#Sizing Pottsie

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…

Delta Work has become a little bit of a forgotten horse. True, he was well beaten in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase on his seasonal debut, but he is never at his best on his seasonal return, and he reportedly came home lame that day, so you can allow him that. Gordon Elliott's horse was one of the top staying novice chasers last season. He beat Le…

FAKIR D'OUDAIRES can land a big prize for Ireland in the Grade 1 Marsh Chase. Joseph O'Brien's chaser is as tough as they come and bounded clear by 11 lengths in this race 12 months ago. Returning in his usual consistent manner, JP McManus' seven-year-old recorded a 15-length score at Grade 2 level in November. There was no disgrace in finding…

Jump racing fans were treated to a bonanza weekend that reshuffled the pecking order of many markets for the Cheltenham Festival. From Gordon Elliott's seven-timer at Navan on Saturday to Kilcruit getting beaten at odds of 1/14 on Sunday, there was a lot to digest. Here we look at the potential ramifications for the Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase,…

Paul Nicholls considers Hitman a serious rival to stablemate Bravemansgame in the King George VI Chase following a dominant display at Haydock. The Ditcheat handler has saddled a record 12 previous winners of Kempton's Boxing Day showpiece and Bravemansgame is as short as even money to add his name to the roll of honour. But Hitman - second on his…

Protektorat put himself in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with a commanding victory in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. Third behind A Plus Tard at the Festival in March, Dan Skelton's charge reversed that form in style as Henry de Bromhead's 1/2 favourite failed to fire and was pulled up three out. Bristol De Mai led the quintet along as he sought a…

A PLUS TARD can win the Betfair Chase (Registered As The Lancashire Chase) (GBB Race) (3pm) again at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon. Henry de Bromhead's eight-year-old is the leading staying chaser around and he can take the Grade One feature on Merseyside for a second successive year. Having been second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup to…

ENTRIES have been announced for three of the biggest races at the Cheltenham Festival. And, much like last year, it looks like the Irish contingent could be set to dominate yet again. Henry de Bromhead, Willie Mullins and Co smashed the home team 23-5 in 2021. De Bromhead alone scooped the holy grail of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold…

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…

With the Tingle Creek in three weeks one of the few remaining genuine championship races run in Britain before March, the stakes are higher than usual in the two-mile chases at this time of year. Greaneteen will be defending champion at Sandown and also the leader in the clubhouse after his mighty handicap performance in last week's Haldon Gold…

17:00 Fairyhouse, Monday Live on ITV4 Good efforts in valuable staying handicaps the last twice, 15½ lengths fourth of 12 to Diol Ker in Leinster National at Naas (24.6f, heavy) 36 days ago. Big effort needed to defy top weight. Eight wins from 19 NH runs. Little impact in competitive handicap company this season, well held in Topham at Aintree 10…

Teahupoo's Champion Hurdle odds were slashed after he cantered home a clear-cut winner of the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park. The Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old was cut to 8-1 from 20s by Betfair for next month's Cheltenham Festival feature after putting his six rivals to the sword in the Grade Three heat, while he is a best-priced…