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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 8:48:59 GMT
Wednesday: going, weather & non-runners Fairyhouse GOING: HEAVY WEATHER: Showers Lingfield (AW) GOING: POLYTRACK: STANDARD WEATHER: Light rain STALLS: 1m - Outside; Remainder - Inside NON RUNNERS: 1:50 Laytown (5) 3:50 Mountain Bell (5) Musselburgh GOING: GOOD TO SOFT (Rail movements: R1 & 3 -126y) WEATHER: Showers Towcester GOING: SOFT (GoingStick: 7.6) WEATHER: Showers Wolverhampton (AW) GOING: TAPETA: STANDARD WEATHER: Showers STALLS: 7f - Outside; Remainder - Inside NON RUNNERS: 5:45 Jabarout (6)Miss Milla B (9) 6:45 Zipedeedodah (9) 7:15 With Hindsight (6)Luv U Whatever (1)
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Post by dennisg on Feb 14, 2018 8:50:22 GMT
in today's sporting life.................... Anita Chambers expects Red Verdon to stamp his class on proceedings at Lingfield - and has a tip for every UK and Irish race. Red Verdon is the class act on show at Lingfield where he goes in the Betway Conditions Stakes. The Ed Dunlop-trained five-year-old was most unlucky not to pick up a big prize in his three-year-old season, finishing sixth in the Derby at Epsom and fourth in the Irish equivalent, before being agonisingly denied on the line in the Grand Prix de Paris. A setback unfortunately meant he missed the St Leger, and in truth last year never reached the heights of 2016. That said, he did finish the campaign with victory in a Listed event at Kempton and can hopefully go forward from there. The late defection of the mare Mountain Bell certainly makes this appear a relatively straightforward task. Poetic Imagination changed hands for 48,000 guineas at Tattersalls at the start of the month and offered an immediate return when third on her debut for Archie Watson. The filly failed to strike in five starts for John Gosden, but certainly has a smidgen of ability and was good enough for third dropped back to five furlongs on her first effort for Watson. She did not look quite quick enough for the minimum trip, but stepped back up to six furlongs and lining up off a mark of 74, she is not one to discount in the 32Red.com Handicap. Warren Greatrex does not have that many Flat horses but Great Return has proved a nice money spinner for the yard since joining the team in December. After three placed efforts, Great Return finally hit the target in the hands of the trainer's son, Edward, when romping home by seven lengths at Wolverhampton last week. The application of first-time cheekpieces clearly worked wonders that day and a swift return to Dunstall Park under a 6lb penalty looks a smart move, as the handicapper is sure to hike him a fair bit in the weights now. Divine Spear is among the possibles for the JLT Chase as next month's Festival and it is perhaps telling Nicky Henderson sends him on the long trip to Musselburgh for the 188Bet Mobile Novices' Chase. Henderson usually heads to the Edinburgh track in search of better ground and Divine Spear is a runner who appears to turn in his best efforts when conditions are not too deep. He was seen to good effect on soft ground at Ascot before Christmas, producing an excellent round of jumping and looking for all the world a horse who will make his mark in good company eventually. This could be a nice stepping stone on the way to Prestbury Park. Sporting Life suggestions FAIRYHOUSE: 1.25 Moonlight Escape, 1.55 Ardmillan, 2.25 Force Of Forces, 2.55 Queen Khaleesi, 3.25 Bold Sky, 3.55 Witness Of Fashion, 4.25 Timewaitsfornoone. LINGFIELD: 1.50 Carouse, 2.20 Marshal Dan, 2.50 Wilde Oscar, 3.20 Poetic Imagination, 3.50 RED VERDON (NAP), 4.20 Billyoakes, 4.50 Pivotal Flame. MUSSELBURGH: 2.00 Misfits, 2.30 Silver Concorde, 3.00 Divine Spear, 3.30 Toarmandowithlove, 4.00 Canny Style, 4.30 Royal Mandate, 5.00 Perfect Myth. TOWCESTER: 2.10 Goodnight Charlie, 2.40 Grand Introduction, 3.10 Braventara, 3.40 North West Wind, 4.10 How's My Friend, 4.40 Know The Score. WOLVERHAMPTON: 5.15 Tellovoi, 5.45 Secret Return, 6.15 Breaking Records, 6.45 Something Lucky, 7.15 Great Return, 7.45 Ghost, 8.15 Danzay. DOUBLE: Red Verdon and Great Return.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 8:51:04 GMT
Liam Treadwell, famous for his Grand National victory aboard 100-1 outsider Mon Mome in 2009, has announced his retirement.
Treadwell, 32, partnered almost 300 winners during his career and hopes to remain within the racing industry, but is adamant he has made the right decision.
“It’s been in the back of my mind for a while and I made the decision on Sunday morning,” he said on Tuesday.
“I need a fresh perspective and a new challenge. Since I banged my head in a fall at Bangor a couple of years ago it’s always been tough coping with the pressure. I came back from six months out with a different mindset.
“I got hurt again at Aintree last year, and then soon after returning I sustained a shoulder injury at Cheltenham.
“For my own health and relationships with my family and friends, it’s the right decision to focus on something else in the future."
He added: “All I’ve wanted to know since I left school at 17 is where the next ride is coming from, but now I’ve taken the decision it’s like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders.
“Being a jockey isn’t for me any more. I just didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. The pressure got too much.”
Treadwell, who retires on 298 winners, made headlines in the spring of 2009 when he rose magnificently to the Grand National challenge – on his very first attempt over the daunting fences – to land the world’s most famous race aboard Mon Mome for his boss Venetia Williams.
“I remember going up in the car and receiving endless messages wishing me well,” he recalled.
“All I could think about was simply getting over the first fence. Once I’d jumped it I took a deep breath and the race just panned out perfectly.
“I found my own little bubble, and Mon Mome crept into the race. We jumped the last and I couldn’t really believe what was happening.
“As we went over the winning line there was an eerie silence – he was 100-1, and nobody had backed him. Everyone was as shocked as me.
“Then it was just a whirlwind of emotion. Mick Fitzgerald said to me, ‘Take your time and enjoy every minute’. It was great advice.”
Also famously offering advice that day was BBC presenter Clare Balding, who in the post-race interview suggested the rider could afford "to get them done", referring to Treadwell's teeth after she had urged him to "grin to the camera". She subsequently apologised.
Treadwell, whose best season in numerical terms was the 2013-14 campaign when he rode 42 winners, enjoyed his greatest moments in the saddle alongside his long-time supporter Williams.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 8:52:00 GMT
Newmarket: David Milnes
Daltrey (5.45 Wolverhampton, nap)
Fancied to overcome his wide draw and give the John Gosden and Kieran O’Neill combination another winner. The three-year-old has moved well on Warren Hill of late.
4/6 Daltrey 5:45 Wolverhampton (AW) Others to follow Lingfield 1.50 Dichato, 2.20 Fiery Breath, 2.50 Haverland, 3.50 Red Verdon, 4.20 Bertie’s Boy. Wolverhampton 6.15 Flora Tristan, 6.45 Midnightly, 7.45 Rock On Baileys, 8.15 Immortal Romance. North: Colin Russell
Acclaim The Nation (6.45 Wolverhampton, nap)
Lightly raced five-year-old who was successful on his reappearance last season. With the aid of a good draw and having run well on his only previous outing on Tapeta, he is fancied to repeat the feat.
7/1 Acclaim The Nation 6:45 Wolverhampton (AW) Others to follow Lingfield 1.50 Bungee Jump, 2.20 Bad Dog, 3.20 Queen Of Kalahari, 4.20 Prazeres, 4.50 Golconda Prince. Musselburgh 2.00 So Satisfied, 2.30 Silver Concorde, 3.30 Titus Bolt, 4.00 Canny Style, 4.30 Royal Mandate, 5.00 Eternally Yours. Wolverhampton 5.15 Robben Rainbow, 6.15 Mearing, 7.15 London Glory, 7.45 Ghost, 8.15 Montague. Lambourn: James Burn
Harefield (3.40 Towcester, nap)
Looked a big threat when falling at Plumpton last time and should go close again if confidence has not been shaken.
5/6 Harefield 3:40 Towcester Others to follow Lingfield 1.50 Laytown, 3.20 Poetic Imagination, 4.20 Strategic Heights. Musselburgh 3.00 Divine Spear, 5.00 Perfect Myth. Towcester 2.40 Ceann Sibheal, 4.40 Hunt Politics. Wolverhampton 7.15 Great Return. West Country: Tim Mitchell
Know The Score (4.40 Towcester, nap)
Winner of his sole start in an Irish point who went on to fetch £380,000 at Cheltenham’s’ November sale. Fancied to take the beating on debut for David Pipe at a track that is expected to suit.
Evs Know The Score 4:40 Towcester Others to follow Towcester 3.10 Dark Aster, 4.10 How's My Friend. Racing Post Ratings: Steve Mason
Spirit Of Hale (4.10 Towcester, nap)
Posted a career-best RPR when a close-up third at Catterick last month and looks nicely treated if he can reproduce that form on this very different track.
11/4 Spirit Of Hale 4:10 Towcester Longshot: Ed Quigley
Corporal Maddox (5.15 Wolverhampton)
Not been firing on all cylinders lately, but has some good form over this course and distance and is on a competitive mark.
16/1 Corporal Maddox 5:15 Wolverhampton (AW) Topspeed: Dave Edwards
Great Return (7.15 Wolverhampton)
Romped home by seven lengths here last week and Warren Greatrex's improving five-year-old can shrug off his penalty.
8/11 Great Return 7:15 Wolverhampton (AW) Ireland: Tony O'Hehir
Flemenstorm (3.55 Fairyhouse)
A course winner over hurdles, the Eddie Cawley-trained ten-year-old reverts to fences and will be suited by this 2m5f trip and testing ground.
7/2 Flemenstorm 3:55 Fairyhouse The Raceform Interactive Nugget
Fergal O'Brien's last ten runners at Towcester, going back to October 2016, have finished P311131511 (60 per cent strike-rate; +£16.33 to £1 level stakes). His most recent winner was Grand Introduction, who won a 3m chase at the track last week, and the eight-year-old goes for a repeat win over the same trip at 2.40.
