Reductions ON thousands of CD's, DVD’s, Games & Computer Equipment and Software + FANTASTIC PRICE REDUCTIONs on clothing and books, Plus FREE Delivery:
Warrior far too good for rivals.
Vindicating his head of the market position, the extremely well supported 1-5 race favourite Bog Warrior took a decisive victory in this afternoon’s BBA Insurance Ireland Opera Hat Novices Chase at Naas.
Bog Warrior’s chances were definitely enhanced by the late withdrawals of main market rivals Blackstair Mountain and Donna’s Palm, but to be fair, Davy Russell dictated terms from the front on Tony Martin’s progressive young chaser, and as bog Warrior had fallen on his last outing, Russell concentrated on ensuring his mount jumped cleanly, if not exhuberently, in today’s Grade Two contest.
Enjoying the testing ground, and jumping cleanly, Bog Warrior was not really tested, running out an eleven length winner over runner-up Slieveardagh.
Speaking after the contest, Tony Martin said:
“He’s now back on track, and there’s no evidence his fall last time has effected him in any way. He’d schooled well last week, and Davy thought he jumped effectively throughout today’s race.
“The ground will dictate where we go next, as he loves to get his feet into easy going. If it were at least yielding, I’d be prepared to take my chances anywhere. We’ll get him home and see how he is, and then decide where we go from there. I wouldn’t be worried about missing Cheltenham this year, as next year I see him as a potential Gold Cup horse.
“He definitely likes it testing, so he’s really a winter horse, and I can’t see us running him when the ground dries out later in the Spring.”
Honour goes to Cross at Musselburgh.
Cross of Honour was making a 674 mile round trip to attend this afternoon’s national hunt meeting at Musselburgh, and he made it a very worthwhile journey when running out an easy winner of the John Smiths Novices Hurdle.
Charlie Longsdon’s charge had come up from his Oxfordshire base in search of a much needed run, and connections will now be delighted they made the decision to take a chance on the long trip to East Lothian.
Jockey Felix de Giles was always oozing confidence on the 4-6 race favourite, and a positive move just before the home straight saw Cross of Honour take the lead off main market rival Ebanour, with Longsdon’s charge then coming home an eased down three length winner from Donald McCain’s runner-up Ebanour.
Speaking to Racing UK after the race, Longsdon commented:
“We’ve always thought he was a nice horse, and with Cheltenham entries, he had to go and do it like that, especially getting a bit of weight from Donald’s horse Ebanour.
“I think we’ll go down the handicap route, as he hated being in front that long. He’d rather of had a lead, but he’s done it easy enough in the end.”
Longsdon’s day got better when his young hurdler West Brit powered clear after the final flight to win the John Smiths Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial.
Paddy Brennan had made the long trip north for just one ride, and in hindsight it was clear to see why.
Tracking long-time leader Kie throughout, Brennan sat motionless on the 8-1 shot turning into the home straight, and with race favourite Creekside disappointing back in fith place, West Brit was able to score a three and three quarter length victory.
Following his second win, Longsdon said:
“That has made the trip worthwhile. It took eight and a half hours to get here, but it won’t seem as long going back.
“He was favourite last time out, but his wind caught him out in bad ground, and he’s had a little wind operation since then. We’ve put him in the Triumph, so he had to win for us to even consider it, but he doesn’t have enough time left to get another run in to qualify him for the Fred Winter, so if we go to Cheltenham, it might have to be for the Triumph.”
Course specialist Everard takes Stayers prize.
Completing his fourth win at the East Lothian track, course specialist Everard just managed to take the honours during a thrilling finish to the John Smiths Stayers Hurdle at Musselburgh this afternoon.
For a while, it looked as if trainer Charlie Longsdon could be on for a hat trick as Ostland tanked his way to the front a mile from home, but the latter was a spent force by the second last, and while race favourite Moonlight Cloud was in contention after dropping out early on, Richie McGrath then produced Everard to lay down his challenge between the final two flights, and the course specialist took over at the last, staying on strongly to deny Devotion To Duty by a neck, with Moonlight Drive a further neck back in third.
Eighteen in a row for Caviar.
