Tag Archive for: Ascot

Bay back on form with Ascot verdict

/in /by

Springwell Bay ran out an easy winner of the Ascot Racecourse Supports Schools Poetry Competition Novices’ Hurdle to get his career back on the right track.

Second in the prestigious Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown Festival in 2021, he was subsequently bought for €155,000.

A winner on his first two outings for Jonjo O’Neill, he was beaten into third at Cheltenham in November by John McConnell’s Fennor Cross but looked a different proposition stepped up in trip.

He travelled noticeably strongly in the hands of O’Neill jnr and loomed upsides the favourite Attacca before bursting clear to win by nine lengths.

The trainer said of the 3-1 winner: “He’s been a a little bit difficult, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. When you’ve got patient owners you can take your time.

“He won’t be going to Cheltenham this year. We’ll make sure what he’s like when he gets back, he needs another run. We don’t know what we’ve got yet but we’re hoping he’s nice. He has had little issues, though.

“We’ve always thought he was a nice horse but he hasn’t matured. We fancied him at Cheltenham, but he checked out going to the second last and we were disappointed.

“That’s a big step in the right direction and the extra distance really helped.”

Irish Hill pings the last under Harry Cobden
Irish Hill pings the last under Harry Cobden (Steven Paston/PA)

The Cheltenham Festival could come into the equation for Irish Hill, though, after he justified 100-30 favouritism in the Ascot Racecourse Supports Box4Kids Handicap Hurdle.

Partneredy by Harry Cobden, already on the scoresheet with Oscar Elite in the Reynoldstown, Irish Hill sneaked through on the inside to hit the front two from home and was always doing enough to win by a length and three-quarters from Zoffany Bay, having his first run for 700 days.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: “He could go in either the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe.

“I thought he won tidily and I’m not sure he was doing a whole lot in front. The third horse (Samarrive) ran a super race too.”

Fakir D’oudairies shoots for Ascot Chase double

/in /by

Fakir D’oudairies will bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Betfair Ascot Chase since Riverside Theatre in 2011 and 2012 when he returns to Berkshire for Ascot’s feature on Saturday.

Joseph O’Brien’s eight-year-old saw off the persistent challenge of Two For Gold when triumphing 12 months ago and is sure to be popular once again in his quest for further Grade One success.

Four of his nine career victories have been at the highest level – and having chased home Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan before Christmas, he got back on the scoresheet in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles last month.

Whether he would have beaten final-fence faller Haut En Couleurs that day is open to question, but either way O’Brien is happy with his condition ahead of his title defence.

“He’s in good shape and he’s been prepared for the race. It looks like it’s going to be a very good race, which is great, and we’re looking forward to competing in it,” said the Piltown handler.

“I think he was still in mix (at Thurles). JJ (Slevin, jockey) said he was going to give them a run for their money and that’s all you can ask for.”

Chief among the JP McManus-owned gelding’s rivals is Shishkin, who has 10lb in hand on official ratings but has questions to answer after disappointing in his two most recent outings.

O’Brien added: “I suppose Shishkin is a superstar on his day, but I think you can make a strong case for three or four horses in the race and we’re one of them.

“We know Ascot will suit our horse better than Thurles, so hopefully we get a smooth trip and we’ll see what happens from there.”

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin at Seven Barrows earlier this week
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin at Seven Barrows earlier this week (David Davies/PA)

Having won his first seven races over fences at around two miles, Shishkin takes a step into the unknown over two miles and five furlongs under rules this weekend, having previously won over three miles in point-to-point company.

The nine-year-old was pulled up in last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase and looked ready for a rise in distance when a well-beaten third on his reappearance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.

Although Nicky Henderson’s charge has won twice at the Cheltenham Festival, his finest hour arguably came at this track last year and his big-race rider Nico de Boinville is looking for signs of a resurgence from the son of Sholokhov, who has undergone wind surgery since his last run.

“I just want him to travel away. In the Tingle Creek I was flat out the whole way,” the jockey told talkSPORT2.

