It is odd for the reigning Gold Cup winner, Native River, to be so cold-shouldered in this big race at Kempton (3.05)As any schoolboy ought to know, Cheltenham and Kempton are very different tracks and horses which prosper at Prestbury are by no means certain to succeed in Sunbury. Still, it is odd indeed to see the reigning Gold Cup winner, Native River (3.05), being so cold-shouldered in the betting for this King George VI Chase.At the time of writing he is only sixth in the list with some firms, bigger in places than his stablemate Thistlecrack, who has not won for two years. He may not be the fastest or the flashiest in a fascinating field but Native River...
The depth and range of competition at Leopardstown almost make it a parallel Cheltenham FestivalKempton 26-27 Dec Winter FestivalIt’s fun to get presents and eat your own weight in turkey but any racing fan knows that Christmas is just a prelude to the big race at Kempton the next day, the King George VI Chase. The midwinter championship of steeplechasing, it does a better job of star-making than the Cheltenham Gold Cup; Desert Orchid and Kauto Star won it nine times between them. Related: Confidence growing in successful defence of King George by Might Bite Continue reading...
The evergreen Unowhatimeanharry can follow up his latest victory in the Long Walk Hurdle (2.25 Ascot)When it comes to getting-out races, there are few all year to match the £150,000 handicap hurdle which closes the traditional pre-Christmas card at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.Once the Ladbroke at Leopardstown but now sponsored by Betfair, Saturday’s renewal has the familiar mixture of seasoned handicappers, dark horses and everything in between. Since it arrived at Ascot in 2001, the winner’s SP has ranged from 9-4 to 33-1, and no horse, understandably, has ever won it twice. Related: Altior taken out of King George VI Chase after discussions with owner Newcastle 11.40 Copt Hill 12.10 Skipthescales 12.45 I’m To Blame 1.20 Chidswell 1.55 Eternally Yours 2.30...
No hurdles were jumped in the home straight at Ascot on Friday, the first setback for the new padded hurdles gradually being rolled out around the countryNo hurdles were jumped in the home straight here on Friday, causing a certain amount of bottled up frustration among the training community and amounting to a first setback for the new padded hurdles gradually being rolled out around the country. Officials here hope that all obstacles will be jumpable for today’s much more high-profile card but that will depend on wind and a refined method of setting the hurdles into the ground.“It’s just disappointing,” said Paul Nicholls after his Danny Kirwan was second in the Supreme Trial, “when you’ve got a Grade Two...
Stephen Yarborough suffered crushing injuries when he became caught by a reversing set of stalls at Haydock last yearA verdict of accidental death has been recorded in relation to Stephen Yarborough, the stalls handler who was killed at Haydock last summer. Yarborough, 60, was very experienced at the job and was acting as a supervisor on the day in question, when a moment’s inattention appears to have cost him his life as the stalls were being reversed into position for the next race by a tractor. Related: Coneygree on course to click in the King George VI on Boxing Day Related: Coneygree on course to click in the King George VI on Boxing Day Southwell 11.50 Country’N’Western 12.20 Limerick Lord...