HORSE RACING FAMILY, friends and avid racegoers flocked to Mornington racecourse for the first time in 18 months with over 2,000 people attending Sunday’s Peninsula Cup meeting. It was a sign of things returning to normal with COVID restrictions easing and the weather holding up perfectly for one of the club’s biggest meetings. The roar of the crowd was back in full swing and was electric as the final favourite for the day, Confrontational, saluted in the last for local Mornington trainers Jason Warren and Dean Krongold. This year’s Peninsula Cup saw the easing race-favourite Imperial Lad run a game…
Author: Ben Triandafillou
HORSE RACING TONY Noonan may not have trained the winner but he got just as much satisfaction out of seeing Tutukaka take out the Listed Geelong Classic on Wednesday 20 October. Tutukaka, who is trained by Noonan’s good friend Tony Pike in New Zealand, has been based at his Mornington stables for the last two months as he prepares for a tilt at the $2million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m). After having two runs at Flemington, Tutukaka swooped home from the rear of the field to win the Geelong Classic (2200m) by just under a length and was seemingly getting…
HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols says he couldn’t have Streets of Avalon going any better heading into the Group One Manikato Stakes (1200m) on Friday night. Looking to land his third Group One victory, Streets of Avalon has been off the scene since finishing a length away in the Group Two Feehan Stakes in early September. Mornington-based trainer Shane Nichols said there just hasn’t been a suitable race for the gelding until now. “We could’ve gone to the Moonga Stakes (1400m) but the track was going to be rain affected and that wasn’t ideal for us,” he said. “He’s always gone…
HORSE RACING MATT Laurie’s Group 1 winning colt Portland Sky has been retired and will head to Widden Stud next year. Laurie, who announced the news on Thursday 7 October, said he felt the now best-performed son of Deep Field wasn’t going to be able to perform at his very best moving forward. “His body just wasn’t going to allow him to showcase what he’s actually capable of, so we had to make the call,” he said. “We got to see a good glimpse of what he can do and if you got one like him every year or two…
HORSE RACING MATT Jenkins is keen to take the next step in his training career and join forces with established trainer David Brideoake before the year’s end. Jenkins, who has worked as the assistant trainer to Brideoake for the past year, is aiming to lodge his trainers license by November before taking on the co-training role at the Mornington-based stable. The 28-year-old said he’s looking forward to commencing his next chapter in racing and overseeing the stable that currently has 44 horses in work. “David’s given me a great opportunity and I’m looking to repay him by bringing everything I…