Racing (Horse) : General Horse Racing Thread

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Haydock, Saturday

Betfair Chase (Grade 1) 3m, 5yo+

KAUTO STAR rolled back the years with a magnificent performance to land his fourth Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Clive Smith's 11-year-old jumped superbly throughout under RubyWalsh and fought off the challenge of Long Run coming to the last before sprinting clear to win by eight lengths

An ecstatic Paul Nicholls said: "That was the best ever performance from him. To do that, and beat a Gold Cup winner, at the age of 11 was just fantastic

Kauto Star's owner Smith, who tasted more big-race success with Master Minded at Ascot earlier in the day, said: "He's just as good as ever. They cheered him before the race and they cheered him afterwards.

What a wonderful performance from one of the greatest national hunt horses ever who has now proved himself beyond any doubt to be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Arkle.

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Ascot, Saturday

Amlin 1965 Chase (Grade 2) 2m3f, 4yo+

MASTER MINDED was cut to 5-1 (from 8) with William Hill for the King George VI Chase at Kempton in December after he recorded a second successive victory in the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot on Saturday

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: "He is back where we want him to be. I am chuffed, and chuffed for Daryl as there was a bit of pressure on him.

“I have one target for him and that is Kempton on Boxing Day and he will go straight there. I think three miles round Kempton will suit him and we will see how Kauto Star gets on but he has a massive chance."

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Haydock, Saturday


Betfair Hurdle (Class 2) 2m, 4yo

GRANDOUET continued Nicky Henderson's scintillating run of form, as the hurdler made it six winners from the trainer's last seven runners following his five-timer on Friday.

Bookmakers reacted to an emphatic performance, on a course that played to his strength of speed, by making Grandouet a general 14-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

"He's a horse with a very good attitude, who jumps well and has a very good turn of foot. I suppose you'd have to look at taking him back to Cheltenham for the Bula Hurdle."

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Punchestown, Sunday

Ladbrokes.com Morgiana Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m, 4yo+

FRENCH Champion Hurdle winner Thousand Stars made it two Grade 1s on the bounce as he sauntered to a five-and-a-half-length success from Stan James Champion Hurdle hopeful Oscars Well.

On Thousand Stars, Mullins said: "He had the best form in the race and was entitled to win like that. He'll be entered for everything as he's shown he can compete at the top level over a range of trips. The long term aim will be to win the French Champion Hurdle again.

Punchestown, Sunday

Ladbrokes Casino Florida Pearl Novice Chase (Grade 2) 2m6f, 5yo+

LAST INSTALMENT made it two wins from two over fences with an authoritative display to earn quotes of 12-1 for the RSA Chase with Bet365.

Winning trainer Philip Fenton said: "That was perfect, it was a grand round of jumping and he took everything in his stride."

Punchestown, Sunday


Ladbrokes.com Bet In Running Craddockstown Novice Chase (Grade 2) 2m, 4yo+

HENRY DE BROMHEAD seems to have another nice horse on his hands after his smashing-looking six-year-old Days Hotel bagged a first Graded win in this 2m contest.

De Bromhead has won this race before with 2010 Arkle hero Sizing Europe, while another novice to land this before going on to Cheltenham glory was the great Moscow Flyer. Days Hotel would not be of the same quality as that pair, but he looks a good sort who can go on to greater things.

De Bromhead said: "That was very good, his jumping was great and he's improving all the time. If everything's alright, we'll go for the Racing Post Grade 1 Novice' Chase [at Leopardstown on December 26]."

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TRAINER Nicky Henderson enjoyed a memorable day on Monday when he had seven winners from seven runners.

Henderson was at Kempton to oversee wins for Darlan, Chablais, Whoops A Daisy and Mossley - all ridden by Barry Geraghty - while Owen Glendower and Foxbridge - partnered by Andrew Tinkler - went in at Ludlow.

"One of our customers had £100 accas with and without Whoops A Daisy."

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PANDORAMA, the winner of last season's Grade 1 Lexus Chase, will not run this term.

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PAUL NICHOLLS had a warning that should send shivers down rivals' spines in the staying hurdle division when he suggested his champion Big Buck's "should be at his very best this year at the age of eight."

Asked if he was as fit as Kauto Star, Nicholls said: "I haven't trained him that hard and he's nowhere near ready yet for the spring but he did a great bit of work with Kauto Star at Exeter the other day."

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Hong Kong: Snow Fairy was airborne again on Wednesday en route to Sha Tin, where she will bid to secure a unique double after connections opted to run her in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase rather than in the more prestigious Cup, which she won last year.

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SIR MARK PRESCOTT on Thursday criticised the BHA for "not being man enough" to enforce the changes to the whip rules brought in at the start of October and again argued for the disqualification of horses who have won when their jockey has broken the rules.

