Naqeeb, half-brother to the mighty Baaeed, was third on his racecourse bow in the Rekorderlig Premium Fruit Cider Maiden Stakes at Leicester. The three-year-old is by Nathaniel and out of the mare Aghareed, the same Shadwell-owned dam who produced the superb seven-time Group One scorer. Also trained by William Haggas, Naqeeb runs in the same […]
Willie Mullins paid tribute to his owners, staff and Paul Townend after being crowned champion trainer for the 17th team on the final day of the Punchestown Festival. It has been another memorable campaign for the master of Closutton, who in January sent out is 4,000th career winner and set a new record for the […]
Hewick justified Shark Hanlon’s decision to bypass the Punchestown Gold Cup and also not defend his bet365 Gold Cup crown, as he took the Grade Two Oaksey Chase at Sandown under Rachael Blackmore. The eight-year-old, who won the American Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills in October, was going well in front in the Cheltenham […]
Hugely popular staying chaser Kitty’s Light shone once again in taking bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. Just seven days after landing the Scottish Grand National, the Christian Williams-trained seven-year-old, who was third to the well-handicapped Hewick in last year’s renewal and was unfortunate the year before that, went one better after a protracted battle with […]
Jonbon proved a point for Nicky Henderson, taking on and beating senior rivals over two miles in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown. Sent off the 8-13 favourite for the Grade One feature, Aidan Coleman’s mount, who was runner-up in the Arkle Challenge Trophy to El Fabiolo, had bounced back to score at Aintree on […]
Sir Michael Stoute has notched 11 Group One victories in France during in a storied career, although the Prix Ganay has thus far eluded him. Bay Bridge will bid to fill that hole on the master trainer’s CV when he lines up at ParisLongchamp. The Newmarket handler was set to send last season’s Champion Stakes […]
Paul Nicholls praised stable jockey Harry Cobden for his role in a season that saw him officially crowned champion jumps trainer for the 14th time at Sandown’s bet365 Jump Finale. The Ditcheat handler enjoyed a stellar campaign which saw him register his 13th King George thanks to Bravemansgame’s Christmas triumph and also return to the […]
Impaire Et Passe showed a neat turn of foot and powered to victory in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins. The five-year-old ran well within himself and Townend rode the Cheltenham’s Ballymore winner with supreme poise. Send off a 1-3 favourite against just four rivals, he sat […]
State Man justified odds-on favouritism with consummate ease in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding had won four Grade Ones in succession before having his colours lowered by Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. But without Nicky Henderson’s star to contend with, Paul Townend’s mount was […]
Colm Murphy’s top-class mare Impervious sauntered to success in the Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase at Punchestown to remain unbeaten over fences. The seven-year-old had taken her winning spree to four in the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and her fifth victory could not have been any easier. Tracking […]