“It wasn’t until we brought him back and worked him up our gallop that he flipped his palate at the top of our gallops. He’s had his palate cauterized and hopefully that will have done the trick.

“Hopefully he should be able to travel away and enjoy his racing again. It was hard enough at Cheltenham when he ran with a rare bone condition. Mostly I just want him to enjoy racing again.

“The bone condition was like running a car with four flat tyres. I knew going to the first I was in trouble but I immediately put it down to the ground, but when you look back that didn’t make sense as he’d won on all sorts of ground so it wasn’t that.

“It’s a case of him learning to get over that bad experience and loving racing again.

“If he’s back to his best he should win, on paper, but he has to enjoy himself and get back into some sort of rhythm to make his and my life a bit easier.”

Henderson told Unibet: “This is obviously a very big day for him and we are stepping up in trip which is what I think he wants. Lots has already been said which doesn’t really need repeating over and over again so I’ll leave it to Shishkin to do the talking and see where we are at 3.45pm tomorrow!”

Pic D’Orhy winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon
Pic D’Orhy winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon (Tim Goode/PA)

Paul Nicholls can become the outright leading trainer in the history of the Ascot Chase if Pic D’Orhy continues his winning streak.

Unbeaten this season, the eight-year-old has won Grade Twos at both Huntingdon and Kempton and the champion trainer is hopeful he can continue on his upward curve.

“I think that was one of his best performances (at Kempton) because we weren’t convinced about the ground,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“He is a much better horse on good ground and I see Ascot’s now gone good, good to soft in places so I assume Nicky has been on the phone all week asking them to water! There’s plenty of water gone on, but everybody will be happy with that – good, good to soft in places.

“It’s ideal for him and we’re looking forward to the challenge. It’s probably the biggest race of his career, but he’s up for it.”

Kim Bailey saddled the runner-up in last year’s renewal and now looks to First Flow to go one better at a course where he has never finished outside of the first three.

He said: “It’s a tough, competitive race and we’re all wrong at the weights. We’re very limited in where we can go and there is only one other race for him at Sandown on the last day of the season.

“He handled goodish ground at Huntingdon and this will be much quicker than he ideally wants, but having said that, we need to run and we need to go.

“He has been round the course several times and every time he has gone there he has run well, so if he can finish in the first three I would be delighted.”

Millers Bank in action at Aintree
Millers Bank in action at Aintree (Steven Paston/PA)

Millers Bank was well held in the King George on Boxing Day, but trainer Alex Hales feels his Aintree Grade One winner could be overlooked dropping back in distance.

“I’m looking forward to him running,” said Hales. “We were slightly underwhelmed by his run in the King George and he came back and was a little quiet after it, but he seems in very good heart now.

“We know he’s proven over two and a half, so it looks the right thing to do. It’s a competitive race but he deserves to take his chance.

“Pic D’Orhy has beaten us twice but that has been on flat, sharper tracks and I’m hoping that Ascot over an extra furlong might see us in a different light.”

The field is rounded off by by Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s popular northern raider Aye Right, who takes his chance at Grade One level.

“It was an idea we had to take him out of handicaps because he is nearly always carrying top weight up against progressive handicappers,” said Graham.

“There are some classy horses in it, but I have always thought he would enjoy running right-handed and Ryan Mania was very keen that we take him down there – he comes and rides out for us and is a very good judge.

“I know we are the outsider but the owners were also keen to take him down, so we thought we would have a go.”

Kinondo Kwetu up for Reynoldstown challenge

/in /by

Sam England’s Kinondo Kwetu will look to strike a blow for the north in the Bateaux London Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

The seven-year-old has been in phenomenal form since last spring, accumulating a winning streak of six successive victories in novice events – one hurdle race and five steeplechases.

His chasing mark rose from 107 to 137 last year alone, and he is now bringing his consistency to a bigger stage as he steps up to Grade Two level.

“He’s had a little break, he’s back in and the ground has come up good so we thought we’d go and have a bash,” said England.

