Tag Archive for: Warwick

Filby really, really wants Lift Me Up in pole position for Cheltenham

Maxine Filby will keep Lift Me Up “wrapped up in bubble wrap” until March, after igniting Cheltenham Festival dreams for Red Bull Formula One supremo Christian Horner and his Spice Girl wife Geri.

The nine-year-old proved a smash hit when winning the Willoughby De Broke Open Hunters’ Chase at Warwick, a race that has been successfully used as a stepping stone to the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase in the past.

Lift Me Up will now head straight to Prestbury Park, where he will attempt to make the podium in the contest that is seen as the Gold Cup for amateurs – fulfilling the Formula One team principal’s wish of one day having a runner at National Hunt’s showpiece event.

Christian and Geri Horner celebrate at Warwick
Christian and Geri Horner celebrate at Warwick (David Davies/PA)

“When we first started, it was Christian’s dream to have a runner at the Cheltenham Festival,” said Filby.

“Everyone may have had a laugh at first, but we’ve stuck at it and now it is about to become a bit of reality.

“We don’t want to tempt any fate, so I won’t get carried away, but he’s not coming out of his box now until March, he’s being wrapped up in bubble wrap.

“He’s run twice previously at Cheltenham during their hunter chase night, he pulled up the first time but then finished third behind Premier Magic (Festival winner in 2023) and Fairly Famous last time.

“We’ll give it a go, it’s everyone’s dream and just to have him run at the Festival will be amazing.”

Lift Me Up may be Filby’s first runner at the Cheltenham Festival, but she is no stranger to being in the sporting spotlight.

In a bid to spice up her life, she swapped four legs for two wheels to compete around the world mountain biking, winning a national championship in 2021, while she is also the partner of Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington – Lewis Hamilton’s right-hand man during his championship-winning days in the Mercedes cockpit.

That association may make Filby a rival of the Horners on the F1 scene, but she is firmly in their corner on the racecourse, and after finding her way back to her first love, she is now entrusted with fine-tuning the motorsport chief and his wife’s finest horsepower in equine form.

“They like winning, so no pressure,” quipped Filby, when asked about training for the celebrity couple.

“I rode a bit in point-to-points and trained a few of my own, but then had a break and decided to race a mountain bike around the world – you name it, I did it.

“I came back and rode out for Geri and Christian and that’s it, we’re now here. They are lovely people to train for and really care about their horses. It’s nice to have them in the sport and raise the profile – especially point-to-pointing.

“They love their horses and everything about racing and I think everyone is really proud of what we’re achieving.”

The other central figure in the Lift Me Up story is 6ft 4in jockey Jack Andrews, who in sharp contrast to pint-sized pop idol Geri, is often referred to as the world’s tallest jockey.

Geri Horner emraces Jack Andrews at Warwick
Geri Horner embraces Jack Andrews at Warwick (David Davies/PA)

Andrews is in line for the leg-up aboard the horse affectionately known as ‘Hector’ in March and Filby has hailed his influence in nurturing the gelding’s progress.

“Jack’s the best and along with Gina (Andrews) and her husband Tom (Ellis), they help me a lot” added Filby.

“They have sort of made us feel like part of the team and Jack and Hector get on so well.”



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Lift Me Up proves he’s no Wannabe with Warwick hit for Horners

Red Bull Formula One supremo Christian Horner and his Spice Girl wife Geri were on course at Warwick to cheer home last-race winner Lift Me Up, who set up a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival.

Trained by Maxine Filby, the nine-year-old bounced right back to his best having been pulled up in a point-to-point last time out.

Lift Me Up had shown he was a smart performer in this sphere when second in Stratford’s Champion Hunters’ Chase in May and having seen off the likes of Bennys King and 5-4 favourite Jeux d’Eau in the Willoughby De Broke Open Hunters’ Chase, a trip to the highlight of the National Hunt season beckons.

The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, seen as the Gold Cup for amateurs, is now the aim.

Christian and Geri Horner cheer on Lift Me Up from the stands
Christian and Geri Horner cheer on Lift Me Up from the stands (David Davies/PA)

“It was a great race and great to see him run so well against some strong horses,” said Christian Horner.

“There’s more similarities than you might think between horse racing and motor racing, just in the way a jockey gets the most out of a horse. Jack (Andrews) did a wonderful job today, he rode him really well and timed the race brilliantly, so there are more similarities than you think.

“We’ve been involved for about three or four years now and it’s just a bit of fun, this horse is going to the hunter chase at Cheltenham, so this was a good warm-up race for him.

“I don’t know about it getting serious, we’re very pleased with the little team we have; Maxine Filby has done a great job training him and all the girls and guys that are involved.”

Geri Horner embraces her jockey Jack Andrews
Geri Horner embraces her jockey Jack Andrews (David Davies/PA)

However, Horner’s job means he will not be at Cheltenham should the horse make it.

He said: “Racing is a great sport, it’s great to see it supported, we’re only at the shallow end but it’s great to be involved.

“Travelling (with Formula One) is tiring but it is a pleasure what we get to do. Our first race coincides with Cheltenham, so I’ll be glued to the internet trying to find out how he gets on.

