#National Hunt

Only once since 2010 has the Cheltenham Festival top trainer title been won by a British handler. Proof, as if needed, that the best horses are in Ireland was there for all to see last year. Willie Mullins heads Cheltenham top trainer odds once again with the bookies with what looks a top Festival team. These are our five best betting sites for…

After two days of brilliant racing in Liverpool, amid the fancy hats and the tossed bet slips, it all comes down to this: day at Aintree. The flagship race, a four-mile steeplechase, leads the attractions on Saturday, the big one at 5:15. But there's plenty of other racing before that. And after a thrilling Thursday and a fantastic Friday, you can…

7 February 2022 By Roger Kennedy [email protected] Starting on Tuesday, 15 March and continuing till Friday, 18 March, the Cheltenham Festival is almost upon us. If you want to get your ante post bets in, now is likely the best time to start picking your horses for each race. Of course, you will need some information on the favourites to win major…

Fans are in for a treat on Saturday with some of the sport's stars on show including Cyrname and Paisley Park. Our betting guide highlights favourites worth opposing Wetherby Racecourse Cyrname and Paisley Park are the headline acts on bet365 Charlie Hall Chase day but both ended last season on a low note and redemption is no formality at…

Colin Tizzard can sign off in style with a win for Eldorado Allen in the Betway Bowl (2.55). The top trainer is soon to hand over the reins to his son Joe and the grey has a fine chance of victory at Aintree. He stayed on determinedly behind star chaser Allaho in Cheltenham's Ryanair Chase last month and is in an upward curve. Earlier, Pied Piper…

Newsboy has napped Dan Skelton's Protektorat in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham races. The horse is part-owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson PROTEKTORAT is fancied to make light of top weight in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.15) at Cheltenham this afternoon. Jumps fans are in for a treat as the two-and-a-half-mile test, viewed…

THE biggest week of the racing year is fast approaching - meaning time is running out to get real value on some fancied runners. Already we have seen the likes of Constitution Hill go long odds-on to win the Champion Hurdle. But there is still plenty of money to be made elsewhere from some the bookies may have missed. Here, Sun Racing's top tipster…

Nicky Henderson plans to waste no time in trying to secure Arclight some valuable black type after she maintained her unbeaten record over jumps facile in the Play Coral "Racing-Super-Series" For Free Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday. Faced with just the three rivals the daughter of Champs Elysees saw her task made all the more…

It is going to be very good to see Davy Russell back in action at Fairyhouse on Saturday, and racegoers on the day won't have too long to wait, as the three-time champion returns to the saddle on Jazzy Matty in the opening four-year-olds' hurdle. This is a warm contest, with the impressive Cork winner Blood Destiny in opposition, as well as the…

All eyes were on the course as Day Three of Cheltenham Festival got underway. That wet course has had more rain overnight, and the going already described as tacky by some jockeys yesterday. After a fourth Coronavirus case was confirmed in Gloucestershire yesterday, racegoers can can expect increased hygiene measures, including extra hand sanitizer…

Tommy Lyons ranks the country's greatest horsemen from the past 50 years. A star from the outset, Walsh served notice of what was to come by winning the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham aboard Alexander Banquet, and winning the Aintree Grand National at the first attempt. He showed his outstanding natural ability and adaptability by being able to ride…

Meet Ginolad, the horse who will carry the silks - and hopes - of the Daily Mirror Punters' Club during the 2010-11 jumps season. The ex-Australian chaser joins us - with the help of Racing For Change - for a jumping campaign which will be one to remember. Ginolad arrived at the stable of 2009 Grand National heroine Venetia Williams around the time…

Honeysuckle is set to be an odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle. We are a week away from the Cheltenham Festival, and as final preparations begin to take place across the UK & Ireland, punters are beginning to finalise their ante-post positions ahead of the imminent entries.

The nine-year-old won six successive races over obstacles between November 2020 and December 2021, but has since endured a spell in the doldrums. However, having been pulled up on four successive occasions, Bushypark hinted at a return to form when runner-up as a 50/1 shot over hurdles at Newcastle last weekend and he was the 2/1 favourite turned…

Okay, it wouldn't be quite as dramatic as Lester Piggott at the 1990 Breeders' Cup. "I have decided to come out of retirement and ride for the short period while Jack [Kennedy] is on the sidelines," Russell said in his statement. But, with Kennedy breaking his leg for a fifth time at Naas on Sunday, the Cheltenham Festival, just two months away,…

Not sighted since winning the two-runner Grade 2 Jacquart Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot on December 202019, the grey Angels Breath makes his long-awaited return to action in Kempton's Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase on Saturday. Still owned by'Walters Plant Hire & Ronnie Bartlett' but under a new trainer having been switched from Nicky Henderson to Sam…

