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The World Thoroughbred Rankings 2009.

At a major press launch today, the World Thoroughbred Rankings for 2009 were released, and it came as no suprise to learn Sea The Stars came out as the top horse of 2009 - and also as the best horse since the current rankings began.

For a lengthy explanation of the major horses in the rankings - Click here

Catterick cancel early as Warwick show concern.

Although Catterick were due to inspect on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's meeting, Clerk of the Course Fiona Needham brought her inevitable cancellation decision forward as lying snow and ice have made the meeting impossible even at this early stage.

Meanwhile, Warwick were already dubious about there scheduled meeting on Saturday, but the forecast of more snow makes officials describe the chances of racing as, 'very remote'.

Kempton and Lingfield to inspect ahead of Wednesday all weather cards.

Although Kempton Park were able to stage their all weather fixture on Monday, with snow flurries and cold conditions still prevailing in the South East of England, Kempton Clerk of the Course Barney Clifford has decided, ahead of tomorrow's scheduled meeting, he will hold a precautionary inspection of the track at 7.30 am on Wednesday morning.

While today's fixture at Lingfield goes ahead, the potential for overnight snow has persuaded Lingfield officials to call a precautionary inspection of the track at 6.30 am ahead of tomorrow's all weather card.

National Hunt Trainers welcome tomorrow's card at Southwell.

With many national hunt trainers not even being able to exercise their horses on gallops still covered in snow and ice, there has been a universal welcome for the Bumper Meeting authorised by the BHA at Southwell on Wednesday.

J howard Johnson openly admits,

"The weather in County Durham has been so bad over the past few weeks, we have hardly had chance to give our horses light work, let alone full training. We were delighted when we heard about the BHA initiative at Southwell, and I am delighted I will get an opportunity to give four of our horses a run tomorrow".

Second Ffoslas meeting now in jeopardy.

Having lost last Saturday's Welsh Champion Hurdle meeting to snow and ice, Ffoslas racecourse had been hopeful of staging its planned meeting this coming Sunday, 17 January. But with heavy snow now forecast to hit South Wales in the next 24 hours, hopes of going ahead with the fixture are now fading, and Clerk of the Course Tim Long has announced he will hold an inspection of the track at 8.00 am on Thursday morning.

Henderson honest with anti post punters.

In an interview today, Nicky Henderson has indicated last season's World Hurdle runner up Punchestowns is being specifically aimed at Cheltenham's RSA Chase, but the Sevenbarrows handler admits he is anxious to get two more runs into his young chaser if he is to be at his best at The Cheltenham Festival.

With regard to his recent French import and very impressive Feltham Novices Chase winner Long Run, Henderson said,

"He has the ability to go for either the Arkle Trophy over two miles or the RSA chase over three miles, and at present, we have honestly not made up our minds as to which race we will choose, but I will say, I think he could make up into a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse in the next couple of seasons".

With regard to young hurdler General miller, Henderson commented,

"We were delighted with the way he beat Ghizao at Cheltnham in December. I know Paul niccholls thinks a lot of Ghizao, and that tells me General Miller is useful". Discussing future plans, henderson said,

"Genral Miller is entered in the Supreme Novices Hurdle and the Neptune Investment Managers Hurdle, and he will run in one of those two races, but at present we are not sure which one will best suit him, and it may take another pre-Cheltnham run before we finalise our plans".

Reynoldstown may be on agenda for Al.

Ian Williams is very happy with Weird Al at present, but he has confirmed he would like to give his very promising novice Chaser another run prior to the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival,

"When turf racing re-starts after this cold spell, trainers are going to be clammering for suitable races prior to the Spring Festivals, and I confess I will be amongst them as I attempt to find the right race for Weird Al. At present, the Reynoldstown at Ascot, or races at Warwick or Newbury would be my preferred options, but we will have to wait and see what comes available".

Carlito to make trip to Scotland.

Gordon Elliott's young hurdler Carlito Brigante totally upset the betting for the JCB Triumph Hurdle when he disposed of previous race favourite Alaivan at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, and in an interesting move, the Irish trainer has confirmed his young pretender will make the trip to Scotland for his next outing, with the target being the John Smiths sponsered Triumph Hurdle Trial at Musselburgh on 07 February.

Oscar Time for Fairyhouse Grand National.

After watching Oscar Time collect the Paddy Power Chase at the Leopardstown christmas Festival, trainer Martin Lynch had expected his charge to rise about ten pounds in the handicap, but he has been suprised by the actual seventeen pound rise, and while Oscar Time's main objective for the season still remains the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, Lynch now thinks he may have to use a hurdle race to test the well being of his National prospect.

"We have had a lot of snow and ice, and I have been unable to give Oscar Time the amount of training he really needs, and although there is a suitable Handicap Chase at Leopardstown at the start of February, I may decide to take advantage of his lower hurdle handicap mark, and give him a spin over the smaller obstacles to test his fitness ahead of Fairyhouse".

National target as Griffin favours right handed track for Derby.

Irish trainer Eoin Griffin now accepts The last Derby must race right handed if he is to find success. A unexpected 33/1 winner of the United House Gold Cup over Ascot's right handed track earlier in the season, The Last Derby disapppointed when asked to go left handed in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle, and his trainer does not intend to make that mistake again.

"The last Derby has been very disappointing in his three runs over left handed tracks, and it is now obvious he is a completely different prospect when on a right handed circuit. With that in mind, we will now concentrate on preparing him for the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National. He should be off a reasonable mark, and back on a right handed track at Fairyhouse, I would think he has a very good chance".

