Matt Stewart

When crisis after crisis hit Lindsay Park in 2021, David Hayes was stranded on the other side of the equator. But four years on, he and his sons know that moment has proven the making of their current run of success.

Amid the many tributes following Robbie Laing’s sudden death at age 66, one theme ran strong. As Matt Stewart writes, the five-time Group 1-winning trainer, former jockey, farrier, breaker and racing historian was a natural horseman who forged his own unique path.

Noel Callow was in a post-race bust-up with a fellow jockey, which has cost him his first Australian Group 1 ride in nearly five years. The rollercoaster is nothing new for the man they still call ‘King’, writes Matt Stewart.

The connection between French and Australian racing has arguably never been as strong, and while both confront a decline in wagering, the causes, as well as the racing culture are different, writes Matt Stewart.

Dan Meagher likens the decline of his legendary father John through dementia to “a massive dark cloud” but as the champion Singaporean trainer embarks on his new journey back in Australia, his dad’s lessons ring true every day in the stable.

Sue Jaensch's quietly extraordinary racing life is missing only a Group 1 on the mantelpiece, something which could be remedied with her Goodwood wildcard Sir Sway on Saturday. He is just the latest of a string of cheaply bought dream horses over the journey.

Much has changed in the training landscape since James Cummings last ran a stable in his own right, but as he tells Matt Stewart, he is galloping into his next chapter with the same energy as the day he zipped up the Godolphin jacket for the first time.