Brave Centaur to race for new stable

2 October 2014

Matamata galloper Brave Centaur will have his first start from new quarters in Saturday’s Listed A$120,000 Headquarters Tavern Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Previously prepared by Matamata’s Lance Noble, the Group One-placed O’Reilly seven-year-old has been transferred to Whittlesea trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison.

Brave Centaur hasn’t raced since his fourth placing behind subsequent Group One performers I Do and Pussy O’Reilly in the Gr.3 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa in mid-August.

He had to be scratched from his planned first start in Melbourne when he went down on the flight over and took skin off his hip, which led to his programme being out of kilter with the Noble-trained Viadana and his subsequent transfer of stables.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Well, I got a bit behind last week, with Friday slipping by without realising it; hence no Corner. I have said on too many occasions that negative messages are of no help to anyone, and yet there seems so often a reason to be concerned. Clearly, this week the well-constructed Guerin Report on the threatened downgrade of our Group 1 races demands our attention.

21 October 2026

Vale Ohope Wins, Ocean Park’s tough, kind and courageous daughter

Long before her Oaks double, Ohope Wins’ greatest victory belonged to the Waikato Stud staff and Matamata Veterinary Services vets who saved her as a desperately sick foal. Taken far too soon at Caulfield, her remarkable story is theirs too.