Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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Queen heads Darling possibles.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Tue

Rosdhu Queen tops 16 entries for Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.

William Haggas' charge ended last year unbeaten in four starts, culminating in victory in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Richard Hannon has three in the running at this stage, although Sky Lantern is set to contest the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday instead. She was initially due to run at Newbury but the likelihood of soft ground has seen the Hannon team switch their runners over.

"Maureen is proven on soft ground and the going can't really be anything but soft at Newbury at the weekend," said assistant trainer Richard Hannon jnr.

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Glory in line for Greenham return.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Tue

Olympic Glory and Moohaajim are the star names among 14 colts entered for Saturday's Aon Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

The Richard Hannon-trained Olympic Glory won the Prix Jean Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on his final outing last term to supplement a pair of Group Two wins in Britain.

His trainer also has Havana Gold in the race while Marco Botti has two in Moohaajim and Hasopop. The first-named won the Mill Reef Stakes last year before finishing a narrow second in the Middle Park at the end of his campaign.

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Quartet take Craven challenge.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Tue

Toronado and Dundonnell, the first two home in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, are set for a rematch in the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

The Richard Hannon-trained Toronado got the verdict in South Yorkshire by half a length to maintain his unbeaten record, but now has to give 3lb to Roger Charlton's colt.

While Toronado was put away for the winter after completing a hat-trick, Dundonnell went to Santa Anita, where he was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Hannon has also declared Havana Gold, winner of the Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes and runner-up in the £500,000 Tattersalls Millions 2YO Trophy on this course last autumn.

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Henderson wary over Sacre.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Tue

Nicky Henderson will be keeping a keen eye on the weather before committing stable star Sprinter Sacre to a run at the Punchestown Festival.

An impressive winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, the seven-year-old took a step up to two and a half miles in his stride and extended his unbeaten record over fences to nine with another flawless display in the Melling Chase at Aintree.

The champion trainer-elect remains keen to send his charge to Ireland for the first time for the Boylesports.com Champion Chase on April 23, but is wary about the prospect of testing conditions.

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Express out for Gwyn delivery.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Wed

Winning Express bids to quell stamina doubts when she steps up to seven furlongs for the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.

The Ed McMahon-trained filly could be a serious contender for the Qipco 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile next month should she pass this stern test.

Winning Express showed no signs of stopping when racing over six furlongs last season and was putting in her best work at the finish when only beaten a length by Rosdhu Queen in the Cheveley Park Stakes in the autumn

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Unbeaten Black Caviar retired after 25 consecutive wins.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/22179135

Unbeaten Australian mare Black Caviar is to be retired after winning 25 consecutive races.

The seven-year-old sprinter won the Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last year but then tore a quadriceps muscle and faced the threat of retirement.

May the Queen have a happy retirement as she will live long into the memory.

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Hughes expecting Toronado triumph.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Wed

Richard Hughes expects Toronado to confirm last season's form with Dundonnell when the pair clash for a second time in Thursday's Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

While only four go to post in the 2000 Guineas trial, the official handicapper has only 4lb between them all, though the Richard Hannon-trained Toronado was unbeaten during his juvenile season, accounting for Roger Charlton's Dundonnell in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster with the runner-up in receipt of 3lb this time.

"He's showing us an awful lot of speed at home at the moment," Hughes told Sky Sports Radio

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Bonfire reignited for new campaign.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Wed

Andrew Balding expects to see a rejuvenated Bonfire in Thursday's Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.

The world looked to be his oyster when he made a winning reappearance in last year's Dante Stakes at York. However, he was well beaten in the Derby and ran no sort of race in the Eclipse, after which Balding, along with his owners, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, decided to draw stumps for the season.

Gelded in the interim, Balding believes the four-year-old will be a different proposition as the campaign progresses.

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Hot prospect delivers for Cecil.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Wed

Sir Henry Cecil suddenly found himself with the new favourite for the Qipco 1000 Guineas as Hot Snap appeared from nowhere in more ways than one in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.

This was a serious statement of intent for the legendary trainer and owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, who must cope without Frankel for the first time in three years, as the unbeaten chestnut was Cecil's first runner of the new campaign.

