Hollie Doyle to see specialist following Wolverhampton spill

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Hollie Doyle is due to see a specialist in a bid to discover the extent of an arm injury she suffered in a fall at Wolverhampton on Monday.

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.

Doyle walked away from the incident, but will not take up her booked rides at Kempton this afternoon.

She said: “Dr Jerry Hill (chief medical adviser for the British Horseracing Authority) has got me in to see a specialist today to get my arm checked out, so I will know more after that.

“I can’t bend my arm at the minute and I’m trying to get into Oaksey House today hopefully to see if a physio can sort it out.”

Sherwood monitoring weather ahead of Queens Gamble run

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Oliver Sherwood hopes to run exciting prospect Queens Gamble at Market Rasen on Friday, but is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast.

The dual Cheltenham bumper winner is entered in the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race as part of her preparation for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, for which she is currently a 12-1 chance with Coral.

However, with temperatures due to plummet, the Upper Lambourn handler will keep his powder dry if conditions are unsatisfactory.

He said: “I’m as happy as Larry with her. I am just a bit nervous about this ground. I want to run and we will probably end up declaring and going up and seeing what it is like, but it is a long way to go to take (her) out.

“It wouldn’t bother me if she didn’t run and go straight to Cheltenham, because she takes no getting ready. So I’d be happy with that and if we didn’t run, I’d take her to an away-day to Kempton or something, for a bit of a spin.”

Aintree could also be on the radar for the Getaway mare, who powered to an eight-length success over Bonttay when making a return to action in November.

“I’m very much keeping an eye on things to have a spring campaign, because this year there is a four-week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree,” said Sherwood.

“If things didn’t work out at Cheltenham, she could go for the mares’ race at Aintree. I don’t want to go and burn my bridges too early on. God willing she’ll run.”

Chief in charge for Henderson at Hereford

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Nicky Henderson is going through a quiet spell with few runners, so it is notable when they do run in testing conditions.

Punters would have taken the hint at Hereford when City Chief lined up in the three-runner Go Racing With Vickers.Bet Limited Handicap Chase – and the Nico de Boinville-ridden six-year-old did not disappoint.

Up in trip after finishing runner-up to Gelino Bello on his seasonal bow at Exeter, the evens favourite went the shortest route, tracking Jet Plane, and took it up between the last two fences before going on to score by five and a half lengths.

De Boinville said: “It was hard work out there. There was no life to the ground. It’s fine. He jumped a lot better the further he went and he stays all day, so it’s good.

“The mistake he made last time knocked the stuffing out of him. But he has come on leaps and bounds for that run and I’m sure he will come on for that again.

“We need to get his confidence really high and his jumping will get good.”

Kerry Lee is always a standing dish at her local track and she gained winners eight and nine for the season courtesy of Greenrock Abbey and Fay Ce Que Voudrais.

The former gained a second course-and-distance success with a 13-length victory in the two-mile Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Greenrock Abbey/Hereford
Greenrock Abbey sparked a double for jockey Richard Patrick and trainer Kerry Lee (Simon Milham/PA)

Lee said: “It was a really bad race. We were lucky to get him in at 12st 1lb, but when you see loose horses falling at the second-last, you know it is an awful race!

“He did very well to stand up at the ditch and the ground was sticky and hard work, but they are running generally quite well in their grade.

“It is a 0-100 novice handicap chase, but that is what my job is, to win races. The point is, he is in the right grade making it look easy, but I’m sure when we go up to a 110 next time, it will be more difficult.”

Jockey Richard Patrick completed his and Lee’s brace with one of the rides of the season. He lost both irons aboard Fay Ce Que Voudrais (16-5) in the Cazoo Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, but still managed to record a two-and-a-half-length success over Crem Fresh.

“She is still learning. She had such a look around and ploughed through the last. Thank goodness I stayed on. I tried to shift my weight the other way. I managed to get the job done, anyway,” said Patrick.

Jaminska/Hereford
Jaminska kept up the good form of trainer Jane Williams and jockey David Noonan (Simon Milham/PA

Jane Williams has her string in fine fettle and Jaminska underlined the potential shown on her hurdling debut when runner-up at Ludlow, by taking the Hereford Motor Group Fillies’ Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle in the hands of David Noonan.

