The BHA has arranged a series of Classic trials and Pattern races later this month should racing be allowed to returnA series of rearranged Classic trials and Pattern races have been scheduled for the last two weekends in May if racing is allowed to resume later this month, as the British Horseracing Authority seeks to rescue as much of the Flat season as possible once the current lockdown is eased. Thirty-five Listed and Group races due to be run in May have also been formally abandoned, however, taking the total number of Pattern races lost so far in 2020 to 54.The schedule, drawn up by members of the Flat Pattern Committee, would see the Greenham Stakes and Craven Stakes, two...
The 25-1 available about Playa Del Puente in the QEII Cup, the most valuable contest on Sunday morning’s Sky Sports Racing-televised card form Hong Kong, is well worth taking.There is something damning about the “enterprisingly ridden” tag, in relation to a racehorse, the implication being that he couldn’t have achieved the same placing on merit. Surely that explains the 25-1 available about Playa Del Puente (9.40am) in the QEII Cup, the most valuable of three Group One races on Sunday morning’s card at Sha Tin in Hong Kong, to be shown live on Sky Sports Racing.It is worth considering that the progressive four-year-old deserved his second place in last month’s Hong Kong Derby, for all that Blake Shinn showed good...
Levy Board’s and Racing Foundation’s combined fund includes £13.5m for racecourses and £8m for the sport’s participantsThe Levy Board and the Racing Foundation, which received the proceeds of the £265m sale of the Tote in 2011, have agreed a £22m package of support for British racing during the coronavirus crisis.The Levy Board’s contribution to the fund will focus on assisting racecourses through what is an indefinite suspension of racing, while the Racing Foundation’s funds will be directed towards immediate hardship for participants, both human and equine, arising as a result of the lockdown. Related: Talking Horses: 'lost generation' of thousand horses in lockdown limbo 5.45 Liverbird Star 6.15 Full Power 6.45 Jade Fortune (nap) 7.15 Clear Choice (nb) 8.05 Super...
French jockey Antoine Hamelin looks poised to make a big start to his hastily arranged career in the regionAntoine Hamelin may be able to make a dream start to his career in Hong Kong, having been handed the ride on Perfect Match (10.45am London time) in the Austin Handicap, the final and most valuable contest on Sunday’s fixture at Sha Tin. The card is to be screened live in Britain on Sky Sports Racing and is expected to attract plenty of interest from fans of horse racing here, starved of local action for weeks and likely to remain so for some time.The Guardian made a tentative initial foray into Hong Kong tipping on Wednesday’s card at Happy Valley and found...
Epsom, home of the Derby for centuries, would not be the right place to stage the Classic if spectators are not allowedCould the Derby take place somewhere other than Epsom? The starting pistol has been fired on that discussion by a piece in the Racing Post this morning, in which Lee Mottershead threw out the names of Newmarket, Ascot and Newbury as alternative venues for this turbulent year. Related: Royal Ascot ready to run races behind closed doors if it goes ahead in June Related: Talking Horses: Rooneys quit jumps two years after Cheltenham boycott Chris Cook's tips Continue reading...