Cheltenham clerk of the course Jon Pullin expects the Festival to begin on soft ground ahead of week which promises to bring a mix of weather to Prestbury Park. While strong winds on Monday were helping the course to dry slightly, squally showers are forecast into Monday evening and are expected the keep the going […]
Impaire Et Passe and Gaelic Warrior lead the Willie Mullins charge in a red-hot running of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle that kicks off day two of the Cheltenham Festival. The former has been the talking horse of the Festival preview circuit and as a result is currently topping the market, while the former will attempt […]
Defending champion Energumene will face six rivals in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday. The nine-year-old gave Willie Mullins the final piece of his Prestbury Park big-race puzzle last year when lighting up a miserable day two of the Festival and is the sole Closutton representative in the second day feature. […]
There was a remarkable ending to proceedings at Limerick on Sunday when 66-year-old Liam Burke rode the winner of the bumper. Burke – who last tasted victory aboard Take Beating in June 1988 – partnered Teuchters Glory to victory in the Good Luck To All Irish Runners In Cheltenham (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race. No stranger […]
Espanito Bello was produced to perfection by Michael O’Sullivan to win the Bar One Racing Leinster National Handicap Chase in easy fashion at Naas. Ahead of a big week for owner-trainer Barry Connell and his young jockey, the nine-year-old course specialist was sent off 7-2 for the afternoon’s feature handicap. Travelling smoothly tracking the pace […]
Irish Point put his top-table experience to good use as owners Robcour warmed up for the Cheltenham Festival with a big-race double at Naas on Sunday. The five-year-old has campaigned respectably at Grade One level since scoring at Cork on debut for Gordon Elliott in November. He followed that winning bow by finishing a head […]
Rachael Blackmore would love for Honeysuckle to go out on a high at the Cheltenham Festival. Horse and rider will always be associated with one another, with Blackmore riding the mare in every one of her 18 starts under rules so far – 16 of which they have won. The nine-year-old is the reigning Champion […]
Comfort Zone will miss Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle following a setback, Joseph O’Brien has revealed. The JP McManus-owned four-year-old was among the favourites for the opening race on Cheltenham Gold Cup day. Having taken the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow over Christmas, he narrowly downed the previously unbeaten Scriptwriter in the Finesse Juvenile Hurdle at […]
When Dargiannini fell at Doncaster on December 29, owner Andrew Mitchell could be forgiven for wondering what he had let himself in for. Since that disastrous Town Moor debut for his first ever runner adorned in the black and white silks based on his beloved Derby County, the ownership experience has been a dream for […]
Gentleman De Mee has been ruled out of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase by trainer Willie Mullins. The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old was a general 8-1 shot for the Cheltenham Festival’s day two feature having bounced back to his best with an impressive victory from the front in Leopardstown’s Dublin Chase last month. That Dublin […]