Prize money negotiations are once more the cause of bitterness in horse racing and talk of boycotts of race-meeting persistsAs you’ll be aware, horse racing is once more wrestling itself in a bitter row over prize money. For an insight into how bitter, consider that Martin Cruddace, chief executive of ARC, has suggested to his staff that the horsemen are negotiating like a child. This is a paragraph taken from a message he sent out last week:“So our position is, we would like to give the £4.5m to horsemen without paying the £2.7m that it would cost to unlock in 2019 from February onwards. In a complete irony, the Horsemen are not agreeing and saying they will only accept the...
It is six years since Paul Nicholls enjoyed what could be seen as a ‘good’ Cheltenham Festival but the trainer leading the title race now has his most powerful team for yearsIt is six years since Paul Nicholls has enjoyed what could be seen as a “good” Cheltenham, when Rock On Ruby and Big Buck’s took the Champion Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle, respectively, in 2012.At the six Festivals since, he has saddled 11 winners: two each in the Fred Winter, Grand Annual, Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle and Foxhunters’, one in the County Hurdle, one Coral Cup and a Champion Chase with Dodging Bullets in 2015. Related: Paul Nicholls unveils his strongest Cheltenham Festival team for years Wincanton 1.20 Champagne Mystery...
The West Country trainer is anxious to improve his strike-rate at jumps racing’s premier meeting next month with three horses lined up for the Gold CupThere was much amusement at Colin Tizzard’s stable on Monday morning when he suggested that running at Cheltenham in March could be “a good prep” for Aintree three weeks later, but there is no doubt that the trainer’s strike-rate at the latter meeting has been much better than it has in the West Country in recent years.Cheltenham, though, is the one that really matters, and here is Tizzard’s assessment of the principal members of his team for this year’s meeting, which opens on 12 March. Related: Colin Tizzard has Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River...
A winning pointer in Ireland with a big jump in him, Glen Rocco showed promise around Kempton on Boxing Day when chasing home a talented sort who got first runTen runners is a disappointing turnout for the steeplechase formerly known as the Racing Post, which has been through several sponsors in recent years and is now the 888Sport Handicap Chase. But that is all to the good for connections of Glen Rocco (3.35), who has fewer rivals to beat at Kempton on his way to fulfilling the promise he has been showing this winter.A winning pointer in Ireland with a big jump in him, Glen Rocco showed promise around this track on Boxing Day when chasing home a talented sort...
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...