Racing.com

Yellow Jersey’s spring campaign is over. Calvin McEvoy revealed on Wednesday morning the talented import would not run again this year after finishing last in Saturday’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. “He pulled up sore in his feet,” McEvoy said on Giddy Up with Gareth Hall. “There was a bit going on, there.

57 horses remain in contention for this year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup, which will be run on October 17, following the first acceptance stage. Defending champion Half Yours is the lone representative for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. Ciaron Maher has 14 runners, including Zahrann and Saint George, which ran one-two in Saturday’s G3 Naturalism Stakes and head the betting for the 2400-metre Caulfield Cup.

Racing Victoria (RV), in conjunction with the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), has announced the prize purse for this year’s G1 Victoria Derby, to be run at Flemington on October 31, will be a record $3 million, up from $2 million. The decision to give the time-honoured 2500-metre race a $1 million boost follows the Asian Pattern Committee’s (APC) recent considerations on whether to downgrade the Derby from its prized Group 1 status.

Michael Kent Jnr is brimming with confidence about Guest House’s hopes in Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose at Rosehill. Speaking to Racing.com ahead of Tuesday’s barrier draw, Kent Jnr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, said their star colt is ‘in the zone’ and ‘the one to beat’. “He couldn’t be any better. We’ve got him right in the zone,” Kent Jnr said. “Mick is up in Sydney overseeing his last two gallops.

Another sharp workout at Caulfield on Tuesday morning by Jimmysstar is likely to see the Group 1 star wear blinkers for the first time in a race in Sunday’s $2 million Manikato Stakes (1200m). ‘’He had the shades on when he trialled the other day and he had them on again this morning and he’s worked very well, as you would expect him to,’’ trainer Ciaron Maher said after regular rider Ethan Brown took the seven-year-old through his paces. ‘’I’ve thought about it (blinkers) for a while.

Former champion jockey Steven Arnold said the triple Group 1 winner Beiwacht is in the right shape to snare a first Group 1 feature over 1200 metres when he lines up in Sunday’s $2 million Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. The first-up Memsie Stakes (1400m) winner comes back 200 metres to Sunday’s Manikato, but after riding him in a special gallop on the course proper at Caulfield on Tuesday morning, Arnold said he felt the distance drop would not prove the decisive factor.

Stewards had formed a different view on race morning. Stier said sections of the home straight had raised sufficient concern for officials to determine they were not safe to race over in their existing configuration. “The Stewards acknowledge that the track staff at all venues endeavour to present an optimum racing surface for all race meetings,” Stier said. “On this occasion, Stewards identified areas of concern with sections of the track in the home straight.

Guest House will rightly soak up much of the glory if he can add a Golden Rose as a three-year-old to his Golden Slipper win as a juvenile, but his co-trainer Mick Price might be worth a little thought also in the aftermath. Such a victory would seal Guest House’s future as an elite stallion while also laying the foundation for him to go up against world champion Ka Ying Rising in next month’s The Everest.

Star jockey Damian Lane will ride the Australian Bloodstock-owned imported gelding Wine Dark Sea in this year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup. The Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea has been allocated 54.5kg for the 2400-metre handicap, which will be run on October 17. “Damian has got a great record down in Melbourne,” Charlton told At The Races.

Brisbane Lions star Conor McKenna may have found a racing-related use for his $50,000 Goal of the Year prizemoney. McKenna claimed the 2026 AFL Goal of the Year for his remarkable Round 24 effort against Collingwood. Asked what he planned to do with the $50,000 prize, the Irishman admitted his wife Amy and he might have slightly different ideas. “If my wife (Amy) asks it’s probably for the house but if I get my way I’ll buy a horse probably, we’ll see how we go,” McKenna said.