#Henry VIII

Nicky Henderson's Jonbon was safely tucked away in his Seven Barrows box at Christmas but he still got some festive cheer when Boothill won the Wayward Lad at Kempton. Before that boost - he had easily seen off Harry Fry's horse in the Henry VIII at Sandown - his chasing form had little substance to it (in terms of what he had beaten), even if he…

Windsor Avenue produced a dramatic 40/1 shock win in a gruelling Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster for Northern-based trainer Brian Ellison. The 10-year-old, whose last victory was back in November 2019, picked off Kerry Lee's Storm Control who ran out of steam in the final few strides on Town Moor. Windsor Avenue, wearing blinkers for the first time, led…

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…

Despite getting a few things wrong, Tahmuras made it three from three over hurdles as he stepped up in grade to land the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown. He made mistakes at the last two flights and still looked green as he wandered on the run-in, but he saw the race out well under testing conditions. There is clearly more to come as he gains experience…

By Andrew Asquith, Friday 06 January 2023 Posted in: Cheltenham Festival Tips Andrew Asquith looks ahead to the 2023 Champion Chase and picks out his best ante-post bet. The entries for the 2023 Champion Chase were made earlier this week and one of the most notable absentees was 2021 Sporting Life Arkle winner Shishkin, who was pulled up when…

Laura Morgan will ready promising novice chaser Loughderg Rocco for the Cheltenham Festival after his impressive success at her local track last week. And the burgeoning Leicester shire stable could be doubly represented at the Prestbury Park track in March if Notlongtillmay builds upon his impressive display over fences at Musselburgh on…

It was a shame Edwardstone unseated Tom Cannon at the fifth in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton. He had been brilliant in the Tingle Creek and this was supposed to be further evidence that he's ready to have a real crack at Energumene in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Alas, it wasn't to be, but at least he returned unscathed and the Champion…

Racing tips for Wednesday come from Catterick, Leicester and Limerick, with the Christmas festival continuing at Leopardstown. talkSPORT have gone through the race cards and form so you don't have to, with betting tips on some of the biggest meetings in the UK. There's a story behind the Christmas Hurdle that will make it all the more special if…

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…

Having only found the mighty Jonbon too good last time out in the Grade One Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown Park, Boothill came home the ultimately comfortable winner of the Grade Two Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase over two miles at Kempton Park on Tuesday, day two of the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival. With 13-8 Favourite…

Having only found the mighty Jonbon too good last time out in the Grade One Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown Park, Boothill came home the ultimately comfortable winner of the Grade Two Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase. With 13/8 favourite Lac De Constance unseating Harry Skelton at the eighth fence, Boothill made smooth…

2022-12-23Andy Gibson's Eyecatchers service: Is Jonbon a worthy short-priced favourite for the Arkle? Jonbon is currently trading around 5/4 for the Arkle Chase in March on the strength of his eight-length success over the 147-rated Boothill in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown in early December. His time comparisons with the Tingle Creek…

Dusart was sent off favourite for the open 3m handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday, but could finish only sixth behind his stable companion Captain Morgs. Both runners attracted support, but it was Captain Morgs that coped better with the way the race unfolded. The omission of the final hurdle due to the low sun meant the tempo lifted only after…

Lightning rarely strikes twice when it comes to a mare producing genuinely top-class performers and that's probably even more true over jumps than it is on the Flat. But that doesn't stop owners spending a lot of money in the belief that if it's happened once it can happen again. J. P. McManus' purchase of Jonbon for £570000, a record for a pointer…

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…

Those who have backed Jonbon for the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival need not worry. Nicky Henderson confirmed after Jonbon's easy victory in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday that he will stick to two miles this season. But it was a performance that didn't just have Henderson purring over what seemed like his latest cab…

JUMPS racing is about to enter a new Stone age. Alan King's brilliant two-miler Edwardstone announced himself as the alpha in the two-mile division with a brilliant performance in the Betfair Tingle Creek. Most of the talk in the build-up had been about the'big two' Greaneteen and Shishkin, but they were firmly put in their place in a distant…

