ITV Racing hopes to break fresh ground with action from Clonmel, which must pass an early-morning inspectionITV Racing hopes to break fresh ground on Thursday afternoon when four races from Clonmel, including the Grade Two Clonmel Oil Chase, are due to lead the coverage on ITV4, and action from Irish tracks will continue to feature in the channel’s programming over the jumps season while restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 leave spectators barred from attending.Two more Grade One events at Punchestown - the Morgiana Hurdle on Sunday and the John Durkan Memorial Chase on 6 December – and the Hilly Way Chase at Cork, also on 6 December, are other fresh additions to the ITV schedule, along with the...
The track reopens on Friday following urgent fence rebuilding and re-siting after a spate of fatalities in the summer National Hunt racing will return to Southwell on Friday, more than two months after the British Horseracing Authority took the highly unusual decision to suspend jumping at the course to investigate eight fatal injuries to horses there since 1 July. All of its chase fences have been at least slightly modified, with two singled out for more significant changes, but the investigation concluded that the tight, speed-favouring nature of the course was not a factor in the spate of fatalities.Trainers and owners gave the track a vote of confidence this week when nearly 150 initial entries were received for seven races,...
David Bridgwater’s runner is the new market leader for the big betting race after Topofthegame is ruled out for the seasonThe Conditional, runner-up in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury last season before winning the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, is the new ante-post favourite for this year’s running of the race after Paul Nicholls was forced to rule out Topofthegame, the early 5-1 favourite, for the second season running on Monday.Topofthegame was an impressive winner of the RSA Chase in March 2019 but has not been seen on a course since finishing second in the Mildmay Novice Chase at Aintree a few weeks later. He sustained a leg injury while being prepared for a return at Newbury last...
Four second places from six rides at the Breeders’ Cup led to criticism of British jockey, most of it unjustifiedFinishing fast but too late, there’s a capital crime in the eyes of most punters. So the Breeders’ Cup is a reputational elephant trap for European jockeys, whose mounts rarely break on level terms with the US runners and so immediately find themselves with ground to make up, while the fast surface and tight bends make the task even harder. Related: El Presente surprises trainer Kim Bailey with victory in Badger Beers Chase Chepstow 12.30 Seelotmorebusiness 1.00 Mr Washington (nb) 1.30 Lisronagh Stone 2.05 Sign Of War 2.40 Kilconny Bridge 3.10 Glajou 3.45 Brewers Project 4.15 Slip RoadKempton 12.40 Pink Sheets (nap) 1.10...
Your guide to a packed Saturday’s TV racing from Wincanton, Doncaster, Aintree and the Breeders’ Cup meeting in KentuckyAt the end of fireworks week, Danny Whizzbang (3.35) can prove an aptly named winner of the Badger Beers Silver Trophy, this talented young chaser sure to be suited by a sound surface as he makes his handicap debut. From the Paul Nicholls stable that has won Wincanton’s biggest race 10 times, he can build on the promise he showed as a novice.He didn’t win after beating Reserve Tank last November but soft ground in the Kauto Star and the Reynoldstown did not help and subsequent wind surgery may make a difference. Present Man will run his usual sound race while Sizing...