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Genes Reunited

Fairyhouse already pessimistic about re-arranged Wednesday fixture.

Officials at Fairyhouse have today confirmed they have serious doubts as to whether Wednesday's rescheduled fixture, which is due to stage the three Grade 1 races transferred from Sunday's abandoned card, will have the suitable ground conditions to allow racing to go ahead. Large sections of the County Meath track are still waterlogged, particularly as they were subjected to another heavy downpour last night, and with weather forecasters suggesting more rain is on the way for Tuesday and Wednesday, a very early inspection may be called tomorrow to judge as to whether there is any chance of racing taking place on Wednesday.

Hereford to hold Tuesday morning inspection.

Although bombarded by in excess of twelvemillimetres of rain overnight, Hereford clerk of the course Katie Stevens has reported the Hereford track is draining well ahead of Tuesday's proposed fixture, but the new concern is for a forecast of overnight temperatures of -3 celsius producing icy patches on the rain effected ground. So as a precaution, course officials will inspect the racing circuits at 7.30 am tomorrow morning to ascertain as to whether ground conditions will allow racing to take place.

Big Zeb heads the Tingle Creek dozen.

After today's five day decleration stage, twelve horses still have an entry in Saturday's Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park. The field is headed by Colm Murphy's Big Xeb, a confident winner of his only outing so far this season, and only just touched off by Masterminded in April's Punchestown Champion Chase. The likely race favourite will be accompanied by three other Irish raiders, including; 2009 Arkle Trophy winner Forpadydeplasterer, former Queen Mother Champion Chaser New Mill and the Willie Mullins trained Barker.

From Britain, recent Connaught Chase first and second Well Chief and Mahogany Blaze represent the yards of David Pipe and Nigel Twiston Davies. Paul Nicholls is currently represented by 2007 Tingle Creek winner Twist Magic and stable mate Free World.

The Nicky Henderson yard could be represented by Petit Robin, while Howard Johnson and Gary Moore still have Tidal Bay and the progressive Fix The Rib as their possible entries for Saturday's Grade 1 contest.

The suprise entry could be first year novice chaser Crack Away Jack. fourth in last year's Champion Hurdle, he was a facile winner of his first steeplechase at Kempton Park, but connections, including trainer Emma Lavelle, will have to believe he is something special if he is to take on and defeat the above company in only his second race over the larger obstacles.

Butler to prepare Niche Market for Aintree.

Bob Butler believes the way Niche Market stayed on doggedly for third place in Saturday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup reiterates he is ideal material for the Aintree Grand National, and the handler has today confirmed his charge will now be prepared specifically for the Aintree centrepiece on 10 April 2010.

If Niche Market can go on to win in April, he will join a select group of horses who have won both the Irish and Aintree Grand Nationals during their racing career.

Captain could head to Ayr.

Not having been seen on a racecourse since pulling up at Aintree in his Supreme Novices Hurdle winning season of 2008, Eddie Harty has worked hard to get the J P Mcmanus owned gelding back into racing shape, and the handler admits he is keen to get a run into Captain Cee Bee within the next week. But with the meetings at Naas and Navan subject to possible cancellation as the rain continues to fall in Ireland, Harty is having to consider a possible trip to Ayr on Wednesday for the victorchandler.com Novices Chase.

"I am informed the going at Ayr is soft, and that it is not likely to deteriorate much prior to the meeting, and as much as I would prefer to travel ten miles down the road to give him his first run back, we may have to consider going to Scotland if he is to get a run inpreparation for some bigger prizes over the Festive season."

Moore resigned to three months on the sidelines.

Following up on a story we carried last week, jockey Jamie moore has had the fact confirmed by a medical consultant he will have to undergo keyhole surgery next week to repair the damage to his right shoulder caused originally by a heavy fall at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival. Although the keyhole procedure is less intrusive than open surgery, Moore has been told he will still require at least three months of recouperation and therapy before he can return to race riding.

King beginning to get some answers.

