Departure of senior Professional Jockeys Association figures could leave riders at all levels without strong representation“Every ride, every jump, every battle, every fall, every day,” reads the main banner headline on the Professional Jockeys Association’s website. “We’re right here beside you.” But if the exodus of senior figures in the PJA continues at its current pace, there will soon be no one left to represent and advocate for the 450 or so men and women who, on a daily basis, accept the considerable risks attached to riding a half-ton thoroughbred at 30mph or more.Jon Holmes, a leading sports agent whose clients include Gary Lineker, resigned as the PJA’s chairman last week, two-and-a-half years after replacing the industry veteran Nigel Payne...
The selection’s defeat of Royal Scotsman in the Dewhurst in October is as strong as any form on offer for the first ClassicIf nothing else, the fact that the normally ultra-cautious Aidan O’Brien was happy to discuss Auguste Rodin as a potential Triple Crown prospect earlier this week suggests that the son of Deep Impact is his No 1 contender for next month’s Derby at Epsom by some distance.Whether he has the speed to beat the specialist milers in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, however, is another question entirely, as O’Brien also acknowledged. Continue reading...
The selection attempts to become only the second horse to follow up a Scottish Grand National victory at SandownKitty’s Light would be a hugely popular winner of the Bet365 Gold Cup on Jumps Finale day at Sandown on Saturday, and Christian Williams, his trainer, believes the seven-year-old has the right attitude and constitution to follow up his success in the Scottish Grand National last weekend.“He’s freakish for a horse,” Williams said this week. “The way he comes out of his races, you’ll never have seen anything like it. Basically, you could nearly run him in the next race as he recovers so quickly, so there’s something inside him. I’m not sure if he’s got big lungs or a big heart...
Bravemansgame, Britain’s best staying chaser, has been cleared to run at the Punchestown Festival this weekBravemansgame, Britain’s best staying chaser, has been cleared to run at the Punchestown Festival on Wednesday after Bryan Drew, who previously owned the eight-year-old in partnership with John Dance, bought Dance’s 50% share in a deal approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA ordered WealthTek LLP, Dance’s financial services business which also traded as Vertem Asset Management, to cease all activity earlier this month, and has since placed the firm into special administration.Bravemansgame, the runner-up behind Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, was declared to run in Drew’s name in the Bowl at Aintree’s Grand National meeting on...
A horse with proven Grade One-winning quality, could have too much class for British rivals Le Milos and Our PowerHeavy rain on Friday on ground that had been watered overnight resulted in the official going on the Grand National course changing to soft – from good-to-soft – and while a better day is in prospect on Saturday, the big race still promises to be more of a test than seemed likely when the field was finalised on Thursday.This is, of course, the winter game, and soft ground will not come as a shock to the majority of the 40 runners. But it does raise an additional question mark about those whose ability to produce their best form – or even...