Noel Optimistic

Noel Fehily has not given up hope of being fit to ride Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The jump jockey is to see a specialist this week and is optimistic the wrist he injured in a fall at Newbury on Friday is not as bad as first feared.

It was thought he might have suffered a break when taking a tumble from Rivaliste in a two-mile-one-furlong handicap chase. He was taken to Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon but because the wrist was badly swollen, X-rays proved inconclusive.

Fehily had only been given the call-up from trainer Paul Nicholls earlier in the week to replace the sidelined Ruby Walsh on Clive Smith's top-class chaser, who is seeking a record fifth successive win in the Christmas feature.

"It's not quite as bad as first thought, hopefully," Fehily told At The Races.

"When I was taken to hospital it wasn't very good, but I went back on Sunday morning and the doctor was a lot happier with it. Because it was so swollen at the time, they couldn't get a clear picture of it.

"I have to go back (on Tuesday) and hopefully I'll get a better prognosis then. I'm not really in pain. Since they strapped it up it's been a lot better, so I'm very hopeful it's not quite as bad as first thought. Straight away you are thinking how you can speed your recovery up.

"I'm very hopeful I'll be back to ride Kauto Star on Boxing Day. From what the specialist said on Sunday if we can keep it strapped up, keep the improvement and the swelling coming down, he's very hopeful he can have me back riding in two to three weeks which would be well before Christmas.

"At this time of year you don't want to be missing too much, but thankfully the weather is going to help me out a little bit!"

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The recent cold spell is playing havoc with the National Hunt fixture list and the three scheduled jumps meetings on Thursday are all facing inspections.

Leicester and Market Rasen are having a look at 10am on Tuesday, while Wincanton aim to hold out until 24 hours later.

Leicester clerk of the course Jimmy Stevenson said: "We've got two inches of snow on the track and it is frozen in places underneath. The forecast is not brilliant. We've got the chance of more snow and then the temperatures for the whole of the week don't look like they are going to go above freezing."

Market Rasen clerk Sulekha Varma said: "There's about an inch to an inch and a half of snow on the track and we are frozen in places."

Wincanton officials want to give their card every opportunity of going ahead and will assess conditions at 10am on Wednesday.

"We've got 20% of the track that is frozen and we have a light covering of snow," said clerk of the course Barry Johnson.

"There's a school of thought we should probably inspect on Tuesday and knock it on the head if it's not raceable, but if we've got any glimmer of hope we will hold on. That's why we are going for Wednesday at 10am and it will be make or break. Things have got to improve by then."

It is a similar scene in Ireland with Wednesday's meeting at Navan cancelled due to snow and a further unfavourable weather forecast. Officials at Sandown admit their two-day meeting, featuring the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday, could be in the balance unless conditions improve dramatically.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper told At The Races: "It's not looking great at this stage. We look like we are going to have below-freezing nights all week and Thursday night is looking particularly cold and daytime temperatures getting no higher than 1C or something like that.

"We have got frost in the ground at the moment so that has got to shift before we can really exude any optimism at all."

AP For SP?

Tony McCoy has made the final cut for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2010.

McCoy is on a shortlist of 10 for the coveted award, which will be announced at a live event at Birmingham's LG Arena on Sunday, December 19.

The 15-time champion jockey shot to the head of the betting for the accolade after winning the John Smith's Grand National at the 15th attempt aboard Don't Push It.

"From my point of view, it's a massive thing to be mentioned in the same breath as other sports stars, but I see it as a bigger honour for racing," said McCoy.

"Frankie Dettori is the biggest icon we have to offer, but if by me winning the Grand National means more people are interested in the sport, that can only be a good thing."

Ryder Cup heroes Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell also feature in the nominations.

Westwood finished runner-up in The Masters and The Open on the way to taking the world number one spot from Tiger Woods, while McDowell became Europe's first US Open champion for 40 years.

The pair were also part of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor.

Also on the shortlist are Jessica Ennis, who added the world pentathlon title and European heptathlon title to her world heptathlon title from last year, David Haye, who twice defended his world heavyweight title, most recently with a third-round stoppage of Audley Harrison, and Amy Williams, who won Britain's first individual Winter Olympics gold medal for 30 years with victory in the women's skeleton.

