One can go mad hoping that Willie Mullins sends a particular horse a certain way but the signs are encouraging about this Festival winnerThose of us who want to see Yorkhill in a Gold Cup got some encouragement from an Irish Times piece yesterday, predicting he may make his return to action at Leopardstown over Christmas in the race formerly known as the Lexus (or the Ericsson if you go back a bit further). “Leopardstown at Christmas looks a good possibility,” Willie Mullins was quoted as saying. Related: Cue Card may head for restaged Peterborough rather than King George Continue reading...
The Cumbria trainer has had three winners over hurdles from just a handful of runners so far this monthNicky Richards 30% (10) Nicky Henderson 27% (33) Dan Skelton 25% (40) Malcolm Jefferson 25% (8) Colin Tizzard 22% (41) Donald McCain 22% (37) Fergal O’Brien 22% (23) Kim Bailey 21% (28) Warren Greatrex 21% (24) Emma Lavelle 20% (20) Sue Smith 20% (20) Peter Bowen 20% (15) Dr Richard Newland 20% (5) Ben Pauling 19% (21) Nigel Twiston-Davies 17% (35) Paul Nicholls 15% (47) Jonjo O’Neill 14% (28) Nick Williams 14% (14) David Pipe 13% (24) Brian Ellison 13% (16) Tom George 11% (27) Ian Williams 11% (18) Kerry Lee 11% (9) Evan Williams 10% (30) Tim Vaughan 10% (21) Gary...
Three of the top seven in this year’s Grand National return to Aintree along with 2016 runner-up The Last Samuri but the favourite’s form is too good to ignoreThere is plenty of previous experience over the Grand National fences on show in the Becher Chase on Saturday at Aintree, including Blaklion (1.30), Vieux Lion Rouge and Lord Windermere, who were fourth, sixth and seventh in last season’s National, as well as The Last Samuri, who finished 16th last time around but was a close second in 2016.The outstanding piece of form, though, is Blaklion’s close second behind his stable companion Bristol De Mai in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, with Vieux Lion Rouge, last year’s winner of the Becher...
Peter Walwyn, intrinsically linked with the village of Lambourn which is now one of the major training centres in England, is likely to be best remembered for his handling of the brilliant GrundyThe death has been announced of Peter Walwyn, the champion trainer on the Flat in 1974 and 1975, and an essential driving force in Lambourn’s rise to become a major training centre for both Flat and National Hunt horses.Walwyn is perhaps best remembered for Grundy’s outstanding performances in the summer of 1975, when he won the Derby at Epsom, the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Irish Derby, and then got the better of Bustino in the King George at Ascot after a duel down the home straight which...
The novice handicap chase at Southwell looks booked for Get Rhythm (12.50)Tuesdays in December will never be a natural home for top-class racing, but Tuesday afternoon’s jumps card at Southwell is more than adequate for betting purposes, with nearly £60,000 in prize money including £17,000 for the novice handicap chase. Related: Sandown hoping frost fear does not deter Douvan from Tingle Creek Continue reading...