Moore eyeing easier assignment for Authorised Speed

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Gary Moore could lower the sights of Authorised Speed following his Tolworth Hurdle disappointment – with the Champion Bumper fifth now having to prove he is good enough to line-up in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

The son of Authorized was sent off the 5-4 favourite for the Sandown Grade One on the back of two impressive victories over timber before Christmas.

However, he failed to land a blow in the hands of Jamie Moore as Paul Nicholls’ Tahmuras took home the glory, fading tamely before two out to leave a question mark over his Cheltenham Festival aspirations.

Authorised Speed ridden by jockey Jamie Moore almost falling to the ground but successfully staying on their feet in the Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park
Authorised Speed ridden by jockey Jamie Moore almost falling to the ground but successfully staying on their feet in the Unibet Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown Park (Steven Paston/PA)

The six-year-old was reported to have scoped dirty after the race and his trainer is now contemplating swimming in calmer waters for his next outing before making a decision on the gelding’s participation in the Prestbury Park opener.

“He had a bad scope after the race, but if I didn’t know that I would say he is fine,” said Moore.

“Obviously he hasn’t done a lot this week, but we have to put the race behind us and move on.

“I’m not too sure where he goes next, but I might just try to find a novice hurdle for a horse that’s not won more than two races. If I can find one of them, it might just be what I do.

“He will have an entry (for the Supreme) but he has to go and prove he’s good enough to go there.

“We did it last year and ran him in the (Champion) bumper, which he ran well in, but you don’t get a lot for finishing seventh do you, and you don’t want the horse having a hard race for nothing.”

Moore though, retains plenty of faith in Authorised Speed, and is certain his Sandown showing wasn’t a true reflection of his ability.

On the Tolworth run, he added: “It was 100 per cent not his true running, he’s a lot better than that. I’m not taking anything away from the winner, but that wasn’t his true running at all.”

Byrnes hoping weather relents in time to get Green Glory to Kempton

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Charles Byrnes has his fingers crossed Coral Lanzarote Hurdle favourite Green Glory will be able to line up at Kempton on Saturday despite encountering problems in his efforts to cross the Irish Sea.

The six-year-old heads the market at 9-2 with the sponsors for the ultra-competitive two-mile-five-furlong handicap on the back of opening his hurdles account at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.

But his bid to quickly double his tally over timber has hit a stumbling block with the current inclement weather halting Byrnes’ plans to travel Green Glory on the ferry from Dublin.

He said: “It looks a nice race for him, but our biggest problem at the moment though is travelling.

“We haven’t been able to get on the ferry. We’re going to try again tonight, but I don’t think it’s looking great.

“We’ll try again first thing in the morning and if they don’t take livestock then we won’t be travelling. It’s as simple as that and the biggest problem at the moment. It (the weather) seems to be worse in Holyhead than it is in Dublin.

“We could come over tomorrow but it is cutting it very fine to get settled in and is not ideal. If we can get travelling tomorrow morning we’ll probably come over. If they don’t let us on the half eight though, we won’t be travelling any later than that.”

For now all Byrnes – who has his plane ticket booked to attend Kempton – can do is hope for an upturn in conditions which will allow his progressive hurdler to take his chance.

He continued: “It is what it is and we can’t change that. We’ve got the flight booked and all set to go, so fingers crossed we get travelling.”

Dubai Future bidding to book Sheema Classic ticket at Meydan

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Saeed bin Suroor fields the first two home from the Bahrain Trophy in Friday’s Group Two Al Rashidiya at Meydan, as Dubai Future faces Passion And Glory once more.

The pair dominated the valuable event at Sakhir in November, with Dubai Future and Danny Tudhope coming out on top by three-quarters of a length.

Tudhope maintains the partnership with the seven-year-old, who has a possible tilt at the Sheema Classic on World Cup night on his agenda.

“He hasn’t had a run for two months but he’s been back in full training a while now, he’s working well and I’m happy with him,” said Bin Suroor.

“The Bahrain Trophy was obviously a good result and this is the best race for him before World Cup night.

“We will see how he runs here before deciding where he ends up. He’s a tough horse, a fighter, and we’ll just have to see how he runs before the World Cup meeting.

“Passion And Glory has also been training well since Dubai and I expect him to run well as well.”

Charlie Appleby’s four-year-old Ottoman Fleet, an easy Listed winner at Newmarket when last seen, looks the one to beat.

Bin Suroor is also hopeful of good runs from Soft Whisper and White Moonlight in the Ipi Tombe Stakes.