Mark Cavendish, won won five stages on the Tour de France, double Commonwealth diving gold medallist Tom Daley, England spinner Graeme Swann and darts great Phil Taylor complete the nominees.

Two More Off

The jumps fixtures at Southwell and Hereford on Tuesday have become the latest casualties of the cold snap.

With overnight temperatures having plummeted to minus 11C, the Southwell meeting was abandoned following an inspection on Sunday morning.

Clerk of the course Roderick Duncan said: "There was absolutely no hope, so we've called it a day already."

All is not lost at the Nottinghamshire venue, however, as a six-race Flat card on the all-weather will be formulated on the same afternoon.

Declarations to run must be made by 10am on Monday, with the first race due off at 1pm.

Duncan added: "The all-weather track is being well worked, and we're not anticipating any problems."

Hereford have called time as the track is heavily frozen. Officials saw little need to call an official inspection after overnight temperatures dropped to a shivering minus 11C.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "We have no realistic chance of racing. Everybody knows we're in the grip of a freezing spell of weather, and will be for the foreseeable future. There is therefore little point in prevaricating an inevitability."

Ffos Las Off

Monday's jumps fixture at Ffos Las has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Clerk of the course Tim Long made the inevitable decision upon inspecting conditions on Sunday morning, as overnight temperatures had dipped to minus 8C. There was no prospect of improvement on the horizon, so the cause was beyond hope.

Long said: "It's still minus 8C and there is frost under the covers. We are forecast a daytime high of 0C, following an overnight low of minus 6C."

He added: "There is no way the frost will come out of the ground by Monday, so it was pointless messing people around."

The remaining Monday fixtures are a jumps meeting at Folkestone, which must first survive an inspection, and an all-weather fixture at Wolverhampton.

Denman to be placed at least ...did you get the 6/1?

Paul Nicholls was noticeably moved by the Newbury crowd's appreciation of Denman after the former Gold Cup winner put up a gallant performance to finish third as he sought an unprecedented treble in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

Sent off the 4-1 favourite, Denman gave eventual winner Diamond Harry a real battle after being roared on by the crowd when he moved into contention on the back straight, and he got an ovation when he returned to be unsaddled.

"That was an outstanding run at the weights and I always thought Diamond Harry would be very hard to beat if he jumped," said Nicholls.

Peddlers...we told you to get on!

Peddlers Cross made the transition from novice company to the top table in the best possible style with a superb victory in the stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newbury.

Jason Maguire settled the Donald McCain-trained five-year-old in second place as Bygones Of Brid set the pace in the Grade One contest, and he took over the lead at the second-last flight.

Champion Hurdle hero Binocular threw down his challenge at the last but was soon dismissed and Peddlers Cross (9-4) was driven out to beat Starluck by a length and a quarter.

Maguire said: "He did it great, he's come up against the top league now and he's the star we thought we had.

"They've gone steady enough and I was at the front turning in. We always thought a stronger pace might be better, but that shows he's got the boot if he needs it.

"We discussed it (tactics) last night. You don't want to go too quick and shoot yourself in the foot, so I sent him on in the straight as we wanted to save a bit. I thought he picked up again after the last though.

"He was very good today, relaxed in the race, and if we can keep him in that frame of mind, that will help. I think he's definitely a Champion Hurdle horse."

McCain added: "We knew he was very good, but he was a novice last year and until you step up you don't really know.

"He's done everything we hoped. He's absolutely frightening - the speed he's got is phenomenal. I've never dealt with a horse like this, but we've got one now.

"We came here to find out if we are a championship two-miler and we are. He can only improve for Cheltenham, a bigger field and a stronger pace, but I wouldn't have a clue where we'll go next."

Denman Takes On 18

History-seeking Denman takes on 18 rivals in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.

The 2008 Gold Cup winner, trained by Paul Nicholls, is vying to become the first horse to win the prestigious handicap for a third time and put the finishing touches to his preparations with a Thursday morning blow-out alongside Big Buck's.


Nicholls told At The Races: "He did his last bit of work and went nicely. I was particularly happy with the way he looked in his coat."

