Untitled Document

Now you can order everything from your weekly shop to mobile phones and insurance with:

Ebadiyan holds on in Limestone Lad Hurdle.

Having had some indifferent runs this season, former top class novice hurdler Ebadiyan recaptured his form when battling home in this afternoon's Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.

Ridden in positive fashion close to the pace by John Cullen, Ebadiyan went on half a mile out, but at the second last he looked as if he would be swallowed up by Muirhead and De Valira, but Ebadiyan kept on battling, and De Valira was the first to crack. Muirhead seemed sure to win, but he started to get tired close home, and Ebadiyan stayed on the stronger to snatch a well deserve victory.

After the race, trainer Oliver Brady indicated Ebadiyan could have three options at the Cheltenham Festival, but on today's battling performance, the Coral Cup would seem to be the race most suited to his tenacious talents.

Oscar Looby a clear victor.

Noel Meade may have been disappointed Muirhead could not prevail at this afternoon's Naas meeting, but he had no such worries with Oscar Looby in the Grade 2 Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase, as his charge ran out a facile winner of the threemile contest on ground described by jockey Paul Carberry as 'virtually unraceable'.

Entering the home straight, Ruby Walsh was hard at work on race favourite and leader Alpha Ridge, but when Carberry cruised alongside on Oscar Looby, there was only going to be one outcome, and when asked to quicken after the last, Oscar Looby scooted clear to score as he liked.

Indicating his youngster is a 'mud lark', Meade confirmed he would not be going to Cheltenham or Aintree, but he was hopeful he could find a race for Oscar looby at the Punchestown Festival.

Murphy snatched up for Whiteoak.

With stable jockey Jason Mcguire due to ride some high profile horses for trainer Donald Mccain at Haydock on Saturday, the trainer is reportedly delighted he has managed to secure the services of top jockey Timmy Murphy to ride Whiteoak in the 1942 was a vintage year Mares Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

Mccain is hoping Whiteoak can repeat her win in all mare company achieved earlier in the season at Kempton Park, as this would then prepare her for a probable run in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Celestial Halo to appear at Leopardstown.

Originally pencilled-in for the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton in February, It appears owner Andy Stewart has had a change of mind over the next destination for Celestial Halo, and last year's Champion Hurdle runner up now looks certain to have his first outing in Ireland when he lines up in Sunday's Toshiba sponsered Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Amongst Celestial Halo's possible eleven rivals will be multiple Grade 1 winning Solwit. But as the Charles Byrnes trained hurdler has a preference for races in excess of two miles, Stewart obviously thinks Celestial Halo has more chance of winning over the minimum two mile trip at Leopardstown against Solwit rather than the ultra competitive Cheltenham equivalent in March.

Explaining some of his thinking, Stewart said earlier today,

"Ruby Walsh thinks he will take to the track quite nicely, so we have decided to give it a go."

Although Nicky Henderson has left Punjabi amongst the other 10 entries, he is far more likely to take his chance in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock Park on Saturday.

Noel Meade has entered the progressive Donnas Palm and Muirhead - but the latter is a very unlikely runner after finishing second at Naas today.

Other possible entries include; old campaigner Al Eile, Galway winner Bahrain Storm, Royal and Regal, Torphichen, Won in the Dark, and Sublimity - although the latter is also more likely to line up at Haydock on Saturday.

De Valira is also entered, but he ran at Naas today, and is now an unlikely runer on Sunday.

Punjabi may head small field for Haydock Trial.

After a slightly disappointing fourth on his only outing this season, Nicky Henderson is known to be desperate to give Punjabi top class racecourse opposition prior to the defence of his Champion Hurdle title in March, and based on informed opinion, it is expected Punjabi will run in this Saturday's Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock Park.

The Henderson camp also have Zaynar and Afsoun entered in Saturday's race, but the Sevenbarrows handler has already suggested Zaynar may head to Kelso for his next outing, so a run on Saturday for the unbeaten hurdler seems unlikely.

