Constitution Hill is set to face five rivals when he puts his unbeaten record and huge reputation on the line in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle on Thursday. Nicky Henderson’s charge cemented his superstar status when making it six from six under rules with a stunning display in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. […]
I Am Maximus lunged late to claim victory in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. The seven-year-old was an 8-1 chance in the three-mile-five-furlong feature for the all-conquering Willie Mullins and Paul Townend. Ridden patiently in among the field of 27, the JP McManus-owned gelding looked set to finish out of the placings – […]
Laurel underlined her Classic potential with an authoritative success in the Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes, completing an Easter Monday Kempton treble for co-trainers John and Thady Gosden. The daughter of Kingman had looked the part when making a winning debut at Newmarket in July. She followed up in a mile novice at Kempton and was only […]
The King may have a Classic contender on his hands in the John and Thady Gosden-trained Slipofthepen, who overcame trouble in running and a shade of immaturity to land a taking success at Kempton. Bred by the late Queen, the Night Of Thunder colt followed up his cosy mile debut victory in November with another […]
Asterion Forlonge denied Monkfish a dream return to action when winning the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at Fairyhouse. The enigmatic winner was running over hurdles for the second time since pausing a chasing career that brought about mixed fortunes with some good performances but also several falls. Monkfish, also trained by Willie Mullins, had […]
Andrew McNamara’s Enjoy The Dream was a tough winner of the Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle under Darragh O’Keeffe at Fairyhouse. At 33-1 only one rival started at a bigger price in the Grade Two contest, but the grey jumped the last behind 8-11 favourite Blood Destiny and then battled him all the way up the […]
Bob Davies went to Aintree 45 years ago believing he would not swap his mount for any other in the Grand National – including the mighty Red Rum – and his confidence proved spot-on. Much of the build-up ahead of the Grand National on April 1, 1978, had surrounded Red Rum’s bid for a fourth […]
Ryan Mania knows all about Randox Grand National glory and he looks to an ally close to home as he bids to mark the 10th anniversary of his greatest triumph in the saddle with a second victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase. In April 2013 a 23-year-old Mania strode into the Aintree paddock and […]
Incredibly it is 50 years since perhaps the most famous Grand National of them all, when Crisp was agonisingly reeled in by Red Rum in the dying strides in 1973. Perhaps because it was the first Grand National shown in colour on television, perhaps because no horse had ever attacked the four and a half […]
For a horse who has won a Grand National trial, two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland, finished third in the Welsh National and was in front of Galopin Des Champs when falling two out in the Irish Gold Cup, The Big Dog heads to Aintree under the radar. Trained by Peter Fahey […]