Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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RUBY SET FOR DONCASTER OUTING

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

Harry Fry has confirmed last year's Champion Hurdle hero Rock On Ruby is "quite likely" to run in the 32Red Hurdle at Doncaster's additional fixture on Monday.

Fry had initially hoped to see his charge complete his preparations for the defence of his Cheltenham crown in this weekend's Betfred Mobile Sports Contenders Hurdle, but effectively ruled him out of the race earlier this week due the extremely testing conditions at Sandown.

The trainer then identified the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 16 as the most likely port of call for his stable star, but he has now had a change of heart after the British Horseracing Authority gave the green light to a new Doncaster meeting, featuring the Listed 32Red Hurdle.

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BIG GUNS IN NEPTUNE FRAME

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

Pont Alexandre and The New One are the star names among a huge list of 119 entries for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Willie Mullins-trained Pont Alexandre leapt to the head of the ante-post betting with a brilliant front-running display at Leopardstown last weekend, supplementing his impressive Irish debut in the Navan Novice Hurdle.

The five-year-old is one of 35 Irish-trained entries, with Mullins unsurprisingly strong-armed with the likes of Champagne Fever, Ballycasey, Pique Sous and Un Atout all engaged, although the majority have alternative entries in the other novice hurdles at the Festival.

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HENDERSON STAR AMONG TRIUMPH HOPES

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

Ante-post favourite Rolling Star features among 58 entries for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 15.

The French import leapt to the head of the market for the four-year-old championship when making an impressive British debut for Nicky Henderson on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Seven Barrows trainer has won the Triumph Hurdle five times and his other entries are Alexandre Six, Courtesy Call, Megalypos and Vasco du Ronceray.

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CAPTAIN TAKES SANDOWN CHALLENGE

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

Barry Geraghty is convinced a step up to two and a half miles will suit Captain Conan in Saturday's Betfred Mobile Lotto Challengers Novices' Chase at Sandown.

The high-class novice hurdler has been hugely impressive in his two starts over fences to date, making a winning debut over the larger obstacles at Cheltenham in November before landing the Grade One Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown in December.

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HUNT BALL OUT OF GOLD CUP

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

Hunt Ball is set to have his sights lowered after being officially scratched from the Betfred Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month.

The Keiran Burke-trained eight-year-old ran a fine race in defeat at Cheltenham last weekend when third to Cape Tribulation and Imperial Commander in the Argento Chase.

Second to Menorah in the Peterborough Chase prior to that at Kempton over Christmas, the career of the Anthony Knott-owned gelding has been a rags-to-riches tale, and he will now attempt to add to it in the Byrne Group Plate at the Festival meeting.

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OVERTURN PRIMED FOR ARKLE PREP

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

Leading Arkle hope Overturn faces three opponents as he completes his racecourse preparations for next month's Cheltenham Festival in the Scottish Arkle Novices' Chase at Musselburgh on Sunday.

Trainer Donald McCain played a big part in persuading the racecourse to put on an extra two-mile novice chase and the track has been rewarded with last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up facing a fascinating duel with the Nicky Henderson-trained Tetlami.

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FLY IN TOP FORM

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

Willie Mullins reports Hurricane Fly to be in fine form following his impressive Irish Champion Hurdle victory.

While the nine-year-old won two Grade Ones last term, he relinquished his Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham in what was a slightly disappointing performance.

However, he has been in excellent form this season, winning the Morgiana and Festival Hurdles before his comfortable five-length verdict at Leopardstown last weekend.

Mullins said: "He is fine and has come out of his race very well and is back in the form he was in two years ago.

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CONFUSION TO MISS AINTREE

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

John Smith's Grand National hope Organisedconfusion has sustained a leg injury and is out for the rest of the campaign.

However, trainer Arthur Moore expects the eight-year-old to be back in action next season.

"He has a hairline fracture in his off-hind pastern bone. He will make a full recovery for next season, but he's out for the rest of this year," said the Naas handler.

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CLOSE CALL AS CAPTAIN GRABS PRIZE

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

Captain Conan was made to pull out all the stops by Third Intention in the Betfred Mobile Lotto Challengers Novices' Chase at Sandown.