Soft Whisper winning under Frankie Dettori at the Cambridgeshire meeting in 2021
Soft Whisper winning under Frankie Dettori at the Cambridgeshire meeting in 2021 (Mike Egerton/PA)

Soft Whisper has won four times at Listed level, while White Moonlight has yet to recapture the promise she showed at two, although Bin Suroor does sees it on a morning at home.

“Soft Whisper is working well and likes it in Dubai, I’m really happy with her, she worked really well last week. She’s in the right race over the right trip (seven furlongs), so we’ll see how she goes,” he said.

“White Moonlight had three years off but she still shows me something on a morning, the problem is she is unsound.

“Every time she got close to a run she’d get another problem. I’ve given her lots of time, but I know she still has class. She’s better than she showed last time. What I see on the morning is very good.

“We just thought we’d give her a chance out here in Dubai before deciding on her future.”

Appleby again looks the man to beat, this time with Wild Beauty, not seen since finishing fifth of six behind Above The Curve in the Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp.

Bushypark back in business with North Yorkshire Grand National win

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Phil Kirby was thrilled to see the once prolific Bushypark bounce back to his best to claim the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick.

The nine-year-old won six successive races over obstacles between November 2020 and December 2021, but has since endured a spell in the doldrums.

However, having been pulled up on four successive occasions, Bushypark hinted at a return to form when runner-up as a 50-1 shot over hurdles at Newcastle last weekend and he was the 2-1 favourite turned out just five days later for a race his trainer won two years ago with Little Bruce.

While the well-fancied Legends Ryde refused to line up, it was clear from flag-fall that Bushypark was thoroughly enjoying himself as he fenced fluently at the head of affairs under Tommy Dowson.

Eclair De Guye emerged as the biggest challenger, but Kirby’s charge was not for catching and passed the post with three and a half lengths in hands.

Kirby said: “He lost his way for no reason, although he never looked great to be fair. He looked a bit poor and dry in his coat early on last year.

“I was panicking a bit as he didn’t even get round in his first few races for new owners, but he’s come back to form.

“We ran him last weekend and the plan was just to get round really and get those ‘P’s’ off his name.

“During his run he won three races in nine days, so I wasn’t worried about turning him out quickly and on his day he’s a proper horse for these kind of races.”

He added: “He’s been a great horse for us. We built a new yard up the road and we called it Bushypark, just because he won all those races for us.

“The pressure is off now. We can enjoy him rather than panicking all the time!”

Jimmy Moffatt is keen to raise Captain Westie’s sights following a successful debut for his yard in the Watch Racing TV Now Novices’ Hurdle.

The seven-year-old was second in an Irish bumper for Shark Hanlon and runner-up in a point-to-point for Tom Malone and was a 2-1 shot on his return from 424 days off the track.

Captain Westie proceeded to make every yard of the running under Charlotte Jones, jumping well in front and keeping enough in the tank to see off 5-6 favourite Broomfield Present by a length.

Moffatt, matching his best ever tally of 18 winners from last season, said: “We’ve had him about six months and it’s taken all that time to get him fit as he was literally the size of a minivan when he came to us and is not much smaller now!

“He’s going to have a short hurdling career as he’s going to go chasing and I wouldn’t mind having a crack at a decent race – something like the Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock which we won with Chief Dan George (in 2007).

“He’s not had any problems at all – he’s as clean as a whistle. I think he’s a nice horse, this wouldn’t be his track and he’ll improve a good bit.”

Roccowithlove in the Catterick winner's enclosure
Roccowithlove in the Catterick winner’s enclosure (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Atomic Angel (7-1) claimed the racingtv.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for trainer Susan Corbett and jockey Sam Coltherd, while the Joanne Foster-trained Roccowithlove gave a jumping exhibition on his way to winning the Millbry Hill Novices’ Handicap Chase in the hands of Emma Smith-Chaston.

Foster, who also saddled the third-placed Ballynagran, said: “I was quite surprised how well he went in that ground, but he’s been in really good form with himself.

“We bought him from Warren Greatrex for £3,500 and I only bought him to go point-to-pointing, but then we thought we’d keep running him (under rules) and we might come back here in two and a half weeks.”

Sue Smith’s Cerendipity (11-1) stayed on dourly to deny the hat-trick-seeking General Officer victory in the EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle, with Thomas Willmott the winning pilot.

William Easterby steered 9-2 shot Bollin Neil to victory for his father Tim in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle.

A rare visit to Catterick for Harry Cobden paid dividends as he struck gold in the concluding Racing Again 25th January Handicap Hurdle aboard Milton Harris-trained 5-6 favourite El Muchacho.

