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Articles by Roger Oldridge
Moody's war reflections
If there is one thing Peter Moody is as passionate about as horse racing, if not more so, it's war history. More specifically, the part our soldiers who fought abroad had in shaping Australia's culture and way of life. "It's not something you want to celebrate, war is a horrible thing, but in a young country like Australia, in our history, there is probably more years that we have been at war (or) involved in some form of conflict around the world than we haven't," Moody told Racing.com.
Premiere Stakes next for Giga Kick
Giga Kick has come through his return to the track in good order and will trial before his second-up assignment in the Premiere Stakes. Trainer Clayton Douglas told Roger Oldridge for Dot Com And The Den Mondays, there were numerous factors against the 2022 Everest winner in Saturday’s Concorde Stakes.
Nolen's race against time for Wish
Jockey Luke Nolen has returned to riding less than five weeks after a fall at track work resulted in surgery to repair a perforated bowel. Nolen rode numerous horses at Pakenham jump outs on Tuesday for trainer Peter Moody, the man whom he has shared more than 800 race wins with, including 22 aboard the great Black Caviar.
Cox Plate? Pride will Think About It in '24
Joe Pride dreams of winning a Cox Plate and the newest star on the racing scene might be the horse to make it a reality. But it won't be this year. Think About It has won nine of his 10 career starts, including dual Queensland Group 1's at his past two, but his spring campaign will be focused on a tilt at the now $20 million The Everest rather than Australasia's weight-for-age classic.
Munro quick off the mark
It took apprentice jockey Danica Munro two rides to get her first winner and, if the opinion of her master, Liam Howley, is anything to go by, future success will not be in short supply. Howley was effusive in his praise of the 23-year-old, who turned her back on a career in criminology to follow her passion of riding horses.
Fame to chase Q22 glory
Peter Moody is set to get a better guide as to the class level of Queensland Derby runner-up Fame, with the gelding a likely starter in the weight-for-age Q22 at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Day. "Off the benchmark 64 at Moe, I think he did himself proud (in the Derby) and we might test that form," Moody said.
Olympic runners Caulfield expertise
“To be fair, I think the track is in amazing nick and I think it’s one of the years it’s been in the best condition; The track staff there have done an amazing job.” – Olympic runner, Stewart McSweyn. Why does the opinion of a track runner about a racecourse have any place on this site? Well, McSweyn’s knowledge of the track would arguably be akin to Damien Oliver, Luke Nolen or Jamie Kah, as he runs near countless laps on the surface preparing himself to take on the world.
Hill's broadcasting bucket list
For all that Matt Hill has accomplished behind the microphone, he still has a broadcast bucket list and, unsurprisingly given his Victorian heritage, an AFL Grand Final. “I get a dreadful case of FOMO when the grand final is on, I’m very envious of anyone who calls an AFL Grand Final,” Hill told Matt Welsh and Dr Turf on the latest A Good 3 podcast.
Hayes bros benefit from Irish trip
A podcast for racing fans who are casual to hard core. With the form, a look at the features and some fun, plus the key news headlines and tales from the trading floor of one of the country's leading bookies. From the widest gate to the rail, A Good 3 has you covered every Thursday.
Hayes: Why I love Brightside
A podcast for racing fans who are casual to hard core. With the form, a look at the features and some fun, plus the key news headlines and tales from the trading floor of one of the country's leading bookies. From the widest gate to the rail, A Good 3 has you covered every Thursday.
Story behind Williams breeches
Craig Williams, like all jockeys, puts his life on the line each time he races. Heading to war-torn Ukraine on multiple humanitarian missions earlier this year, that mentality meant fear didn’t overwhelm him as he, wife Larysa and their team delivered more than 100kg of medical supplies to the front line. Upon arrival though, the situation and the danger became acutely evident.
Stevenson stuff up pays off
Every punter has a story of heartbreak, but few have one where things go spectacularly and unintentionally right. The man who has been at the helm of Melbourne’s number one radio program for three decades, Ross Stevenson, has one such tale. “Because I am a responsible parent, we have a family quaddie every Saturday, everyone gets to pick a horse,” the 3AW breakfast host and racing tragic told racing.com’s A Good 3 podcast.
Punter's bad beat at The Valley
Ricky Ponting is universally known by both the nickname 'Punter' and as a ruthless competitor who doesn't like losing. In his playing days, he rarely did. As a punter, the outcome is beyond your control but, as he told The Valley's Cox Plate Centenary podcast, that doesn't make losing easier to deal with. Further to that, when the bet result is determined by your own horse, or in Ponting's case, wife Rhianna's, the taste of defeat is even more bitter.
