Australia

The ongoing drought in Australia has caused massive hardship to the country’s equine population. The lack of water is expected to cause a sharp intake in the number of horses slated to go through the Echuca auction. There are 200 horses of all breeds anticipated to run through the sale, with trailer loads from Queensland […]

Winx, a four-time Australian Horse of the Year, has been confirmed to be in-foal to I Am Invincible for her first pregnancy, the mare’s connections announced in a statement Thursday. The 8-year-old daughter of Street Cry is due in the spring of 2020, per the statement. “We are very excited about this next stage of […]

Australian trainer Darren Weir, banned for four years after electric shock devices (“jiggers”) were found in his stable, has now come under investigation for his wagering activities. According to the Herald Sun, Victoria police and racing authorities found that accounts held by Weir or his associates wagered as much as A$9,000 ($US6,137) on some races. […]

Carol Booth, who lives in New South Wales Mid North Coast, is a certified therapeutic harp practitioner who also owns horses. Her home is close to where a bush fire broke out; she was forced to move her horses to the Wauchope Showground to keep them safe. One of Carol’s horses, Oscar, is blind and […]

Australian-bred Vow and Declare gave his countrymen reason to celebrate when he won the Melbourne Cup by a head, overturning a ten-year streak of foreign winners, according to The Guardian. The 4-year-old marked the first winner in the Melbourne Cup for trainer Danny O’Brien and jockey Craig Williams. “It’s an amazingly special thing to happen. […]

West Nile Virus in Australia has typically been less potent than other strains of the virus found around the world. However, a more-potent strain began circulating there in 2011. WNV infections were confirmed in 1,000 horses and 10 percent of those infected died. The original strain of West Nile in Australia was caused by Culex annulirostris mosquitoes […]

Racing Victoria (RV) announced on Monday a $25 million plan dedicated to the welfare of Victorian Thoroughbreds with an immediate focus on their post-racing wellbeing. The landmark commitment will fund the first three years of an ongoing program to accelerate and expand RV’s Equine Welfare Strategic Plan. RV also called on all sectors of the racing […]

Japanese-trained mare Lys Gracieux prevailed in the 2019 Cox Plate as the $2.50 favorite, giving jockey Damian Lane his first win in the premier Australian contest. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the daughter of Heart’s Cry defeated Castelvecchio by 1 1/2 lengths. “She’s a genuine superstar,” Lane told Yahoo Sport. “I’ve said a few times this week she’s […]

Australian livestock feed producers warn of rising costs for feed production as the drought gripping many parts of the country shows minimal signs of abating. Longtime producer Brett Caddy of Southern Cross Feeds says that the impact of the drought on feed production is “frightening” and it’s the worst he’s ever seen. Though Caddy is […]

Vegas Showgirl, the dam of Australian champion Winx, had a filly by leading Japanese sire Deep Impact on Sept. 3 at Segenhoe Stud in Aberdeen, Australia, ANZ Bloodstock News reports. Bred by John and Deb Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, the filly was described as the best one yet out of the mare by farm staff. This […]