9/4 Grand Introduction 2:40 Towcester
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Post by dennisg on Feb 14, 2018 8:52:10 GMT
Paul Nicholls has a live chance of landing a second Grand National success at Aintree on April 14, according to our antepost racing expert Matt Brocklebank. Randox Health Grand National recommended bets For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record AS DE MEE looks to have been underestimated ahead of a potential first crack at a marathon trip in the Randox Health Grand National. Aintree experience has always been a fairly significant pointer when it comes to races over the famous fences on Merseyside and Paul Nicholls' eight-year-old has become a bit of a regular there over the past couple of seasons, with four previous outings over the National course under his belt in total. Two of those have come in the Topham Chase in April, where he has run with credit on each occasion – finishing seventh to Eastlake in 2016 and fifth behind Ultragold last spring – while his best performance arrived when slamming his rivals in the Grand Sefton over the same two mile, five furlong trip in December 2016. That impressive five-length victory was achieved from a mark of 137 so he’s got a significant task on his hands as he looks to defy 149 now, but there are reasons to believe he has improved again this season. Racing UK ✔ @racing_UK WATCH: 4-1 Favourite As De Mee, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Sean Bowen wins the Betfred Grand Sefton Handicap Chase 3:25 PM - Dec 3, 2016 23 18 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy Firstly, he was beaten just two lengths into second by Go Conquer on his seasonal return at Fontwell in October, a rival with whom he would be 5lb better off should they both make it to the National, and he immediately went one better at Kelso later that month. It was an important victory for several reasons, not least the fact he beat Wakanda who has since franked the form with his subsequent second in the Rowland Meyrick and hard-fought victory in the Sky Bet Chase. But the most obvious aspect to take from that Kelso win was that it was the first time that he’d raced beyond three miles and he appeared to get the trip really well, despite carrying his head a little high which he’s always had a tendency to do. Stamina shouldn't be a surprise asset to As De Mee. His sire Kapgarde is not a prolific producer of stayers but there are staying chasers on the dam's side of the pedigree and he did win Sandown's EBF Final as a novice hurdler, a race known for throwing up decent performers over longer distances. It would be folly to focus too closely on the fact that last year's winner of the Kelso race (EDF-ER Chase) was One For Arthur, but it can't be a bad indicator and surely gave connections some extra encouragement in terms of how they may look to campaign him this time around. Things haven't gone swimmingly for As De Mee since then, but he ran a lot better than the bare form indicates when last of four in the Intermediate Chase at Sandown won by Might Bite prior to his King George victory, while it was too early to say what would have happened when he made a mess of the 10th and unshipped Sean Bowen in the Becher Chase when last seen. He didn't look to be travelling particularly comfortably before departing, which was probably down to the heavy going, so freshening him up with the spring in mind looks an ideal move given his liking for decent ground. He's got plenty of time to have a warm-up before a return to Aintree, where his jumping has generally been excellent on the whole, and a positive showing – possibly back at Kelso in early-March – could see his huge odds shorten for the big one on April 14th. The winner of this year's Becher was obviously Blaklion and he's the general 10/1 favourite after the unveiling of the weights, but Total Recall seems sure to put pressure on Nigel Twiston-Davies' charge at the head of the market, especially if his trainer Willie Mullins has a good Cheltenham. Total Recall has already won two huge handicap prizes this season in the Munster National at Limerick and the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury, while he was well placed to comfortably score back over hurdles at Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival. His revised National mark of 156 is hardly a gift but he's another that is unexposed over extended distances and his Newbury effort suggested another mile wouldn't pose many issues. The one that appeals most nearer the top of the weights, though, is the imposing Gold Present, who has really flourished over fences this season. His form has worked out well too, with Newbury victim Warriors Tale going down narrowly at Doncaster and Frodon, who followed him home at Ascot last time, bolting up at Cheltenham on Trials Day subsequently. Nicky Henderson's big hope fell at the Canal Turn in last year's Topham but had looked the part prior to that and is definitely more the finished article this term. He stays well but also doesn't look short of the natural pace required to stay competitive in a modern-day National.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 8:52:39 GMT
BANKER
Carouse (1.50 Lingfield)
Oisin Murphy is riding out of skin of late and he partners the Andrew Balding-trained Carouse, who bolted up at 13-2 in a maiden when last seen. Rated 83 and put into this claimer at a price of £16,000, he should have a good chance of following up over a furlong further than his maiden success from a nice draw in stall two. His main market rival is on the inside of him and a stalking ride will see him to best effect.
11/8 Carouse 1:50 Lingfield (AW) GOOD THING
Fiery Breath (2.20 Lingfield)
The way the Robert Eddery-trained Fiery Breath travelled on his handicap debut at Lingfield on January 27 was extremely eyecatching and despite not being overly strong at the finish – only winning by a nose – he looked by far the best handicapped in that race. Given just a 4lb rise, he still looks well ahead of his mark of 69 and the forecast price of 7-2 is ridiculously big. I reckon he'll go off nearer the 7-4 mark, and I still wouldn't put you off at that price.
7/4 Fiery Breath 2:20 Lingfield (AW) IRISH ANGLE
Queen Khaleesi (2.55 Fairyhouse)
By far the most consistent and reliable runner in this ten-runner field, Queen Khaleesi looks a strong bet to finally get her head in front after some agonising defeats in recent months. The Patrick Neville-trained six-year-old, who is winless in 13 starts, has been slowly rising up the weights due to several placed efforts including when second to the improving Goodthynemilan at Thurles six days ago. She travelled so strongly in that race and looked a surefire future winner. This looks much easier.
2/1 Queen Khaleesi 2:55 Fairyhouse Let our experts point you in the direction of the winners with invaluable punting pointers delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up here to get our free newsletter every week
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 8:53:14 GMT
Les Eyre has a 50 per cent strike-rate when fitting his runners with a first-time hood. He applies the aid to Queen Of Kalahari (Lingfield 3.20), who should go close.
With Hindsight (7.15) likes Wolverhampton (3-11 overall, 2-4 over course and distance) and returns there after ending a losing run last time. A 3lb rise looks fair and he is still well handicapped on old form.
Tidal’s Baby (4.20 Lingfield) was beaten a neck in this race last year off 2lb lower. He’s switched stables since and new handler Adrian Joyce has a 23 per cent strike-rate with runners travelling more than 200 miles.
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Post by dennisg on Feb 14, 2018 8:54:07 GMT
Reaction from trainers to the Randox Health Grand National weights with Nigel Twiston-Davies comparing Blaklion to Red Rum. Nigel Twiston-Davies - Blaklion (11st 6lb): "We've got the Becher Chase in the bag and races in the bag are better than prayers. We could get struck by lightning next week! "He will be ridden differently at Aintree this year. He was beaten eight lengths last year and there was no blame on Noel (Fehily) at all, but he kicked on a mile from home. Maybe if you don't kick on a mile from home that eight lengths could be found. "I did a bit of research ages ago and Red Rum used to win with 12st. I don't know if I'm being a bit silly, but he reminds me a bit of Red Rum. He is small and very neat over his fences and after watching him jump round there twice, he doesn't seem to make a mistake. "He is flying and he is running on Saturday. I am very tempted by the Gold Cup, but we probably won't go. Nothing is ruled out, but we will probably go for the National after Saturday." Sky Bet non-runner/no bet and Best Odds Guaranteed on Grand National Patrick Mullins - Total Recall (11st 1lb), Acapella Bourgeois (10st 9lb), Rathvinden (10st 9lb), Bellshill (10st 7lb), Pleasant Company (10st 7lb), Polidam (10st 5lb), Childrens List (10st 4lb), Arbre De Vie (9st 11lb), Pairofbrowneyes (9st 10lb), Bravissimo (9st 5lb): "It is going to be hard for Total Recall to win two big handicaps in one season (after winning the Ladbrokes Trophy). It is not impossible but it makes life difficult, but with a horse like him you don't know when they are going to stop improving. "Bellshill is back in full training. He is a high-class horse. He beat Coney Island at Punchestown when he was a novice hurdler. He's only had four runs over fences and one of those was a fall, so that would be at the back of your mind, but I think there is a handicap in him off his rating. We will try to get a run into him sooner rather than later and we'll know more after that. "Pleasant Company will get in right at the bottom and he was running a great race last year until he made a mistake. He has been very disappointing this year, but I do think he is a spring ground horse. "Polidam was sent to us with the National in mind. He has been a bit hit and miss and the trip would be an unknown, but he has a very eyecatching weight, so there is a possibility he could run. "Acapella Bourgeois has been quite disappointing - no bones about it. We have given him a break since his last run and he would have to do something special to come into consideration." Brian Ellison - Definitly Red (11st 10lb): "I sort of expected him to be top-weight really. He's rated 167 so they couldn't do much else. The Gold Cup is the plan. We'll get that out of the way and see about Aintree after that. He's in great form at home. I couldn't be happier with him." Kim Bailey - The Last Samuri (11st 4lb): "The Last Samuri's weight is what we were expecting given his rating. If the weights stay as they are and don't rise, I think he would have more of a chance. "I have been very happy with him since Cheltenham and he will have a prep race somewhere between now and Aintree. We have got several options, but there are no firm plans as we will have to see what the weather does first. The Last Samuri doesn't need to have a prep race, but we are lining up to have one at the moment." Gordon Elliott - Outlander (11st 8lb), Mala Beach (11st 3lb), Noble Endeavor (10st 13lb), Cause Of Causes (10st 12lb), Tiger Roll (10st 9lb), Ucello Conti (10st 6lb), Bless The Wings (10st 2lb), General Principle (9st 12lb), Out Sam (9st 3lb), Poormans Hill (8st 7lb): "I wouldn't like to second guess Michael O'Leary about the Gigginstown horses. If I was a betting man, I would say Outlander's most likely target is the Punchestown Gold Cup. The handicapper has a job to do and you won't hear me complaining. "I'd imagine I will run Cause Of Causes, Noble Endeavor, Ucello Conti and Tiger Roll. They would be the four at the moment. Bless The Wings could also go if he gets in. "You'd have to imagine Cause Of Causes is the principal one. He was second in the race last year and he looks like he has a lovely weight with 10st 12lb there again. I'm not complaining and I'd imagine he will go for the cross-country again at Cheltenham. "Noble Endeavor will have one run and then go for the National and that will definitely be in Ireland. "Ucello Conti is going to go straight