Isotope on trial for Melbourne G1
Isotope doesn't like her home track of Eagle Farm, of that her trainer Tony Gollan is sure. But whether she likes Caulfield or racing on her Melbourne leg is still somewhat of a mystery and the answer will either open or close significant doors for the mare this spring. "I can't see why she won't, her style suits Caulfield," Gollan said of Isotope's chances ahead of her Melbourne debut in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes on Saturday.
Sadler prepares for next step
Tom Sadler knows it won’t be long until he gets his name in the race book as a partner to his dad John, but he’s under no illusion who’ll still be calling the shots. “With someone as experienced and successful as John’s been, I would be very arrogant or ignorant to think I’m going to overrule him or make a better decision than him,” Sadler Junior said on the latest addition of Racing.com’s A Good 3 podcast.
Jackson 'loving' learning from Smith
The name Shane Jackson is not an unfamiliar one in race books, but it's his appearance there in the role of trainer that might have some scratching their heads. The former jockey, best known for his work over the jumps, is Lindsey Smith's foreman at Warrnambool and a trainer in his own right. On Saturday he saddles up the only horse currently in his name, Group 2 winner Adelaide Ace. "He's not a bad little horse to have," Jackson said.
Which horse caught Bellamy's eye?
One of the most famous races in Australian history helped spark Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy's interest in racing for a reason which will surprise absolutely nobody with even a passing knowledge of how the super coach operates.
Thron Bone's incredible progression
When Thron Bone returned to work from an autumn spell, his trainer Jerome Hunter certainly didn’t think he’d be where he is three or so months later, lining up in a Group 3 with more than an a puncher’s chance. In saying that, the winter has gone exactly to plan. “I bought him back and thought I would just dodge the better horses over the winter, and it worked, but we’ve been racing against horses that aren’t aiming for the spring,” Hunter conceded.
Ebhaar a breath of fresh air
Ebhaar in breathing easier and, if she returns to the form she showed on debut, so too will trainers Peter and Paul Snowden. In winning the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at the back end of last spring, the I Am Invincible filly was set on a Golden Slipper path; two awful runs in and an average of 13 lengths off the winner and that plan was aborted. “She’s above average, that hasn’t left her, that ability,” Paul Snowden said.
Douglas hoping to Kick spring goals
Still in the fledgling stages of his life as a trainer, Clayton Douglas knows Saturday’s Group 3 Vain Stakes could be a step toward his goals, and the butterflies are gathering. “I’d say the nerves will be up there on Saturday morning, that’s for sure,” he said. Douglas is largely referring to the company he’ll keep in the mounting yard for that race; some of the biggest players in the game.
Another G1 star to emerge in Vain?
If you squint, you can almost see the start of the spring this weekend and the Vain Stakes has proved a reasonable form race moving forward, the quirk being it’s historically been the preparation after when winners rise to prominence. Let’s take a look at the last 20 years of the race. A Group 3 since 2012 and Listed race for the 20 years prior to that, the Vain Stakes has provided eight individual Group 1 winners from its honour roll of the last two decades.
Black-type beckons for Moody mare
Peter Moody will give undefeated mare Chain of Lightning her shot at stakes level before deciding what might come next in the spring The now-four-year-old extended her picket fence to four with an eye-catching win in the final event of Saturday’s Flemington card, a BM84 over 1100m, and will now head to the G3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield on the opening Group 1 day of the new season.
Test for Moody's unbeaten Lightning
Last Saturday week at Caulfield, the Peter Moody-trained Chain of Lightning was the subject of a significant betting move when she was backed from as much as $5 with some operators into $2.70 favourite. As she began running the circuit alongside the Ken and Kasey Keys-trained Lempicka without a jockey on her back and before the starter had signalled them to, there was a collective groan from punters who’d believed her to be a near ‘sure thing’.
Darwin Cup hero set for Maher
Darwin Cup winner Playoffs will return to Melbourne and into the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace after his successful northern exposure, however a return to defend his crown is already in the planning stages. The six-year-old, who spent just over two months in the Top End in the care of the Territory’s leading trainer Gary Clarke, had two starts on the unique Darwin surface for two wins, including Monday’s $200,000 Cup.
Sphere fills punters' pockets
Rising Sphere didn’t claim a feature over the Darwin Racing Carnival, but he was, statistically, the most dominant horse of Cup Week. The former Victorian galloper who, until earlier this year was trained by Phillip Stokes, claimed his maiden Top End win last Wednesday by more than six lengths, before destroying his rivals again on Cup Day winning by almost three.
