By Simon Jackson. The chances of racing returning to Essex have received a massive boost following news that the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has accepted an application for fixtures allocation for 2015. The request was submitted by Great Leighs Estates Limited (GLEL) for the new Chelmsford City racecourse, on the site of the former Great…
By Simon Jackson. Tony McCoy was crowned champion national hunt jockey for the 19th successive season at Sandown on Saturday and is already eyeing a 20th championship title. The 39-year-old landed 218 winners in a memorable season that included a landmark 4,000th victory when winning on Mountain Tunes at Towcester in November. “You have got…
By Simon Jackson. Paul Nicholls was quick to pay tribute to the efforts of his stable staff as he was presented with the award for champion national hunt trainer at Sandown. The championship was the eighth in nine seasons for the Ditcheat handler who amassed prize money of £2,469,893, to finish more that £500,000 clear…
By Simon Jackson The last of the guaranteed qualifying places for the All-Weather Championship finals will be decided at Kempton Park on Monday at a rare afternoon meeting at the Middlesex track. The Class 2 Follow@BetVictorRacing On Twitter Conditions Stakes concludes the 16 fast-track qualifying races that secure the winner a place on Finals Day…
By Simon Jackson Newmarket trainer George Margarson is confident that Rebellious Guest can continue his good form in the £100,000 coral.co.uk Winter Derby at Lingfield (3.50pm) on Saturday. The Group 3 contest has attracted a maximum field of 14 runners that includes last year’s winner Farraaj and 2011 victor Premio Loco for the 10 furlong…
By Simon Jackson Jim Culloty won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times as a jockey and added another as a trainer when he saddled Lord Windermere to win the feature race of the week. Culloty bagged a successive hat-trick of Gold Cups in emphatic style on Best Mate in 2002, 2003 and 2004. But there…
They’re off! Pic: Courtesy of Jockey Club Racecourses A record opening day attendance of 57,098 spectators witnessed a thrilling finish to the Stan James Champion Hurdle as Jezki prevailed by a neck on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The narrow victory over My Tent Or Yours was all the more notable as…
By Simon Jackson Ruby Walsh is upbeat about the chances of Hurricane Fly who bids to land his third Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham (3.20pm) on Tuesday. The Willie Mullins trained 10-year-old first won the feature race of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in 2011. He secured the double in 2013 and…
By Simon Jackson The ground conditions continue to quicken at Cheltenham on the eve of the 2014 Festival where the going is currently good to soft on all courses and expected to dry out more. Cheltenham is set to race on the Old Course for the first two days of the meeting on Tuesday and…
By Simon Jackson The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) has found no evidence that horses trained by Philip Fenton were administered anabolic steroids, clearing the way for Last Instalment to line up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Confirmation that 7-1 shot Last Instalment would line-up in the Gold Cup was delayed when the BHA instigated…
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