The Makybe Diva Stakes was formerly known as the Craiglee Stakes and was first held at Flemington in 1948. Here are some interesting Australian Racing Facts for this Spring feature.
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10 Top Moments from the Makybe Diva
How to find a Magic Millions winner
The festive season is upon us, which means that the Magic Millions Sale is just around the corner. While I personally think that it is one of the weakest Magic Millions catalogues that I have seen, there will be some decent racehorses coming from it. If history is any guide, it will be the sale th…
Ten Melbourne Cup Facts about Times
10. The race record is still held by Kingston Rule at 3.16.3 in 1990
9. Makybe Diva in 2005 was the last horse to win the Melbourne Cup in a time under 3 minutes and 20 seconds when she won in 3.19.79.
8. Last year's race was on a good 3 track, and won in a time of 3.20.3 by Fiorente
7. Both 2011…
10 Melbourne Cup Facts to help find a winner
10. Bart Cummings is the most successful trainer with 12 wins in the great race. He has not trained the winner since 2008 and now trains in a partnership with his grandson, James.
9. Of current jockeys, Glen Boss and Damien Oliver share the honours with three wins. Glen Boss' successes all came …
First Season Sires for the coming season
Today's SPORTSMAN newspaper highlighted the first season stallions whose first 2yo's will reach the track later this year. I read this with a great deal of concern. Concern not just for the racing industry, or breeders who are both impacted significantly, but I had great concern for the future of …
Congrats
With the new racing season comes the new stallions battling it out for First Season Sires' Honours. Here is a piece I did some time ago on Congrats, the US stallion who shuttles to Vinery Stud.
Thoroughbred breeding is certainly unpredictable. Some of the highest profile stallion prospects have …
When is a Nick not a Nick?
Nicks can be an important tool, but in most cases, their usage is proactive rather than reactive. Let me explain. Recently there was some talk of the apparently exceptional Redoute’s Choice x Last Tycoon nick. According to figures published by RISA who I believe use the True Nicks system, thi…
Ten Pedigree Facts on Australian Group 1 Racing 2013/14
The pedigrees of the Group 1 winners should be the bread and butter of pedigree students and analysts throughout Australia. How many will actually look at these pedigrees and try to understand how, or even if, the nature of the Australian thoroughbred is changing?
Some interesting facts:
1. Eleve…
Ten Facts about the Group 1 Racing Season 2013/14 in Australia
The pinnacle of horse racing are the Group 1 races. With the thoroughbred horse racing season drawing to a close in the Southern Hemisphere, all of the Group 1 races have been run. The racing season finishes on 31 July so it isn't long before we get to do it all over again.
Here are some interesting …
High Priced Yearling at Warwick Farm on 2-7-14
Race 1 at Warwick Farm sees another appearance of Good Project to the track. He is a son of Not A Single Doubt out of a mare by
Rothesay and Fastnet Rock - Glimpses into what was to come
Here is a piece I wrote after the first win of Rothesay a few years ago know. He was by an emerging stallion in Fastnet Rock, so I guess I got it right. It is important to us that pedigree analysis has to be grounded in reality. You need to be able to accurately predict what a horse is likely to …
Curlin
On The Track
Only a few days out from the 2014 Preakness Stakes, it seems an appropriate time to remember the 2007 winner of the middle leg of the US Triple Crown. Curlin ended his final year of racing with three wins from five starts, and took his total career prizemoney to a staggering US$10 mill…
Pedigree of the Day - Perfect Company
Today we are in Seymour to look at a 3yo filly called Perfect Company who is having her first start. Perfect Company is by Stratum, a son of Redoute’s Choice out of a winning Zabeel mare called Belle Mia. She is the third foal of the dam, with her first two, Cap Eden Roc and Mia Forza, both by Fas…
Pedigree of the day - Metaphorical
Sydney today sees a first starter in Metaphorical, by Dylan Thomas out of Light Up The World. Dylan Thomas was a well performed shuttle stallion by Danehill who has performed solidly without being spectacular.
The dam of Metaphorical has already produced a Blue Diamond Prelude winner in World Peace…
Pedigree of the Day - Obeyed
We are in Goulburn today for the debut of 3yo gelding, Obeyed. He is by Commands out of the Covetous mare, Patou making him a half brother to Golden Slipper winner, Polar Success.
This remains one of the premier female families in the Australian stud book. Obeyed is the eight foal of his dam to …
Pedigree of the Day - Za Moulin Rouge
What a great day of racing in Australia, and we have loads of well bred horses, and plenty of unfashionably bred ones as well. We have chosen to look at a filly in Race 4 in Caulfield who is up against boom 3yo filly Miracles of Life. Za Moulin Rouge has had only one start, but is being tested aga…
Pedigree of the Day - Rocktruder - too much Danehill
Today we will look at Rocktruder who is a 4yo mare having her first start in Race 4 at Mildura. One of the important factors is that she is a daughter of Australia’s most expensive stallion, Fastnet Rock. He is a son of Danehill out of a RoyalAcademy mare in Piccadilly Circus who won the Debuntant…
Pedigree of the Day - Sensibility
Mornington today sees a number of interesting first starters, but perhaps none more so than Sensibility. The 3yo filly is a daughter of the grand stallion, Redoute’s Choice out of an unraced US bred mare called Fleeting Touch. She was knocked down for an impressive $260,000 at Inglis Easter, so th…
Pedigree of the Day - Lauderbrunnen
Eagle Farm Race 1 today sees Lauterbrunnen as our pedigree of the day. The 3yo gelding is having his second start after being pulled up in his first run at Doomben after racing ungenerously. But it is his pedigree, rather than his temperament that is of interest today.
Lauterbrunnen is by Not A…
Pedigree of the Day - De Little Engine
Today we are the Cushion Track at Geelong for an interesting runner in Race 3, a 1300m maiden. His name is De Little Engine and he is having his second race start following a debut 5th at Cranbourne. He is pictured above as a weanling at the Inglis Weanling Sale in 2011.
De Little Engine is by t…
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