Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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Ascot to make Racing UK switch.

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...cing-uk-switch

Racecourse Media Group-owned Racing UK are responsible for the majority of Britain's major racecourses, including Cheltenham and Newmarket, and Ascot have decided to follow suit.

At The Races, which has exclusive rights to racing in Ireland, lost Exeter, Kelso and Perth to their rivals earlier this year and Folkestone and Hereford will also be missing from next year's line-up as both racecourses will shortly close down.

Ascot officially joins the Racecourse Media Group on June 12, 2014.

Ascot's chief executive Charles Barnett said: "After careful consideration we have decided to extend our relationship with RMG, with whom we recently negotiated the exclusive terrestrial television contract with Channel 4.

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Here are my best tips for today.

Cheltenham 12.45 Our Father
Cheltenham 1.20 Shooters Wood
Cheltenham 1.55 Coneygree
Cheltenham 2.30 Unioniste
Cheltenham 3.05 Zarkandar
Doncaster 1.55 Ulys Du Charmil
Doncaster 2.10 Midnight Sail
Doncaster 2.45 Sametegal
Doncaster 3.20 Mr Moonshine

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WEST PROVES BEST BY FAR

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sat

Far West emerged a facile winner of what ended up a match race for the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham.

Paul Nicholls' juvenile is the leader in the sphere and only had Handazan to beat when Mr Lando departed early on.

The 2-9 favourite repeated the outcome of the pair's previous meeting at Chepstow as he cantered 19 lengths clear.

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Zarkandar Holds on in International

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/r...-international

Zarkandar completed a fine afternoon's work for champion trainer Paul Nicholls when outstaying his rivals to win the Stanjames.com International Hurdle at Chetlenham.

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EASY PICKINGS FOR OSCAR

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sun

Oscar Whisky landed back-to-back renewals of the Unicoin Homes Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham without breaking sweat.

Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old is very tough to beat over the intermediate trip of two and a half miles and was sent off the 1-5 favourite to beat just two rivals.

While Crack Away Jack travelled up looking menacing coming down the hill, as soon as Barry Geraghty pressed the button Oscar Whisky shot clear and won effortlessly by 19 lengths.

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PONT EXPLODES ON TO SCENE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Sun

Pont Alexandre stamped himself a potential star in running out an all-the-way winner of the feature Grade One event at Navan as the highly regarded Don Cossack crashed out at the last when beaten.

Having had just one win in a maiden hurdle in France, the Willie Mullins-trained Pont Alexandre came into the Navan Novice Hurdle as something of an unknown quantity, and Ruby Walsh set out to make every yard on the 3-1 chance.

The winner never saw another rival and Don Cossack, who did not jump that well, was in the process of being caught for second by Busty Brown when he came down after the final flight. It was Davy Russell's third fall in three successive races on the card.

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BOB WORKS HARD ON FENCING DEBUT

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Mon

Boston Bob was made to pull out all the stops by You Must Know Me on his fencing debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Navan.

Willie Mullins' exciting prospect, second to the ill-fated Brindisi Breeze in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham in March, is already one of the favourites for the RSA Chase back at Cheltenham and was sent off the 1-5 favourite.

Ruby Walsh was content to let Henry De Bromhead's You Must Know Me have an easy lead and though he made the ground up easily enough, in the end he had to get to work before Boston Bob landed the spoils by half a length.

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OWEGA LANDS TARA HURDLE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Mon

Owega Star stayed on dourly to land the Tara Hurdle at Navan after a dramatic conclusion to the Grade Two contest.

Peter Fahey's charge was hard ridden in a battle with Maller Tree two out, but both looked sitting ducks for Un Beau Matin, who was sent off the even-money favourite in the absence of Simenon and Muirhead.

However, the grey took a crashing fall when travelling well, leaving Owega Star (4-1) and Andrew Leigh in front, and he battled on gamely to account for Maller Tree by a length and three-quarters.

