Get the facts about your family tree from Genes Reunited, and dependant on your level of interest you can obtain either our Standard or Premier package. For full details, click the link below:
Hills having Above Average season.
In a very exciting Sandown Classic Trial, the Barry Hills trained outsider Above Average secured an unexpected victory. In many respects, with the kind of start to the season the Hills camp are enjoying, it is unusual to find them having a twenty five to one winner, but at one stage today's success looked unlikely as the race seemed to be between the more fancied Big Bound, Septapadi, and Malibu Bay, but the Hills three year old secured victory were it counts the most - at the winning post.
Big Bound ran a brave race, and only lost out by a neck, while Malibu Bay was only two lenths further back on only his second outing on a race track.
Top line-up for Punchestown World Series Hurdle.
Looking ahead to next week's Punchestown Festival, Nicky Henderson was hoping Punchestowns would go one better than his second place in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, but at today's latest decleration stage, his task looks herculian. Currently he has to face the Willie Mullins trained Fivefourthree, Mikael D'Haguenet, Quevega, and Shakervilles -two of them Cheltenham winners. Then their is the small matter of Cheltenham Coral Hurdle winner Ninetieth Minute, and old war horse Brave Inca, the latter possibly getting the kind of soft to heavy going he reserves for his best performances. Put into the mix the likes of Nicanor, Fair Along and Power Station, and it would seem Punchestowns will have to duplicate his Cheltenham running if he is to overcome such a strong line-up.
Twenty one rivals for Dunguib.
If Philip Fenton's Dunguib is to add the Paddy Power NH Flat Race title to his Cheltenham Champion Bumper crown, he is currently going to have to overcome twenty one other declared rivals in next week's race at the Punchestown Festival.
However, trainer Fenton is very happy with Dunguib's condition prior to the Punchestown contest, and subject to the ground not being bottomless, he believes it will take a good horse to defeat his Cheltenham winner.
Tonight's Cork chases cancelled.
Due to a waterlogged chase course, the two chases scheduled on tonight's Cork card have been cancelled, and the now all hurdle card will commence an hour later at 6.10 pm.
Gowran Sunday fixture in jeopardy.
Gowran Park already has going described as soft, heavy in places, and if the forecast heavy rain materialises over the next twenty four hours, there is a distict possibility the card may have to be postponed.
A precautionary inspection of the course is due to take place at some stage tomorrow afternoon, and we will bring you news as soon as it is to hand.
A maximum of fifteen for Bet365 Gold Cup.
With the defection of Roll Along, Gone To Lunch, Eric's Charm, According to John and others, the maximum field for tomorrow's Bet365 Gold Cup will be fifteen.
Lady Lloyd Webber's Darkness currently has to carry top weight of eleven stone twelve pounds, but his trainer Charlie Egerton has made it apparent, if there is no overnight rain at Sandown, Darkness is an unlikely runner. He may also be joined by David Arbuthnot's Oscar Park, as his connections also want cut if their horse is going to take part in tomorrow's Grade 3 steeplechasing centrepiece.
For those who like statistics, Dennis O'Regan has ridden Church Island on five of his seven winning runs, and he is reunited with the Irish Grand National runner up in tomorrow's Bet365 Gold Cup.
Naaqoos to take Longchamp option.
Connections of Naaqoos have decided to scratch him from next week's Stan James 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, and instead, the Freddie Head trained three year old will attempt to win the Poule d'essai des Poulain, (French 2,000 Guineas), at Longchamp.
Over a million reasons to read this news item.
Well, we're back to the million pound plus combined roll-over on the Scoop Six, and if you don't have any other bet tomorrow, invest two pounds in trying to crack the six legs of the million pound betting puzzle.
For those who are interested the exact roll-over pots for the Scoop Six are;Win Fund £679,513, Bonus Fund £291,220. So a single winner tomorrow will probably pick upa round eight hundred and fifty thousand for the Win Fund, and will have a chance to land another approximate three hundred and fifty thousand the following week.
For those interested the six races you need to crack are as follows:
Leg 1 - 2.05 pm Sandown.
Leg 2 - 2.20 pm Ripon.
Leg 3 - 2.35 pm Sandown.
Leg 4 - 2.55 pm Ripon.
Leg 5 - 3.10 p m Sandown.
Leg 6 - 3.30 pm Ripon.
Balding keen on Buccellati.
Andrew Balding is confident Buccellati has come back from his run behind Doctor Dino at Nad al Sheba in race fit condition, and providing the going at Sandown tomorrow is not too firm, he expects his charge to put in a strong display in tomorrow's Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes.
Gone To Lunch going to summer paddocks.