He said: “I thought he was going to win easy enough and then the second horse picked up quite well when I got to him.

“He’s a nice horse, Milton’s done well with him and he’s obviously progressed.

“I don’t come here often. Mr (Paul) Nicholls doesn’t send many and I don’t think I’ve been here since lockdown, which must be nearly three years ago.”

Christian Williams looking to a familiar friend to kick-start 2023

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Christian Williams is ready to ramp up the pace after a quiet start to 2023, and hopes staying chaser Kitty’s Light can take one of the big prizes over the coming months.

The Glamorgan handler may have lost last season’s Eider and Scottish National winner Win My Wings to injury and subsequent retirement, but in Kitty’s Light he has a horse who can help to fill the void.

The seven-year-old, who was runner-up to his stablemate at Ayr in April, will tread a familiar path, starting with Saturday’s three-mile Coral Racing Club Handicap Chase at Kempton, in which he was sent off favourite last year.

He was then placed in the Coral Trophy at Kempton, Scottish National and Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

“We’ve been a bit quiet, as the six-monthly flu jabs came in and knocked a few,” said Williams.

“We have Kitty’s Light on Saturday, then we have plenty to enter up.

“He seems well, obviously he wants a bit better ground, but it drains quick at Kempton.

“Kitty’s is rated 135 now. His last win was in March, two years ago, and he’s back to that (mark), so he’s got a chance, anyway.”

Though a consistent stayer, he will need to improve a few pounds to get into the Grand National at Aintree, and Williams added: “I wouldn’t have thought he was a National-type horse, but there are plenty of races outside of that.

“We’ll look at the Scottish National, the bet365 and the Coral Trophy again – they are valuable races.”

Last season’s Coral Trophy hero, Cap Du Nord, will head to Doncaster for his next start in a race where he is a standing dish.

“Cap Du Nord seems to click in at that time of year and he runs well in the Sky Bet Chase most years. He’s in that and he usually goes to the Coral Trophy  after that,” added the Ogmore-By-Sea handler.

Williams is also eyeing the valuable Cazoo Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting on Friday week for Warwick winner Lord Snootie.

The six-year-old benefited from a step up to three-and-a-quarter miles to win by four and a half lengths on New Year’s Eve.

Cap Du Nord has a Doncaster date
Cap Du Nord has a Doncaster date (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“Lord Snootie might go to Lingfield. There is a also big open race at Sandown the week after. He might need a bit of luck in getting in, but he might go for one of them,” added the trainer.

“It was a nice win at Warwick. It makes things a bit easier when you run in handicaps. He previously ran in a couple of Chepstow maidens which looked very strong.

“Ideally, the two-mile seven (furlong) race at Lingfield is where he will go, but that £100,000 handicap at Sandown a week after could be on the agenda. We’ll have a look.”

Iwilldoit all set for Classic Chase return at Warwick

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Stan Sheppard will take the reins when Iwilldoit makes a long-awaited comeback in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

The Sam Thomas-trained gelding was last seen winning the Welsh Grand National in late 2021, a nine-length success with Sheppard in the saddle.

At Warwick the 10-year-old will return from a lengthy absence to tackle the three-mile five-furlong trip of the Classic Chase.

“He has had 383 days off the track but I believe Sam will get him there in the best order he can. We go there with a lively chance I would like to think,” said Sheppard.

“I’ve not sat him in the run up to the race. I leave it to Sam and his team with what they do with him at home but everything I’ve heard has been good and positive.

Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard in the Welsh Grand National
Iwilldoit and Stan Sheppard in the Welsh Grand National (David Davies/PA)

“Three-miles-five around a galloping track should suit him. There is nothing in there where you think ‘crikey that might take a bit of stopping’ and if anything it could be that Iwilldoit could be the one to take some stopping.”

Declarations for the race also include Paul Nicholls’ Threeunderthrufive, who will carry a top weight of 12 stone, and Sandy Thomson’s veteran Dingo Dollar.

Richard Hobson has Lord Du Mesnil on the list, with Henry Daly’s Fortescue and Chris Honour’s Grumpy Charley also declared.

There is a sole Irish entrant in the shape of Willie Mullins’ Mr Incredible, while Venetia Williams is represented by Commodore and Ben Pauling will saddle Nestor Park.

Charlie Longsdon has a key contender in Guetapan Collonges while Alan King’s Notachance, Emma Lavelle’s Wouldubewell, Gail Haywood’s Grand Mogul and Sheila Lewis’ Volcano complete the field.