Hot Snap, who went off at 10-1 for this Group Three trial, made staggering progress from the rear of the field to charge well clear of the hot favourite Sky Lantern, and although the Guineas arrives quickly enough on May 5, it was not discounted by connections.

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Certify on track for Guineas.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Thu

Certify might have lost her place at the head of the betting with some firms for the Qipco 1000 Guineas, but trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is still aiming the Godolphin filly for the Newmarket Classic on May 5.

Unbeaten in four starts at two, Certify will not have a prep-run and was displaced by Henry Cecil's impressive Nell Gwyn winner Hot Snap.

After winning her maiden at HQ in July, she went on to record Group successes in the Sweet Solera, May Hill and Shadwell Fillies' Mile.

"She's doing well. She isn't bigger, she's still the same size as she was last year, but she is training well," said trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

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French Derby possible for Intello.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Thu

Andre Fabre saddled a rare runner at Newmarket in the EBM-Papst Feilden Stakes and those who took the hint were never in danger of losing their money as Intello maintained his unbeaten record.

Fabre sent his three-year-old over the Channel in search of some decent ground and he was always travelling smoothly for Olivier Peslier as the 6-4 favourite.

Two furlongs out the Galileo colt quickened up impressively, effectively putting the race to bed.

Alan Bailey's King George River broke from the pack to keep the winner honest but there was still three and a quarter lengths between them at the line.

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Easy for Garswood in Free Handicap.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Thu

Richard Fahey's Garswood justified market confidence with a smooth success in the CSP European Free Handicap at Newmarket.

Last seen competing over five furlongs in the Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot, he handled the step up to seven furlongs with aplomb.

The Dutch Art colt could be spotted at halfway going much the best, although Tony Hamilton had to sit and suffer for a few strides waiting for a gap to appear.

Once in daylight, Garswood (5-2 favourite) quickened impressively and was coasting crossing the line, two and a quarter lengths clear of Emmel.

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Olympic aiming for Greenham glory.


http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Thu

Richard Hannon's Group One winner Olympic Glory will face just four rivals in Saturday's Aon Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Seen as one of the more relevant Classic trials, Sir Henry Cecil used it as a stepping stone to Guineas glory for the brilliant Frankel two years ago.

Olympic Glory only met with defeat once in his five race juvenile career and he certainly lost no caste in going down by less than a length to Jim Bolger's Guineas favourite Dawn Approach in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

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Toronado storms to Craven success.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...e&sub=&day=Thu

Richard Hannon's Toronado enhanced his Classic claims in some style as he turned in an impressive display in the Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

Sent off the 8-11 favourite to give weight and a beating to three talented opponents, the unbeaten son of High Chaparral was soon bowling along at the head of affairs in the hands of Richard Hughes.

The Roger Charlton-trained Dundonnell, did his best to throw down a challenge heading inside the final couple of furlongs, but Hughes' confidence was clear for all to see, and Toronado showed a real turn of foot to put the race to bed and he passed the post with four lengths in hand

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Cecil filly takes centre stage.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Fri

Sir Henry Cecil demonstrated his expert placing and preparation of a little-known filly for the second day in a row at Newmarket with Tickled Pink (8-1) in the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes.

Fresh from Hot Snap's victory in the Nell Gwyn, the grey daughter of top-class sprinter Cassandra Go looks to have inherited plenty of speed as she made all the running to collect by two lengths.

Tickled Pink previously had only a Yarmouth maiden to her name but is now a Group Three star.

Flemenstar ruled out of Punchestown.

http://www.attheraces.info/article.a...=&sub=&day=Fri

Flemenstar has been ruled out of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at the Punchestown on Tuesday after connections decided to give the eight-year-old a wind operation.

Peter Casey's gelding looked set to take the season by storm after winning his first two starts of the campaign in impressive fashion, but things have not gone to plan since.

Narrowly beaten in the Lexus Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup, he missed the Cheltenham Festival after it was discovered he was suffering from a lung infection and although he returned to action at Aintree, he appeared well below-par in finishing a distant third in the Melling Chase behind Sprinter Sacre.