to the race and Tiger Roll will run in the cross-country race at Cheltenham, all being well." Cause Of Causes on his way to Cheltenham glory Cause Of Causes is heading for Cheltenham again before another crack at the National Jonjo O'Neill - Minella Rocco (11st 7lb), Go Conquer (10st 10lb): "Minella Rocco will go for the Gold Cup first and we will see what happens after that. You would think he would make a good Grand National horse, but he has been disappointing since last year's Gold Cup really. "He is not as economical as you would like him to be. He jumps a bit in and out. He is good when he's good, but he would have to be a little more consistent for the National. "I wouldn't know if Go Conquer would get the trip or not. If the ground is good he might go. "He is in on Saturday at Ascot. If the ground was on the soft side, he might not go and then he would probably end up going to Cheltenham." Paul Nicholls - Vicente (10st 10lb), As De Mee (10st 8lb), Warriors Tale (10st 8lb), Silsol (10st 3lb), Sametegal (10st), Braqueur D'Or (9st 10lb): "As De Mee will go and Warriors Tale will go. They would be my main two and they are both intended runners. As De Mee is ready to run. He could run in something like the Greatwood Gold Cup on March 3 at Newbury. "I am not sure Sametegal will stay and he will probably go in the Topham. "Vicente is in it but he does so well at Ayr (dual winner of Scottish Grand National), so we will see what happens. He definitely wouldn't want to run at Aintree if it is soft and there is a question mark over his jumping as well round there. "Last year I was lucky he jumped one and that was it and I was able to go to Ayr with him. If you ended up getting decent ground I suppose you could go. The Scottish National is really my main aim with him. "Silsol would want it bottomless." Nicky Henderson - Gold Present (11st), O O Seven (10st 11lb), Vyta Du Roc (10st 6lb): "I think it is probably the plan to run Gold Present in the National. If he is going to run again (beforehand) it will be at Ascot on Saturday. I thought we might go there and possibly leave Cheltenham alone. "He ran in the Topham last year as a novice and ran well until he nearly got knocked down. He has jumped beautifully all year and he does strike me as one of the more likely candidates that we have had for a long time. If everything goes right between now and then, we could say he is a realistic contender. "O O Seven could go to Kempton next weekend or wait for Cheltenham. The way he ran in the Topham last year, finishing fourth, I think that was a good prep for the National." David Pipe - Vieux Lion Rouge (10st 9lb): "I thought he was in great form this season, but he has not done as well as I thought he would in the first half of the season. He has dropped a few pounds and hopefully he will have a better second half of the season. "Obviously he has not quite stayed the trip the last two years, but he stayed a bit better last year and now he is another year older, we thought we would give it another go. "He is in at Ascot and Haydock at the weekend. It is going to be a slog at Haydock on Saturday, which he should have liked in the Becher Chase, but he didn't quite run up to form in that. He has got a nice weight pull with Blaklion." Ian Williams - Gas Line Boy (10st 7lb), Ballyalton (9st 11lb): "Gas Line Boy is guaranteed a run and that makes the debate on whether he will get in or won't non-existent this year. "He loves the Aintree fences and he ran a cracking race to finish fifth last year. You have to respect the fact that he is getting on in years, but he doesn't know how old he is. His form this year is better than it was at this stage last year and he is like a fine Bordeaux (wine) - maturing with age! "It's a relief we know he is going to get a run and not having to worry. The race remains his spring target and he won't run beforehand. If the ground is soft he will run in the Topham, but ultimately there is only one Grand National." Fergal O'Brien - Perfect Candidate (10st 13lb), Chase The Spud (10st 8lb): "Perfect Candidate has a much better weight than he had last year (11st 5lb). He had a terrible preparation last year. He won that veterans' chase at Exeter and that just shot him up the weights. "To be fair, he ran well last year for a long way. He jumped and travelled well and just ran out of steam. He will go for the Ultima at Cheltenham and if he comes out of that well, he'll go to Aintree. "Chase The Spud was very unfortunate in the Welsh Grand National last time. It just doesn't seem to be his place. He won first time out at Haydock and the plan was to go to Chepstow again, but he ran a bit fresh and keen with the choke out and couldn't get home on that ground. If he runs a good race in the Eider Chase (at Newcastle) it will put him spot-on for Aintree."
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Post by dennisg on Feb 14, 2018 8:56:05 GMT
Grand National-winning jockey Liam Treadwell has announced his retirement from the saddle. The 32-year-old enjoyed the biggest victory of his riding career when partnering the Venetia Williams-trained 100-1 shot Mon Mome to victory in the Aintree marathon in 2009. Treadwell also tasted Cheltenham Festival glory in the 2013 Byrne Group Plate aboard Williams' Carrickboy, but admits his National victory will always be the highlight of his career. He said: "Growing up I always wanted to be a jockey and to ride in the Grand National, let alone win it, so that really was the ultimate - it was unbelievable. "I will never stop looking back at that and appreciating how fortunate I was to win on my first ride in the race and get that opportunity for Venetia Williams and (owner) Vida Bingham. It was a fantastic day. "I've had a fantastic journey through racing but in recent times with injuries and comebacks, I've just been feeling the pressures and I think it's the right time for a fresh challenge. "Mentally it was draining, always putting on a brave face, and it was time to do the right thing for both me and my wife. "It's been an emotional few days, just getting my head around the decision and I'll just take stock now, but I would like to stay in the industry, wherever that may be. "I came into racing because I love horses and I love working with the youngsters and watching them progress, so perhaps that is something I will think about. "I'm walking away on my own terms and I'm looking forward to the next challenge now." Treadwell pulled up on his final ride at Warwick last Saturday and bows out with nearly 300 victories to his name.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 11:00:43 GMT
Calling Out attempts to go one better than a year ago in the second running of the Betway Conditions Stakes (3.50), the feature on the seven-race card at Lingfield.
Although the mile and a half contest is now down to just four runners, it's still a fascinating race with the presence of the penalised Ed Dunlop runner Red Verdon topping the weights.
Seven-year-old Calling Out has run well again in defeat since chasing home the useful Watersmeet a year ago and was not beaten far when third behind Ay Ay over an inadequate ten furlongs last time.
Trainer David Simcock said: "It's a small field but he ran very well last time and he's a consistent sort who loves the synthetics. The race will all revolve around Red Verdon, I'd imagine, and it may well be tactical."
Red Verdon is the only penalised runner in the line-up, picking up a 3lb penalty for his win in a Listed contest at Kempton last time.
Although he has had three months off since then, the five-year-old has been keeping in trim on the all-weather surfaces around Newmarket of late and won't lack for fitness.
Dunlop said: "He seems to like the all-weather and is straight enough for his return, but the 3lb penalty doesn't help. Hopefully they go a good pace."
Mick Quinn is hoping his runner Great Hall can make up into a contender for the marathon final on All-Weather Championships day at the track next month and has his stable star pretty fit following his winter break. The eight-year-old enjoyed a most productive 2017, racking up a hat-trick of wins at Ascot (twice) and Yarmouth before finishing a decent sixth in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes in October.
Despite his advancing years, Great Hall has plenty of improvement to come according to his trainer, who is targeting a fast-track qualifier at Chelmsford next month with his stalwart.
He said: "Great Hall had a great year in 2017, but he finished the year with a slight muscle strain. We've freshened him up since and he's been back in work for the past eight weeks or so.
The plan is to give him a run here to blow the cobwebs off before heading to Chelmsford. He's grown in confidence since we've had him and he doesn't sweat like he used to. Hopefully he could make finals day."
The field is completed by Celestial Path, who has his first run on the Flat for David Pipe following five unsuccessful outings over hurdles last year. The five-year-old has since had a wind operation.
Murphy ready for take off again
Oisin Murphy is in action at Lingfield before jetting off from Heathrow at 10am for his latest stint at the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan on Thursday.
The pick of his mounts at the Surrey track looks to be Poetic Imagination in the 32Red Handicap (3.20).
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 11:04:11 GMT
The 19th edition of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide, which is being produced in association with Sporting Life for the first time, has gone to print and will be published on Wednesday, 21 February.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 18:23:29 GMT
Sam Twiston-Davies will ride Blaklion at Haydock on Saturday with a view to maintaining the partnership in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree.
Trained by the leading rider's father Nigel Twiston-Davies, the nine-year-old was fourth in the world's most famous steeplechase last April and is the general 10-1 favourite for this year's renewal.
Twiston-Davies has not ridden Blaklion in public since he finished fourth in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle in 2015, but is thrilled to be getting back on board in the Betfred Grand National Trial this weekend, and again in the Aintree spectacular on April 14.
He told Press Association Sport: "I am riding Blaklion and Zarkandar (Rendlesham Hurdle) at Haydock on Saturday. I am looking forward to riding Blaklion. I'm riding him with the provision that I then ride him in the Grand National.
"Fingers crossed it all goes well at Haydock on Saturday. I've spent a lot of time with the horse and Ryan Hatch (who rode Blaklion regularly in 2016). It will be a pleasure to ride him on Saturday and then in the National."
Twiston-Davies is free to ride Blaklion at Aintree after being given the green light by his main boss Paul Nicholls.
He added: "Unfortunately Sametegal doesn't look like he will get in the National and Warriors Tale and As De Mee are horses that Sean Bowen usually rides regularly.
"It is kind of Paul and the team to let me take this opportunity."
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 14, 2018 18:24:37 GMT
Musselburgh, 14 Feb 18 Race 1 - 2:00pm THE ENHANCED PLACE ODDS AT 188BET CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS' HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 4) (Qualifier for the Northern Lights Staying Chase Series) The winner MAHLER LAD (IRE) appeared to show an improvement in form, compared with its previous run at Sedgefield on 12 January 2018, where the gelding finished fourth of seven beaten 64 lengths. Donald McCain’s explanation that the gelding benefited from the first-time application of a visor on this occasion was noted. MAHLER LAD (IRE) was routine tested.
Following the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that NICKI'S NIPPER, placed seventh, had bled from the nose.
Ross Chapman reported that SO SATISFIED, placed fourth, hung left and was never travelling. The Veterinary Officer reported that a post-race examination of SO SATISFIED failed to reveal any abnormalities.