Planet Sport's tipsters and betting experts have been studying the form to give you the best chance of success at the Festival. First up we'll give you a quick list of the horses with the best chances for the main five races that are being shown on ITV this Tuesday afternoon. Then for those of you that like a bigger price we have a handful of juicy…

Tucked away from view in a luscious green field at the foot of the Blackdown Hills in Somerset is a chestnut gelding who - if only he could talk - would have an extraordinary tale to tell indeed. As it is, the 19-year-old retired racehorse will have to make do with Hollywood speaking for him: Dream Alliance is about to be immortalised on the big…

Gavin Beech puts the six short-priced, ante-post favourites for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival under the microscope and provides his analysis on their credentials. There are currently six horses chalked up at 6-4 or shorter in the ante-post markets for this year's Cheltenham Festival, with Constitution Hill, who is a best-priced 4-11 for the Unibet…

Wednesday's racing schedule has been hit by the abandonment of the National Hunt meeting at Leicester, leaving just two Flat cards standing. Both take place on the Polytrack, with Lingfield (12.45-3.45pm) and Kempton (5.00-8.00) comprising the double-bill. Wednesday's nap is a Simon & Ed Crisford-trained contender seeking to back up what amounted…

1pt Snake Roll in 2.25 Warwick at 8/1 (Sky Bet) 1pt Outlaw Peter in 2.40 Kempton at 11/2 (Betway) 1pt Threeunderthrufive in 3.00 Warwick at 7/1 (William Hill) A few trainers will have been eyeing Warwick's Wigley Group Classic Chase as they continue to prepare their charges with a tilt at Aintree's Grand National in mind, none more so than Paul…

MONSTER hurdler Constitution Hill is already on track to beat a Cheltenham Festival record - nine weeks before it begins. Nicky Henderson's superstar two miler is 1-4 to win the Champion Hurdle on the first day of the Festival. Nothing has got within 12 lengths of Constitution Hill in his five runs under rules. And his 17-length demolition job of…

The Albert Bartlett has thrown up some wild results in the last decade and an average winning SP of 18-1 reminds us that rewards can be reaped by ignoring the obvious. Experience tends to be one of the most important factors as the average Albert Bartlett winner ran 5.4 times over hurdles before arriving at the festival, compared with 3.4 for the…

The final preparations are in full swing for the Cheltenham Festival 2020 which runs from March 10th to 13th. Hopes are rising that the coronavirus outbreak will not force a late postponement for the best four days of National Hunt racing anywhere in the world. Trainer Paul Nicholls has not been the leading trainer at the meeting since 2009 and is…

Run Wild Fred: declared for the BetVictor Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan on Sunday Leading National Hunt Chase contender Run Wild Fred is set to clash with high-class stablemate Farouk D'Alene at Navan this Sunday after featuring among declarations for the Grade 2 BetVictor Ten Up Novice Chase (4.05). Trainer Gordon Elliott had indicated earlier this…

1pt win Stattler in Cheltenham Gold Cup at 14/1 (General) I unashamedly find it quite hard to take the plunge when it comes to antepost bets on the Cheltenham Festival. If you believe what you read elsewhere then the real value is only on offer around September/October time the previous year and there is, of course, a modicum of truth in…

Royal Ascot kicks off this week and there are huge offers on Bet365 including boosts, free bets and more. New customers and existing customers to Bet365 can also get a £5 free bet for Tuesday's card. * Open account offer. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min…

By Andrew Asquith, Friday 06 January 2023 Posted in: Cheltenham Festival Tips Andrew Asquith looks ahead to the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup and picks out his best ante-post bet. A quick glance at the ante-post betting market for the 2023 Cheltenham Gold Cup shows what a cracking renewal this year's race could be with the first seven or eight in the…

1pt win Ballygriffincottage in Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at 16/1 (Coral, Unibet, Ladbrokes, bet365) There might not be a huge amount of strength in depth when it comes to the British novice chasers this year but Sporting Life Arkle favourite Jonbon obviously looks the real deal, while the likes of Thyme Hill and The Real Whacker have thrown…

Chianti Classico: made it 3-3 over hurdles at Wincanton Saturday: Wincanton A fascinating 100-year story lies behind the red and cream silks owned by Sir Francis Brooke, and a new piece of history for the colours could be on the verge of being created by Chianti Classico, as he underlined his major potential with a third victory over hurdles. The…

The treats are going to come thick and fast for racing fans over the Christmas week. They include Leopardstown's four-day Christmas Festival, which begins on St Stephen's Day (December 26). This is a superb meeting with a wide array of Graded contests, competitive handicaps and informative bumpers for punters to enjoy. Danny Archer looks ahead to…

