Untitled Document

To ensure the best prices on contracts, phones and Blackberry's visit the number one mobile telephone website.

Sound unlikely for Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Last season's Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup victor Planet of Sound is reported to be an unlikely runner in next week's Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Third in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, Planet of Sound did not progress on his next outing, finishing a distant fifth behind Long Run in the re-scheduled King George VI Chase at Kempton Park in January, and according to trainer Philip Hobbs, the gelding is now a major doubt for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Hobbs commenting:

"He's got an infection in one of his hind legs, and unless it clears up in the next 3 days, which is highly unlikely, he will not run in the Gold Cup, and we will probably have to look at Fairyhouse or Aintree, or possibly head back to Punchestown in May."

Binocular heads lucky thirteen.

At today's latest forfeit stage, last year's winner Binocular heads the thirteen runners left in Tuesday's Stan James Champion Hurdle, the highlight on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicky Henderson's representation in this year's renewal of the 2 mile Grade 1 contest is strengthened by the inclusion of Welsh Champion Hurdle winner Oscar Whiskey.

Nigel Twiston Davies will be hoping Kyber Kim can go one place better than his runners up spot last year. While Philip Hobbs relies on 2010 Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Menorah, the latter unbeaten in his two races at Cheltenham this season.

Peddlers Cross has never been beaten over hurdles, and he spearheads a double entry from Donald McCain's yard, with current Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Overturn attempting to put a poor run in Wincanton's Kingwell Hurdle behind him.

Alan King will also be doubly represented by the progressive Mill Chief and stable mate Salden Licht.

There are 3 irish contenders, with Willie Mullins responsible for Hurricane Fly and Thousand Stars, while Philip Fenton relies on his recent Red Mills Hurdle winner Dunguib.

Clark's Choice and Bygones of Brid then make up the 'baker's dozen'.

The most noticeable absentees are; Jonjo O'Neill's Get Me Out Of Here, and the Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card, the latter now heading the market for the Stan James Supreme Novices Hurdle.

Mikael still in Arkle mix.

Willie Mullins has left Mikael D'Haguenet in the 13 runners still declared after today's forfeit stage for the Irish Independant Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham next week.

Despite 3 attempts this season, the former unbeaten hurdler has still to win over fences, and Mullins is very much keeping his options open, with his french import also still declared for the 3 mile RSA Chase, and 3 mile Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

The 3 current anti post market leaders, Ghizao, Medermit and Finians Rainbow, could face a bigger irish based threat from the very progressive Realt Dubh.

Meanwhile, Philip Hobbs will leave it until the last possible moment to choose between the Arkle Trophy and the Ryanair Chase for Captain Chris.

As expected, Alan Fleming has withdrawn Starluck, with Nicky Henderson taking out Bellvano. This means the fancied horses will still have to face Dan Breen, Giorgio Quercus, Rock Noir, Stagecoach Pearl, West With The Wind, William's Wishes, and Blazing Tempo.

Ruby stood down after Naas fall.

Ruby Walsh is back in the wars just days after returning from 4 months on the sidelines after breaking his leg in two places during a fall from Corrick Bridge at Down Royal. Taking a tumble from King of the Refs at the last flight in this afternoon's Tote Jackpot Maiden Hurdle at Naas, Ruby was seen to be clutching his face as he walked to the waiting ambulance, and later it transpired he had a cut below his eye which required stitches, and he was stood down for the rest of the afternoon.

It is not known at this stage as to whether Ruby will need longer than one day to recover, but the facial injury willnot help him in his attempt to get in as much racing action as possible ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival.

Cue Card heads opening field.

Last year's Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner Cue Card will head the 23 runners still declared to run in the Stan James Supreme Novices Hurdle, the opening race of next week's 4 day Cheltenham Festival Meeting.

Colin Tizzards five-year-old is unbeaten against novices, but his defeat by Menorah in the International Hurdle earlier in the season has convinced connections their charge should face novice opposition this year, rather than take on his seniors in the Champion Hurdle.

While he has yet to be beaten in a novice hurdle, Cue Card is unlikely to have things all his own way in the Supreme, as Nicky Henderson seems to have a particularly strong trio of opponents in the form of Gibb River, Sprinter Sacre, and Spirit Son.

Paul Nicholls could also have 3 representatives, with Alferof, Rock on Ruby and Sam Winer all still engaged at today's latest forfeit stage.

Ireland are always strongly represented in this race, and Willie Mullins has two strong contenders in So Young and Zaidpour, while Mouse Morris relies on Tillahow and the impressive Christmas Leopardstown winner First Lieutenant. Dermot Weld runners are also ignored at one's peril when they travel across to Cheltenham, and Hidden Universe will represent his yard.

Other top notch entrants are John Quinn's Totesport Trophy winner Recession Proof, and soft ground specialist Marsh Warbler.

Fantastic Memory offsets King delay.

It seems Richard Hannon is having mixed fortunes with two of his 2011 three-year-olds, for while Memory is reported to be looking fantastic ahead of her expected run in the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas, Group 2 winner King Taurus has already been ruled out for the first half of the turf-based flat season.

A winner of the Albany and Cherry Hinton Stakes as a two-year-old, Memory disappointed in her final run of the 2010 season in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland, but according to Richard Hannon, we are likely to see a much improved performance from Memory at the start of the new season, with the trainer elaborating:

"Memory used to mess about a lot last year, and we often had to train her on her own, but this year she's filled out magnificently and she's also matured mentally, and she's looking fantastic in training. I'm pretty certain she will get a mile, and the intention is to send her straight to the 1,000 Guineas. I would add, she is the one filly I am really looking forward to seeing in action as a three-year-old"

However, the Sir Robert Ogden owned King Taurus is set to miss the first half of the season due to a setback. A winner of the Superlative and Vintage Stakes in 2010, King Taurus did not handle the testing ground at Longchamp in October, and could only finish seventh in his final run of the season in the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere, and it seems his re-appearance on to the three-year-old racing scene will now be delayed by injury until July at the earliest.

