Author: Ben Triandafillou

HORSE RACING IT was a day to remember for Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie and the Pinecliff, Mt Eliza-based partnership of Anthony and Sam Freedman as they rose to the fore in two of the three Group One features at Caulfield on Saturday 20 February. Bypassing a winnable Group Three Zeditave Stakes (1200m) on the same day, Matt Laurie masterfully pulled the right string by running his up-and-coming three-year-old colt Portland Sky in the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m). Utilising his natural speed and his allocated light-weight of 50kg, apprentice jockey Teodore Nugent shot clear aboard Portland Sky half way down…

HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols’ gutsy galloper Streets of Avalon has dug deep to bring up his second Group One victory in Saturday’s C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Having claimed the Group One Futurity Stakes over the same track and trip a year ago, Streets of Avalon once again fought hard to fend off the challenges and land a half-length victory over the Chris Waller-trained Imaging in Saturday’s feature race. There was a roar on course as jockey Zac Spain saluted aboard the gelding to ride his first Group One winner and bring up Mornington-based trainer Shane Nichols’ third Group…

HORSE RACING MATT Laurie’s promising sprinter Portland Sky has made amends for his unsuccessful trip to Queensland with an all-the-way victory in the $160,000 Group Three Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Having finished at the back of the field in the Group Three Vo Rogue Stakes (1400m) at his only run in Queensland in January, Portland Sky bounced back into form at Caulfield to land a three-quarters of a length victory. The three-year-old son of Deep Field held off the challenges of some talented gallopers with the Caulfield Guineas runners-up Aysar and last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer Matt Laurie had a week to remember after saddling up four winners and a second placing from five runners last week. Laurie kicked off the week with a winner at Mornington on Tuesday 15 December as American Saint broke through to win her maiden at start number five. He then followed up the success with a winning double at Yarra Valley on Friday as Yulong Island and Jenni Express also removed their maiden tags in comfortable fashion. Heading to The Valley on Friday night, the resuming Malicorne brought up the stables fourth straight winner with a…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainers David and Coral Feek have continued their successful raid on Sydney racing with their gutsy gelding I Am Vinnie. Bringing up his third victory at Randwick and remaining unbeaten in New South Wales, I Am Vinnie proved too good for his opposition to win the $125,000 Fujitsu General Handicap (1400m) by a length on Saturday 12 December. Despite being pocketed with 300m to run, jockey Jake Noonan navigated a clear passage aboard the gelding to overhaul his rivals and skip away to score a one length victory over the Kris Lees-trained Juventus. Co-trainer David Feek said…

HORSE RACING MATT Laurie’s progressive mare Sayumi has broken her maiden tag in comfortable fashion with a win first-up at The Valley on Friday 4 December. The four-year-old daughter of Sebring had placed in three of her four starts before being sidelined for eight months with a slight strain to her suspensory. Returning first-up and winning with her ears pricked by half-of-a-length in town, Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie believes the layoff has made a “world of difference” for the promising mare. “She’s really thickened up into a lovely style of mare now,” Laurie said after Sayumi’s maiden victory. “I thought…

HORSE RACING CHAMPION Mornington-based racehorse trainer Jim Marconi passed away last Monday 23 November aged 87. Leaving behind a remarkable legacy, Marconi swiftly moved from a late-blooming picnic trainer in his mid-40s in 1978 to becoming a multiple Group One winning professional owner/trainer over the next two decades with the feats of Cossack Prince, Rancho Ruler and King Marauding to name a few. But, it wasn’t just racing that Marconi succeeded at. Despite setbacks throughout his life, he always found a way to turn it into an opportunity. Before immigrating to Australia in his mid-20s, Marconi found a way to…

HORSE RACING THE New Zealander’s Brett Scott and Michael Walker have combined to take out the $500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup with the inform stayer Irish Flame on Saturday 21 November. Notching up a hattrick of wins in his first prep with Mornington-based trainer Brett Scott, Irish Flame was forced to sit wide for the entirety of the 2000m trip but still proved too tough for his rivals to land a narrow neck victory over the Dan O’Sullivan-trained and race favourite, Affair To Remember. Irish Flame, who had won races at Flemington and Moonee Valley at his past two starts with…

