Kevin Gray has no doubt that favourite High Fashion can stay the 2400m of the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham and give him his third Oaks victory. The New Zealand Oaks has a slightly disappointing look to it as it is missing the country’s best fillies Habibi and Fix after… Read More »
Irish raider Solwhit benefited from the absence of the injured four-time winner Big Buck’s to win the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Solwhit was given a brilliant ride by Paul Carberry, especially as the jockey had been in doubt on race morning after taking a heavy fall on Wednesday…. Read More »
Sprinter Sacre confirmed his status as the Frankel of jump racing when he strolled to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The seven year-old gelding, trained by veteran English handler Nicky Henderson, recorded his eighth win in eight starts over fences as he came home… Read More »
Irish raider Hurricane Fly became only the second horse to regain his Champion Hurdle crown when he prevailed on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. The 2011 winner – who joins Comedy of Errors in 1973/75 in reclaiming his title – was never travelling well but battled throughout and… Read More »
Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse is satisfied the famous jumps Festival can go ahead without a hitch, despite a freezing cold Monday in the Cotswolds. The whole of the Old Course (used for the first two days of the meeting), the New Course (for the second half) and… Read More »
Irish trainer Willie Mullins believes Quevega could be even better than last year as she bids for her own piece of history on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The nine-year-old lines up in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), a race she will be trying to… Read More »
Frost covers are in place at Cheltenham to protect the course ahead of the famous four-day jumps festival. The operation on the old course where racing takes place for the first two days of the meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday was completed on Saturday afternoon along with vulnerable areas on… Read More »
Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation has reached another milestone with Hunter’s Light bringing up Group One win No.200 at Meydan. Sajjhaa later added to the tally to give trainer Saeed bin Suroor a Group One double. Hunter’s Light won the Al Maktoum Challenge (2000m), an acknowledged trial for the World Cup… Read More »
Melbourne Cup placegetter Jakkalberry has bounced back to winning form with a Group Two victory over 2410 metres at Meydan in Dubai. After his third at Flemington, the Australian-owned, Marco Botti-trained Jakkalberry was well beaten in the Japan Cup. Ridden by Ryan Moore in the Dubai race, the seven-year-old came… Read More »
Jockey Ruby Walsh says he is “utterly perplexed” by the negativity surrounding Hurricane Fly as he aims to regain his crown in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The 2011 winner was a disappointing third when odds-on favourite 12 months ago, but has appeared as good as ever in… Read More »
Ruud Awakening is set to give New Zealand one of its best chances of winning the Golden Slipper after a brilliant victory in the Group One Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. The Bernardini filly, owned by a syndicate which includes All Blacks legend Colin Meads, led from the start and… Read More »
Richard Hughes and Joseph O’Brien, reigning champion Flat jockeys in England and Ireland respectively, have been granted jumps licences to ride in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham on Wednesday. The British Horseracing Authority approved Hughes’ application while the Irish Turf Club has given O’Brien permission to compete at the Festival…. Read More »
Grands Crus has been ruled out of next week’s Cheltenham Festival after an unsatisfactory scope. Although the grey reportedly worked well on Friday morning, trainer David Pipe was not totally happy with the routine test afterwards and following consultation with the owners decided to give Cheltenham a miss. Grands Crus,… Read More »
Ante-post favourite Kingsbarns is one of 111 three-year-olds still in the frame for this year’s Epsom Derby. Aidan O’Brien’s runner sealed his place at the head of the market for the June 1 event when winning the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. He is one of 35 entries for O’Brien,… Read More »
Dwayne Dunn’s recent run of success has led to an international opportunity in Sunday week’s Group One Kong Kong Derby. Dunn has been booked to ride for trainer John Size in the feature race at Sha Tin. Size has It Has To Be You and Endowing in the Derby with… Read More »
Jim Bolger is in a bullish mood about Dawn Approach as the unbeaten colt featured among 72 entries for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4. Last season’s European champion two-year-old, who now runs in the colours of the Godolphin operation, claimed six straight victories in his juvenile season,… Read More »
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike realises his filly More Than Sacred has a potentially tough task to win the New Zealand Oaks despite her courageous Sunline Vase win at Ellerslie. More Than Sacred booked herself a ticket in the 2400m Group One contest at Trentham on March 16 by winning the… Read More »
Whanganui galloper Blood Brotha is out to earn a place in New Zealand racing history in the Auckland Cup, even though the market suggests he won’t. If he wins, Blood Brotha will become the first horse to win the New Zealand, Wellington and Auckland Cups in one season, no mean… Read More »
Ruby Walsh would love Hurricane Fly to show his true colours again in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next week. The nine-year-old has won each of his three starts this term but has faced small fields on each occasion, including when winning the Irish Champion Hurdle last time. Walsh does… Read More »
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has issued an upbeat bulletin on dual Derby winner Camelot who has recovered well from a serious bout of colic. Having won the 2000 Guineas as well as the Classics at Epsom and the Curragh, he was sent off a short price to complete the Triple Crown… Read More »