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SIZING MAY MISS KING GEORGE TEST

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Mon

Sizing Europe is more likely to stay in Ireland than run in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26.

He may turn 11 in a few weeks, but the 2011 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner has appeared in the form of his life in his two wins to date so far this season, though with good ground not guaranteed at Kempton, trainer Henry de Bromhead is "leaning" towards staying at home.

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NICHOLLS STARS DERAILED BY INJURY

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Mon

Trainer Paul Nicholls was on Monday evening dealt a huge double injury blow by the news Big Buck's and Al Ferof are set to miss the rest of the season.

The former was due to run in Saturday's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, while Al Ferof was being prepared for an assault at the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Nicholls told Betfair: "At evening stables, we discovered a problem with both Big Buck's and Al Ferof. I am not in a position to go into great detail at this point, but I can confirm that Big Buck's will not be taking up his engagement at Ascot on Saturday and Al Ferof will not be running in the King George."

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RUBY GETS KAUTO CALL-UP

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Tue

Trainer Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Ruby Walsh will ride Kauto Stone in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Walsh would have partnered Al Ferof, who was ruled out for the season on Monday, but will now replace the suspended Daryl Jacob aboard Nicholls' stablemate.

The Ditcheat handler has also earmarked several horses who could represent him in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, a race the injured Big Buck's has won for the last four years.

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STEWART HOPEFUL FOR BUCK'S RETURN

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...return&day=Tue

Owner Andy Stewart believes there is a "more than 50-50 chance" that Big Buck's will be able to continue his racing career next season.

National Hunt racing's current superstar has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a tendon injury, but Stewart has high hopes that his pride and joy, who will be a 10-year-old going on 11 when he returns, should be as good as ever.

"The healing process is exactly the same for a nine or 10-year-old as it is for a four or five-year-old but then it is more difficult to get a 10-year-old fit," Stewart told At The Races.

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WALTERS WAITS WITH WHISKY

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...2&sub=&day=Tue

Owner Dai Walters is in no rush to confirm Oscar Whisky for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle in March in the wake of the news that Big Buck's has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

With the four-time winner now out of the way, the Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old is joint-favourite with Willie Mullins' mare Quevega with some bookmakers for the three-mile contest.

Oscar Whisky appeared to have his stamina limitations exposed when only fifth in the World Hurdle last year, but Walters feels that was not necessarily the case.

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CASEY CONFIRMS FLEMENSTAR LEXUS BID

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...e&sub=&day=Wed

Flemenstar remains on course for his first test over three miles after featuring among 12 confirmations for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

So impressive on his seasonal reappearance at Navan over two miles, Peter Casey's hugely exciting seven-year-old stepped back up to two and a half miles to annihilate Willie Mullins' previously unbeaten chaser Sir Des Champs with an awesome display in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

"Since the John Durkan Memorial, there has been no bother and no problem, but he's been more than ticking over - he cantered three miles today. He'll do the last of his work on Sunday at the Curragh," said Casey.

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WORLD BID UNLIKELY FOR PASSAGE

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Dermot Weld has revealed it is "more likely" Rite Of Passage will be trained for next year's Gold Cup at Royal Ascot than take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The master of Rosewell House produced one of his most magnificent training performances to nurse the 2010 Gold Cup hero back from injury to win the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October, his first racecourse appearance in well over a year.

AHERN CHARGED BY BHA

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...=&sub=&day=Thu

Eddie Ahern and five other individuals have been charged with serious breaches of the rules of racing.

Registered owner Neil Clement, James Clutterbuck, the son of Newmarket trainer Ken Clutterbuck, and three unlicensed individuals - Paul Hill, Martin Raymond and Michael Turl - have also been charged.

Ahern's charges relate to five races held from September 2009 to February 2011. The jockey, who is likely to be warned off if he is found guilty, is accused of breaching three rules of racing. The hearing is scheduled to take place between April 29 and May 3, 2013.