However, he added that the BHA needed to stand by the rules instead of continually backing down.

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Newbury, Thursday

GPG Novices' Chase (Registered As The Worcester Novices' Chase) (Grade 2) 3m, 4yo+

GRANDS CRUS made it two wins from two starts over fences but he was forced to work harder than his odds had suggested would be the case.

Pipe was not present at Newbury but assistant trainer Gerry Supple said: "I was very relieved. It is a step in the right direction. That was very pleasing and the horse jumped very well. I think the horse is growing up and getting a bit of sense.

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MAHMOOD AL ZAROONI'S Classic hand for next season was strengthened significantly after Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Mandaean was transferred to him.

"He will spend the winter in Newmarket and be aimed at next year's top middle distance races."

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Newbury, Friday

Fuller's London Pride Novices' Chase (Registered As The Berkshire Novices' Steeple Chase) (Grade 2) 2m4f, 4yo+

BOBS WORTH needed every yard of the trip to get his head in front as he collared the front-running Cue Card in the final stride to come out on top in a thrilling finish.

Bobs Worth, winner of last season's Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, has now won six of his seven starts and added his name to an impressive roll of honour in this race that includes the likes of Jair Du Cochet, Denman and Punchestowns.

"The Feltham has got to be on the agenda now and if we run into Grands Crus than so be it but he is not a certainty to go there. I was in no rush to start at three miles but we're heading that way."

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BIG BUCK'S is out to match dual Champion Hurdle winner Bula's featof 13 consecutive wins at Newbury on Saturday when he bids to complete a hat-trick of Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle victories.

The Paul Nicholls- trained triple World Hurdle winner, who impressed last time out when never off the bridle in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in April, will face just five rivals on his first outing of the season.

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Bangor, Saturday

Malise Nicolson Bright Future Novices' Chase (Class 3) 2m1½f, 4yo+

PEDDLERS CROSS maintained his unbeaten record over fences, making it two from two at Bangor, with an authoritative success over Minella Class.

The bookies were impressed, with Paddy Power and Blue Square going 7-2 (from 9-2) for the Arkle, although Victor Chandler remained unchanged at 4-1.

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Newcastle, Saturday

Stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m, 4yo+

OVERTURN became the first horse to add a winin Newcastle's big jump race to victory in the track's biggest Flat race when the Northumberland Plate winner of 2010 landed a huge plunge on course.

Overturn put himself in the reckoning for that race after this success, his seventh over hurdles, and he is now as short as 10-1 with Ladbrokes. The same firm go a best-priced 14-1 about Binocular, winner of the Champion Hurdle in 2010, regaining his crown at Cheltenham.

"All credit to the horse - the ground was bit dead for him today but he's won despite that, the big thing about him is his jumping. He never misses a beat and gets away from his hurdles so quickly. You'd struggle to ride a gamer horse than him."

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Newbury, Saturday

Hennessy Gold Cup Chase (Grade 3) 3m2½f, 4yo+

CARRUTHERS put up a gallant front-running performance to post a popular win in one of the jumps season's biggest races.

There were emotional scenes after the race with winning jockey Mattie Batchelor in tears having ridden the biggest winner of his career on the anniversary of his mother's death.

"He is a little lion," said Batchelor. "Coming to the second last I thought I have got to wing this to win and he didn't let me down."

Carruthers was bred by Lord Oaksey, who rode Taxidermist to win the race in 1958, and while he was not present at the track, his son-in-law trainer Mark Bradstock was delighted that the son of Kayf Tara had finally bagged a big race.

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Newbury, Saturday

Sportingbet Long Distance Hurdle (Grade 2) 3m½f, 4yo+

BIG BUCK'S, sent off the 1-8 favourite, travelled superbly and kicked clear in the home straight to win the Grade 2 for the third consecutive year

"That's the most nervous race I've ever had," said owner Andy Stewart. "We're lucky to have him and he is great for racing. He'll turn up at Ascot for the Long Walk Hurdle but if it getsabandoned he'll come back here and, like last year, I'll definitely sponsor the race."

Paul Nicholls said: "He loves what he's doing. We've left plenty to work on as we want him at his best in the spring but he is obviously just better than the rest."

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Navan, Sunday

Ladbrokes.com Troytown Handicap Chase (Grade B) 3m, 4yo+

ALAN CROWE won the Troytown for the second year in a row after he came from the stratosphere on the Christy Roche-trained Groody Hill to nick the race from Ad Idem just a yardfrom the line

"He loves that sort of testing ground, which was a big plus. Alan deserves an awful lot of credit as this horse was quite tricky in the past and he's done a lot of work to sort him out.