“It’s in Australia, so I’ll be up in the middle of the night.”



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That’s Nice wins cosily at Warwick, but Festival foray unlikely

That’s Nice got back to winning ways at Warwick but Nicky Henderson has all but ruled out a trip to the Cheltenham Festival for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Bred by Noreen McManus and running in the green and gold colours of her husband JP, she looked a very exciting prospect when beating Dan Skelton’s Honky Tonk Highway on her hurdling debut.

Given that runner-up has subsequently won a Listed event at Sandown easily and was only just touched off at the Winter Million meeting at Windsor on Friday, it was puzzling when That’s Nice finished last of four at Cheltenham on her next outing.

Henderson is keen to put that down to the drop back to two miles, however, and back up in trip for the first division of the Watch RacingTV Free For 31 Days Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, she overcame an early jumping error and was value for much more than the one-and-a-quarter-length winning margin over Miss Cynthia.

That's Nice with AP McCoy (left), Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson (right)
That’s Nice with AP McCoy (left), Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson (right) (PA)

“I don’t know what happened to her at Cheltenham, she got all jazzed up before it at the start,” said Henderson of the 8-11 favourite.

“I suppose that was two miles but she wants this trip, as she stays and she does go in this ground.”

Betfair and Paddy Power cut her to 16-1 from 33s for the Cheltenham race registered as the Dawn Run but Henderson advised punters to hold off backing her.

He said: “I wouldn’t have thought the Cheltenham race would suit her, but I’ll have to talk to JP, that’s two miles and I would have thought she definitely wants two and a half.

“She’s a long-term plan, she’s a chaser – as long as she doesn’t jump like she did when she broke that hurdle! She actually jumped fine after that.”

The second division went the way of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 11-8 market leader I Am The Moon.

Leader In The Park put in some good leaps on the way round
Leader In The Park put in some good leaps on the way round (David Davies/PA)

Ben Pauling’s Leader In The Park followed up an impressive victory at Kempton on Boxing Day in the racingtv.com/freetrial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – but only just.

Having initially looked set to run out an impressive winner, the petrol gauge began to flicker after the final fence and Ben Jones was getting more and more urgent in the saddle.

He managed to eventually hold on by half a length and justify 5-4 favouritism.

“All he did was battle all the way to the line and he showed a bit of grit and determination,” said Jones.

“I was hoping he was going to improve for the last day and I think he has. He got into a lovely rhythm, he jumped fantastic down the back straight and I was able to fill him up once more turning for home.

“He messed two out up but he winged the last, but then he did get a little tired and probably idled a bit, but he held on – which was the main thing.”

He looks another smart prospect in the novice chase department for Pauling, which also includes The Jukebox Man and Handstands.

“I was looking forward in the summer when they were all doing road work, it’s a nice position to be in,” said Jones.

Another good performance on the card came from James Owen’s Lavender Hill Mob (evens favourite) in the Hazelton Mountford Insurance Brokers Juvenile Hurdle.

Owen is looking forward to seeing his main Triumph Hurdle hope East India Dock at Cheltenham on Saturday but when that one won by a wide margin in November, he nominated Lavender Hill Mob as potentially better. Unfortunately, that has not proved to be the case.

“I probably put the mockers on him by saying I thought he’d be very good but his work at home was strong and his schooling was very good and we thought he’d get the job done at Newcastle but he didn’t, which was fine,” said Owen.

“Then he went to Cheltenham and again I thought he’d win but he didn’t come up the hill, he’s just taken a lot of time to learn.

“I don’t know what he’s beaten today but he’ll get a mark now and next week we’ll see where we are.

“We thought he was a Triumph horse but obviously he’s paved his own way for the Boodles and we’ve got time to get another run into him, he’s only just come in his coat.

“He’s classy, he hasn’t shown that yet over hurdles but hopefully that will come.”



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Warwick’s Classic Chase meeting abandoned

Officials at Warwick have been left “gutted” after being forced to admit defeat in the battle to get their Unibet Classic Chase card on this weekend.

Like many courses, the battle has not just been on one front with snow, ice and frost causing difficulties.

An inspection was held at 8am on Thursday ahead of declarations for Saturday’s card but it did not take long for clerk of the course Nessie Chanter to announce her decision.

With successive very cold nights of minus 4C to come, there was little hope of improvement.

As well as the Classic Chase there was the Grade Two TrustATrader Hampton Novices’ Chase and the rescheduled Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final on the card meaning over £300,000 in prize-money was up for grabs.

“We’re gutted,” said Chanter. “Temperatures reached minus 4C last night and they are not due to rise above freezing until midday.

“We’re only going to get a high of 2C when it does get above zero so it leaves us with little choice really but to pull the plug because there’s going to be no significant chance of improvement.

“There may be plans afoot to save some of the races but I’m not in a position to confirm any.”

Wetherby’s meeting on Saturday had already been abandoned, although Kempton is currently deemed as raceable after flooded parts of the track receded. No inspection has been announced so far at the Sunbury track.

