Craig Williams cops suspension on Stradbroke Handicap pick-up ride
Williams had been set to ride Gary Portelli's mare Kimochi in the Stradbroke Handicap until the Yulong-owned mare injured her tendon on Friday.
He was then without a Stradbroke ride but gained one when James McDonald, who has been battling illness, was unable to make the weight on Rothfire.
However, the story had a sting in its tail with Williams suspended for careless riding for a back straight incident where Spicy Martini was tightened up.
Cejay Graham also came to the attention of stewards and was suspended for 14 days for careless riding on King Kapa in the Hinkler Handicap.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Melbourne Storm's Marion Seve wears goggles in NRL against Penrith Panthers return to prevent further eye injury
When Marion Seve got the ball with 14 minutes left on the clock and the Storm down four, he faced a tough task. Penrith winger Brian To'o was shooting up at him and made sweet contact right around the ball just as it arrived in the Melburnian's mitts. Somehow, Seve held the ball, spun out of the tackle of one of the game's strongest players, quickly did the correct maths that he was better off pinning his ears back rather than passing to unmarked try-scoring freak Xavier Coates, angled his body perfectly, and dove for the corner. With Dylan Edwards and Isaiah Papali'i hitting him in cover defence, Seve managed to plant his left hand and hold it and himself inside the field of play to slide over for the game-tying try in what turned out to be a thrilling golden point win. It was Seve's first NRL game over the year, aside from a 160-second outing at the end of a round-four loss to the Dragons, and when he got up to celebrate with his teammates, another layer of the impressive effort from the hard-running centre became apparent. His goggles were around his mouth, but they had done their job. Yes, there have been a few sodden Sydney games in the past few weeks, but goggles seem a bit excessive. Unless you're Seve. The 30-year-old was at risk of going blind in his right eye after copping a stray boot to the face during a NSW Cup game in June, coincidentally also against the Panthers. "It happened so quick during the game. And then by the time I went to the hospital, I couldn't see anything," he said. "I'm just grateful for the surgeons and physios at the club." After surgery, doctors told him he would have to wear protective goggles if he wanted to keep playing rugby league, with the Storm medical staff sourcing an appropriate pair. Seve immediately knew what was coming his way. "I started laughing, not laughing because I was wearing it, more laughing because I knew that the boys were gonna give me stick for it," he said. "I knew straight away, I could picture them just calling me all sorts of names. "Superhero or whatever. I've got Ninja Turtles, pirate cyborg, so many." The goggles were only approved for use by the NRL a day before the game, with the league making a special exception for Seve due to his unique injury. Almost two months after the "traumatic" incident, Seve first rocked the eyewear in a game at the start of August, as he scored three tries in a sodden NSW Cup clash with Newcastle. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. "It was hammering down rain," he said. "It's probably the worst weather you can play in with goggles. They don't have wipers." All Blacks great Ardie Savea wore similar specs in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The vision in Savea's left eye was deteriorating and he was concerned about the risk of damaging his healthy right eye, so he rocked the goggles briefly in New Zealand's pool match against Canada. But, after coming on in the final 10 minutes of the match, Savea fumbled a ball and had the goggles knocked askew. Before long, he ripped them off and hurled them to the sideline, but Seve sported his for all 82 minutes of his return to the NRL despite conditions not entirely dissimilar to that NSW Cup clash with the Knights earlier this month. Seve said he and the trainers were continually trying to keep them clean through the match, as the damp Western Sydney Stadium turf wore away to reveal a muddy undergrowth. The decisive try, his first at NRL level since a 2023 semifinal, took a huge chunk of that turf and left him gagged by the goggles but he persisted as he always has done. Through serious injuries and even plastic surgery on a gruesome split ear in 2020, Seve has been restricted to two full games in almost two years, with coach Craig Bellamy dubbing him one of the unluckiest players in the league. But he says he had a secret weapon for getting through. "I'll say it's my faith. I'm really strong in church. Obviously, believe in God," he said. "And then I have a strong support crew around me — obviously my family and especially everyone here at the club; physios, the boys, doctors, everyone played a part. "So yeah, you can say unlucky, but I think I'm lucky to be here right now and still playing. I'm so grateful for that."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Nashville Jack's jump in grade for 2025 The Rosebud holds no fears for trainer Brad Widdup
