Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

[denphone]

COMMANDER OUT OF GOLD CUP

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

A lung infection means Imperial Commander has once again been denied the chance to bid for more glory in the Betfred Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was convinced the 12-year-old was back in the same sort of form that saw him defeat Denman and Kauto Star in the 2010 renewal, having come back at Cheltenham in January with a fine run when only narrowly denied by Cape Tribulation in the Argento Chase.

[denphone]

CUE CARD TAKES AIM AT RYANAIR

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

Cue Card will not take on Sprinter Sacre in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham next week.

The 2010 Champion Bumper winner will instead run in the Ryanair Chase a day later, as long as Sprinter Sacre is able to take his chance in the two-mile showpiece.

Cue Card was beaten seven lengths by Nicky Henderson's ace in the Arkle Trophy last year and connections want to avoid him this time.

[denphone]

NEW 'CHAMPIONS WEEKEND' CREATED.

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

Newmarket's Future Champions Day is to be moved to the Friday before Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot in 2014 to create a 'champions weekend'.

The move will see six Group One events take place in just 24 hours, with £4.5million in prize money up for grabs.

In another boost, Ascot's Fillies' And Mares' Stakes on Champions Day has been upgraded to Grade One status.

Future Champions Day will now see three Grade One races, the Dewhurst, the Fillies' Mile and the Middle Park, supported by the Challenge Stakes, the Cornwallis (which has been moved from Ascot) and the Darley Stakes.

[denphone]

NATIONAL OPTION FOR COMMANDER.

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

Imperial Commander could be targeted at the John Smith's Grand National in April after being ruled out of the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A lung infection has put paid to the dream of the 12-year-old attempting to regain the blue riband prize of jumps racing after his momentous victory over Denman and Kauto Star in the 2010 renewal.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies was convinced he was back in the same sort of form, having returned from a long lay-off with a fine run when only narrowly denied by Cape Tribulation in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham in January.

[denphone]

PIPE HAPPY WITH CRUS GALLOP.

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

Trainer David Pipe expressed satisfaction with Grands Crus after he completed a racecourse gallop following the meeting at Exeter on Tuesday.

The eight-year-old grey has so far had an interrupted campaign, and was pulled up in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham in January on his last start.

But he reportedly showed his well-being at the Devon circuit in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

[denphone]

FLAME FIRING FOR CHAMPION TEST.

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

Countrywide Flame is ready for the Stan James Champion Hurdle after John Quinn's inmate came through his final piece of strong work ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival.

Last season's Triumph Hurdle hero disappointed in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but looked more like his old self when second behind last year's Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby at Doncaster last month.

A statement posted on www.johnquinnracing.co.uk read: "Countrywide Flame did his final serious piece of work this morning and came through it well. He led the string at a good pace before extending nicely.

SIMONSIG STARS ON ARKLE LIST.

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

Hot favourite Simonsig heads a field of 12 horses left in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham on Tuesday following the confirmation stage.

The Nicky Henderson-trained grey is odds-on with the bookmakers to take his 100% record over fences to three after impressive wins at Ascot and Kempton.

Although he has not run since slamming Hinterland by 35 lengths at the latter track at Christmas, the seven-year-old grey has been delighting connections with his homework.

[denphone]

PERFECT TEN IN CHAMPION HURDLE.

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

Hurricane Fly will face a maximum of nine rivals when he aims to regain his crown in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday.

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old landed the two-mile championship in 2011 and although he was beaten into third when odds-on 12 months ago, he has looked better than ever so far this season.

The three main hopes for the home team are last year's winner Rock On Ruby, now trained by Harry Fry, Paul Nicholls' improving Zarkandar and the Nicky Henderson-trained Grandouet.

[denphone]

MEADE ROCKED BY MONKSLAND BLOW.

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

Noel Meade has confirmed it is "almost certain" Monksland will miss next week's Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after suffering a setback.

An impressive winner on his first start over three miles at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting, the six-year-old was set to line up at Prestbury Park as a leading contender for the staying hurdle crown in the absence of four-times winner Big Buck's.

[denphone]

MAIL ADDED TO QUEEN MOTHER FIELD.

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

Mail De Bievre has been supplemented for the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.

The eight-year-old was a useful performer in France and made a pleasing start for new trainer Tom George when fifth in the Denman Chase on his British bow, racing very keenly over three miles that day.

[denphone]

CRUS SET TO TAKE ON THE WORLD.

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

Grands Crus is set to return to the smaller obstacles, with owner Roger Stanley pinpointing next Thursday's Ladbrokes World Hurdle as his Cheltenham Festival target.

The eight-year-old finished second in the race in 2011 before embarking upon a chasing career that has yielded Grade One glory but also Festival disappointment.

Grands Crus was beaten into fourth as favourite in the RSA Chase last year and while he managed to claim third in the King George on Boxing Day, that effort has been book-ended by two lacklustre efforts.

[denphone]

MOUSE GIVES RULE A SQUEAK

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

Mouse Morris remains quietly confident about the chances of Rule The World in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next week.

Although his Willie Mullins-trained compatriot Pont Alexandre is all the rage for the two-mile-five-furlong contest, three-time winner Rule The World has rather crept under the radar, despite his most impressive win at Naas in early January.

[denphone]

CHELTENHAM PREPARING TO COVER UP.

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

Both the Old Course and the New Course are to be covered as officials at Cheltenham bid to beat any threat from the predicted cold snap early next week.

Covers will be put on the Old Course, to be used on the first two days of the Festival (Tuesday and Wednesday), and the New Course, raced on the last two days (Thursday and Friday).

Vulnerable parts of the cross country course, which will be in action on Tuesday, will also be covered.

Officials remain confident the Festival will go ahead as planned, but feel they need to take this action because of the importance of the fixture.

[denphone]

CARD ON CUE FOR RYANAIR.

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

Cue Card is one of 11 contenders to stand their ground for next Thursday's Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Colin Tizzard's charge heads the market for the two-mile-five-furlong heat following his impressive victory in the Ascot Chase last time out.

He is also still entered in Wednesday's Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase, but Tizzard is eager to avoid Sprinter Sacre, who had Cue's Card measure in the Arkle last year.

"He's in brilliant form at the moment. I'm always very nervous, there's a few days to go, and something can always go wrong, but you have to grin and bear it," he said.

[denphone]

GRANDOUET ON COURSE DESPITE DRIFT.

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

Grandouet remains on course for the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday despite taking an alarming drift on the betting exchanges on Friday afternoon.

The six-year-old was forced out of the Grade One contest 12 months ago through injury, but made a pleasing return to action in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

He has not been seen in competitive action since and did suffer a minor training setback around a month ago.

[denphone]

FLAT STARS GRANTED GO-AHEAD.

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

Richard Hughes and Joseph O'Brien, reigning champion Flat jockeys in Britain and Ireland respectively, have been granted jumps licences to ride in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

The British Horseracing Authority approved Hughes's application, while the Irish Turf Club has given O'Brien permission to compete at the Festival.

Hughes is set to partner Sgt Reckless for trainer Mick Channon, with O'Brien aboard Shield for his father Aidan.