John Burke
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Jan- 2019 -7 JanuaryNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
Veteranâs Day A fairly low-key weekend on the racing front, not really surprising given the feast of racing over Christmas period. Sandown hosted a race to warm the cockles of the most cynical racing heart. Yes, it was the Veteransâ Series Final. The race, and its series of qualifiers, have quickly found favour with jumping fans. As a battle-hardened group…
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3 JanuaryNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
Is 2019 The Year of The Clan? Well my holiday already seems far away, but I had a very relaxing time and the break was definitely needed. I returned from Mexico on Boxing Day, and just managed to see the action from Kempton, and what great racing it was too. The King George VI provided a bit of a shock…
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Dec- 2018 -17 DecemberNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
Frost Returns to Cheltenham Not for the first time I find myself praising the riding skills of Bryony Frost as she steered Frodon to victory in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on Saturday. Itâs a long time since I have seen a Cheltenham meeting runs in such gloomy conditions, but Frodonâs win did add some brightness to the day. It…
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10 DecemberNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
The last two weeks have seen some top-class Championship performances from Bristol De Mai and Buveur DâAir on their seasonal reappearances. This week it was the turn of Altior at Sandown. There have been some great winners of the Tingle Creek Chase over the years, like Moscow Flyer, Kauto Star and Sprinter Sacre, and this yearâs victor is up there…
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3 DecemberNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
In recent years, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle hasnât had the quality of field you would like to see for a race of its history. On paper, this yearâs renewal looked like the race of the season so far, with Champion Hurdle winner Buveur DâAir, and Cheltenham Festival novice hurdle winners Samcro & Summerville Boy all standing their ground.…
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Nov- 2018 -26 NovemberNews
Weekly Eye-Catchers
Well, I am back in the saddle so to speak, after a short break away. Plenty to go at this week. Saturday itâs the Ladbroke Trophy Handicap Chase, formerly known as the Hennessey Gold Cup, at Newbury, which is one of my favourite handicap chases of the season. Also on Saturday itâs the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. The Fighting…
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12 NovemberAdvice
Weekly Eye-Catchers
Morning! Frost Returns To Wincanton I waxed lyrical about jockey Bryony Frost on a couple of occasions last year. The first time was when she won last yearâs Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase on Present Man. It was a case of dĂ©jĂ vu as the combination returned to win the race again this year. Once again Bryony got the 8-year-old into a good…
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5 NovemberAdvice
Weekly Diary – Horse Racing
I have decided to take a break from jumps racing for just one week to look at the flat and, in particular, last weekendâs Breeders Cup and the upcoming Melbourne Cup.  Thereâs no horse for the tracker this week, but I have provided a Melbourne Cup selection and a Monday stat. Thereâs no better jockey for the big occasion than Frankie…
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Oct- 2018 -29 OctoberNews
Weekly Diary â Horse Racing
King Power Racing I start my weekend round-up on a sad note. The football and horse racing worlds are facing the possibility that Leicester City & King Power Racing owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabh, lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash outside the Leicesterâs ground on Saturday evening. At the time of writing, there has been no confirmation of any deaths,…
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26 OctoberAdvice
Weekly Diary â Horse Racing
Champions Day was launched in 2011 to much âwailing and gnashing of teethâ, with commentators on racing forums predicting the end of flat racing as we know it. Champions Day would destroy the pattern. Ascot had got too big for its boots, and a few other things. I am sure you read them too. Well the modern-day Jeremiahâs have been…
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15 OctoberAdvice
Weekly Diary – Horse Racing
Mullins Maintains Grip on Staying Handicaps Jumps trainer Willie Mullins looks like he could have a stranglehold on all the big staying flat handicaps over the next few years, if Saturdayâs Cesarewitch is any guide. The Irish handler had 7 of the 33 runners, but managed to have the winner in Low Sun, and the runner-up in Uradel. The winner was given…
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8 OctoberNews
Weekly Horse Racing Diary
At the time of writing this, Europeâs richest horse race is about to be run. I am hoping that Enable will have shown why she remains one of the best middle-distance fillies we have seen in recent years, and win her second successive Arc. And she did! Watch the race live HERE On Saturday itâs the second leg of the…
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1 OctoberAdvice
Weekly Diary
Happy October! Thereâs a chill in the air, and we have entered a new month. We may have the Arc Weekend and Champions Day to look forward to this month, but you know winter isnât far away, as later this month Cheltenham will be hosting its first jumps meeting of the season. Let’s take a look back at Saturdayâs Newmarket…
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Sep- 2018 -24 SeptemberNews
Weekly Horse Racing Roundup
This week I will be taking my usual look back at the weekend’s horse racing action, as well as highlighting a couple of trainers whose runners are worth noting at the Cambridgeshire Newmarket Meeting. Honours Shared in Ayr Gold Cup You could have cut the tension with a knife at Ayr, as punters awaited the result of the photo finish…
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18 SeptemberNews
Weekly Diary
First, to Doncaster for St Leger Day, and I canât say it was a brilliant one from a punting perspective. Although I was surprised by the drift on Kew Gardens, who was being offered at 7/2 in places in the ring on Saturday. It would have been churlish not to have taken advantage of the bookmakerâs generosity. Apart from that,…
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10 SeptemberNews
The Monday Diary
Good Monday Morning to you! After some fairly low-key racing last week. This weekâs sport steps up a couple of notches. Yesterday saw the start of a week’s racing at Listowel Harvest Festival. This Wednesday sees the start of four days’ racing on Town Moor with the Doncaster St Leger Festival. If that wasnât enough for racegoers, next Saturday &…
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3 SeptemberNews
An Angel on Your Shoulder?
It was very much a case of âafter the Lord Mayor’s showâ with last weekâs horse racing. This week begins on a fairly low-key note, but it picks-up on Thursday, when we have then first of three days action at Haydock, culminating in the latest renewal of the Group 1 32Red Sprint Cup on Saturday. Ascot hosts two days of…
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Aug- 2018 -27 AugustNews
Teasing the tail…
York Ebor Festival Reflections Itâs not often that a summer racing festival lives up to pre-meeting expectations. However, York always seems to deliver – year on year. There were plenty of good performances and stories, and the narratives’ flow continued through the four days. This flat season has been a bit of a slow burner, with the classic generation only…
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21 AugustAdvice
Monday’s Weekly Roundup – Horse Racing
As promised this article primarily looks at the upcoming Yorkshire Ebor Festival which starts on Wednesday. However, I will begin with a look back at last weekâs racing action. Towcester must focus on the horses, not the dogs The most interesting story of the week took place off the track rather than on it with the announcement that Towcester racecourse…
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6 AugustAdvice
Monday’s Weekly Roundup – Horse Racing
Well, this is the first of my new Monday articles. Itâs an opportunity to take a look back at some of last weekâs horse racing highlights and also look forward to the week ahead in the racing world. As ever there will be plenty of stats highlighted for you. Brilliant Battaash Blitzâs Rivals I am writing this at the end…
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