A decision on whether Last Instalment runs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup will be delayed as late as possible. The nine-year-old has returned from a near two-year absence seemingly better than ever judged by his brilliant display in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month. He is among the… Read More »
Five failures at beating top mare Silent Achiever aren’t stopping Peter and Dawn Williams from sending Shuka out to try a sixth time. Shuka is on the third line of betting for the Group One New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, and success could earn him a crack at the… Read More »
Inexperienced Manawatu galloper Who Shot Thebarman has held off Australian challenger Celtic Prince to win the Auckland Cup. Leading jockey Matt Cameron had Who Shot Thebarman three wide with cover for much of the 3200m race at Ellerslie but he dashed to the front soon after straightening. Celtic Prince, trained… Read More »
Tony Pike is hoping the omens will prove the same after taking the Sunline Vase at Ellerslie with Rock Diva. Pike and Rock Diva’s owners Raffles Farm won the Sunline Vase last year with More Than Sacred, who went on to win the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham 10 days… Read More »
Treve will have the aid of a classy pacemaker for her upcoming campaign in the shape of Irish Group Two winner Belle De Crecy. Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, owner of the brilliant unbeaten Arc winner, has purchased the former Johnny Murtagh-trained mare from Andrew Tinkler. While Belle De Crecy’s first… Read More »
Trainer Lance Noble is hopeful his Auckland Cup contender Annie Higgins will find her best now she is being reunited with a rider who knows her quirks. Annie Higgins has finished outside the placings in her four lead-ups to the $500,000 Auckland Cup on Wednesday, partly due to bad luck,… Read More »
Australian stakes winner Free Wheeling has won his first race for Godolphin at Meydan. Formerly trained by Peter Snowden and now prepared by Saeed bin Suroor, Free Wheeling had been placed three times in Dubai over the past year but a switch from turf to the Tapeta surface proved the… Read More »
Top jockey Michael Walker says he was struggling to walk three races before winning the New Zealand Derby aboard Puccini. Walker injured his lower back while he was riding Rough Copy to victory in the Lindsay Mile, and was in some pain on his way back. “Halfway up the straight… Read More »
The Irish Turf Club is to significantly enhance its drug-testing regime from next January. The announcement comes just a week after Irish racing was rocked by the news trainer Philip Fenton faces court charges over the alleged possession of banned animal remedies, including steroids. From next year all horses whether… Read More »
Leading Classic hope Ihtimal predictably proved a class above her opponents as she produced a scintillating display in the UAE Oaks at Meydan. Saeed bin Suroor’s Godolphin filly showed her class in Britain as a juvenile, claiming the Sweet Solera at Newmarket and the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster before… Read More »
British Horseracing Authority officials have visited Philip Fenton’s stables in Ireland to carry out tests on the trainer’s Cheltenham entries, including Gold Cup hope Last Instalment. The BHA has confirmed it also interviewed Fenton, who is set to appear at a County Tipperary court on March 20 to answer charges… Read More »
The death of staying star Mosquito has made it a tough two weeks for Northland trainer Donna Logan, but she’s hoping the New Zealand Derby will provide the best possible lift. Logan saddles $4 second favourite Rising Romance and outside chance Stand Your Ground in the 2400m Derby at Ellerslie… Read More »
Cheltenham has announced the introduction of the Prestbury Cup ahead of this year’s Festival to celebrate the rivalry between Britain and Ireland. The Prestbury Cup runs from the first race of the four-day meeting on March 11 until either country has 14 winners or more. For the first time last… Read More »
Irish jockey Jonny Murtagh has announced his retirement from riding to concentrate on training. Murtagh rode more than 100 Group One winners during his career and took out his training licence in May last year. He rode Australian sprinter Choisir to a famous Royal Ascot double in the King’s Stand… Read More »
French trainer Francois Doumen has called time on the career of dual purpose racehorse Kasbah Bliss. A Group One winner on the Flat and a top-class performer over hurdles, there have not been many horses of the same ilk in recent times. His last win was his Prix du Cadran… Read More »
Simon Crisford is to leave his long-standing role as racing manager at Godolphin but will remain with Sheikh Mohammed as his global racing adviser. Crisford, who has been with Godolphin since its inception, told the Racing Post he was looking for a new challenge. Last year Godolphin was hit by… Read More »
Sprinter Sacre will not defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham. The Nicky Henderson-trained two-mile champion was pulled up at Kempton on December 27 and diagnosed as suffering from an irregular heartbeat. Until then he had been undefeated over fences. That problem righted itself and he has been… Read More »
Grandeur has made a winning return to the UK with victory in the Winter Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield. Jeremy Noseda’s charge has spent time in America in the past and was last seen finishing down the field in a Sha Tin Group One. Settled just off the speed by… Read More »
Willie Mullins bagged a four-timer at Fairyhouse and in the process threw punters a potential curve ball as he suggested On His Own could have improved enough to bypass the Grand National in favour of the Gold Cup at Punchestown. The 10-year-old, a faller in the past two runnings of… Read More »
Nashville relished a return to Otaki, and to a smaller field, to win his second Group One Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age Classic. The talented Darci Brahma gelding hasn’t placed in his last four runs after his usual tardy beginnings. But back on the course where he beat Veyron and Ocean Park… Read More »
