Ben Sporle

Melbourne

Presenter and Journalist at Racing.com

Presenter & Journalist @Racing • can also be found calling the odd race 🎙️

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Articles

Preusker's Torranzino change of plans

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Paul Preusker has had a change of heart and opted not to chase the dream of a Caulfield Cup ticket with last-start Group 3 Easter Cup winner Torranzino in the Mornington Cup this weekend. Set to be one of the leading fancies in Saturday's Listed contest, Torranzino was a surprise non-acceptor among the final field of 10 on Wednesday morning, but will instead line up in the $300,000 Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) on May 1.
Douglas' Swifts Creek debut at 62

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Having started riding in the mid-1970s, there aren't many things popular picnic hoop 'Razor' Ray Douglas hasn't ticked off the bucket list. But on Easter Sunday, the 62-year-old will ride at the once-a-year Swifts Creek race meeting - the final one for the picnics season - for the very first time.
Gout set to double Stawell Cup crowd

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

The Stawell Racing Club is bracing for a Cup crowd double its usual size ahead of superstar athlete Gout Gout's appearance trackside on Easter Sunday. The club and prominent businessman Sandy McGregor jumped at the opportunity to bring the 17-year-old to the event, with heats for the Stawell Gift - that he will compete in - on Saturday ahead of Monday's iconic final.
Rey headlines Country Discovery

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Oakleigh Plate placegetter Rey Magnerio will carry 60 kilograms as the topweight in the third running of the $500,000 Country Discovery (1000m) at Echuca on Good Friday. The 105-rater is one of 12 quality acceptors, along with William Reid Stakes runner-up Johnny Rocker, last-start Bob Hoysted winner Joyful Fortune and Singapore Derby winner Golden Monkey, who will be making his Australian debut.
Begg plots path with in-form team

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

The Grahame Begg stable has been in red-hot form this season and shows no signs of slowing down with King Zephyr and She's a Hustler out to add to their hat-trick of wins. Begg sits in fourth place in the race for the Victorian Metropolitan Trainers' title with 29 wins and striking at an unrivaled 28.7 per cent, despite having had just more than 100 starters from his 30 boxes at Cranbourne.
Price's Saturday runners to be positive

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Mick Price is keen to give himself every chance around the Mornington circuit on Saturday and says Storm Season and Hedged will both be put up on speed when they tackle the Mornington Guineas and Hareeba Stakes, respectively. Toronado filly Storm Season impressed winning first-up at Pakenham in a maiden where the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth placegetters have all won since.
Jimmy can settle closer in All Aged

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Ciaron Maher is backing in Jimmysstar to settle closer in the run in Saturday's Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), which he feels can make all the difference in securing a second elite-level title this campaign. The Oakleigh Plate winner, who is $4.50 second favourite with Sportsbet, will stretch beyond 1200 metres for the first time this preparation, which should also assist the fast finisher to be within striking range after his fourth placing in the G1 T.J. Smith Stakes at his most recent start.
Queensland aims for Freedman stars

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

Team Freedman is planning to use the Queensland Winter Carnival to mark the track returns of Without A Fight and Isthmus, who are yet to race in 2025. 2023 Melbourne Cup champion Without A Fight hasn't been seen since finishing 12th in the Hong Kong Vase in December, while Isthmus was sidelined during autumn after suffering from an entrapped epiglottis.
Derby winner eyes Discovery kick-off

1 week ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

With the monkey now off Tim Fitzsimmons' back after he trained his first Australian winner at Swan Hill last Friday, the former Singapore-based trainer's attention now turns to stable star Golden Monkey, who is nearing his debut Down Under. One of 10 horses the Bendigo-based trainer has relocated from Singapore, the six-year-old, who is part-owned by former AFL stars Dustin Martin and Dane Swan, will use the $500,000 Country Discovery at Echuca next Friday as his launching pad in Australia.
One-time Cup favourite retired

2 weeks ago | racing.com | Ben Sporle

One-time Melbourne Cup favourite White Marlin has been retired from racing, despite extensive efforts to get him back to the racetrack. The seven-year-old grey made a huge impression when he arrived in Australia in 2022, winning his first five races, but hadn't raced since the Andrew Ramsden almost two years ago. White Marlin injured both tendons when building up towards his spring campaign in 2023, when he had been as short as $8 Melbourne Cup favourite.