#Le Milos

The GoingStick reading of 4.2 on the chase course at Warwick on Saturday tells you everything you need to know about how deep the ground is going to be, especially with plenty more rain forecast to hit the track. When flicking back through the past decade of archive readings at the Midlands venue, I could find only one such low reading - on…

Ground conditions at both Warwick and Kempton Park are likely to decide the winners of the two big weekend handicaps tomorrow. A month ago, clerks of the course and groundsmen up and down the country feared it might never rain again. Now it seems to pour almost every day and, as a result, it is essential to back horses that revel in the mud. The…

Bought from France where he was a Listed winner on very soft ground, L'Eau Du Sud looks to have been gaining some vital experience in his first couple of starts for Dan Skelton in Britain. He seemed badly in need of the outing first time out, following 230 days off the track, at Haydock in November but stepped forward from that when a good third -…

Newcastle's Flat card features a conditions race over a mile and a quarter with some smart older performers entered up. They include the John & Thady Gosden pair Harrovian and Forest of Dean who finished third and fifth respectively in a listed race at Lingfield in November which has thrown up some winners since. This looks a bit less competitive,…

The lightly-raced eight-year-old has won three of his nine starts over fences and triumphed in six of 17 races under rules, with three runner-up efforts to his name. The consistent Yeats gelding won at Cheltenham in October, before chasing home previous King George VI Chase winner Frodon in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton. His last run…

Last year's equivalent piece saw Ben Linfoot highlight the claims of 33/1 shot Tuesday in the Oaks, who duly obliged at odds of 13/2 at Epsom. That was just one of a number of antepost winners throughout the year, with Matt Brocklebank selecting Desert Crown at 25/1 for the Derby, and tennis expert Andy Schooler picking out Canada for the Davis Cup…

Handicap Chase (Class 3) - 2m½f Gamaret 1pt Win @ 3/1 singleSelection Still completely unexposed as a Horse let alone over fences, I think Gamaret is absolutely chucked in on his Chase debut - and this doesn't seem like a race which will require much winning. A good Bumper winner on his debut under rules in a Bumper at Ffos Las last October when…

Our man Harry Allwood looks ahead to the action at Haydock on Saturday, live on Racing TV, and picks five key horses to look out for, including one in the Betfred Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase. Freezing temperatures and snow have caused havoc over the past few days, and the forecast appears to be unfavourable for the rest of the week, with the…

IT IS brilliant when a horse lives up to the hype and CONSTITUTION HILL more than justified his billing as champion hurdler in waiting. He boosted the Newcastle gate to an 11-year high too - if you run them, they will come. Any Grade 1 victory on the bridle by 12 lengths will make headlines but he destroyed former Champion Hurdler EPATANTE which…

Protektorat flew the Lodge Hill flag high with victory in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock but it is Skelton's handicappers who have been in scintillating form since then and the trainer has chances in both the Betfair Exchange Trophy - a race he first won with Willow's Saviour in 2013 - and the Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase. The…

Il Ridoto became favourite for Saturday's AIS December Gold Cup (1.50) at Cheltenham after ante-post market leader Midnight River was taken out by in-form trainer Dan Skelton due to the ground. Midnight River looked set to try to continue the yard's remarkable run of Saturday success following big-race victories with Protektorat in the Betfair…

The seven-year-old gelding has some useful course experience at the West London track when he beat Ahoy Senor with ease the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase last year. He is currently 6-4 for the race, which might be short enough for some punters, but that price might go quickly if we get a small field. MCFABULOUS Once again we turn to Nicholls,…

What a day of horse racing lies ahead at Haydock and Ascot with plenty of top names set to have their rugs removed and unleashed on the course for the first time this season. A Plus Tard, Constitution Hill, L' Homme Presse and Edwardstone were all festival winners last March and will have their seasonal reappearances in front of the ITV cameras on…

Chris Wilson looks ahead to the International Meeting and shares five names to note on an exciting card from the home of jumps racing this Saturday, live on Racing TV. Fingers crossed the weather doesn't get in the way! Winter is officially here - but jumps fans should not crack open the mulled wine just yet. Cheltenham's executive will no doubt be…

Stolen Silver: unseated his rider three out when favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month Market principals Midnight River, Il Ridoto and Stolen Silver remain in contention for Saturday's £130000 Ais December Gold Cup at Cheltenham (1.50) after the confirmations stage on Monday. Midnight River could bid to continue the fantastic run of…