Ffos Las has been added to the fixture list as prospects there remain high, with the Towton Novices’ Chase moved from Wetherby to the new fixture.

The meeting at Kelso on Sunday faces an 8am inspection on Friday, with the all-weather action at Lingfield on Friday subject to a precautionary inspection at 7.30am.



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Towton moved to new fixture at Ffos Las this weekend

The Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase will be run at Ffos Las on Saturday, after the British Horseracing Authority announced two additional fixtures in light of the continued cold weather.

With officials at Wetherby making an early decision to abandon this weekend’s Towton meeting and high-profile cards at Kempton and Warwick also under threat, the BHA has moved to ensure some National Hunt action will take place following a blank Saturday last week.

Ffos Las is now due to stage a seven-race card with the ability to divide to eight, with the Towton Novices’ Chase the feature having been saved. Entries will close at 12pm on Thursday, with declarations to be made by 10am on Friday.

A BHA statement read: “The track at Ffos Las is currently raceable and offered the most realistic opportunity to get a jumps fixture on, with the latest forecast giving the fixture every chance of going ahead.

“While we are aware there remains an element of risk that adverse weather may result in these conditions changing, we feel it is important to put an opportunity in place to help provide jumps racing for participants and customers on Saturday afternoon.”

An additional afternoon all-weather meeting at Chelmsford has also been added, while Newcastle’s card that was previously scheduled to begin at 3.50pm will be brought forward approximately two hours to an earlier start time.

Freezing temperatures have decimated the racing programme in recent days. Taunton was a rare survivor on Wednesday, but Thursday’s meetings at Catterick and Newbury have been abandoned and scheduled cards at Doncaster and Huntingdon on Friday have also fallen by the wayside.

Wetherby’s clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said that prospects of racing in West Yorkshire on Saturday were “slimmer than me” earlier in the week, and he faced a straightforward decision following a 3.30pm inspection on Wednesday.

Sanderson said: “We’ve got snow, we’re frozen and we’re waterlogged, so it wasn’t a difficult decision!

“There’s still a huge amount of snow on the back straight particularly and we’ve also got widespread waterlogging down the back straight which over the past couple of days has slowly frozen over.

“Last night we had temperatures of minus 3.5C, so we’ve got ice that’s half an inch thick and basically an enormous frozen lake in the back straight.

“Underneath that you’ve still got water sitting on the track, so we need the ice to thaw, the water to drain and all that has got to happen before Saturday in temperatures of minus 5C, which is largely impossible.”

Warwick’s Classic Chase meeting on Saturday is also under serious threat, with an inspection called for 8am on Thursday. The course was unraceable on Wednesday due to areas of surface water on the hurdle track and frozen areas on the chase track.

No inspection has been announced at this stage ahead of a Kempton card featuring the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase, but the track is forecast between three and five centimetres of snow on Wednesday night followed by three successive nights of sub-zero temperatures.



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Continued cold snap means weekend weather worries again for racing

Officials at Warwick, Wetherby and Kempton are preparing for a “challenging” week as the cold snap threatens jumps racing in Britain for the second Saturday in succession.

Meetings at Newcastle, Sandown and Wincanton all went by the wayside last weekend and while there was a brief return to National Hunt action at Chepstow on Sunday, that only lasted two races.

Ayr flew the flag for the jumping game on Monday, but it will be all-weather action all the way until at least Wednesday and plummeting temperatures mean several fixtures are under severe threat.

Warwick is due to stage one of its highest-profile meetings of the year on Saturday, with the £100,000 Classic Handicap Chase the feature event. The £75,000 Veterans’ Handicap Chase has also been added to the card following Sandown’s abandonment at the weekend – but having already contended with heavy rain, clerk of the course Nessie Chanter is now concerned about the prospect of frost over the coming days.

She said: “The brook burst in the early hours of Monday morning, but you wouldn’t believe how quickly it’s receded and we’re now just waterlogged rather than flooded in some areas.

“As far as the water is concerned I think we can overcome that challenge, the next challenge is the temperatures. We dropped down to sub-zero overnight and we’re raceable today, but they look to be going down to lows of minus 3C and minus 4C on Wednesday and Thursday night.

“Where the forecasts aren’t agreeing is Friday night. Some are saying it’s going to get down to minus 3C, but others are a bit more cheerful and saying minus 1C.

“It looks like the sun is coming out on Saturday morning and we could get daytime temperatures of plus 3C, but the trouble we’ve got is we’re not in a position to cover the whole track at the moment.

“It’s the consecutive nights of frost that are a concern. We’re going to cover takes-offs, landings and crossings and vulnerable areas, but we won’t be able to cover the whole track as it stands.

“I think we’ve got a challenge ahead of us.”

Kempton is due to stage the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase, but just like Warwick the Sunbury circuit is facing several problems.

“We still have standing water on the lake bend, hopefully that will improve but it’s obviously a concern because while 90 per cent of the track is raceable, that 10 per cent, everybody has to go across it,” said clerk of the course Barney Clifford.

“We’ve got snow forecast tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon and then we’re forecast temperatures of minus 3C or minus 4C, so let’s see what happens.

