Broken elbow for Hollie Doyle after Wolverhampton fall

/by

Hollie Doyle is facing a spell on the sidelines after breaking her elbow in a fall at Wolverhampton on Monday evening.

The record-breaking jockey was riding the Archie Watson-trained 4-7 favourite The Perfect Crown in a seven-furlong claimer at Dunstall Park when her mount broke down on the home bend.

While Doyle walked away from the incident, she went to see a specialist on Tuesday to determine the extent of her injury.

Cazoo St Leger Festival – Day One – Doncaster Racecourse
Tom Marquand confirmed Hollie Doyle has a broken elbow (Mike Egerton/PA)

Her husband and fellow rider Tom Marquand confirmed on Wednesday that Doyle has broken her elbow, although it is too soon to set out a timescale for her return.

Tom: “She has broken her elbow. We don’t really know how long she will be out for as she literally only had her MRIs last night.

“It is one of those fiddly things, as you could put a number on it and you’d be wrong every time anyway.

“To be honest, it is just a case of making sure she gets it right now, because you wouldn’t want to stop halfway through the summer. It is frustrating.”

Doyle ended last year with 151 winners, finishing second to William Buick on overall totals as well as in the Flat jockeys’ championship which runs between May and October.

All roads lead to Cheltenham for Colm Murphy’s Impervious

/by

Colm Murphy has revealed star mare Impervious will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival where she will tackle the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old took her tally to three from three over the larger obstacles when downing an above-average cast at Punchestown on Sunday, adding that Grade Three prize to the Grade Two honours she secured at Cork in December.

Single-figure odds for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival, her name was missing from the entries for any of the Graded novice chases when they were revealed earlier this week, with connections deciding to keep her among her own sex and target the mares-only chase on the final day – for which she is disputing favouritism with Willie Mullins’ Allegorie De Vassy.

“It will be the mares’ chase all the way and we’ll go straight there,” said Murphy. “She seems well and goes well fresh. With her three runs I’m happy enough she has plenty of experience going there.

“We’re absolutely delighted with her, she seems to be progressing and has taken to fences really well – I was delighted by her win on Sunday.

“There’s no doubt she’s probably good enough to run in it (Turners), but the mares’ looks the obvious one. She’s one to look forward to.”

Murphy famously enjoyed Cheltenham glory with Brave Inca, who won both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle, as well as placing in the Tuesday feature on two other occasions.

Brian Hayes and trainer Colm Murphy celebate after winning the Madigan Group Novice Chase with Impervious at Punchestown Racecourse
Brian Hayes and trainer Colm Murphy celebate after winning the Madigan Group Novice Chase with Impervious at Punchestown Racecourse (Brian Lawless/PA)

He also tasted big-race success when Big Zeb landed the Champion Chase in 2011 and although he heads back to Prestbury Park with a real chance of adding to his Festival tally, the Wexford-based handler believes luck will have to be on his side to register his first victory at racing’s showpiece meeting since Empire Of Dirt scored in 2016.

“In fairness we’ve had a few there since,” he continued. “We had Relegate there and it didn’t work out for her when going for the handicap hurdle (Pertemps) with a massive chance and it will be the same for this lady.

“If we can get her there in tip-top shape, she’ll be going there with a massive chance and you’ve just got to hope things go right on the day.

“You need so much luck on the day and if we do, then she has the credentials. You need the rub of the green especially in those places (Cheltenham).”

Iwilldoit team considering qualifying options for Aintree hope

/by

Iwilldoit could try to book his Randox Grand National ticket by running at Newbury or Ascot next month.

Sam Thomas’ 10-year-old defied a 383-day layoff when galloping to an impressive success in the Classic Chase at Warwick – a performance that saw him cut to as short as 16-1 for the Aintree showpiece on April 15.

However, the main stumbling block post-race appeared to be the fact Iwilldoit is not yet qualified for the Merseyside marathon – and with time at a premium before the February 19 deadline to have run in at least six races over fences, Thomas was far from certain that is where he would head in the spring.

Iwilldoit’s pilot Stan Sheppard reports the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury on February 11 or the Betfair Ascot Chase at Ascot a week later on February 18 are being considered in order to meet the qualification criteria.

“I believe Aintree is now the plan and that there are two races in mind, the Denman Chase over three miles at Newbury and the Ascot Chase over two-miles-five,” said Sheppard.

“He literally only needs to get around in either race as he has to have six runs over fences to qualify for the Grand National.”

