Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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HANNON STARTS MAKING PLANS

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Richard Hannon has already started making early-season plans for some of this year's Classic contenders after sending a strong team to work at Kempton last week.

The former champion trainer is particularly heavy-handed in the three-year-old colts division ahead of the new campaign, with Toronado, Havana Gold and Olympic Glory all set to take their chance in some of the trial races for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Another to go well in the recent workout was last year's Gran Criterium winner Law Enforcement, who is set for a trip to Dubai later this month.

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BOLSTER IN FRAME FOR APRIL OUTING.

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The Giant Bolster could run at either Aintree or Punchestown next month following another superb effort in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A surprise runner-up behind Synchronised a year ago, the eight-year-old proved that was no fluke by finishing fourth on Friday.

Trainer David Bridgwater said: "He seems fine, no worries at all. The plan would be for him to run again, providing he's OK and the ground is right. He could go to Liverpool or Punchestown, I don't know which. We'll just see what the ground is like."

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SOLWHIT TAKES AIM AT QUE.

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Solwhit is set for an absorbing duel with Quevega in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown next month.

The Charles Byrnes-trained nine-year-old confirmed his renaissance by claiming the equivalent race at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday.

DUDE POISED FOR SPRING BREAK.

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Monbeg Dude is unlikely to run again this season after he was pulled up in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

Michael Scudamore's Welsh National hero struggled to keep up from an early stage before eventually being taken out of the race by jockey Sam Twiston-Davies.

Scudamore said: "He seems OK. He has a minor cut on his leg, but nothing of any significance. I don't think he realised horses could go that fast until he ran the other day. Those top horses certainly have two or three gears he doesn't. I think we'll be sticking to staying handicaps from now on."

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ZARKANDAR SET FOR RISE IN TRIP.

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Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is likely to step Zarkandar up in trip following his fourth-placed finish in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The two-and-a-half-mile John Smith's Aintree Hurdle in April could be his first assignment over a longer distance.

VARIAN LOOKS FARR AWAY.

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Roger Varian is keen to take his Winter Derby winner Farraaj off around Europe this season, with an international campaign on the horizon.

Third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf as a youngster, his three-year-old campaign was restricted to just two runs. However, Varian has got him fit early this season and hopes to pick up some nice prizes abroad with the son of Dubai Destination.

"It is always satisfying when a plan comes together and this had been his target since his win over course and distance in November," the Newmarket handler told his website, www.varianstable.com.

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PLANTEUR READY TO TAKE ON WORLD.

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Planteur will be making a pretty brief visit to the Gulf as he prepares to leave Newmarket this weekend ahead of the Dubai World Cup on March 30.

Marco Botti's six-year-old looked in excellent health on Monday, despite having spent his time preparing through the chilly British weather. He has taken a slightly different route towards the planet's richest race, landing the Winter Derby Trial in February.

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DE BROMHEAD PONDERS EUROPE PLANS.

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Trainer Henry de Bromhead is in no rush to decide which race at the Punchestown Festival Sizing Europe will contest following his fine effort in defeat at Cheltenham last week.

After much deliberation by connections, the 11-year-old was given the chance to regain his crown in the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase, instead of going for the longer Ryanair Chase.

The veteran did his best to fight off the awesome Sprinter Sacre running down the hill and although he was readily swept aside in the end, Sizing Europe was a clear second.

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MCNAMARA REMAINS STABLE.

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JT McNamara remains in a stable condition following the serious neck injury he sustained at Cheltenham on Thursday.

The 37-year-old was injured in a first fence fall from Galaxy Rock in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup and was airlifted to hospital after being treated by the on-course medics.

Conscious following the fall according to officials at the track, the leading amateur rider was put in an induced coma before his transfer to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol. McNamara underwent surgery on his fractured C3 and C4 vertebrae on Friday.

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FLAME BURNING BRIGHT FOR AINTREE.

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John Quinn is looking forward to seeing Countrywide Flame step up in distance at Aintree next month following his superb effort in defeat in last week's Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Last year's Triumph Hurdle hero ran arguably a career-best in finishing third behind two former winners in Hurricane Fly and Rock On Ruby, and Quinn feels the two and a half miles of the Aintree Hurdle will suit his versatile five-year-old ideally.

Quinn said: "He's absolutely fine and at the moment, we're looking towards Aintree.

"That will probably be his last run over hurdles this season. He could go back on the Flat for the Chester Cup if he's all right, but Aintree is our main aim.

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FLEMENSTAR IN LINE FOR SACRE CLASH.

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

Trainer Peter Casey has indicated Flemenstar could tackle the mighty Sprinter Sacre at the Punchestown Festival if he emerges safely from his comeback at Aintree.

The eight-year-old is poised for a drop back in trip after his defeat to Sir Des Champs in the Hennessy at Leopardstown, after which he was scratched from Cheltenham with a lung infection

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FRY INTO THE EYE OF HURRICANE.

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Harry Fry would like Rock On Ruby to have another crack at Hurricane Fly in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.

The young trainer made no excuses for his stable star's loss of his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham last Tuesday to the previous year's winner, when Rock On Ruby kept on to finish second after making the running in first-time blinkers.

"We thought he'd be quite tired but he's come out of the race well - he was staying on again after the last - so he seems in good order. We couldn't have hoped for him to come out of the race in better form and we look forward to a trip to Punchestown on April 26, all being well," Fry said.

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ALDER POSSIBLE FOR EASTER DATE.

