Aidan O’Brien is considering Plan B for his staying challenge this term, with reigning champion Kyprios a major doubt to defend his Gold Cup title at Royal Ascot. The five-year-old carried all before him in the marathon division last season, winning each of six starts, including the Ascot showpiece, the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger […]
Paul Nicholls has lost a race against time to get Clan Des Obeaux ready for Aintree. The dual King George VI Chase winner had been making good progress from a suspensory injury ahead of a planned return to action at the Grand National meeting, where he was set to defend his Aintree Bowl title. The […]
Leading stayer Kyprios has met with a setback which could prevent him from defending his Gold Cup crown at Royal Ascot. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Kyprios enjoyed the perfect season last year, winning all six of his races. He progressed from scoring in the Vintage Crop and Saval Beg Stakes to go on to glory […]
Aidan O’Brien is eyeing a Classic trial as a next port of call for Paddington following an impressive display in the Irish Racing Writers Carmel Kirwan And Loretta O’Hanlon Memorial Madrid Handicap at Naas. Fifth on his Ascot debut in September before winning comfortably on his final juvenile start at the Curragh the following month, […]
Thedevilscoachman teed himself up for a possible tilt at the Irish Grand National with victory in the Way To Paris @ Coolagown Stud Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick. The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old was bidding for a second successive Grade Three prize for trainer Noel Meade, having been awarded victory by the stewards at […]
Sheila Lewis will head to Aintree with Straw Fan Jack following his gallant fourth in the Arkle Challenge Trophy. The popular grey has blossomed since going over fences this term, winning novice chases at Ffos Las and Cheltenham. Sent off a 50-1 chance for only his fourth try over fences, he finished a creditable fourth […]
Affordale Fury’s 150-1 runner-up effort in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle may have surprised some, but not trainer Noel Meade. Despite winning a bumper and a maiden hurdle at Galway last year, Affordale Fury went under the radar at the Festival, largely because of his two subsequent runs, when falling in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle […]
Emmet Mullins has confirmed Noble Yeats to be firmly on course for his bid for back-to-back victories in the Randox Grand National next month. The eight-year-old carried Sam Waley-Cohen to a famous success in the Aintree spectacular last season on what proved to be the amateur rider’s swansong. Noble Yeats has enjoyed another fine season, […]
Adayar, whose 2022 campaign was restricted to two outings, will start to make up for lost time when reappearing in the bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown next month. After triumphing at Epsom in 2021, the Charlie Appleby-trained Adayar became the first Derby winner in 20 years to follow up with a victory in the […]
Connections of Roi Mage are growing increasingly bullish over his Randox Grand National chances after he chased home Longhouse Poet at Down Royal. A best-priced 50-1 chance for the world-famous steeplechase, he represents the same owners who landed the race with Auroras Encore in 2013. Like Auroras Encore, who was trained by Sue Smith, Roi […]