Belgian Grand Prix live updates: McLaren issue team orders for race
Aussie Oscar Piastri's championship lead sits at nine points but teammate Lando Norris is ready to bring the gap down and will start from pole position.
The Brit proved too good during qualifying as he pipped out Piastri with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen lining up on the second row.
Norris is chasing his third straight victory and his fifth on the season, a feat that would match Piastri who's last victory came in Spain at the start of June.
While track conditions have been dry over the course of the weekend, the race is set to unfold in wet conditions with the heavens opening above the famous Spa-francorchamps circuit.
Don't miss a second of the action with the lights set to go out from 11pm (AEST).
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Adam Sherry's best bets, inside mail for Scone and Narrandera on Thursday, July 31, 2025
Form analyst Adam Sherry provides his best bets and analysis Scone plus tips for Narrandera on Thursday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– SCONE TIPS BEST BET Race 7 No.2 SOLITARIO: Raced wide when narrowly beaten last start in search of a hat-trick NEXT BEST Race 8 No.6 CRESTA RUN: Missed the start when runner-up last start. Can go one better. VALUE BET Race 5 No.2 GHAZNAVI: Unlucky when runner-up two runs back before breaking through last start. Will give this a shake. QUADDIE Race 5: 2, 5, 6, 11 Race 6: 1, 2, 4, 10 Race 7: 2, 5 Race 8: 6, 12, 16 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Reece Jones can start the day with a winning double. LAY OF THE DAY Race 6 No.1 DWAYNE: Won a trial for new stable but this is his first run over 1300m. Form is over further. ROCKADEEL (4) is a four-year-old debutant by Dundeel. Had three trials in 2023 before a long break. Close second in her July 9 Gunnedah trial before coming from last to win her July 16 trial here. EMPRESS TSARINA (3) lost considerable ground when severely hampered at the start when seventh at Muswellbrook last start. Go on her three provincial placings before that. SHE'S SO FLY (5) is a first starter by Flying Artie. Third to Rockadeel in her trial here before leading all-the-way to win her July 23 Gosford trial by over four lengths. BET: ROCKADEEL (4) to win. SEE YOU THEN (8) debuted with a second to Straand Care here in January before a spell. Returned with a second to Rembroy at Tamworth before a long head second to Hellwithasmile there 11 days later. MAGURTZ (9) is a debutant by Tassort. Nice effort to beat Head Kahuna in his trial here before tracking the leader and running away to win his Beaumont heat. FLYING MOLLY (6) was good first-up from a long lay-off when third to Herman Said. Followed with a solid second to Nova Centauri. BET: SEE YOU THEN (8) to win. CHARLEROI (1) raced outside the leader buy was no match to Hooligan Tommy when runner-up as favourite in a Midway Bm68 at Gosford 12 days ago. STORM PARK (7) resumed with a sixth to Malabar over 1350m at Gosford before a closing fifth to Cash Me over 1500m at Hawkesbury. His maiden win was over 1600m and suited stepping up to 1700m. GREAT POINT (5) dops in grade after two runs in TAB Highways at Rosehill and Randwick. Winner at Tamworth before that. BET: CHARLEROI (1) to win. CHAMPAGNE TONIGHT (7) was spelled after a debut third at Cranbourne in October. Resumed from a spell for a new stable with a nose win from I'm Done over 1000m here. Missed the start by two lengths when a neck third at Moree last start. EDGE OF MIDNIGHT (4) resumed with a nose second to Manage The Cycle here on July 14. Is two from two second-up. ECHELON (6) placed once in nine starts in Victoria. Transferred to the Cavanough stable and scored a good win from Jagerschnitzel at Muswellbrook. Good chance again. BET: CHAMPAGNE TONIGHT (7) to win. GHAZNAVI (2) was unlucky two starts back after caught deep throughout from a wide gate when a nose second to Saint Philomena over 1400m at Mudgee. Stepped up to 1600m and was again wide before beating The Big Blue here. Drawn ideally and will give this a shake. PINDORAMA (11) tracked the leader before scoring a two length win from Mad Harry on debut here on June 23. Got well back from a wide draw before running home for third to Wild Sensation 18 days later. OCEANFRONT (5) will be improved by his first-up second at Tamworth. BET: GHAZNAVI (2) each-way. SMART BUY (9) was a little unlucky not to break her maiden second-up last campaign when a three-quarter length second to Tulipwood at Dubbo after being held-up on the turn. Again held-up when fourth over 1000m here first-up. EAGLETURN (2) was bumped near the 75m when third to Great Idea on debut at Tamworth and was promoted to second after a protest. Has claims. DWAYNE (1) steps out for a new stable off a Gosford trial win. Has provincial form from 1500m up to 1890m. BET: SMART BUY (9) each-way. SOLITARIO (2) resumed with a nice win from Star Prediction to break his maiden here before returning to win a Class 1 from Cresta Run. Raced wide without cover when a neck third to Ilovenews when shooting for a hat-trick in a Bm66. GIRRAWHEEN (5) was fifth to Solitario in the Class 1 first-up before dropping back to 1100m and beating My Boy Scout at Dubbo. SEBILLA (7) has been freshened since fading in a Highway Rosehill on June 14. Has claims on her third to Fiorsum Fred here three starts back. BET: SOLITARIO (2) to win. CRESTA RUN (6) came from near last and ran on strongly when a nose second to Solitario first-up. Raced a little keenly when runner-up to Wild Sensation here last start. ALL TOO WILD (12) resumed with a half-length second to Dashing Basics at Grafton on July 6. Followed up with a half-length second to Tonkatsu Goddess at Gosford. Her maiden win came third-up. UPWARDLY MOBILE (16) was spelled after suffering cardiac arrhythmia here in March. Won first-up last campaign and trialled nicely when fifth here on July 16. BET: CRESTA RUN (6) to win. â– â– â– â– â–
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Scone preview: A chance encounter with Cambridge Stud boss could lead to record season for trainer Rodney Northam