Sublimity is the only potential Irish raider, and he may well take his chance at Haydock if trainer Gordon Elliott believes this could be the ideal opportunity for his charge to reverse the 2008 Fighting Fifth Hurdle placings with Punjabi.

Howard Johnson could be doubly represented by Arcalis and Red Moloney, both of whom could trouble the judge if on a 'going day'.

Alan King's Medermit has already finished in front of Punjabi at Cheltenham, while Songe and Cape Tribulation have place claims if on their best form.

With only the nine horses entered at the five day stage, the entries for Saturday's race were re-opened on Monday, but no other entries were forthcoming, and with one or two defections likely, Saturday's race could feature a small but select field.

British flat races receive upgrade.

Goodwood’s Audi Stakes (registered as the King George Stakes) and York’s Totepool Middleton Stakes have both been upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2 status following the European Pattern Committee’s annual meeting in Henley-on-Thames on Thursday 14th January. British Racing only made two applications for upgrades for 2010 through its representative on the European Pattern Committee, BHA’s Director of Racing, Ruth Quinn.

The Audi Stakes, which has been sponsored by Audi since 2005, is for three-year-olds and over and run over 5 furlongs (1000m) during Glorious Goodwood. Over the past three years the race rating – the average end of season rating for the first four home – has averaged 111.08, which exceeds the 110 parameter required for Group 2 status.
The 2009 renewal was particularly strong with dual Group 1 winner Kingsgate Native beating subsequent Prix de l’Abbaye winner Total Gallery, with Borderlescott, who went on to win the Coolmore Nunthorpe for the second consecutive time, back in fourth. In 2010 the Audi Stakes will be run on Thursday 29th July.

York’s Totepool Middleton Stakes is for fillies and mares of four-years-old and upwards and is a traditional starting point of the season for the best of the older, middle-distance fillies. 2009’s renewal saw subsequent Audi Pretty Polly Stakes and Darley Yorkshire Oaks winner Dar Re Mi finish a short head second to Crystal Capella The 2008 winner, Promising Lead, like Crystal Capella trained by Sir Michael Stoute, also went on to win the Pretty Polly Stakes. The totepool Middleton Stakes will be run on Thursday May 13th 2010.

Prix Djebel to be upgraded to Group 3.

The European Pattern Race Committee have today granted permission for the previously Listed Prix Djebel to be upgraded to Group 3 standard from 2010.

The race run at Maison Laffittes racecourse in April of each year uses a straight 1,400 metre course and has been won in recent years by horses like U S Ranger and Le Havre. Thie year's new Group 3 contest will be run on 08 April.

Dunguib given speculative Champion Hurdle entry.

Although trainer Philip Fenton insists Dunguib's main target at this year's cheltenham Festival remains the Supreme Novices Hurdle, connections have today confirmd the outstanding unbeaten novice hurdler has been given a speculative entry in the Smurfit Capa Champion Hurdle .

Despite protestations about Dunguib's novice route at Prestbury Park in March, it is being suggested from some quarters, if the outstanding novice turns in a wide margin victory in the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown on 07 February, connections may decide to have a crack at the Champion Hurdle this year.

Punchestown will hold precautionary inspection.

Although considered as raceable at present, the ground for tomorrow's meeting at Punchestown is described as 'heavy', and with more rain forecast to fall overnight in Ireland, Irish Turf Club officials have taken the prudent option of calling an inspection of the Punchestown circuits at 7.30 am on Wednesday morning.

Voler to miss Irish Champion Hurdle.

Colm Murphy is a disappointed man this morning after he confirmed Voler la Vedette will miss Sunday's Toshiba sponsered Irish Champion Hurdle due to a setback incurred in regular training.

A winner at Punchestown, Down Royal and Leopardstown already this season, the six-year-old mare was well supported for this Sunday's Grade 1 contest, where she was as low as 3/1 in places.

