Owner-trainer Barry Connell considers Good Land a worthy favourite for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday. The two-mile-six-furlong contest is the first of eight Grade Ones scheduled to take place across a mouthwatering two days at this year’s Dublin Racing Festival – and […]
Patrick Mullins considers Appreciate It as the clear pick of five runners for his father Willie in a fascinating renewal of the Goffs Irish Arkle at Leopardstown on Saturday. Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016) and Footpad (2018) all claimed this Grade One prize en route to winning the Arkle at Cheltenham the following month, […]
There will surely be no popular winner at this year’s Dublin Racing Festival than Honeysuckle if she can raise the roof at Leopardstown for a fourth time in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle. Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare might have claimed the Grade One contest in each of the past three years, as well […]
Lossiemouth is out to maintain her unbeaten record in the Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday. She heads a six-strong Willie Mullins team that also includes interesting French recruit Gust Of Wind, Jourdefete, Tekao, Cinsa and Gala Marceau, with Brendan Duke’s hurdling debutant Darraby and Henry de Bromhead’s Ascending also in the […]
Galopin Des Champs is a red-hot favourite to enhance his Cheltenham Gold Cup claims with victory in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday. Incredibly the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was sent off a 100-1 no-hoper at the Dublin Racing Festival two years ago. Yet since then his only blemish has been in […]
Gordon Elliott’s decision to split his aces has led to Gerri Colombe sidestepping this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival in favour of a trip to Sandown for the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. The seven-year-old is unbeaten in six starts thus far, with a point-to-point success followed by two bumper wins, two triumphs in novice […]
Desert Crown, who has not run since winning the Derby in impressive fashion, is back in work and “looks a million dollars” following injury. The son of Nathaniel has run just three times, including twice in his three-year-old campaign, which saw him land the Dante and the Epsom Classic. However, Sir Michael Stoute’s star subsequently […]
Altior is set to return to his retirement home with former jockey Mick Fitzgerald on Friday after making huge strides in his recovery from a serious bout of colic. Nicky Henderson announced last week that his former two-mile stable star had to undergo two operations – including a four-hour surgery – due to the issue, […]
The British Horseracing Authority is examining how the guidance around the new whip rules is being applied following further outcry over the imminent changes to the regulations. Champion trainer Paul Nicholls urged the BHA to consider delaying implementation of the new rules – which are due to take full effect on February 13 in the […]
Rachael Blackmore retains “full confidence” in Honeysuckle ahead of her bid for a fourth straight victory in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday. Despite landing the Dublin Racing Festival showpiece in each of the past three seasons, as well as back-to-back victories in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, Henry de Bromhead’s […]