Frankie Dettori has returned to the spotlight in a very different way, joining the Celebrity Big Brother house. The flamboyant jockey was the first to enter the stage at studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire. As always, the line-up for the latest series of the show was a closely-guarded secret, but it… Read More »
Two months shy of his 50th birthday, Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens is launching a comeback this weekend at Santa Anita. He says he’s returning to the saddle after a seven-year retirement because his passion for riding has been reignited. Stevens retired in November 2005 after battling knee pain… Read More »
Part-time horse show ringmaster Lee Somervell broke his Group One duck when Fleur De Lune charged home for a convincing Railway Stakes victory at Ellerslie. Fleur De Lune had placed five times in Group One races before Tuesday but she took advantage of a favourable weight to race past the… Read More »
Vinny Colgan executed a pre-race plan perfectly as he got doubtful stayer Fix home in the Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. Colgan brought Fix across from a wide barrier draw to lead before applying the brakes and turning the group two race for three-year-old fillies into a sprint home. It… Read More »
Matamata horsewoman Danica Guy has almost by accident found herself with a contender for New Zealand’s richest race. Guy scored her first black-type winner as a trainer when Gobi Ranger easily won the Group Three Eclipse Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds at Ellerslie in Auckland on Tuesday. The victory assures him… Read More »
Brendan Powell celebrated his 500th success as a trainer when Award Winner did the business at Uttoxeter. The JP McManus-owned gelding was winning for the ninth time when getting home at odds of 12-1 in the 32Red Casino Handicap Hurdle. Award Winner was always going well in the hands of… Read More »
Planteur and Jakkalberry are likely to spearhead Marco Botti’s raiding party on Dubai in 2013. The Newmarket-based Italian trainer plans to send a total of six horses, firstly sending over four including Fanunalter, Fattsota and Kingsdesire. He will wait until February before unleashing his two big guns who could be… Read More »
Cheltenham is very much on the minds of connections of both Hurricane Fly and Taquin De Seuil as Grade One victories on Saturday put them firmly in the championship mix. The Festival will be old ground for Hurricane Fly as he aims to regain the crown he relinquished in the… Read More »
Paul Nicholls believes Tidal Bay could be the horse to try for the unique double of the World Hurdle and the Grand National. The talented but quirky 11-year-old leapt into the picture for the Gold Cup with a dramatic last-gasp triumph in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown. However, Nicholls would… Read More »
Hurricane Fly has been tightened in betting to regain his Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham following his 13th Grade One victory. The Willie Mullins-trained star made easy work of Saturday’s Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown with Ruby Walsh aboard, beating Unaccompanied by seven lengths. Champion Hurdle sponsors Stan James trimmed Hurricane… Read More »
John McCririck is clinging to hope that he might appear on Channel 4 Racing at some point in the future as the curtain comes down on a colourful era. Saturday sees the final day of the long-standing Channel 4 team, with the Morning Line and racing from Newbury, Doncaster and… Read More »
Ireland’s hopes of securing a first Cheltenham Gold Cup in seven years were dealt a blow as great white hopes Flemenstar and Sir Des Champs were beaten by enigmatic veteran Tidal Bay in a barnstorming finish to the Lexus Chase. The feature event of Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and the most… Read More »
Long Run became only the seventh horse to reclaim the prestigious King George VI Chase crown as he edged Captain Chris by a neck in a thrilling finish at Kempton. The seven-year-old gelding – ridden as ever by Sam Waley-Cohen – was always prominent but a terrible mistake five jumps… Read More »
Unbeaten filly Habibi is helping Northland trainer Donna Logan reap the rewards for telling an owner her horse couldn’t run more than a decade ago. Habibi took her record to four wins from as many starts when winning the Group Two Great Northern Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie, looking like a… Read More »
A six-week break proved no problem for Fix as she outslogged a good field in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie on Wednesday. Fix franked the form which saw her run third in the Group One 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, sitting outside the leader for jockey Vinny Colgan… Read More »
The Hombre won the main lead-up to the Group One Railway Handicap at Ellerslie by a street but his trainer rates him only “a runner’s chance” in the big race on New Year’s Day. The Hombre led from the outset in the Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Boxing… Read More »
Junior will attempt to drag the stamina out of the opposition when he aims to justify a late entry for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Owners Middleham Park Racing stumped up STG10,000 ($A15,770) to add the David Pipe-trained nine-year-old to the field and believe they… Read More »
Long Run may set his own pace as the 2011 Gold Cup winner bids to reclaim his King George VI Chase crown at Kempton on Boxing Day. It has not been plain sailing since the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding won a rearranged King George in January 2011 before going on to… Read More »
Craig Williams has ended his latest stint in Japan with an unlucky third on Rulership in Sunday’s Group One Arima Kinen at Nakayama. The winner of the Queen Elizabeth Cup in Hong Kong in April, Rulership has yet to win a Group One on home soil and was also third… Read More »
A look at the highs and lows of British racing in 2012. HIGHS Frankel: Hyperbole was exhausted long ago in assessing the greatness of the Sir Henry Cecil-trained colt. Whether he is the best ever will always be a matter of conjecture, but it is a moot point. What this… Read More »
