News

Private mare sales, like the one which delivered multiple Group 1 winner Magic Time to Yulong recently, are becoming rarer and rarer. Tim Rowe looks at the changing nature of the market and speaks to the agents at the heart of those deals.

While it was James McDonald, who (rightly) dominated the Flemington carnival headlines with a record 11 winners, it was also a successful week for a host of other jockeys, trainers, sires, breeders and owners. Run The Numbers runs the rule over the Cup week stats.

Publicly listed wagering company PointsBet has doused speculation it is set for a takeover as its share price soared to its highest point for 2024.

The Victoria Racing Club’s decision to align its broadcast rights with the Nine network appears to have paid dividends with a 30 per cent increase in television audience figures.

Iconic Kiwi stud The Oaks has hit the market as owner Dick Karreman celebrates another Group 1 win, while Qatar Racing’s David Redvers talks up with another stallion investment and a former Singapore trainer embarks on a new era.

Farnan may lead the first-season sires table in Australia, but the win of his colt North England at Rosehill on Saturday is unlikely to get black-type recognition.

James McDonald’s mastery was to the fore on the final day of the Flemington carnival as the star jockey claimed a pair of Group 1 wins and took his total victories for the week to a record 11.