HORSE RACING JEROME Hunter’s talented sprinter Our Luca has broken his two-year winless drought with a commanding victory at The Valley on Friday 13 November. The Graebar Park-owned gelding had been winless since he clocked up three straight victories at The Valley at the end of 2018, but finally returned to somewhere near his best in the 1200m contest under the hands of Mornington-based apprentice jockey Campbell Rawiller. Bringing up a winning double on the night for Rawiller, Our Luca ran his rivals off their legs by setting up a strong tempo up front before gaining a winning break turning…

HORSE RACING AFTER suffering setback after setback, Mornington-based apprentice jockey Celine Gaudray has managed to not only ride her first winner, but notch up a winning double at Traralgon on Saturday 31 October. Having fractured her back and knee in a race fall at her fourth race ride in July, Gaudray is still as confident as ever after breaking through to ride her first winner for her boss Pat Carey. Making the most of her four-kilo claim, Gaudray led all the way aboard Pat Carey’s Tippitywichit to win her first ever race by just under two lengths at her 25th…

HORSE RACING DAVID Brideoake’s Group One winning mare Princess Jenni spoiled the internationals Melbourne Cup party to win the $400,000 Group Three Bendigo Cup last Wednesday. Despite having been winless for over a year, Princess Jenni took control of the race at the top of the straight before fending off the challenge of the Lloyd Williams-owned import, Pondus, who was having his final crack at gaining a Melbourne Cup start, to win by a head-margin. The Archie Alexander-trained Haky finished a further two lengths away in third. Stepping up to the 2400m trip for the first time in her career,…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer Matt Laurie has struck Group class success with promising colt Portland Sky at The Valley on Saturday 24 October. The three-year-old son of Deep Field, who broke his maiden status on the Ballarat Synthetic track just two months ago, has quickly risen through the grades to win the $200,000 Group Three Red Anchor Stakes (1200m). Ridden by jockey Ben Melham, the exciting prospect made every post a winner at his fourth career start to win by three-quarters of a length over the Lindsay Park-trained Bella Nipotina, with the Godolphin-owned Valaquenta finishing a further length away in…

HORSE RACING THE Jason Warren and Dean Krongold partnership has immediately struck winning form with new stable acquisition Ruby Skye on Sunday 18 October. Formerly in the hands of Sylvia Thompson, the seven-year-old mare has thrived in her new surroundings at Denistoun Park to win her way into the $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Series on Kennedy Oaks day (November 5). With her last win coming up eight months ago, Ruby Skye shot straight back to somewhere near her best to take out Heat Five of the Country Series first-up for her new stable at Kilmore. Weaving a passage from…

HORSE RACING PINECLIFF, Mount Eliza-based trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman remain adamant on bypassing the VRC Derby with promising colt Ain’tnodeeldun despite claiming the Listed Hill Smith Stakes (1800m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Co-trainer Anthony Freedman believes the $2million VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday 31 October will come up too soon for the improving Dundeel three-year-old. “He still has some maturing to do so I don’t want to give him a gut buster in the Derby,” Anthony Freedman said on the Freedman Racing website. “I think he will be a better horse in the autumn so we will give him…

HORSE RACING MATT Laurie’s Bendigo Guineas winner, Riddle Me That, returned to his best on Saturday 3 October to take out the $175,000 Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. After throwing in an ‘out of the ordinary’ run at Caulfield at his prior start, it had left Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie questioning whether there was anything wrong with his ever-consistent four-year-old gelding. “We were very happy with the horse going into his last run but he just went terrible,” Laurie said. “He pulled up poorly, but we couldn’t find anything wrong with him so we pressed on. We threw…