Williams said: “The juveniles have done really well this year. She is just brave. It was hard work and however she felt about it, she’ll go through with it.

“She will just lay down her life for you. She is growing and has grown quite a bit recently, which was worrying, as when they are growing, they are a little bit weaker. Today was the plan.”

Missed Tee/Hereford
Missed Tee dug deep for Harry Skelton (Simon Milham/PA)

Missed Tee and Leading Theatre showed plenty of guts to fight out a thrilling finish in the Cazoo Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The former, who is trained by Dan Skelton, just got back up to score by half a length under former champion jockey Harry Skelton.

The winning rider said: “She was just idling out in front. I’ve always thought she was quite good, but she hasn’t had much racing and has a bit to learn. She stays on well.

“Stepping up in trip helped but she is a little bit fast in the brain – her brain goes a little bit faster than her legs at the moment.”

Harry Cobden was on the mark with Kingcormac, who took the Black Mountain Botanicals Handicap Chase for trainer Joe Tickle, and Lilly Pinchin gained her 21st winner of the season when guiding the Charlie Longsdon-trained Zestful Hope to success in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Handicap Hurdle.

Escaria Ten to start National preparations with Thyestes test

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Escaria Ten is set to take his chance in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park on January 26 – the starting point on a tried-and-tested route to the Randox Grand National on April 15.

The Gordon Elliott-trained nine-year-old finished eighth when making his reappearance in the Gowran feature 12 months ago and went on to finish a nose second to National runner-up Any Second Now in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse before showing up well for a long way at Aintree to come home ninth.

He was second to Darasso on his return in a Thurles Listed event in December and connections are hoping the benefit of a run will see him primed for a strong showing in the Thyestes Chase, which could be run in ideal conditions for the soft-ground loving son of Maresca Sorrento.

Escaria Ten (left), jumps the last in the Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) during day one of the Cheltenham Festival in 2021
Escaria Ten (left), jumps the last in the Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) during day one of the Cheltenham Festival in 2021 (Michael Steele/PA)

“It was unusually quick ground in the Thyestes last year,” said Iain Turner, racing manager for Escaria Ten’s owners the McNeill Family.

“Normally it is soft or heavy sort of ground and last year it was yielding, so it wasn’t optimum conditions and looking at the weather they have had in Ireland, you are suspecting it will get quite testing.

“Last year we were going to go to the Becher and he just wasn’t quite right the day before declarations so we shelved that and it almost forced us to go straight to the Thyestes, whereas this year we got the run in at Thurles.

“It was probably on ground that was quick enough for him over a trip that might be a bit on the short side up against a race-fit Darasso.

“He ran well that day so hopefully we’ve had our blow-out there and can go to the Thyestes and go closer than we did last year.”

On big-race aspirations for later in the season, Turner added: “It will hopefully be a nice stepping stone for some targets in the spring and if all goes well and he does run well, I think we would probably be going Thyestes, Bobbyjo, Aintree.

“It was the way we went last year and we just got nutted by Any Second Now in the Bobbyjo.”

Escaria Ten is one of 11 entries for Elliott in the €59,000 contest as he bids for a third win in the race and he could also be represented by the likes of 2021 winner Coko Beach, dual Grade One victor Death Duty and Pencilfulloflead.

Death Duty is one of 11 entries for Gordon Elliott in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park later this month
Death Duty is one of 11 entries for Gordon Elliott in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park later this month (Brian Lawless/PA)

Willie Mullins has won this race eight times and is responsible for eight entries amongst the initial 31 contenders.

The Closutton team could include last year’s runner-up Franco De Port, Saturday’s Warwick Classic Chase runner-up Mr Incredible and Carefully Selected.

Last year’s fourth and recent Paddy Power Chase second Diol Ker is one of four possibles for Noel Meade, while an intriguing entrant is Bob Murphy’s Darren Hope, who was a shock winner of the Florida Pearl Novice Chase when last sighted.

Tommy’s Oscar skips Haydock with Doncaster on agenda

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Connections of the versatile Tommy’s Oscar have decided to bypass a defence of his New One Unibet Hurdle title at Haydock on Saturday, but he could head to Doncaster next weekend for the Watch Off The Fence On attheraces.com Lightning Novices’ Chase

However, trainer Ann Hamilton and her husband Ian have decided to rule out the Cheltenham Festival.

