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Mccoy left sore as Master Overseer takes Sussex National.
While three pound claiming jockey Johnnie Farrelly made the most of Tom Scudamore's current suspension to ride Master Overseer to victory for the David Pipe yard in this afternoon's three mile five furlong £20,000 Sussex National at Plumpton, Tony Mccoy took a heavy fall from his mount Teeming Rain, and although described as bruised and sore after he appeared to land heavily on a shoulder, the champion jockey reports he has not incurred serious injury, and will return to race riding as soon as the weather relents sufficiently to allow turf based racing to recommence in the British Isles.
Big Bucks will go straight to World Hurdle.
Owner Andy Stewart has today confirmed, recent Long Walk Hurdle victor Big Bucks will miss the Cleeve Hurdle at the end of January, and instead will go straight to the Cheltenham Festival, where he will defend his World Hurdle title against all comers.
West to step Golan up in class.
Trainer Sheena West was very happy with Golan Way's win in the Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier at Wincanton on Boxing Day, and although the success would certainly qualify her charge for the Coral Cup or Pertemps Hurdle Final at the Cheltenhham Festival, the handler believes there may be more to come from her six-year-old, and with that in mind, Golan Way has now been given an entry in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on 30 January 2010. Discussing her thoughts on the matter, West said,
"Golan Way has continued to improve, and although he has qualified for one of the major handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival, it now makes sense to assess if he can step up to top class company, and a run in the Cleeve Hurdle will tell us what we should be aiming for at Cheltenham in March."
Champion Hurdle will determine Celestial Halo's future.
After his recent failure to defeat Kyber Kim, it would appear from statements being issued by connections, last year's Champion Hurdle runner up Celestial Halo will have to win this year's running of the Cheltenham blue ribbon hurdle race if he is to continue as a hurdler. Based on information provided by owners - the Stewart family - Failure to go one better than in 2009 would seem to determine Celestial Halo will begin next season as a novice chaser.
Murphy preparing Kalahari King for Doncaster return.
Not seen on the track since winning a Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree last April, the Ferdy Murphy trained Arkle Trophy runner up Kalahari King has been sidelined for the early part of the current national hunt season with a 'bone splint'.
However, Yorkshire based Murphy is now very hopeful his well regarded charge will make a return to action in an Open Handicap Chase at Doncaster next month.
"It took a while to diagnose the problem with Kalahari King, but he is now in good shape, but our only realistic chance of getting a run into him before Cheltenham is in the Open race at Doncaster, and we will just have to hope he gets his preferred good ground." Murphy added,
"Providing he comes out of the race at Doncaster in good shape, we will then prepare him for a run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival."
Mikael plan could be changed.
With one of last season's top novice hurdlers - Mikael D'Haguenet - still to make his debut over fences, it is understood trainer Willie Mullins is now considering putting the chasing plan on hold, and possibly preparing his proven hurdler for a tilt at the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle in March.
Plumpton given go ahead after second inspection.
Following inspections at 7.30 am and 9.00 am this morning, the national hunt card at Plumpton, due to take place this afternoon, now goes ahead as scheduled. The frost covers deployed on the course for the last few days have certainly done their work, and supporters of national hunt racing will be delighted with the positive outcome.
Lingfield forced to abandon Monday card.
A thorough inspection of Lingfield's turf national hunt course early this morning presented officials with conditions which precluded any chance of Monday's proposed fixture going ahead. The heavy underlying ground has become frozen in many places, and with frost forecast for the rest of the week, there was no chance the ground would thaw out sufficiently to allow racing to take place.
Wetherby cancelled again.
Having lost their prestigious two day Christmas meeting to snow and frost, Wetherby have today added tomorrow's card to their growing list of cancelled fixtures. At an inspection of the track this morning, it was confirmed a mixture of snow and frost have once more made conditions unraceable, and the unavoidable decision to cancel the fixture for 04 January was made very quickly.
The abandonment of Wetherby on top of the decision earlier this morning to cancel Lingfield Park means the all weather fixture at Wolverhampton becomes the only race card to take place in Britain on Monday 04 January 2010.
Taunton off and Leicester doubtful.
With their racing circuitalready frozen throughout its length, and with -5 temperatures forecast for the next few days, Taunton officials have already made the decision to cancel their meeting scheduled for Tuesday 05 January.
Meanwhile, Leicester have indicated the chances of their Tuesday meeting going ahead are minimal, but they will go through the formality of holding an inspection tomorrow morning.
Scoop Six to roll over to next Saturday.
With the one remaining ticket failing to select Peopleton Brook as the winner of leg 6 of yesterday's Totesport Scoop Six wager, the accumulated Win Fund of £64,314 will roll over to next Saturday.
In addition, last week's winner of the Win Fund failed to select the victorious horse in the 3.15 pm Bonus Race at Lingfield Park, and this means £60,578 will also roll over to next Saturday's Bonus Fund.
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