HORSE RACING CHRIS and John Meagher’s speedy mare, Pippie, ran her rivals off their legs to take out the Group One Moir Stakes and pick up her second Group One success on Friday 25 September at The Valley. The five-year-old daughter of Written Tycoon extended her flawless first-up record to four wins by making every post a winner in the feature $1million sprint. Replicating her first-up win in the Group One Oakleigh Plate last preparation, Pippie again utilised her blistering early speed and controlled the race before holding on to land a 0.8-length victory over Godolphin’s Trekking and the Will…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer Dean Binaisse broke through for an elusive Group-class victory on Saturday 19 September with his ever-consistent mare, Felicia. Having previously placed six times at black-type level, Binaisse finally broke through with his four-year-old daughter of Unencumbered, as she convincingly put away a handy field in the $160,000 Group Three How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. Ridden by Craig Williams, Felicia sat up on the speed before finding plenty in the straight to kick clear for a comfortable two-length victory ahead of the Mitchell Freedman-trained Broadwayandfourth and the Chris Waller-trained Fiesta. The win brought up Williams’ third…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer Rachael Frost landed her first black-type race at Flemington on Saturday 12 September with her inform gelding, Travimyfriend. The eight-year-old son of Tavistock had relished the wet tracks of late to pick up a win and second placing at Caulfield in his three prior runs, but demonstrated on Saturday that he’s not just a mudlark. With the rain setting in later than expected at Flemington, Travimyfriend did what he had never done before and saluted on a good surface for the first time in his career. Ridden by Dean Yendall, the gelding sat at the rear…

HORSE RACING THE 100 per cent strike rate continues for Mornington-based trainer Clayton Douglas as his sole runner to date, Barocha, brought up his second straight victory at Geelong on Sunday 6 September. Coming off a five-length maiden romp at Sale last month, Barocha once again demonstrated that he’s a serious city class talent by scoring a two-and-a-half length victory in benchmark 64 grade. The four-year-old gelding by Ilovethiscity settled three-wide with cover at the rear of the field before steaming straight past his rivals in the straight and landing a comfortable win under the guidance of jockey, and Douglas’…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based trainer David Brideoake has unveiled another promising ‘Jen’ at Sale on Sunday 30 August with Peskijen breaking through for a convincing win on debut. Brideoake, who claimed Group One glory with Princess Jenni last year and landed a dominant debut victory with Jenni’s Rainbow earlier this month, added Peskijen to the list of handy fillies he has in work. Peskijen backed up her promising jumpouts with a decisive three-quarters-of-a-length victory in the second race at Sale. Despite sitting three-wide the entire trip, the three-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls still proved too good for the Tony and Calvin…

HORSE RACING SHANE Nichols is confident his Group One winner Streets Of Avalon can get back into form on Saturday when he contests the Group One Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. After making a top return in the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes when finishing runners-up to the Godolphin-owned Viridine, Streets of Avalon failed to fire second-up when striking a soft track at Caulfield a fortnight ago. Ridden by Ben Melham, the six-year-old gelding sat in behind the pace before sliding out three-wide at the 1000m mark when the pace slackened up front. The son of Magnus was unable to pick…

HORSE RACING CLAYTON Douglas has begun his training career in sensational fashion with his heavily backed debutant, Barocha, providing plenty of entertainment at Sale on Thursday 13 August. The Mornington-based trainer saw his very first runner get backed in from $6 into $1.75 after showing plenty of ability at the Mornington jumpouts, including a comfortable win in a heat that included the Group 1 winner Princess Jenni and Melbourne Cup hopeful Steel Prince. The addition of an unidentified viral text message spruik sent out the day prior to his debut added to the drama. While not all the facts were…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based racehorse trainer David Brideoake unveiled an exciting three-year-old filly on the Pakenham synthetic on Tuesday 4 August. Donning the Group One-winning purple and blue checked silks, Jenni’s Rainbow settled quietly at the rear of the field before searching for a run at the top of the straight. She wasn’t able to gain clear running until the 250m mark but once she straightened up, the daughter of More Than Ready steamed home in the fastest last 200m of the day (11.00 seconds) to land a convincing three-length victory. With the Spring just on the horizon, trainer David Brideoake…