“It’s a good opportunity, he was running in novices over the summer but this is a completely different depth.

“It’s a different kettle of fish, but we’re going there hopeful that he puts in a good run.

Kinondo Kwetu at Aintree
Kinondo Kwetu at Aintree (Nigel French/PA)

“It depends on how much water they’ve put on it, but he likes quick ground and if it’s good they can’t have put too much on it.”

Nicky Henderson has a runner in Bold Endeavour, a seven-year-old who has won both starts this season and is therefore two from three over fences.

The gelding has displayed a habit of jumping slightly right, a tendency that makes rider Nico de Boinville believe running at a right-handed course will be of benefit.

“He has obviously done brilliantly since joining us and he is now up to a mark of 145 after winning at Doncaster last time,” the rider said via his Unibet blog.

“The way he jumped there suggests this return to a right-handed track will suit him, and he had an earlier win on lively ground at Leicester.

Bold Endeavour ridden by jockey Nico de Boinville
Bold Endeavour ridden by jockey Nico de Boinville (Simon Marper/PA)

“He hopefully has a lot more improvement in him, and I think he is probably the one they all have to beat in here. He does step up in trip again, but I can’t see it being an issue myself.”

In the £100,000 LK Bennett Swinley Handicap Chase, Paul Nicholls is represented by Danny Kirwan, a consistent horse last seen missing out by two lengths over course and distance in the London Gold Cup in October.

The bay has further form at Ascot and his trainer expects the quick conditions to suit, saying: “He’s just been waiting for decent ground and a race like this in the spring, he just ran a bit free that day (last time) and Harry (Cobden) held on to him to save him for the last uphill from turning in the straight. He must have a nice chance.”

Danny Kirwan at Wincanton
Danny Kirwan at Wincanton (David Davies/PA)

Richard Hobson runs Old Roan Chase winner Riders Onthe Storm, a narrow winner in the Aintree race in October before returning to the same track to finish 11th in a handicap contest in early December.

This is a step up in trip for the 10-year-old, who will be ridden by Nick Scholfield.

“Riders Onthe Storm is in fabulous form. He’s fresh and well and it’s just a question of whether he stays the trip,” said Hobson.

“I’ve put cheekpieces on him as I do think he’s holding a little bit back and his form can be a little inconsistent.”

Riders Onthe Storm (right) in the Old Roan Chase
Riders Onthe Storm (right) in the Old Roan Chase (Nigel French/PA)

Elsewhere in the race are Venetia Williams duo Laskalin and Farinet, with Harry Fry also saddling a pair of runners in Phoenix Way and Revels Hill.

Gary Moore’s Dorking Lad, David Pipe’s Neon Moon, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ One True King and Philip Hobbs’ Sporting John are others lining up, with Olly Murphy and Tom Lacey sending off a runner each in The Wolf and Nocte Volatus respectively.

The veteran of the field is Anthony Honeyball’s 15-year-old Regal Encore, winner of the contest in 2018 and a real Ascot specialist. Christian Williams’ Cap Du Nord completes the contenders.

Shishkin spearheads super six for Ascot Chase

/in /by

Shishkin will face five rivals as he steps up in trip for Saturday’s Betfair Ascot Chase.

Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old was unbeaten in his first seven starts over fences, winning up to two and a quarter miles, but he was pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and trailed home a distant third behind Edwardstone on his Tingle Creek return in December.

That performance has prompted Henderson to move up to two miles and five furlongs this weekend, with Shishkin a three-mile point-to-point winner in his younger days.

Fakir D’oudairies won the race last year
Fakir D’oudairies won the race last year (Tim Goode/PA)

Shishkin faces a stern test on his first start since undergoing wind surgery, with last year’s winner Fakir D’oudairies defending his title for Joseph O’Brien after returning to winning form in a Thurles Grade Two last time out.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls fields Pic D’Orhy, who has won each of his three starts this term, including Grade Twos at Huntingdon and Kempton.