The eight-year-old has won eight of his 15 starts over hurdles and has won one and been runner-up in two of his three starts over fences.

Tommy’s Oscar has shown plenty of aptitude for chasing, despite being held by Banbridge in a Grade Two at Cheltenham in November, and narrowly failing to concede weight to Since Day One on his last outing at Newcastle.

In between those outings, he was back over hurdles, though no match for Constitution Hill when last of five in the Fighting Fifth at his local track.

The Hamiltons, who also own Tommy’s Oscar, have ruled out a crack at the Arkle, however.

Ian Hamilton said: “We are not going to Cheltenham, no way. If we were going anywhere, we’d go Aintree on a flatter track. The undulating track at Cheltenham wouldn’t suit him and it is going to be a hot Arkle.

“I just think Aintree would suit him better. He’s in fine fettle now, but we’re definitely not going to the Arkle.”

Tommy’s Oscar won three handicap hurdles last winter before completing a four-timer in the Grade Two at Haydock.

With a cold snap forecast this week and the possibility of jumps racing facing another hiatus, Hamilton will enter Tommy’s Oscar over fences, with the Lightning Novices’ Chase on the agenda.

Hamilton added: “We are not sure if it is the right thing to do, but we will stay chasing with him and while we looked at the Haydock race, we decided we will go chasing at Doncaster next week for that £50,000 race.

“He has to go where he has the best chance of picking up some prize money.”

Hamilton, a farmer by trade, feels Tommy’s Oscar is more likely to race nearer to their Northumberland yard in future, and added: “There would be more opportunities for Tommy if we travelled south all the time, but it is just a hassle to get down south for us. We are farmers and we have plenty of jobs to do here and there is the issue of getting staff as well.

“The travelling takes a lot out of them, too. There are not many big prizes up north. Doncaster, Haydock and Aintree are not too bad, but that’s about all.”

Jason The Militant ready to roll for new connections

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Phil Kirby is keeping his options open for new recruit Jason The Militant, who is poised to make his stable bow this weekend.

The nine-year-old is entered in the £110,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle on day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend on Friday – where he would have to shoulder top weight – while Kirby has also given him an entry in Haydock’s New One Unibet Hurdle on Saturday and the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle back at Lingfield on Sunday.

Twice a winner in Graded company over hurdles when trained by Henry de Bromhead in Ireland, his best performance for his former handler was perhaps when finishing a half-length third to Abacadabras in Punchestown’s Morgiana Hurdle in 2020.

The son of Sans Frontieres is also a Listed winner on the Flat and having made the recent switch to North Yorkshire for £50,000, his new trainer is hoping to enjoy some nice days out under both codes in the year ahead.

“He’s been absolutely grand, he’s very straightforward,” said Kirby. “We schooled him the other day and he jumped well and the plan was always to run in these sort of races.

“He’s got a few bits available to him (this weekend) just to give us the best chance. We’re not going to pick one yet.

“The ground will be ideal for him because he’ll love bottomless ground, so it’s come at the right time really.”

On further plans for Jason The Militant, he added: “We’ll see where we are and work from there.

“I imagine he would struggle in handicaps off his mark (154), so we will try to find these small-field conditions races, see if we can pick up some prize money and have some nice days out with him.

“We’ll definitely have a go on the Flat in some nice places when there is soft ground. He’s been bought to go to some nice places, but he might be a little bit ground dependent, so we may have to pick the right time.”

Top Ville Ben on his way to winning on the Winter Millions card last year
Top Ville Ben on his way to winning on the Winter Millions card last year (Simon Marper/PA)

Kirby’s stable stalwart Top Ville Ben will also be in action this weekend when he attempts to win Lingfield’s Cazoo Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.

“It has always to be the plan to go back down there and we’ve worked everything around that a little bit,” continued Kirby.

“He seems in good form and is off a nice mark. I know he’s getting older, but it doesn’t seem to be stopping him too much yet, so we’ll go there hopeful.”

Conditions key to Rare Edition’s Haydock hopes

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Charlie Longsdon will be keeping a keen eye on conditions at Haydock – with Rare Edition set to be rerouted to Huntingdon if the ground on Merseyside proves too testing for his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender.