Race 2 - 2:30pm THE 188bet.co.uk DOWNLOAD THE APP NOVICES' HURDLE RACE (CLASS 4) The Clerk of the Scales objected to THE ROAD HOME (IRE), placed second, ridden by Derek Fox, and trained by Lucinda Russell, on the grounds of the rider weighing in at 11st 7lbs, having weighed out at 11st 9lbs. The rider, the trainer, Lucinda Russell’s travelling head girl, the Veterinary Officer and the Clerk of the Scales were interviewed. As the Stewards were unable to establish an explanation for the weight difference, Fox was suspended for 2 days and Lucinda Russell was fined £500. THE ROAD HOME (IRE) was disqualified and the placings were revised as follows: First SILVER CONCORDE, there were no other finishers.
Race 4 - 3:30pm THE 188bet.co.uk HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 5) Following the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that TOARMANDOWITHLOVE (IRE), unplaced, finished lame left fore. and that TITUS BOLT (IRE), placed sixth, had lost its right hind shoe. Sam Coltherd reported that DEVILS WATER, placed eighth, ran too free.
Race 5 - 4:00pm THE IN PLAY BETTING AT 188BET NOVICES' HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 4) Permission was given for NENDRUM (IRE) to go to post early.
Race 6 - 4:30pm THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING AT 188BET HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 4) James Corbett, the rider of STAIGUE FORT was unseated turning into the home straight. The rider, Craig Nichol the rider of PROFESSOR PLUM (IRE), and Conor O’Farrell the rider of ANGE DES MALBERAUX (FR), were interviewed and shown recordings of the incident. The Stewards were satisfied that no other horse or rider was involved and the incident was caused by STAIGUE FORT clipping the heels of PROFESSOR PLUM (IRE).
Race 7 - 5:00pm THE PLAY ROULETTE AT 188BET CASINO MARES' INTERMEDIATE OPEN NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE (CLASS 5) (NHMOPS Bonus Race) Permission was given for INDIAN OPERA to be led in at the start. View Stewards report Towcester, 14 Feb 18 Fixture Note An enquiry was held, adjourned from Towcester on 8 February 2018 into Gavin Sheehan, the rider of THE LION DANCER (IRE) remounting, having fallen, and riding back without his horse being examined by a Veterinary Surgeon. After being interviewed, in the presence of the Veterinary Officer and the two Veterinary Surgeons on duty that day, Sheehan was suspended for 4 days.
The Veterinary Officer reported that GRAND INTRODUCTION (IRE) had been allocated Box 22 in the yard, but for superstitious reasons the stable representative of Fergal O'Brien, the trainer, asked if she could have Box 85, from which the horse won last week. When she approached the box she noted that it had not been cleaned and it still had the remains of foodstuffs on the floor, so she took the gelding to Box 86 instead. The Stewards noted her explanation. Race 1 - 2:10pm THE SKY BET BRITAIN'S MOST POPULAR ONLINE BOOKMAKER HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 5) Permission was given for SCARTARE (IRE) to go early to post.
The winner, MINELLA VOUCHER, appeared to show improved form compared with its previous run at Fontwell Park on 11 December 2017, where the gelding finished sixth of ten, beaten 32 ½ lengths. Alexander Dunn’s explanation that her yard had been out of form in November and December and she had given all her horses a week off, since when they now appear to be running well, was noted. MINELLA VOUCHER was routine tested.
Race 2 - 2:40pm THE CALL STARSPORTS ON 0800 521321 NOVICES' HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 4) Following the race Alain Cawley reported that GRAND INTRODUCTION (IRE), which was pulled up, jumped poorly throughout. The Veterinary Officer reported that a post-race examination of the gelding, during routine testing, found it to be lame left fore.
Race 4 - 3:40pm THE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER NOVICES' HURDLE RACE (CLASS 4) An enquiry was held to consider why Ben Pauling was running DELIRE D’ESTRUVAL (FR) here at Towcester on going described as heavy, soft in places, having declared the gelding a non-runner at Exeter on 11 February 2018 on ground with the same official description. The trainer's representative stated that the trainer did not want to run DELIRE D’ESTRUVAL (FR) over two miles seven furlongs in testing ground at Exeter but was happy to run over the shorter trip of two miles here at Towcester.
Permission was given for BABYTAGGLE (IRE) to go early to post and for CLOUDY GLEN (IRE) to be mounted in the chute.
Following the race the Veterinary Officer reported that the winner, DELIRE D'ESTRUVAL (FR), lost its left fore shoe.
Race 5 - 4:10pm THE starspreads.com HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 5) Permission was given for BADILOU (FR) to go early to post. View Stewards report Lingfield Park, 14 Feb 18 Race 1 - 1:50pm THE 32Red CASINO CLAIMING STAKES (CLASS 6) BREAKFAST (IRE) wore a nose net.
Following the race, Dougie Costello reported that BREAKFAST (IRE), placed fourth, ran too free.
Race 2 - 2:20pm THE 32Redpoker.com HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 5) Permission was given for CRISTAL PALLAS CAT (IRE) to wear a hood in the Parade Ring.
An enquiry was held to consider the placings in this race after interference on the run to the line when the winner, MARSHAL DAN (IRE), ridden by Luke Morris, interfered with GOLDEN FOOTSTEPS (IRE), placed second, ridden by Oisin Murphy. The Stewards considered that the interference had not improved MARSHAL DAN (IRE)’s placing as GOLDEN FOOTSTEPS (IRE) lost little to no momentum despite being taken slightly off its intended line. Morris was cautioned for careless riding as he had allowed his mount to drift right-handed without correction.
The performance of FIERY BREATH which finished seventh of nine, was considered. Robert Eddery could offer no explanation for the colt’s performance. The Veterinary Officer reported that a post-race examination of the colt during routine testing, failed to reveal any abnormalities.
The performance of BAD DOG, which finished eighth of nine, was considered. The representative of Michael Easterby explained that the gelding was unsuited by the step back in trip from 1m at Newcastle to 7F here at Lingfield, which is a sharper track. The explanation was noted.
Race 3 - 2:50pm THE BETWAY NOVICE MEDIAN AUCTION STAKES (CLASS 6) Approaching the final furlong, TAUREAN GOLD, unplaced, shifted right-handed at the same time as HEPTATHLETE (IRE), placed third, lugged left-handed, causing them to make contact, but after viewing a recording of the incident it was found that no riding offence was involved and it had not improved the placing of HEPTATHLETE (IRE).
Following the race, Mitch Godwin reported that TAUREAN GOLD, unplaced, hung right-handed throughout, and Dougie Costello reported that LEGAL MIND, unplaced ran green.
Race 4 - 3:20pm THE 32Red.com HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) An enquiry was held into the running and riding of QUEEN OF KALAHARI, ridden by Callum Shepherd and trained by Les Eyre, which was eased entering the home straight to finish fourth of four, beaten by 11 lengths. Shepherd was interviewed and shown recordings of the race along with the Veterinary Officer who reported that a post-race examination of the filly failed to reveal any abnormalities. The rider explained that he had felt the filly lose its action rounding the final bend, which he had reported at Scales. He added that although QUEEN OF KALAHARI appeared to regain her action once eased, he felt it prudent to continue to ease her down which he was unable to do as quickly as he would have liked due to the pace of this 6 furlong race. His explanation was noted.
Race 6 - 4:20pm THE BETWAY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 6) TIDAL’S BABY, trained by A B Joyce, was fourth at Southwell the previous day. The Veterinary Officer reported that a pre-race examination of the gelding deemed it fit to race.
Permission was given for MAGIC APPROACH to go early to post.
The Starter reported TIDAL’S BABY was the subject of a third criteria failure. A B Joyce was informed that the gelding could not run until the day after passing a stalls test.
An enquiry was held to consider the placings in this race after two incidents of interference. In the first incident, approaching the final bend, AWESOME ALLAN (IRE), placed second, ridden by Katherine Glenister, interfered with PRIDE OF ANGELS, dead-heat third, ridden by Hector Crouch. The interference was found to be accidental as AWESOME ALLAN (IRE) had shifted right-handed when running keenly, before being corrected by Glenister. In the second incident, approaching the final furlong AWESOME ALLAN (IRE) again interfered with PRIDE OF ANGELS. Being a 7lb claimer, Glenister was offered to be accompanied in the enquiry, but declined. The Stewards considered that the interference had not improved AWESOME ALLAN (IRE)’s placing as the second incident had happened over a furlong before the winning line and Crouch only had to take a slight check, and there was 1 ¼ lengths between the two horses at the line. Glenister was suspended for 2 days for careless riding as she had allowed her mount to drift right-handed without correction.
Following the race, Katherine Glenister reported that AWESOME ALLAN (IRE), placed second, ran too free. The Veterinary Officer reported that STRATEGIC HEIGHTS (IRE), placed dead-heat third, had lost its right-hind shoe.
Race 7 - 4:50pm THE BETWAY CASINO HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 6) Following the race, Charlie Bennett reported that SPIRITUAL STAR (IRE), unplaced, was denied a clear run and Mitch Godwin reported that BOOKMAKER, placed eighth, reared as the stalls opened. The Veterinary Officer reported that LUXFORD, placed sixth, lost its left-hind shoe. View Stewards report Wolverhampton, 14 Feb 18 Race 1 - 5:15pm THE BET & WATCH AT sunbets.co.uk APPRENTICE HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 6) TELLOVOI (IRE) wore earplugs which were removed at the start.
It was noted that JOEY’S DESTINY (IRE), unplaced, lost a sheepskin cheek piece. The cheek piece was inspected post-race and as it was found to be in a serviceable condition no further action was taken.
Following the race, Andrew Breslin reported that CORPORAL MADDOX, unplaced, hung right-handed.
Race 2 - 5:45pm THE sunbets.co.uk MAIDEN STAKES (CLASS 5) (DIV I) SERVILIA, trained by Charles Hills, ran without it’s off fore shoe as the trainer had not indicated at declaration stage that the filly should be withdrawn in the event of losing a shoe on the way to post.
Following the race, Ben Curtis reported that MRS ANGEL (IRE), unplaced, hung right-handed throughout. The Veterinary Officer reported that SERVILIA, unplaced, lost its left fore shoe.
Race 4 - 6:45pm THE BETWAY CASINO HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 5) Permission was given for SILVANUS (IRE) to go early to post.
