Ireland, whose jump racing industry is roughly the half the size of Britain’s, has had more winners at the past six Festivals and boasts Willie Mullins as the most successful trainerIreland’s rugby union players are struggling to repeat last season’s Six Nations heroics, while the footballing boys in green are in a state of flux as Mick McCarthy prepares for his first game back in charge in a couple of weeks. When it comes to the country’s horsemen and women, however, what is rapidly becoming Ireland’s traditional dominance at the Cheltenham Festival is odds-on to be upheld this coming week.At four of the past six Festivals, the last three included, there have been more winners trained in Ireland than in...
An interesting tidbit doing the rounds at present is that the Tote will attempt to up its game at next week’s meetingNext week’s Cheltenham Festival has long since overtaken Royal Ascot as the biggest betting event of our racing year, with 25 of the year’s top 40 races by turnover in the latest list from Ladbrokes/Coral.All bar a tiny fraction of that money is staked with bookmakers or on betting exchanges, but an interesting rumour doing the rounds at present is that the Tote, for so many years the all-but-forgotten poor relation in British betting, will attempt to up its game at next week’s meeting with a cut to its take-out rate in the Festival’s win pools. Related: Danny Brock...
The Carlow trainer has a slightly reduced Festival team this year but will field plenty of big names in the major racesI think Al Boum Photo shouldn’t have any problem with the trip. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet. Related: Trainers pull out of Lingfield over ‘horrendous’ prize money Warwick 1.10 My Way 1.40 Honorable 2.15 Sheneededtherun 2.50 Doitforthevillage (nb) 3.20 Pray For A Rainbow 3.55 Quarenta 4.30 Burren Walk Continue reading...