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Ireland's final winner of last week's Cheltenham Festival could potentially be out again quite quickly.

Alderwood's heavily backed victory under Tony McCoy in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase saw Ireland nose ahead of Britain at 14 to 13 in successes at the meeting.

RACE AGAINST TIME FOR BEARNAI.

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Last year's Irish Grand National hero Lion Na Bearnai faces a race against time to be fit for the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on April 6 - for which 16 horses were taken out at the latest stage.

Albertas Run, Quito De La Roque, The Package and Alfie Sherrin are among those who will not be running in the famous race

WINDERMERE SET FOR SUMMER BREAK.

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

Jim Culloty has decided his RSA Chase hero Lord Windermere will not run again this season.

It was a case of "mission accomplished" at the Cheltenham Festival last week for County Cork-based Culloty, who landed by far the biggest win of his training career with the seven-year-old.

Having ridden Best Mate to win three Gold Cups, the former jockey now has another success in the blue riband event in his sights, but this time as a trainer.

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ROQUE UNLIKELY TO TACKLE NATIONAL.

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Quito De La Roque is "highly unlikely" to line up in the John Smith's Grand National next month, according to Colm Murphy.

A winner on the Mildmay course at Aintree in 2011 and a dual Grade One-winning chaser, the nine-year-old endured a slightly disappointing start to the current campaign before bouncing back with victory in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles in mid-January.

DYNASTE HAS AINTREE OPTIONS.

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Dynaste, who was turned over at a short price in the Jewson Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival by Benefficient, may bid to redeem his reputation at Aintree.

Trainer David Pipe thought long and hard about which race to run the grey in after he bolted up in the three-mile Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

He came down on the side of the two-and-a-half-mile race at Cheltenham and he is faced with options again at Aintree, with the Grade One Manifesto Chase over the same trip as the Jewson or the Mildmay Novices' Chase over three miles.

CHOSEN ONE ON CHAMPION TRAIL.

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Nigel Twiston-Davies is convinced The New One has what it takes to become a serious contender for next year's Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The prolific five-year-old showed a smart shift of gear in last Wednesday's Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle to defeat a strong field by upwards of four lengths.

Next up for The New One is a possible slight drop in distance to two and a half miles at Aintree next month.

Twiston-Davies told the Telegraph: "He is a very smart hurdler who has a good turn of foot, which all points to next year's Champion Hurdle being the long-term target.

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MCCAIN PLOTS NATIONAL CHALLENGE.

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

Trainer Donald McCain is hoping to be triple-handed in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on April 6.

McCain landed the race with Ballabriggs two years ago and the veteran is one of four still engaged for the Cheshire handler, along with Weird Al and Across The Bay, who both had a spin at Aintree on Tuesday morning, and Cloudy Lane, for whom there is a different plan.

"Cloudy Lane is aiming at the Fox Hunters on the first day and has been left in the National in case Ballabriggs does not get there - both are owned by Trevor Hemmings, who is a huge supporter of the race. There is no point leaving the National at Cheltenham so none of my four ran there last week," said the trainer.

CONNELL SNAPS UP OUR CONOR.

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Triumph Hurdle hero Our Conor has been bought by leading owner Barry Connell.

The four-year-old was an effortless 15-length winner of the Grade One event at Cheltenham last week, completing a double at the highest level and taking his tally to four wins in as many starts over hurdles for trainer Dessie Hughes.

Connell was impressed with what he saw at Prestbury Park and snapped up the Jeremy gelding for an undisclosed sum from the Man About Town Syndicate.

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MULLINS TAKES AIM AT FAIRYHOUSE.

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Willie Mullins and JP McManus dominate the entries for the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on April 1.

Fresh from being crowned leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival, Mullins has once again dominated the National Hunt season in Ireland and his strength in depth is phenomenal, with the likes of Back In Focus, Boston Bob and Quel Esprit all under consideration for the contest.

McManus is also likely to be strongly represented with Alfie Sherrin, Competitive Edge, Lost Glory and Alderwood in the frame.

O'BRIEN PLANNING CURRAGH SPIN.

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Aidan O'Brien is again planning to take a team of horses to work after racing at the Curragh on Sunday.

With the Flat season in Ireland kicking off this weekend, O'Brien's mammoth team will be stepping up a gear.

In the past some of his Classic contenders and the cream of his older horses have been on show after racing and he will firm up exactly which of his inmates will work over the coming days.

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ONWARDS AND UPWARDS FOR DELTA TEAM.

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

Trainer Jimmy Mangan is keen to move on from the unfortunate incident that saw Oscar Delta so heartbreakingly denied victory in last week's CGA Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Third in the race for the previous two years, the 10-year-old looked set to take the glory when jumping the final fence with a clear lead over reigning champion Salsify, but soon after setting off up the punishing hill he jinked sharply and unshipped the trainer's daughter Jane Mangan.

PUNJABI IN LINE FOR AINTREE.

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

Punjabi could step up in trip for his next run after putting in his best work at the finish in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham last week.

Connections have not lost faith in the 2009 Champion Hurdle hero, who has been highly tried in three runs since returning from a 33-month absence in December and has not shirked the issue when contesting the Christmas Hurdle, the Betfair Hurdle and the County.

Dropped a further 5lb to a rating of 135 from a career high of 166, the 10-year-old, trained by Nicky Henderson, may now try his luck in the John Smith's Handicap Hurdle at Aintree on April 5.