The six-year-old has put himself in the picture for the Cheltenham Festival opener with some faultless displays this season, winning all three of his assignments with the minimum of fuss to back up a successful rules debut in a Southwell bumper last spring.

He is currently as short as 14-1 in places to land an early blow for the home team at Prestbury Park following an emphatic victory over a useful cast at Kempton on Boxing Day and is one of nine entries for Saturday’s Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

However, if the ground is not to Longsdon’s liking, it will be Huntingdon’s Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle – won by Shishkin in 2020 – where the son of Califet will put his Cheltenham aspirations to the test.

“He is entered for the Rossington Main, but if it is this (heavy) ground I won’t go,” said Longsdon.

“I won’t go on heavy ground. He’s a big, weak baby – a classy baby – but he won’t go on heavy ground.

“If he doesn’t go to Haydock, he’ll go to the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon. I think that is the more likely target at this stage because we know what the ground is going to be like realistically.

“I know that is two-miles-three, but it’s a sharp two-three.”

He added: “I’m looking forward to where he goes next and I was amazed when I heard him described as the best two-miler we’ve got in this country. Yes there are probably half a dozen better ones in Ireland, but it’s fun for us to have a good horse.

“Everything matches up right, it’s there and clear to see. He deserves to be where he is and as people say, if he was trained by a Henderson or Nicholls, he would be half the price. We’re lucky to have him.”

If running at Huntingdon on February 9, Longsdon will get the chance to see his star novice in action up in distance – something the Chipping Norton-based handler has mentioned could suit in the past.

However, despite still holding the view that an extended trip would help Rare Edition’s jumping, the Sky Bet-backed Supreme remains the number one assignment for the Festival.

Trainer Charlie Longsdon is excited to see Rare Edition in his next outing
Trainer Charlie Longsdon is excited to see Rare Edition in his next outing (Zac Goodwin/PA)

“I think he’ll want a step up in trip in time, but his two-mile figures at the moment you can’t ignore,” continued Longsdon.

“Over two and a half, I think it would help his jumping – at the moment he’s a bit careful and jumps a bit like it’s a fence.

“That is no bad thing for the long term and I don’t want to ruin that jumping either.

“So I do think two and a half might help him, but the Supreme would be our favoured option at this stage.”

Olly Murphy has Chasing Fire entered at Haydock
Olly Murphy has Chasing Fire entered at Haydock (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Olly Murphy-trained Chasing Fire would appear to be a leading rival to Rare Edition should he run at Haydock, having won each of his two hurdles starts so far while Howlingmadmurdock from Tom Lacey’s yard and Evan Williams’ Doyen Star have also won their only hurdles outings.

Pembroke and War Soldier have each won their last two for Dan Skelton and Sandy Thomson respectively, with Matata, Poetic Music and Toothless completing the list of possibles.

Nicky Henderson has entered Epatante and First Street in the New One Unibet Hurdle.

There are nine possibles, with Nigel Twiston-Davies keen to win the prize with I Like To Move It given the race is named after his former stable star, The New One.

Big two on course for Clarence House clash

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Energumene and Edwardstone remain on course for a headline clash in Saturday’s LK Bennett Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

The Willie Mullins-trained Energumene was involved in an epic duel in last year’s renewal, going head-to-head with Shishkin up the straight before eventually having to give best to Nicky Henderson’s runner by a length at the line.

Energumene went on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Champion Chase at Punchestown to seal his status as the two-mile chase king.

He returned with a bloodless victory in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork last month and is an odds-on favourite to beat Edwardstone this weekend.

“Energumene is in great form and has come out of Cork really well. Imran (Haider), who rides him out and looks after him, is delighted with him, so it is all systems go for Ascot,” said assistant trainer Patrick Mullins.

“It is shaping up to be a great race with Edwardstone in there as well. He is last season’s Arkle winner and I was blown away by his performance in the Tingle Creek. It should be a proper race, just like last year.

“We had a good, hard race in defeat last year but it did not dent our chances in the Champion Chase and we are following the same route again this season.”

Edwardstone won the Tingle Creek
Edwardstone won the Tingle Creek (Steven Paston/PA)

Alan King’s plans for Edwardstone were thwarted by the weather earlier in the autumn, but he eventually returned to action when cantering home in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown at the start of December.