Al options diminish as Williams debates.

Having pulled Weird Al out of the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase, Ian Williams has indicated he needs to talk to connections as to whether they want their steeplechaser to take up either of his remaining Cheltenham Festival options in the Ryanair Chase or the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Unbeaten in his 3 novice chases last season, including 2 around Prestbury Park, Weird Al started this season well, dead-heating for first place with subsequent Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Little Josh at Carlisle, but in his only other run during the current campaign, he was a disappointing eighth in the Hennessy Gold Cup, and reading between the lines, one gets the impression Weird Al is not yet 100%, and may be held back for Aintree or Punchestown later in the season.

Iam Williams has also confirmed Rebel Dancer is a likely non-runner in this coming Saturday's Paddy Power Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown Park.

Giant could be the each-way bet.

Gloucestershire based trainer David Bridgewater believes his RSA Chase entrant, The Giant Bolster, is the forgotten horse in next week's 3 mile Grade 1 championship for novice chasers at Cheltenham, with Bridgewater pointing out:

"He was 200-1 last year when he came in sixth behind Peddlers Cross at the Festival, and the way he won his handicap at Cheltenham in January, particularly the way he stayed on up the Cheltenham hill in the closing stages of that race, fill me full of confidence that he has the stamina to feature in the closing stages of the RSA chase. I don't know what it will take to win a race like the RSA, but The Giant Bolster is doing everything we've asked of him in training, and I would think he has at least a great each-way chance next week."

It would seem the bookmakers have mixed views on The Giant Bolster's each-way merits, with Bet 365 only offering 14-1, while Totesport still offer 25-1 for the RSA Chase.

Turnell has Flips option.

Wiltshire trainer Andy Turnell has indicated the going at Cheltenham will determine which race last season's Coral Cup fourth Micheal Flips goes for at next week's Cheltenham Festival.

"If the going is soft, Micheal Flips will probably have another go at winning the Coral Cup, but if things start drying out over the weekend, we may look at stepping him up in trip for the Pertemsp Hurdle Final.

"He seems to have done well since his last run, and on his day, he's a very strong competitor, and which ever race he actually goes for I think he will be thereabouts."

Moore Imperial representative will depend on the going.

Later in the week, trainer Gary Moore will talk to Sandown Park Clerk of the Course Andrew Cooper about the likely going for Saturday's Paddy Power Imperial Cup, and only then will he decide which of his two possible runners will be committed to the ultra competitive handicap.

Moore can choose from recent Newbury winner Via Galilei or the progressive Sire de Grugy, but the former would require good ground to be at his best, while Sire de Grugy has shown his best form on soft ground, and this paradox has left Moore musing:

"Both of them would have great possibilities on the right surface, but before I commit either of them, I will have to speak to Andrew Cooper, as he is usually very accurate in his diagnosis of the going on race days. I just hope we don't end up with good to soft going, as this will probably not give either of my potential runners their ideal conditions."

Hills camp hoping Gunner gets in.

While the Barry Hills-trained Gunner Lindley needs 12 horses above him in the handicap to drop out of the current 109 runners still declared if he is to be guaranteed a run in this year's £100,000 William Hill sponsored Lincoln Handicap, connections feel if the four-year-old gets his favoured soft ground, and gets in on his current weight of 8 stone 7 pounds, then he would have a great chance of joining Pablo in 2003 as a Barry Hills-trained winner of the Doncaster spring highlight, this year run on the 1 mile straight Town Moor course on 02 April.

Gunner Lindley finished last season with a flourish, winning a valuable handicap at York in October, and assistant trainer Charlie Hills is keen on his chances in the Lincoln, saying:

"He looks great in his coat, and he is working well in his build up for the Lincoln. If he gets in on his current weight, and he obtains his preferred soft ground, I would think he would have a great chance of landing the Lincoln."

Jackpot joy as Exeter racegoer becomes instant millionaire.

The totejackpot created it’s first ever millionaire on Tuesday afternoon as racegoer Steve Whiteley won £1,445,671.20 after staking just £2 on the bet.

The 61-year-old heating engineer from North Tawton, Devon became an instant millionaire after picking all six winners at Exeter on Tuesday afternoon at combined odds of 879,137-1 and the dividend smashed the previous jackpot record of £510,955 which was won at Aintree back in April 2008.

“Although the totejackpot looked likely to be won at Exeter, I don’t think anyone expected it to be landed in such dramatic style and not only did Steve managed to pick six winners staking just £2 but he’s also become the Tote’s first jackpot millionaire,” said totepool spokesman George Primarolo.

Tuesday afternoon’s totejackpot dividend was the fifth-highest single payout in the history of the Tote with the highest being £3,243,175 which was won on the totescoop6 back in March 2009.

Knight shines in pre-Cheltenham work-out.

Having already impressed in his two unbeaten runs at Sandown and Southwell this season, Warren Greatrex has revealed that Wetherbys Champion Bumper anti post favourite Knight Pass was impressive in his pre-Cheltenham gallop at Newbury racecourse on Sunday, with Greatrex adding:

"I worked him over 2 miles with Kim Muir entrant Den of Iniquity and Albert Bartlett entrant No Secrets, and shall we say he eased past his running partners in the closing stages. Having run in the Champion Bumper when with Carl Llewellyn, Den of Iniquity is a good yardstick, and I was very happy with what I saw from Knight Pass on Sunday."

Celebrate your winnings, or commiserate with others with great wines & champagne’s:

Tesco Wine

==================================

News Archives

News 09 March 2011