Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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SUPER SHOW FROM WISHFULL

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

Wishfull Thinking stayed on strongly from the final fence to capture the Betfair Super Saturday Chase at Newbury, but there was scant evidence to unsettle Sprinter Sacre's connections.

The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding looked set for third place once French Opera and Edgardo Sol took over after the pacesetting Shooters Wood had run his race.

Wishfull Thinking (4-1) still had plenty to do at the last, but found extra for Richard Johnson to win by two lengths.

Hobbs said: "It was a good job it was two-miles-one and not two miles, as he kept going and going.

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NICHOLLS TO RELY ON CONTI FOR GOLD

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

Paul Nicholls is set to rely on Silviniaco Conti as his main contender for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup after confirming that Tidal Bay is more likely to contest the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Festival.

Tidal Bay, winner of the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last time, is to remain among the entries for the chasing blue riband next month, but is not scheduled to take his chance.

"We have yet to finalise plans but we are now highly likely to run Tidal Bay in the World Hurdle," Nicholls said in his column on Betfair.

"Of course, we will leave him in the Gold Cup until the last minute, but as it stands our plan with him is the World Hurdle and then the Grand National."

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TWISTON-DAVIES HAPPY WITH COMMANDER

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

Nigel Twiston-Davies reports Imperial Commander's build-up to next month's Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup to be continuing without a hitch.

The 2010 champion returned from an enforced absence of almost two years when beaten just half a length in the Argento Chase at his favourite course.

"He's great, it's all systems go," said the Naunton handler.

"He will probably have a racecourse gallop somewhere, just to keep him ticking over."

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FRANKEL SET FOR STALLION DUTIES

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

Frankel turned officially five on Monday, and even more outstanding mares have been lined up to be covered by Flat racing's superstar as he embarks upon his career as a stallion later this week.

Now at owner Khalid Abdullah's Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket after being retired from the track unbeaten in 14 starts, Frankel has already attracted some of the top names such as Alexander Goldrun, Danedream, Dar Re Mi, Midday, Stacelita and Vodka.

Further additions to his visiting book have now been announced, such as Flirtation (dam of English and Irish 1000 Guineas winner Attraction), Maycocks Bay (dam of dual Oaks winner Sariska), Stacelita's dam Soignee, and Zomaradah, the dam of Irish 2000 Guineas winner Dubawi.

CRUS REMAINS ON FESTIVAL TRAIL

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

Grands Crus still has the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and Ryanair Chase as his possible Cheltenham Festival targets as the grey recovers from an ulcer problem.

Third in the King George VI Chase after having a breathing operation, the eight-year-old ran poorly once again when pulled up in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last month.

Trainer David Pipe told his website: "He was given an easy time of things after his race while we tried to get to the bottom of his lacklustre effort and he is now being treated for gastric ulcers."

He added: "He is back on the gallops and looks well in himself so I will need to speak with his owners and decide the plan of action.

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DE BROMHEAD SIZING UP OPTIONS

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

Henry de Bromhead said it was "50-50" which race Sizing Europe will run in at Cheltenham after he was officially scratched from the Betfred Gold Cup.

The County Waterford trainer had indicated he might do that after his latest success in the Tied Cottage Chase over two miles at Punchestown earlier this month. The sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase remain the two options for the talented 11-year-old.

Sizing Europe is already a dual winner at the Festival, lifting the Arkle Trophy in 2010 and the Champion Chase in 2011, as well as finishing second in the latter event last year.

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FLEMENSTAR MAY MISS CHELTENHAM

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

Trainer Peter Casey says Flemenstar is "very unlikely" to run at the Cheltenham Festival in March after being found to have a lung infection.

The Stephen Curran-owned eight-year-old, who finished second to Sir Des Champs in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday, was diagnosed with the problem on Monday and is instead likely to be aimed at the big Aintree meeting in April.

Casey told Press Association Sport: "He'll be out for two to three weeks. It's a bad lung infection. He's going to be all right in the long term, but I would say Cheltenham is very unlikely now."

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TRIBULATION GOING FOR GOLD

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

Cape Tribulation is set to take his chance in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup after he was taken out of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Trainer Malcolm Jefferson and owner David Abell have decided to go for the blue riband prize in what looks a wide-open year.

Cape Tribulation, winner of last year's Pertemps Hurdle Final, earned the right to be in the field when beating 2010 Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander in the Argento Chase on Festival Trials Day last month.

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CECIL - I'M RARING TO GO

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...+to+go&day=Wed

Sir Henry Cecil has declared himself "raring to go" for the new season after revealing how difficult he found it at times last summer in his determination to follow Frankel's unbeaten career and fight illness at the same time.

Frankel retired with an unblemished 14 from 14 record and starts his new career as a stallion at Banstead Manor Stud just outside Newmarket this week, with a fee of £125,000 charged for mares who want to use his services.