Stepped up to compete at 7 furlongs for the first time in her racing career, the world’s best sprinter – Black Caviar – took her unbeaten run to 18 in a row in the C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield today.
The mare had looked better than ever on her return to racing action at Moonee Valley last month, and Peter Moody’s charge today followed up in brilliant style in the hands of regular partner Luke Nolan
Adopting her regular position on the tail of the leaders, Black Caviar picked up beautifully for Nolan as she was asked a question after turning into the home straight, and showing she has more stamina than the usual sprinter, she saw out the 7 furlongs in style, eventually scoring a comfortable 3 length victory.
Moody was so impressed with what he witnessed, he is seriously considering running his six-year-old in big races over the next two weekends, and Black Caviar could be asked to return to 5 furlongs for the Lightning Stakes at Flemington next Saturday, before going on to run in the 7 furlong Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on 25 February.
Discussing the possibility of running Black Caviar twice more before the end of the month, Moody said:
“To see her go out and do that to good horses was just unbelievable. I have already suggested to Luke, and I’d be lieing if I said otherwise, that I’m seriously considering running her at Flemington next week.
“People might suggest we’re being greedy, but we’ve never really pushed her, and done a lot with her, and the way she won today suggests she could do a lot more next Saturday, and that could put her right for the Futurity on 25 February.
“If she comes out of today’s run in good order, she’ll go to Flemington in 7 days, and if she were fine after that, there’s a chance you could see her in action 7 days after that.”
Hereford joins list of cancellations.
Although nearly raceable on Friday after rain and warmer temperatures gave Hereford racecourse a brief respite, temperatures which dropped down to -6c last night re-froze the track, and after taking a look early this morning, and bearing in mind another hard frost was forecast for tonight, Clerk of the Course Keith Otteson called off the national hunt fixture scheduled for Sunday prior to his original pre-arranged inspection time of 11.30 am.
Discussing his decision, Otteson said:
“We had rain and warmer conditions yesterday, and that brought a lot of frost out of the ground, and had that continued, we would have been raceable on Sunday, but it gotdown to -6c here last night, and it has just frozen the track again, and with tonight’s forecast in mind, I see no reason in prelonging the agony.”
Sunday inspection for Plumpton.
Plumpton Racecourse is currently the subject of an 8.00 am inspection on Sunday to assess prospects of racing on Monday, February 13. The current going description is Good to Soft, frozen in places. There is also a light covering of snow on the course.
There is a possibility that the Hurdle course will be raceable but the Steeple Chase course may not be. The British Horseracing Authority has therefore authorised the provisional division of one race to form a six race card commencing at 2.30 pm.
Should the Steeple Chases be abandoned, the Hurdle or National Hunt Flat race that receives the highest number of declarations, regardless of the final number of declared horses, will be divided. In the unlikely event of two races receiving the same highest number of declarations, the race with the lower race number will divide – (For example, race 30952 will receive priority over 30954).
Ewing dies on the gallops.
Well regarded hurdler Bobby Ewing died this morning of a heart attack while working on the gallops at David Pipe's yard.
Bought by the Just Good Friends Partnership as a speculative investment for £60,000 while still on the injurd list, Bobby Ewing had been Last seen on a race track when beating Menorah by 10 lengths in December 2009.
The gelding had been nursed back to fitness by David Pipe after a serious injury, but this morning, during a preparation gallop ahead of a potential return to action in either the Champion Hurdle or the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival, Pipe's charge collapsed and died on the gallops.
Earlier this month, pipe had issued some positive news about Bobby Ewing's progress, but today he tweeted:
"Very sad news - Bobby Ewing has collapsed and died on the gallops this morning from a heart attack."
Newbury receives replacement fixture next Friday.
Following the abandonment of racing at Newbury today, the British Horseracing Authority, in conjunction with the Levy Board, has granted Newbury a replacement fixture to be staged on Friday, February 17. The major races lost from Saturday’s card will be rescheduled, including the previously rescheduled Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (Grade 1).
The first three races will be shown live on Channel 4.
Original entries for the Betfair Hurdle and other pre-existing races will stand, while trainers are required to make their declarations to run by 10.00 am on Thursday, February 16.
