CLASSY Newcastle three-year-old Rivellino begins a new campaign at the weekend at the track where he has claimed all his three wins to date. And the colt’s leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is eyeing the Group 1 Randwick Guineas at Royal Randwick on March 7 as the prime autumn target. The 1600m Guineas, which Lees won with Le Romain (Christian Reith) in 2016, and very nearly again the following year when Invincible Gem (Brenton Avdulla) was pipped by Inference, carries a $1

JACK Pilkington says Alabama State is “like family”. Understandably so given the Alabama Express four-year-old has provided him with his four career victories; the latest at Rosehill Gardens yesterday when he overcame the outside barrier and gave weight to all his rivals. Jockey James McDonald couldn’t get cover on the gelding, who started a $4.60 third favorite in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1350m), but it mattered not as he burst to the front in the straight and score

FABIO Martino never doubted he could get a breakthrough victory in town with Tokyo Star. It’s been a few years in the making, but it came true at Canterbury Friday night. The 33-year-old Hawkesbury trainer put his name up in lights in town when Tokyo Star ($4.60), given a superb Tommy Berry ride, took out the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m). It was Martino’s 14 th career success and third with Tokyo Star – and understandably it meant a lot to him. “I have always believed in th

BEN Osmond is switching states to have a crack at south-east Queensland racing as his days as an apprentice draw closer to an end. Osmond will remain with leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, but joins his Gold Coast stable. He flies north today, and will ride Bengal Boy for his boss at Eagle Farm tomorrow in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1600m). “Ben has ridden 128 career winners, including 30 metropolitan and 58 at the provincials,” stable spokesman Danny Greer said this morni

JACK Pilkington chased the world’s best jockey for Alabama State, and is hoping James McDonald can weave his “magic” at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Irrespective of the result however, Alabama State is headed for the spelling paddock afterwards and won’t compete in the forthcoming Provincial-Midway Championships series. The Hawkesbury trainer accepted with the four-year-old in two races on Saturday, and opted for the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1350m) rather than the Bench

LEADING Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price have already won their home track’s richest race in spring (the $1m The Gong with ill-fated Count De Rupee in 2021). Now the father and son team is setting sights on also landing Illawarra Turf Club’s autumn feature, the $250,000 Kembla Grange Classic. Run at set weights plus penalties, the 1600m Group 3 for three-year-old fillies is the target for lightly-raced Aisle Two, who made a successful return to racing at home today.

NEIL Mumford is a “bright spark” indeed! Not only does he have his own busy electrical business, but somehow finds time to also collect books. Some three to four thousand of them. But these are not the books most readers would keep. In fact they are racebooks – and this avid collector has scouted long and hard over many a year to add them to his stockpile. And he doesn’t mind paying to secure books he wants to have. Mumford says he started this “hobby” more than three or so d

SHE is regarded by her trainer as “pretty special”, and is the early favorite to win the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final. Unbeaten in three starts this campaign and five wins from nine starts overall, Oui Oui Oui (pictured) heads betting at $6 in the first PMC market issued by TAB.com.au . Only two horses are under double figures, with last year’s winner Matcha Latte next at $8. Matcha Latte was an excellent first-up third in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at

AUSTRALIA Day will always hold a special place in Shannen Llewellyn’s heart! The Newcastle apprentice at only her third day of metropolitan riding broke through in town at Warwick Farm today – and returned there on a special mission to achieve it. It was at the same track where the 24-year-old, indentured to Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle, made her city debut on Aroha Stone at a midweek fixture on July 2 and was narrowly beaten. She had easily won a race on the same mare at G

SLOW and steady wins the race! It’s a well-worn proverb Shannen Llewellyn is adhering to – and it’s working for the 24-year-old Newcastle apprentice. Llewellyn, who has been riding for not quite two years, lifted her winning tally to 108 when she clinched a two-track double for Newcastle trainer Dave Atkins, on $4.20 favorite Rockbarton Angel at Broadmeadow yesterday. That was her 20 th success this season – including a dead-heat on her master Nathan Doyle’s Caltsar at Newca