Jockey Stan Sheppard and trainer Sam Thomas celebrate after Iwilldoit won The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase during at Warwick
Jockey Stan Sheppard and trainer Sam Thomas celebrate after Iwilldoit won The Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase during at Warwick (Nigel French/PA)

Sheppard has never ridden in a Grand National, but believes his likely mount is more than capable of handling the unique test the famous spruce provides.

He added: “I definitely think he would be fine over those fences. It was only his fifth run over fences on Saturday and he jumped better than he probably did both times I rode him at Chepstow.

“I also don’t think he needs particularly heavy ground. As long as it is not quick in the Grand National, he will be fine.”

Ultima aim for Threeunderthrufive

/by

Threeunderthrufive is likely to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival where he will bid to give the McNeill family a first victory in the race they sponsor – the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Twice a Grade Two scorer as a novice chaser, he was quietly fancied for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury earlier in the season only for his foray into open company over the larger obstacles to end in disappointment when regular pilot Adrian Heskin was unseated at the first fence.

However, having skipped a run in the Welsh Grand National over the Christmas period, Threeunderthrufive and Heskin were in perfect harmony during Warwick’s Classic Chase on Saturday – giving a bold sight from the front end before the testing ground took its toll in the closing stages.

Connections were delighted with the display and confirmed the eight-year-old will now be targeted at the opening day handicap at the Festival – for which he is a best priced 25-1 with Bet365 – before a tilt at one of the various Nationals later in the spring.

Adrian Heskin riding Threeunderthrufive on their way to winning the mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Chase during day three of the November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in November 2021
Adrian Heskin riding Threeunderthrufive on their way to winning the mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Chase during day three of the November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in November 2021 (Tim Goode/PA)

“We were really pleased in what was really his first start over fences this season having unseated in the Coral Gold Cup,” said Iain Turner, racing manager for the McNeill family.

“You could say it was only his second start of the season and also quite a time since his first at Wetherby in October.

“I think the ground was just testing for him and I think the big disappointment is it was good to soft when we entered and if it stayed at that it would have been super. But it can’t be helped – he has come out of the race fine and if he didn’t run at Warwick, where would we have gone?

“It was a hard enough race for him, so he will need a bit of time now to recover and freshen up, and we do have our eye on three-mile-plus staying chases in the spring.”

He continued: “All being well, we will probably be going straight to the Ultima.

“Max (McNeill) has sponsored the race now for a good few years and we’ve had good representation previously with runners that ultimately haven’t troubled the first four. But hopefully this lad can come on for his run and feature.

“It was a nice bit of experience running in a big field (at Warwick). The way novice races go in the UK, you are only really taking on three and four runners through no fault of your own. So he now has a bit more experience under his belt in that regard and there are still very few miles on the clock.

“I think in all probability it will be straight to Cheltenham, then after that one of the Nationals or the Bet365 Gold Cup (Sandown, April 29).”

Although a decision on which of the English, Scottish or Irish Grand Nationals to run in is far from finalised, connections are aware a bold showing at Cheltenham could present them with a golden opportunity to head to Aintree on April 15 with a well-handicapped contender.

“I think my immediate reaction would be Scotland would be more likely than Aintree,” added Turner.

“But given the weights are set for Aintree before the Ultima, if he comes out and wins or finishes second or whatever in the Ultima, he becomes well-in for the Grand National while the Scottish National would be revised weights.

“We would consider Ireland as well because he does have a 100 per cent record going right-handed – although not that it matters at all because he doesn’t jump violently one way or the other.

“I think Warwick is a pretty good jumping test and his jumping hasn’t posed any problems round there twice now – they’ve almost been two of his better performances I would say.”

Cotswold Chase target for Lingfield absentee Noble Yeats

/by

Grand National hero Noble Yeats is set to be rerouted to the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday week after an administrative error ruled him out of Sunday’s Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield.

The Emmet Mullins-trained eight-year-old provided amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen with a fairytale success in last year’s renewal of the Aintree spectacular, on what proved to be his final ride.

Noble Yeats was pulled up on his reappearance at Auteuil, but has since impressed in winning a Listed prize at Wexford and Aintree’s Many Clouds Chase, with the latter success in particular thrusting him into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture.

Connections identified the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Chase as a suitable next port of call – but it was confirmed on Tuesday that he will not be able to line up as the horse’s vaccination record is not compliant with the Rules of Racing.