He added: "He's bringing Gold Cup form into the race and that's very important. He's going to need a career-best to win - there are some fantastic horses to give weight to - but I couldn't be happier. He is ready."

Check For Mussleburgh

Officials at Musselburgh will stage a precautionary inspection at 7am ahead of their scheduled Friday fixture.

Conditions at the Scottish track are perfectly raceable at present and providing the forecast is correct, clerk of the course Anthea Morshead is confident racing will go ahead.

"We're just having a look to be on the safe side but we'll race if the forecast is right," said Morshead.

"We could race today with no problems and we are only due to get down to minus 1C overnight.

"It is then set to rise to plus 4C. We have no snow at the moment and we should keep missing the snow.

"We'll be covering vulnerable areas of the track with frost sheets just in case, so we're optimistic."

Fingers Crossed For Gosforth Park

Newcastle's high-profile Saturday meeting is in serious doubt with officials deciding to call an 8am inspection for Friday morning.

Gosforth Park is due to stage the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle this weekend but with over five inches of snow currently laying on top of the frost covers, clerk of the course James Armstrong is pessimistic.

"If the weather continues as it has in the last 24 hours we may look to bring things forward, but at the moment we're holding an inspection at 8am on Friday," said Armstrong.

"We've got certainly five inches of snow on the track and the last time I check it's 0.1C, so it's not going to shift in a great hurry.

"We're very overcast an dark and forecasters are telling us unfortunately we will see more snow showers moving in from the north east coast.

"It's looking quite bleak at the moment. It's very hard to optimistic when you're walking around in ankle deep snow."

Uttoxeter Gets Go Ahead

This afternoon's meeting at Uttoxeter goes ahead after passing an 8.30am inspection.

Course temperatures dipped to minus 3C overnight but clerk of the course Charlie Moore is delighted to report the fleece that was laid on the track has done its job.

"It's good news and racing goes ahead. The sun is out and the forecasters assure me temperatures will rise to plus 3C," said Moore.

"The fleece we had down has done a fantastic job. Where we didn't have any fleece down the course is quite crispy and you wouldn't have been happy to have racing on, but under the fleece, it's top dollar."

Rock Misses Out

China Rock has been ruled out of Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury after suffering a minor setback.

The seven-year-old had been well supported after Barry Geraghty was booked for the ride, but trainer Mouse Morris has revealed he will now miss out.

The trainer said: "I had to make a final decision and I just wasn't 100% happy with him. It's not a season-ending injury or anything like that, he's just going to have to miss this one."

Fighting Fifth Withdrawal

Robbie Hennessy has ruled Sublimity out of a third crack at the StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle this weekend.

The 10-year-old chased home Go Native at Gosforth Park 12 months ago and was a narrow second to Punjabi when the race was rearranged and run at Wetherby in 2008, but with the ground likely to be soft if the meeting beats the forecast frost, Hennessy believes there is little point sending his charge across the Irish Sea.

The handler said: "We've decided we're not going to send him this year. I was talking to James Armstrong (Newcastle clerk of the course) and he says the ground is soft. And with the frost sheets they are putting down, there is no chance the ground is going to dry out at all."

He added: "It's hard enough taking on these horses on good ground, so there is no point taking them on when it's soft.

"The meeting might not even be on at all if the forecast is near right. It was called off a couple of years ago when we went over and it was a long journey there and back.

"We have him in at Fairyhouse on Saturday (Ryans Cleaning Event Specialists Hurdle), so we'll walk the track Friday morning and if we're happy with the ground, he might take his chance."

Inspection At Uttoxeter

Uttoxeter's fixture today is subject to an 8.30am precautionary inspection on raceday morning.

Track officials have adopted a prudent stance due to the prospect of another overnight frost.

Clerk of the course Charlie Moore said: "We have fleece covered all across the track and, at the moment, it is encouraging. Temperatures are due to get to between minus 2C and minus 3C but we would have been raceable today, so I'm cautiously optimistic."

More From Donald McCain

Donald McCain could not be happier with his star turn Peddlers Cross as he prepares to put his unbeaten record on the line in the stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

The five-year-old enjoyed a fantastic novice campaign, culminating in big-race wins at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals in the spring.