Edwardstone: last year's Henry VIII Novices' Chase winner returns to Sandown on Saturday in the Tingle Creek Chase The big races come thick and fast in the run-up to Christmas and the best of Saturday's action comes from Aintree and Sandown. Here we look at three of those races and what the results of the last ten years can tell us about what might…

The Grade 1 Tingle Creek is one of the leading races in the 2m chase division. Its roll of honour includes Desert Orchid, Moscow Flyer, Kauto Star, Master Minded and Sprinter Sacre. Six runners have been declared for the Sandown feature on Saturday afternoon at 2.55pm, including last year's winner Greaneteen and one of the stars of the division,…

After an impressive debut effort over fences, Jonbon takes the step up to Grade One level in the Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday. The six-year-old is a full-brother to Douvan, who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Arkle for Willie Mullins before injury interrupted his career. Nicky Henderson has been lucky enough…

Cheltenham Festival-winning mare Love Envoi makes her seasonal reappearance at Sandown on a huge day for her trainer Harry Fry. The Mares' Novice Hurdle winner tackles handicap company for the first time off a mark of 139 in the Betfair Daily Rewards Handicap Hurdle (2.20). The six-year-old won a Grade 2 on her only previous trip to the Esher track…

The Seven Barrows trainer declared both Shishkin and fellow stable star Jonbon - who runs in other Grade One race on the card, the Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' Chase - to give racing fans reason to be excited for the weekend. And the six-time Champion Trainer gave positive reports on both, confirming they had schooled impressively this week,…

No horse in training has a higher Timeform rating than Shishkin, who earned a figure of 181 for his stirring success over Energumene in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January. That performance in a race for the ages took Shishkin's record over fences to seven from seven and, for some context on what he achieved on the form book, it earned him…

THEY say 60 is the new 40, and champion trainer Paul Nicholls is still as pumped up as ever for the new season. Somerset-based Nicholls celebrated the landmark birthday with a big bash earlier this year. And he was also able to toast a 14th trainer's crown after fending off the challenge of long-time rival Nicky Henderson. He has a promising squad…

Nicky Henderson's Jonbon is already odds-on across the board for the two-mile Grade One this weekend on the back of a comfortable win first time out over fences at Warwick, but Fry isn't put off by JP McManus's horse in opposition. He was particularly pleased with how Boothill delivered on the promise of his chasing debut win at Newton Abbot in…

The eight year old enjoyed a season to remember last term, twice winning Grade One prizes at Sandown Park including a 12-length demolition job of Sceau Royal in the Celebration Chase in April. And while there looks set to be a smart field standing in his way this Saturday, including last year's Arkle Trophy hero as well as the returning Nicky…

Paul Nicholls has shot down accusations that British jump racing is being harmed by an unwillingness from trainers to regularly take on each other with their best horses as a "load of b******". The champion jumps trainer said on Tuesday that he "didn't agree with a word" of the observations by Gordon Elliott that racing in Britain was falling…

As we count down to the winter holidays, the world shifts into gift-giving mode. Whether you light a menorah, gather around a nativity scene, or simply look forward to quiet time with loved ones, the focus is on finding and sharing something special with those on your list. As you plan your holiday gifts, consider the ultimate consumable for the…

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…

SATURDAY of the Paddy Power meeting is always a massive day with the Paddy Power Gold Cup the highlight. I only managed to win it once, but that was on Cyfor Malta in 2002, four years after he'd won it for the first time under AP McCoy. Only five horses have won it twice and he is one of them. He was a classy horse and even though I'm not sure…

One of the great National Hunt races of the season takes centre-stage on Saturday with the latest running of the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park. The two-mile chasing showpiece boasts that brilliant mix of a need for speed, matched with jumping fluidity which has seen illustrious stars of the sport including Desert Orchid, Kauto Star,…

Greaneteen: won the Haldon Gold Cup but can he strike once again in the Tingle Creek? Monday With the exception of Wolverhampton's Saturday evening card, which was restricted to riders who rode fewer than 30 winners in 2021, there had been an absence of all-weather racing in Britain for just over a week as the season took a short break. However,…

The five-year-old rubber-stamped the excitement created by his 22-length romp in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with an emphatic rout of former Champion Hurdle winner and stablemate Epatante in the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday. And even Nicky Henderson was blown away by his turn of foot as he put the race to bed in a matter…