Explaining the situation, Murphy said,

"Voler la Vedette had just finished a regular training cantor, but afterwards we noticed she was walking incorrectly, and later the vet told me she had pulled a muscle. It is very disappointing, but we must now get her over this setback and then work on getting her fit for Cheltenham".

Greenham first objective for Canford Cliffs.

Last summer's runaway Coventry Stakes winner Canford Cliffs may have been slightly disappointing in his two subsequent outings, but trainer Richard Hannon now believes this may have been down to the fact he was growing. Speaking from Barbados, Hannon said,

"He has done well over the winter, and now looks a fine stamp of a horse. If he does half as well as he looks, he will do very welll this year". Hannon added,

"I intend to start him off over 7 furlongs, and the Greenham on 17 April at Newbury would seem the ideal race. If he shows some quality at Newbury, he will almost certainly step up to the mile in the 2,000 Guineas".

Going on to discuss fellow three-year-old Dick Turpin, Hannon said,

"Dick Turpin is now quite a big horse, and he still needs to fill out his frame before he will reach his peak. I know he is not as good as Canford Cliffs, but he could be a progressive sort, and I would be suprised if he does not pick up a Pattern Race or two before the year is over".

Rachel pips Zenyatta to Eclipse title.

In their first battle of 2010, Rachel Alexandra has pipped Zenyatta to the title of United States Horse of the Year for 2009 in the thirty ninth Eclipse Awards held in California last night.

Rachel Alexandra picked up five Grade 1 victories in her unbeatne three-year-old career, while Zenyatta tooke her tally to fourteen unbeaten races as she also became the only female to land the Breeders Cup Classic.

It will be interesting to see if Rachel Alexandra can capitalise on this first off-course victory when the two mares clash for the first time later in the year.

Stewart lets the handicapper have a piece of his mind.

Well known owner Andy Stewart has let the official handicappar know he is very unhappy with the 15 pound raise in the weghts given to his Josh Gifford trained Nomecheki after he defeated Gary Moore's I Have Dreamed by a short head in a five runner race at Plumpton on Monday.

Pre-race, Nomecheki was rated on 125, but after beating a 138 rated horse, he has been raised to 140 for a photo finish success, and this has prompted Stewart to say:

"By raising Nomecheki to a mark of 140, the handicapper has created a situation were my horse has very little chance of winning another race". Stewart went on,

"Everyone moans about small fields, but the fact is you get murdered by the handicapper if you finish close to a good horse. In the recent Newbury race where Karabak finished relatively close to Big Bucks he went up 10 pounds, but as he is almost certainly a Grade One horse, he can probably cope with the rise. But raising a horse 15 pounds for winning a 'mickey mouse' race at Plumpton by a short head is frankly ridiculous!" Stewart concluded by saying,

"I was going to run him in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham, but off a mark of 140 it is going to be very tough. I did expect Nomecheki to go up to 133, but with the handicapper saying yesterday's runner up has run up to his 138 ability, my horse has been pushed up to 140, and that is nonsense."

Punchestowns participation at Haydock in doubt.

Owner Judy Wilson admits she is dubious about running her well regarded Punchestowns on potentially heavy ground this weekend in Haydock's Altcar Novices Chase. While the Grade 2 contest could be potentially very imformative with regard to the Cheltenham Festival, Punchestowns has not been seen since his debut win in November, and the owner does not want to give her horse too tough a time prior to Cheltenham.

In addition to ground considerations, the race looks like it could be a tough contest, with Diamond Harry possibly making his debut over fences, and other top class opposition in the form of Bedlam Boy, Bensalem, Copper Blue, and George Charlton's highley regarded Knockara Beau.

While the owner makes no secret of the fact she would prefer Punchestowns to go to the Scilly Isles Novices Chase at Sandown in two weeks time, she says she will leave it up to trainer Nicky Hendrson,

"I know how placing horses prior to big festivals is very important, so I will leave it up to Nicky Henderson to do the best for the horse."

General Miller could take on his foes in Rossington Main.