“Last night we were forecast minus 3C and it only got down to plus 1C, so forecasts can be incorrect if you can keep reasonable cloud cover and that is a possibility. We’ll give it every chance.”

The William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase meeting at Wetherby looks in serious trouble, with the course not only covered in snow but also extensively flooded and frozen.

Clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson said: “Prospects are slimmer than me!”

Even if the meetings at Warwick, Kempton and Wetherby are beaten by the weather, there could still be some jumps racing taking place this weekend, with the British Horseracing Authority considering the possibility of staging a meeting at an alternative venue.

Richard Wayman, BHA director of racing and betting, said: “The BHA racing team is expecting to make changes this weekend and is currently reviewing options, including the possibility of whether a jumps fixture could be staged elsewhere.”

Taunton’s Wednesday fixture is subject to a 7.30am precautionary inspection due to “variable forecasts”, while meetings at Catterick on Clonmel on Thursday have already been called off.

The team at Newbury will stage an 8.30am inspection on Wednesday ahead of their Thursday card, while Friday’s jumping fare is also under threat, with Doncaster and Huntingdon inspecting at 8am and 8.30am respectively on Wednesday.



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Handstands ‘in great order’ for Warwick if weather relents

Ben Pauling is hoping the weather does not stand in the way as Handstands is primed for the TrustATrader Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick this weekend.

The six-year-old, three times a winner over hurdles last season, transitioned to steeplechasing at the beginning of this term but had a luckless first experience when falling at Wincanton in November.

That race was won by Boombawn from subsequent Desert Orchid Chase winner Soul Icon, whereas Handstands dusted himself off to make his second start over fences in the Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown in early December.

There he was triumphant by three and a half lengths at Grade Two level, jumping beautifully throughout when stepping up to three miles for the first time since his successful point-to-point start as a four-year-old.

“Falling on your chasing debut is not ideal but they went one hell of a gallop at Wincanton and Soul Icon has won the Desert Orchid since, so I think it was a decent race and it just didn’t work out for us at all,” Pauling said.

“I was very pleased to see him come back and jump as well as he did, but I didn’t have any worries myself, as he was always very good at home and jumps fences much better than he did hurdles.”

Pauling is now keen to run the gelding in the Hampton at Warwick on Saturday, but the current challenging weather is not set to ease before the weekend and the meeting could be in doubt.

The Scilly Isles Chase, a step back to two and a half miles, is an option further down the line, as is the three-mile Reynoldstown, as Handstands is proving versatile with regards to trip.

The trainer added: “He’s in great order, he’s been entered today for the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick. Sadly, the going report this morning reads very badly, it’s flooded on the back straight and now it’s about to freeze.

“I suppose if it’s not on, we might just have to run him in a normal novice chase, or we might wait for the Scilly Isles or perhaps the Reynoldstown.

“He’s in very good form with himself anyway, and he’s ready to go. We just need the meetings to be on because he goes in any ground, he’ll handle anything, so that is not an issue.

“He couldn’t be in better shape, he’s been trained for this weekend and I’m very happy with him. Hopefully, he can continue in the same vein and we can get him out soon.”

Warwick’s first obstacle to overcome is the waterlogged track, which then cannot be covered until it has drained and therefore is vulnerable to the forecast minus temperatures later this week.

Nessie Chanter, clerk of the course at the track, said: “The brook has burst its banks following 30mm of rain, so the back straight and the first half of the home straight is underwater.

“Normally, that can retract quite quickly and we’ll do all we can to help the drainage. That is one challenge, the next is the forecast, which looks like it is going to be below zero from tomorrow night onwards, as low as minus two and minus three.

“The forecasts aren’t agreed on where the temperature will lie on Friday night, some say minus two and others are more optimistic at minus one.

“The problem we have at the moment is that we can’t cover any areas of the track which are currently waterlogged – as soon as we are able to, we will do landings, take-offs, crossings and vulnerable areas.

“We are going to give it every chance, but we are facing a lot of challenges at the moment.”



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Snowden backing You Wear It Well to make Warwick amends

Cheltenham Festival heroine You Wear It Well bids to open her account over fences at the second attempt in the eventmasters.co.uk Lady Godiva Mares’ Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Thursday.

The 2023 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle winner was hot favourite to make a successful start over the larger obstacles in a Listed event at Bangor last month, but was reeled in on the run-in by Gordon Elliott’s Irish raider Shecouldbeanything, who has now won four of her six chase starts.

You Wear It Well gets another opportunity to secure Listed honours on Thursday and with 10lb in hand on official ratings, trainer Jamie Snowden is hoping she will prove hard to beat.

“It was a nice first run. She was arguably unlucky not to win and she just got touched off by a more experienced rival,” he said.

“I thought she jumped really well that day, she was bit keen early but she’s come on for the run and is jumping really nicely at home.

“This looks the right race for her and we’re looking forward to it.”

You Wear It Well’s rivals include Dan Skelton’s Cherie d’Am, El Elefante for Lucinda Russell and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Smiling Getaway.