HORSE RACING JASON Warren’s star mare Brooklyn Hustle returned in sensational fashion on Saturday 1 August with a dominant victory at The Valley. Reminiscent of her debut victory at the track as a two-year-old, Brooklyn Hustle settled at the rear of the field before storming past her rivals in a matter of strides to take out the benchmark 78 event by a comfortable 3.5-lengths. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Group class performed mare who had to overcome some traffic issues rounding the bend, but her electrifying turn of foot and a well-executed ride by jockey Dwayne Dunn paid…

HORSE RACING MORNINGTON-based racehorse trainer Shane Nichols is hoping an early start to his Group One winner, Streets of Avalon’s, preparation can pay dividends in the coming months. Nichols had Streets of Avalon kick off his preparation in the Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on Saturday 25 July where the five-year-old gelding made a promising resumption to finish in second place behind the Godolphin-owned Viridine. “He ran super and presented really well,” trainer Shane Nichols said. “He looked the winner but Viridine just got up on the fence and he’s Group One placed over 1200m so it’s a pretty good…

HORSE RACING IN form apprentice jockey Campbell Rawiller was crowned this season’s RMBL Investments Rising Stars Series champion at Flemington on Saturday 18 July. The Mornington-based apprentice jockey had an unassailable lead heading into the final event of the Series, but still managed to claim second aboard the Grahame Begg-trained Beauty Bolt and collect a further six points to add to his total. Rawiller, who has ridden 73 winners since debuting in September, finished 10 points clear of Teo Nugent and a further 19 points ahead of Lewis German who claimed third. The 19-year-olds victory emulated the success of his…

HORSE RACING IT’S been just over a year since her last winner, but Mornington-based trainer Rachael Frost was back with a bang on Saturday 11 July breaking through for a comfortable victory at Caulfield. The former New Zealander saddled up her highest rated runner, Travimyfriend (88 rating), in the $100,000 Handicap race and finally got all the conditions to suit her seven-year-old gelding. Having been up against the race shape and pattern at his past three starts, Travimyfriend finally drew a gate (barrier 2) and had the soft conditions to suit on Saturday. The son of Tavistock was given a…

HORSE RACING MORNINTGON-based trainer Terry Walsh landed his first winner in almost a year with his stable star, Kalashani Lad, on Wednesday 1 July. Walsh, who has two horses in work, continued his affinity with the Sandown Racecourse to take out the sixth race with his nine-year-old gelding Kalashani Lad. Kalashani Lad, who has picked up his last three wins at the track, once again returned to winning form with jockey Luke Nolen in the saddle. Sitting in-behind the leading pack, the homebred gelding of Victoria’s Mr K Cox peeled off their backs rounding the turn before proving too strong…

HORSE RACING TRAINER Dean Binaisse has topped off a remarkable comeback with a three-year-old filly that was twice recommended to be put down following an unsuccessful knee operation last year. Following a breakthrough victory at Caulfield on Saturday 28 June, Binaisse explained the long journey taken to get Felicia back to not only full health but to be competitive in city class races after the ownership group were told to expect the worst. The former Matthew Seyers-trained Felicia was unbeaten as a two-year-old in Adelaide winning twice by a combined margin of more than eight lengths before suffering a bone…

HORSE RACING DAVID and Coral Feek’s talented filly, Ocean Miss, made a winning return to racing on Thursday 18 June by scoring a decisive win at Seymour. The fourth placegetter in last year’s Group Three Ethereal Stakes, showed her class to win over 1300m with 60kg in what was a tight drive to the line. Coming from off midfield, the three-year-old daughter of Ocean Park got to the outside and hit her straps in the straight to hold off the fast-finishing challenge from the Busuttin/Young-trained The Executioner. Despite failing to fire in the Group One Kennedy Oaks in the Spring,…