Horse Racing

HARRY Bannister recorded another high-profile win in his upwardly mobile career when the exciting novice Las Bague Au Moi won the opening novice hurdle at Newbury’s Hennessy meeting.

AFTER Cheltenham Gold Cup ante-post favourite Thistlecrack’s flawless round of steeplechasing at Newbury, trainer Colin Tizzard observed: “I don’t think it gets any better than that, does it?”

CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls celebrated the 10th anniversary of Denman winning the Fuller’s London Pride Novices’ Chase at Newbury in perfect fashion as Clan Des Obeaux gifted him a fourth victory in the Grade Two contest.

IT’S indicative of the intrigue in aspiring steeplechaser superstar Thistlecrack that today’s appearance at Newbury will upstage the 60th and final running of the historic Hennessy Gold Cup as jump racing’s longest-running sponsorship comes to an end.

top trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies remains “bullish” about Blaklion’s chances ahead of tomorrow’s 60th renewal of the prestigious Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

NORTH Yorkshire jump jockey Brian Hughes took his tally of winners this month to an incredible 29 following a double at Wetherby courtesy of Kalaniti and Cooking Fat.

RICHARD GUEST had paid tribute to the bravery of the legendary Red Marauder who overcame countless setbacks to win the ‘monsoon’ Grand National of 2001 when just four runners completed the Aintree marathon because of the saturated ground.

WHEN World Cup-winning rugby union player Mike Tindall successfully bid £12,000 for Monbeg Dude at an auction while slightly worse for wear, teetotal trainer Michael Scudamore did not even have a horse box to take the new acquisition back to his stables.

Cue Card bounced out of his third Betfair Chase win in fine form, according to trainer Colin Tizzard.

Comeback kid Coneygree and big-race stalwart Cue Card headline what promises to be a fascinating Betfair Chase at Haydock today.

Sprinter Sacre was paraded in front of an adoring crowd at Cheltenham yesterday – just two hours after his trainer Nicky Henderson announced the retirement of the dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero.

Thistlecrack overcame a couple of hairy moments to easily maintain his unbeaten record over fences in the mallardjewellers.com Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

jonjo o’NEILL hopes More Of That can prove his Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials at the Cotswolds track today.

THISTLECRACK has already taken jockey Tom Scudamore to new heights after the crackerjack horse turned last season’s World Hurdle into a procession.

Tom Richmond

flat RACING’S worst kept secret was confirmed last night when former champion jockey Paul Hanagan’s five-year association with leading owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum came to an end.

TRAINER Ben Pauling is relishing the prospect of seeing stable star Barters Hill make his debut over fences on day one of Cheltenham’s three-day Open meeting.

Jack Berry remains the inspiration behind the Injured Jockeys Fund and its pioneering work to help stricken riders. Tom Richmond reports.