He is set to test his Champion Hurdle credentials against reigning champion Binocular at Newcastle this weekend and his trainer admits he is beginning to feel the nerves.

"He's in good form and ready to go. We're looking forward to Saturday, but I think exciting is the wrong word for it," said the trainer.

"It's a massive step up for us, but the horse is in good nick. It's a track we know fairly well and we've got to take on horses like Binocular at some point, so we might as well find out where we stand.

"He worked well at Bangor a couple of weeks ago and we do think he has plenty of pace.

"We wouldn't want a slowly-run race, as it was last year, but there's not an awful lot we can do about that. All we can do is get the horse to the races fit and well and see what happens.

"This has been the target for a while and it seems an obvious place to start. We'll see what happens this weekend and we can make a plan from there."

McCain has left the door open for his charge to travel to Ireland to contest Sunday's Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse should Newcastle's meeting be beaten by the predicted cold snap and heavy rain.

But he continued: "The problem is any decisions on Newcastle would end up being made a little bit too close, but we've left him in the Hatton's Grace just in case."

News From The Gallops

Ferdy Murphy believes the fact Graham Lee can ride at 10 stone is a big positive for the chances of Big Fella Thanks in Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup.

The Harry Findlay-owned eight-year-old was formerly trained by Paul Nicholls and made an excellent start for his new handler when narrowly beaten by Hey Big Spender at Carlisle earlier this month.

He travelled like the winner before wandering around after hitting the front on the run-in and Murphy expects his stable jockey to arrive late on the scene in Newbury's weekend feature.

"We're happy with him and all his preparation has gone well," said Murphy.

"He was a bit unlucky at Carlisle as he got to the front too soon, but that won't happen again I shouldn't think as Graham will drop in and bring him late.

"Graham can do 10 stone no problem, which is a big plus for us and the drier the week we have, the better for him."

Donald "Bullish" About Wymott

Wymott could have his next run over fences over an extended two and a half miles in the One Man Novices' Chase at Wetherby on Saturday week.

The six-year-old made a good impression in his first race over the bigger obstacles when putting in a fine round of jumping and making all the running to beat Pearlysteps by four lengths at Bangor.

"I was thrilled with him. He's always schooled the same. He's one of those horses we expect to jump well and he was very eyecatching," trainer Donald McCain told At The Races.

"We might give him another run over two and a half miles in the One Man at Wetherby or something like that. He's exciting."

Emma Lavelle And Sam Thomas On Bouggler

Bouggler became eligible for an enticing £60,000 Cheltenham Festival bonus after starting off on a winning note over fences at Plumpton.

Should Emma Lavelle's smart hurdler graduate from the Hepworth Conqueror Stout Novices' Chase to success next March, connections will be rewarded as part of a season-long SIS incentive at the East Sussex course.

The 1-2 favourite was ponderous at times and as they turned for home, Have You Seen Me looked to have his measure. But the five-year-old found a useful change of gear after the final fence, with Lavelle believing there are several reasons why he can be seen in a more favourable light in the future.


"Sam Thomas said he'd be better on a more galloping track and he has had a good blow there," reported the trainer.

"He saves a bit for himself at home and he's entitled to have a lot of improvement in him. He was just short of top class over hurdles but he looks like a jumper now - his jumping was very sound. I expect we'll find another novice race somewhere but it's nice to know we can think about Cheltenham."

Lavelle has understandably not drawn up specific targets, but added: "He is a year older, but the feeling we had was that he didn't quite get three miles over hurdles. I would think two miles, five would be about his best trip."

More News From Willie

Willie Mullins expressed delight after Mikael D'Haguenet and Hurricane Fly came through a racecourse gallop with flying colours.

Mikael D'Haguenet has been sidelined since the spring of 2009 when he won Grade One novice hurdles at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

He delighted connections in a schooling session over fences after racing at Punchestown and will soon soon begin a novice chase campaign, with the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday week a possible starting point.

"Mikael rode out on Monday morning and seems fine, so we're very pleased," said Mullins.

Mullins Checks Out Options

Willie Mullins is eyeing a step up to Grade One company with Zaidpour following his hugely impressive display at Punchestown on Saturday.

