Owner-trainer Barry Connell believes “all the boxes are ticked” for Espanito Bello ahead of his bid for glory in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park. The nine-year-old has mixed it between fences and hurdles over the past couple of years, but it is over the larger obstacles where he has shown his best form […]
Dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Altior is reported to be in a stable but critical condition after suffering a severe bout of colic. A true jump racing great, Altior won 19 races in a row for Nicky Henderson, including the 2018 and 2019 Champion Chase, on his way to becoming the highest-rated horse in […]
Group One-winning mare Princess Zoe could make her hurdling debut as soon as next week following a satisfactory schooling session on Tuesday. Trained by Tony Mullins, the popular eight-year-old proved to be a consistent and versatile performer on the Flat, with highlights including a top-level success in the 2020 running of the Prix du Cadran, […]
Filey Bay is the new 3-1 favourite for the Betfair Hurdle with the sponsors after Gaelic Warrior was taken out of the Newbury showpiece at the latest confirmation stage. Bought by JP McManus having won at Doncaster and Wincanton so far this season, the seven-year-old was promoted to favouritism in the absence of the Willie […]
Sandy Thomson does not want to suffer a case of Deja Vu as he bids to get a run into promising hurdler War Soldier this weekend. A late abandonment at Haydock forced the Berwickshire handler to do an about-turn last weekend with Empire Steel and he has therefore made a double engagement for War Soldier […]
Doctor Bravo paid a handsome compliment to his Leopardstown conqueror Dark Raven when beating The Big Doyen in the Molson Coors Beverage Company Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal. Peter Fahey’s The Big Doyen was sent off the 10-11 favourite to open his account over timber having finished second at both Punchestown and Fairyhouse already this […]
Henry Daly will not send Blenkinsop to the Cheltenham Festival, even if he completes a five-timer at the track on Saturday. The six-year-old has rattled up a sequence of four victories this season since stepping up in distance and his handicap mark has rocketed 27lb since his winning spree started at Ludlow in November. Following […]
Kim Bailey is facing a puzzle over what to do next with Two For Gold following the abandonment of Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase. The 10-year-old was all set to defend his crown in the Winter Million weekend feature before the race was lost to the recent cold snap, but Bailey now finds himself short […]
John McConnell’s Mahler Mission has the Cheltenham Festival in his sights after an impressive Navan success. The seven-year-old was a high-quality hurdler and made the transition to chasing this season, starting off at Cheltenham before finishing third in a Punchestown contest on New Year’s Eve. At Navan on Saturday he lined up for a three-mile […]
Sean Bowen believes the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase will inform connections of exactly where they stand with Noble Yeats. Bowen, second in the championship standings behind Brian Hughes, picked up the ride one Emmet Mullins’ stable star after Sam Waley-Cohen quit in fairytale circumstances following his Grand National last April. Unbeaten in two races together, […]