The furore around the ground at Ascot and the withdrawal of Constitution Hill meant the quality of Boothill's performance in winning the Hurst Park Handicap Chase went under the radar. It shouldn't have done: Boothill, having just his third start over fences, put up a performance that would put him right in the mix for any graded novice chase…

The dramatic late falls of Annie Power, in 2015, and Benie Des Dieux, in 2019, reputedly saved bookmakers many millions as both were the last leg of numerous accumulators featuring short-priced runners for punters. This year's meeting once again sees a number of horses chalked up at cramped odds, but will they be bankers or blowouts? Sporting Life…

PADDY POWER insist they have been justified in their decision to pay out five months early on Jonbon. The record-breaking £570000 horse was almost foot-perfect on his chase debut at Warwick. But the Irish bookies are already down a'sizeable five-figure sum' on the wonderhorse after paying out on him to win next March's Arkle before his fences…

The eight-year-old missed an intended engagement at Cheltenham last weekend owing to the combination of quicker ground and a "gravelled foot" in the build up to the race. Having his first start of the season in the three-runner Highflyer Bloodstock Novices' Chase, Harry Cobden's mount raced in second throughout and while pressing the odds-on Jonbon…

A smashing renewal of this early-season feature and, having built up a solid record at this venue last term, STOLEN SILVER gets the nod to land the prize on return. He powered to the line when landing the Silver Trophy on his final start in April, and a 7 lb higher mark ought not prevent another bold bid. David Pipe's Umbrigado, on the back of a…

Can up-and-coming hurdler Knappers Hill (right) take Sceau Royal's crown at Wincanton? If Sceau Royal wins this race again then it wouldn't be a surprise if it were to be named after him at some point in the future, because the ten-year-old has dominated the contest in recent years. He won his first Elite Hurdle off a mark of 149 when it was a…

The ITV Racing team will pitch up at Exeter on Tuesday afternoon, before the coverage heads over to Keeneland for day one of the Breeders' Cup. Exeter's card on Friday is headlined by the Haldon Gold Cup, a Grade Two handicap that's been won by top chasers like Viking Flagship, Best Mate and Cue Card down the years. We look through the confirmed…

Here's a quick bit of detail on our hot selections for Friday's action, you can find the full list of tips for every race across all the tracks at the bottom of the page. It is difficult to look beyond Lallygag in the Extra Places Every Day At Betway Novices' Hurdle. The Hereford bumper winner was admittedly found a gilt-edged opportunity to make a…

A total of five horses were declared for the Grade Two limited handicap chase over an extended two miles and a furlong and Third Time Lucki is currently the 7/4 favourite market leader. The seven-year-old won three of his six starts last season, scoring twice at Cheltenham (including in the Grade Two November Novices' Chase) and in the Grade Two…

After launching his career as a conditional jockey with the now-retired Colin Tizzard back as a teenager the 27-year-old has come full circle to hold the position he enjoys as first-choice jockey to his son Joe Tizzard, who is now at the helm of Venn Farm Stables. Twelve months on from providing Tizzard senior with his second, and final, victory in…

There are just four weeks left until the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March. On Saturday and Sunday there was another cracking weekend of action, with the main dishes coming in England after the Dublin Racing Festival took centre stage the previous weekend. The leading novice chasers on British soil will fancy their hopes of Cheltenham Festival glory…

4561 total views, 4561 views today Paul Nicholls might have turned 60 earlier this year but his hunger for success remains as strong as ever as he bids to defend his Jump Trainers' Championship and claim a 14 title. The Ditcheat handler is confident he has another "great team" on his hands for his 32 season as a licence holder and is excited to…

Paul Nicholls might have turned 60 this year but his hunger for success remains as strong as ever as he bids to defend his Jump Trainers' Championship and claim a 14th title. The Ditcheat handler is confident he has another "great team" on his hands for his 32nd season as a licence holder and is excited to unleash an intriguing mix of established…

Fresh from enjoying his best-ever Jump campaign, which included a first Cheltenham Festival success aboard Edwardstone in the Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase, the 31 year old will bid to prove the rider to beat once again in the unique contest for professional Jump jockeys having claimed the race 12 months ago aboard Berrahri and in 2015 aboard…