There are more seagulls on the resplendent white infield – and many more floodlights – than punters. The bookmaker count is up to two. And there it shall stay. One moderate horse after another is announced to less than a handful of die-hards as they circle wearily around the parade ring, replete with its bank […]
Thedevilscoachman was awarded victory in the stewards’ room following a dramatic conclusion to the Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase. Five runners went to post for the Grade Three contest, with the Willie Mullins-trained Ramillies the 13-8 favourite to follow up a successful fencing debut at Thurles last month. Amirite and Rachael Blackmore took the […]
Sandy Thomson is plotting a potential route to the Randox Grand National via the Eider Chase with Hill Sixteen. The tough staying chaser has not run since finishing seventh to Ashtown Lad in the Becher Chase at Aintree in early December. His Berwickshire handler saw the 10-year-old drop 2lb in the handicap to a mark […]
Neil Mulholland is eyeing the spring festivals for his exciting bumper horse Willmount. Bought for £340,000 following an impressive display in the pointing field at Comea in February last year, he went some way to justifying that price-tag when a commanding 13-length scorer on his rules debut at Doncaster earlier this month. Jamie Moore was […]
He shrugged it off, just as he had when reaching yet another landmark that few will ever achieve. Energumene was beaten but unbowed at Cheltenham, his aversion to the Clarence House Chase, his only defeat over fences last term, again haunting favourite-backers after the race was salvaged from a frosty, abandoned Ascot. Indeed, this was […]
Stage Star put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture with a fine display of jumping on Trials Day – the first leg of a brilliant 102-1 treble at Prestbury Park for champion trainer Paul Nicholls. Sent off the 11-4 favourite for the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and carrying top-weight of 12st, the son of Fame […]
Cooper’s Cross provided the father and son combination of Stuart and Sam Coltherd with the biggest wins of their career in the £100,000 Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster. The eight-year-old was only rerouted to Town Moor after Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase last week was lost to frost and the Coltherds were left thanking the weather […]
Graded winners are a little rarer these days for Donald McCain since the glory years of Peddlers Cross and Overturn, so he was cherishing the success of Maximilian in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster. Having lost his unbeaten record at Sandown last time out, McCain gave the seven-year-old a wind operation […]
There was a win for France at Cheltenham when Gold Tweet ran out a convincing victor in the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle. Searching for his fourth win in the key Stayers’ Hurdle trial, the eye was drawn to the smooth-travelling 13-8 favourite Paisley Park as the pace began to quicken coming down […]
Nicky Henderson’s 2020 champion hurdler Epatante had no trouble in getting back to winning ways dropped in class for the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle. A multiple Grade One winner against the boys, she has found life tough this season – taking on her esteemed stablemate Constitution Hill in both the Fighting Fifth and […]