Smiling Getaway has won at Warwick over hurdles
Smiling Getaway has won at Warwick over hurdles (David Davies/PA)

The latter won over hurdles at Warwick in January and is out to make it two from two over fences following an October success at Ffos Las.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, said: “I think she’s always a bit overpriced, fences were always going to be her forte.

“She jumped brilliantly at Ffos Las and it looks like it’s going to be perfect conditions at Warwick.

“Strictly on the ratings it looks like she might be up against it, but we think there’s a lot of improvement to come from her over fences.

“The main thing is hopefully we can get some more black type for her.”



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Roving Reports: Compare and Contrast

First of all, an apology; it's been well over two months since the last of these course missives which is very slack of me, writes David Massey. So I'd like to apologise to Geegeez readers for this tardiness, and to our dear leader, Matt, who I bumped into at the recent HWPA awards. It was good to see the Racing Post win an award or two, they barely win anything, do they? Anyway, I was two seats down from Jeremy Kyle and you'll be delighted to hear he's every bit as entertaining away from the telly as off it. Read what you like into that.

The reason for all this dither and delay, as Boris might have said before he vanished, is simple. I am, of course, in the process of setting up and getting Trackside off the ground alongside my new work-wife Vicki and, frankly, she's very demanding. (Not like that, you filthy lot. Get your minds out the gutter.) The last three months have been something of a whirlwind - if I'm not at a fixture doing paddock reporting then there's notes to type up, or Vicki's cracking the admin whip at me, which is very disconcerting.

I'm not really very business minded, see. A couple of weeks ago a well-known bookmaker's rep offered me a fresh account in exchange for the Trackside services. I was all for it - who wouldn't be, eh? - before Vicki stepped in at the last minute and demanded a five-figure sum instead. See what I mean? I was ready to trade for some magic beans but no, she is insistent people pay actual money for our services. Spoils all my fun, she does.

Anyway, you don't want to know all about that. I'll deal with her as we go along. What you want to know about is where I've been and what I've seen.

Well, as I suspected might be the case, leaving the rails behind and seeing more of the actual courses does offer pause for reflection. I've been to Cheltenham twice already this year, for the October and November meetings. On the plus side, getting your 10,000 steps a day in is easy, but getting around, less so.

It's very much the Insta generation at Cheltenham these days, I'm finding. A race will be in progress but that's taking second place to showing others what a great time you're having by constantly taking selfies, ideally with the course in the background. We're told they're engaging with it all, but the number of times I hear people cheering for a number, not a name, rather suggests otherwise. Perhaps I'm old and wizened (no, really) but if you're gonna shout for something, shout for your horse, or the jockey, not the saddlecloth.

In the interests of some balance, I do think the Invades student days, which seem to be very well run, are a good thing. If you get 5000 students in and take a 10% retention rate, that's 500 you've got coming back another day when it isn't a student day. That's how we build the future, I think.

I contrast that to Wetherby and Charlie Hall Chase Day. Whilst they were in the paddock and walking round for the main event,  they were showing the big race from Down Royal on the screen next to the parade ring. Every pair of eyes was transfixed as little Hewick led them a merry dance, cat-like at every fence, and by the time we have reached two out, the crowd at Wetherby was clearly on his side. Envoi Allen joins him at the last but like the terrier he is he won't lie down, and he's getting every encouragement from Yorkshire to stick his head back in front. The disappointment when he fails by half a length to get back up can literally be heard in a collective sigh from the crowd, but that's swiftly followed by people chattering to each other about what a great race they've just witnessed. Engagement? By the truckload, if you ask me.

Anyway, wasn't it great to see The Real Whacker bounce back to form? He looked an absolute picture beforehand, the best I'd seen him for some while. I suspect there's another big race in him before the season is out.

We've even had a glimpse of the Insta mob at Southwell this autumn. No, really. We had a Ladies Evening there on a Saturday night a few weeks back and the fairly youngish crowd were in full selfie mode. One young lady had a £2 bet, came back up ten minutes later and asked if she'd won. I told her the race hadn't started yet. "OH, WHY DOES HORSE RACING TAKE SO LONG?" she exclaimed. I told her she should be here on a Monday night in January when time literally goes backwards. You have a few races, think it's about half seven, look at your watch and realise it's only just gone five. Now those are long.

I've had my first visit to Ludlow this season too. Like Fakenham, Ludlow is hours from anywhere in the UK and you stumble on the track almost by accident if you take the back way via Much Wenlock, the home of the Olympic Games. (Yes it is, Google it.) The first you know about it is when the car suddenly starts going sideways. There's nothing wrong with your car, you're merely driving over one of the huge mats they have on the road crossings, and the vehicle turns into a giant steerable crab. Great fun. If you've not been to Ludlow, you should - decent racing, good grub you aren't charged a fortune for, one of the best rooftop views in the game, and a blue phone booth with The Rules Of Racing in it. It's worth the long drive. Just don't do that and then Fakenham the next day.

