Simon Marshall

Stakes day a great way to finish

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:02:14 -0800

This year's Spring Carnival has thrown up a fair bit of controversy as well as some special moments.

A highlight for me would have to be Corey Brown's Group One winning double. His two rides on Monaco Consul for Derby Day and then on Shocking for the Cup went along way to establishing him as one of - if not - Australia's greatest jockeys. ...

Melbourne Cup: Racing's big day

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:23:29 -0800

There is no greater time in Melbourne than at the Spring Carnival.

Derby day last Saturday was outstanding with 110,000 people out partying - not to mention the racing being fabulous.

It was a shocking day for a lot of people too – Shocking, the horse, won and found a place in the Melbourne Cup, Efficient was scratched on the day, all in all just another day at the races. ...

Samantha Miss superstar

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:19:40 -0800

Samantha Miss came to Melbourne with something to prove and has left with her name firmly on the way to superstardom.

After winning four feature races in Sydney as part of the Queen of the turf series, she did enough in the Cox Plate to show she could beat these other fillies over 2500m at Flemington.

She didn't just beat them – she pounded them.

She is another name you can throw about that's headed for more success. ...

Raider tactics need a rethink

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:52:14 -0800

He can't leap buildings in a single bound and he can't stop locomotives but the man can train a race horse.

I wouldn't rule out another Cup from the superman Bart Cummings.

During the race the tactics of the raiders have to be questioned.

They went out too hard. They rode as hard as they do at home and it just goes to show you can't go flat out in a Melbourne Cup and expect to bust the Australian horses hump. ...

The race that stops the world...

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:08:54 -0800

The race that stops a nation is fast becoming the race that stops the world.

The social fringe come out and party like never before and it's a great event to be a part of.

This year with nine international raiders the racing is set to be fantastic.

Chief among them is Septimus, rated the best horse in the world. He's got the best form and he’s been winning away from home.

He seems to be a class above the rest. ...

Derby Day - The world's greatest race day

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:08:06 -0800

Victoria Derby Day, I believe, is probably the single greatest day of racing in the world and it serves to kick start the four big days of the Flemington carnival.

Tomorrow will dish up Group One races galore and the combination of the best horses racing on the Saturday and everybody wanting to make their mark in terms of wanting to look special - really sets it apart in the racing calendar. ...