racing today

David O’Meara – a young trainer making waves

Many young trainers wait a long time for their first success at Group level but former jump jockey turned trainer David O’Meara has already ticked that box in the first year of his training career courtesy of Blue Bajan winning the Henry II Stakes at Sandown. That is unlikely to be his last pattern race success either and his progress…

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High profile Derby trainers both claim Fallon is riding for them

Controversial Irish-born former champion jockey Keiren Fallon is never very far from the headlines (not always for the right reasons), and looks as though he might once again be at the centre of a ‘misunderstanding’ as to which horse he will partner in the forthcoming Investec Epsom Derby on June 4 , writes Elliot Slater. Fallon, who has won racing’s…

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The Apprentice – Betting System Task

Guest post by David Renham The fading sound of Big Ben in the background meant it was just after 6am. The phone rang and a half-asleep Frankie rushed down the stairs. ‘Hello this is Lord Sugar’s office. Lord Sugar wants you to meet him at Epsom racecourse. The cars will pick you up in 30 minutes.’ Frankie put the phone…

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Ballabriggs – the horse who gave it his all

Even though just a few days have passed since the Donald McCain-trained Ballabriggs won a gruelling renewal of the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree from the gallant Irish challenger Oscar Time, odds are available about the 2012 running of the marathon contest for which yesterday’s winner has been installed the ante-post 16/1 favourite to follow up, writes Elliot Slater.…

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The Grand National Winner (hopefully!)

It is the day we have all been waiting for where 40 runners compete to win the John Smith Grand National at Aintree. As always this race is a minefield when trying to find the winner and with 40 declared runners you could easily spend a whole day trying to analyse the race. We need to start by using trends…

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Can’t Buy Hoping It Will Be Third Time Lucky

Regular punters like to think of themselves as being capable of reading the mind of certain trainers, particularly those that they follow closely on a day-to-day basis. They believe they can spot trends in the entries made, the course chosen, the jockey booked, so those who follow Jonjo O’Neill might well read something significant into the fact that his Can’t…

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Lightning Strikes Twice as Murtagh Lands Doncaster Feature Again

Johnny Murtagh, riding for the John Oxx yard this term having been stable jockey to Aidan O’Brien last season at Ballydoyle, booted home the winner of the ultra-competitive William Hill Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday for the second year running, writes Elliot Slater. Twelve months ago Murtagh made the bookies weep as he booted home the William Haggas-trained Penitent…

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A History of York Races

The City of York has a long and rich history which dates back to Roman and Viking days. One of the focal points of the city is the racecourse based on the Knavesmire which attracts over 250,000 visitors to the York each year swelling and benefitting the local economy. However, we doubt if many of that throng of visitors each…

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Two Suggestions for this Year’s Aintree National Hero

This year’s John Smith’s Grand National promises to be the usual mix of thrills and spills, triumph and disaster, but does appear to have attracted a very good quality field on a par with anything seen in the race for some years, writes Elliot Slater. After giving the matter a great deal of thought and working on the assumption that…

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Presvis primed for Dubai Duty Free

Dubai specialist Presvis is reported bang on target for another crack at the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free having pleased his trainer Luca Cumani in his final piece of work before the high profile race, one of the main supporting events on the World Cup card at Meydan on Saturday evening, writes Elliot Slater. Runner-up to Gladiatorius in the 2009…

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Racing Post winner Quinz in the National path

Philip Hobbs has revealed that his Racing Post Chase winner Quinz will be aimed at the Grand National. Hobbs resisted the temptation of taking the gelding to Cheltenham for one of the Festival Handicaps after his Kempton win and he now has fresh horse to take into battle at Aintree in April. Quinz is a good ground horse who likes…

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Lee National Hope Gets Stuck Without Mud

Richard Lee has made absolutely no secret of the fact (and the statistics plainly speak for themselves), that without the mud flying his Grand National 2011 hope Le Beau Bai has little hope of running with credit in the Aintree marathon, writes Elliot Slater. With the advance going at Uttoxeter having been given as ‘soft’ ahead of Saturday’s Midlands Grand…

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Triple Cheltenham joy for resurgent Walsh

It must have been very tough for the hugely talented Ruby Walsh to sit on the sidelines for four months following his fall at Down Royal in November in which he sustained a broken leg, and watch high-class horses trained by Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins win for other jockeys when under normal circumstances he would have been on board,…

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Solwhit misses World Hurdle after failing to sparkle

Hopes of an Irish winner in next Thursday’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle, one of the highlights on day three of the Cheltenham Festival 2011, have been dealt a blow with the news that the smart performer Solwhit will miss the race and is unlikely to be seen again this season, writes Elliot Slater. Trainer Charles Byrnes had been looking forward to…

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King delighted with Bensalem form

Alan King has put Bensalem through his final piece of work prior to attempting to justify favouritism in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase on the opening day of the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival, as he switches back to the larger obstacles having been campaigned over hurdles so far this term, writes Elliot Slater. One of the market leaders when…

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Dream Going Straight to 2000 Guineas

If you exclude his one disappointing effort in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes that came on the back of two stunning victories at the highest level just a short while before, then it is hard to argue that David Simcock’s imposing colt Dream Ahead doesn’t have the best quality profile of any three-year-old going into their Classic season – and…

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Zeb Breezes Through Final Strong Work Before Cheltenham

Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Big Zeb is set to return to Cheltenham on March 16 in top form to defend his title after coming through his final piece of serious work in fine style before attempting to land back-to-back renewals of the two-mile chasing championship, writes Elliot Slater. Colm Murphy’s imposing 10-year-old was schooled over six fences at Leopardstown racecourse…

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The Irish Independent Arkle Chase

The Irish Independent Arkle Chase is one of the popular races at the Cheltenham Festival and is one of the feature races of the first day. This year is sure to be no different with a number of well-regarded runners in a tough field holding entries. Amongst the favourites in the ante-post horse betting market are the very well-fancied Ghizao,…

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Cheltenham – The Big Five

The build-up to the Cheltenham Festival 2011 continued to gather pace a few days ago with the release of the latest acceptors for the big five Championship races which will take place at the Festival this year. As Championship contests they all carry Grade One status – the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup (run on Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 18),…

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Nicholls going for broke with 10 National entries

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has won nearly every major prize going in National Hunt racing but the John Smith’s Grand National has eluded him thus far. With ten of the 102 horses entered in this year’s race being in the care of the Ditcheat handler, Nicholls couldn’t be giving a clearer signal he wants to add the Aintree marathon to…

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