#Buveur D'Air

The Christmas Hurdle at Kempton is one of the leading two-mile contests over timber, with the field looking to add their name to a roll of honour that includes the likes of Harchibald, Faugheen and Buveur D'Air. Epatante, last season's Champion Hurdle winner and the defending champion here, is short odds-on to prevail again. But our tipster has…

Altior powered to a brilliant win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on a dramatic day at the Cheltenham Festival. The evens favourite, ridden by Nico de Boinville, shrugged off a late fitness scare to provide another big victory for trainer Nicky Henderson, who landed the Champion Hurdle with Buveur D'Air 24 hours earlier. Douvan fell at the…

Constitution Hill is back in action on Boxing Day as the Nicky Henderson star hurdler and current Champion Hurdle favourite runs in the Christmas Hurdle on the King George Chase Kempton card. After bolting up in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle last time out, this talented 5 year-old, who was an easy 22-length winner of the Supreme Novices'…

Ludlow: scene of an unenviable record for beaten Tree Of Liberty Tree Of Liberty on Thursday equalled the unenviable record for the shortest-priced loser in British jump racing history when beaten at odds of 1-20 at Ludlow. The Kerry Lee-trained chaser was unable to justify his prohibitive odds when going down to 20-1 chance Cap'N in a three-runner…

JP McManus nods at the white boards at the other end of the office. It's late September in Martinstown and the rain is coming down in great grey sheets outside. "Our horses in training," he says, gesturing at the names of hundreds of thoroughbreds and their respective trainers. When asked the number he replies, "Marian Finucane once asked me how…

After an impressive debut effort over fences, Jonbon takes the step up to Grade One level in the Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday. The six-year-old is a full-brother to Douvan, who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Arkle for Willie Mullins before injury interrupted his career. Nicky Henderson has been lucky enough…

Champ pipped Paisley Park in a thrilling finish to the Coral Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Friday. The two 10-year-olds battled it out right to the line in the three-mile contest, with the strong-travelling, front-running Champ just getting the better of the popular former Stayers' Hurdle winner, who powered home under Aidan Coleman. Jonjo…

THE Champion Hurdle is one of the big races at Cheltenham Festival. And with it coming up in just a few weeks, the ante post mark is hotting up nicely. Henry de Bromhead won it last year with the unbeaten Honeysuckle. Rachael Blackmore rode the superstar mare to victory by more than six lengths. Here, SunSport looks at the current ante post market…

A RARE Triple Crown attempt is on the cards for Constitution Hill as racing's most exciting prospect is finally unleashed at Newcastle today. After only three runs, Constitution Hill is just 7lb off officially being more talented than triple Champion Hurdle hero and legend Istabraq - that's why today's Grade 1 event is a'must win' event. Last…

Gold Cup and Grand National winner Barry Geraghty couldn't hide his excitement when discussing Constitution Hill's breathtaking victory in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle last weekend. Geraghty, a former stable jockey to Nicky Henderson, knows the star hurdler better than most having prepared the horse at his home before being sold to owner Michael…

For once, you couldn't blame Matt Chapman's enthusiasm. "Nicky, you were rated 6lb below Istabraq going into that, have we seen, arguably, the greatest hurdler of the modern era just now?" Nicky Henderson, watery eyed at Newbury, 300 miles away from the scene of the Betfair Fighting Fifth, tried his best to play it cool. "Now now, hang on a minute,…

CLOTH CAP can enhance his Randox Grand National credentials with victory in the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.37pm) at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon. After some of the Grand National hopefuls from Ireland put down their case last weekend with Any Second Now narrowly beating Escaria Ten in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, some…

The five-year-old rubber-stamped the excitement created by his 22-length romp in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with an emphatic rout of former Champion Hurdle winner and stablemate Epatante in the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday. And even Nicky Henderson was blown away by his turn of foot as he put the race to bed in a matter…

Jet Powered powers home in the opening maiden hurdle Friday: Newbury It would be stretching things to say Nicky Henderson has another aeroplane on his hands, but Jet Powered had plenty of fuel left in the tank after his romp in the maiden hurdle. Buveur D'Air and Jonbon were Henderson stars to use the race as a launchpad to bigger and better…

Fighting Fifth Hurdle: takes place this Saturday at Newcastle Newcastle is optimistic conditions will be on the slower side for its flagship jumps meeting on Saturday raising hopes that two of racing's most exciting stars, Constitution Hill and L'Homme Presse, may run a week on from their late withdrawals on a decimated Ascot card. Constitution…

Cloth Cap: heads to Doncaster instead of Kelso this weekend Tom Scudamore hopes he will once again be dreaming of Grand National glory with Cloth Cap after the talented chaser contests the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Chase (3.30) at Doncaster on Saturday. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained ten-year-old had the option of running in Kelso's Premier Chase, which he…

Jack Nicol takes a look ahead to the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and pinpoints five contenders he believes have strong credentials. Best odds: 16-1. State Man bolted up at Limerick when last seen The Cheltenham Festival opener looks sure to be one of the races of the meeting, and one of the strongest renewals in recent years. Certainly since Altior…

Few sires have thrown up good-quality staying chasers with the regularity that Saint des Saints has in recent years, with Djakadam, Protektorat and Saint Calvados all featuring among his best progeny. Gelino Bello is already one step ahead of that trio as a Grade 1-winning hurdler, which augurs well for his future prospects given that everything…

Cobden, 21, a wise head on young shoulders, had the option of returning to the saddle of last year's winner Clan Des Obeaux. He admitted it was a tough call, but it is worth pointing out that Cobden raised a few eyebrows last year when opting for Clan Des Obeaux over his better fancied stable companion Politologue. Since winning at Ascot in…

channel to stay up to date on breaking news coverage The Cheltenham Festival is billed as best four days of National Hunt (jumps) racing on the planet and the'good news' for horse racing betting fans is that we are now only weeks away. As aways over the four days, which get going on Tuesday 15 March, there will be plenty of Cheltenham Festival…

Day One Betting: The Cheltenham Festival with William Hill The long wait is over and the Cheltenham Festival is finally here! Day one is full of quality and features the Champion Hurdle. The best novice hurdlers go to post for the opening race, the Grade 1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and the runners are sure to be greeted by an almighty roar from the…