The British Horseracing Authority said in a statement that a change to the rules came into effect this month, following a 12-month transition period to allow trainers to adjust to the changes to the vaccine booster intervals.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen, however, feels improvements to the entry system could still be made.

He said: “It’s disappointing, but the ground at Lingfield could be awful. They’ve covered what was waterlogged ground because of the frost, which is not a good combination, and they’ve already abandoned racing on Friday, so maybe we’ve dodged a bullet.

“On the other hand, I don’t really understand why the programme is set up in such a way that they don’t advise you that more information is required until the deadline has passed.

Robert Waley-Cohen (right) with Noble Yeats
Robert Waley-Cohen (right) with Noble Yeats (Brian Lawless/PA)

“Whenever you’re making entries, surely it should trigger something to say you need to upload some more information.

“I’ve just got on a flight and when you’re checking in they say you need to input your Covid information and your visa information, then you can select a seat and check-in. They don’t say when you turn up at the door ‘sorry you can’t fly today because you haven’t uploaded your information’.

“I think it’s disappointing that they don’t have a trigger saying ‘thank you for you entry, you need to to give us more information before this entry becomes valid’.

“A great many people are getting caught out with it because obviously vaccination is an ongoing thing and you have to keep on uploading on a regular basis for different horses – and people make administrative errors, that’s why they’re trainers and not businessmen.”

When asked whether he had discussed an alternative plan with Mullins, Waley-Cohen added: “We’ve had lots of chat and I think it’s almost certain that he’ll go to the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham six days later.”

Weather woes continue as frost claims Plumpton card

/by

Wednesday’s card at Plumpton has been cancelled due to a frozen track.

Clerk of the course Marcus Waters inspected the track at 8.30am and felt that conditions would not be raceable in time for the meeting to go ahead.

He said: “We got down to minus 2C and we were at that temperature for most of the night.

Newbury also cancelled their Wednesday fixture
Newbury also cancelled their Wednesday fixture (David Davies/PA)

“I thought the frost had got a bit worse from when I walked the track at 6am and with temperatures slow enough to rise today, we’re not sure we’ll be raceable later on today.

“It’s very disappointing but we thought it was fairer to everyone to make a decision rather than delay.”

With Newbury already called off, there will be no jumps racing in Britain for a second day. Wolverhampton’s all-weather card goes ahead after the track passed a second precautionary inspection following overnight snow.

Wincanton's Thursday card is subject to an inspection
Wincanton’s Thursday card is subject to an inspection (David Davies/PA)

Thursday’s National Hunt action hinges on an 8am inspection on raceday at Wincanton ahead of their Somerset National meeting, with Ludlow cancelled following an inspection on Wednesday morning.

Officials at Ludlow report the track to be frozen in places with further frost forecast.

Newcastle’s Thursday card was called off on Tuesday for similar reasons while Friday’s fixture at Market Rasen, which features the Listed Alan Swinbank mares’ bumper, is subject to a noon inspection on Thursday.

Fairyhouse is scheduled to race on Thursday
Fairyhouse is scheduled to race on Thursday (Niall Carson/PA)

Fairyhouse will have to pass a 3pm inspection on Wednesday if the scheduled meeting on Thursday is to go ahead.

Areas of the track are not fit for racing due to frozen ground, with temperatures not forecast to rise significantly.

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting lost to cold snap

/by

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend on Friday has been abandoned.

With temperatures reaching below minus 6C at the course on Monday night through Tuesday morning, an early bulletin had stressed the track needed fortune to be on their side for the first of their three-day meeting to go ahead – and following a 4.45pm inspection racing was abandoned due to a hard frost with limited improvement and the further poor forecast.

Friday’s card was set to feature the £110,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle and the £50,000 Class 2 Godstone Chase – a handicap run over two miles and the British Horseracing Authority and Lingfield have acted quickly to add these two races to Sunday’s fixture.

The final day of the meeting, which also hosts the weekend’s flagship Fleur De Lys Chase, will now be a nine-race card and officials are cautiously optimistic rising temperatures over the weekend will allow both Saturday’s all-weather card and Sunday’s action on the turf to go ahead.

“We’re heavily frozen in places today and the reality is we got to 1C today for about four hours and we’ll have another hard frost tonight and the next couple of nights,” said George Hill, clerk of the course for Lingfield.

“The forecast basically has no chance of improving before Friday so we felt as a team in conjunction with the BHA that the best course of action would be to save the best two races from Friday and put them on Sunday to make that a nine-race card.