Scone trainer Rodney Northam has already equalled his best 45 winners for the season but a chance encounter after one of those wins could see him set a new benchmark. Northam saddles up his first runner for New Zealand's Cambridge Stud with Rockadeel who makes her race debut as a four-year-old in the opening race, the Maiden Handicap (900m). The daughter of Dundeel had three trials in May and August of 2023 for Brad Widdup but was off the scene until she trialled at Gunnedah on July 25 for Northam. 'I bumped into Henry Plumptre (Cambridge Stud CEO) after winning a Highway and he said they had a mare they think would suit coming to me,' said Northam. 'She injured herself and needed an extended spell. 'She was sound with the pre-trainers and sent her to me to try and get a win on the board. Straand Care gives @NockBraith and @cavanoughracing a double at @sconeraceclub! â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 30, 2025 The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! 'I'm quite pleased with what she has shown me since she arrived and her two trials have been good. 'The 900 metres might be 100 metres short of what she wants but it looks a nice race for her.' Northam has been pleased with the three runs of See You Then and feels she is a good chance to break through in the Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1100m). The daughter of Magna Grecia has been runner-up in each run, the latest a long head behind Hellwithasmile over 1000m at Tamworth on June 27. 'She really knuckled down well when she got clear,' he said. 'I think the 1100 metres should be fine, the track should be good and it looks like a winnable race for her. 'She had a foot abscess after her last run which is why the gap between races.' Smart Buy has been a little unlucky not to have broken through already but gets her chance in the Maiden Plate (1300m). The filly was held up on the turn when a three-quarter length second over 1300m at Dubbo back in March and found herself in a similar situation when fourth to Nova Centauri over 1000m at Scone first-up this campaign. 'The first-up run was really nice. The 1000 metres was always going to be a bit short for her but she was good through the line,' Northam said. 🟣 Bhima Grad Winner 🟣 3YO filly Tulipwood (Russian Revolution x Lady Lakshmi) is tough to the line and claims her maiden at start two for @ANeashamRacing & @Rob_Arch1 🙌 Bred by Lachlan River Bloodstock, Mr P Treyvaud, Kiscm and Russo Super, she was an Inglis Easter Sale grad. â€' Bhima Thoroughbreds (@BhimaTBreds) March 7, 2025 'She isn't an overly strong but she is a big filly with a decent stride and she takes a bit of balancing up. 'Stepping up to 1300 metres looks ideal and Scone is a great track for her with the big straight. 'It looks the perfect race for her.' Great Point has failed to produce her nest form in TAB Highways at Rosehill and Randwick at her past two starts but was a winner at Tamworth before that. Northam expects a return to her home track can see her turn her form around in the Benchmark 66 (1700m). 'I was a bit disappointed with her last run. I was expecting a bit more from her,' he said. 'She just hasn't really done well when we have gone to Sydney. Some horses just don't handle the travelling down there. 'Back on her home track where she has a good record and I think she can race really well.' Northam was extremely happy with the barrier trial of Upwardly Mobile at Scone on July 16 and expects her run very well when she kicks off her campaign. Which race that will be in will be determined by scratchings and the weather as she is in the Class 2 Handicap (1300m) and Benchmark 58 (1200m) where she is the second emergency. 'Her trial was super and I'll just weigh up both races,' he said.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Trainer Gary Colvin saddles up Pride Of Jezza at Narrandera on Thursday
Gary Colvin-trained blue blood Pride Of Jezza will be 'racing for fun' if he can make it back-to-back wins when he heads to Narrandera on the last day of the 2024/25 season. The son of Pride Of Dubai's current earnings of $38,755 are just shy of his $40,000 purchase price at the 2023 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Pride Of Jezza 's grandam, Piavonic, won nine races but is best remembered for her upset win in the 2001 Manikato Stakes in which she rolled Sunline and Falvelon. Pride Of Jezza, who will turn four on Friday, turned in a barnstorming win of his own last start when coming from well back to claim his 1400m Maiden at Wagga by a widening two-length margin. His mission on Thursday is the . 'There's something about him,'' Country Championship Final-winning trainer Colvin said. 'He won really easily last week. He came from last and did what I had been expecting him to do for a while. 'He just went past them and the jockey just eased him down going past the post, so he should get the mile all right.' The prospect of a wet track ought not trouble resuming stablemate Nic's Hero whose record on Heavy is two wins and five placings from nine runs. It's a trait shared by, and likely passed on, by his 'damsire Nothin' Leica Dane, whose solitary appearance on a Heavy was his splitting of Doriemus and Vintage Crop in the Melbourne Cup, three days after beating Octagonal in the Victoria Derby. Nic's Hero from the clouds @mtcwagga! â˜�ï¸� A gun steer from Hannah Williams for trainer Gary Colvin! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2022 'I am very interested to see how he goes because he's had a couple of jump-outs,'' says Colvin. 'He's no mug, you've just got to place him right. I hope he's placed right on Thursday.' Colvin is likely to be represented by three of his string in the last race at Narrandera on Thursday, namely Philadelphia Storm, Kerma Art and Newyork Missile. 'Philadelphia Storm loves it wet,'' the trainer said. 'He's an on and off horse, you've just got to place him right and hope he does well. 'Kerma Art ran well last time too on the wet. 'The way Newyork Missile is going at the moment, he was very strong last week and a bit unlucky, I think he'd probably be the pick of the three of them.'