Nicholls said of the gelding: “The big difference with him is he’s a big horse and he’s just matured at last. He’s twice the horse he was last season as a model, he’s well and strong and he keeps improving.

“He wasn’t really jumping that well, the first season he had a couple of falls so he was a novice for a second season.

“Last year at Newbury in the Ladbrokes meeting, he was going to absolutely bolt in in the Grade Two novice chase and he took a fairly heavy fall at the first in the straight.

Pic D’Orhy at Ascot last season
Pic D’Orhy at Ascot last season (Steven Paston/PA)

“I think that shook him a bit and woke him up, he’s been very careful and good after that.

“This season his jumping has been fantastic, he’s a Betfair Hurdle winner so he’s always had plenty of ability.

“He’s a little bit like Bravemansgame, massive horses that just take all this time to reach full maturity. He’s probably the finished article now and hopefully he can keep improving.”

Of the dangers to his runner, Nicholls, speaking on a call organised by Great British Racing, added: “Fakir D’oudairies is a good horse, he won the race last year.

“I think it’s quite an open race, Millers Bank – it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran a good, solid race. He was staying on strongly at Huntingdon and he likes that better ground, I think. It’s a good looking race.

Pic D’Orhy and Harry Cobden
Pic D’Orhy and Harry Cobden (Steven Paston/PA)

“If we’re going to compete in a Grade One in the Ryanair and then Aintree, we need to be right in the mix.

“He’s in form, with Shishkin there are questions about him. He hasn’t been in form, at Cheltenham he had a problem and he must have been disappointed with him in the Tingle Creek.

“They’d be hopeful of a good run, two and a half is going to suit them better than two nowadays, that’s what Nicky is thinking, and if he’s in form he’ll go well but he’s got questions to answer.

“I’ve got a feeling Pic D’Orhy will run very well, the ground is right for him, he’s in good shape. That’s what you want.

“He loves bowling along and if someone wants to go faster than him, it’s not a problem. You can take advantage if you jump well and you’re in the driving seat, they’ve got to come past you. I think it’s a really thrilling race, we’re looking forward to it.”

First Flow, winner of the race in 2021, represents Kim Bailey with Aye Right for Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford, plus Alex Hales’ Millers Bank completing the line-up.

Donald McCain’s Minella Drama was the only horse not declared.

Shishkin ready to step up in Ascot Chase test

/in /by

Shishkin is poised to make his eagerly-awaited step up in trip at Ascot on Saturday, with the nine-year-old amongst the seven five-day confirmations for the Betfair Ascot Chase.

Since pulling up when sent off favourite for last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, Nicky Henderson’s two-time Cheltenham Festival winner has only been seen once, when a well-beaten third in the Tingle Creek before Christmas.

That Sandown disappointment signalled a move up in distance and the son of Sholokhov now gets to test the waters over further, where his chief danger appears to be Joseph O’Brien’s defending champion Fakir D’oudairies.

Shishkin after defeat at Sandown
Shishkin after defeat at Sandown (PA)

A good showing at the weekend could pave the way for a tilt at the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park in a month’s time – a race that now has an open feel with Allaho ruled out of his hat-trick bid due to injury.

Although the Seven Barrows handler admits he should have entered Shishkin in the Champion Chase in case this exploratory move ends in disappointment, he is certain the 11-time winner is in need of a longer trip to showcase his best.

“He probably should have been in it (Champion Chase), but I was impressed with Gary Moore’s horse (in the Clarence House) to be fair and Edwardstone looked like he would come on for his race,” said Henderson.

“It does look more open this year, but Shishkin has been racing like a horse who wants further to me and I hope I’m right.”

Shishkin returns to the scene of one of his finest hours at Ascot – a place where he won an all-time classic against Energumene in the 2021 Clarence House Chase.

It was Shishkin’s stamina that helped him see off Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero and Henderson believes the writing was on the wall from that day regarding his charge requiring further.

He continued: “It was a tough race and you don’t really like to see horses racing off the bridle for so long the whole time.

