Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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SACRE ADDS SPARKLE TO SHLOER

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

Sprinter Sacre will make his reappearance against six rivals in Sunday's Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old went through his novice season unbeaten and never came off the bridle in winning the Arkle and the Maghull Novices' Chase in the spring.He also claimed the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury against his elders so he does have experience outside novice company.

FLY TOUCHES DOWN IN MORGIANA

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

Hurricane Fly heads a select field of just four runners for Sunday's Dobbins & Madigans At Punchestown Morgiana Hurdle.

Willie Mullins' charge lost his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March but bounced back to winning form at this venue in April. While the champion trainer has not enjoyed an ideal start to the campaign, with a few horses coughing in his yard, he is satisfied Hurricane Fly is fit enough to do himself justice.

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PERFECT START FOR DYNAMITE DYNASTE

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

Dynaste made a stunning fencing debut as he powered away with the Steel Plate And Sections Novices' Chase, the first event of the Open meeting at Cheltenham.

Tom Scudamore was happy to bide his time on David Pipe's 7-4 chance as Unioniste made a bold bid from the front, with favourite Fingal Bay on his heels.

Scudamore was still sitting at the rear of the field at the third-last as Fingal Bay hit the front and kicked for home, but Dynaste was travelling well and when he was sent up to join the leader at the last, he accelerated away on landing and passed the post a comfortable four-and-a-half-length victor.

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NICHOLLS FIRES WINNING BULLETS

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

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh completed a double at Cheltenham when 5-4 favourite Dodging Bullets made virtually every yard in the Grade Two Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle.

Walsh was positive from the off aboard the Frankie Dettori-bred winner, but he looked to have a battle on his hands as there were five in with a chance at the last.

However, a sound leap from Dodging Bullets saw him land in front and he stayed on up the hill, finding the necessary extra to repel River Maigue by a length and a half. Court Minstrel was the same distance back in third.

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Here are my best tips for today.

CHELTENHAM 12.45 Far West
CHELTENHAM 1.20 Our Father
CHELTENHAM 1.55 Bradley
CHELTENHAM 2.35 Hunt Ball
CHELTENHAM 3.05 Themilanhorse
CHELTENHAM 3.40 Ulys Du Charmil

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WEST POINTS WAY HOME AT CHELTENHAM

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

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh had two winners at Cheltenham on Friday and they picked up where they left off as Far West claimed the first event on day two of the Open meeting.

Sent off a 15-8 chance for the Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, Walsh was positive throughout on Far West, disputing the early lead with outsider Shabra Emperor.

However, when the pace turned up a notch three flights from home, there were just three left in it with favourite Vasco Du Ronceray and McVicar trying to go with him. The latter soon cried enough and the market leaders settled down to slug it out up the straight, with Far West always holding the advantage.

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AL'S WELL AS NICHOLLS GRABS GOLD

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...s+Gold&day=Sat

Paul Nicholls claimed a first Paddy Power Gold Cup as Al Ferof defied a huge weight burden with a brilliant round of jumping at Cheltenham.

Nicholls, owner John Hales and jockey Ruby Walsh have suffered heartache in this race before with the ill-fated Granit Jack, but the 8-1 chance went a long way to exorcising those demons.

Still under a tight hold at the top of the hill, where first Hunt Ball and shortly afterwards Grands Crus had run their races, Walsh was joined by another grey, Walkon, and held just a slight advantage two out. He stamped his class on proceedings from there, and hard as the Alan King runner tried he could not reel him in up the gruelling hill, finishing three lengths adrift

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DARLAN RULED OUT OF CHELTENHAM HEAT

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

Darlan will not run in the Racing Post Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday due to ground conditions.

Conditions were officially changed to soft, heavy in places following Saturday's Paddy Power Gold Cup, prompting Nicky Henderson to take stablemate Sprinter Sacre out of the Shloer Chase.

The Lambourn trainer was then left harbouring serious concerns over Darlan, and he confirmed to Press Association Sport: "We have talked about it and I have confirmed Darlan will not run either. They are all in great form, it's disappointing for everybody and it's disappointing for us, we were looking forward to seeing him them run.

GROUND RULES SACRE OUT OF COMEBACK

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

Nicky Henderson's Sprinter Sacre will not run at Cheltenham on Sunday due to the deterioration in ground conditions.

The six-year-old is unbeaten in five chase starts and was due to make his eagerly-awaited seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase.

But with the ground at Prestbury Park officially changed to soft, heavy in places, the Lambourn trainer told Racing UK: "Sadly this ground has gone against us."

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FINIAN'S FLYING AHEAD OF ASCOT TILT

http://www.attheraces.com/article.as...t+tilt&day=Mon

Finian's Rainbow is reported in excellent shape ahead of Saturday's 25th Anniversary Of The Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

Last month's Desert Orchid Chase winner, trained by Nicky Henderson, is the highest British-trained horse in the betting for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and will bid to enhance his Cheltenham claims on Saturday.

