Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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OVERTURN TAKES DONCASTER TEST

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...3&sub=&day=Tue

Leading Arkle candidate Overturn will face four rivals as he makes his second appearance over fences at Doncaster tomorrow.

The Northumberland Plate, Chester Cup, Galway Hurdle and Fighting Fifth winner made a brilliant debut over the larger obstacles at Sandown in November but has missed a number of engagements since due to testing conditions.

Last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up looks set to encounter a relatively sound surface on Town Moor and trainer Donald McCain is keen to get more experience into his charge ahead of his intended trip to Cheltenham in nine weeks' time.

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TIZZARD OUTLINES CUE OPTIONS

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

Cue Card is set to line up in either the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after trainer Colin Tizzard ruled out a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The seven-year-old was a hugely impressive winner of the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter on his seasonal reappearance in early November, but three miles in testing conditions proved beyond him as he finished a well-beaten fifth in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

While Tizzard is not ruling out a return to three miles at some stage in the future, Cue Card is set to come back in trip on his next start, but the trainer is unsure where his star turn will head in preparation for the Festival.

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BEE SET FOR FLY REMATCH

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Captain Cee Bee is likely to meet Hurricane Fly for the third time this season in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 27.

Although perhaps not the force he once was, the 12-year-old appears to have been revitalised by a return to the smaller obstacles and recorded an impressive victory at Tipperary in October.

He has since chased Hurricane Fly's shadow in both the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and the Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown, but has picked up minor money on both occasions and trainer Eddie Harty is happy to continue down the same route with his veteran.

MCCRIRICK BEGINS LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

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Former Channel 4 Racing pundit John McCririck has started legal proceedings against the broadcaster as he seeks damages totalling £3million following his axing from its racing coverage.

McCririck was one of a number of faces dropped from the presenting team after Channel 4 awarded the production contract to IMG Sports Media, ending its previous agreement with Highflyer. McCririck was vocal in his criticism when it was announced last October and has decided to pursue Channel 4 and IMG Sports Media through the courts.

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HENNESSY FOCUS FOR FLEMENSTAR

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

Cheltenham Festival ambitions must be shelved until after Flemenstar has run in the Hennessy Gold Cup, said his owner Stephen Curran.

The Peter Casey-trained eight-year-old will be given three entries at the Festival in March, including in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, but connections insist his current priority is the Hennessy at Leopardstown on February 9.

Curran said: "He's in great order, but we will make plans for Cheltenham much closer to the time."

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SACRE THE CHAMPION HEADLINE ACT

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

Sprinter Sacre is one of just 17 entries in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on March 13.

Nicky Henderson's giant was an easy winner of the Arkle last March and will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Sizing Europe who landed the two races in successive seasons.

Henderson has also entered last year's winner Finian's Rainbow, who has only been seen once this season when disappointing at Ascot, and the exciting Simonsig, who is currently a red-hot favourite for the Arkle.

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GROUND KEY TO LONG RUN PLANS

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

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen believes the weather will dictate if Long Run has another outing before the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Nicky Henderson-trained chaser regained his King George VI Chase crown in a dour battle with Captain Chris at Kempton on Boxing Day.

His next aim is to reclaim his Gold Cup title, but Waley-Cohen feels he will not run in the Denman Chase at Newbury in February if the ground is very soft.

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PUNCHESTOWN THE AIM FOR ZEB

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

Colm Murphy will resist the urge to throw Big Zeb back into battle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner has so far not shown the same lustre as in previous seasons, and was last seen finishing fourth behind Sizing Europe in his defence of the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.

Rather than head to Cheltenham in March, Big Zeb will instead have the Punchestown Festival a month later as a conditional aim.

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KING WARY OF NEWBURY FOR GRUMETI

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...3&sub=&day=Fri

Alan King admits next month's Betfair Hurdle at Newbury would not be an ideal starting point for Champion Hurdle contender Grumeti.

The five-year-old was among the top rank in the juvenile division last term, finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle before reversing form with Countrywide Flame when winning the Aintree equivalent. He subsquently ran twice on the level, winning at Ascot before being narrowly beaten at Goodwood in May.

However, Grumeti has been off the track since that outing and King has identified the Newbury feature on February 9 as a possible starting point if his hand is forced.

