Mattie Batchelor says he will miss the camaraderie in the weighing room as he retires from race riding “immensely proud” of all he has achieved in the saddle. Known as one of the biggest characters amongst the riding fraternity, he is best remembered on track for partnering Carruthers to an emotional victory in the 2011 […]
Ante-post favourite Luccia has been ruled out of Saturday’s Unibet Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown due to an unsatisfactory scope. Nicky Henderson had taken the bold decision to run the mare against the boys after the five-year-old made a sparkling hurdling debut in Listed company at Newbury. While that plan has had to be shelved, Henderson […]
Jockeys will still be allowed to use the whip in the forehand position under revised changes to riding rules – but the number of times a rider may strike his mount will be further reduced from February. The British Horseracing Authority set out a raft of alterations to the rules in the summer, with jockeys […]
Connections of Aucunrisque are pondering options which include the Watch Off The Fence On attheraces.com Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster later this month. The Chris Gordon-trained seven-year-old showed plenty of promise over hurdles, winning four and finishing second from six starts. That early promise has translated to fences with a win and two runner-up efforts […]
The Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate have a Saturday to savour as both Love Envoi and Tahmuras are aiming to shine at Sandown. The ownership group is run by Fehily and fellow former rider David Crosse, with both Sandown entrants flying the flag in their silks across the past few seasons. The Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras was […]
Owner JP McManus is set to be double-handed in Sunday’s Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle, with both Dawn Rising and Inothewayurthinking on course for the Grade One. Dawn Rising was Group Three placed on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien before transferring to his son Joseph, who has saddled the six-year-old to win two of his […]
Oliver Sherwood’s highly-promising bumper mare Queens Gamble is headed for Market Rasen later in the month. The five-year-old has been seen twice on track so far, making her debut in a Cheltenham mares’ contest in April and triumphing by an impressive 10 lengths. In November she returned to the same track to contest a Listed […]
Milton Harris has been dealt another injury blow as promising hurdler Gentle Slopes has been ruled out for the season. Having already seen last season’s Grade One-winning juvenile hurdler Knight Salute sidelined, it is a bitter blow to the Warminster yard, as Gentle Slopes had shown plenty of promise in winning a competitive Cheltenham bumper […]
Nicky Henderson is set to chart a direct route to Cheltenham with Unibet Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill. The six-year-old is the 1-5 market leader for the Festival highlight in March after another wide-margin success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, routing stablemate Epatante by 17 lengths – an increase of five […]
Energumene and Edwardstone are the headline acts in eight entries for the Sbk Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 21. The two-mile showpiece produced one of the races of the season 12 months ago, when Shishkin got the better of the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene following an epic duel. But there will be no repeat […]