Is it enough that Yorkhill travelled like the wrath of God? Or are you put off because his jumping lacks finesse?I haven’t always enjoyed the annual pre-Cheltenham schooling session at Leopardstown which took place after racing yesterday. A particular low point was the year I was actually sent to the Dublin track to report on it, when the lateness of the timing gave me an hour to gather material, hoof it back to the press room and try to bash out something meaningful. Related: Cheltenham 2017: Tony McCoy lifts Jonjo O’Neill’s pursuit of fresh glory Continue reading...
Vic De Touzaine can strike for Venetia Williams and get the better of Oldgrangewood in the Greatwood Gold CupVenetia Williams made an atypically slow start to the core jumps season but has really found her stride in recent weeks. February was her best month by strike-rate for more than a year while she is hitting the target with more than half her runners in March so far, so the omens are auspicious for her Vic De Touzaine (3.15) in Newbury’s Greatwood Gold Cup. Related: News and tips: Ben Pauling hails Cheltenham Festival hope Le Breuil ‘best we’ve got’ Continue reading...
It’s time to start thinking about trainer form. Is Nigel Twiston-Davies going cold at the wrong time?Chris Cook: Racing’s ruling body will carry out a review of novice chases at the end of the current jumps season, with the aim of seeing if anything can or should be done to get more runners in those races, making them more attractive to spectators and punters, while still providing a helpful introduction to steeplechasing for inexperienced horses. Richard Wayman, chief operating officer of the British Horseracing Authority, announced the review while taking questions at a ‘meet the BHA’ roadshow at Cheltenham racecourse on Thursday morning. Continue reading...
The Irish trainers’ championship contender and handler of last year’s Gold Cup winner, Don Cossack, gave a horse-by-horse guide to his Festival hopefulsGordon Elliott, who trained Don Cossack to win last season’s Gold Cup, held a pre-Festival media event at his stable on Tuesday morning. His team for Cheltenham does not contain as many ante-post favourites or Grade One contenders as that of Willie Mullins, his only rival for the Irish trainers’ championship this season, and around half of the 30 or so horses he sends to the West Country are likely to be handicappers whose chance will depend on the burden they are allotted when the weights are published on Wednesday morning. This is what he had to say...