Western Utd clinch A-League semi-finals!
A-League: Western United are through to the A-League Semi-Finals following an historic night in Tarneit on Friday.
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Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
‘Biggest certainty ever for the Melbourne Cup': Aidan O'Brien takes another swipe at Jan Brueghel scratching
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'We thought he was the biggest certainty ever for the Melbourne Cup last year.'' This was Irish training genius Aidan O'Brien's comment at Epsom Downs overnight when asked about the controversial scratching of his top stayer Jan Brueghel just days out from the Melbourne Cup last spring. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Jan Brueghel, who gave O'Brien a 10th win in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at Epsom's Oaks Day meeting, was Melbourne Cup favourite only to be withdrawn by Racing Victoria veterinarians just days prior to the famous Flemington two miler. O'Brien was asked about the Melbourne Cup controversy after Jan Brueghel, who was the unbeaten winner of the English St Leger last year, held off favourite Calandangan in a Coronation Cup thriller. The champion Irish trainer has never won the Melbourne Cup but thought Jan Brueghel was weighted to win last year with 54kg. 'He was in with such a low weight. We thought he couldn't get beat, really,'' O'Brien said. O'Brien was at the US Breeders Cup meeting when Jan Brueghel was scratched from the Melbourne Cup and was critical of Racing Victoria's strict veterinary protocols. 'They made the decision and our vets didn't agree with that,'' O'Brien said at the time. 'They said there was a shadow in front and a shadow behind, but every three-year-old at this time will have shadows and fissures and have this and have that. 'There comes a point when it becomes ridiculous, the horsemen and women have been taken out of the picture.' O'Brien was asked at Epsom if Jan Brueghel would return for the Melbourne Cup this year and the Irish trainer replied emphatically: 'No, absolutely not!' O'Brien suggested Jan Brueghel is likely to be set for the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July and has not ruled out running the stayer in Europe's most prestigious weight-for-age race, the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. Jan Brueghel was the first of two Group 1 winners for O'Brien at Epsom as he also trained the quinella in the English Oaks with Minnie Hauk defeated stablemate Whirl. Minnie Hauk was O'Brien's 11th winner of the English Oaks. Originally published as 'Biggest certainty ever for the Melbourne Cup': Aidan O'Brien takes another swipe at Jan Brueghel scratching after Coronation Cup success
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
Hidden Motive triumphs in thrilling finish at Randwick
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Private Harry crew stuck again when Hidden Motive scrambled home at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Hidden Motive, the heavily backed favourite, just held off rank outsider Kujenga in a deceptively tight finish for the Precise Air Handicap (1100m). Sean Driver of Kurrinda Bloodstock was pleasantly surprised when his colt Hidden Motive was declared the winner. Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! 'To be honest we didn't think he got the bob,' Driver said. 'But he's a tough horse and was able to win in conditions that didn't suit. 'He will go home now to our farm in the Hunter Valley for two weeks and the big aim is the Coolmore (Stud Stakes) in the spring.' Talented colt Hidden Motive, trained by Nathan Doyle and ridden by Ash Morgan, was backed from $1.95 into $1.65 favouritism and just held off $81 bolter Kujenga to win by a nose with Matima ($3.80) a long head away third. Hidden Motive, a stablemate of Kurrinda Bloodstock's exciting unbeaten sprinter and The Everest contender Private Harry, scored his second successive win to complete a promising two-year-old season. 'We feel he is a four-five lengths better horse than what he showed today,' Driver said. 'He overraced, he got pestered in front and did a bit of work there. He will improve a lot. 'Wait until you see him on top of the ground. At home what he shown us, he is absolutely electric.' Morgan, who has ridden Private Harry to all five wins including the Group 1 The Galaxy this season, also has big opinion of Hidden Motive's emerging potential. 'I thought it was a very good win,' Morgan said. 'He paraded a lot better than he has been and he was very relaxed and switched off. 'Probably that first ten or fifteen metres he was a little switched off, but I let him roll up. That horse (Dubbo Boy) came to him and we just fired each other up a little bit. 