Spring major on the cards for Boogie
Boogie Dancer has earned a break on the back of three successive wins, however her holiday will be short lived with the Thousand Guineas the key spring target for the talented Sooboog filly. “We definitely think the Thousand Guineas is on the radar now, I spoke to Moods (Peter Moody) and he said we’ll definitely head that way,” Managing owner Wylie Dalziel confirmed.
Coleman's training ambition
With the new racing season upon us, a training partnership between Peter Moody and his assistant Katherine Coleman appears imminent with the latter giving the clearest indication yet, the union is but a formality. “Hopefully in the not-to-distant future, it will be a, not sure if we’ll have a Coleman and Moody or a Moody and Coleman, but we’ll see how we go,” Coleman said with a laugh on the latest edition of Racing.com’s A Good 3 podcast.
HQ base pivotal to Snowden success
With a two-year-old double at The Valley on Saturday, Team Snowden appears well-placed to play a key role in Melbourne Spring’s Carnival and their Flemington base could prove key to their success. “It’s a tool and coming into carnival time is when it’s at its most excessive,” Paul Snowden said of the Flemington base.
Doudle chases Glorious hat trick
Before he’d even seen the final field for Saturday’s opener at Moonee Valley, Travis Doudle felt things must have lined up well for Not Usual Glorious. “The phone is starting to tingle so I think there’s a few people starting to get excited about it,” the trainer said. When this journalist informed him of his rivals, just five of them, I could almost here him crack a smile when responding.
Snowden's Valley reconnaissance mission
A two-year-old from the Snowden stable headed to Melbourne translates into a ‘Get On’ for some punters. This Saturday, weather dependent, two Team Snowden juveniles will make the trip south, but this is more a reconnaissance mission than a Melbourne kill. “This horse, if he can get around The Valley, he’s very quick so it’ll tell us more about where he sits and what he can handle,” Paul Snowden said of Alpha One, who’ll contest the colts and gelding 955m handicap.
Light spring for Raider
Jerome Hunter has just one eye on the spring for his exciting filly Barb Raider with his primary focus the autumn of 2023. “I’ll only be giving her a couple of runs and mainly aim her for the autumn so she’s a well-developed four-year-old,” Hunter said of the soon to be mare.
Bookmaker blindsided by POC hike
Tristan Merlehan, the Chief Executive of bookmaker Top Sport, said his company was completely blindsided by last week’s decision by the ACT Government to raise the Point of Consumption Tax in the territory to 20 per cent. “I was sitting at home and jumped on Twitter and saw a tweet from a reporter (SMH Chris Roots) saying there was a letter to some bookmakers, and we certainly weren’t included on that,” Merlehan told the A Good 3 podcast.
Payne granted permission to ride
Michelle Payne will ride on for another year with Racing Victoria permitting the 36-year-old to renew her licence despite missing the threshold of 24 rides in the 2021-22 season. Payne, who has a dual jockey and trainer licence and focuses largely on the latter, had just 12 rides this past season, 10 for herself and two for brother Patrick, both of which won.
Thron Bone to warm up winter racing
Thron Bone is the type of horse which can excite a racing fan in the depths of winter racing. A two-year-old who, off the back of a couple of city wins in June and July has one asking the question, has he found his mark or could he progress as the season changes? “He’s definitely got ability (but) has he got the ability to win a Group race, we won’t know until he is up against harder opposition,” a measured Jerome Hunter said of his horse.
'Dizzying' Meter set for 200 ... again
Not since Jason Gillespie’s 201 against Bangladesh in 2006 has a double century by a South Australian been so celebrated. Flow Meter, eight days shy of his 13th birthday and therefor forced retirement under racing rules, will make his 200th start on Saturday, the first horse in the modern era – and potentially only one in Australian racing history - to reach the mark.
Where to now for Flow Meter?
Flow Meter will get to start 200 and maybe even to start 201 before retirement at the end of this month despite the abandonment of Sunday’s Bordertown meet delaying the celebrations.
Moody's patient approach with 2YO
Acceptances will tell you Peter Moody will take a big team to Flemington on Saturday, but whether that's what happens will be up to Mother Nature. Moody scratched exciting Zoustar filly Tapin' Three from last Saturday's two-year-old race at Caulfield and will have no hesitation doing the same again this week should she strike another wet track.
Douglas expects plenty from Giga Kick
Giga Kick has done nothing wrong since arriving at Clayton Douglas' stables as a yearling. He's won both his jumpouts, his only official trial and smashed his rivals on debut at Sale in February by more than four lengths, however, Saturday's two-year-old handicap down the Flemington straight will likely tell his trainer much more than all of that combined. "Saturday will probably tell us where he measures up in the scheme of things," Douglas said.