“That’s what he’s had to do the last two times. I want to see him going round on the bridle and he’s got to be better for it.”

One slight concern for Henderson ahead of Saturday is the prospect of quick ground, but he is confident the Berkshire track will be able to water sufficiently ahead of the fixture to avoid a repeat of November’s Ascot Hurdle card where Constitution Hill was a non runner on the day of the race.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn (David Davies/PA)

“I want to talk to Chris Stickles and we’ll see,” continued Henderson. “It was quick, it was too quick for Constitution Hill that day. I’m sure they are watering, there’s only Newbury that can’t water, so I’m hoping Ascot will have done so.

“It is possible if it was that quick (he would go straight to Cheltenham). He would have to.”

Paul Nicholls is represented by Pic D’Orhy, who looks to extend a three-race winning run and the Peterborough Chase winner could have the chance to confirm Huntingdon form with Alex Hales’ Millers Bank (second) and Kim Bailey’s First Flow (third), with the latter another former Clarence House winner who could take his chance in the Grade One contest.

Musselburgh scorer Minella Drama could step out of handicap company for Donald McCain, while Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s popular 10-year-old Aye Right is another possible for the north.

Henderson ‘very happy’ with Shishkin and has sights set on Ascot

/in /by

Shishkin came through a workout on Tuesday which enabled Nicky Henderson to continue aiming towards the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 18.

So brilliant at his best over two miles, the nine-year-old will be racing over the longest trip he has encountered since his point-to-point days.

Since pulling up in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, he returned to action when only third behind Edwardstone in the Tingle Creek.

Henderson stated he was keen to step him up in trip and that was due to be in the Silvinaco Conti Chase at Kempton – but Shishkin “flipped his palate” causing him to have a minor procedure, with Ascot then his next option.

Nicky Henderson has given Shishkin the green light for Ascot
Nicky Henderson has given Shishkin the green light for Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“Shishkin worked this morning. We were all very happy with him and he is on schedule for the Betfair Ascot Chase,” said Henderson.

“The step up in trip is not even a question mark for me, it is an absolute necessity, and consequently we did not even enter him for the Champion Chase.

“You would like to think that this could take you on to the Ryanair Chase, although we also put him in the Gold Cup as we have come to the firm conclusion that he is a stayer, but we will see.”

Taking him on will be last year’s winner, Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies, last seen winning in slightly fortunate circumstances at Thurles.

Fakir D’Oudairies (right) leads Two For Gold over the final fence in last year's race
Fakir D’oudairies (right) leads Two For Gold over the final fence in last year’s race (Simon Marper/PA)

“Fakir D’oudairies is an intended runner in the Betfair Ascot Chase,” said O’Brien.

“We were very pleased with how his prep went in Thurles. It was a very hot race and should hopefully set him up for another successful spring campaign.

“He has been around for a while and has achieved a lot already, but he is not an old horse by any means and I see no reason why he can’t have another good end to this season at least.”

A total of 13 have been entered for the Grade One, including Paul Nicholls’ improving Pic D’Orhy and stablemate Hitman.

Fanion D’Estruval, last year’s second Two For Gold, Paint The Dream and First Gold are all in the mix.

My Prospero firing Marquand dreams in big year ahead

/in /by

There are more seagulls on the resplendent white infield – and many more floodlights – than punters. The bookmaker count is up to two. And there it shall stay.

One moderate horse after another is announced to less than a handful of die-hards as they circle wearily around the parade ring, replete with its bank of shovelled snow.

Our hero stands outside the weighing room on a bitterly cold January afternoon, a brusque wind thwacking his silks.

He is already sat on a 61-rated 25-1 chance in an extended nine-furlong handicap that takes an extended eternity to run. Later, he will be riding two similarly modest beasts, both of whom finish runner-up in head-to-head battles of mediocrity.

Cleared snow piled up next to the parade ring at Wolverhampton
Cleared snow piled up next to the parade ring at Wolverhampton (Simon Marper/PA)

No matter. These are the days of toil and moil, ones that keep you mindful.