Going on to talk about 2008 World Hurdle third Kazal, Griffin said,

"Kazal now appears to have recovered from his latest wind operation, but with the various complications he has had over the last eighteen months with his breathing, I am more hopeful rather than confident he will return to racing". Griffin added,

"Kazal is back in training, and if he does show he retainsability, we will start to prepare him for a novice chasing campaign".

Lady could go straight to Guineas.

Stan Moore believes the current cold snap is having an adverse effect on fillies in training for the upcoming flat season, and discussing his Fillies mile runner up Lady Darshaan, Moore has indicated he may send her directly to the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas on 02 May.

"Lady Darshann is more forward than some of my fillies, but there is no doubt the cold weather is having a detrimental effect on training fillies for the upcoming flat season. Luckily, Lady Darshaan is straightforward, and I would have no worries about sending her directly to the 1,000 Guineas if that became necessary".

Going on to discusss his Prix de L'Abbaye winner Total Gallery, Moore indicated he could prepare his four year old for the Royal Ascot Kings Stand Stakes with a visit to Singapore for the Krisflyer International Sprint.

Mccain uses Dascombe facilities to prepare Peddlers Cross.

With snow and ice making training virtually impossible on his own training gallops, Donald Mccain has been grateful to nearby trainer Tom Dascombe for the use of his all weather facilities, and amongst the Mccain horses making use of the Dascombe gallops has been unbeaten Peddlers Cross. Discussing the future plan for the bright novice hurdling prospect, Mccain said,,

"Since he came over from Ireland, he has looked a useful recruit, and I can have no complaints about the way he has won his bumper and first hurdle race. We are now at the stage where we need to see how good he is, and I am currently preparing him for a run in the Grade 2 Rossington Main Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday week. If he performs well in that race, I think a trip to Cheltenham or Aintree could be on the cards".

One of Mccain's useful string who will not be seen again this season is young chaser Comhla Ri Coig,

"He came back from training with heat in his leg, and although we could probably get him right for a run in the Spring, he would almost certainly not get his favoured ground conditions, so we will put him away until the Autumn".

BHA lay in possibility of alternative Kempton fixture.

Following the recent spate of abandonments and with the current cold snap delaying the resumption of Racing on turf, the British Horseracing Authority has programmed a provisional National Hunt Flat Card on the All Weather track at Kempton for Saturday, 16 January. The seven National Hunt Flat races are aimed at Steeple Chasers and Hurdlers, plus one Standard National Hunt Flat race.

Ordinarily, under the Rules of Racing, horses which have run in Steeple Chases or Hurdle Races are not eligible to run in National Hunt Flat races, but given the exceptional run of abandonments experienced recently, the British Horseracing Authority has modified the Rules in order to trial this initiative.

The turf course at Kempton is currently snow covered and frozen in places. A decision on whether racing can take place will be made on Thursday at which point the provisional card that follows will be triggered should turf racing be abandoned.

The races will close for entries at noon on Wednesday, 13 January, with declarations to be made by 10.00am on Friday, 15 January. If the meeting is triggered, the running order for the seven races will be as follows:

12.30 - The williamhill.com/Bonus25 Standard Open National Hunt Flat
Race (Class 4).
1.05 - The williamhill.com – Play Poker Jumpers’ National Hunt Flat Race
(Class 4).
1.40 - The williamhill.com – Live Casino Jumpers’ National Hunt Flat
Race (Class 4).
2.15 - The William Hill – 0800 44 40 40 Jumpers’ National Hunt Flat Race
(Class 4).
2.45 - The williamhill.com Jumpers’ National Hunt Flat Race (Class 4).
3.15 - The williamhill.com – Live Sports Betting Jumpers’ National Hunt
Flat Race (Class 4).
3.45 - The williamhill.com – Vegas Game Jumpers’ National Hunt Flat
Race (Class 4).

Nicky Henderson, when asked for his view, said:

“I’m totally supportive of any
initiative that’s for the benefit of racing and in the absence of jumps opportunities
this is the next best thing. I’m almost certain to have runners if the turf meeting
is abandoned and I wouldn’t rule out running one of our top horses if there is a
suitable race.”

Champion Trainer, Paul Nicholls, said:

“I spoke to the Racing Department this morning about the details of creating such a fixture and if we lose jump racing again on Saturday, it will be an ideal opportunity to get a number of horses back on the racecourse”. Nicholls added,

“We’ve been waiting for a chance to get American Trilogy back out and I would have him in mind to run before he goes back over hurdles in the Spring.”

Musselburgh prepared to stage two day meeting.

If the current thaw continues, Musselburgh Racecourse will host an extra jumps meeting on Saturday, 16 January, and this will be in addition to its scheduled meeting on Friday, 15 January.

The two-day card is a welcome boost for National Hunt racing fans who have been hit by multiple cancellations across the UK due to the big freeze.

The East Lothian track lost three meetings over the Christmas holidays but racecourse boss Bill Farnsworth is very hopeful the weekend double will go ahead.

The BHA have awarded the extra fixture on the basis that the scheduled weekend meetings at Warwick and Wetherby will not be able to proceed due to adverse weather conditions - Both courses will make a final decision later in the week.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said:

“A steady thaw is underway and if it continues we are looking good for racing on both days. The extra race day will be most welcome for jumps followers who have been starved of action in the last two weeks.”