By Simon Jackson. Faugheen bids to extend his unbeaten record to nine wins when he lines up in the Stan James Champion Hurdle, the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old has proved to be far superior to his rivals in his eight starts to date. The winner…
By Simon Jackson. Jessica Harrington anticipates ‘another big race’ from defending champion Jezki in the Stan James Champion Hurdle, the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. Jezki prevailed by a neck in the extended two mile contest last year and Harrington reports that the seven-year-old’s preparation has gone smoothly ahead of…
By Simon Jackson. Willie Mullins has given an upbeat report about the well-being of Hurricane Fly ahead of his bid to secure a third victory in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Hurricane Fly has contested the Champion Hurdle four times, winning the two mile hurdling crown in 2011 and 2013 and…
By Simon Jackson. The award for the leading trainer at this year’s Cheltenham Festival will be named in honour of the late jockey and trainer Dessie Hughes who died last year. Hughes, the father of three-time champion flat jockey Richard Hughes, was one of a select band of horsemen who both rode and trained the…
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 Captain Cee Bee has been supplemented for the Stan James Champion Hurdle to leave a maximum field of 12 runners for the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. Connections of the JP McManus-owned 13-year-old opted to pay the £20,000 supplementary entry fee following an impressive third place to…
By Simon Jackson Nigel Twiston-Davies believes that The New One’s ability to finish fast could pay dividends in the Stan James Champion Hurdle on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The Gloucester trainer referred to his stable star’s “phenomenal turn of foot” as part of an upbeat report on the six-year-old who heads the…
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