HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols’ dual Group 1 winner Streets of Avalon won’t defend his Orr Stakes title this Saturday at Caulfield. The highest earning son of Magnus made a sound return when running fifth first-up in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago, but Mornington-based trainer Shane Nichols said he wasn’t entirely happy with the results of the gelding’s recent blood tests. Nichols said he’s happy to wait a week before making a decision on where to head next. “It was a good return but he didn’t handle the soft track, he needs it fairly firm,” Nichols said.…
Author: Ben Triandafillou
HORSE RACING IT was one of the underdogs that claimed this year’s $7,000 Balnarring Cup at the annual Australia Day meeting, but it certainly seemed popular based on the crowd’s jubilant reaction. Almost 4,000 spectators braved the heat to attend the Balnarring Cup meeting which saw Cranbourne-based trainer Mal Watts claim the feature race with her only horse in work, See It All ($13). Watts’ five-year drought without a winner came to an end as Mornington-based jockey Marie-Melodie Pomarede guided the six-year-old gelding to a short head victory. The fortune was certainly on Pomarede’s side as she picked up the…
HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based jockey Matthew Cartwright will be looking to keep his hot streak rolling after riding a winner at every meeting he attended last week. The 19-year-old apprentice’s week kicked off in perfect fashion on Tuesday 18 January where he went to Moe for just the one ride aboard the Ken and Kasey Keys-trained Poleaxed and duly saluted. Cartwright then notched up a winning double at Sandown the following day aboard Cardigan Queen and Zachaz for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace before landing another winner at Flemington on the Friday. His success culminated in a winning treble at The…
HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols didn’t leave wondering ‘what could’ve been’ after forking out $800,000 to purchase the first foal out of his Group 1 winning mare I Am A Star. Nichols, who trained the mother to 10 victories, including 9 at Group class level, paid up for the Deep Field colt (lot 125) at Tuesday’s opening session of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The Mornington-based trainer said he expected a large price tag on the bold chestnut colt but was thrilled to see some similar characteristics to his brilliant mare I Am A Star. “He’s a pretty nice…
HORSE RACING SMALL but speedy mare Florescent Star secured Mornington-based trainers Amy and Ash Yargi with their first metropolitan winner for the season. After having a luckless run first-up at Moonee Valley, Florescent Star bounced straight back into the winner’s stall on Saturday when winning at her first look down the Flemington straight (1100m). The gutsy mare sat in behind the speed before gradually building momentum and striking the lead in the final 200m. Despite being short in stature, she showed plenty of fight to hold off the fast-finishing Grahame Begg-trained Vespertine with Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Award Winner finishing…