Tag Archive for: Lingfield

Noble Yeats forced to miss Lingfield engagement

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Grand National hero Noble Yeats will miss his intended appearance at Lingfield this weekend after it emerged he does not qualify for Sunday’s Fleur De Lys Chase.

The Emmet Mullins-trained eight-year-old provided amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen with a fairytale success in the Aintree spectacular last year, on what proved to be his final ride.

Noble Yeats was pulled up on his reappearance at Auteuil, but has since impressed in winning a Listed prize at Wexford and Aintree’s Many Clouds Chase, with the latter success in particular thrusting him into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture.

Connections identified the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Chase as a suitable next port of call – but it was confirmed on Tuesday that he will not be able to line up as the horse’s vaccination record is not compliant with the Rules of Racing.

A BHA spokesman said: “The BHA can confirm that Noble Yeats is not qualified to take part in the Fleur de Lys Chase (Class 2) at Lingfield Park on Sunday, as the horse’s vaccination record is not compliant with the Rules of Racing.

“Vaccinations must have been administered, uploaded to the Weatherbys App and verified by a veterinary surgeon before the close of entries to avoid a horse being NQd. In the case of Noble Yeats, this process was not completed in time, meaning the horse is not qualified to run.

“This change to the Rules of Racing came into effect this month, following a 12-month transition period to allow trainers to adjust to the changes to the vaccine booster intervals. The BHA and IHRB have taken a co-ordinated approach to its implementation.”

Forecast leaves ‘challenges’ ahead for Ascot’s weekend fixture

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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.

The two-mile Grade One is due to feature Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero Energumene against Alan King’s Arkle winner Edwardstone.

However 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.

Wincanton inspect at 8am on Thursday ahead of their Somerset National card later that day, while Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting on Friday also looks in some doubt.

The entire track was covered on Monday but it is frozen under the covers after a minus 6.7C last night.

The going report states: “Highs of +1/+3C today. Cold spell continues with averaging -2/-5C overnight and day time highs of between +3/+5C. Will need some good luck from what the latest forecast states.”

Cold spell beginning to hit racing hard

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Freezing temperatures are beginning to take a toll on the racing programme with Chepstow on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday abandoned due to frost.

With temperatures falling dramatically across the country for the second big cold snap of the winter, Chepstow and Newbury were added to Fontwell on Monday as meetings lost this week.

Chepstow were due to inspect at 7.30am but the decision to abandon was taken before then after it reached -6C overnight at the Monmouthshire venue.

Conditions at Newbury were already testing after over 60 millimetres of rain in the past week.

However, it was frost that put the nail in the coffin, with a -4C on Monday night and another hard frost forecast for Tuesday, with -5C possible.

Clonmel’s meeting in Ireland on Tuesday did survive an inspection, though.

Plumpton will inspect at 2pm on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

Frost covers are down but it reached -6C on Monday with temperatures not getting above freezing until 10am with a possible high of 3C.

Tuesday evening is not set to be as cold with -2C forecast.

The going report read: “Temperatures dropped much lower than forecasted overnight. With frozen areas will inspect at 2pm hoping to see improvement, with the feeling if the frozen areas come out today we would have a good chance with temperatures not forecasted to drop as low tonight.”

Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting on Friday looks in some doubt, however.

The entire track was covered on Monday but it is frozen under the covers after a -6.7C last night.

The going report states: “Highs of +1/+3C today. Cold spell continues with averaging -2/-5C overnight and day time highs of between +3/+5C. Will need some good luck from what the latest forecast states.”

Ascot’s Clarence House Chase card on Saturday is being protected by frost sheets on the take offs and landings and the shaded area in the home straight.

While temperatures are due to be below freezing every night this week, daytime temperatures of of 4C offer encouragement.

Haydock reports that temperatures in the Merseyside area are due to rise towards the end of the week, although there is a risk of snow on Wednesday.

Jason The Militant ready to roll for new connections

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Phil Kirby is keeping his options open for new recruit Jason The Militant, who is poised to make his stable bow this weekend.

The nine-year-old is entered in the £110,000 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle on day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million weekend on Friday – where he would have to shoulder top weight – while Kirby has also given him an entry in Haydock’s New One Unibet Hurdle on Saturday and the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle back at Lingfield on Sunday.

Twice a winner in Graded company over hurdles when trained by Henry de Bromhead in Ireland, his best performance for his former handler was perhaps when finishing a half-length third to Abacadabras in Punchestown’s Morgiana Hurdle in 2020.

