australian Cadbury Guineas worth $750,000, that same horse held off some of the best 3-year-olds in Australia.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Rising superstar Weekend Hussler easily wins Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Divine Madonna wins the Myer Classic at Flemington Nov. 3; hopes for invite to Hong Kong International Races in December.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
At Flemington Nov. 3, home of the $5 million Melbourne Cup next Tuesday, a New Zealand bred 3-year-old gelding named Kibbutz became an instant crowd favorite with his devastating win in the Aus$1.5million group I AAMI Victoria Derby over 12 1/2 furlongs.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Bart Cummings, who had won nine previous LKS Mackinnon Stakes, this year won the race with a true outsider, 88-1 shot Sirmione.
Saturday, November 03, 2007Day one of Australia's Spring Carnival kicked off Oct. 6 at Flemington racecourse with the Turnbull Stakes (AUS-I), a 10-furlong affair that always holds the key to many of the carnival's largest races. It had a cracking field, taken in fine fashion by Devil Moon, a 4-year-old filly.
Saturday, October 06, 2007Leading West Australian trainer Fred Kersely ventured east with his star Marasco for a fifth time and finally landed the chocolates at Flemington on Sept. 8.
Saturday, September 08, 2007A group of 10 owners gained a dream result with Roman Arch in the rich Australian Cup March 11. Six weeks after they paid $100,000 (Australian funds) for the seemingly out-of-form 7-year-old, they shared the $600,000 first prize in Flemington's $1 million weight-for-age feature.
Monday, March 13, 2006Takeover Target took a giant step to a wider stage with a grand win in the Lightning Stakes (Aus-I) at Melbourne's Flemington oval Feb. 4.
Sunday, February 05, 2006Before a record Derby day crowd of 115,600 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, Benicio, a Vinery-bred colt by More Than Ready, laid the foundation for a stud career in winning the 152nd Victoria Derby (Aust-I) Oct 29.
Saturday, October 29, 2005The first part of the wait is over. Makybe Diva was given the green light Saturday (Oct. 29) to attempt an unprecedented third straight win in the $5 million (Australian funds) Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) Nov 1.
Saturday, October 29, 2005An incredible closing run by Makybe Diva might be the last Australian race fans see of the champion mare.
Sunday, March 20, 2005Women were on top at Flemington March 12: Alinghi breezed in the Newmarket (Aust-I; Makybe Diva and Winning Belle ran one-two in the Australian Cup (Aust-I). After this combined display of Girlpower, Gai Waterhouse collected the other "Super Saturday" group I when Danehill colt Al Mahar realized his potential in the Australian Guineas.
Monday, March 14, 2005Forty minutes before Makybe Diva completed one of the biggest days in racing for Lee Freedman, with a history-making Australian Cup success March 12, the handler's table was set by a grand win by Alinghi in the Newmarket Handicap (Aust-I). Freedman has trained more than 100 group I winners.
Monday, March 14, 2005A legend grew at Flemington March 12 as Makybe Diva soared to new heights in winning the Australian Cup (Aust-I). The two-time Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) heroine, at the same oval, expanded her empire beyond handicaps, and with a panache any Diva would kill for.
Monday, March 14, 2005Bazelle provided Zabeel with his 30th group I winner with his win in the Auckland Cup Jan. 1.
Monday, January 03, 2005Small was king at one of the biggest days of Thoroughbred racing in Australia, as the Melbourne Cup carnival opened at Flemington Oct 30.
Sunday, October 31, 2004Danehill produced two group III winners at Warwick Farm, where Unearthly surprisingly headed a 1-2 for the Dane's nemesis, Zabeel, in the Chelmsford Stakes (Aust-II). But the headline of Australian racing Sept. 4 was the stunning victory by Alinghi in the Ascot Vale Stakes (Aust-II) at Flemington.
Monday, September 06, 2004Graduates of the William Inglis & Sons Classic and Premier Sales are eligible for the inaugural Inglis Championship, slated for Feb. 5, 2005.
Thursday, March 04, 2004The military stamped Australia's speed championship in Melbourne on Feb. 9. The cavalry arrived in the nick of time as Regimental Gal rushed down Flemington's grandstand rail to collar the 13-4 favorite Our Egyptian Raine (by Desert Sun) at the wire in the Lightning Stakes (Aust-I).
Monday, February 09, 2004The death of Shogun Lodge, one of Australia's Thoroughbred heroes, cast a pall over the final day of the Flemington spring carnival on Nov. 8.
Sunday, November 09, 2003Special Harmony completed the group I double for spring fillies with an easy victory in the 143rd Victoria Oaks (Aust-I) at Flemington Nov. 5.
Thursday, November 06, 2003From the moment Danehill colts Kempinsky and Elvstroem staged their Derby-prep war at Moonee Valley, they dominated discussions for the 149th Victoria Derby (Aust-I). Such prep performances invariably incur an awesome weight of expectation.
Monday, November 03, 2003Bulla Borghese, from Belong to Me's first southern generation, outstayed her rivals to win the $625,000 (Australian funds) Victoria Oaks (Aust-I) at Flemington today.
Thursday, November 07, 2002As North America looks toward the Oct. 26 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, fans of Australian racing are preparing for three of the country's biggest group I events.
Wednesday, October 09, 2002In the wide brown land of Australia, a northerly wind, seemingly born in the deserts of the dead heart, breaks the hearts of farmers. Its namesake breaks hearts too, the most recent victims in the Turnbull Stakes (Aust-II) over 2,000 meters of Flemington.
Monday, October 07, 2002Godolphin won its first Australian race at Flemington on Nov. 10 as Hatha Anna narrowly defeated the local stayers in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Aust-II) over 2,500 meters. The initial success came after Godolphin had for the second time supplied the runner-up in the Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) when Give the Slip was run down by Ethereal.
Monday, November 12, 2001Living legend Bart Cummings won his eighth Victoria Oaks (Aust-I) when the Danehill filly Magical Miss strolled home a 4 1/2-length winner in the 141st edition at Flemington. Zabeel filly Manang nosed out Lil Lo Lill (by Umatilla) for second. The 2:34.7 time equalled the 28-year race record.
Thursday, November 08, 2001Sheila Laxon is the first woman to prepare the Melbourne Cup (Aust-I) winner -- officially at least. When Ethereal dashed down the center of a damp Flemington course to overwhelm Godolphin's Give the Slip, the Rhythm filly raced herself and her handler into Cup history.
Tuesday, November 06, 2001Northerly trounced a strong field in winning the Australian Cup (Aust-I) at Flemington March 12. With the exception of Sunline, now in Dubai, and Tie the Knot, the best horses in training assembled in Melbourne's main fall event over 2,000 meters.
Monday, March 12, 2001
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