Milkybar Kid makes Sydney history
Remember the name The Milkybar Kid because, if you don't, it could well trip you up at a trivia night down the track. The three-year-old gelding, who is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and who has just a 62-handicap rating, is now the shortest-priced Sydney winner since last century.
Zac De Boss demands extra run
Simon Zahra had more than a couple of reasons not to run Zac De Boss in Saturday's Listed Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final: he is at or near the end of a long preparation, off the back of a shorter-than-usual turnaround and potentially at a tick beyond his best distance. Ultimately though, the horse told him through his actions that he wanted to run.
Bumper day for Bennett Racing?
The colours are becoming increasingly prominent, and Saturday could be the ultimate breakout day for Bennett Racing. The syndicator will have runners in three races on finals day at Flemington, all of them at or near the top of their respective betting markets. "If we walk out with one win, I would be happy because I know how hard it is, but I think we have three genuine each-way chances," Nathan Bennett said of his prospects.
Champion Bomber's French connection
A podcast for racing fans who are casual to hard core. With the form, a look at the features and some fun, plus the key news headlines and tales from the trading floor of one of the country’s leading bookies. From the widest gate to the rail, A Good 3 has you covered every Thursday.
Freedman's Flemington triple threat
If Mitch Freedman has taken three runners to Flemington on a Saturday, he can't remember and, if you'd done it, you'd remember. "It'd be a fair while if I've even done it, but yeah, I don't think so," he said. The trainer will float staying mare Mahashakti, promising filly Vagrant and first starter Ostile from his Ballarat base with varying degrees of expectation. His best hope is Vagrant after a debut win at Swan Hill where she got herself in and then out of trouble at 1200m.
Fresh start for Brazilian arrival
There’s a new international ‘man’ of mystery in Phillip Stokes’ Pakenham stable. A four-year-old Brazilian entire who’s arrived via Hong Kong that even the trainer himself knows very little about. “He’s just arrived here, he’s a stallion, he raced in a Brazilian Derby, I haven’t watched the replay and I don’t know how to pull that up, but I’ll let you find that on the internet,” Stokes said.
Bedggood's breakout season
Gavin Bedgood is no ‘one-trick pony’ when it comes to placing his horses and the raw numbers will tell you, it’s a successful modus operandi. The Cranbourne-based former jockey turned rider agent turned trainer has been at his current profession since 2017 and is having comfortably his best season to date.
Meet 'the luckiest guy alive'
If Lawrie Mayfield-Smith isn’t 71 yet, he will be by the time this year is out. His answer to my question of his age displayed the dry sense of humour that would become more evident over the next 20 minutes of our chat. “I’m a ’51 foal,” he said. Lawrie is the middle of the three Mayfield-Smith brothers, all horse trainers: Eldest, Brian, had 10 Group 1 wins and youngest, Noel, has five.
Saturday Adelaide raid for Smith
Take a look at Lindsey Smith's acceptances for Saturday and you'll see something out of the ordinary: one at Caulfield, another at Belmont and six at Morphettville. Don't be fooled though, this is no Lindsey Smith sting or, if it is, his poker face is elite. "They're not good enough, I don't think," Smith said of the sextet. Not good enough for Melbourne Saturday grade he means, but hopefully more than capable across the border.
Thornton hopeful for Hustle's finale
Brooklyn Hustle and Stephanie Thornton will team up in Saturday's Tatts Tiara, both chasing their maiden Group 1 win, with one at the very end of her career and the other with much more still to be achieved. Brooklyn Hustle will contest her 15th G1 on Saturday before heading to the breeding barn, while Thornton will contest her sixth top-flight race, with a second aboard Gotta Kiss in the 2020 J.J. Atkins her best result.
Eustace's special Royal Ascot win
David Eustace has done a lot in a relatively short space of time as a trainer and now his big brother appears to be following a similar trajectory. Harry Eustace has a 100 per cent runners to winners strike rate at the famed Royal Ascot carnival. Granted, he’s only had one runner, but Latin Lover’s win in the last race of Day 4 proved a landmark victory for Harry and his little brother was beaming with pride from the other side of the globe.
Boss likely to bypass final
Simon Zahra will wait the week before deciding whether to push on the Winter Sprint Series final with Zac De Boss but he left little doubt which way he’s leaning. “I don’t want to run him for the sake of running him because the final is there,” Zahra said on Sunday morning after the gelding’s win at Flemington the day prior.
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