Race 6 - 7:45pm THE 32Red CASINO HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 6) Permission was given for ROCK ON BAILEYS to wear a hood in the Parade Ring and for GHOST and IDEAL SPIRIT to go early to post.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:39:09 GMT
Thursday: going, weather & non-runners Chelmsford (AW) GOING: POLYTRACK: STANDARD WEATHER: Showers STALLS: Inside Fontwell GOING: SOFT (Heavy in places) (GoingStick: 5.1) (Rail movements: R1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 +72y, R6 +36y) WEATHER: Light rain NON RUNNERS: 2:05 Doctor Bartolo (2) Kelso GOING: HEAVY (GoingStick 5.6) WEATHER: Partly cloudy Leicester GOING: SOFT (Heavy on the Flat course crossings) (GoingStick 5.7) (Rail movements: R1 & 4 +38y, R2, 3, 5 & 6 +54y) WEATHER: Sunny NON RUNNERS: 1:40 Lost In Newyork (6) 2:15 Must Havea Flutter (1) 3:20 Cobra De Mai (3) 3:55 Frank N Fair (5)
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:39:34 GMT
BANKER
Planet Nine (3.35 Kelso)
I was all over the extremely well-treated Kansas City Chief on the back of an easy Doncaster win in a 3m1½f handicap hurdle at Catterick at the start of this month and, despite hitting the front at the last, he went down on his sword to Planet Nine. Rose Dobbin's six-year-old took a huge jump up in trip that day but stayed on very well to the line and the fact he could beat Neil Mulholland's runner suggests he's also very well treated. He's only been upped 7lb for that victory and the unexposed six-year-old can follow up here.
5/2 Planet Nine 3:35 Kelso GOOD THING
Paddy A (5.55 Chelmsford)
The four-year-olds look to have this between them and the vote goes to the topweight Paddy A, who is fitted with a first-time visor and returns to the course and distance he was successful over in May 2017. He had the perfect run through that day from stall three and was eased down to score by a length off a mark of 67. Since then he's been campaigned over an array of trips, but he looks best at a mile and the handicapper has dropped him to a mark 4lb lower than that Chelmsford win. Ian Williams has secured the booking of the fantastic Simon Walker.
11/8 Paddy A 5:55 Chelmsford (AW) Let our experts point you in the direction of the winners with invaluable punting pointers delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up here to get our free newsletter every week
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:40:22 GMT
Better Getalong 2.25 Kelso 1pt win
15/8 Better Getalong 2:25 Kelso Crosspark 2.45 Leicester 1pt win 15/8 Crosspark 2:45 Leicester Turban 4.20 Fontwell 1pt win 4/1 Turban 4:20 Fontwell The Morebattle Hurdle meeting is Kelso's biggest raceday of the year and the feature contest, sponsored by Timeform (2.25), looks well up to scratch with five closely-matched runners. It's easy to make a case for all of the field, but the one I feel has the strongest credentials is Better Getalong for trainer Nicky Richards.
The seven-year-old has been very consistent throughout his career, with his only finish outside the top three from seven starts coming when midfield in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last season.
His best performance so far this term came when third in a Grade 2 novices' hurdle behind Slate House over 2m½f at Cheltenham, and the way he was staying on up the hill suggests he should be able to get this 2m2f trip.
Last month at Ayr he was workmanlike rather than flashy when dispatching inferior rivals at long odds-on, and the Morebattle was mentioned post-race as a target so this has been the plan for a while.
Although connections have suggested better ground could help Better Getalong, he handles testing conditions, which he will encounter again, as proven when winning a bumper over 2m on this card last year.
Returning to the scene of a previous success might enable Crosspark to get back in the winner's enclosure in the Weatherbys Racing Bank Handicap Chase (2.45 Leicester).
The only course-and-distance winner in the six-strong field, Crosspark ran with plenty of credit in the Grade 3 Classic Chase at Warwick last time out when fourth.
That was over 3m5f and, while his stamina did start to ebb in the closing stages, dropping back to 2m4f on Thursday will be no problem as he won this race 12 months ago.
He was successful off a mark of 132 last year and is only 2lb higher this time around. Trainer Caroline Bailey has been doing very well at the track this season, with two winners from only three runners, while the booking of champion jockey Richard Johnson is another plus.
A small field should also suit, as Crosspark has not won under rules in a field with more than eight runners. There are lots of reasons to expect a bold show.
Now 11-years-old, Turban is not the same horse that won the competitive and valuable Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse in 2014, but I still think he has enough ability to get his head in front again.
The veteran chaser takes a drop in class for the Liberty Leasing Asset Finance Handicap Chase (4.20 Fontwell), which represents one of his easiest tasks for a while.
Since joining Paul Henderson, having formerly been with Willie Mullins in Ireland, Turban has not been tried in 0-110 company, and it was only three starts ago that he was runner-up at Wincanton in a 0-120 race.
On his last two starts at Kempton (2m4½f) and Exeter (2m1½f) he has been outpaced, so Thursday's longer trip should be a help.
He does stay three miles and beyond, with his sole win for Henderson coming over 3m1½f at Plumpton, but there will still be a lot of emphasis placed on stamina at Fontwell, with the ground heavy in places on Wednesday with more rain forecast.
The main danger looks to be Shockingtimes, but his jumping can often let him down and he has to carry 4lb more than Turban.
What I learned in the last week . . .
There have been some nice types running on the all-weather and I'll be keeping an eye on two recent winners for the rest of the winter and then when the turf begins.
At Chelmsford, Commander Han gained an emphatic first victory with a seven-length romp for Kevin Ryan. The bare form is nothing special, but he's a big, imposing colt who should be capable of better.
Star Archer has made up for lost time after a lengthy absence and gained a second win earlier this week at Wolverhampton. He is a Pattern performer in waiting.
Members can read the latest exclusive tipping content such as Pricewise and Paul Kealy from 8pm daily on racingpost.com
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:40:52 GMT
Crosspark can get back to winning ways in the 2.45 at Leicester. The eight-year-old drops in grade, won the race last year and looks fairly treated now just 2lb higher than for that success.
Keith Dalgleish’s runners are worth noting at Kelso as he is operating at a 35 per cent strike-rate. Taxmeifyoucan (1.55) and Mac N Cheese (3.35) can enhance the trainer’s excellent record at the venue.
Vettori Rules is interesting in the 6.30 at Chelmsford now he is fitted with a first-time tongue tie. The course-and-distance winner’s trainer Gay Kelleway has a 33 per cent strike-rate when employing the aid.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:44:15 GMT
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 9:44:42 GMT
Kelso
Robin Goodfellow
1.25 Elusive Theatre
1.55 Sam’s Gunner
2.25 Better Getalong
3.00 Big River
3.35 Planet Nine
4.05 Sir Jack Yeats
4.40 Hitman Fred
Gimcrack
1.25 Elusive Theatre
1.55 Taxmeifyoucan
2.25 Cyrus Darius
3.00 Big River
3.35 Ryedale Racer
4.05 Al Co
4.40 Hitman Fred
SAM'S AT IT AGAIN
Sam Turner (Robin Goodfellow) continued his sparkling run of success yesterday when Marshal Dan (10-1) landed a second successive nap for our in-form tipster at Lingfield. On Tuesday, Turner had five winners and a second place at Southwell.
Chelmsford City
Robin Goodfellow
5.55 Paddy A
6.30 Mambo Dancer
7.00 Sir Hamilton
7.30 Spare Parts
8.00 Locommotion
8.30 Justice Rock
9.00 Volturnus (nb)
Gimcrack
5.55 Ted’s Brother
6.30 Mambo Dancer (nap)
7.00 Beautiful Memory (nb)
7.30 Spare Parts
8.00 Harbour Patrol
8.30 Be Bold
9.00 Volturnus
Fontwell
Robin Goodfellow
2.05 Doctor Bartolo
2.35 Distingo
3.10 Rothman
3.45 Minellatillmorning
4.20 Turban
4.55 Scorpion Haze
Gimcrack
2.05 Doctor Bartolo
2.35 Don’t Tell George
3.10 Rothman
3.45 Minellatillmorning
4.20 Redmond
4.55 Jaytrack Parkhomes
Leicester
Robin Goodfellow
1.40 Glance Back
2.15 Dylanseoghan
2.45 Crosspark (nap)
3.20 Tree Of Liberty
3.55 Two Smokin Barrels
4.30 Hazel Hill
Gimcrack
1.40 Skipping On
2.15 Psychocandy
2.45 O Maonlai
3.20 Tree Of Liberty
3.55 Tara Mist
4.30 Hazel Hill
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Post by dennisg on Feb 15, 2018 9:50:26 GMT
in today's sporting life........... A round-up of the action from Towcester on Wednesday as Robin Dickin's Oneida Tribe gained deserved compensation. Robin Dickin had a smile on his face after Oneida Tribe (7/2) gained compensation for his disqualification at Bangor last time out with victory at Towcester on Wednesday. Having initially dead-heated at the Welsh track last month, the nine-year-old was placed second after stewards found he had interfered with Pinch Of Ginger on the run to the line. Following a further look at the race, Oneida Tribe was actually judged to have crossed the line in first, but the result remained unaltered due to the original decision of the stewards. Oneida Tribe left those memories firmly behind when opening his account under rules in the Call Starsports On 0800 521321 Novices' Handicap Chase (Click for full result and FREE video replay). Dickin said: "It has been a long-term plan this race. He won it in the manner I thought he might. The two I was most concerned about had recently run in heavy ground and they had to be tough characters to beat mine today. "The Devon National (is an option), I'm not sure he would get in the weights and it might come a bit quick (February 23). I would quite like to run him in a long distance race. "There is one later in March over three miles and five furlongs at Warwick. I am sure we will have some fun with him." Minella Voucher (4/1) survived a mistake at the last before taking the Sky Bet Britain's Most Popular Online Bookmaker Handicap Hurdle by a neck. Richard Wiltshire, who runs Blue Blood Syndications, said of the Alex Dunn-trained winner: "He has been showing a lot at home but it has not come out on track. It is a relief to a certain extent. He runs in the blue and white silks which are the colours of Bristol Rovers and they won last night with a wonder goal and he has won today, so I am very happy." Know The Score created a big impression on his debut for David Pipe when paying back a small slice of the £380,000 connections paid for him with an impressive 13-length victory in the concluding bumper. Tom Scudamore, winning jockey, said of the 1/2 winner: "He is a lovely horse and he has been working nicely at home. He is a gorgeous individual and it was a good performance. That was a great way for him to start and hopefully that is the beginning of bigger and better things." Daryl Jacob moved to within one winner of reaching half a century for the season after steering the Ben Pauling-trained Delire D'Estruval (11/8) to glory by nine lengths in the Follow Us On Twitter Novices' Hurdle. Jacob said: "We knew he would stay as we had him entered over three miles at Exeter on Sunday. We just thought with this ground we would come back to two miles as it is a bit easier." RIDE OF THE DAY Zac Baker was hard at work for a long way before seeing his persistence pay off aboard the Geoffrey Maundrell-trained Tambura in the three-mile mares' handicap hurdle. PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY Know The Score may have cost a small fortune, but he looked a potential star when winning what could be a useful bumper. QUOTE OF THE DAY Robin Dickin may now have his way with Oneida Tribe after taking the advice of Adrian Heskin this time. He said: "The jockey suggested that I run him off top weight in a lower grade race because he is such a big horse. Now I want to have my way and run him off 10st against some good ones!"