The good lady and I have also made our yearly excursion to the West Country to enjoy the Haldon Gold Cup/Badger Beer double-header. It was a real shame Exeter's card cut up so badly on the day but we did get to see one of our favourite horses in training, the wonderful JPR One, win the big race. He's just a gorgeous horse to look at, always full of enthusiasm for the game, and he does look to have come on again physically from last year. He ran again at Sandown in the Tingle Creek and was far from disgraced in finishing third to Jonbon, and with Djelo, second at Exeter, winning the Peterborough Chase the next day, that looks a solid piece of form now.

The drive to Wincanton on the Saturday takes us through one of the best-named villages in England, the wonderful Queen Camel. I'm fairly sure I've backed a few of those this year. When I'm in charge of things mares handicap hurdles will become consigned to history. The last time I backed a winner in one of those contests I got paid in tanners, I swear.

Anyway, we were also at Sandown at the weekend and my word, was it ever cold and windy. I'm amazed the Saturday fixture was on. Outside our hotel that morning was a sign advertising a steak house. Only thing was the steakhouse was about half a mile away, so far had the sign been blown in the night. Foolishly I'd left my Equidry coat at home but Vicki was wearing hers - a present for her birthday the day before - although she hadn't worked out how the zip worked. She might have a sharp business mind but she's useless with fasteners. Can't have everything. I think our big takeaway from the day was how very quiet Jonbon was before the Tingle Creek, a contrast to his usual exuberant self. It didn't stop him, though. Is he growing up a bit? On this, you'd have to say yes.

It's looking like a quiet week ahead with Leicester underwater already, although I'll be at Warwick on Thursday before moving on to Cheltenham for the weekend. Vicki is staying at home, which is bad news for her if I'm offered a new betting account at any point over those three days. Ah, she won't even know. Anyone want a bobble hat?

Say hello if you see me anywhere, won't you?

 - DM



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Adam Wedge handed 14-day ban for Warwick ride

Jockey Adam Wedge was suspended for 14 days and trainer Evan Williams fined £3,000 for “schooling and conditioning a horse on the racecourse” after Klic Boum finished seventh at Warwick.

The four-year-old was sent off a 250-1 shot for the Cheltenham Supporting Breeders’ Day “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle and came home 36 lengths adrift of the winner Castle Ivers in the two-mile affair.

Wedge reported his mount had hung right-handed, but the stewards inquired into the performance.

The rider explained he had been told to drop his mount in with “the intention of getting the gelding to finish its race strongly”, but the rider felt his mount was “flat out” and unable to make up ground with the front runners, with a resulting use of the whip causing the horse to hang in the home straight.

Williams’ representative said he was “unaware” of the riding instructions and Wedge said he had spoken to Williams on the phone after the race, with the trainer “satisfied” he had ridden as told.

The stewards report said: “Wedge was suspended for 14 days and Williams fined £3,000 for schooling and conditioning the horse on the racecourse in that Wedge had failed to ride his mount in such a way that he could be seen to ask for timely, real and substantial effort to obtain the best possible placing on Klic Boum.

“The stewards formed the opinion that the Wedge’s riding up the home straight was not hampered by the horse hanging right-handed as he had reported and that his body language on the horse was not that of a rider unable to ride his mount forwards.”

Wedge’s ban runs from December 5-18 inclusive, while Williams was fined an additional £290 for “failing to inform his representative of the rider’s instructions” and Klic Boum suspended from running for 40 days.



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Haydock on alert for the weekend with weather warning in place

Haydock’s clerk of the course Dan Cooper has admitted the decision to water on Tuesday ahead of racing on Friday and Saturday now looks “questionable” with rain having hit the Merseyside track on Wednesday morning – with more on the way.

The going was good to firm, good in places and five millimetres of water was applied to the track, with some rain forecast.

However, the weather outlook changed for the worse and an amber weather warning is now place, ahead of a card that is due to see the return of the unbeaten Vandeek plus a high-class cast for the Temple Stakes.

“We’re currently in the midst of a large weather event. There’s a mixture of yellow and amber weather warnings and the forecast really deteriorated for us yesterday in the late morning and afternoon,” said Cooper, speaking on a Zoom call at lunchtime.

“We’ve essentially got a position where they’ve declared this morning (for Friday) on good to firm, good in places, I’ll go on another afternoon walk and then an evening walk.

“We’ll more than likely be changing the ground to good very shortly and I should imagine by the morning it will be good, potentially good to soft in places. Then we have a dry Thursday and Friday by the looks of things – I’m assuming that the ground will probably stay at the slower side of good.

“We had a difficult decision to make on Tuesday with irrigation. The decision was made in light of the forecast and we were confident in that being the right decision, but that same forecast has since deteriorated which makes the decision look questionable. I understand and I have to say it was made with the detail that was at hand at the time.”

Warwick called off Wednesday’s jumps fixture after 42.5mm of rain left the track waterlogged in places, while heavy rain also accounted for Gowran’s Flat card.



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‘It’s over!’ Skelton fears title hopes have gone this term

Dan Skelton has all but conceded defeat in the race to be crowned Britain’s champion trainer ahead of the conclusion of the season at Sandown on Saturday.

