Paul’s Saga, the second highest-rated hurdler in France, is here to race on Saturday en route to the Cheltenham FestivalWarwick will be graced by French jump-racing royalty on Saturday, so long as the card does not fall victim to the weather. The presence of Paul’s Saga in the field for the Close Brothers Mares Hurdle is one more reason to hope the frost covers currently in place can keep the turf raceable – she is the second-highest rated hurdler in France and her connections are hoping she can justify a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival. Related: Talking Horses: Henderson needs Newbury thaw to test his star chasers Tips by Chris Cook Continue reading...
A big day could be in store for the jockey Daryl Jacob aboard fancied pair Bristol De Mai and Messire Des Obeaux“Bristol De Mai will be rubbing his hands,” was the view from Nicky Henderson this week as he contemplated the rearranged Cotswold Chase, to be run at Sandown on Saturday. The trainer of Santini clearly believes he would have had a better chance of beating the grey if this race had taken place last weekend at Cheltenham, where Bristol De Mai (2.20) has never won. Related: Talking Horses: Colin Tizzard ends barren run in time for big weekend Tips by Chris CookWe have PASSED the 3pm Inspection @sandownpark, and will hold a Precautionary Inspection at 8am on Saturday morning...
Trainer’s stable will hope for more success with Native River and The Big Breakaway after ending six-week losing streakFor the first time since mid-December, a runner from the Colin Tizzard stable was led into the winners’ enclosure on Thursday and appropriately enough, the horse that snapped a 47-runner losing streak for the yard was Rose Of Arcadia – the same horse that started the six-week barren spell when she was beaten at Wincanton on Boxing Day.When January drew to a close with the Tizzards winnerless from 35 runners, it was the first time the yard had drawn a blank during a calendar month between October and March since 2005. So the timing of Rose Of Arcadia’s hard-fought win in a...
‘Everything needs to go perfectly,’ says trainer Dan Skelton as veteran chaser works his way back from ligament injuryBlaklion faces a race against time to be fit for one last tilt at the Grand National, the race for which he seemed made but which now seems destined to elude him. The 12-year-old was listed among the 106 entrants for this year’s race, published on Wednesday, but it then emerged he has had a setback since he was last seen, at Ascot in October. Related: Talking Horses: dire warnings issued over affordability checks for punters Tips by Chris Cook Continue reading...
Nick Williams runner is thought likely to cope well with a testing surface and will get his chance to prove it at DoncasterGiven what Royale Pagaille did in the Peter Marsh last weekend, it is entirely natural for the betting market to latch onto Cap Du Nord, who chased that one home at Kempton last month and seems sure to run a big race in Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase, also known as the Great Yorkshire. But Cap Du Nord might be about to bump into another good one in One For The Team (3.15). Related: Talking Horses: Paisley on course for Cleeve switch if Cheltenham is off Lingfield12.00 Arabic Welcome 12.35 Year Of The Dragon 1.10 Give ’em The Slip 1.45...