A spate of effortless wins by Slipper bound hopefuls in recent weeks has the form students in a quandary. On January 16th Shaquero ticked every box with a flawless display to win the Magic Millions Classic on the Gold Coast.

A flurry of winners on provincial and country tracks in recent months has more than justified Christian Reith’s decision to carve a niche for himself outside the metropolitan area.

“I would have been happy to run second to Kemalpasa or beat him by a neck, but I didn’t expect the big fella to win like that.” These were the words of trainer David Jolly in the aftermath of Behemoth’s demolition job on the opposition in Saturday’s Listed WFA Durbridge Stakes at Morphettville.

It was the late Bart Cummings who said “patience is the least used commodity in racing”. Terry Robinson has long held the same view, and has played the waiting game with many of his horses since becoming a full time thoroughbred trainer in 2005.

Jess O’Donnell, Sponsorship and Marketing Manager for the progressive Sapphire Coast Turf Club has pulled out all stops to promote the 2021 Bega Cheese Bega Cup Carnival next weekend. I’m happy to give her a helping hand!

Scott Darby was horrified when he watched Harpo Marx contest his first two Australian barrier trials. The founder and CEO of Darby Racing had purchased the royally bred horse in 2019 from the Coolmore draft at a Tattersall’s Horses In Training Sale at Newmarket.

Ace race photographer Steve Hart dons his interviewer’s hat from time to time to catch up with some of his favourite racing people. This time around he talks to News Ltd Racing Editor Ray Thomas, a journalist who has the respect of all sections of the racing industry.

Like the TAB Everest, the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic doesn’t carry Group 1 status but is still a very prestigious addition to the CV of winning jockeys.

Landsighting was his usual gluttonous self when Noel and Emma Mayfield-Smith tossed the first of his two night feeds into the bin at 4pm on Wednesday Dec 30th.

When asked on a recent podcast to nominate a member of his 60 horse team who might have a better than average future, Brett Cavanough had the following to say.

Regular followers of South Australian racing feel very comfortable with the presence of Paul Gatt among the state’s leading riders. He’s one of those jockeys who seems to have been around forever.

Angela Davies was devastated one day in 1974 when her late father Bruce told her to dismiss any thought of becoming a jockey. The racing mad sixteen year old had the right build and truckloads of passion.

Mandalong Tapit didn’t beat a star studded field in winning the Christmas Cup at Gunnedah on Saturday, but the sweet actioned grey put them away by an emphatic 5.8 lengths.

Scone trainer Stephen Jones was three strides off landing a unique two state metropolitan double on Saturday. He was glued to a TV monitor at Rosehill Gardens as his promising two year old colt Baby Wong failed by a neck to run down Conexy in the Doomben Plate,

Unfavourable barriers brought Keagan Latham’s winning run to an end at Newcastle on Tuesday with only one of his five mounts finishing in the money, but he was in no position to complain.

With the ink barely dry on her brand new trainer’s licence, Claire Lever was dealing with the race day jitters as she legged husband Chad onto Grace Bay before the 1100m Class 1 at Gundagai’s Snake Gully Cup meeting last Friday.

The last thing Cejay Graham wanted to do was disobey instructions when she had one of her rare rides for the Waller stable at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Post race stories usually highlight the deeds of winners, but there was a runner up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday deserving of special mention.

Successful trotting horse trainers have been dabbling with thoroughbreds for more than a century. In the early days it happened rarely. In more recent years an ever increasing number of harness racing people have been wooed by mind boggling prize money levels, and the glamour of the turf.

Kerry Parker was in a buoyant mood long before Think It Over gave him a Group 3 win in the historic Craven Plate on Saturday.