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Great Leighs last minute application fails.
It is understood businessmen Terry Chambers and John Attenborough hadve tried this morning to obtain a license to stage horseracing at Great Leighs in 2010, but as noe completed business plan was in place, the BHA announced at 12.15 pm, the license application had been refused.
The outcome of this decision is two fold. The Great Leighs fixtures planned for the rest of 2009 will now have to be opened to other courses to bid for extra meetings, and Great Leighs will not now be able to bid for 2010 racing fixtures - which means - the earliest horse racing will return to Great Leighs is in 2011.
Four hundred thousand possibilities in tomorrow's Scoop Six.
With a Win Fund standing at £78,369, and a current Bonus Fund of £158,992, a single winner of tomorrow's Scoop Six Win Fund could collect up to four hundred thousand pounds if securing both sections of the wager over the next two weeks.
For those interested in placing a £2 stake, tomorrow's six races are as follows:
Leg 1 - 2.05 pm Haydock Park.
Leg 2 - 2.20 pm Goodwood.
Leg 3 - 2.35 pm Haydock Park.
Leg 4 - 2.50 pm Goodwood.
Leg 5 - 3.15 pm York.
Leg 6 - 3.45 pm York.
No current watering plans at Epsom.
With racing conditions currently good to soft at Epsom, Clerk of the Course Andrew Cooper has indicated there are no plans to water the track prior to next week's two day meeting. But if weather conditions become particularly hot and dry, he may revisit his opinion at a later stage.
Ayr meeting will now have a Bronze Cup.
The Ayr Gold Cup has for several years had a back-up Silver Cup for horses who could not qualify for the main event, but with the number of entrants for these races increasing year on year, William Hill are this year to sponsor a new sprint race called the Bronze Cup. As its names suggests, the £30,000 six furlong contest will accommodate the sprinters who fail to gain entry into either the Ayr Gold or Silver Cups.
Noseda pleased with Fleeting Spirit session.
Jeremy Noseda looked on with satisfaction as his sprinting star Fleeting Spirit put in a very pleasing gallop on the Rowley Mile racecourse at Newmarket this morning. The four year old quickened nicely when asked, and Noseda declared she was bang on target in her training regime for next month's Kings Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race in which she finished a close up third last year.
Friston Forest to have first run for Godolphin.
Formerly with Andre Fabre in France, after defeating Veracity in a valuable race in Dubai, owner Sheikh Mohammed transferred the five year old Friston Forest to his Godolphin operation at Newmarket, and on Saturday, the winner of seven of his fourteen starts is due to have his british debut in the Stowe Familly Law Llb Grand Cup at York.
Although connections are suggesting he might need the run, with entries in the Ascot Gold Cup and Hardwicke Stakes, if Friston Forest is to fulfill such lofty goals, he should be expected to land this listed contest over a mile and three quarters.
Cumani undicided on Cima next target.
Following his win in yesterday's Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Cima de Triomphe is now the subject of some head scratching for Luca Cumani. The trainer is not certain whether ten furlongs or a mile and a half is his best trip, and it is understood the trainer and connections are now discussing four potential targets for last year's Italian Derby winner.
The Prince of Wales's Stakes, and the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot are possibilities, as is the Coral Eclipse, or connections may even decide on a trip to France for the Grande Prix de St Cloud.
O'Brien junior lands his first victory.
Sixteen year old Joseph O'Brien, the eldest son of the Master of Ballydoyle Aidan O'Brien, scored his first victory as a jockey in last evening's Kilmacud Handicap at Leopardstown. Riding Johann Zoffany for his father, he took the lead virtually from the start, and despite a late challenge from Chebona Bula, he kept the seven to four favourite up to the task, and passed the post in first place, much to the delight of the Leopardstown crowd.
Although his first ride at the Curragh last wekend proved unsuccessful, this second ride on a more able mount showed with the right ammunition Joseph O'Brien is a stylish young jockey with plenty of potential.