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Post by dennisg on Feb 15, 2018 9:52:23 GMT
A round-up of the action from Musselburgh on Wednesday as trainer Keith Dalgleish enjoyed a double. Trainer Keith Dalgleish and jockey Brian Hughes enjoyed a double with Irish imports Silver Concorde and Delegate at Musselburgh. Delegate, formerly with Gordon Elliott, ended Divine Spear's unbeaten record over fences with a polished display in the 188Bet Mobile Novices' Chase (Click for full result and FREE video replay) on just his second start for Dalgleish. Running for the first time since a wind operation, Delegate (13/2) travelled nicely throughout before Hughes asked him to go past the pace-setting Derintoher Yank at the third-last fence. Divine Spear was unable to get close enough to threaten the eight-year-old, who went on to score by seven lengths. "He'd been travelling well in his races then going out like a light. We gave him a wind op and it's obviously worked," said the Carluke handler. "It was the first time he'd been working well at home." Silver Concorde enjoyed a cosy success over the subsequently disqualified The Road Home in a match for the 188bet.co.uk Download The App Novices' Hurdle to win at the track for a third time. The 10-year-old, who was with Dermot Weld until late in the autumn, won as a 1/6 shot should as he led from the eighth flight and cruised home by five lengths. "It was good for Silver Concorde as obviously he got beat last time, so this will do his confidence a power of good," said Dalgleish. The runner-up was thrown out after jockey Derek Fox weighed in 2lb light. The stewards banned Fox for two days and fined trainer Lucinda Russell £500. Visored for the first time, Mahler Lad (8/1) ran his rivals ragged as he made all under Lorcan Murtagh in the Enhanced Place Odds At 188Bet Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase. Dun Faw Good tried to mount a challenge from after three out, but he was shrugged aside by Donald McCain's charge, who scored by five lengths. McCain doubled up on Nefyn Bay (4/1 favourite), ridden by his daughter Abbie, in the Champions League Betting At 188Bet Handicap Hurdle. The well-backed Nendrum (7/4 favourite) won at the track for the second time this season when making all in Play Betting At 188Bet Novices' Handicap Hurdle. Jamie Hamilton was positive from the start on the Sandy Thomson-trained nine-year-old, who pulled out more when Charmant looked a danger to gain a three-length verdict, as the conditional rode out his claim.
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Post by dennisg on Feb 15, 2018 9:54:46 GMT
Might Bite is one of 27 horses still in contention for the Timico Gold Cup following the scratchings stage for the six championship races at next month's Cheltenham Festival. Nicky Henderson's charge is 3/1 favourite with Sky Bet for the blue riband following his victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Other leading contenders includes last year winner Sizing John, trained by Jessica Harrington, and Colin Tizzard's Native River, who was third in last year's renewal and made a successful reappearance in the Denman Chase at Newbury on Saturday. Sizing John is one of 15 remaining Irish hopefuls, with Coney Island (Eddie Harty), Killultagh Vic (Willie Mullins) and Road To Respect (Noel Meade) all still in the mix. A total of 11 horses have been scratched including Bristol De Mai, Cloudy Dream and the 2015 Gold Cup hero Coneygree. Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup - Sky Bet odds (NRNB & BOG) Altior and Douvan are the headline acts among 21 remaining entries for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Henderson-trained Altior proved he had lost none of his ability when making a sparkling return in the Game Spirit at Newbury last weekend, while Willie Mullins' Douvan, who was at one stage ruled out for the season, could return in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this coming Saturday. Mullins could also call upon Dublin Chase winner Min, Un De Sceaux and has not yet taken out Yorkhill, despite his disappointing run at Leopardstown at the start of the month. Last year's Champion Chase hero Special Tiara looks set to defend his crown for Henry de Bromhead, but nine horses have been taken out, including Ruth Jefferson's Waiting Patiently ahead of his run at Ascot this weekend. Altior on his way to victory at Newbury Altior: Heads entries for Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase Waiting Patiently is still in the Ryanair Chase, along with 27 others. Last year's winner Un De Sceaux, Top Notch, Fox Norton, Min and Douvan all still hold an entry in the two-mile-five-furlong Grade One. The 16 horses to have been scratched include Gold Cup hopefuls Double Shuffle and Road To Respect and Total Recall. Buveur D'Air is long odds-on to retain his crown in the Unibet Champion Hurdle and will face a maximum of 18 rivals, barring any late supplementary entries. Faugheen is still in the mix, along with stablemates Yorkhill and Min, while Buveur D'Air looks set to be joined by his stable companion My Tent Or Yours, who has finished second in the Champion Hurdle on three occasions. Just four horses have been taken out and they include last year's Triumph Hurdle winner Defi Du Seuil, who has failed to rediscover his best form so far this season, and The New One, who is set to step up in trip for the Sun Bet Stayers' Hurdle. The New One is one of 26 remaining contenders for that three-mile event. His main rivals include Irish Champion Hurdle winner Supasundae, Jedd O'Keeffe's stable star Sam Spinner, last year's Albert Bartlett winner Penhill and Yanworth, who still has the option of returning to the smaller obstacles despite running over fences so far this term. Twelve horses have been removed including the 2015 winner Cole Harden, Bapaume and Willoughby Court. Cole Harden: Taken out of the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle Apple's Jade is still in the Champion Hurdle and the Stayers' Hurdle, but connections have insisted she will bid for successive victories in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle, for which she will be a hot favourite. Gordon Elliott's six-year-old probably has most to fear from a battalion of entries for her former trainer Mullins including Benie Des Dieux, Let's Dance and Vroum Vroum Mag. The 27 remaining entries also include the Warren Greatrex-trained La Bague Au Roi, who is still in the Stayers' Hurdle. The six scratchings include Copper Kay and Dame Rose. Check out the latest Racing Podcast Click on the image to listen to the latest Racing Podcast Related horse racing links
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Post by dennisg on Feb 15, 2018 9:56:34 GMT
Nick Grant makes Mambo Dancer his best bet at Chelmsford on Thursday - and he has a tip for every race in the UK and Ireland. Mambo Dancer can add to his gains this winter with victory in the Bet Exacta At totesport.com Handicap at Chelmsford. The Mark Johnston-trained four-year-old has two wins from three outings so far this year, most recently at Wolverhampton earlier this month. Racing over an extended two miles, he did really well to chase down Seaport after that one kicked three furlongs out, getting on top deep inside the final furlong and having plenty in hand of the strong-finishing Suegioo at the line. He has another 5lb to overcome for that success, but with only three previous outings at this sort of trip, there is room for a bit more progression yet. Beautiful Memory can continue her progression in the Eat, Drink, Celebrate At channelsestate.co.uk Novice Stakes. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained filly showed promise in two seven-furlong juvenile starts, including when third in a useful novice event at this track in October, and it was no surprise to see her run out a very easy winner on her reappearance here last month. Check out the latest Racing Podcast Click on the image to listen to the latest Racing Podcast All-weather sensation Spare Parts can add to his tally in the Bet Trifecta At totesport.com Handicap. The Phil McEntee-trained four-year-old has been one of the stories of the winter season, rattling up five victories so far this year, the latest coming in what was a decent race for the grade at Wolverhampton last weekend. Easy to back at Dunstall Park, he proved the market wrong to win from a career-high mark. Considering his trainer thought he might have been lacking a bit in sharpness after what for him was a mini-break, he should be cherry ripe for win number six of the campaign. Harbour Patrol can back up a recent Wolverhampton success in division one of the Bet Scoop6 At totesport.com Handicap, with Be Bold looking a reasonable option in the second division of the seven-furlong event. Cyrus Darius can return to form and capture the Timeform Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso for the second successive year on Thursday. The nine-year-old went on to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle after comfortably beating One For Harry by seven lengths last February, but he was well behind Buveur D'Air. Now after three runs over fences this season, connections have decided to revert to the smaller obstacles. It would be a great achievement and poignant should Ruth Jefferson saddle Cyrus Darius to victory after taking over the reins from her late father, Malcolm. Since making a winning debut over fences on this track in October, Big River rather lost his way at Haydock but showed signs of a revival when third at Warwick last time out. Trainer Lucinda Russell sends him back to the Borders venue for the Ivan Straker Memorial Chase over the same distance of two miles, seven and a half furlongs and the eight-year-old is certainly worth another chance. Chris Gordon's team is in pretty good heart and Rothman can give the Hampshire trainer success in the Injured Jockeys Fund Chase at Fontwell. The eight-year-old ran a decent race when second to Mercian Prince at Kempton a month ago and can go one better. Tara Mist pulled up last time out at Newbury but in truth she was a little out of her depth behind the classy Ms Parfois and will find things a lot easier in the Wren Mares' Handicap Chase at Leicester. Henry Daly was operating at a 30 per cent strike rate last month and this lightly-raced nine-year-old has more to offer at this sort of trip. Sporting Life suggestions: CHELMSFORD: 5.55 Ted's Brother, 6.30 MAMBO DANCER (NAP), 7.00 Beautiful Memory, 7.30 Spare Parts, 8.00 Harbour Patrol, 8.30 Be Bold, 9.00 Volturnus. FONTWELL: 2.05 Doctor Bartolo, 2.35 Don't Tell George, 3.10 Rothman, 3.45 Minellatillmorning, 4.20 Redmond, 4.55 Jaytrack Parkhomes. KELSO: 1.25 Elusive Theatre, 1.55 Taxmeifyoucan, 2.25 Cyrus Darius, 3.00 Big River, 3.35 Ryedale Racer, 4.05 Al Co, 4.40 Hitman Fred. LEICESTER: 1.40 Skipping On, 2.15 Must Havea Flutter, 2.45 O Maonlai, 3.20 Tree Of Liberty, 3.55 Tara Mist, 4.30 Hazel Hill. DOUBLE: Mambo Dancer and Beautiful Memory.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 12:16:07 GMT
Ruby Walsh hopes to be riding out by the end of next week with a return to the track imminent.