As part of a BBC Radio 5 Live Sport programme entitled 'Starstudded' to be broadcast on Thursday at 7.30pm, Cecil spoke of his improving health and confidence that Frankel will be a hit in his new life.

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SACRE SCARES OFF OPPOSITION

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

Just eight possible opponents remain in contention to challenge Sprinter Sacre in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase, with Flemenstar among those removed at the latest confirmation stage for the two-mile showpiece.

Nicky Henderson's Sprinter Sacre is set to go off the hottest favourite of the whole week at the Cheltenham Festival after looking invincible over fences.

Flemenstar, who was found to have a lung infection after his defeat at Leopardstown over the weekend, has been scratched from each of the events in which he was engaged.

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BOBS HEADS GOLD CUP ACCEPTORS

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

Bobs Worth is among 24 horses heading forward for the Betfred Gold Cup at Cheltenham on March 15.

His trainer Nicky Henderson also houses the 2011 winner Long Run, who regained his King George crown on Boxing Day, while Finian's Rainbow remains in the mix.

Another former winner, Imperial Commander, is also heading back with the aim of emulating Kauto Star by winning the most prestigious race in the game for a second time after losing the title.

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CROSS ON TOP IN MUSSELBURGH TEST

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

Peddlers Cross had to work a little harder than expected in landing odds of 1-5 in the Howies Restaurants Edinburgh Hurdle at Musselburgh.

Donald McCain's 2011 Champion Hurdle runner-up tracked his stablemate Ubaltique into the straight before hitting the front at the third-last. However, he failed to put the race to bed immediately and Orsippus and latterly Cue To Cue both sensed their chance at the final flight.

Jason Maguire picked his stick up after the last and Peddlers Cross did quicken clear to eventually pass the line hard held in winning by a length and three-quarters from Cue To Cue.

HURRICANE HEADS CHAMPION 22

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

Hurricane Fly stands his ground as one of 22 horses left in the field for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the latest confirmation stage.

The 2011 winner is now a hot favourite to regain his title after an unbeaten season and he is one of three entries remaining for Willie Mullins, along with Thousand Stars and Zaidpour.

There were no surprises among the defections from the feature event on the opening day of next month's Cheltenham Festival, although Nicky Henderson's team has shrunk to four, headed by former winner Binocular and the smart Grandouet.

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RUN AND RIVERSIDE IN RYANAIR MIX.

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

Former winners Albertas Run and Riverside Theatre are among 27 remaining entries for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 14.

Along with Riverside Theatre, Seven Barrows maestro Nicky Henderson could call upon last year's Champion Chase hero Finian's Rainbow.

Leading Gold Cup contender Sir Des Champs, owned by Ryanair proprietor Michael O'Leary, still has this option, as does First Lieutenant in the same ownership.

Sizing Europe, another former winner of the Champion Chase, could run over the extra distance this season, while Rubi Light and Prince De Beauchene are other strong Irish hopes.

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WALEY-COHEN WARY OF BOBS THREAT

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

Sam Waley-Cohen believes the main threat to Long Run regaining his Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup crown is likely to come from stablemate Bobs Worth.

The amateur jockey fears the Hennessy Gold Cup winner who, like Long Run, is housed at Nicky Henderson's stables at Seven Barrows.

"Bobs Worth's form looks incredibly impressive and improving second-season chasers have a strong record so he has to be the one to beat. But in many years you would have to say the winner of the King George would have to be favourite so it's an intriguing race this year," he told At The Races.

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TIDAL BAY RULED OUT OF NATIONAL.

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

Leading John Smith's Grand National contender Tidal Bay has suffered a "tiny stress fracture" and will not run at Aintree on April 6.

Allotted top-weight of 11st 10lb in the Liverpool showpiece, the Paul Nicholls-trained 12-year-old has not run since winning the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and he was forced to miss the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last month when reported to be lame.

Nicholls said in his Betfair blog: "He was slightly lame before the Argento and we couldn't get him ready in time for that race, or the Irish Hennessy. He was out cantering as usual on Monday and Tuesday, but on Wednesday we decided to step up his work. But his work rider came back up and said he didn't feel right."

Dissapointing news to say the least.

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RAIN NO SOFT TOUCH IN MEYDAN

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

Soft Falling Rain stretched his 100% record to five with an authoritative victory in the UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan.

The Mike de Kock-trained runner justified his short price of 8-11 in this Group Three with a smooth success when tackling a mile for the first time.

Paul Hanagan had Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's colt just behind the Tom Dascombe-trained leader Deauville Prince in the early stages. Hanagan set sail for home at the top of the straight and asserted to win by two and a quarter lengths from Snowboarder with Zahee, also trained by De Kock, third.