Following two good bumper race successes last season, the Nicky Henderson trained General Miller took the scalp of Paul Nicholls's well regarded Ghizao on his debut run over hurdles at Cheltenham earlier in the season, but connections are wary of taking on the same Nicholls horse under six pounds worse terms at Taunton on Thursday. Consequently, General Miller is now likely to put his unbeaten record on the line in Saturday's sportingbet.com Rossington Main Novices Hurdle at Haydock Park.

Main opposition could come from another unbeaten novice in the form of the Donald Mccain trained Peddlers Cross.

A point to point winner in Ireland, Peddlers cross demolished his opposition in his bumper race for the Mccain yard, and then followed that up with a facile success on his debut in novice hurdling company at Bangor-on-dee.

With the likelyhood of some other good horses lining up in the Rossington Main, the eventual winner of this years contest should certainly go on a short list for honours in novice hurdle company at the various Spring national hunt festivals.

Dayjur retired at 23.

Former outstanding sprinter Dayjur has been retired from stud duties at his Kentucky base after age and infirmity were said to have prevented him from continuing his stud career.

Santa Anita may convert back to dirt.

After there supposed all weather poly fibre track failed to drain sufficiently to allow Monday's Martin Luther King Race Day to go ahead, officials at Santa Anita racecourse in California are reported to be seriously considering converting the track back to its original dirt format - a move which would certainly not favour any european raiders at any future Breeders Cup Meetings held at the California venue.

Two punters land record totesuper7 dividend.

Two lucky punters are celebrating today after the rolling over totesuper7 was won yesterday afternoon to two units, paying a record dividend of £326,042 to a £2 stake.

This climax to the run of the bet – which is the fourth time the main prize fund has been landed – means that a starting fund of £46,389 is carried through to today’s bet which will have a minimum guaranteed pool of £100,000 before deductions.

Leopardstown returns with re-scheduled MCR Hurdle Day.

Leopardstown have announced a strong set of entries for the re-scheduled MCR Hurdle meeting set to be run at Leopardstown this Saturday as part of a two-day feast of top class racing at the Foxrock track - with Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle Day on the Sunday.

The MCR Hurdle has lost little in terms of strength through the re-scheduling of the race. The Gerard Keane-trained Steviemac, a significant market mover in the week before the original date, has stood his ground. The son of Accordion, winner of three handicap hurdles in November and December, has seen his handicap rating rise from 87 at the start of November to his current mark of 116, but he is lightly raced over hurdles and he continues to improve.

Another lightly-raced sort is Cockleshell Road from the Edward O’Grady yard. Winner of his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day last year, the son of Sinndar has run just once this season to date, when he finished sixth behind Thousand Stars in a handicap hurdle back at Fairyhouse at the end of November. The Ballynonty trainer is also represented by Fen Game, sixth in the race last year and a game winner over hurdles on his latest run at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has entered five, including Thousand Stars, up 8lb for winning that handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse, and Tawaagg, who won on his latest start over hurdles at the Galway Festival, and has since won his maiden on the flat and finished sixth in the November Handicap at Leopardstown. Robert Tyner has entered the 2007 winner Spring The Que and Noel Meade is triple-handed via Sweet Wake, Arch Rebel and Asigh Pearl, while there is a four-strong entry from Jessica Harrington, who won the race in 2006 with Studmaster.

The supporting card includes the Grade 2 MCR Novice Chase, which has attracted some high class novices including Roberto Goldback, Jered, Apt Approach and Dancing Tornado, and the Leopardstown Handicap Chase, in which last year’s Racing Post Chase winner, the Tom George-trained Nacarat, could make the trip from the UK to take on some of the top handicap chasers in Ireland.

Tom Burke General Manager at Leopardstown said: -

“The entries for Saturday’s meeting look set to provide a great start to a fantastic weekend of racing at Leopardstown. Currently the ground is described as ‘Heavy’, but favourable weather conditions are forecast for the remainder of the week.”