And far from despondent, Tom Marquand still cannot quite believe his luck.

They will have to go some before having a jockey-trainer relationship to match the longevity of George Duffield and Sir Mark Prescott. Yet given the warmth the 24-year-old rider has for William Haggas, it would be a brave man to bet against anything coming between their burgeoning partnership. Even if one of those two bookies would lay that bet.

This is all a far cry from Japan, where he and his wife, fellow jockey Hollie Doyle, spent a hugely successful riding spell at the end of last year.

Tom Marquand is excited by the prospects for the Flat season
Tom Marquand is excited by the prospects for the Flat season (Mike Egerton/PA)

On a bleak, raw afternoon such as this, it was only right to look to sunnier days and try to turn nuggets of negative into pebbles of positivity. Or in his case, boulders of belief, particularly in the Haggas horses.

“Quite a lot excites me to be honest,” says Marquand, his eyes sparkling and voice rising with anticipation.

“I went into the yard earlier in the month for the first time since coming back and you are probably almost guilty about forgetting some horses, because you get excited about others, and then you remember you’ve got yet another good one there.”

The softly-spoken, considered Haggas, who handled top-class colt Baaeed so brilliantly last term, does not have that big gun to fire, now that he’s gone to stud. There are still some powerful bullets in the barrel, however

Marquand explained: “To be honest, we have a really strong-looking team going into this year.

“The two that probably stand out the most, just because of the way their season went, are My Prospero and Maljoom.”

My Prospero was unfortunate not to have won all of his five starts last season, being touched off in the St James’s Palace Stakes and on his return to Ascot in the Champion Stakes.

Maljoom won the German Guineas before suffering all sorts of trouble in running in the St James’s Palace under the unfortunate Cieren Fallon, going down just half a length to Coroebus.

“They are both Group One horses that didn’t get their Group One on their cards for various different reasons,” said Marquand. “It was unfortunate, but they are two extremely exciting horses.

“I saw My Prospero and he looks an absolute monster. He looks gorgeous and he’s strengthened as well.

“The Champion Stakes was rated the second-highest race in the world and he was beaten half a length. To be honest, I thought things didn’t really go our way with the way the race set up, so it really poses the question of what might be to come with him.

Maljoom won the German Guineas last term
Maljoom won the German Guineas last term (John Walton/PA)

“Maljoom, as well, had a pretty torrid time. He was unlucky at Ascot after winning the German Guineas. He then got sick and had a bad run at it, basically. He is one to look forward to, definitely.”

The 24-year-old feels he is in the best possible place, riding for a man who is effusive in his praise and slow to chide.

“It has been a nice relationship, even away from the trainer-jockey side,” said Marquand of the Newmarket handler.

“I’m lucky to have found someone who looks after me and treats me well.

“I think when you are young as well, it is so important because, realistically, even if you’ve had a bit of success, you are still trying to mould your career the right way.

Marquand is humbled to work for William Haggas and his team
Marquand is humbled to work for William Haggas and his team (Nigel French/PA)

“How many jockeys at 23 or 24 had a career and by the time they are 26 or 27 it’s gone? There’s a lot.

“To have someone like that… and it is not just him, it is Maureen (Haggas’ wife and assistant) and the lads at home, and the travelling lads.

“I don’t know, but for whatever reason, they have created a proper team. Everyone is invested. It is not like, ‘Oh we just work for him and we just do our job, and that’s it. Everybody is in for the long haul.”

In a stark reminder that this often beautiful sport can sometimes be equally brutal, Doyle suffered a broken elbow in a fall at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks ago. There is no timescale for her return to the saddle.

Yet if ever there was an old head on young shoulders, it belongs to her husband.

Wolverhampton
Frosty days at Wolverhampton provide perspective (Simon Milham/PA)

Grateful for the career he has and the good friends he works for, Marquand is appreciative and pragmatic.

“It is humbling,” he adds. “When stuff like that happens, nothing is a given.