Trainer Alan King had already decided he would hold fire on race entries until he found out why his horses have been running so poorly of late, and today he has learnt his JCB Triumph Hurdle hope Mill Chief has shown a positive trace of a virus in blood work taken after his recent flop at Newbury, and King is obviously concerned his whole yard may be subject to the condition.

Marcus Tregonning had a similar situation during the flat season, and he curtailed all race entriees until such time as his horses showed signs of recovering their former sparkle, but he then went on to have an excellent end to the season, and possibly alan King can take heart from the analogy.

Williams making plans for stable duo.

Deep Purple, who seems to be on an upward track if his win in Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase is any indication, is being considered by trainer Evan Williams for a crack at Huntingdon's Peterborough Chase.

"He won Graded races over two miles three and two and a half miles last year when a novice, and as I don't really want to give him another hard race over three miles just yet, then the Peterborough chase seems the ideal option, providing the current rain eases off and gives us some reasonable ground. Although to be fair, Huntingdon drains very quickly, so we may take a chance anyway."

But the South Wales trainer was less confident about State of Play after his disappointing performance in Saturday's Hennessy Gold cup, and Williams is now thinking of giving his nine-year-old a complete rest before he heads back to Aintree for the Grand National - a race in which he finished fourth earlier this year.

"Bearing in mind he won the Hennessy in 2006, I am naturally very disappointed he pulled up on Saturday, and to be honest, at this moment I cannot explain his poor performance. At present we are thinking about training him specifically for the 2010 Grand National, and this might mean he does not have another race before April."

Washington Irvine suggests he could be a good investment.

Even though he finished fifth behind New Approach in the 2008 Epsom Derby, the former Aidan O'Brien inmate Washington Irvine had failed to be a prolific winner on the flat, and many pundits thought well known owner Graham Wiley may have over invested when he purchased Washington Irvine in a Horses in Training Sale for 300,000 guineas, particularly as he failed to show when raced on the flat at York earlier this year.

However, in his first race over hurdles at a rain soaked Carlisle on Sunday afternoon, his fifteen length success in his initial novice hurdle race showed he may be the ideal type to go on to glory amongst the national hunt ranks. Putting in some excellent jumps apart from a novicy hop at the second last, Washington Irvine gave Denis O'Regan an armchair ride, and after the race connections had contented smiles, while bookmakers William Hill immediately gave the Howard Johnson trained four-year-old an initial quote of 16/1 for next March's Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Quick fire double for Intikhab progeny.

Rated as the best racehorse of 1998, Intikhab has already produced some outstanding progeny for his breeding centre at Derrinstown Stud in Ireland, and yesterday at Kempton, within thirty minutes of one another, two of his offspring landed two Listed races - Without A Prayer taking the Hyde Stakes, and Les Fazzani beating off her rivals in the Wild Flower Stakes.

These results from yesterday's meeting at Kempton indicate why, even in these recessionary times, Intikhab progeny are still sought after by a very astute group of racehorse owners.

Changes introduced to Trainers licensing arrangements.

The British Horseracing Authority has introduced enhanced suitability criteria for all licensed trainers with similar criteria to follow for jockeys and owners. These enhanced criteria, traditionally referred to as ‘Fit and Proper’ criteria, are the next step in the Authority’s review of the entire licensing process, which by 2012 will see a move towards online licence applications and potentially an end to the traditional annual renewal process for licences.

More immediate changes in 2010 will see Licensing Committee meetings advertised in advance in the same way that Disciplinary Panel hearings currently are and the recruitment of a lawyer to the Licensing Committee so that Decisions and Reasons can be published.

Oliver Codrington, Head of Compliance and Licensing for the Authority, said:

“This is an important step for the Authority to take. Licensing is the gateway to the industry and applicants need to understand that there are clear, established and effective criteria to satisfy before they are licensed.

“Equally, we recognise that those who easily satisfy the criteria, year on year, should not be burdened with unnecessary bureaucracy and we must focus our efforts on an intelligence driven, risk based approach which will lead to improvements in efficiency.”

Rupert Arnold, Chief Executive of the National Trainers’ Federation, said:

“The NTF supports these changes which should bring benefits for the training community. We recognise the need for licence holders to maintain high standards.”

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