Newbury’s biggest race of the year might lack a bit of star quality but finding the winner looks as tough a job as everThere is much for fans of jump racing to get excited about in this year’s Ladbrokes Trophy, featuring a big field of intriguing contenders, but there are no Irish raiders and, as a result of Topofthegame’s injury, no real Gold Cup potential on show. This does not look like a year that will throw up a Denman, a Bobs Worth or a Many Clouds and on that basis Potterman (3.00) could prove good enough at 14-1.Descended from a half-sister to Denman, Potterman is not in that league but still has potential at staying distances and made up...
Callum McKinnes was found to have breached the non-trier rules in a recent ride at Hereford and admitted lying to stewardsThe jockey Callum McKinnes has been given an eight-week suspension under the non-trier rules for a ride described as “absurd” by a disciplinary panel. The 23-year-old said he had panicked when World Trip made “a gargling noise” on the run-in and hung off a true line on her way to finishing fifth in a Hereford novice hurdle last month, but admitted he had lied to the raceday stewards in claiming that a series of erratic movements he made in the saddle were just part of his normal riding style.“After the last hurdle in particular, we can only describe some of...
Nicky Henderson was pleased with the return of his impressive Cheltenham Festival first and had good news on EpatanteFour years and two days after Altior’s successful chasing debut at Kempton, his stable companion Shishkin produced a flawless round of jumping in the same beginners’ chase to launch his own career over fences, cruising to a 23-length defeat of Mick Pastor at odds of 1-6 which saw his price for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March cut to just 2-1.Shishkin’s ante-post odds might seem short with more than three months to go until the Festival opens on 16 March, but Altior was the same price after beating Black Corton – subsequently a Grade One winner over fences – by 63...
Three horses have proved able to win the Grade One race in consecutive years and Lostintranslation can become the fourthAs with many another top-class jumps race, the best guide to the Betfair Chase is the previous year’s running. The Haydock feature was started fairly recently in 2005 but already three horses have proved able to win it in consecutive years and Lostintranslation (3.00) can become the fourth.He travelled really powerfully on his way to beating course specialist Bristol De Mai in last year’s contest and has since been a close third in the Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls insists he has Clan Des Obeaux wound up for a big run but this horse has been beaten on his reappearance in each...
Starting prices generated off-course for well-backed horses offer poorer value than SPs returned from on-course betting, according to HBF researchIndustry starting prices generated from the off-course market while racing continues behind closed doors offer poorer value about fancied horses than SPs returned from the on-course betting ring, according to the latest study by the Horseracing Bettors Forum which compared SPs in 1,000 races in Britain last month against the same period in the previous three years.The starting price has been a cornerstone of betting on horse racing for more than two centuries, and until March this year, the SPs had always been derived from a sample of prices offered by on-course bookies at the instant the runners set off. Related:...