Walsh has been out of action since November 18 when he broke his leg in a fall from Let's Dance at Punchestown, but he has always maintained he would be back in time for the Cheltenham Festival.
"Initially, I would have said I'd be back race riding for the Red Mills Chase Day at Gowran (on Saturday), but that was probably a bit unrealistic," he told his Paddy Power blog.
"So, if it's not the weekend of the 24th, hopefully it'll be the weekend after.
"I could even be riding out by the end of next week. Things are going well, I just need to be patient and not do myself any damage. There's no real pain any more, but things can't be rushed."
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 12:17:24 GMT
Musselburgh's racing future has been thrown into further uncertainty after the latest eruption in the constantly simmering civil war between between the track's local council owners and the racing figures central to its management.
The Racing Post understands East Lothian Council has laid out plans to drastically alter the way in which Musselburgh is run, with a favoured proposal that would, in effect, make the popular venue a council-managed racecourse.
It was only in July that a long game of poker finally came to an end when council leader Willie Innes bowed to BHA demands for an independent review of Musselburgh's governance. The council has failed to make public the findings of that Pinsent Masons review, but its own preference, which could be ratified at an ELC meeting on February 27, would lead to all Musselburgh's staff ceasing to be employees of the Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee – the body made up four council appointees and three racing members that currently runs the racecourse – and instead placed on the ELC payroll.
While there is nothing to stop ELC taking that action, the BHA would need to be satisfied about any new governing structure if it is to extend the track's temporary licence to race, which at the moment expires two days after Musselburgh's Flat fixture on April 5.
A BHA spokesman said: "At present it is a matter for East Lothian Council and the racecourse to determine the approach that they will take to reform the governance of the racecourse. The BHA has not yet been formally informed of the direction that will be taken following the conclusion of the independent governance review.
"Once a proposal is made, the BHA will consider the proposal and assess the situation with the racecourse’s licence, which is currently in place on a temporary basis through to 7 April 2018."
On Monday Councillor Fiona O'Donnell, acting chair of the MJRC, and executive colleague Carlo Grilli visited the racecourse and informed staff of ELC's desire to bring Musselburgh and its 15 permanent staff under control.
The council's wish is thought to be for there to be a new ruling structure of four councillors and two racing representatives. However, these would not be drawn from the Lothian Racing Syndicate, which has until now provided the necessary racing expertise to the MJRC.
It is also believed that prominent racehorse owner Raymond Anderson Green and Robert Miller Bakewell have turned down the council's invitation to occupy the two 'racing' seats on the remodelled Musselburgh board.
LRS chairman John Prideaux - who revealed he had only recently discovered ELC changed the racecourse's status to an associate committee of the council five years ago – said: "Following a wholly unsatisfactory meeting on Monday, when Councillor O’Donnell told the staff that they would become council employees after the February 27 council meeting, the staff are completely demoralised.
"If ELC continue with this ill-thought out plan it will almost certainly end in court action.
"In addition, the council’s proposals are most unlikely to persuade the British Horseracing Authority to extend the current temporary licence, which allows the racecourse to hold race meetings. The racecourse would then be in danger of permanent closure."
An ELC spokesperson said: "Pinsent Masons carried out an independent review which presented a number of options for the future governance of the racecourse and these are under consideration.
"The council is keen to expedite matters while working constructively with the LRS, and Councillor O’Donnell has been keeping the racecourse’s valued employees informed during this process."
Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 12:19:35 GMT
Almost exactly 100 years ago, a 40-year-old woman stood among the Derby Day throng at Tattenham Corner, waiting for the horses to come by. She wasn't interested in the form, she wasn't bothered about a bet. Instead, she was planning to do something to make everyone take notice, something to make her name resound around the world.
Her plan was certainly successful, although not in the way she had imagined. As the leading runners sped by, Emily Wilding Davison stepped under the running rail, into the path of the chasing group, into the pages of history.
The years just before the Great War have been sundappled by nostalgia as the last contented sigh of Englishness before the world went mad, went modern. However, that smooth veneer of an England in which there was always honey for tea masked a fomenting political situation that highlighted the plain unfairness of what was assuredly a man's world.
The topic of 'votes for women' was something of a cause celebre in the first decade of the 20th century. Despite the Reform Act of 1832 women were denied the vote – as were around 40 per cent of men. The women's suffrage movement had existed in a coherent fashion since 1872, but the stakes were raised in 1903 when Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women's Social and Political Union, which adopted a militant stance and employed controversial tactics such as arson, vandalism and demonstrations to pursue its cause.
Adherents of the suffrage movement were called suffragists; with the advent of the relative lawlessness of the WSPU the Daily Mail coined the term 'suffragettes' to distinguish the militants, no doubt also terming them 'those dreadful women'. Davison joined the WSPU in 1906 and began a vigorous campaign for the cause.
'A renegade, a maverick, almost uncontrollable'
Davison, who earned first-class honours degrees from Oxford and London University, was a teachergoverness to a family in Northampton until devoting her time and energies to the WSPU on a full-time basis in 1908. She was a true firebrand activist who was imprisoned many times for various offences, went on hunger strike in prison and while there was subjected to the vile policy of force-feeding then prevalent.
Her efforts promoted her up and then down the hierarchy of the WSPU, as author Michael Tanner, whose book The Suffragette Derby has just been published by Robson Press, explains.
"In October 1911 Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of the WSPU, left Britain to embark on a tour of the US," says Tanner. "The small farewell party included Davison, which indicates just how close she was to the inner circle at that time.
"However, by 1913, Davison had become pushed to the margins of the organisation and was regarded as a renegade, a maverick, almost uncontrollable. At a time when public opinion was shifting towards the suffragettes, two incidents involving Davison were considered extremely unhelpful by the WSPU.
"In 1912-13 she began a campaign of incendiarism, setting fire to letterboxes, which of course did not go down well with those whose personal correspondence was burned. Another incident took place in Aberdeen [see accompanying panel] that resulted in further embarrassment for the WSPU and further distaste for Davison's stunts."
Davison, now practically a pariah within her own sisterhood, had become dangerously unpredictable as she sought to advance the suffragette cause. When she boarded a train from Victoria to Epsom on Wednesday June 4, 1913 she was acting on her own instincts; the WSPU did not know of her plans and almost certainly would not have condoned them if it had been aware.
She was almost poverty-stricken now – Tanner describes how she was basically existing on postal orders sent by her sister Letitia – and perhaps she saw the opportunity to do something at Epsom that would vouchsafe her return to the mainstream of the WSPU. She bought a return ticket to the racecourse, putting it in her purse along with a helper's pass for the WSPU summer festival in Kensington that evening, although as Tanner points out her certain arrest for any stunt performed at Epsom would have made attendance there impossible in any case.
That morning she had visited the WSPU offices and obtained two flags in its colours of purple, white and green – purple for nobility and dignity, white for purity both in private and in public, green for hope and the colour of spring. The WSPU motto was 'Deeds, not words'; Davison, a copious essayist and letter-writer, was good with words but it was her final deed that was to ensure her place in history.
There has surely never been a race anywhere as dramatic as the 1913 Derby, the outcome of which is dissected in full in Tanner's book. The winner Craganour – a most unlucky horse – was disqualified after a stewards' inquiry based as much upon the personal animosity between steward Eustace Loder (who had bred Craganour) and the horse's owner Bower Ismay as on any foul play in-running, and the race awarded to 100-1 chance Aboyeur.
Milestones for women’s rights
1907 Reina Emily Lawrence is first woman councillor in Britain
1918 Women over 30 granted right to vote
1919 Nancy Astor becomes first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons
1928 Vote given to women on same terms as men
1929 Margaret Bondfield appointed Minister for Labour, the first woman in the Cabinet
1958 Life Peerages Act entitles women to sit in House of Lords
1975 Margaret Thatcher becomes first woman to lead major political party in Britain
1979 Thatcher is first woman Prime Minister in Europe
1981 Baroness Young first woman to be Leader of the Lords
It is a fascinating tale but a tale for another time, for our attention lies further up the track, where a 40-year-old woman is wriggling through the densely packed crowd towards the running rail - and squeezing underneath it.
The bald facts of what followed are widely known. Davison emerged on to the track after the first group of horses had gone by and was narrowly missed by two others before being knocked to the ground by one of the stragglers.
The horse in question was Anmer, a 50-1 outsider owned by King George V, and thus another thick coating of circumstance is applied to the affair.
Davison sustained severe internal injuries and was rendered unconscious in the collision – horse and jockey Herbert Jones were relatively unscathed – and was taken to Epsom Cottage Hospital where, despite an operation to relieve pressure on her brain, she never regained consciousness and died four days later. The coroner's verdict was misadventure, the cause of death 'fracture of the base of the skull'.
'That the horse was the king's was doubtless an accident'
What were Davison's motives? We can be all but certain that martyrdom was not part of the plan. Davison was a well-practised publicist who would have relished the opportunity to cause a great scene and then explain her motives at length. Death would have robbed her of that opportunity, and there is also the evidence of the return train ticket and the helper's pass for that evening's summer festival, which were discovered when her pockets were searched at the hospital by Sergeant Frank Bunn, one of 50 policemen deployed around the racecourse to thwart the threat of potential suffragette action. Bunn also found a handkerchief with Davison's name embroidered on it, which was how she was first identified.
It is now widely recognised that Davison's intention was to stop the Derby, or to stop one of the horses in the race, and display one of the WSPU
flags she had collected that morning, attaching it to the horse’s bridle or simply brandishing it, thereby flying the flag for the cause.
Davison did not deliberately select the King’s horse for this end, nor did she deliberately throw herself under Anmer’s hooves. The Times reported: “The general impression of those who saw the incident at close quarters seemed to be that the woman had seized hold of the first horse she could reach – which happened to be the King’s. That the horse was the King’s was doubtless an accident.”