“We’ll obviously need improvement in the forecast, but at least there is scope for the forecast to improve on Saturday into Sunday, where we kind of know what the forecast is for the next 48 to 72 hours – we’re fairly confident what that forecast is.”

He continued: “It gives us the best chance of saving as many races in the current situation we are faced with and the latest challenge of the weather.

“If we can manage to get Sunday on and Saturday’s all-weather Flat card as well, which will be a good day, then at least it will be a decent nine-race card with a hell of a lot of prize-money up for grabs. It’s not really what we wanted but it’s the best of the bad situation we are in.”

Meanwhile officials at Ascot have admitted the change in forecast “may present some challenges” in being able to stage Saturday’s card – which is headlined by the LK Bennett Clarence House Chase.

Temperatures dropped as low as minus 6C on Monday night through to Tuesday morning and clerk of the course Chris Stickles has indicated a changing forecast suggests the cold weather may now extend into the weekend.

He said: “The going remains soft, good to soft in places on the chase track and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course. We’re obviously frozen on both courses in places this morning following minus 6C overnight and temperatures are still below freezing now.

“The forecast now indicates that this cold spell could last into the weekend, so it has changed since yesterday. So that may present some challenges.

“Temperatures aren’t due to get much above 4C on any given day and we’re still below freezing at the moment. Its not likely to get as cold as it did last night again currently, but although it’s not forecast to get as cold as it did last night it does look like sub-zero temperatures each night.

“We’ll continue to monitor and update accordingly.”

Haydock are also “50-50” to stage their Saturday fixture where the use of frost covers may not be enough to save the Peter Marsh Chase card.

Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park
Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park (John Giles/PA)

“I would say we are 50-50 realistically,” said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright. “We were minus 3C last night and we’ve got several more nights to get through.

“Frost covers are down but they will have their work cut out on the worn ground. There is no sign of any sun today for instance. It’s just above zero but we’ve got fog pretty much slowing down any thawing activity out there.

“We’ll just have to play it as it comes. We would very much like to race and will do everything we can.”

Freezing temperatures have already took their toll on the week’s racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

Newcastle have taken the decision to abandon for Thursday following an inspection late on Tuesday afternoon due to a hard frost and a minimal opportunity in the forecast for conditions to improve.

Plumpton will stage a second inspection at 8.30am ahead of their meeting on Wednesday.

Frost covers are down but it reached minus 6C on Monday night. However, Tuesday evening was not set to be as cold with -2C forecast and officials are hopeful of racing.

Officials at Ludlow have announced a precautionary inspection for 9am on Wednesday ahead of the track’s scheduled Thursday fixture, while Wincanton inspect at 8am on Thursday ahead of their Somerset National card later that day.

Luke Morris reaches 2,000 British winners landmark

/by

Luke Morris celebrated another landmark when reaching 2,000 career winners in Britain at Southwell on Tuesday.

In a perfect piece of symmetry, the Archie Watson-trained Colors Of Freedom was winning at the track where Morris recorded his first career victory in November 2005.

The Arc-winning rider, 34, joins only six other current riders in Britain who have achieved the same feat – Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori, Jamie Spencer, Jim Crowley, Paul Hanagan and Joe Fanning.

He told Great British Racing: “Year in year out I try to have as many winners as I can, so to reach 2,000 winners, I am immensely proud. I am very lucky to have lots of loyal contacts, great trainers and owners as well as an understanding family who have always supported me.

“This something that I’ve wanted to do since I was six and they’ve been supportive since the very start. Now I have a young son Henry, it makes life different, but my partner Molly is very good at steering the ship while I’m all over the country.

“I set myself a goal every year to ride 100 winners and hopefully ride a Group One. Luckily, it’s worked out quite well for me so far, but you have to keep your work ethic every year and keep your head down. I’ve always been ambitious and I hope that will stay with me for a long time.”

Alpinista (white cap) powers to victory in the Yorkshire Oaks
Alpinista (white cap) powers to victory in the Yorkshire Oaks (Mike Egerton/PA)

He added: Morris continued: “Of the British winners, Marsha winning the Nunthorpe and Alpinista in the Yorkshire Oaks are very much my highlights. They were special days, especially winning them for Sir Mark (Prescott) and loyal owners in the Elite Racing Club and Miss (Kirsten) Rausing.

