JONJO O’Neill had a wretched record as a jockey in the Grand National. He never completed the course and the Canal Turn second time round was the furthest he got. Jonjo was particularly unlucky in 1979 when Alverton, who had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup a few weeks earlier, fell fatally at Becher’s Brook when …[Read More]
Cue Card v Thistlecrack in King George battle
IT’S akin to Ovett v Coe. Or Denman v Kauto Star. Or Ali v Frazier. Thistlecrack v Cue Card is a Boxing Day treat in the King George VI Chase that not many could have anticipated. The tale of the tape may favour last year’s winner Cue Card. He looked as good as ever in …[Read More]
Will there be tears for Triolo D’Alene in the Hennessy?
Pic: Racing UK. THE script is written. A potential tear-jerker if ever there was one. But if a certain chestnut wins the Hennessy Gold Cup on Saturday, there won’t be a dry eye down at Seven Barrows. The loss of Simonsig at Cheltenham hit Nicky Henderson like a sickening punch to the stomach, coming two …[Read More]
Betfair Chase: Cue Card v Coneygree
RACING needs a lift. It’s been a fairly dark fortnight for the sport, what with Freddy Tylicki, Vautour and Simonsig creating the sort of headlines we dread. Not to mention a tabloid splash about an alleged gang assault involving jockeys. We need a boost, a clash to set the pulse racing and lift the spirits. …[Read More]
Tears for Simonsig at the Cheltenham Open Meeting
THE sport of kings can sometimes test the patience and loyalty of its most ardent fans. Today was such a day. The end of the Cheltenham Open Meeting ended in genuine heartbreak and tears with the death of the beautiful grey Simonsig. Excruciatingly, it came just two hours after his trainer Nicky Henderson had openly …[Read More]
Five to follow at the 2016 Cheltenham Open Meeting
TRAINERS finally got their wish last night when 16mm of rain fell at Cheltenham. With the Open Meeting days away, the ground is good, good to soft in places and forecasters are predicting another band of rain from late on Friday into Saturday. Great news for those of us wanting to see some serious equine …[Read More]
Ten horses to follow for 2016/17 jumps season
I LOVE autumn. Change is in the air. From green to brown, from sun to rain and from flat to jumps. October is the month where dreams begin to form for starry-eyed National Hunt owners, trainers and jockeys. Chepstow’s two-day meeting kick-started the jumps season last weekend with potential stars Ballyoptic, Rock The Kasbah and …[Read More]
Almanzor to light up Champions Day
CHANTILLY’S loss could be Ascot’s gain. The absence of Almanzor from this Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has robbed the great old race of some of its lustre. The Irish Champion Stakes winner, who so impressively gobbled up the Leopardstown ground in the final furlong, instead heads a star-studded cast of 28 that remain …[Read More]
Postponed to see off young guns in 2016 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
I WAS miffed when Channel 4 announced it was not screening the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe live this year. One of the world’s greatest races – in some eyes THE greatest race – should not be absent from our terrestrial television screens. It will be shown on At The Races, Racing UK and now …[Read More]
2016/17 jumps season ready to roll
IT’S that tantalising time of year. Autumn is looming and for most racing fans thoughts start turning from the flat to the jumps. While it might be six months to the Cheltenham Festival, the National Hunt big guns are already being loaded. So what do we have to look forward to this season? One word. …[Read More]