#John McConnell

Nicky Henderson believes Epatante must be treated as "still a possible runner" in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle - despite her not featuring among the initial entries for the Cheltenham Festival contest. The winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2020 before placing behind Honeysuckle the following two years, Epatante has been given the option…

Only twice has Ado McGuinness endured a blank Galway festival since 2010 and the final-day feature could prove his best chance of finally getting off the mark for the 2022 meeting. Current Option, one of a possible seven runners for the Dublin-based team, must have an excellent chance of making it three-in-a-row in this race considering he's rated…

What a week it has been! The racing has been phenomenal, the weather largely clear and most crucially of all, fans were back where they belong on the terraces. Cheltenham felt like it was truly back this week as a result. See you in 2023! It's the seventh Irish-trained winner from seven races on Friday! Mark McDonagh did an excellent job steering…

Thursday marks the third day of the Punchestown Festival and there's another stellar offering, with two Grade 1 races and some extremely competitive handicaps on the card. The Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at 5.25pm is the feature event on an eight-race card (3.40-7.35) and our tipster has selections for every race at the Co Kildare…

Dan Sheridan/INPHOCould State Man give Constitution Hill a race at Cheltenham? # The Challenger Champion Hurdle still a live event with State Man set to give Constitution Hill a crack Johnny Ward reports from another Willie Mullins-dominated final day at Leopardstown. WE HAVE SEEN this week that Willie Mullins saddling the first three home in a…

State Man continued his march towards a likely clash with Constitution Hill at the Cheltenham Festival in March with a comprehensive victory in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown. Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill is long odds-on to lift the Champion Hurdle crown in March following his latest demolition job in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on…

Shewearsitwell provided Willie Mullins with a sixth victory in the last seven runnings of the BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown. Two subsequent Cheltenham Festival heroines in Let's Dance and Concertista are among the champion trainer's recent winners of the Grade Three contest and Shewearsitwell was actually sent off favourite…

Seddon: well supported in Leopardstown's opener on Thursday Seddon, a comfortable five-and-a-half-length winner over hurdles at Cheltenham's October meeting when last seen, has been well backed for the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase (12.00), which kicks off the final day of Leopardstown's Christmas festival. The nine-year-old struck at the…

The weights for the 2022 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse have risen by 5lbs after the top three in the handicap - Galvin, Conflated and Melon - were taken out at the latest scratchings' stage. There are now 78 entries remaining, with Henry De Bromhead's Chris's Dream now topping the weights at 11st10lb, for the Aintree showpiece on…

Domaine De L'isle: joint 44th in the list at Aintree Staging the Randox Grand National after the Coral Scottish Grand National this year has left some trainers wrestling with a £1 million dilemma. Should they take a gamble and wait for Aintree on April 9, risking the possibility that their horse will not make the cut? Or should they forget about…

Mon Mome won the 2009 Grand National at odds of 100-1. Which runners might cause a shock on Saturday? Freewheelin Dylan defied odds of 150-1 to win the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday and the Randox Grand National at Aintree is no stranger to some big-priced horses winning or hitting the frame. With that in mind, three Racing Post…

Marshall is on the move from Conference USA to the Sun Belt in 2022. The new conference represents an upgrade in competition, but second-year coach Charles Huff's squad is poised to push for the Sun Belt East Division title. Running back Rasheen Ali returns as one of the top playmakers in the conference, and the Thundering Herd are slated to host…

Denis Hogan had two winners at Dundalk on Wednesday Wednesday: Dundalk County Tipperary trainer Denis Hogan landed an 84-1 double at Dundalk on Wednesday, which was headlined by Robert Whearty riding his first winner for him on Royal Tribute in the opening 7f claimer. Hogan's fine day began with victory as Whearty took advantage of his sole ride on…

One of the biggest race meeting in the British sporting calendar is returning to Ayr Racecourse this weekend. Action at the Scottish Grand National in 2012 Last year local hero Mighty Th under, trained by Kinross-based Lucinda Russell, was first over the line in the Scottish Grand National - the first home-grown winner in a decade. It completed an…

Can the Skeltons land the Scottish Champion Hurdle with West Cork? The Scottish and English Grand National meetings have flip-flopped in the calendar this season and a change in the pattern means Ayr precedes Aintree. The 30-day gap between the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Scottish Champion Hurdle in 2021 is reduced to 15 days this…

Trainer Alan King hasn't had a Cheltenham Festival winner since Uxizandre won the Ryanair Chase in 2015, but the exciting Edwardstone has an outstanding chance in what looks to be a somewhat weak renewal of the Arkle. A Grade One winner at Sandown in December, he put a number of decent horses to the sword quite easily in the Kingmaker Novices'…

John McConnell's Fennor Cross stayed on strongly to land a decisive blow in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle. In a race where the hurdles were removed in the home straight it was the winner's fellow Irish raider She Is Electric that was allowed to stride on with the rest of the field willing to bide their time. The gap was closed as they…

Nicky Henderson: runs Iberico Lord This first step on the road to the Supreme Novices' Hurdle announced Altior on the big stage in 2015, but the subsequent winners developed into top-class handicappers rather than superstars. I Like To Move It, For Pleasure, Hang In There, Elixir De Nutz, Slate House and Moon Racer were County Hurdle types rather…

Shishkin and Energumene are on course for a mouth-watering rematch at Cheltenham on Wednesday with the pair among eight runners declared for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. The top-class duo served up one of the races of the season in January's Clarence House Chase at Ascot when the Nicky Henderson -trained Shishkin narrowly got the better…

The Randox Grand National takes centre stage on the third and final day of the Aintree Festival - and what a race we have in store. The world's greatest steeplechase is woven into the fabric of the sporting year - an occasion when once-a-year punters get to pit their wits against the bookies, while more dedicated racing fans will look at the race…

Rachael Blackmore can make history and win her first Cheltenham Gold Cup riding A Plus Tard. Henry De Bromhead's chaser, second last year, was extremely impressive in the Betfair Chase at the start of the season. He was then pipped by Galvin, when Blackmore probably hit the front a little sooner than ideal against a strong stayer, at…

The second stage of the September fixture at Galway goes ahead this evening The well-fancied Willie Mullins-trained reserve for the feature race on day one of the Galway Festival has sneaked into the final field, with the 9-1 third choice of bookmakers Youmdor getting a run. The withdrawal of Noel Meade's Lunar Power means the McNeill Family-owned…

TEMPLEGATE takes on the final day of Cheltenham Festival confident of banging in a few winners to end the week on a high. Our man delivers all his tips below - back a horse by clicking their odds. And while you're here, don't forget to check out the Sun Racing Lucky 15 for Friday and why we fancy this huge outsider. Good luck! CHELTENHAM…