Having talked to last week's jockey A P McCoy, and then had discussions with connections, trainer Jeremy Scott has decided not to run Gone To Lunch at either the Sandown or Punchestown meetings, and instead, it is likely the progressive chaser will now go to the summer paddocks. Speaking yesterday, Scott said,
"He seems in great condition, but having talked it over, we have decided Sandown and Punchestown could come too soon after the Scottish Grand National. He has already won three times this season, and he was only beaten by half a length last week while giving a stone to the winner, so we feel he has nothing to prove".
Westfalia heads to France.
The news coming out of Ballydoyle indicates, while stable mates Rip Van Winkle and Masterminded will compete in next weekend's Stan James 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, Westfalia, who was originally declared for Newmarket, is to seek victory in the French 2,000 Guineas at Longchamp.
Penalty not a problem for Paco Boy.
Richard Hannon has asked followers of Paco Boy to ignore his Group 1 penalty in tomorrow's Celebration Mile at Sandown Park. The trainer believes his charge is in tip top condition, and if he gets a trouble free run, he should be the one to beat, regardless of his penalty in tomorrow's race.
Television preview of Punchestown meeting.
For those of you in Ireland, or with satellite coverage in Britain, it is worth noting TV3 are showing a preview of the Punchestown Festival at 1.30 pm tomorrow lunchtime.
Ladies oozing confidence over their Punchestown entries.
Lucy Wadham and Emma Lavell are both confident their horses will put in good displays at next week's Punchestown Festival.
Lucy Wadham feells the more rain that falls in the next few days, the better will be the chances of El Dancer following up on his recent Aintree win with another victory at Punchestown.
"He is still quite 'green', and he pulled too hard and put in the odd bad jump at Aintree, but he is learning with every race, and he still had the engine to overcome County Hurdle winner American Trilogy on his last run, so, providing the ground is no worse than good, I am quietly confident about his chances in Tuesday's Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle".
Meanwhile Emma Lavell says Mersey Novice Hurdle winner Bouggler is fresh and raring to go, and the trainer believes her charge has the progressive profile which should see him give some more illustrious entries a fright and a fight in next Friday's Land Rover Champion Novices Hurdle.
Ripon spin for his Lordship.
The Karl Burke trained Lord Shanakill has obviously fully recovered from the minor virus which caused him to be withdrawn from last Saturday's Greenham Stakes at Newbury, for it is understood he will take part in a racecourse gallop during tomorrow's card at Ripon, and providing all goes well, he will then go forward to next weekend''s Stan James 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Disciplinary Panel hand out stiff penalties.
At yesterday's meeting of the BHA Disciplinary Panel, two jockeys received stiff penalties for their infringement of the rules of racing.
Noel Fehily picked up an eight day ban for excessive use of the whip aboard How's Business in the Mares Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on 16 April. Two days of the ban were imposed for hitting the mare in the wrong areas, while the bulk of the ban was for using the whip up to twenty times between the second last hurdle and the winning post.
Although Luke Morris admitted a charge of Careless Riding aboard Holoko Heights at Warwick on 13 April, the normal six day ban for the offence was extended to twenty two days under the totting up procedures relating to similar offences within the last twelve months.
However, five days of the twenty two will be suspended providing Morris does not breach the rules again before 01 July 2009.
Tartan Bearer could need the run.
Having not been on a race track since finishing in a revised third place behind Frozen Fire in last year's Irish Derby, connections of Tartan Bearer are indicating he might need the run in tomorrow's Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown.
However, it is worth bearing in mind, as a three year old, Tartan Bearer won his first race of the season at Leicester, and although tomorrow's contest is of a higher standard, Tartan Bearer is obviously the kind of horse who comes to the track ready to win.
Direction hearing for insider information case.
Tim Charlton QC, the Chairman of the BHA Disciplinary Panel, is today holding a direction hearing into the insider information case brought by the BHA against Karl Burke, Darren Williams, Fergal Lynch, and Miles Rodgers.
In essence, this is a pre-enquiry hearing were a timetable is agreed between all parties as to when submissions must be presented, and which days will actually be set aside for the hearing.
>>>>>> follow on story -
It has been agreed, barristers for the accused will set out legal argument to the full BHA Disciplinary Panel at preliminary hearings on 08, 09 and 11 June 2009. The dates for the full hearing have yet to be agreed, but the BHA are trying to set aside dates in July 2009.
Sorry for late posting today.
We apologise to our regular and any new readers for the late posting of our news page today. This was caused by technical difficulties beyond our control, but we apologise anyway.
Celebrate your winnings, or commiserate with others with fine wines & champagne’s:
==================================
Archives:
News Stories prior to July 2008
Return to text based index page
