Barry Connell’s Good Land is set for a Grade One return to Leopardstown following his taking maiden victory at the track last month. The seven-year-old open his account over obstacles by an easy eight lengths in late December, after unseating his rider at the first flight on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse. Good Land holds […]
Top Ville Ben is set to be tasked with a raiding mission to the Dublin Racing Festival having seen an intended engagement at Lingfield lost to the recent cold snap. Phil Kirby’s 11-year-old was primed to defend his Cazoo Hurdle title during the Surrey track’s Winter Million weekend, but will now revert to fences for […]
In Excess may have earned himself a place on Willie Mullins’ formidable Cheltenham Festival squad after starring in a treble for the champion trainer at Fairyhouse on Wednesday. The French-bred gelding was the 4-9 favourite for the Easter Festival Early Bird Maiden Hurdle, having previously finished second in a French bumper and on his Irish […]
Willie Mullins is looking forward to seeing his dual Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard belatedly get his novice chase campaign under way on the Thyestes Chase undercard at Gowran Park on Thursday. The Cheveley Park Stud-owned eight-year-old won the Champion Bumper at Prestbury Park in 2021 and returned to the Cotswolds to land the Ballymore […]
Hatton’s Grace hero Teahupoo tests the water over three miles for the first time in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday. Gordon Elliott’s charge finished last behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle last season, but turned that form on its head when inflicting a […]
Chris Gordon is poised to aim versatile Aucunrisque at Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle in a fortnight’s time and has all but ruled him out of a tilt over fences on Saturday. The seven-year-old has won four of six races over hurdles, but has been campaigned in chases so far this term. Having won on his fencing […]
Stuart Crawford is relishing the prospect of getting Gold Cup Bailly back in action – but is still mulling his options for the talented chaser. The seven-year-old is unbeaten since switching to fences this season and holds a pair of entries for Cheltenham this weekend in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and Paddy Power Cheltenham […]
David Pipe has confirmed Gericault Roque will not be seen again this season. The seven-year-old, who was second in the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year, was most recently seen coming home third in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November. The going was good that day and the run has left […]
Henry de Bromhead does not expect Honeysuckle to give up her crown lightly when she bids for fourth successive victory in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. The nine-year-old will return to Foxrock on something of a recovery mission on Sunday week, having suffered her first defeat in 17 career starts at Fairyhouse […]
Sounds Russian will bid to underline his Gold Cup claims when he runs in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday. The promising chaser, who was just touched off by Into Overdrive in the Rowland Meyrick, conceding 15lb at Wetherby on Boxing Day, has an official rating of 161. That has made him […]