The British Horseracing Authority have vigorously defended its whip rules and denied claims horses are in painThe British Horseracing Authority have vigorously defended their whip rules following the publication of a column in the Times on Wednesday (£) which claims horses are regularly “thrashed” and “in pain”.Matthew Syed’s article comes under the headline ‘Whipping horses is ruining racing – it must be banned’, in which he concludes: “It is in the interests not only of horses but of racing itself to consign the use of the device for the purposes of increasing speed to the scrapheap of history. It is time to ban the whip.” Related: Stewards given discretion and power to fine jockeys under whip rules Related: Sam Twiston-Davies...
Walk In The Mill looks a live contender for the big Aintree race after winning over the famous green fences on SaturdaySacrifices are sometimes necessary in the buildup to a really important moment in your professional life and so it is that Walk In The Mill has been put on a strict diet of hurdle races for the next two months, part of his preparation for the Grand National in early April. The eight-year-old put his name in lights by winning Saturday’s Becher Chase and looks a serious contender for the real thing, if he can be delivered there in one piece by his trainer, Robert Walford. Related: Talking Horses: building plans in place at second London racecourse Tips for...
Homes may be built around the edges of Sandown and the money used to fund improvements for racegoers and localsWe wake to more news of proposed development at a Jockey Club racecourse in the London area. Happily, the plans to put up 300 new homes and a hotel at Sandown would not mean obliterating the track itself, which is what could happen at Kempton under plans first mooted a couple of years ago. Related: Favourite Sizing Tennessee likely to miss Welsh Grand National MUSSELBURGH 12.15 Outcrop 12.45 Thibault 1.15 My Charity 1.45 Monsieur Co 2.15 Liva 2.45 Court Liability 3.15 Elmono LINGFIELD 12.30 Tribesmans Glory 1.00 Coded Message 1.30 For Carmel 2.00 Gregarious (nb) 2.30 Bally Longford (nap) 3.00 Cigarisi WOLVERHAMPTON3.30 Magical Molly Joe 4.00 Kynance...
His surprise victory on this card at Sandown last year is hard to forget and he can jump slickly while tracking a strong paceShort on runners but through the roof on quality, this year’s Tingle Creek will hopefully be absorbing, gripping and finally thrilling. Only with trepidation can one oppose a horse who is unbeaten in 14 races over obstacles but Altior looks short in the betting at 8-11, given that he can hit a flat spot at a late stage. Related: Ban on TV betting ads during other live sports can be boost to racing | Greg Wood Aintree 11.55 Eldorado Allen 12.25 Chef D’Equipe 1.00 Ch’Tibello 1.30 Regal Flow (nap) 2.05 Definitly Red 2.40 Chica Buena 3.15 Forest...
Up-and-coming rider faces a long suspension after a positive test for a banned substance, believed to be cocaineKieran Shoemark, one of the rising stars of the Flat’s weighing room, faces a long suspension from riding after returning a positive test for a banned substance, believed to be cocaine.Shoemark rode Atty Persse to win the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot in June 2017 and was only narrowly beaten to the champion apprentice title by David Egan. His 2018 campaign was interrupted by an injury sustained in a fall in June, but he returned to the saddle in August and took the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in October on Roger Charlton’s Projection. Shoemark has not ridden in public...