It's the final day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and there's seven more races taking place. The Gold Cup is the feature contest at 3.30pm and Rachael Blackmore is bidding to become the first female jockey to win it. On her chances, she said: "The Gold Cup is what the whole week of Cheltenham builds around. It's the pinnacle of the racing year and…

Now, we have hit 2023 the focus of the National Hunt world will be counting down to the Cheltenham Festival between March 14-17 and some bookmakers are already dangling the carrot of Non Runner No Bet, and here at HorseRacing.net we pick out some of the bookies that are NRNB on some of the festival races... William Hill went Non Runner No Bet on…

The Challow Novices' Hurdle has a stellar roll of honour this century and Paul Nicholls, responsible for the last two winners, Bravemansgame and Stage Star, won it again with Hermes Allen (144p from 135p). This renewal combined both quantity - it was the first double-figure field since 2009 - with quality, though the testing conditions took their…

MEGAN NICHOLLS celebrated her retirement from racing at the age of 25 - by frolicking in the sea in Barbados. With gigs on ITV Racing and a regular on Racing TV, Meg is going to focus on her blossoming media career instead of riding winners. But first comes some time off in the Caribbean hotspot. A regular to the island where her old man relaxes…

Picking up from my last column to cover the remainder of the holiday program (December 28 to January 1) in what was the busiest post-Boxing Day period for some time, the narrative seemed to me more of the same - some horses enhanced their reputations, a bigger number diminished theirs, and a standout performance to breathe new life into some…

Dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho is one of 27 horses entered for the 2023 Ryanair Chase, which will be run on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on March 16, and the aforementioned Willie Mullins-trained raider will be a hot favourite for the 2m 5f contest. We take a look at the entries here and have all the latest odds for what should be a…

Willie Mullins has farmed the New Year's Day feature in winning eight of the last 10 runnings, but Minella Indo's battling display in the hands of Rachael Blackmore ended the Closutton handler's five-year stranglehold on the Grade Three contest and gave Henry de Bromhead his second win in the race after Champagne West's success in 2017. Winner of…

There are four meetings across the UK and Ireland on Tuesday, two National Hunt and two Flat. They jump off first at Fontwell (1.00-4.25pm), followed by Uttoxeter (1.55-5.20) and a seven-race Flat card at Navan (2.15-5.40). All-weather racing on the level at Wolverhampton (6.00-8.30) completes the programme. Tuesday's nap is a Fergal O'Brien runner…

The Cheltenham Festival is back this month and here's everything you need to know about the major horse racing event One of Britain's favourite showpiece horse racing events is just around the corner as the Cheltenham Festival is back to provide four days of enthralling jump racing. Cheltenham Racecourse will welcome the UK and Ireland's most…

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a horse race, it's a social gathering and it's a handsome 96-year-old trophy. But it's also the most prestigious National Hunt (ie horses which race over jumps) festival in the calendar. This year the Cheltenham Festival runs from Tuesday March 10 to Friday March 13, with the highlight, the Gold Cup race itself, is…

Though still in its relative infancy, the two-day Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday and Sunday has become a huge part of the Irish jump-racing scene already. The Leopardstown meeting takes place in early February and has fast become an all-guns-blazing dress rehearsal for the Cheltenham Festival for some of Ireland's leading National Hunt…

Newbury's Mandarin Chase has unearthed some real talent among staying chasers down the years Considering it has not been part of the Pattern since 1989, the Mandarin holds a strong roll of honour. Its first winner after demotion was Party Politics, with Jodami a couple of years down the line. Over the last 15 years or so it has become one of the…

Here at Severn Sport not only do we cast our eyes over Gloucestershire Football, but we also follow horse racing and in particular the road to the Cheltenham Festival in March. As part of our annual coverage we host a tipster league in March and get local players involved as part of the fun and this year with the fact there isn't much football…

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 takes another lazy roll on his comfy bedding, his tenth of the year so far and it's not yet nine in the morning on New Year's Day. Back on his feet he ambles over to the open half-door of his stable and gazes on the yard outside. Nicky Henderson's third lot are assembling in front of him, the younger geldings nattering excitedly…

Saturday sees the 174th running of the Grand National at Aintree. The Charlie Longsdon-trained Snow Leopardess heads the betting but here we run through the entire field, in order of allotted weight. 1) MINELLA TIMES (Henry de Bromhead) Rating (out of 10) 6, weight 11st 10lbs Created history for Rachael Blackmore last year but he has only run twice…

Emerging forces and established stars of the Irish National Hunt scene are set to come out and play at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. The four-day racing bonanza takes place between Monday, December 26 and Thursday, December 29 and it is set to offer plenty of clues ahead of the big spring meetings. We're sponsoring all seven races on the…

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…