The revised running order and race conditions are outlined below:
12.15 33373 The Betfair Super Saturday Steeple Chase (Grade 2) C4
12.45 33372 The Betfair Denman Steeple Chase (Grade 2) C4
1.20 33371 The Betfair Hurdle Race (Handicap)(Grade 3) C4
1.55 33376 Betfair. Don’t Settle For Less Novices’ Hurdle Race (Class 4)
2.30 33374 Betfair Supports Walking With The Wounded Handicap Hurdle Race,
(Class 2)
3.00 33377 Betfair Novices’ Steeple Chase (Registered as The Scilly Isles),
(Grade 1)
3.35 33375 Betfair Mobile For Best Prices Bumper (Listed Race).
Hennessy boosted by Ruby’s sister.
Irish handler Robbie Hennessy has admitted he is delighted to have snapped up a four-year-old half sister to his stable star Ruby Light.
The unraced Ultra Light has now arrived from France, where she had been in the care of Francois Cotton – the same yard having trained Ruby Light in his younger days.
Hennessy confirmed he is indebted to his great friend Philip Carberry, who tipped him off about the availability of the daughter of Bear Creek, with Hennessy revealing:
“Philip rides out for Francois, and having ridden Ultra Light, he thought she was a very nice filly, and then Francois told Philip she was for sale, and he suggested Philip tell me to give him a ring, as having bought Ruby Light, Francois wanted to give us first refusal. So getting her is great, and she’s one to look forward to.
“Philip won the Champion Hurdle on Sublimity for us, and he keeps his eye out for good horses for me. He told me Ruby’s sister was up for sale, and we did a deal just before the Lexus Chase just in case.
“She’s had plenty of training, but we’ll start her off as a blank canvas, as everything in Ireland is different to what it is in France – the feed is different, the training is different, and every day is going to be new for her. We’ll take our time with her, and see how she gets on.
“We’ve had 6 horses come over from France in the last year.They take a while to settle in, but usually, they’re straightforward and easy to handle, and they’re usually forward types.
“Ultra Light looks like she’s already done a lot, so there shouldn’t be too much to do with her, and I would imagine we would give her first run for us towards the Spring.”
Whisky delight at Kempton.
To the delight of his supporters who turned up at Kempton for the Jumpers Bumper Card on the all-weather track yesterday, Oscar Whisky completed a straightforward win in the Better Prices On Betfair Mobile Jumpers Bumper National Hunt Flat Race.
Nicky Henderson’s charge had missed out on his run in last Saturday’s Welsh Champion Hurdle after frost and snow claimed the Ffos Las Meeting, and as part of his preparation for a run in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at next month’s Cheltennham Festival, Henderson was keen to get a run under Oscar Whisky’s belt, and as it turned out, he got a good test, thanks to the pace set by the front running Sir Harry Ormesher.
Sent off as the extremely long odds-on favourite at 1-16, Oscar Whisky was always prominent, and when asked by Barry Geraghty to go away and win his race, he showed acceleration off an already good pace to triumph by 3 lengths. Sir Harry Ormesher had also travelled strongly throughout, and while he could not go with Oscar Whisky, he stayed on well enough to take the runners up spot.
Speaking after the race, Nicky Henderson said:
“Today was useful, as we can back off him a bit now.The only other race for him would have been the National Hurdle at Fontwell, but that would have been too close to Cheltenham.
“It was job done today.”
Henderson had an even wider smile after the meeting, for his Supreme Novices Hurdle hope Tetlami followed up on his Kempton Boxing Day Hurdle win, and also maintained his unbeaten record, when scoring in the Pick Betfair Before You Bet Jumpers Bumper.
Following Tetlami’s win, Henderson said:
“He hasn’t had much experience, so that was perfect, and he’s had a race without really having a race. He’s best fresh, and while Corky Brown didn’t even want me to run him here, he’s now a definite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle – The next job will be sorting the rest of the potential Supreme runners out a bit.”
===========================================================================
News Archives
2012:
2011:
2010:
2009:
2008:
News Stories prior to July 2008