In the newsreel coverage of the episode Davison can clearly be seen raising her arms – as though to grab hold of the bridle or possibly even in shock at the unwinding chain of events – before Anmer runs her down, leaving her crumpled form in his wake and sending her hat rolling in the Epsom grass.
That it was Anmer and not one of the other 14 runners was pure luck, yet pure gold for publicity’s sake. Given her location, Davison could have had no inkling of the progress of the race or the position of the horses. It was sheer fluke that her path crossed with Anmer and not another horse – had she been standing slightly to one side it would have been Agadir who cannoned into her instead.
“Anmer was a gift horse to the WSPU,” says Tanner. “It allowed it to encourage the idea that Davison had been ‘done in’ by the State.
“Yet there were far better ways for Davison to accomplish her goal – both in intent and in execution her plan was deluded, a disaster waiting to happen.
“She could have walked down to the start and unfurled her banners there, thus either holding up the Derby or preventing it being run. She could have invaded the parade, which was also covered by the newsreels, and conveyed her message in much greater safety.
“The Derby was the third race of the day, and the first two races had been run down the straight course starting from the chute. Perhaps Davison imagined that the Derby would be run in the same way, and that her position at Tattenham Corner was ideal for her purpose.
“The best that may be said of Davison’s demise is that if she did manage to register it was a horse carrying the King’s purple jacket bearing down on her, she at least walked into the cold, dark hereafter with her heart warmed by a glow of satisfaction – because a royal executioner gifted her immortality far beyond the compass of the 14 other potential headsmen.”
In death, the maverick Davison was arguably of greater assistance to the WSPU than she was in life. The Suffragette, the WSPU’s weekly newspaper, portrayed an angel on its front page with the caption ‘In honour and in loving, reverent memory of Emily Wilding Davison. She died for women’.
Not everyone thought of her that way, of course. Queen Mary sent Anmer’s jockey Jones a telegram that commented upon the ‘abominable conduct of a brutal lunatic woman’, and other opinions were not nearly so polite, yet her actions had made Davison a martyr for the cause and the WSPU ensured that her funeral resembled a state occasion.
Her coffin was followed through the streets of London by 6,000 suffragettes, with the public lining the pavements in their thousands to pay their respects as the hearse passed. Davison’s body was taken by rail to Morpeth, Northumberland, whence her family came, and 30,000 attended her funeral in the quiet graveyard of St Mary the Virgin. Her stone was inscribed with the legend ‘Deeds Not Words’.
The following year war broke out, and the contribution made by women during the conflict – allied to the earlier campaign for suffrage, which was suspended between 1914 and 1918 – encouraged the government to introduce new legislation. In 1918 women over the age of 30 were granted the vote (with restrictions based on property ownership). In 1928, the Representation of the People Act enfranchised all women and all men over the age of 21.
Davison didn’t live to cast a vote, of course, but her place in the pantheon of electoral reform and of women’s rights is unimpeachable, indelible. If she could have foreseen the future at the precise moment that Anmer bore down upon her, she would indeed have walked into Tanner’s hereafter with that rosy glow of satisfaction.
Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 12:29:18 GMT
Wolverhampton, 14 Feb 18 Race 1 - 5:15pm THE BET & WATCH AT sunbets.co.uk APPRENTICE HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 6) TELLOVOI (IRE) wore earplugs which were removed at the start.
An enquiry was held into the running and riding of BIG AMIGO (IRE), ridden by Ryan Holmes and trained by Daniel Loughnane, which, having broken level from the stalls, was allowed to drop back and sit well adrift of the field in rear before being asked for a belated effort in the home straight, to finish sixth, beaten by 7¾ lengths. The rider and the trainer were interviewed and shown recordings of the race; the Handicapper offered observations and the Veterinary Officer reported that a post-race examination of the gelding failed to reveal any abnormalities. The rider stated his instructions were to jump out, sit handy and kick on from 2 furlongs out. However, he acknowledged that he had misjudged the race as he thought the leading group had gone off too fast, had allowed BIG AMIGO (IRE) to lose too much ground in the back straight and should have asked the gelding to keep closer order. The trainer stated his instructions were to sit no more than 2½ lengths off the leaders and by failing to be more positive had lost the gelding any chance of a better position. He further added that he did not feel the ride accorded with his instructions and he was not satisfied with the ride given. Holmes was suspended for 10 days for failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure his horse was run on its merits in that he had given away too much ground in the early stages and was too late in asking his horse for an effort.
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 17:10:18 GMT
Saturday Statistics
Haydock 3.15pm
Grand National Trial Handicap Chase 3m4½ (Grade 3)
Blaklion (3)The Dutchman (7) Three Faces West (8) Wild West Wind (8) Vieux Lion Rouge (10) Mysteree (14) Captain Chaos (16) Daklondike (16) Sir Mangan (16) Alfie Spinner (20) Emperors Choice (20) Silsol (20) Yala Enki (20)Joe Farrell (40) Krackatoa King (40)
3m 4f Handicap Chase. 18 renewals since 1998 The only similar race in February
Past winner had these Chase runs 8 11 11 14 5 11 13 11 14 5 5 11 7 6 9 3 Go back as far as 2011 Every winner had under 15 Chase runs Those with more were 0-72
Tread carefully with recent runs Horses running within 4 weeks are 2-68 Since 2008 all 42 that tried were beaten Horses from Handicap Chases Have a 0-63 record in this race
Horses aged 6 have not won this Since 1997 only 3 horses aged 6 tried All 3 of these horses unplaced Horses aged 7 last won back in 2007 All 17 horses Aged 7 lost since then The previous 10 winners were aged 8 +
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 17:15:06 GMT
James Burn, Lambourn correspondent Top Notch Betfair Ascot Chase
There are better and bigger horses at Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows stable, but it is hard to imagine any more popular than pocket rocket Top Notch, who is defying his size and stature on his way to becoming a really classy chaser.
Top Notch heads to the Betfair Ascot Chase on Saturday off the back of arguably his two best performances, which included a course-and-distance victory in the 1965 Chase, which has worked out well.
That stretched his unbeaten record at Ascot to three and testing ground is not a worry for the son of Poliglote, who won on heavy in France earlier in his career.
This race, which Henderson has won with Tiutchev and twice with Riverside Theatre, has been the main aim for a while and might just be Top Notch's Gold Cup, so expect him to be primed for a big performance.
Tom Park, ante-post focus Wild West Wind Betfred Grand National Trial Handicap Chase
As good as Blaklion is it would take an almighty performance to win a handicap off a mark of 161. That's not to say he is not capable of such a feat but if he were to win off that mark he would have to be considered a serious contender for the Gold Cup, never mind the Grand National.
I will take him on at a short price with Tom George's Wild West Wind, who was travelling well in the Welsh Grand National before coming down at the 12th.
His defeat on Alfie Spinner on his previous start has worked out well with the veteran going on to finish second in the Welsh National.
Despite his fall at Chepstow he is a very slick jumper and is lightly raced over fences – winning three times from five starts – and could prove a good bit better than his mark of 144. Andrew Dietz, reporter Waiting Patiently Betfair Ascot Chase
The time has come for Waiting Patiently to tackle Grade 1 company and he looks capable of taking the step up to the highest level in his stride.
Unbeaten in five chase starts, the northern star has oozed class over fences, demolishing a high calibre field by eight lengths in a Listed race at Kempton last time.
Although he will need to step up again in one of the strongest runnings of the race, the seven-year-old is a lightly raced improver with his best days ahead of him.
Crucially he will get his ground with all the rain around and the trip will be ideal too. Trainer Ruth Jefferson had her first success on Thursday since taking over from her late father Malcolm and everything is in place for an emotional victory at Ascot.
Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news
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Post by Kimmy on Feb 15, 2018 19:57:48 GMT
Colin Tizzard believes Paddy Brennan was the "obvious choice" to ride Cue Card in Saturday's Betfair Ascot Chase.
Brennan was Cue Card's partner for 13 consecutive races before Tizzard chose to replace him with Harry Cobden following two falls in three outings.
Cobden steered the popular veteran to finish a distant second behind Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, but is required by his boss Paul Nicholls to ride Cliffs Of Dover in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday and, as a result, Brennan has been recalled.
"At the end of the day we made the decision we were going to try Harry on him and Harry's not available (for Saturday). What else do we do?" Tizzard told At The Races.
"Paddy has won some lovely races on him and he knows him. He was the obvious choice.
"Paddy was down (in the yard) this morning. We wanted to jump him on the grass, but it was too wet so he jumped two hurdles and four fences and it was absolute poetry to watch.
"We had to calm Paddy down a little bit as he was so excited to be back on him. It was just fun this morning watching them jump as the horse was so enthusiastic."
Brennan is understandably delighted to be reunited with Cue Card, a dual winner of this race.
"Obviously, I am thrilled to get the ride back on Cue Card at Ascot on Saturday, and I can tell you that he felt as fresh and well as he has ever done when I schooled him this morning," he said in his 32Red blog.
"I know there were a few names in the hat to ride him this weekend, but I think it speaks volumes about Colin Tizzard that he has put me back on the horse after taking me off.
"Not many owners and trainers have done that before with me, I can tell you, and it shows the people that Jean (Bishop, owner) and Colin are.
"So, of course, I am delighted that things have come back my way and I can tell you - and this is genuine - that Cue Card really did feel as good, if not better, than he did when going into this race last year when I sat on him this morning.
"He felt so, so well."
Seven horses are set to contest the Grade One after there were no withdrawals at the final declaration stage.
Nicky Henderson's Top Notch is at the head of the betting on the strength of his Peterborough Chase triumph. He is also a winner at Grade Two level over the same course and distance he faces this weekend.
Waiting Patiently takes his chance for Ruth Jefferson and he is unbeaten in five starts over fences, including a defeat of Tingle Creek scorer Politologue.
Coney Island is the big Irish hope for Eddie Harty and JP McManus. He was a winner at Ascot last time out but his best effort came when just being touched off by Our Duke in a Grade One last season.
Paul Nicholls and Bryony Frost team up with Frodon, while Clarence House runner-up Speredek is not out of it over this extended trip.
Gary Moore's Traffic Fluide, who finished third in the Melling Chase last year, is the outsider of the field.
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