Look, no hands!: Harry Skelton celebrates Becher success on Ashtown Lad Saturday: Aintree Dan Skelton landed a major prize for the third Saturday in a row as Ashtown Lad stuck on gamely to provide the trainer with a first win over the National fences in the BoyleSports Becher Chase. Skelton's wonderful winter continued as Ashtown Lad followed up…

TEMPLEGATE tackles Saturday's big Coral Gold Cup confident of finding the winner. Here he goes through every runner, rating them out of five stars, and reveals his tip at the bottom. Back a horse in the 3.05 contest by clicking their odds below. Good luck! FANION D'ESTRUVAL 2 Jockey: Miss Lucy Turner NOT a Fan. Decent form at 2m4f and went well in…

A week on from Constitution Hill's dazzling display in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, it is the chasers who are booked for top billing in Britain on Saturday. Here are five who could light up what promises to be a compelling afternoon. 1.30 Aintree: Boylesports Many Clouds Chase. Odds: a general 5-2 One of last season's top staying novice chasers, he…

Le Milos and Harry Skelton take the last in the Coral Gold Cup from stablemates Remastered (left) and Gericault Roque The breathy sound that greeted Constitution Hill's thumping victory over Epatante and co in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle was partly awestruck gasp but mainly a collective sigh of relief that this wondrous talent is just as good as…

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,…

Ross Millar looks back on a memorable Saturday headlined by some star performances, not least from the brilliant Constitution Hill at Newcastle. Our columnist also shares his Mondays tips for Catterick, live on Racing TV. What a difference a week makes. Last week we were all left frustrated as quick ground delayed the return of both Constitution…

Success in a feature Saturday race is the dream for any first-season trainer and Joe Tizzard has three live contenders in this prestigious handicap chase worth £250000. Grand National fifth Fiddlerontheroof finished a half-length second to Cloudy Glen in this event last year and returns off a 5lb higher mark with cheekpieces fitted and Brendan…

Saturday's Coral Gold Cup (3.05), formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup and the Ladbrokes Trophy in recent years, is the flagship event of Newbury's jumps calendar - but who is the likeliest winner of the £250000 handicap based on previous trends? High-class horses such as Denman, Bobs Worth and Native River have won this race en route to…

Corach Rambler has convinced trainer Lucinda Russell and Peter Scudamore that he is ready to attempt to defy history and deliver Scotland's first victory in 43 years in the £250000 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday 25 November 2022. A Scottish-trained horse has not won the race since Fighting Fit, trained in Hawick by Ken Oliver, who captured…

Our free-to-enter competition includes asking you to solve the Betfair Chase at Haydock. Have you got what it takes to find the five winners? This looks a good opportunity for QUEENS BROOK, who is rated at least 9lb superior to all her rivals. She beat all bar Marie's Rock in the Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, having been third…

A Plus Tard will take centre stage when he defends his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock Park on Saturday but connections of mud-loving Protektorat, who is a class act in his own right, will be enjoying all the weather bulletins suggesting plenty more rain at the track between now and the weekend. It's not that A Plus Tard does not handle deep ground…

Few could claim to be more synonymous with Newbury's most historic jumps race than Paul Nicholls, who has his sights firmly fixed on the Coral Gold Cup with Threeunderthrufive. The Ditcheat maestro will on Saturday week field the smart seven-year-old, who runs in the familiar colours of the McNeill family, in the second-most valuable handicap chase…

Gericault Roque has the potential to be a contender in the major staying handicap chases and is a potential wildcard Spotting the improvers that few others will have considered is what will make the difference in terms of winning the Tote Ten To Follow. Do not go overboard, though: your list needs to be built on a solid base and that means giving…

The champion jockey had a busy and fruitful summer, racking up successes throughout the warmer months and closing in on the 100 figure as autumn began. A quieter spell followed, but at Bangor Hughes partnered both Nayati and Maximilian to impressive triumphs - getting to a century just under two weeks earlier than last season, when he went on to…

We may just have seen the Cheltenham Champions Bumper winner... Facile Vega is a general 11/10 for next month's race. The fact that he's a son of the brilliant and popular Quevega will only add to the hype, too. 1. Facile Vega 8/11 2. Sandor Clegane 17/2 3. Carnfunnock 28/1 Facile Vega wraps up a fabulous four-timer for Willie Mullins! A superstar…