He got no further than the fifth fence in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas though, leaving last season’s Arkle hero to go on something of a retrieval mission here.

On the prospect of taking on Energumene, King said: “This is what we do it for, isn’t it? That is why I got hooked on racing as a kid – some of those great battles. Grade One races should be like that. It is what racing is all about.

“At least Energumene will be favourite. That takes a little bit of the pressure off, doesn’t it? Look, I can only worry about my horse really and try to get him there in top form and see what happens. It could be a real spectacle.”

From an initial entry of eight, only one other horse has stood their ground for the £175,000 feature in Joe Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky.

He has won handicap heats at Cheltenham and Newbury this term, but is rated 25lb behind Energumene and 19lb adrift of Edwardstone.

Frost covers deployed as Lingfield bids to beat the freeze

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Lingfield are applying frost covers ahead of the Winter Million meeting which is set to kick off on Friday.

The track is due to host the three-day fixture from Friday to Sunday, with the first and last days National Hunt cards and the Saturday a Flat card run on the all-weather.

Heavy rain has caused water to pool in certain areas of the course, but the upcoming minus overnight temperatures mean frost covers are in use to prevent the ground from freezing.

George Hill, Lingfield’s clerk of the course, said: “It will be freezing from tonight, we’re covering the entire track today. There’ll be four nights of -3C to -4C and daytime temperatures of 2C and 3C.

“Once it stays above freezing we’ll lift the covers, the ground is heavy and there’s standing water in places.

Lingfield Park Racecourse
Lingfield Park racecourse (Adam Davy/PA)

“If we don’t cover with three or four nights of -4C, then the frost will get in the ground. Covering any bits of standing water isn’t ideal, but we’ve no more rain forecast and that should stand us a better chance.

“We’ll need improvement with standing water and four nights of minus temperatures, the water needs to go somewhere but at the same time you don’t want the frost getting into the ground.

“The weather has been so unusual, you don’t normally have 70 millimetres of rain in a week and then go through four freezing nights ahead of a three-day fixture.”

At Chepstow conditions are currently soft, heavy in places, ahead of their National Hunt meeting on Tuesday.

Frost covers have been deployed over the track already as minus temperatures are expected overnight, and a precautionary inspection is due for 7.30am on Tuesday.

Newbury racecourse
Newbury racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Newbury’s Wednesday meeting will also be subject to a Tuesday inspection as staff are due to take a look at the track at 8.30am.

The going is currently heavy with waterlogged areas and temperatures as low as -5C are expected over Monday and Tuesday night.

Plumpton also race on Wednesday and the track is in a similar situation, with heavy ground covered by frost sheets ahead of the sub-zero temperatures likely over the next few nights.

Given the cold forecast, the British Horseracing Authority has added an extra all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton on Thursday, with entries closing on Tuesday and declarations on Wednesday.

Not So Sleepy set to tread familiar Cheltenham path

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Not So Sleepy could return to Cheltenham in March for a fourth crack at the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

The Lady Blyth-owned 11-year-old, whose crowning moment came when dead-heating with Epatante in the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November 2021, is also a Listed winner on the Flat.

Third in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October, he has had two subsequent runs over hurdles, finishing third to Constitution Hill in defence of his Fighting Fifth crown, and when upped in trip to be last of five behind Paisley Park in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

“Not So Sleepy is fine,” said Morrison. “We have given him a bit of a break since he last ran at Kempton. He just doesn’t operate there.

“He always runs best fresh, but there is something about the ground there.”

The Beat Hollow gelding has won five of his 16 starts over hurdles and amassed over £460,000 in a 61-race career under both codes.

The East Ilsley handler will now aim Not So Sleepy at the Champion Hurdle, where he has finished a respectable fifth in 2021 and sixth last season.

“He always runs well at Cheltenham,” added Morrison. “I think the general feeling is that, at the age of 11, it is time to hang up his boots quite soon and if we feel comfortable, we’ll just take him to Cheltenham.

“If the top ones turn up, there won’t be more than 10 runners and it is a horse race.

“There are a lot of ifs and buts – somebody has got to turn up – and I think that will be his next run.”