Lightning can strike twice – Budge’s Cup Preview

  After my success from last year, Crio is happy for me to have another crack at the Cup preview. I won’t bother with a horse by horse, run by run preview as you can find that anywhere. I will just give my opinion and look forward to yours. First, to establish my credentials, here [Read more]

Almanac Racing: Triple Crown Anyone?

Budge discusses the chance for American Pharaoh to be the 12th horse to get the Triple Crown when he runs at the Belmont Stakes on the weekend.

Brio’s Racing: Cup Confidence Building

Tony ‘Budge’ Riordan steps into big family shoes (Brio, Crio and Trio? – Ed.) to sort out the Cup winner and preview the quaddy for Flemington on Tuesday. We need “more tips than a can of asparagus” (Copyright – J Styring) for Cup day. Keep ’em coming.

Deja Vu all over again?

Paul Roos is not the man to coach Melbourne, writes Budge, and no amount of money will change that.

Racing’s Best Of The Past 50 Years – Vote Now! Win a copy of G. Whateley’s Black Caviar.

Budge has collated the votes for the best racehorse of the three eras: 60/70s, 80/90s, 2000s.

He’ s asking us to pick a top 5 from those 15. Check it out.

All voters will go in the draw to win a copy of Black Caviar by G. Whateley

Racing’s Best of the 21st Century

We have been fortunate to witness some magnificent champions of racing this millenium but Budge still wants your top 5.

Racing’s Best of the 80s & 90s

As noted in the last thread on the 60s & 70s, the esteemed Almanackers had Manikato and Vain clear winners with a gap to Galilee, Tobin Bronze and Dulcify in 5th spot. This week, we move on to the 80s and 90s, where it would be fair to assume that a dominant winner will emerge, [Read more]

Racing’s Best of the Best

The Winning Post, in conjunction with TVN, have started a competition to name the 50 greatest racehorses in Australia from the last 50 years. Budge wants the views of the Knackery.

Cox Plate: “Here come the New Zealanders!”

As Bill Collins said back in 1986 when Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star took off together in that year’s Cox Plate, “Here come the New Zealanders!”
Well they are here alright as yesterday’s results showed.

My favourite Cox Plates

Budge lists his top 10 Cox Plates, but is there room for Bonecrusher?

Caulfield Cup Review

When I scanned my copy of the Winning Post on Thursday afternoon, it was apparent that this was one of the great Cup fields. What it lacked in “star” performers (e.g. Northerly status) was more than compensated by the evenness and depth of the field which was relfected in a wide open betting market. The [Read more]

Caulfield Guineas Day: Gai is to blame!

Another great Guineas day – but not everything went to plan! Buffering showed why he is “the best of the rest” with a very soft win. Unfortunately there is not a lot of depth in the sprinting ranks at the moment so we have Buffering, Bel Sprinter, Golden Archer and the like being the mainstays. [Read more]

Turnbull Stakes Day Wash-up

Sydney racing has developed a (well-earned) reputation for small fields and lack of pace in their races such that many “look” like the traditional boat races. It was great to see some long overdue jockey initiative rewarded in a couple of big races on Saturday. The unbeaten Proisir, the latest of Gai’s over-hyped “superstars” was [Read more]