The son of Sans Frontieres is also a Listed winner on the Flat and having made the recent switch to North Yorkshire for £50,000, his new trainer is hoping to enjoy some nice days out under both codes in the year ahead.

“He’s been absolutely grand, he’s very straightforward,” said Kirby. “We schooled him the other day and he jumped well and the plan was always to run in these sort of races.

“He’s got a few bits available to him (this weekend) just to give us the best chance. We’re not going to pick one yet.

“The ground will be ideal for him because he’ll love bottomless ground, so it’s come at the right time really.”

On further plans for Jason The Militant, he added: “We’ll see where we are and work from there.

“I imagine he would struggle in handicaps off his mark (154), so we will try to find these small-field conditions races, see if we can pick up some prize money and have some nice days out with him.

“We’ll definitely have a go on the Flat in some nice places when there is soft ground. He’s been bought to go to some nice places, but he might be a little bit ground dependent, so we may have to pick the right time.”

Top Ville Ben on his way to winning on the Winter Millions card last year
Top Ville Ben on his way to winning on the Winter Millions card last year (Simon Marper/PA)

Kirby’s stable stalwart Top Ville Ben will also be in action this weekend when he attempts to win Lingfield’s Cazoo Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.

“It has always to be the plan to go back down there and we’ve worked everything around that a little bit,” continued Kirby.

“He seems in good form and is off a nice mark. I know he’s getting older, but it doesn’t seem to be stopping him too much yet, so we’ll go there hopeful.”

Frost covers deployed as Lingfield bids to beat the freeze

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Lingfield are applying frost covers ahead of the Winter Million meeting which is set to kick off on Friday.

The track is due to host the three-day fixture from Friday to Sunday, with the first and last days National Hunt cards and the Saturday a Flat card run on the all-weather.

Heavy rain has caused water to pool in certain areas of the course, but the upcoming minus overnight temperatures mean frost covers are in use to prevent the ground from freezing.

George Hill, Lingfield’s clerk of the course, said: “It will be freezing from tonight, we’re covering the entire track today. There’ll be four nights of -3C to -4C and daytime temperatures of 2C and 3C.

“Once it stays above freezing we’ll lift the covers, the ground is heavy and there’s standing water in places.

Lingfield Park Racecourse
Lingfield Park racecourse (Adam Davy/PA)

“If we don’t cover with three or four nights of -4C, then the frost will get in the ground. Covering any bits of standing water isn’t ideal, but we’ve no more rain forecast and that should stand us a better chance.

“We’ll need improvement with standing water and four nights of minus temperatures, the water needs to go somewhere but at the same time you don’t want the frost getting into the ground.

“The weather has been so unusual, you don’t normally have 70 millimetres of rain in a week and then go through four freezing nights ahead of a three-day fixture.”

At Chepstow conditions are currently soft, heavy in places, ahead of their National Hunt meeting on Tuesday.

Frost covers have been deployed over the track already as minus temperatures are expected overnight, and a precautionary inspection is due for 7.30am on Tuesday.

Newbury racecourse
Newbury racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Newbury’s Wednesday meeting will also be subject to a Tuesday inspection as staff are due to take a look at the track at 8.30am.

The going is currently heavy with waterlogged areas and temperatures as low as -5C are expected over Monday and Tuesday night.

Plumpton also race on Wednesday and the track is in a similar situation, with heavy ground covered by frost sheets ahead of the sub-zero temperatures likely over the next few nights.

Given the cold forecast, the British Horseracing Authority has added an extra all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton on Thursday, with entries closing on Tuesday and declarations on Wednesday.

Sir Busker handed Neom Turf Cup target

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The Kennett Valley Thoroughbreds Syndicate will hope Sir Busker can put his name in lights when he runs in the Neom Turf Cup on Saudi Cup night.

A brave third behind the brilliant Baaeed in the Juddmonte International at York, the William Knight-trained seven-year-old has had a break since that run in August.

A model of consistency, he has notched six victories from 38 starts and finished runner-up on another nine occasions, earning in excess of £560,000 in prize-money.

Though he had been predominantly campaigned over a mile, he proved a real money-spinner when upped in trip last term and belied his 100-1 odds when chasing home Baaeed and Mishriff at York.

Syndicate manager Sam Hoskins said: “He’s good. After the Juddmonte he went for a break, unlike last year when he stayed on and ran on Champions day.

“As a result, he’s much further forward this year and he is going to run at Lingfield in a new Listed race – the Tandridge Stakes, over a mile on February 4.