Geraghty not shocked by Russell’s decision to call temporary halt on retirement

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Davy Russell has the opportunity to find closure after coming out of retirement that lasted barely a month.

That is the view of two-time Irish champion jockey and the second winning-most rider at the Cheltenham Festival, Barry Geraghty.

Russell confirmed in a statement on Wednesday evening that he will return this weekend to fill the void left at Gordon Elliott’s powerful Cullentra House operation with Jack Kennedy sidelined.

Kennedy broke his leg when falling from Top Bandit at Naas on Sunday, leaving Elliott without his number one rider, with Russell having retired on the spot following a winner at Thurles on December 18.

And Geraghty, whose own retirement from the saddle came in July 2020 after a glittering career that saw him win all the major Cheltenham Festival races at least twice, was not shocked by Russell’s about-turn, even if it is a temporary one.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said Geraghty. “My wife said to me when I told her last night that Davy was coming back, she said it was the first thing I’d said after I got a text on Sunday evening saying what Jack had done. That is a reflection of knowing the beast, if you like.

“When you have a chance to ride those good horses at Cheltenham, it is worth doing if you are Davy.

“He is 43 and has been through the wars, but he did catch a lot of people by surprise retiring when he did, mid-season, because it is a bit like a footballer retiring mid-season. It would be as if Ronaldo retired and then a position became available.

“At least there’s closure at the end of the season and there is a certain level of time before the good racing gets back, and you get to detox a little bit.

“I thought it was a very good chance it would happen and I’m not surprised at all. Davy is very driven and there is still ambition there, and it probably wasn’t being fulfilled.

“That was possibly why he retired more than anything else.”

Had Geraghty, who also won the Grand National aboard Monty’s Pass and partnered Kicking King to two King George VI Chase wins, any such thoughts of returning to the saddle once he had announced his retirement?

“No is the simple answer. I had prepared for it,” he said. “Davy’s was mid-season, so I don’t know where his thoughts were. But I was preparing for it.

“I was at the start of the King George in 2019, my last year. Sam Twiston-Davies and myself were scrimmaging down at the start for the position of second, down the rail, behind the pace.

Solwhit and Davy Russell (left) beat Punjabi and Barry Geraghty in the Garde One Rabobank Hurdle at Punchestown in 2009
Solwhit and Davy Russell (left) beat Punjabi and Barry Geraghty in the Garde One Rabobank Hurdle at Punchestown in 2009 (Damien Eagers/PA)

“Sam was pleading with me to give him the spot, and I said, ‘No Sam, I can’t, this could be my last one’. So I knew where I was, and I wasn’t just playing games with him.

“We are all different. I knew. I didn’t announce my retirement at Cheltenham, I came away from Cheltenham a week later and I’m thinking, ‘This is too easy, I’ve not had a great Cheltenham’.

“Two weeks later, I knew this was the right time.”

Barry Geraghty rode 43 Cheltenham Festival winners
Barry Geraghty rode 43 Cheltenham Festival winners (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Unlike some riders, Geraghty is thankful that he went out on his own terms and cited Richard Dunwoody, who was forced to retire though a long-term neck injury when at the peak of his powers in 1999.

“Everyone needs a certain level of closure,” said Geraghty. “I don’t think Woody got it when he had his injury and I don’t think Davy has necessarily got what he wants.

“He has gone back again and the opportunity arose. I’m not saying it is the right thing to do. It is a personal choice.

“But if he didn’t, with all those good horses, how would he feel Cheltenham week watching on?”

Surprise riding return does not represent retirement U-turn, insists Russell

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Davy Russell insists he has not made a “U-turn” on his retirement and is only stepping into the breach while Jack Kennedy recovers from a broken leg.

Russell announced his retirement on December 18 having ridden Liberty Dance to victory at Thurles – but has been tempted back into action by Gordon Elliott.

Russell and Kennedy rode the majority of Elliott’s horses prior to his retirement and with Kennedy now on the sidelines, Russell will don his riding boots once more, starting at Fairyhouse and Punchestown this weekend. However, he has stressed that as soon as Kennedy returns to action, he will head back into retirement.

Expanding on his decision in his blog for Star Sports, Russell said: “How’s the retirement going? It was going great until last weekend when Jack’s spill changed everything. It was terrible to lose a lovely horse in Top Bandit and then for Jack to have broken his leg made things even worse for the yard.

“He’s hasn’t half had some rotten luck and that’s the fifth time he’s broken his leg – crazy for one so young.