'So, it was a really good win. I know it was a very small margin but he was entitled to get beaten.' Hidden Motive was born and raised at Scone nursery, Cressfield, and was offered as part of their 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale draft. Purchased by Doyle Racing and Kurrinda Bloodstock, the colt's $120,000 price-tag belies his epic pedigree. For starters, Hidden Motive is a son of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and Golden Slipper winner, Capitalist. On top of that, Hidden Motive is the fourth foal of his dam, Secret Agenda, whose seven career wins included the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes in Adelaide and Group 2 Sapphire Stakes in Sydney. Hidden Motive is another quality descendant of the racetrack champion and broodmare gem, Denise's Joy. Driver also revealed Private Harry has returned to Doyle's Newcastle stables to begin preparations for the Group 1 $20m The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18. 'Private Harry has been back in the stables for about two weeks and has put on between 65-80kg – and it's all muscle,' Driver said. 'He has grown about an inch-and-a-half, you've got to remember he's only three so he's still got that bit of growing to do. He looks outstanding.' Driver revealed Doyle is planning to give Private Harry two lead-up races into The Everest. 'We are going to The Shorts and then the Premiere Stakes before The Everest,' Driver said. 'He will have two barrier trials but whether the first one is in Newcastle – I'll be honest, he doesn't do much at home. He's very lazy. 'He has never beaten a horse home in trackwork. Nathan will have a horse going to Port Macquarie and it will beat him. 'If you're going off his trackwork, you might not sleep at night. But his IQ is through the roof. I imagine he will have his first trial at home, his second trial we'll come to Sydney, an exhibition gallop and then we'll go first-up.' Just 35 minutes after Hidden Motive's win, Doyle and Morgan completed an early brace when Hellfire Express scored more decisively than his stablemate in the Midway Handicap (1500m). Hellfire Express ($15) led most of the way and held off the late closing Convergent ($10) to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths with the unlucky Callistemon ($5.50) third just in front of favourite Engine Room ($4.60). Morgan's breakout season has included his first Group 1 win with Private Harry and another four stakes races. His Randwick double moved him to 98 wins on all tracks this season. But the in-form jockey is not about to rest on his laurels. 'I don't want to take a break,' Morgan said. 'I feel like I have worked too hard to take it easy now, so I'm just trying to roll while the momentum is good. It has been a magic season.' Originally published as Promising colt Hidden Motive has spring Group 1 target after digging deep for narrow victory at Randwick
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
Chaz Mostert dominates Perth Supercars qualifying, hits Back at recent online abuse
Don't miss out on the headlines from Motorsport. Followed categories will be added to My News. Chaz Mostert fired back at the online critics who reckon he's too old to cut it in Supercars by claiming his first pole position in over a year at the Perth Super 440 on Saturday. The 33-year-old Mostert turned back the clock and unleashed a sizzling lap in his Ford Mustang to jump to the top of the timesheets after the first split qualifying session. Crossing the line in 53.685 seconds, Mostert secured pole position for first of the three races at Wanneroo Raceway this weekend, and Race 14 for the 2025 season. Chaz Mostert claimed pole position in his Ford Mustang for the first of three Supercars races in Perth Monster's pole was the 26th of his Supercars career and his first since he started at the front of the grid at Perth in May 2024. Mostert's Walkinshaw Andretti United team mate Ryan Wood locked out the front row with the second best time, with Brodie Kostecki third and championship leader Broc Feeney fourth. 'It's always nervous coming 12 months from a good result,' Mostert told Fox Sports. 'I'm glad I had a really fast teammate, tuned me up on a bit of driving, and just sent it in and came out on the other side. 'The simple work is that there's a few internet trolls out there that basically say, 'you're done; since you have a kid and wife you lose two tenths'. 'So I'm glad to show you can find two tenths by having kids and wife, so thanks to the trolls out there, appreciate you.' Originally published as Chaz Mostert dominates Perth Supercars qualifying, hits Back at recent online abuse