The Alcester handler appeared to be in the box seat after a fantastic four strikes at the Cheltenham Festival last month saw him go ahead of his former boss and mentor Paul Nicholls, and he remains in front of the 14-times champion as the campaign reaches a climax.

However, Skelton was knocked off top spot after Willie Mullins saddled I Am Maximus to win the Grand National at Aintree and following a four-timer at Ayr seven days later, including the Scottish National success of Macdermott, the master of Closutton now appears almost certain to become the first Irish-based trainer to land the British title since Vincent O’Brien did so twice in the 1950s.

Following a Thursday treble at Warwick courtesy of Take No Chances (13-8 favourite), Ace Of Spades (9-4 favourite) and Jafimgoso (7-1), and with the likes of Langer Dan, Nube Negra and Le Milos part of his final day team, Skelton is still mathematically in with a shout of being top dog – but in his mind, he has already been beaten.

Take No Chances and Harry Skelton on their way to victory at Warwick
Take No Chances and Harry Skelton on their way to victory at Warwick (David Davies/PA)

“As regards the trainers’ championship, to be quite honest with you, it’s over!” he told Racing TV.

“I can’t beat Willie, it would require our horses to win nearly every race they’re entered in on Saturday and him to have no prize-money at all.

“I can’t concede, because conceding means you walk off the pitch and we’re not walking off the pitch, we’re going to go down there Saturday, hopefully we’ve got some lovely chances and it’s great to run some nice horses.

“The reality of beating Willie is, it’s not reality, I’m afraid, but it’s been an absolute pleasure to have contested it.”

Skelton was keen to pay tribute to Mullins and his team, adding: “I think we have been beaten by somebody who is doing so well at the moment and all of the aces landed up for him.

“He’s won the Champion Hurdle, the Gold Cup and the Grand National all in the same year and when he needed to, he won the Scottish National by a head, so it feels like sometimes it’s meant to be.

“It’s been a pleasure and those two trainers (Mullins and Nicholls) will be no prouder than I am of my team – horses, owners, staff – it’s been a remarkable year.

“Hopefully we can get through £3million in prize-money. That’s only ever been done once by Nicky (Henderson) and six times by Paul before.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done and I’ll enjoy Saturday. I’m not going down there with any pressure, I know the reality of the situation.

“I thank everybody – media, owners and staff – who have built it up to be exciting, but I’m afraid that while the last day is going to be great for the sport, as regards the destination of that trophy, it feels like it’s won.”

Warwick Races – Thursday April 25th
Ace Of Spades ridden by jockey Harry Skelton (left) on their way to victory (David Davies/PA).

Whilst Skelton feels this chance has gone, he remains just as determined as ever to chase his dream of becoming champion in the future and is already planning for next season.

He added: “Really, this year it only came about when Protektorat won the Ryanair.

“Before then, I suppose there was a moment in January when I was only 70 or 80 grand behind Paul and I thought ‘this could be interesting’. And then Paul got on a real run and went 200 to 300 clear, so it was gone from my mind then until Protektorat won.

“And then of course, it’s just been an honour to be involved in the battle with those two, but nothing will ever quell my enthusiasm to try and be champion trainer, everyone knows I want to try and do it.

“We’ve been very sensible with what we’ve run over the last week and we’re very sensible about what we’re running on Saturday, we can’t lose sight of that, we have to run the appropriate horses.

“Then we’ve got some to run through May and June, we’ll see how that goes, but I didn’t expect to be this close this year, so it came as a bit of a surprise.

“At times, it’s been very stressful, at times when you think you might be getting the upper hand and then things don’t go your way, you learn something new about yourself – you have to be a different type of professional, you have to conduct yourself in a different way.

“So, I’ve learned an awful lot from it and hopefully I can put those lessons to good use in the future and we’ll give it another go.”



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Waterlogging causes Warwick abandonment

This afternoon’s National Hunt meeting at Warwick has become the latest victim of the current wet spell, with course officials left with no option but to abandon the fixture due to a waterlogged track.

While persistent rain continues to play havoc with the racing programme, no inspection was planned at Warwick, with only minimal rainfall forecast overnight.

However, the track posted on X on Thursday morning: “Following 16 millimetres of rainfall overnight and into this morning, which is a significant change from the three millimetres initially forecast, the track is now waterlogged and therefore unraceable.

“All tickets will automatically be refunded.”

Southwell’s Thursday card is set to go ahead as scheduled after the course passed a precautionary check at 7.30am, but racing at Clonmel in Ireland has been called off.

Further disruption looks likely heading into the weekend, with Friday’s meeting at Wetherby subject to a 3pm inspection this afternoon and Saturday’s Premier Raceday at Kelso also under threat.

The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is currently heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am on Friday to assess the latest state of play.

Chelmsford’s meeting scheduled for Saturday evening has been moved to an earlier start, from 5.25 to 2.50.

A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: “In light of the current forecast for Saturday April 6, the BHA has agreed to move Chelmsford City’s fixture to a 2.50 start and rearranged the running order.