“As I said in my announcement yesterday, we are a close team in Cullentra so when Gordon asked me the question if I’d come back and help ride a few as they needed me, there was only ever going to be one answer.

“You see I’ve only been finished a matter of weeks and have done plenty in Gordon’s. As I joked in my statement, I actually sat on more on Wednesday than I’ve done in years.

Joyous scenes for Davy Russell at Thurles last month
Joyous scenes for Davy Russell at Thurles last month (Thomas Weekes/PA)

“The timing of Jack’s accident is bad. These things are never good, but if it had happened let’s say two or three months later, there would have been no decision to make. There are so many young talented pilots in Gordon’s and their days will come for sure. It’s just a bit early for some of the more high-profile horses and that’s where I am happy to help.

“Plenty have asked whether I’ll be at Cheltenham, will I go to Aintree? How long will this come back last? Listen, this is no comeback or U-turn. I’m simply filling in for Jack and when he’s ready to return, I’ll step away again. That may be before Cheltenham, that may be after Cheltenham. The key is I’m there to help a team that has always had my back. That’s why I’ve made the decision to return.”

Conflated ‘more likely’ to go straight to Cheltenham for Gold Cup tilt

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Conflated is likely to head straight to the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he will be given the chance to become Gigginstown House Stud’s third winner of the blue riband.

The Gordon Elliott-trained nine-year-old announced himself as a player in the staying division when causing a shock in last year’s Irish Gold Cup but instead of taking part in the Friday feature when running at Prestbury Park a month later, he dropped back in trip for the Ryanair Chase where he was a late faller in pursuit of the winner Allaho.

Returned to staying trips he was second to Clan Des Obeaux in the Bowl at Aintree and built on his Down Royal reappearance behind Envoi Allen to once again rule the roost at Leopardstown when brushing aside Kemboy by five lengths in the Savills Chase over the Christmas period.

That looked to tee up a defence of his Irish Gold Cup crown at next month’s Dublin Racing Festival, and although set to be given the option of that Grade One contest, connections appear to be siding towards heading to the Cheltenham Festival fresh – where he is a best price of 14-1 with Sky Bet to taste Gold Cup success.

“We’re probably veering towards heading straight to Cheltenham,” said Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud.

“It will be down to Gordon, but I imagine we’ll be going straight there.

“He will get the entry for Leopardstown and we will see how he is. I imagine it is more likely we will go straight to Cheltenham than run at Leopardstown, but we will see what the ground and everything else is like and make a decision then.”

Leopardstown Christmas Festival – Day Three – Leopardstown Racecourse
Jockey Jack Kennedy celebrates with trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Michael O’Leary and his wife Anita Farrell after winning the Savills Chase on Conflated during day three of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival (Niall Carson/PA)

On his Cheltenham chances, O’Leary continued: “Is he good enough to win a Gold Cup? I do not know. Will he get the chance to prove it? He definitely will.

“I suppose it’s quite hard to believe it (he is good enough), like he won very well (in the Savills Chase) but is the second good enough to feature in a Gold Cup? You would doubt it.

“There’s a horse called Galopin Des Champs in the way, who looks to be very good.”

Country Grammer among star-studded Saudi Cup entries

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Country Grammer is on course to give Frankie Dettori a landmark winner in the Saudi Cup, in what is the jockey’s final year in the saddle.

The Bob Baffert-trained six-year-old was partnered by the Italian to glory in the Dubai World Cup in March last year, and Dettori was reunited with the son of Tonalist when he kicked off his spell riding in Santa Anita on Boxing Day.

Country Grammer could hardly have looked better in landing short odds in the Grade Two San Antonio Stakes, on a night where Dettori struck three times from five rides.

Baffert – whose Charlatan was upset by Mishriff in the inaugural running of the world’s most valuable race – can also call on the high-class Taiba, a Grade One winner on the same Santa Anita card courtesy of the Malibu Stakes.

Further strength to the American challenge could come in the shape of Kentucky Derby hero Rich Strike, while last year saw a shock success for the locally-owned and trained Emblem Road who may well return to defend his crown.

A second victory would make the son of Quality Road the highest-earning thoroughbred in history with $20.2million to his name, ahead of Australian wondermare Winx who totalled $18.3m by the end of her record-breaking career.

George Boughey’s Missed The Cut is engaged for Britain, as is John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf, the Charlie Appleby-trained Rebel’s Romance, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Saffron Beach, William Knight’s Sir Busker and Simon and Ed Crisford’s hugely impressive Dubai winner Algiers.