Nicky Henderson's rising star (1-2 favourite) had already dished out two previous beatings to Colin Tizzard's chaser, at Cheltenham and Sandown, but he only asserted his authority in the final strides on this occasion in the race better known as the Scilly Isles.

With Henderson looking for an answer to Captain Conan's Cheltenham target, his charge looked in trouble some way out as Third Intention forged clear. However, the leader found the Sandown hill too much as Barry Geraghty seized the opportunity to galvanise Captain Conan and win by a neck.

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RUBY AND DARLAN CLASH AT DONCASTER

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

Last year's Champion Hurdle hero Rock On Ruby heads a small but select field of just four runners in the 32Red Hurdle at Doncaster on Monday.

Impressive Christmas Hurdle winner Darlan and Countrywide Flame, winner of the Triumph and Fighting Fifth Hurdles, add plenty of spice to a Listed contest run on a card added by the British Horseracing Authority last week following the spate of recent abandonments.

Completing the quartet is Clerk's Choice, who is no slouch and was sixth to Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

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SIZING HAS IT ALL TIED UP AGAIN

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

Sizing Europe repeated last year's success in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase with an emphatic display at Punchestown.

Henry de Bromhead's top-class 11-year-old has now won all his four starts this winter after disposing of the gallant Foildubh.

Andrew Lynch made all the running on the 1-8 shot and only Foildubh could keep tabs on him, flattering briefly but being put in his place from the second-last fence, though the winner did not appear quite his usual brilliant self in scoring by 10 lengths.

HAYDOCK TARGET FOR CONEYGREE

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

Coneygree is set to run at Haydock before going for glory in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

There is a race of the same name over three miles at the Merseyside track on February 16 for Mark Bradstock's charge, who was third behind At Fishers Cross at Cheltenham on his latest start after winning his two previous races there.

"He didn't handle the extreme ground. Mattie (Batchelor) said he never carried him like he did in the last two races when it was soft, but that was extreme," said Bradstock's wife, Sara.

"He is still a big baby. The winner was interestingly a second-season novice.

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OVERTURN SWITCHES ON POWER

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

Overturn turned in another superb front-running display to keep his unbeaten record over fences intact in the Scottish Arkle Novices' Chase at Musselburgh.

Donald McCain's dual-purpose performer, sent off the 1-5 favourite following impressive rounds of jumping at Sandown and Doncaster, was soon adopting his customary trailblazing tactics and even with a circuit to go it was clear main rival Tetlami was struggling to keep tabs on him.

Jason Maguire continued to wind up the tempo heading down the back, with some fine leaps keeping the pressure on, and by the time he rounded the final turn Overturn was well clear. He safely negotiated the remaining obstacles in the straight to score by an emphatic 29 lengths.

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MOZOLTOV BOOKS FESTIVAL TICKET

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

Mozoltov got the better of Don Cossack in a duel up the straight to take the Racing UK Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

Ruby Walsh enjoyed the run of the race on the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old (9-4), who jumped into the lead at the second-last after Starkie had led for most of the Grade Two contest.

He was strongly pressed by Don Cossack, but was quicker away from the final flight and kept the 6-5 favourite at bay by a length.

Mullins said: "Mozoltov has been doing good work at home and I've been waiting for a nice race to get him out instead of taking on one of our own. I didn't think he'd be taking on as good a bunch as these and he has to go into the top drawer.

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Darlan suffers fatal fall in Doncaster race

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/21327511

Leading Cheltenham Champion Hurdle fancy Darlan suffered a fatal fall while competing in Monday's trial race at Doncaster.
The six-year-old, who was ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy, fell heavily at the last hurdle and suffered a broken neck.
At the time he had been putting down a strong challenge to last year's Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby.

Very sad news indeed.

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BIG GUNS HOLD SWAY IN HENNESSY

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

Flemenstar and Sir Des Champs are the star names among eight confirmations for what promises to be a fantastic renewal of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Peter Casey's Flemenstar is set for his second appearance over the three-mile trip, having been caught close home by Tidal Bay and First Lieutenant in the Lexus Chase over Saturday's course and distance on December 28.

The eight-year-old holds entries in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup at next month's Cheltenham Festival.