Jack Kennedy will miss the Cheltenham Festival after losing his race against time to be fit for the showpiece meeting. Now very much the number one rider for Gordon Elliott, the 23-year-old was in action for his boss aboard Top Bandit when the pair came to grief in a novice chase at Naas in January. […]
The Shunter takes on four rivals in the bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso on Saturday with trainer Emmet Mullins hoping he can return to something like his best. Two years ago, the JP McManus-owned gelding took the Morebattle Hurdle on his way to landing a £100,000 bonus for following up with a win in the […]
Sounds Russian is Boodles Gold Cup-bound after connections made the decision to veto Kelso in favour of the Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old has been in good form all season, winning the Edinburgh Gin Chase at Kelso on debut before placing fourth behind reigning Grand National hero and leading Gold Cup contender Noble Yeats in the […]
Connections of Mostahdaf may target the Breeders’ Cup Turf at the end of the year should he continue to sparkle this summer. The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt took his earnings to over £1million with a seven-length demolition of a strong Neom Turf Cup field in Riyadh on Saturday. Jim Crowley’s mount was one of […]
Connections are still open minded about a Cheltenham Festival target for talented novice chaser Stage Star. The seven-year-old was a Grade One-winning hurdler who made a great start to his career over fences when landing a Warwick novice on debut by 13 lengths for trainer Paul Nicholls. He was the runner-up next time out in […]
Donald McCain’s classy hurdler Maximilian will skip the Cheltenham Festival in favour of an Aintree outing. The chestnut was a point-to-point winner and has looked highly promising since starting out under rules, winning two bumpers and his first two starts over hurdles. Then stepped up in class for the Grade Two Winter Novices’ Hurdle at […]
Mawj will be aimed at either the English or French 1000 Guineas after a highly successful spell in Dubai. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained filly had a fruitful two-year-old season, winning on debut and then finishing second to current 1000 Guineas favourite Meditate in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. A victorious step up to Group […]
Henry de Bromhead believes A Plus Tard is on the right track as he continues preparations for a Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup defence. The Cheveley Park-owned runner reversed the 2021 result with stablemate Minella Indo when powering to an impressive 15-length verdict in the blue riband last March. A Plus Tard has had just one […]
Now Where Or When could return to Fairyhouse for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National following his fine performance in the Bobbyjo Chase. Stuart Crawford’s eight-year-old – who was sent off 33-1 for the Grade Three contest – was rated some 30lb inferior to the winner Kemboy but ran a career best to finish just a […]
Cheltenham is on the horizon for Ben Clarke’s unbeaten hurdler Endless Escape. The seven-year-old placed in an Irish point-to-point before joining Clarke’s yard and making a winning hurdles debut at Lingfield in November. That victory was followed by a 22-length success at Wincanton on Boxing Day and then a Ffos Las win in late January […]