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Mikael bubble burst by stable-mate Mourad.
Sent off as the 4-11 race favourite after a resurgent season over hurdles, the Willie Mullins-trained Mikael D'Haguenet seemed to have everything going his way until the half way point in today's Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle at Navan, but stable mate Mourad, who had gone straight into the lead for Paul townend from flag fall, kept on galloping strongly in front, and by the third last it was obvious the 3-1 shot was going better than the favourite, and so it proved, with Mourad staying on strongly to secure a six and a half length victory over his better fancied stable companion.
Discussing his first and second after the race, Willie Mullins said:
"Mourad had been disappointing this year, and as he didn't seem to be back to his best form, we decided to switch tactics today, and make a lot of use of him. He seemed to enjoy it, and it may well alter what we do when he runs in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"I was disappointed with Mikael D'Haguenet. We'll now have to think about what we do with him next, but Cheltenham now looks unlikely.
"On ratings, there's not much between them, but Mourad seems to have found his form, and it could have come at an opportune time."
Richard Hills calls time on riding career.
Richard Hills, one of the famous riding Hills twins, and retained jockey to Sheikh Hamden Al Maktoum, has confirmed he will retire from the saddle on Dubai World Cup Night at Meydan on 31 March.
In a statement issued through his Agent – John Robertson – Hills said:
“It has been my privilege to ride for Sheikh Hamden Al Maktoum as his number one jockey for the last fifteen years, and previously as second jockey to Willie Carson for two years. No jockey could have asked for a more loyal and supportive owner.
“I was very fortunate to start my career with a great man like Tom Jones, and without his help and guidance, my career would not have been possible.”
Hills’ career has spanned thirty-three years, and apart from plenty of Group One winners, Hills has scored five classic victories for Sheikh Hamden - In the 1,000 Guineas Harayir (1995), Lahan (2000), and Ghanaati (2009) – In the 2,000 Guineas he won on Haafhd (2004), like Ghanaati, trained by his father Barry Hills – While his other Classic win came on the Michael Jarvis-trained Eswarah in the 2005 Epsom Oaks.
Continuing his statement, Hills said:
“I now want to use my knowledge and skill gained during my riding career to further enhance Sheikh Hamden’s teams at Derrinstown and Shadwell Farm Studs.”
Sprinter to stay in novice company at Cheltenham.
Despite Sprinter Sacre’s ability to get the better of older rivals in Friday’s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, owner Raymond Mould has moved quickly to quash the rumours about his young chaser being supplemented for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old stretched his unbeaten run over fences to three on Friday, and he is now the short priced ante post favourite to defeat his novice chasing peers in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy.
Discussing the rumours that had arisen about a run in the Champion Chase, Mould told ATR:
“He’ll run in the Arkle Trophy this year, and hopefully he’ll go on to the Champion Chase the following year.
“I would definitely rule out the Champion Chase this year, and Mr Henderson hasn’t even mentioned it. Besides, he’s already got Finian’s Rainbow in the race anyway, and we’ll stick to the natural progression with Sprinter Sacre.
“If we’re lucky enough to win the Arkle this year, then we’ll hopefully go for the champion Chase, and there’s no reason in my opinion why this horse won’t get further in time. I’ve already thought about the King george for him in the future at some stage, but we’ll just take it one step at a time.
“We’re not going to rush him, as he’s not very old.”
Mould also confirmed Sprinter Sacre had undergone a wind operation after fading into third place behind Al Ferof in last season’s Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with the owner adding:
“He’s become a bigger and stronger horse this year, but he had a wind problem that also had to be rectified, but all seems fine now.”
The Minack's racing career in the balance.
Trained by Paul Nicholls, The Minack's racing career is now in the balance as a result of an injury incurred when falling at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.
The eight-year-old had won his two previous races this season, and consequently he was at the top of the handicap for yesterday's 3 mile contest at the Berkshire venue.
Still going well behind eventual winner Massini's Maguire, The Minack took a heavy fall when getting it all wrong at the seventh last.
Tweeting later in the day, Paul Nicholls said:
"Not a very good day, topped by The Minack suffering a career threatening injury."
Later on Saturday evening, The Minack was scratched from the list of entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Rain likely for Epsom in June.
William Haggas has confirmed his brilliant filly Dancing Rain is being prepared for a seasonal debut in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June.
In 2011, the filly enjoyed a stellar campaign, winning the Oaks at Epsom, and then following up in the German equivalent, before leading from start to finish in the British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot's Champions Day in October.
However, Dancing Rain did blot her copybook with a poor effort in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemmorative Cup in Japan at the back end of last year, but her trainer is prepared to forgive and explain that blip by saying:
"She's just started cantoring, and she seems in great form. She didn't run well in Japan, but it was just one of those end of term runs a long way from home, and it just didn't happen for her on the day, and it was the first day she disappointed us, so she did very well overall last season.
"It's hard to say if she's improved, but she's got to be stronger, and they rarely go backwards from three to four, but we'll see.
"The plan is to go to the Coronation Cup at Epsom for her first start, and that's our only skeleton plan at the moment."
Fury, who was an outstanding two-year-old in 2010, and also fifth in the 2011 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas behind Frankel, second in Sandown's Heron Stakes, but then went on to disappoint in his last 3 races in 2011, has however been entred by Haggas in the Lincoln Handicap - the traditional flat season British curtain raiser at Doncaster on 31 March.
However, for a trainer who has prepared four winners of this ultra competitive Handicap over the years, Haggas does not seem over-confident about Fury's chances, saying:
"The Lincoln is the initial idea. If we can get him back to his two year-old form,or even his run in the Heron Stakes at Sandown, he'll be well treated, but it's a big if."
Ballabriggs completes spin at Haydock.
Prior to his seasonal racing debut at Kelso next month, last year’s John Smith’s Aintree Grand National hero – Ballabriggs – pleased connections in a racecourse gallop at Haydock late on Saturday afternoon.
In the hands of regular jockey Jason Maguire, the Donald McCain-trained eleven-year-old put in a two mile gallop around the Merseyside track accompanied by stable mate Son of Flicka after racing had been completed for the day.
Speaking after watching his charge in action, Donald McCain commented:
“He certainly enjoyed that, and it was good of Haydock to allow us to come here for the gallop after Bangor was abandoned last week, as initially, we were booked to go there instead.
“We’ve haven’t done a lot with him today, he’s just had a swinging gallop over two miles, but he did pick up in the straight, and it’s tough old ground out there, but it was just the job to get him away from home, and we can now kick on from here.
“He’s a big bull of a horse, and today will have done him some good, and we can now head off to Kelso in good heart.”
Ballabriggs is now due to have his seasonal debut in the Premier Chase at Kelso on 03 March, the same race in which he finished second last year before going on to be victorious in the Aintree marathon.
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