Further evidence that Alan King is returning to form was on show at Market Rasen yesterday, as the Barbury maestro scored twice with handicap chaser Hall Lane and bumper I'd Go Maniac.  July is but 8 days old, yet the Barbury yard has sent out four winners from six jump runners, and stable stalwart Trueshan has returned to winning ways on the flat.  Hall Lane provided owner Gerry Wrigh...

Read more...

It's been a great few days for Marlborough Jump yards as June turns to July with winners for 3 of our leading stables, the highlight being Hang In There's 3l victory in Uttoxeter's £75,000 bet365 Summer Cup.  The 10 year old, owned by veteran stalwarts of the game, Tim Syder and Andrew Gemmell, carried top weight in this valuable handicap, but defied his 11-11 welterweight, with a majo...

Read more...

Emma Lavelle is flying the flag for the Marlborough contingent presently. Ramensky followed up his recent Hereford novice hurdle win at Newton Abbot yesterday, bringing up the stable's 7th winner of the term under Tom Bellamy.  The prizes during the summer months are pretty modest by comparison with the winter months, which begs the question why more British trainers are not venturing over t...

Read more...

The 65th running of the Stratford Foxhunter, sponsored by Pertemps Network, produced a result worthy of the point-to-point community it supports, when What A Glance produced a good turn of foot at the last to win for Shropshire owner Ann Taylor and her grandson Tom Britten, who trains the nine year old. Ridden by Murray Dodds, a second winner in as many days for him, the gelding was produced bet...

Read more...

 A fascinating evening awaits pointing fans as Stratford sees out this most interrupted of Point-to-Point seasons on Friday evening, with a whole card dedicated to the amateur cadre.  The feature Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunter Chase is graced by the presence of Aintree Foxhunter third Annamix, bidding to maintain the momentum of Willie Mullins in the British Trainers' Championship...

Read more...

The progressive Ihandaya extended his winning sequence to four since switching postcodes earlier this year and joining the Nicky Sheppard team when landing the Ladies Open in gritty style at the expense of Macklin. Having won his three races to date this term, the runner-up came into the race in top form and the added bonus of Gina Andrews  in the saddle saw him sent off Evens favourite in...

Read more...

Chaddesley Corbett plays host to the West Mercian area's final meeting of the current season on Bank Holiday Monday (May 27) and racegoers can look forward to an engaging afternoon's racing with a first-race scheduled off-time of 1pm. The seven race card has attracted a bumper entry of 137 horses and clerk of the course Jim Squires is confident that underfoot conditions will be perfect given the ...

Read more...

SEB Mead remembered the late Keagan Kirkby after claiming a poignant victory on Imperial Esprit at the Grafton Point-to-Point at Edgcote, near Banbury, before looking forward to a summer spell with Willie Mullins. With a good-sized crowd basking in the spring sunshine on Sunday, Mead shone brightest aboard the Robert Varnham-trained 10-year-old in the PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2),...

Read more...

YOUNG riders will get the chance to showcase their talents at the Grafton Point-to-Point meeting at Edgcote, near Banbury, on Sunday (2pm). They take centre stage in the PPORA Club Members Conditions Race (Level 2), for Novice Riders Championship Final, sponsored by Savills, which has attracted 13 entries. Imperial Esprit would be a poignant winner with Robert Varnham's charge running in memory ...

Read more...

TEENAGE jockey Tom Hutsby was thrilled to notch his first double on Shoal Bay and Drakes Well in front of a big crowd at the Warwickshire Point-to-Point meeting at Mollington, near Banbury, on Bank Holiday Monday. Having taken his tally for the campaign to five on the pair, trained by his father, Fred, at Wellesbourne, near Stratford, the 16-year-old called time on race-riding for this term to re...

Read more...

It's On The Line asserted his credentials to be the best hunter chaser in Britain & Ireland in another narrowly won victory in the Event Power Champion Hunters' Chase at the Punchestown Festival on Friday.  The J P McManus owned gelding is, to all intents and purposes, a professionally trained horse, in the care of Emmet Mullins, and ridden by Derek O'Connor, the leading Irish amateur. H...

Read more...

A damp Friday evening did nothing to dispel the thrill of riding round Cheltenham for riders of the 59 runners during the 7 race Hunters' Evening, one of just two hunter chase only cards in the British calendar nowadays.  David Kemp and Dale Peters make a good partnership to follow at this annual fixture, so punters latched on to Law of Gold in the 4 miler for the United Hunts Challenge Cup....

Read more...

GINA Andrews will be looking to boost her ladies' championship hopes on home territory at the Warwickshire Point-to-Point meeting at Mollington, near Banbury, on Bank Holiday Monday, May 6 (2pm). Going into the weekend one winner behind Izzie Marshall, the 10-time champion rider, who trains at Marton, near Rugby, under her married name, Gina Ellis, is set to field a strong team at her local track...

Read more...

Analysis of the rankings of trainers in Wiltshire confirms a story long since identified. The big battalions are getting bigger, and medium - sized yards are finding it increasingly difficult to outwit their wealthier rivals to compete in the big races that afford you some chance of a position in the top flight.  Premierization of the racing programme since New Year's Day has acclerated this...

Read more...

Spring's Maryland Hunt Cup should be an event on any self-respecting Jumps fan's bucket list. This year's 127th running proved a gripping contest, all the more so for British rider Charlie Marshall.  At four miles over 22 post-and-rail fences — some nearly five-feet tall — the Maryland Hunt Cup – the third and final leg of the Maryland Timber Triple series over a three-week...

Read more...

Alan King, maestro of Barbury Castle, finished the 23-24 Jumps season with a flourish, when 6 year old Helnwein took the bet365 Novices Championship Final that opened Sandown's finale card yesterday. Following hot on the heels of a welcome Saturday winner at the Scottish Grand National meeting, it added a further £51,440 to the prize-winning pot. Later in the afternoon, Edwardstone acquitte...

Read more...

The Laura Richardson-trained Jeux D'Eau added his name to the iconic roll-call for the historic Lady Dudley Cup with a no-nonsense victory in the Classic when providing his Shropshire-based trainer with by far the biggest victory of her fledgling career.   Jeu d'Eau wins Lady Dudley Cup under Huw Edwards Photo © Graham Fisher Only six-years-old, the gelding partnered by Richardso...

Read more...

By his own admission, the days of Grade I winners and high days at Cheltenham for Barbury trainer Alan King, are now few and far between, given the concentration of spending power harnessed by the big guns of the Jumps game. The seemingly never-ending phalanx of owners with six figure budgets scoop up all the best stock at public auction, and Closutton in particular has a network of scouts scourin...

Read more...

Enthusiastic owners Clive and Joan Hitchings are based only a few miles from Chaddesley Corbett racecourse and have long wanted a horse good enough to land the prestigious Lady Dudley Cup which takes centre stage on the seven race-card at the Worcestershire venue on Saturday. And their wish may have been granted in the shape of Grace A Vous Enki, who bids to extend his unbeaten sequence to six vi...

Read more...

"Quality will out" is a watchword for racing at Aintree nowadays, where the era of long-priced unfancied horses has largely been put to bed by changes to race conditions and the shape of the fences. And perhaps the racing over the National fences is better for that.  That quality was proven yesterday when 3/1 favourite It's On The Line, trained by Emmet Mullins, and ridden by Derek O'Connor,...

Read more...