With the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching, here is a look at 5 of the best rides from years gone by at the Festival. 1. AP McCoy, Wicheta Lineman, 2009 (William Hill Trophy) I will happily say this is the greatest ride I have ever seen. Wicheta Lineman was a shoddy jumper and was well beat […]
It was always likely to be a tough decision but Ruby Walsh has decided to ride 5/4 favourite Limini in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle over an extended two-miles and four furlongs at the Festival next week, thereby giving the ride on last year’s winner Vroum Vroum Mag to Willie Mullins’ number two Paul Townend. Originally […]
Trainer David Pipe has revealed that Moon Racer, winner of the 2015 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and vying for ante-post favouritism for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, will instead attempt to become the first novice hurdler since the turn of the Millennium to win the Stan James Champion Hurdle. An evidently fragile horse, having only […]
The Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy will miss this year’s Cheltenham Festival after the Sussex handler revealed he has not been pleased with the gelding’s work at home following a fall at Kempton in December. The 11-year-old son of My Risk won the 2014 renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase and was a well-beaten […]
Don Poli, third in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup last year, will miss this year’s renewal at Prestbury Park after suffering an injury. Switched to Gordon Elliott’s County Meath yard this year from Closutton handler Willie Mullins, Don Poli was pulled-up at Down Royal on his seasonal reappearance in the Grade One Jnwine.com Champion Chase […]
Grosvenor Casino hosted their first Cheltenham Preview evening on Thursday 9th March and we were there to catch all the gossip. Hosted by ITV The Opening Show presenter Oli Bell and with a panel of Paul Nicholls’ assistant trainer Harry Derham and jockey Nick Scholfield, a superb night was had by all in Reading. The […]
Hedgehunter, Ballabriggs and Many Clouds carried his famous colours to glory in the Randox Health Grand National and now owner Trevor Hemmings has snapped up another live National contender in the shape of the Paul Nicholls-trained Vicente after purchasing the gelding. Following the death of Many Clouds after he won the BetBright Cotswold Chase at […]
In Latin, Modus means a way in which to get something done. For us in our final edition of the Ante-Post focus with the Festival now just a few days away, we’re hoping that Paul Nicholls’ Modus can get the job done in the Coral Cup, one of the big betting races and handicap hurdle […]
Irish jockey Robbie Power is confident his intended mount in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, Sizing John, will get the extended three-mile-and-two furlong trip. The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding ran out a ready winner of the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last month on his first start over three miles. However, Power believes that the step […]
Warren Greatrex is no stranger to big-race success at the Cheltenham Festival after he saddled Cole Harden to victory in the 2015 Stayers’ Hurdle and he again looks to have a strong battalion readied for this year’s Festival which includes the aforementioned Cole Harden, Western Ryder (Champion Bumper) and Keeper Hill (Neptune). However, Greatrex identified […]
Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci both gave their reasons on Wednesday why six-year-old mare Limini was not supplemented for the Champion Hurdle at a cost of £20,000, in favour of a tilt at the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, which begins next week. Limini won the Dawn Run Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the […]
Richard Johnson, rider of Native River, general 7/2 joint-favourite for the Racing’s Blue Riband event, the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, believes the gelding has an outstanding chance of claiming glory in the Grade One showpiece at the Cheltenham Festival, which begins next week. Native River’s trainer Colin Tizzard originally had the top three in the […]