Finian's Rainbow's owner Michael Buckley is looking forward to seeing his charge in action this weekend and is confident he will prove a tough nut to crack.

"I hope he's got a good chance. Certainly if he's got any pretensions of running in the Champion Chase, he has to have a good chance of winning this," Buckley told At The Races.

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HYDROGEN JOINS CHAPPLE-HYAM

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

Peter Chapple-Hyam has been confirmed as the trainer of Hydrogen, Qatar Racing's sale-topping colt.

The son of Galileo cost 2.5 million guineas at Tattersalls earlier this year and is a half-brother to Chapple-Hyam's 2007 Derby winner Authorized.

"I've got two horses, one of them is Hydrogen," Chapple-Hyam told the Telegraph.

OLOFI GOES ONE BETTER

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

Olofi, trained by Tom George and ridden by Paddy Brennan, won the Racing Post Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The 8-1 shot was gaining handsome redemption after finishing second 12 months ago. Despite having his path blocked by the game Bothy down the inside rail, Brennan's partner responded manfully for pressure after the last flight to defeat Cash And Go by two and a half lengths. Cause Of Causes finished third, with Bothy fourth.

George said: "He had no luck last year, but it's all come right for him today. He's a very, very talented horse and could still be improving."

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BIG GUNS HOLD SWAY FOR HAYDOCK

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

Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Long Run and Imperial Commander both appear among the nine entries for Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Nicky Henderson's Long Run, who took the Cheltenham highlight in 2011, chased home the rejuvenated Kauto Star in this Grade One event 12 months ago.

It has been a long road back for Imperial Commander, the 2010 Betfair winner who was pulled up on his most recent start in Long Run's Gold Cup.

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FLY HEADING FOR LEOPARDSTOWN

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

Hurricane Fly is likely to make his next appearance in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29 after emerging safe and sound from his comeback run at the weekend.

Willie Mullins' slick two-miler has not been the easiest horse to train and lost his Champion Hurdle crown to Rock On Ruby last March. But he bounced back at the Punchestown Festival and returned to the County Kildare course on Sunday for the Dobbins & Madigans @ Punchestown Morgiana Hurdle.

Hurricane Fly ended up beating Captain Cee Bee by 12 lengths but the three-runner event ceased to be a contest when Go Native fell at the final flight when very much still in touch.

CRUNCH HEARING FOR DETTORI

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

Frankie Dettori faces a France Galop inquiry on Tuesday after testing positive for a banned substance at Longchamp in September.

His solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore released a statement last week which said the jockey would appear before the medical committee of the French racing authority in Paris.

It has been widely reported Dettori failed the test due to the presence of cocaine and faces a six-month ban, which is expected to be reciprocated by racing jurisdictions worldwide. Stewart-Moore declined to name the substance involved, but said it was "not a performance-enhancing drug".

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AL SYSTEMS GO FOR HAYDOCK

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

Weird Al is on course to make his seasonal reappearance in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

The lightly-raced nine-year-old finished 10 lengths behind Kauto Star last season after an easy win in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. Donald McCain's charge failed to complete in his final two starts last term, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and in the John Smith's Grand National, but is reportedly in rude health for his comeback.

McCain said: "He is in grand form and I am very happy with him. He didn't run in the Charlie Hall Chase this year because I just wanted to give him a bit more time.

HONG KONG ASSIGNMENT FOR THE FUGUE

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

Top-class filly The Fugue will finish off her 2012 campaign in the Longines Hong Kong Vase on December 9 before remaining in training next year.

Owned by Lord Lloyd Webber as part of his Watership Down Stud, the daughter of Dansili has had a busy season which started with a fourth-placed finish in the 1000 Guineas.

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COMMANDER SUFFERS SETBACK

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

Imperial Commander has been ruled out of this weekend's Betfair Chase at Haydock after suffering a setback.

The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero has been sidelined by injury since pulling up in the Prestbury Park showpiece in March of last year, but trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies had been looking forward to seeing him return on Saturday for a race he won two years ago.

However, his comeback has now been delayed until the New Year.

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SACRE SET TO TAKE ON SANCTUAIRE

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

Nicky Henderson believes a clash with Sanctuaire in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 8 will provide the first significant test of Sprinter Sacre's career over fences.

In a league of his own as a novice last season, Caroline Mould's gelding won all his five outings in effortless fashion, including the Arkle at Cheltenham and the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree.

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DETTORI HANDED TEMPORARY SUSPENSION

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

Frankie Dettori has been temporarily suspended from riding in France due to this week's case over his positive test for a banned substance.

The 41-year-old made his representation via conference call at the Medical Committee of the French racing authority, France Galop, in Paris on Tuesday, but the file has now been passed on to the French stewards, who will pass judgement within a fortnight.

A statement from France Galop read: "Following yesterday's examination of the file and after having duly notified the jockey Lanfranco Dettori of its decision, the Medical Committee has temporarily suspended the said jockey from riding in races in France, based on medical grounds."