Trainer Brad Widdup is cautiously optimistic Nashville Jack will handle the class rise and heavy track conditions for the Listed $200,000 The Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Nashville Jack takes race fitness into Sydney's first stakes race of the new season after scoring his first win in three starts with a successful return at Royal Randwick a month ago. 'Everything is in good order with Nashville Jack since his first-up win, I can't fault him in any way,'' Widdup said. 'He looks a nice horse and hopefully he can measure up on Saturday.'' Nashville Jack hasn't raced on a heavy track in his short career but provided some evidence he will get through the going with his impressive Randwick win coming track rated a soft 6. 'The track was soft enough last start,'' Widdup said. ' Jason (Collett) said he got through it OK but I wouldn't say he is a 'swimmer' or anything like that.'' Rosehill was rated a heavy 10 on Friday but Australian Turf Club's track manager Michael Wood expects an upgrade on race morning with Sydney's improving weather forecast. In overnight TAB Fixed Odds betting for The Rosebud, Nashville Jack is at $5 with Pallaton favourite at $2.40. The Widdup stable has already had a good week with Sunset Park scoring a home-track win at Hawkesbury on Tuesday before promising filly Savvy Hallie won her maiden by more than five lengths at Newcastle on Thursday – and the trainer is hoping to continue his stable's winning momentum at Rosehill. Savvy Hallie makes it look easy at @newcastleraces_! ðŸ'¨ @BWiddupRacing @benny_bkrace — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 14, 2025 Widdup saddles up Audrey's Lane ($7) and topweight Be Real ($17) in the Rosehill opener, the Midway Handicap (1500m). Audrey's Lane, a half-sister to 2014 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, has been in good form this winter, winning at Newcastle before her last start fifth at the Warwick Farm midweeks. 'The outside barrier (13) is not ideal but Audrey's Lane is OK in heavy going, although I'm not sure if it is a heavy 9 or 10,'' Widdup said. Be Real has 60kg for her comeback run but the mare is effective on soft-heavy tracks. 'I've got to get Be Real going this preparation and she does have wet track form,'' Widdup said. 'She may need the run but this is a drop in grade from what she was racing in last preparation. This race looks a good starting point.'' Widdup also has Hasty Honey ($8.50) entered for the R osehill Bowling Club Handicap (1900m) but the trainer is unsure if the mare will run from her wide barrier (16). Sweet victory! ðŸ�¯ Hasty Honey scores a strong win at Randwick! @KPMcEvoy @BWiddupRacing @aus_turf_club @HoneycombStud — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 25, 2025 'This race has come up quite strong but she is going 'excellent','' Widdup said of Hasty Honey. 'We may even look at the Rowley Mile with her next Thursday.'' Meanwhile, Widdup said classy sprinter Jedibeel was coming up well for a spring campaign that could result in a start in the Group 1 $20 million The Everest on October 18. Jedibeel, who broke 56s to win the Challenge Stakes over the Randwick 1000m course earlier this year, will have another barrier trial before resuming in either the Concorde Stakes or Moir Stakes next month. 'I will try and have Jedibeel as forward as I can first-up,'' Widdup said. • â– â– â– â– â– Exhibition of the stars is weather-dependent ROSEHILL (Sat): An exhibition gallop after the running of R1 by the Chris-Waller trained AELIANA (Jason Collett), FANGIRL (Kerrin McEvoy) & VIA SISTINA (James McDonald) over 1000m. Following R2, the Waller-trained AUTUMN GLOW (Kerrin McEvoy) & LADY SHENANDOAH (James McDonald)… — Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 14, 2025 The exhibition gallops of Horse of the Year-elect Via Sistina, Fangirl, Aeliana, Lady Shenandoah and Autumn Glow hinge on an improving Rosehill track rating. Trainer Chris Waller 's outstanding mares are due to have gallops between races early on the Rosehill program but only if the track rating is upgraded to a heavy 9 before the first race. Via Sistina (jockey James McDonald), Fangirl (Kerrin McEvoy) and Aeliana (Jason Collett) are due to work over 1000m after the Rosehill opener. Lady Shenandoah (McDonald) and Autumn Glow (McEvoy) will gallop after the second race. • â– â– â– â– â– Hot offer to raise money for charity Godolphin is auctioning a nomination to Darley Stud sire sensation Too Darn Hot – who will be mighty mare Winx's suitor this spring breeding season – to raise money for spinal cord injury research. Andy Makiv, managing director of Godolphin Australia, said the fundraising initiative was a collaboration between Godolphin, the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust and England's Watership Down Stud where Too Darn Hot was bred. The nomination will be Lot 1 in the Inglis Digital August Online Sale which runs from August 22-27. Too Darn Hot, the dual hemisphere stallion and sire of Broadsiding, stands at $250,000 per service this spring and is already booked out for the breeding season. 'We have capped Too Darn Hot's book at 100 mares this spring,'' Makiv said. 'The stallion has a fantastic line-up of mares this spring led by the likes of Winx, In Secret, Savatiano, Lyre and others. 'Too Darn Hot is very hard to get into but we are proud to support CatWalk, which is such a wonderful charitable cause, and we are offering the 101st and final nomination to the stallion. 'We anticipate and hope the charitable amount from the online auction will be at least $250,000.'' Makiv said all proceeds from the online Too Darn Hot nomination auction goes directly to funding critical research to help those living with spinal cord injuries. The New Zealand-based CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust was founded by Dame Catriona Williams after she sustained a life-changing spinal cord injury in 2002, is committed to curing spinal cord injury through world-class research, global collaboration, and patient-focused initiatives. 'Support like this is extraordinary,' Williams said. 'It's not just about funding research, it's about giving people hope. 