Chablais ‘doubtful’ for Neptune Hurdle
The Nicky Henderson-trained Chablais, an impressive winner on his hurdling bow at Kempton last month, is now a very doubtful runner in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, writes Elliot Slater. Chablais came to Nicky Henderson with a big reputation after running away with a well regarded Irish …
Super Saturday For Highflying Henderson
When A Media Luz fell at the second last whilst holding a winning chance in the opening race of Kempton’s King George fixture on Saturday, trainer Nicky Henderson must have wondered if it was going to be one of those days, writes Elliot Slater. As things transpired, had the filly gone on to win the race …
Gold Cup Line-up Taking Shape
Declarations have been made for the feature Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 18 with 34 high quality steeplechasers currently in the running to take home a share of the record £500,000 prize money, writes Elliot Slater. Reigning champion and current ante-post favourite Imperial Commander heads the list, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding bidding to continue the …
Old Favourite Sublimity Back To Winning Ways
Trainer Robbie Hennessy’s grand servant Sublimity returned to the winners’ enclosure for the first time in over two year’s when getting the better of a tremendous tussle with the 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Newmill in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle at Cork on Monday, writes Elliot Slater. The 2007 Champion Hurdle winner has had …
Hughes Ban Leaves Sour Taste
The news that tremendously popular Irish jockey Richard Hughes has received a 19-day ban under the totting-up procedure from the BHA disciplinary panel has taken some of the gloss off the fantastic effort put in by the rider in his exciting tussle with eventual winner Paul Hanagan in the race for the British Champion Jockey …
Biondetti Out Of His Depth
Unless I have got the horse completely wrong and missed something that should have been screamingly obvious, I cannot see Godolphin’s Biondetti going close to winning Saturday’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, writes Elliot Slater. The Bernadini colt goes into the event unbeaten in three career starts, and last time out won the …
Cut Continues Career In Hong Kong
Newmarket trainer Michael Bell is to say ‘farewell’ to one of his best horses with the news that the talented Coordinated Cut has been sold by owner Lawrie Inman to take up the new challenge of racing in Hong Kong, writes Elliot Slater. Trained last season by Peter Chapple-Hyam, the Montjeu colt made a winning debut …
Three Pronged Assault On York Sprint
It looks as though there could be as many as three juvenile contenders for next week’s Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York’s Ebor festival fixture, following the news that Henry Candy’s Dinkum Diamond looks set to join Meow and Stone Of Folca in the five furlong all-aged dash, writes Elliot Slater. Candy’s Aussie Rules colt …
Borderlescott Runs In The Prix de l’Abbaye
Gloomy predictions of an early end to the season for hugely popular sprinter Borderlescott appear to have been just a touch premature after recent x-rays revealed the Wetherby-based gelding has not suffered a chipped pelvis and may recover in time to take his chance in Paris in the Prix de l’Abbaye, writes Elliot Slater. The eight-year-old …
King George ~ A Race To Savour
In sport there is often plenty of hype ahead of major events, but it is most unlikely that Saturday’s Group1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Ascot won’t live up to all Horse racing betting expectations, writes Elliot Slater. The first big clash of the season between the classic generation and older horses …