Eldorado Allen remains on course for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup despite finishing a modest fifth to Zanza when bidding for back-to-back Denman Chase successes at Newbury. The well-supported nine-year-old disputed the lead before being headed four out in a race was run in a time over 13 seconds quicker than standard. Owned by John […]
Nicky Henderson has all but ruled Shishkin out of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, remaining in favour of the shorter trip of the Ryanair Chase for his rejuvenated superstar. The Seven Barrows trainer was an emotional onlooker as any doubts about the nine-year-old’s return to prominence were dispelled with a tremendous display in the Betfair […]
Noel Meade could bypass the Stayers’ Hurdle with Beacon Edge in favour of a tilt at the Coral Cup, as he ramps up plans for the Cheltenham Festival. The nine-year-old showed plenty of his former sparkle when third to last season’s Albert Bartlett winner Blazing Khal at Navan last week. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned winner […]
The Frankie Dettori farewell tour will have plenty of highlights before he finally hands up his boots at the end of the season – but a 251-1 four-timer at Santa Anita will certainly be one of the more memorable ones. Dettori, who will will team up with last year’s runner-up Country Grammer in the $20million […]
Charles Byrnes’ Stayers’ Hurdle favourite Blazing Khal has suffered a minor setback ahead of his Cheltenham Festival target. The seven-year-old returned from a 428-day injury-enforced absence to land the Grade Two Boyne Hurdle at Navan a week ago, a performance that catapulted him to the head of the Stayers’ Hurdle market. Byrnes reports Blazing Khal […]
Wise old heads used to whisper “they never come back” when a horse had seemingly lost its way, but Nicky Henderson is waging a one-man mission to consign the phrase to the history books as Shishkin became the latest Seven Barrows inmate to return to the top. Henderson’s exploits with Sprinter Sacre are legendary. The […]
Jockey Lorcan Williams is confident the future is bright for Makin’yourmindup after continuing his progression with victory in the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock. A £60,000 purchase from the Irish point-to-point field, the son Kayf Tara won successive novice hurdles at Chepstow earlier this season before being beaten at odds-on at Kempton last […]
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ I Like To Move It was a facile victor of the Wincanton Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle. The six-year-old, who was last seen finishing sixth in the Grade Two Relkeel Hurdle, was one of a small field of four runners and sent off a 100-30 chance. Partnered by the trainer’s son Sam, under whom […]
Shishkin proved himself to be back to his brilliant best with a comprehensive victory in the Betfair Ascot Chase. Nicky Henderson’s gelding was at one point an unstoppable force in the two-mile division, but he was pulled up when the favourite in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last season. A comeback run in the Tingle […]
Quick Wave strengthened her Aintree claims with victory in a thrilling renewal of the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock. The Venetia Williams-trained mare was one of only four runners in the 14-strong field with an entry in the Randox Grand National and her odds for the world’s most famous steeplechase were unsurprisingly slashed following […]