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Navan, Sunday

Irish Form Book "Monksfield" Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m4f, 4yo+

MOUNT BENBULBEN rallied late for Davy Condon to deny Rebel Fitz in his hat-trick bid after he had made all the running under Ruby Walsh.

Elliott said: "He has got a fair engine. We will come back to Navan now on December 18 and take our chance in the Grade 1 Navan Novices' Hurdle over two and a half miles.

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Japan, Sunday

Tokyo: Japan Cup (Grade 1) 1m4f, turf, 3yo+

PRIX de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream could finish only sixth behind Buena Vista (Hiroyushi Matsuda/Yasunari Iwata) in the 31st running of the Japan Cup in Tokyo on Sunday.

At just over Y480m (about £4m), the Tokyo contest is the third-richest race on the planet, behind only the Dubai World Cup and the Emirates Melbourne Cup - and Buena Vista was earning glorious compensation after being disqualified when shepassed the post first in 2010.

Winning trainer Hiroyushi Matsuda said he had never lost faith in Buena Vista, now set to run in the Arima Kinen, the end-of-season championship on December 25. There is no decision on a possible overseas campaign at the start of 2012.

"It's a great feeling to have been able to give her the well-deserved Japan Cup title and I have the trainer and the stable staff to thank for preparing her so well."

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Hong Kong: Snow Fairy has been withdrawn from the Hong Kong Vase after suffering an injury working at the Sha Tin track.

"It is with great disappointment that we report Snow Fairy suffered an injury this morning at Sha Tin racecourse whilst doing a routine canter," Dunlop told his website.

Snow Fairy's withdrawal makes her the second high-profile traveller to miss a Hong Kong race in as many days after Excelebration, currently at Marco Botti's but set to become a Ballydoyle horse before the year's end, was pulled from the Hong Kong Mile.

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GRADE 1-winning chaser Sizing Europe could bid to atone for his narrow defeat in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal last time out in Saturday's Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Sizing Europe - William Hill's 2-1 favourite - could face Finian's Rainbow, Wishfull Thinking and Kauto Stone in the 2m contest after they were among 11 entries and De Bromhead reported his charge to be in good form before his next challenge.

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NICKY HENDERSON believes the Long Run who contests the William Hill King George VI Chase will be a fitter, sleeker racehorse than the Long Run defeated by Kauto Star at Haydock on a day that last season's Kempton hero was "not ready enough".

Reflecting on Long Run's reappearance defeat, Henderson said: "He was fit at Haydock but I think he's a fellow who does get a bit rusty. We're not making acres of excuses, though. Kauto beat us fair and square. Paul (Nicholls) had got him pretty ready for the day. We were pretty ready for the day as well but we weren't ready enough.

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EXCITING chaser Al Ferof could bid to enhance his already-tall reputation in Saturday's Markel Insurance Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown after he featured among nine entries for the Grade 1 contest on Tuesday.

Last season's Stan James Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner, Al Ferof produced a faultless round of jumping to win by seven lengths at Cheltenham on November 13.

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HENRY DE BROMHEAD does not believe that an easier surface will inconvenience ante-post Tingle Creek favourite Sizing Europe as he bids to land the Grade 1 at Sandown on Saturday.

"I'm not that concerned about a possible change in the ground as it was soft when Sizing Europe ran in Down Royal recently," said de Bromhead on Wednesday.

A good to soft surface was being predicted for the weekend by clerk of the course Andrew Cooper on Wednesday, who said: "Sandown got a bit of rain on Tuesday night but missed the worst of it.

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KUMBESHWAR was installed at 25-1 by Paddy Power for the Irish Independent Arkle after winning his chase debut at Hereford on Wednesday.

The Arkle is already shaping into a vintage renewal, with Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross currently leading the betting in front of a string of talented ex-hurdlers including Menorah, Cue Card and Thousand Stars.

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JONCOL faces a busy time in the coming weeks with trainer Paul Nolan planning to run him in both the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on December 11 and the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown 17 days later.

Nolan said: "We are planning to run in the John Durkan. He has won it before and although it is a little bit closer to Christmas than ideal we are hoping that he will give a good account of himself and then we will go for the Lexus.

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CHAMPION TRAINER Paul Nicholls will be keeping an eye on the weather before finalising his running plans for Saturday's Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase.

"Tataniano wouldn't want it soft, but if the rain comes and it does come up soft, I'd look stupid if I hadn't left Kauto Stone in. I'll be keeping an eye on the weather to see what happens."

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FINGAL BAY and Simonsig, the front two in the betting for the Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival are set to clash at Sandown on Friday.

Taking them on are the Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Symphony, unbeaten in three starts over hurdles this season, and Barbatos who finished second to Philip Hobbs's exciting Fingal Bay whenhe stretched his unbeaten record to three in the Grade 2 Hyde Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last time.