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FEAT HANDED CLASSIC ASSIGNMENT

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Pete The Feat will be seeking his sixth win on the bounce as he steps up to Grade Three company for Charlie Longsdon in the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick.

The nine-year-old has been a revelation this season, rising from a mark of 94 in October to his current perch of 134 via victories at Uttoxeter, Plumpton, Folkestone, Lingfield and Newbury.

His latest win came in the Mandarin Chase at the Berkshire venue two weeks ago and Longsdon rates the relatively short break between races as his biggest concern for Pete The Feat.

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OSCARA LANDS LANZAROTE PRIZE

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Oscara Dara ran out a resounding winner of the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton for Nicky Henderson on his return to the smaller obstacles.

Fourth to stablemate Darlan at Aintree, Oscara Dara (5-1) went on to take a race at the Punchestown Festival, but was beaten on his novice chase debut at Plumpton and was not convincing his trainer with his jumping at home.

He cruised into contention in the valuable contest, and although jolting Geraghty at the final flight, he was soon away and three and a half lengths clear of 100-1 shot Romeo Americo.

NEW LOOKS A SPECIAL ONE

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The New One oozed class as he made the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Warwick a sixth success from seven career starts for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and his jockey son Sam.

The five-year-old's relentless gallop from the front found out his rivals one by one, and as he swept round the home turn the 1-2 favourite was in total command, eventually scoring by 16 lengths and 21 from Mickie and Hold Court.

His claims for the Neptune Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham were given a boost even though - as his trainer pointed out - he was not tested. Paddy Power make The New One 8-1 from 12s for the Festival race.

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NO FESTIVAL PREP FOR JEZKI

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

Jessica Harrington has confirmed her Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Jezki is set to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival in March without another run.

The five-year-old stretched his unbeaten record over hurdles to four with a brilliant display at Leopardstown over the Christmas period and leading owner JP McManus has since purchased the gelding.

Harrington suggested immediately after his Leopardstown romp that Jezki could return to the track for next month's Deloitte Novice Hurdle, but she has now decided to keep him fresh for his big day in March.

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PEARL COULD ENTER CHAMPION PICTURE

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

Paul Nicholls has revealed Pearl Swan is to get an entry in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The five-year-old has not been seen since falling in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Festival last year, before which he had dead-heated with Grumeti on trials day at Prestbury Park.

Owned by Robin Geffen, Pearl Swan is one of a number of Ditcheat runners under consideration for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 9, which Nicholls won last year with Zarkandar, who went on to be fifth in the Champion.

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CAUSE LANDS NAVAN THRILLER

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

Cause Of Causes got up on the line to deny Midnight Game in a thrilling finish to the Follow Navan On Facebook Hurdle at Navan.

Midnight Game was the 5-6 favourite to complete a hat-trick for Willie Mullins and Davy Russell, with the Gordon Elliott-trained Cause Of Causes 6-4 to follow up his lucrative victory in The Ladbroke at Ascot last month. Hisaabaat was the only other runner.

Midnight Game led for most of the two-mile journey and looked sure to win as he travelled powerfully into the straight with Russell motionless, but Davy Condon kept working on Cause Of Causes and was rewarded as his mount winged the last and galloped strongly to the line to get up by a short head.

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SPRINTER TOPS CHANDLER CONTENDERS

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

Sprinter Sacre is one of nine confirmations for the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old is unbeaten in six starts over fences and was a brilliant winner of the Tingle Creek at Sandown on his seasonal reappearance in early December.

He would appear to face a relatively straightforward task, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Sanctuaire the second highest-rated horse in the field.

He was over 19 lengths behind Henderson's charge in the Tingle Creek and subsequently won the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.

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FRANKEL CROWNED EQUINE BEST

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

Retired equine superstar Frankel has been officially crowned the highest-rated horse in history after being given a final mark of 140 by the group of international handicappers who compile the World Thoroughbred Rankings.

Announced at a press conference in London, Sir Henry Cecil's colt is rated 2lb better than Dancing Brave, whose mark of 141 after the 1986 season has been downgraded to 138.

Dancing Brave had been the highest rated since the international rankings system started in 1977, but the handicappers had conceded that the techniques to create the rankings these days are different to those in the past, meaning many horses from the 1970s and 80s have elevated figures compared with what they would achieve today.

A honour fully deserved for a great champion.