Bart unworried by Rock's cracking

BART CUMMINGS was quick to dismiss concerns that Rock Classic's preparation for Saturday's $1.3million AJC Australian Derby was in turmoil after the group 1 winner was well beaten in a gallop at Randwick yesterday morning.

Cummings wins, but laments the cup that got away

BART Cummings had just won his first Australian Guineas and then went within a few millimetres of a 14th Australian Cup, but the veteran trainer was far from content.

First Guineas crown for King

IT WAS one of the few group 1 races on the Australian racing calendar that Bart Cummings had not won but the master, with his ability to train horses to the minute and apply gear changes at the right time, saw the Crown Guineas (1600 metres) ticked off the to-be-won list with the impressive win of Rock Classic yesterday.

Hayes has Extra cup in mind

A TIMELY gear change sparked a return to form for smart three-year-old Extra Zero yesterday, and trainer David Hayes is now tempted to tackle Saturday's group 1 Australian Cup.

Australian challenge ends in disaster

HONG KONG: Australian hopes were shattered as Hong Kong superstar Sacred Kingdom confirmed his place at the top of international rankings with a commanding win in the group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin yesterday.

Headquarters for Freedman's Command

PROGRESSIVE sprinter First Command added to his already sparkling record with a tough victory in the group 2 Perri Cutten Sprint yesterday, prompting trainer Lee Freedman to raise the bar for bigger spoils over the Flemington carnival.

Manhattan Rain's lacklustre jump-out has Waterhouse hedging bets

HE MIGHT be worth $20 million according to trainer Gai Waterhouse, but don't bank on the regally bred Manhattan Rain winning at Flemington on Saturday.

Pleased Payne has Golden Rose in mind for his promising Model

DAVID PAYNE is eyeing the $1 million Golden Rose next month after the win of Magic Model in the opening race yesterday ensured he would have a two-pronged attack on the group 1.

Gear Change Boosts Caymans Hopes

PAUL SNOWDEN is confident a change of gear for wayward gelding Caymans will pay off in Saturday's $350,000 Sandown Guineas.

Gear Change Works As Zupaone Gives Them A Licking

AS GEAR changes go for horses, a tongue-tie is one of the more mundane, but it might have been something that simple that enabled the highly rated Zupaone to turn his form around at Caulfield yesterday.

A Very Special Horse For A Very Special Couple

A man, his wife and a horse they both adore make quite a team, reports James Button.

On The Back Of History, The Light Horse Rides Again

DAWN was just a crease in the clouds when the clip-clops clattered down the main street of Terrigal and a voice called out in the darkness: "Sixth Light Horse, eyes right."

How Lister Used A Whip To Make A Horse Go Slower

My lasting memory of former jockey Arthur Lister is of when he prodded his whip into the backside of a rival horse at Wyong.

Gear Change Helps Mare Snare Overdue Group Win

A CHANGE of gear did the trick for Lee Freedman' s consistent mare Beautiful Gem, who posted a hard-fought group 2 victory in the Eliza Park Sunline Stakes yesterday.

Gear Change Leaves Rock's Eye On Prize

A SIMPLE gear change might be enough for Fastnet Rock to break through for his first win in today's Up And Coming Stakes at Warwick Farm.

Sunline's Team Recalls A Life-changing Horse

TREVOR McKee is a horse trainer who is probably more emotional than he seems. Greg Childs is a jockey who can seem as emotional as he is.

Kemblawarra Click Into Gear And Zero In On Port

KEMBLAWARRA coach John Fleming has sounded a warning to those who think the Illawarra Premier League championships is a one-horse race.