“You are not going to wake up tomorrow morning and go and get on a Group One horse or anything like that – you might not be able to get up to ride a Group One horse, even if you have found it.

“It is racing. It is all sport. So it is pretty easy to keep it all in perspective, to be honest.”

Energumene against Edwardstone at Ascot lost to the weather

/in /by

A mouthwatering clash between Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Energumene and Arkle victor Edwardstone will not take place this weekend after Saturday’s meeting at Ascot was abandoned due to a frozen track.

The two-mile chasing juggernauts were due to lock horns in the Grade One LK Bennett Clarence House Chase, but the Berkshire track has been unraceable since Tuesday morning.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels announced an inspection for 4pm on Thursday to assess the prospects of racing and ultimately had no option but to call off proceedings.

He said: “There was not sufficient improvement, the track remains unraceable and given the forecast and where we are right now, there’s no chance of us being raceable for Saturday.”

Energumene winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase
Energumene winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase (David Davies/PA)

Whether the Clarence House Chase is rescheduled remains to be seen – but Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father Willie, confirmed the intention for Energumene to travel over if the race is switched to a different venue.

“If it is lost we hope it is rescheduled and the plan would still be to go over. It fits in well with his programme,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“He’s in great form, he worked well at the Curragh on Tuesday, he worked well this morning and we’re fit and ready to rock.”

Saturday’s other high-profile fixture at Haydock is also in doubt.

Haydock was hit by snow overnight
Haydock was hit by snow overnight (Nigel French/PA)

The Merseyside venue is due to stage four Grade Two events, including The New One Unibet Hurdle and Peter Marsh Chase, but snow overnight prompted clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright to call a noon inspection on Friday to assess whether racing can go ahead.

He said: “We have had half an inch of snow overnight with a frost, so things are not looking as good as they were.

“We have called an inspection for noon tomorrow and we would need to see the snow gone by then if we are to persevere.

“It depends on which forecast you look at – on the most optimistic it’s just about feasible, but on the most pessimistic we will be beaten.”

Jumps action is also scheduled at Taunton on Saturday, with officials calling an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday.

There will be no turf racing in Britain on Friday – a fourth successive blank day – as Market Rasen called off their card following a noon inspection on Thursday.

The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday and will have the bumper due to feature the exciting Queens Gamble carried forward. A further Ffos Las fixture has also been added to the calendar for January 23.

Ascot call Thursday inspection ahead of Clarence House card

/in /by

Saturday’s high-profile fixtures at Ascot and Haydock will have to pass inspections if they are to go ahead.

Ascot’s card features the Grade One LK Bennett Clarence House Chase, but the Berkshire track has been unraceable since Tuesday morning and clerk of the course Chris Stickels will hold a 4pm inspection on Thursday to assess the prospects of racing.

He said: “We are currently unraceable, the track is frozen in places. It is even frozen in places under the frost covers.

“We were not raceable at all yesterday, despite temperatures getting up to 5C during the day.

“It got down to -1.75C last night and we want to see if there is any improvement today.”

Haydock was hit by snow overnight
Haydock was hit by snow overnight (Nigel French/PA)

Haydock is due to stage four Grade Two events, including The New One Unibet Hurdle and Peter Marsh Chase.

However, the Merseyside venue was hit by snow overnight, prompting clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright to call a noon inspection on Friday to assess whether racing can go ahead.

He said: “We have had half an inch of snow overnight with a frost, so things are not looking as good as they were.

“We have called an inspection for noon tomorrow and we would need to see the snow gone by then if we are to persevere.

“It depends on which forecast you look at – on the most optimistic it’s just about feasible, but on the most pessimistic we will be beaten.”

Jumps action is also scheduled at Taunton on Saturday, with officials calling an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday.

The course is currently raceable, but frost is forecast.

There will be no turf racing in Britain on Friday – a fourth successive blank day – as Market Rasen called off their card following a noon inspection on Thursday.

