Alex Demetriadi

Jul 27, 2024 | theaustralian.com.au | Gilbert Gardiner |Alex Demetriadi |Greg Sheridan

Champion jockey Blake Shinn rated Recommendation to perfection to complete the Sir John Monash-Bletchingly Stakes Group 3 double at Caulfield. Recommendation, who bolted in the Monash by seven lengths first-up, held a comfortable 1¾-length margin in the Bletchingly as $1.35 favourite with TAB. “He’s a really genuine horse this fella, I had some reservations coming into today at a strong 1200m if there was pressure applied, he ticked that box today,” Shinn said.

Jul 27, 2024 | theaustralian.com.au | Brad Waters |Alex Demetriadi |Greg Sheridan

I Am Velvet was adamant she would do things the hard way when maintaining her unbeaten record at Caulfield. The Phillip Stokes-trained filly won her first two starts on the turf and synthetic tracks at Pakenham before stepping up to city class in the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400m). The two-year-old always had the measure of the $1.75 favourite Dom in the straight but I Am Velvet ($3.30) refused to go straight, constantly wanting to lay in on the runner-up in the last 200m.

Jul 26, 2024 | theaustralian.com.au | Tess McCracken |Greg Sheridan |Alex Demetriadi |Bari Weiss

As Aussies across the country tuned in for the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, many were left unimpressed, taking to social media to slam Karl Stefanovic’s coverage of the major event as “dull” and “woeful”. The ceremony along Paris’ famous River Seine kicked off in the early hours of Saturday morning, with many Australians tuning in to Channel 9’s coverage to watch the Australian athletes participate in the parade of nations.