THE testing road to the Cheltenham Festival in March continues next month for some of the country’s leading hurdlers, and you could be at Cheltenham on December 16 to get the festive season off to a brilliant start by watching one of the most valuable hurdle races in Europe, the £130,000 Unibet International Hurdle. We’ve …[Read More]
24
Nov 2017
Horses to look out for in December
by JOHN SMITH The jumps season is well under way and there are some big races to look forward to in December. Sandown will host the prestigious Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday December 9 and it looks set to be a mouthwatering contest, with some big names on show. Fox Norton is the ante-post favourite …[Read More]
22
Nov 2017
Classy field in 2017 Betfair Chase
by MARK REISER. A truly A-list field has gathered for the 2017 Betfair Chase on Saturday and it is easy to see why when you consider the potential prize on offer. A cool £1million will go to any horse that can win Haydock’s Grade One contest, the King George on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham …[Read More]
17
Nov 2017
Cheltenham November Meeting
THE Cheltenham November Meeting starts today. Don’t be confused. That is now the official name of the three-day mash-up that many regard as the beginning of the “proper” National Hunt season. For 18 years it was The Open Meeting. But more of that later… Today’s opening salvo is an appetiser to tomorrow’s main course where …[Read More]
10
Nov 2017
WIN tickets to the Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle
TEMPERATURES are falling but the jump racing season is hotting up, and we’ve teamed up with big race sponsor Unibet to offer you the chance to win a day out for two at Newcastle Racecourse on Saturday 2 December when the feature race will be the famous Fighting Fifth Hurdle. First run in 1969 and now a hugely significant …[Read More]
01
Nov 2017
Horses to follow at the Breeders’ Cup 2017
DEL Mar is known as the track where the “surf meets the turf.” The California city gets this due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, which is less than a mile away. Surprisingly, this weekend is its Breeders’ Cup debut and it has attracted a record number of European challengers, 35 in fact. The …[Read More]
26
Oct 2017
Morning digest: Sceau happy Cheltenham is back
CHELTENHAM returns on Friday. Hurrah! The Squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase gets the pulse racing with Sceau Royal taking on fencing debutantes North Hill Harvey and Movewiththetimes. Sceau Royal, who jumped hurdles as quickly as anything I’ve seen, made a decent winning chasing debut at Warwick but this is tougher. He is not the biggest but I …[Read More]
15
Oct 2017
Minella Rocco a Grand National fancy
by JOHN ANDERSON ONE for Arthur has been ruled out of the 2018 Grand National, guaranteeing a new hero at Aintree. The horse produced a fine performance to win the prestigious race, becoming only the second Scottish-trained winner in the history of the contest. However, the eight-year-old has suffered a tendon injury in his right fore, …[Read More]
15
Oct 2017
Morning Digest: Racing mourns death of Pat Haslam
SADNESS abounds this morning. Legendary northern trainer Pat Haslam has passed away, aged 69. The trainer of more than 1,000 winners, he was a much-loved figure in the sport and even after retiring he helped son Ben who took over the reins at Castle Hill Stables in Middleham. Condolences to Pat’s family. Also, Kempton was …[Read More]
14
Oct 2017
Morning Digest: Oceane to make waves in Cesarewitch
I WAS thrilled by the victory of Laurens in the Fillies’ Mile yesterday. It was a first Group One for PJ McDonald and there was something uplifting about the northern-trained filly conquering the Coolmore juggernaut. The silks of owner John Dance are becoming a familiar sight in winners’ enclosures and it is a reward for …[Read More]