'Every dollar raised helps move us closer to our goal to see people walk again. We're incredibly grateful to Godolphin and Watership Down for standing with us and believing in what's possible.' At Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Godolphin's famous royal blue colours could be carried to a brace of Rosehill wins with Amusing and Polyglot. The Waller-trained Amusing got a new era for Godolphin off to the perfect start when she won the first Sydney Saturday race of the season earlier this month at Rosehill and the mare returns for the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1900m) in which she is pressing for favouritism at $5.50. With Godolphin transitioning to a public training model this season, Polyglot ($3.80 favourite) makes his debut for new trainer Michael Freedman in the TAB Handicap (1100m). â– â– â– â– â– 5 YEARS AGO Speedy colt Anders, trained by Ciaron Maher, led throughout and dominated his rivals to win The Rosebud by nearly five lengths. Runner-up Ole Kirk was simply out-sped over the Rosehill 1100m course but the talented colt trained on to win the Golden Rose-Caulfield Guineas Group 1 double that spring. Godolphin's brilliant mare Savatiano resuming with a fighting win over Sircconi in the Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Bella Nipotina was a $21 outsider when she won the Quezette Stakes first-up then later developed into the nation's best sprinter, winning four Group 1 races including The Everest last spring and retiring with prizemoney of more than $22.7 million. Wow! Anders has come out and demolished them in the Schweppes Rosebud @cmaherracing @AquisFarm A serious colt ðŸ'¥ — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 8, 2020 10 YEARS AGO The Gary Portelli-trained Sebring Sun unleashed a powerful finishing surge to score a career-best win in the Listed The Rosebud, defeating Voilier by a length. Mourinho, winner of the Australia Stakes and Peter Young Stakes at Group 2 level earlier in the year, resumed with a narrow win over The Cleaner in the Lawrence Stakes. Two starts later, Mourinho scored a career-best win in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes, defeating Fawkner and The Cleaner. 20 YEARS AGO Lad Of The Manor, ridden by Greg Childs of Sunline fame, resumed in the Liston (now Lawrence) Stakes and got through the heavy 10 track conditions to win narrowly from Our Smoking Joe. Lad Of The Manor developed into a genuine weight-for-age horse that spring winning the Feehan Stakes next start then later in the spring scoring in the Group 1 Mackinnon (now Champions) Stakes.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Father and son trainers Chris and Corey Munce target Melbourne spring with promising pair Vein Girl and Payline
Brisbane trainers Chris and Corey Munce may be resting stable star Cool Archie but they still have a couple of handy gallopers heading to Melbourne this spring in promising filly Vein Girl and Group 1-placed gelding Payline. The father-and-son trainers were the toast of the Queensland winter carnival when their then two-year-old colt Cool Archie went on a five-race winning streak, culminating in the $1m Group 1 JJ Atkins (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14. After such an arduous campaign in all conditions, the Munces decided to send Cool Archie for a long spell and aim him for the $4m Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in the autumn. But they're looking forward to seeing Vein Girl and Payline strut their stuff at Melbourne's celebrated spring carnival. Alinghi Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 18. 'We've pencilled it in,' Munce said about Vein Girl heading to Melbourne. 'I just want to assess her over the next week or so and confirm whether we do or not. 'She'll likely line up in a few of those three-year-old fillies' races down there.' Vein Girl hasn't raced since finishing fifth in the $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), won by O' Ole, on the Gold Coast in January. 'We're looking to take her and Payline down (to Melbourne) together on the 21st (of August),' Munce confirmed. Payline is likely to line up in the $750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 6 and then race in the $2m Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at the same track less than three weeks later. 'His main goal will be running a 1200m race down the straight on Champions Stakes day (at Flemington on November 8),' Munce said about Payline, who finished third in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May behind Sunshine In Paris and Rothfire. 'He was still racing in the Stradbroke (on June 14 when he finished eighth) so he had about three or four weeks out. 'But that's what happens with these winter carnival horses, they've got to keep going.' The Munce team will have Walsh Bay and Alectrona running on Mekka Raceday at Doomben on Saturday, with Poseidon Ruler scratched after drawing barrier 14. Meanwhile, Eagle Farm trainer Barry Lockwood revealed his injured stable star Give Me Space is expected to return to the track in mid-spring. 'He had a chip taken out of his fetlock and they ended up operating on the cartilage at the front of the fetlock because it was a bit rough there,' Lockwood said. 'He'll be about for another two months, I'd say, which means he would've been out for five months.' The four-year-old gelding last raced in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on April 19 when he finished seventh out of 11 runners in a contest won by the Tony Gollan -trained Boomtown Boss. In his previous race, he ran an impressive runner-up to the Annabel and Rob Archibald -trained Bosustow in the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on the Gold Coast in January. 'I was going to run him in the Queensland Guineas but the Tuesday before he was ordinary for him in work, although we couldn't find anything,' Lockwood said. 'A few weeks later a little chip (in his fetlock) could be seen and they put an arthroscope in and cleaned up the cartilage at the front of the joint as well. 'He might take a couple of preps to come back. He's a big-striding horse and sometimes putting that pressure on the fetlock can bring them undone. 'We'll just take our time with him.'
