Our man thinks he’s found a few fast horses for Newmarket and one fairly reliable plodder at SouthwellWe’ve had two Grand Nationals in the space of nine days and there’s another one to come this weekend but, with a clashing of gears and a squealing of tyres, horse racing will effect a sudden u-turn today and head to Newmarket in search of precocious speed. It’s day one of the Craven meeting, a time to examine juvenile pedigrees while sipping a glass of Pimm’s and murmuring: “I say, what a lovely page...” Related: Our Duke keeps Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power bandwagon rolling Continue reading...
Haymount might be about to fire Willie Mullins back into contention for the Irish trainers’ titleGood morning and welcome to Gigginstown Grand National day! Or is it Gordon Elliott Grand National day? One or the other. Maybe both. Continue reading...
War Glory could give Hollie Doyle a winner in Lingfield’s opener, while Mark Johnston can be the man at NewcastleAh, All Weather Finals Day, an event built around the belief that Lingfield’s Polytrack circuit is the right place to identify champions. Well, I have my doubts about that, as Talking Horses habitues will know, but at least we can say that today’s winners will have prevailed despite the track’s justly famous ability to create trouble in running and close finishes every half-hour. Related: Racing news and tips: Levy Board in dark over European commission approval Continue reading...
William Knight’s Sussex yard seems to be full of early bloomers this year and he could win at Chelmsford todayWarren Place, which was the cherished base of Sir Henry Cecil for so long, looks like being a powerhouse again, to judge by a picture that has appeared in today’s Racing Post. The snap, apparently taken by a drone, shows three 31-box squares have been built behind the historic main yard since Sheikh Mohammed bought the place in late 2015. Related: Harry Fry to send Fletchers Flyer to Fairyhouse for Irish Grand National Continue reading...
Ken Slack has an interesting 12-1 shot running in North Yorkshire, plus the need to avoid disaster at the Grand NationalAs is his wont, Julian Muscat has made an excellent point in today’s Racing Post, pointing out the possibility for headline-grabbing calamity in the new post-race procedures for the Grand National. While there’s lots of sense in dismounting the horses on the course and taking them immediately to the cool-down area, there is none in then asking the winning jockey to carry his own saddle for about 200 yards through crowds to the winner’s enclosure before he can weigh in. Related: Martyn Meade hopes Eminent can avoid illness and prove Classic credentials Continue reading...