SHE is going super – and has earned the chance to score black type. Hunter-based Kurrinda Bloodstock’s Super Norwest will chase a hat-trick on February 14 in the $250,000 Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick, where she has won her last two starts over the same distance against her own sex. Kurrinda principal Sean Driver today confirmed Super Norwest’s Triscay mission after conferring with the mare’s trainer Matthew Dale. “There was a chance she could have backed u

KEMBLA Grange trainer Paul Murray is leaving nothing to chance in his bid to land next month’s $2m Inglis Millennium at Royal Randwick. With jockey Jean Van Overmeire on the injured list, the Kembla Grange trainer has called on Jay Ford to replace him on talented filly Where’s The Circus in the 1100m feature for two-year-olds who are eligible Inglis graduates. Where’s The Circus, who cost only $1250, made a stunning debut when she led throughout in the $400,000 Inglis Nursery

IT wasn’t a close encounter of any kind! And Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was more pleased for his apprentice Rebecca Bronett-Prag than himself at breaking a run of outs. “It’s a relief, and all our horses ran well today,” Parker said after Close Encounter ($11) had easily beaten his rivals in the Conditional Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (1300m). “But I was really pleased for Rebecca. “That’s her first win for me, and she gave Close Encounter a beaut ride,” Parker said

PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY Championships Final hero Matcha Latte is back with a Group 1 target on the radar if he shapes up well. Wyong trainer Nacim Dilmi has given the “green light” for the gelding to return for his first start under his banner, in Saturday’s Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick. Ash Morgan, who combined with Matcha Latte to land the $1m PMC Final (1400m) there last April, reunites with the six-year-old. Matcha Latte, whose career has been beset by inj

HAWKESBURY husband and wife trainers Mitch and Desiree Kearney have set their sights on a $2m feature at Royal Randwick next month.  Understandably so given the couple missed out through an unfortunate mix-up on a $400,000 payday in last year’s renewal of the Inglis Millennium (1100m) with their ladies’ syndicate filly Sheeza Diva. That’s in the past and this time Team Kearney is going for the main prize ($1.155m) on February 7 with another filly showing plenty of promise. Oh

MARK Minervini will have eight runners over the next three days at various meetings. And there’s no doubt the Newcastle trainer will be “tickled pink” if a promising mare in his keeping runs well on resumption at a feature meeting at Port Macquarie tomorrow. Tickle Me Pink (Luke Rolls) kicks off a new campaign in the Queen Of The North Benchmark 74 Handicap (1200m) for fillies and mares. She will be joined on the float north by Castelle, Pratt, Rose Of Dubai and Bella Kathlee

Hawkesbury Race Club presents Groove on the Grass Raceday for the third consecutive year on Saturday, 7 March 2026. This year's raceday will be bigger than ever delivering a mix of live racing, popular DJs, food trucks and premium hospitality options. A highlight on the Hawkesbury social calendar this event delivers a relaxed lawn party atmosphere with entertainment headlined by saxophonist and DJ Nat Sax, supported by popular local DJ Matt Ellings, alongside great food, flow

ILLAWARRA Turf Club’s meeting scheduled for today at Kembla Grange will now be held on Thursday. The decision to postpone the program was made following a RacingNSW stewards’ inspection early this morning which found a section of the track near the crossing at the 2000m mark was unsuitable for racing following heavy rain at the weekend. Thursday’s fields will remain unchanged, and scratchings will be reinstated for the new date. The first of seven races will begin at 1.50pm,

MARC Chevalier had some “inside mail” when he bought a mare online for $6000 in November 2024. The Hawkesbury trainer at the time had won five races (including three in town) with his stable star Everyone’s A Star when he noticed her older sister in blood Kev’s Girl was on the market. “Because of my mare I had been taking notice of Kev’s Girl, who had been racing in Victoria and South Australia,” Chevalier said today. “I rang her trainer in Victoria and he told me her form ha

GOSFORD’S Saturday provincial meeting wasn’t the initial “choice” for Hawkesbury’s leading trainer Brad Widdup. He had hoped to have a crack at richer pickings at yesterday’s Magic Millions meeting at the Gold Coast with three fillies by Golden Slipper winner Farnan he trains for Mulberry Racing. Instead, when they didn’t make the “cut” for the $250,000 Maiden Plate (1100m) after 37 horses were nominated, Widdup had to settle for a breakthrough victory with one of the filles,