Immediately after the race, a beaming Aidan O'Brien watched on as his wife Anne-marie led their son in to the unsaddling area on his first winner. With his usual humility and courtesy, O'Brien later thanked the owners of Johann Zoffany for giving his son the chance to partner their winner.
Clare Balding undergoing cancer treatment.
BBC racing anchor Clare Balding has admitted she is currently suffering from, and undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. Speaking about the situation yesterday, the thirty eight year old presenter commented,
"Although I'm undergoing treatment, I feel fine at the moment, and I am fully intending to present the BBC's coverage of the Derby meeting next week".
Bell believes Bahamian Babe is well treated.
It is just over twelve months since Bahamian Babe scored her last victory, and on Saturday, she is due to run over the same Knavesmire course and distance of her last success. The four year old has already shown some useful form this season, finishing fifth behind last weekend's Temple Stakes winner Looks Busy at Bath, and this Saturday at York she has the added advantage of carrying a very low weight when she lines up in the £40,000 sportingbet.com Sprint Heritage Handicap.
Trainer Michael Bell believes with an apprentice reducing her already feather weight of eight stones on a course she loves, then she must have every chance of returning to winning ways.
Worcester and Betfair combine to help St Richards Hospice.
St Richard’s Hospice Worcester is celebrating 25 years of care in 2009, and to commemorate the milestone, Celebrities, guests and race goers will watch Worcester’s first ever pantomime horses gallop over a furlong long course at Betfair Ladies Day on Saturday, 6th June.
Among those watching the horse-play will be newly appointed Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, best-selling author of books such as ‘Riders’ and ‘Polo’, Jilly Cooper, and Cheltenham Gold Cup racehorse winning-owner Jim Lewis. These celebrities will be in the St Richard’s Hospice marquee with 190 other guests.
In the actual Pantomime Horse Race, there are 13 teams of two who will be racing one furlong or 200 metres to claim victory.
Tricia Cavell, St Richard’s Hospice Fundraising Manager, said:
“Ladies Day at Worcester Races is always a fantastic event and a big fundraiser for St Richard’s. This year the panto horse race will add even more fun for the race-going crowds to enjoy”.
“There is some stiff competition among the panto horse entries and the on course betting is expected to be busy!”
The race is just one part of the popular St Richard’s Hospice Betfair Ladies Day, and the annual event helps to raise lots of much needed funds. On this subject, Tricia Kavell added,
“Betfair are our sponsors again and with the very generous contribution the hospice receive from Betfair we are hoping to raise around £25,000 towards the cost of caring for our patients and families.”
Wachman holds a watching brief.
David Wachman is in no hurry to make a decision about Again's participation in next Friday's Investec Oaks at Epsom. The trainer is very happy with his filly's condition after her win in Sunday's Irish 1,000 Guineas, but he is not going to decide on her inclusion in the Group 1 mile and a half contest until he is sure of the ground conditions. Commenting on the situation, the trainer said,
"Again must have some cut if she is to participate, so if the ground dries out too much over the next few days, she is unlikely to run next Friday".
On a more positive note, Wachman was not too disappointed with Bushranger's run in last weekend's Greenlands Stakes, as he thought he would not go well on the heavy ground, but the trainer is confident of a much more positive run on a better surface in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot.
Sire of Marchand D'or dies.
Marchand de Sable, winner of the Grand Criterium, and sire of last year's top rated european sprinter Marchand D'or, has died at the age of nineteen at his long time home in France.
Hennessy happy with Subblimity effort.
Robbie Hennessy has declared himself very happy with Sublimity's close up third to Hindu Kush in yesterday's Listed Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.
"I was very pleased with his effort over an inadequate trip, and at least he showed he is in good heart, and there is no doubt he now deserves his summer break".
"We will re-introduce him to hurdles in the autumn, but I think we may try and stick to better ground during the next national hunt season".
Celebrate your winnings, or commiserate with others with fine wines & champagne’s:
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