The early beginners’ chase has several runners with the potential to go a long way over fencesThe National Hunt season at Newbury gets under way with a relatively low-key card before the big Winter Carnival fixture in three weeks’ time, but there is still plenty to grab the attention of jumps fans and the beginners’ chase at 1.50 has several runners with the potential to go a long way over fences. This race ended up as a match 12 months ago and Strong Pursuit, the winner, has not been seen since. The previous year’s winner, though, was Bigbadjohn, who went on to win the Reynoldstown at Ascot later on in the campaign and this field includes Lostintranslation, La Bague Au...
Marmelo swung his head to the right and had a right old go at Avilius before finishing second in Australia’s biggest raceOh dear. While the British runners in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup covered themselves in glory by filling the first three places, it has now emerged that in fact one of them had also got himself into a bit of trouble.Marmelo, who finished second after briefly looking the likely winner, caught the belated attention of the stewards as they pored over footage of the race’s opening stages. It became clear that, as soon as he stepped out of the starting stalls, Marmelo swung his head to the right and had a right old go at Avilius, who was unfortunate enough to...
A quarter of a century after the race fell to an Irish raider, Cross Counter has become the first winner to be trained in BritainCongratulations to Charlie Appleby, who has become the first British-based trainer to win the Melbourne Cup, following the success this morning of his Cross Counter. It’s only taken us 25 years longer than Ireland to get the job done but, in fairness, it was accomplished with some style at around 4am our time, as Cross Counter led home Marmelo and A Prince Of Arran for a British 1-2-3, echoing the Irish 1-2-3 in last year’s race. Related: Melbourne Cup won by British horse and British trainer for the first time Related: The CliffsofMoher put down after...
Ten of the 24 runners in Australia’s biggest race are from British and Irish stables and those are the horses leading the bettingNo sooner had Ryan Moore crossed the line on fifth-placed Mendelssohn in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday night than he was on his way to the airport for a flight to Australia to partner The Cliffsofmoher in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. And he was not the only one, as British and Irish stables are responsible for no fewer than 10 of the 24 runners in Australia’s biggest race, which is due off at 4.00am GMT.The overseas challenge also includes the first five names in the betting, and some – perhaps many – Australian fans have already given up...
The big-race Ascot selection has better recent form than last year’s runaway winner Go ConquerThe Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot is the most competitive race of the day, but Go Conquer turned it into a procession 12 months ago when he led throughout and jumped impeccably. He failed to reproduce that form in three subsequent starts, however, and while a switch to the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable may rekindle his enthusiasm, Traffic Fluide (3.35) has better recent form and looks the bet at around 5-1.Ascot 1.50 Wenyerreadyfreddie made an inauspicious debut over fences on the King George card at Kempton on Boxing Day last season, but he looked a good deal more convincing when second behind Lil Rockerfeller, who was a...