As has been the theme through the winter sprints, the winner appears well concealed in the Listed $125,000 Belmont Newmarket (1200m) on Saturday with several runners fighting for favouritism.
Hayden King
Nascent reinsman Liam Elliott is daring to dream big this Friday night when he stares down a maiden Group 1 victory with Seaside Serenade in the $250,000 Diamond Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park.
South Australian-based trainer Michael Hickmottt celebrated a fourth win in Monday’s $220,000 Darwin Cup (2050m), though not with the horse many thought as Watadeel raced away with the region feature.
Flemington was full of drama for the Group 3 Aurie’s Star (1200m) on Saturday with the post-time removal of a race favourite and protest, though Boomtown Boss survived the trials to salute.
Dan and Ben Pearce will start the previous two winners of Belmont’s Jockey Celebration Day Stakes (1400m) in that event on Saturday with a three-pronged attack on the $100,000 feature.
Cult jumps hero Stern Idol will bow out farewell at Sandown’s Lakeside course on Sunday as he chases a fourth-straight Crisp Steeplechase (4200m).
A competitive field is engaged for Saturday’s $100,000 Jockey Celebration Day Stakes (1400m) at Belmont with punters struggling to decipher the puzzle.
WA gallops trainer Mike Santich’s ban for punching his Perth winner Angels Impact will not automatically end in October after disturbing footage emerged of him striking a horse in another incident.
Ernie Manning
Emerging talent Abbey Vidovich has been selected to represent WA in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship in New Zealand later this year.
Boutique trainer Murray Lindau will have the distinction of starting two runners in next Friday’s Diamond Classic Final (2130m) after Im Catastrophic and Our Robyn Hood qualified in Monday’s heats.
Cosmic Crusader has firmed to a $3.40 favourite for Saturday’s Group 3 $200,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield after drawing barrier one.
A two-kilo weight swing and a more favourable alley are expected to work in favour of Twisted Steel in the H G Bolton Sprint with punters supporting him in his quest to reverse the form on Immortal Bliss.
Top WA galloper Cosmic Crusader will begin his Victorian push as favourite in Saturday’s Group 3 $200,00 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Progressive galloper Amaroo Star took some notable scalps and sounded a warning ahead of his raceday reappearance when successful in a 1000m Belmont trial on Monday morning.
Urquharts Bluff produced yet another boilover result to salute at Belmont on Saturday, scoring at long odds for the second time in three weeks.
Shaping as a match race between the best of the boys and a gloried girl, the Belmont Classic delivered a pulsating duel between Westbound and Ladies Pro with the latter gaining a narrow edge in the dying part.
The Listed $125,000 Belmont Classic (2200m) shapes as a battle between the boys and girls with Westbound and Ladies Pro dominating the betting for Saturday’s headliner.
Leap To Fame will become a true Inter Dominion immortal should he salute for the third time in harness racing’s biggest prize at Albion Park on Saturday, though he will need his best performance yet to win.
Leap To Fame may need to fight his toughest war yet in a gloried career to again hold the Group 1 Inter Dominion trophy aloft as the southern hemisphere’s greatest-ever pacer bids for his third championship.
Just eight runners have nominated to start in Saturday’s Listed $125,000 Belmont Classic (2200m), however, both the top filly and gelding of recent weeks are set to meet.
Miss Envy confirmed herself amongst the greatest dogs ever produced by WA with a stirring Group 1 Queensland Cup triumph at the Q on Saturday, certifying a record-breaking third greyhound of the year title.
Regarded the greatest pacer of all time, Leap To Fame is set to start at rare odds after a dramatic barrier draw for this year’s Group 1 $1 million Inter Dominion (2680m) at Queensland’s Albion Park.
Immortal Bliss stamped himself as a sprinter to watch, making a sparkling return to racing by saluting in the Listed $125,000 Beaufine Stakes (1000m) at Belmont.
Winnasedge justified favouritism and enhanced his impressive Caulfield course record when taking Saturday’s Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m).