“This is in order to ensure an appropriate level of racing content for our customers on Saturday afternoon and offer potential ITV coverage to the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at 3.30 should other fixtures on Saturday be abandoned.”



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Fontwell loses National Spirit card to waterlogging

Heavy rain around the UK continues to hit this week’s National Hunt fixtures, with Sunday’s top-class card at Fontwell and Friday’s meeting at Warwick falling to the weather.

The £80,000 Grade Two Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle was to be the feature race of Fontwell’s biggest day of their centenary year.

However, persistent heavy rain has left standing water on the West Sussex venue, with 18mm falling prior to a 4pm inspection on Thursday.

Clerk of the course Philip Hide said: “The track is waterlogged and I’m seeing water lying where I’ve never seen it before.

“We just haven’t got any fresh ground to offer up to get any meaningful racing line, with a forecast for plenty more rain – although the forecast doesn’t have a lot to do with it, because it would need to improve a fair amount from where we’re at and there’s just no prospect of it happening.

“Even though I was expecting today to be wet, we’ve probably had 5mm above where I dreaded being. We had about 5mm in 25 minutes around 12 o’clock today.

“It’s an important race for us, but unfortunately, however much you want something to happen, you can’t make it happen. I couldn’t just keep going blindly forward, I’d be misleading people.

“It’s not a hard decision to make and it’s not a decision I’ll regret at any stage – I’m happy to have made it in a timely fashion, to be honest.

“Obviously, there’s a chance they might put the race on somewhere for those horses that have been waiting for it – I think Brewin’upastorm has had it as a target since winning it last year.”

Following another downpour at Warwick, the adjacent Gog Brook burst its bank and left the course unraceable due to waterlogging.

Officials quickly decided there would not be sufficient improvement ahead of raceday and called an early halt to proceedings.

A precautionary inspection has also been scheduled for 8am ahead of Exeter’s jumps meeting on Friday.

After 10.5mm of rain fell on Thursday morning, the ground was described as heavy but raceable, although the last hurdle in the backstraight is being omitted.

The prospect of further showers has forced officials to take another look at conditions in the morning.

Thursday’s meeting at Huntingdon was called off due to a waterlogged track, but prospects for Saturday’s big jumps meetings are more encouraging.

The Premier Raceday fixture at Kempton, which features the £150,000 Coral Trophy Handicap Chase and a trio of Grade Two events, is set to be staged on going that is soft, heavy in places.

There has been plenty of rain in the Surrey area but the forecast is for sunshine and showers on Friday and Saturday.

Newcastle’s Eider Chase card is currently set to be run on ground described as heavy, soft in places.

Gosforth Park received less rain than expected over the last two days and a bright and breezy day is forecast for Friday.

Temperatures could drop to around zero for a short time at night, bringing the possibility of a light frost, but raceday has a predcited low risk of showers through the afternoon, with a light breeze and highs of 7C.



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Heavy going at Newbury but ‘track is in very good condition’

Testing conditions will be the order of the day at Newbury on Saturday but no problems are anticipated if the forecast proves correct.

While more rain has fallen at the Berkshire track than was expected earlier in the week, no inspection is currently planned.

“We’ve had 45 millimetres this week, which is more than we were anticipating on Monday ahead of entries,” clerk of the course George Hill told Sky Sports Racing.

“We were expecting 25-35mm in total after entries but we’ve had more and we’ve seen a few tracks caught out already, but luckily we’re OK as we stand at the moment.

“The going is heavy, soft in places at the moment. We’re expecting 2-7mm, the forecasters are saying, but the heaviest of that will be this afternoon, so we’ll monitor that. It is due to finish by 5pm, so fingers crossed we only get what is forecast and we don’t end up with more, as we’re looking forward to tomorrow.

“I don’t think it will have a chance to get holding or tacky, I think it will ride as described or a little better, given we could have a dry 18 hours.

“The track is in very good condition, we’ve got fresh ground on both tracks and we vertidrained the track last week, which helped us out massively ahead of this heavy rain.

“Obviously, the Betfair Hurdle has filled for the first time in four years, which is fantastic, it’s great to have the Willie Mullins horses, they arrived in the early hours of the morning safe and sound.”

Unfortunately, Saturday’s meeting at Warwick has been called off due to a waterlogged track.

The fixture was due to feature both the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices’ Chase and the Listed Warwick Mares’ Hurdle, in which Cheltenham candidate You Wear It Well was set to run.

However, a total of 36mm of rain fell at the track on Thursday, leaving the course unfit for action.

Clerk of the course Tom Ryall said: “We had 36mm in total yesterday, it started about 4am and carried on through to midnight.

“When we came in this morning, parts of the back straight where it runs parallel with Gog Brook are waterlogged, as that was put on red alert last night, while the owners and trainers car park has flooded and that has spilled onto the track.

“We are basically about 50 per cent under water, so there is really no hope of racing.”

Uttoxeter were also due to race on Saturday, but that fixture has been abandoned.

The course is waterlogged, with further rain forecast.

Friday’s meeting at Kempton got the go-ahead after a morning inspection, while the other scheduled jumps fixture at Bangor was called off on Thursday afternoon.



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