“Those were two great days and I’m very much hoping there will be plenty more days like that. You just hope that the ball keeps rolling year in year out and just keep the number tally very high.”

Noble Yeats forced to miss Lingfield engagement

/by

Grand National hero Noble Yeats will miss his intended appearance at Lingfield this weekend after it emerged he does not qualify for Sunday’s Fleur De Lys Chase.

The Emmet Mullins-trained eight-year-old provided amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen with a fairytale success in the Aintree spectacular last year, on what proved to be his final ride.

Noble Yeats was pulled up on his reappearance at Auteuil, but has since impressed in winning a Listed prize at Wexford and Aintree’s Many Clouds Chase, with the latter success in particular thrusting him into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture.

Connections identified the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Chase as a suitable next port of call – but it was confirmed on Tuesday that he will not be able to line up as the horse’s vaccination record is not compliant with the Rules of Racing.

A BHA spokesman said: “The BHA can confirm that Noble Yeats is not qualified to take part in the Fleur de Lys Chase (Class 2) at Lingfield Park on Sunday, as the horse’s vaccination record is not compliant with the Rules of Racing.

“Vaccinations must have been administered, uploaded to the Weatherbys App and verified by a veterinary surgeon before the close of entries to avoid a horse being NQd. In the case of Noble Yeats, this process was not completed in time, meaning the horse is not qualified to run.

“This change to the Rules of Racing came into effect this month, following a 12-month transition period to allow trainers to adjust to the changes to the vaccine booster intervals. The BHA and IHRB have taken a co-ordinated approach to its implementation.”

Baaeed the world’s best on turf – and only Flightline ranked higher

/by

Baaeed was crowned the world’s highest-rated turf horse at the the 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Awards in London.

The William Haggas-trained superstar also finished second to the imperious Flightline in the overall standings and was handed a rating of 135 which is just 5lb shy of the 140 handed to Frankel in 2012, which makes Baaeed the best turf horse to set foot on a racecourse since Sir Henry Cecil’s unbeaten colt.

Although suffering his only defeat in his final racecourse appearance on Qipco British Champions Day, Baaeed captured the imagination by going unbeaten in his first 10 starts.

Having taken the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on his final start at three, it was Group One action all the way at four and having outlined his credentials to be the standout miler of his generation was tasked with proving so in the Queen Anne Stakes which kicked off Royal Ascot.

“I think before Ascot I was at my most nervous because it is the first race of such a prestigious meeting for us,” explained Haggas when asked about the experience of stewarding such a talent throughout his career.

“He was about 1-6 and everyone expected him to win and things can happen in horse racing.”

He continued: “Fortunately he did win and we’ve had a wonderful journey, much like the owners and trainer of Flightline – but we’ve had our own journey and it has been fantastic.

“I wish I could guarantee it would be repeated but I doubt it will.”

Baaeed received his rating of 135 after his performance in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York where the son of Sea The Stars replicated both his sire and Frankel by taking the 10-furlong event in style.

The man in the saddle that day and for the majority of Baaeed’s career was Jim Crowley, who went on to describe the feeling he got when sauntering to success on the Knavesmire.

He said: “It was an experience like I’ve never experienced before, it was like everything happened in slow motion.

“He was just a pleasure to ride, there was never a moment’s worry. When I could go between horses and just keep taking a pull and all season I had never really let the handbrake off. I always knew it was there so when I finally did let go, it was a great feeling.

“Just to hear the crowd clapping was unusual. Normally they cheer, but it was just applause and appreciation.”

Jockey Jim Crowley (left), with Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum and trainer William Haggas following his winning ride on Baaeed in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood
Jockey Jim Crowley (left), with Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum and trainer William Haggas following his winning ride on Baaeed in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood (Steven Paston/PA)

A Shadwell homebred, Baaeed will now stand as a stallion at the operation’s Nunnery Stud and Richard Hills – a key member of the Shadwell team and closely associated with the horse’s preparations – looked back at his achievements with pride, while also highlighting the comfortable Queen Anne victory as the moment Baaeed fever really began to build.

“The most important thing for us was Royal Ascot,” said Hills. “Sheikha Hissa had never been to Royal Ascot before and we were the first race and nervous.

“Angus (Gold, racing manager) and I weren’t sure whether she should come down to the paddock and of course Baaeed, Jim and William did their stuff. Sheikha Hissa then got to lead the horse in which lifted us all and her.

“The journey started from there all the way through to York. We were very proud of him.”