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting lost to cold snap

/in /by

Day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend on Friday has been abandoned.

With temperatures reaching below minus 6C at the course on Monday night through Tuesday morning, an early bulletin had stressed the track needed fortune to be on their side for the first of their three-day meeting to go ahead – and following a 4.45pm inspection racing was abandoned due to a hard frost with limited improvement and the further poor forecast.

Friday’s card was set to feature the £110,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle and the £50,000 Class 2 Godstone Chase – a handicap run over two miles and the British Horseracing Authority and Lingfield have acted quickly to add these two races to Sunday’s fixture.

The final day of the meeting, which also hosts the weekend’s flagship Fleur De Lys Chase, will now be a nine-race card and officials are cautiously optimistic rising temperatures over the weekend will allow both Saturday’s all-weather card and Sunday’s action on the turf to go ahead.

“We’re heavily frozen in places today and the reality is we got to 1C today for about four hours and we’ll have another hard frost tonight and the next couple of nights,” said George Hill, clerk of the course for Lingfield.

“The forecast basically has no chance of improving before Friday so we felt as a team in conjunction with the BHA that the best course of action would be to save the best two races from Friday and put them on Sunday to make that a nine-race card.

“We’ll obviously need improvement in the forecast, but at least there is scope for the forecast to improve on Saturday into Sunday, where we kind of know what the forecast is for the next 48 to 72 hours – we’re fairly confident what that forecast is.”

He continued: “It gives us the best chance of saving as many races in the current situation we are faced with and the latest challenge of the weather.

“If we can manage to get Sunday on and Saturday’s all-weather Flat card as well, which will be a good day, then at least it will be a decent nine-race card with a hell of a lot of prize-money up for grabs. It’s not really what we wanted but it’s the best of the bad situation we are in.”

Meanwhile officials at Ascot have admitted the change in forecast “may present some challenges” in being able to stage Saturday’s card – which is headlined by the LK Bennett Clarence House Chase.

Temperatures dropped as low as minus 6C on Monday night through to Tuesday morning and clerk of the course Chris Stickles has indicated a changing forecast suggests the cold weather may now extend into the weekend.

He said: “The going remains soft, good to soft in places on the chase track and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course. We’re obviously frozen on both courses in places this morning following minus 6C overnight and temperatures are still below freezing now.

“The forecast now indicates that this cold spell could last into the weekend, so it has changed since yesterday. So that may present some challenges.

“Temperatures aren’t due to get much above 4C on any given day and we’re still below freezing at the moment. Its not likely to get as cold as it did last night again currently, but although it’s not forecast to get as cold as it did last night it does look like sub-zero temperatures each night.

“We’ll continue to monitor and update accordingly.”

Haydock are also “50-50” to stage their Saturday fixture where the use of frost covers may not be enough to save the Peter Marsh Chase card.

Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park
Ground staff out on the track in the fog and frost to prepare the track before a previous meeting at Haydock Park (John Giles/PA)

“I would say we are 50-50 realistically,” said clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright. “We were minus 3C last night and we’ve got several more nights to get through.

“Frost covers are down but they will have their work cut out on the worn ground. There is no sign of any sun today for instance. It’s just above zero but we’ve got fog pretty much slowing down any thawing activity out there.

“We’ll just have to play it as it comes. We would very much like to race and will do everything we can.”

Freezing temperatures have already took their toll on the week’s racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

Newcastle have taken the decision to abandon for Thursday following an inspection late on Tuesday afternoon due to a hard frost and a minimal opportunity in the forecast for conditions to improve.

Plumpton will stage a second inspection at 8.30am ahead of their meeting on Wednesday.

Frost covers are down but it reached minus 6C on Monday night. However, Tuesday evening was not set to be as cold with -2C forecast and officials are hopeful of racing.

Officials at Ludlow have announced a precautionary inspection for 9am on Wednesday ahead of the track’s scheduled Thursday fixture, while Wincanton inspect at 8am on Thursday ahead of their Somerset National card later that day.