Last year’s winner San Benedeto is one of three runners for Paul Nicholls, as the champion trainer bids to extend his excellent record in the William Hill Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury. The Ditcheat maestro has saddled nine of the last 13 winners of the Grade Three contest – and has his team firing on all cylinders ahead of this year’s renewal. Bryan Carver takes 5lb off the back
Legendary chaser Un De Sceaux has been retired with just 11 days to go until the start of the Cheltenham Festival. The 12-year-old was being prepared for his sixth run at the meeting, but time has been called on his career due to injury. During his many years on the track, he gained many fans for his bold front running style, which won his connections over £1.5 million in prize
David Hayes and Gerry Ryan will face an enviable dilemma if Fifty Stars joins a select group of horses to notch successive Group 3 Blamey Stakes (1600m) victories. With a $5 million All-Star Mile carrot wildcard on offer to the winner, the Blamey Stakes is notionally an inviting option for Fifty Stars’ connections – but there are other considerations at play, including the pursuit of more black type. The Irish
New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards is racing towards 200 wins in his first two seasons in charge of Te Akau stables, but where he excels is group 1 racing. It helps to have the power of New Zealand’s biggest racing brand behind him and the likes of Melody Belle, Te Akau Shark and Probabeel in the stable, but they don’t give away group 1s. Jamie Richards on his favourite, Melody
Jockey Richard Johnson rides a double on comeback just 37 days after breaking his arm in horror fall Champion jockey rode a double at Musselburgh for trainer Olly Murphy Johnson scored on Dubai Guest and Made For You at Musselburgh He is now 18 winners behind current championship leader Brian Hughes Richard Johnson emphatically showed he will fight all the way to the finish in the title race with a double
Paul Nicholls reports Solo firmly on course for the JCB Triumph Hurdle following his sparkling British debut at Kempton last Saturday. A winner for French maestro Guillaume Macaire at Auteuil in November, the Kapgarde colt was thrown in at the deep end on his first start for new connections, but was nevertheless a hot favourite for the Grade Two Adonis Hurdle. Solo produced a near foot-perfect display, with the manner
Paul Nicholls is confident Clan Des Obeaux can lay his Cheltenham ghost to rest by providing him with a record-equalling fifth Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. The dual King George Chase VI winner will attempt to make it sixth-time lucky at the track by improving on his fifth place in the feature event 12 months ago. Despite Clan Des Obeaux drawing a blank in his five previous visits to Cheltenham, the
