Fugitif can escape with December’s Gold Cup December 10, 2024 WE’RE back at the home of the Jumps this week as Cheltenham hosts its two-day Christmas Meeting. While there’s some good racing on Friday, Saturday’s card makes more appeal at this stage from an ante-post perspective and the big handicap, the December Gold Cup (1.50pm), is definitely a race to focus on. This is the [...]
Giavellotto scoops the jackpot in Hong Kong December 8, 2024 BRITAIN were celebrating their first win at the Hong Kong International Races in 12 years when Giavellotto stormed clear to land the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase. Trained by Marco Botti in Newmarket and ridden by Oisin Murphy, it was a first Group One success for the son of Mastercraftsman – and a first victory at [...]
City Of Troy’s Derby win voted World Pool Moment of the Year December 6, 2024 CITY Of Troy’s Derby win has been named World Pool Moment of the Year, after receiving 48% of the public vote to beat three other finalists to the first prize. The three-year-old’s Derby triumph was named as Moment of the Year ahead of Rashabar’s Coventry Stakes success at Royal Ascot, Celestial Legend’s win in the [...]
Purton sees a Champion in Johannes Brahms December 6, 2024 TRUSTING horses not to repeat recent disappointing performances, can be a quick road to the ‘poor house’ but there is every reason to be believe YOUNG CHAMPION is ready to bounce back to form in the Highland Reel Handicap (10.00am) over seven furlongs. An expensive purchase from Johnny Murtagh’s stable, after winning at Leopardstown last [...]
Rivals will struggle to burst Voyage’s Bubble in Hong Kong Mile December 6, 2024 IT IS that time of the year again, when Hong Kong takes centre-stage in the world of horse racing. Four Group One races – worth a staggering £12.6 million in prize money – are the main attractions on a 10-race programme, featuring some of the best gallopers on the planet. The city has been gripped [...]
Fahey and Sir Alex in the Spirit for more big race success December 6, 2024 HORSE racing has some wonderful stories, but perhaps the biggest one over the past year or so has been the exploits of Spirit Dancer for his owner-breeder Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary Manchester United manager. The seven-year-old son of Frankel took his career earnings past the £2 million mark when landing back-to-back renewals of the [...]
O’Brien’s Luxembourg aiming to sign off in style with Hong Kong Vase victory December 6, 2024 AIDAN O’Brien is hoping that Luxembourg can bow out in style in the £2.4 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, a race that has proved the most fruitful opportunity at Sha Tin so far for the Master of Ballydoyle, having won the one-and-a-half-mile contest three times in the past. The five-year-old son of Camelot joins [...]
I predict a Gaboriot for Greenall and Guerriero in the Becher December 3, 2024 SATURDAY also sees prestigious action up at Aintree in the shape of the Grade Three Becher Handicap Chase (2.07pm). The runners will have to contest 21 famous Grand National fences, so there’s no harm identifying contenders who’ve got experience over the uniquely testing obstacles. King Turgeon immediately comes to mind after his spring-heeled victory on [...]
Edwardstone to lead Jonbon up the creek en route to glory December 3, 2024 SANDOWN’s card this Saturday looks a pre-Christmas cracker, headlined by the Grade One Tingle Creek (3.00pm), where Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon will attempt to win consecutive editions of this coveted two-mile prize. Jonbon is remarkably consistent, and if successful on Saturday, he would take his career record to 16 wins from 19 starts and his earnings [...]
McDonald has a Smart chance of success aboard Fighter December 3, 2024 JAMES McDonald is probably going to need a large slice of luck if he is to win his first International Jockeys’ Championship title. Officially the world’s best jockey cannot count on any of his four gallopers being at the forefront of the betting, although Chateauneuf from the David Hayes stable does hold strong claims in [...]