“That suits him quite well, because there are no penalties, he doesn’t have to carry a Group Two penalty in that.

“Then the plan is to go out to Saudi Arabia and run in the Group Three Neom Turf Cup over a mile and two (furlongs) and then, if we get invited, the plan will be to then run in the Group One Dubai Turf in which he was fifth last year.”

Sir Busker ran eight times last season with his sole success coming in the Group Two York Stakes in July. That race will again be targeted once his passport has been put in the drawer.

Hoskins added: “After that Group Two win and a third in Juddmonte International, anything from now on is just a bonus.

“That said, he is only seven and hasn’t had that much racing. William Knight is really good with those older horses

“I don’t really know the UK plan, but I would think the mile and two (furlong) route will be explored, with possibly the Brigadier Gerard (Sandown) or something being a starting point.

“Part one is the foreign affairs, but after that, the plan is to definitely go back to the York Stakes, if fit and well. We will try and win that race we won last year and then go to the Juddmonte again, although obviously we will be running for place money.

“All the other horses go off to stud and he’s still there. He is the perfect syndicate horse and we are lucky to have him.

“He’s has been a good cash machine, but he does come first and and he will race until he is retired and we will give him a good retirement one day. Hopefully he’ll have a couple more years with him yet, though.”

Ballygrifincottage handed Lingfield mission by Skelton

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Dan Skelton will send exciting novice chaser Ballygrifincottage to Lingfield next weekend after deciding to bypass the Grade Two eventmasters.co.uk Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday.

Fourth in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival in March, he opened his account at the first time of asking over fences when beating odds-on Beauport by 11 lengths in a three-runner affair over an extended two miles and five furlongs at Haydock in November.

Owned by Friends From Insurance, the lightly-raced eight-year-old is as short as 11-1 with Sky Bet for the extended three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on March 15 and is 8-1 with William Hill for the three-and-three-quarter-mile National Hunt Chase on March 14.

A son of Stowaway, he is being primed for the extended two miles and seven furlongs of the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Novices’ Chase, which is worth £50,000.

Skelton said: “He definitely goes to Lingfield next week for the Winter Millions meeting.

“I just wanted an extra week and I can split them all up as well then. He jumps well and loves slow ground.”

Skelton will instead rely upon the mare Gaila Des Liteaux in the three-mile event at Warwick.

She impressed on her chasing bow at Bangor, before being pulled up behind Thyme Hill when well supported for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Gary Moore eyeing Lingfield date for Goshen

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Gary Moore is tempted to try running Goshen left-handed again, with Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival on the radar following the popular six-year-old’s brave second in the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton.

The seven-time hurdles winner was trying three miles for the first time when lining up at the Sunbury track on Boxing Day and showed the distance was well within range as he was part of a fantastic battle up the home straight with veterans of the staying hurdling division, Paisley Park and Champ.

That now opens up more doors for Moore moving forward, but despite the pick of his form coming when racing clockwise, the handler is eyeing up an outing in the Weatherbys Hurdle (January 22), in which Goshen was beaten just over a length despite hanging badly for big-race pilot Jamie Moore last season.

“He ran well (at Kempton), I was very pleased with him,” said Moore. “Obviously I’m a little disappointed he didn’t run a little bit better and win, but it was his first go at the trip. Whether we can improve on that I don’t know, but at least it gives me a few more options of where to go.

“I think he proved he stayed, but he just got outstayed by the winner who is a strong stayer. I thought the only chance we had of beating him was on a pan-flat track because for me, Paisley Park needs all of three miles and Kempton is an easy three miles. They didn’t really go that fast and it’s a tough one to call, but Goshen certainly ran as well as he could anyway.”

On the immediate future he added: “My hands are tied slightly and he can’t really go left handed, but I think I might give Lingfield’s Million Weekend another go, because Jamie said when he dropped him in he was so settled and giving him no aggravation whatsoever.

Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22
Trainer Gary Moore is keen to run Goshen at Lingfield on January 22 (Nigel French/PA)

“So we might just give it a go and he’ll go in the ground – he’ll get his ground there. That will probably be his next objective.”

However, it does appear that fences are off the agenda for the time being.

Goshen struggled in his sole chasing appearance at Ascot earlier in the season and Moore feels there is no point trying the larger obstacles again this term – although he has not completely ruled it out for the future.

He added: “I won’t go over fences again now this far into the season. Whether we go over fences again next year, maybe. But it would have to be on very soft ground, not quick ground.”