#Am Maximus

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…

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…

After a feast of festival horse racing action, there is much to take stock of for punters ahead of the big spring festivals. Even at this early stage, there are many hot favourites for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. Constitution Hill has looked freakish and may even scare off two-time champion Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle, while Galopin Des…

Nicky Henderson, who saw two of his young horses I Am Maximus and Gallyhill run below expectations at Exeter, has given an update on the Cheltenham Festival winner Nicky Henderson admits he is "going back to square one" as Epatante returns to the fray ahead of a bid to regain her Unibet Champion Hurdle crown. But the master of Seven Barrows hopes…

Conflated put himself firmly in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with a dominant success in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. The Gordon Elliott-trained eight-year-old was a surprise winner of the Irish Gold Cup over the course and distance last season and went on to run well before falling two from home in Cheltenham's Ryanair Chase before pushing…

Home By The Lee proved his surprise victory at Navan last month was no fluke with a battling success in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. Joseph O'Brien's charge was a widely unconsidered 28-1 shot for the Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle in mid-November, but knuckled down to see off the strong-travelling Bob Olinger, with Ashdale…

The third day of the Leopardstown Christmas festival belonged to Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy, who landed a 101-1 treble courtesy of Sam's Choice, Maxxum and Conflated. Maxxum was cut to 4-1 (from 16) with Paddy Power for the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham after easily overcoming his rivals in the Pertemps qualifier. The five-year-old defied a…

I Am Maximus: narrowly denied on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse this month It was in this race 12 months ago that we witnessed the best chasing debut of the modern era according to Racing Post Ratings. Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs dazzled on his introduction to fences last Christmas when bolting up by 22 lengths - posting an…

Another busy afternoon of festive racing lies ahead on Wednesday, with five meetings taking place across the UK and Ireland. ITV Racing turns its attention to Ireland with four races from Leopardstown, including two Grade 1 contests, while there are also a couple of races from Leicester The broadcast on ITV4 is on air from 12.40-3.30pm and our…

Newsboy's Nap selection for Wednesday, December 28, is the Dan Skelton-trained Unexpected Party at Leicester (12.45). The next best is Leopardstown runner Flooring Porter (1.45) Frankie Dettori announces retirement as horse racing legend confirms farewell plans Dan Skelton's UNEXPECTED PARTY (12.45. nap) appeals over fences at Leicester in the…

Leopardstown 13:10 - Falcon Eight (each-way) Leopardstown 13:45 - Flooring Porter Leopardstown 14:20 - A Plus Tard Leicester 14:35 - Issam (each-way) Leopardstown 14:55 - Gentlemansgame Leicester 15:10 - Honneur D'ajonc (each-way) *All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but…

1pt win Eric Bloodaxe in 1.10 Leopardstown at 12/1 (bet365) 1pt win Washington in 2.35 Leicester at 11/2 (General) ITV's Christmas Festival rolls on to Wednesday with six races on ITV4 headed by four from Leopardstown and the 28-runner Pertemps qualifier kicks things off in typical head-scratching style. There has been one single-figure price…

As a son of six-time Cheltenham Festival heroine Quevega, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old carried all before him in the bumper sphere last season - winning each of his four starts including big-race triumphs at the Dublin Racing Festival, the Cheltenham Festival and the Punchestown Festival. He was unsurprisingly a very short price to make…

11:35 I Am Maximus 12:07 Whiskey Lullaby 12:42 Cayd Boy 13:17 Kansas City Star 13:52 Facile Vega 15:02 Explosive Boy 15:35 Nick Rockett *All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change. I Am Maximus makes his debut for Willie Mullins in a Beginners' Chase since…

Shishkin bids to give favourite backers the edge on day two of the Cheltenham Festival. The Champion Chase (3.30) favourite has starred for trainer Nicky Henderson, winning twice previously at the meeting. He lines up in the feature with one success for his name over key market rival Energumene. Stablemate Chacun Pour Soi and Nube Negra are others…

Britain surged into an early advantage on day one but the Irish pinned them back late, with the host nation ahead 4-3 going into day two. The Cheltenham action moves on and Wednesday's feature race is the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.30pm where unbeaten chaser Shishkin will attempt to continue what has been a superb start to the meeting for…

Cheltenham's popular New Year's Day fixture is set to continue that theme under coronavirus precautions. Around 30000 fans are expected to enjoy their first day at the races of 2022 on Friday. Racegoers will be permitted entry to the course with a vaccine pass or proof of a negative lateral flow test. The crowd, one of the biggest outside of the…

channel to stay up to date on the latest in marketing Nico de Boinville Cheltenham rides are once again about quality over quantity at the Festival this year. That has been something of a hallmark of his career, so here we look at six of the best hopes he gets the leg up on. No British jockey apart from De Boinville is really in the hunt for the…

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…

Go for GALVIN in the Cheltenham Gold Cup as the Festival reaches its grand finale. Gordon Elliott, already with a winner of the feature on his CV, looks to have an ideal candidate. The son of Gold Well has stamina in abundance - and scooped the National Hunt Chase prize at last year's meeting. A narrow verdict over A Plus Tard at Leopardstown over…

At the time of writing, there are mixed messages about the weather forecast for Tuesday night going into Wednesday at Cheltenham. The Old Course, which plays host to the first two days of the Festival, hadn't been watered at all in preparation and the times from the first day suggested the going was good. Yet having looked as if there was clearly…

Plenty of horses trained in Ireland understandably catching the punters' attention after the recent festive action. Shorteners with Sky Bet include Sunday Naas winner Ginto who looks a player in the staying novice hurdle division in March - and a Willie Mullins-trained, Sussanah Ricci-owned French import in Allegorie De Vassy. She impressed with…

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…