The four-year-old was snapped up to run in juvenile events last season, but was forced to miss the campaign after suffering a cut to his leg. However, the half-brother to top-class hurdler Zaynar looks intent on making up for lost time, judging by his brilliant Irish debut at the weekend.

Oxx Over The Moon!

John Oxx is looking forward to renewing his association with Johnny Murtagh after the jockey was retained to ride all of the Aga Khan's Irish-trained horses in 2011.

Murtagh was stable jockey for Oxx between 1992-2003, during which time he rode 18 Group One winners for one of the world's leading owners. Most memorably he guided Oxx's Sinndar to victory in the Epsom Derby, the Irish Derby and the Arc in 2000, and is now back in the job following his resignation as number one for Coolmore last week.

"Myself and Johnny have obviously had a very successful association over the years and when Johnny announced that he was leaving Ballydoyle, His Highness was keen to renew that old association," said Oxx, who has 90 horses in training for the Aga Khan.

Murtaghs Swansong Yields Honours

Johnny Murtagh's Ballydoyle swansong yielded Group One honours when Recital won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in France.

The outgoing Coolmore-retained rider was calmness personified on Aidan O'Brien's colt, who was preserving his unbeaten record following a debut success at Navan.

Anchored towards the rear of the field early on, the Montjeu colt slowly warmed to his task before being delivered with a decisive late burst under his jockey's urgings, beating Bubble Chic by five lengths.

Recital was giving O'Brien a fourth Criterium success in the last 10 years and had stable companion Exodus back in fourth.

Dougie Does Well

Midnight Chase was a joy to watch in giving Dougie Costello a quick double in the Morson Group Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Raised 9lb for an easy win at the course last month, the Neil Mulholland-trained eight-year-old (8-1) jumped from fence to fence at the head of affairs.

Junior was in second throughout but could never get on terms to land a blow, while Any Currency stayed on from a long way back to fill the runner-up berth, eight lengths away from the impressive winner.

Irish National winner Bluesea Cracker travelled well for a long way before tiring into fourth.

Mulholland said: "We were due to come back here in December, but there's a possibility we might have to go out of handicaps now. We were hoping he could improve and he has done.

"I've stood in the same spot in the weighing room for his last three wins now and I like to keep things the same if I can.

"I'm lucky I've got a good jockey on board so I don't have to worry about things too much, but I got more of a thrill watching that than I ever did riding.

"We'll definitely be looking to come back here some time - he loves it at Cheltenham."

Costello, who also won on Wayward Prince, added: "He's a specialist around here - he hits the hill here and finds an extra gear. Neil is a serious trainer and has done marvellous with this horse."

Davy Russell Does The Business

Davy Russell landed a treble at Punchestown initiated when Rubi Light made it three from three over fences with an all-the-way success in the Active Retirement Days Handicap Chase.

Robbie Hennessy's charge (5-2 favourite) impressed with his jumping to score in the style of a progressive performer.

The trainer said: "He may be better over further, but he can't go down the novice route as he won over fences in France before we bought him. He'll probably run next at Leopardstown over Christmas in either a handicap or a Listed chase."

Russell followed up on Magnanimity, who reversed the form of his fencing debut with fellow 9-4 joint-favourite Arabella Boy in the G.A.A. Fundraisers Beginners Chase.

Dessie Hughes's six-year-old wasn't entirely foot-perfect but still proved two lengths too strong, and is also bound for Leopardstown over the Festive period.

Hughes said: "He really needs three miles and did well to win over two and a half today. He goes on heavy ground and is a nice long-distance novice chasing prospect. He'll go for a three-mile novice chase at Leopardstown next."

The Gigginstown Stud colours were back in the winner's enclosure after Gordon Elliott's long-term absentee Beautiful Sound (5-1) completed the treble for Russell in the Thoroughbred Trails Handicap Chase.

The jockey looked like making it four as Days Ahead swung into the straight cruising behind the front-running Silas Mariner (9-4) in the Punchestown Christmas Market 3-Y-O Hurdle.

But Sabrina Harty's leader pulled out all the stops and held the staying-on Accidental Outlaw by three-quarters of a length, with Days Ahead only third.

The winner handler said: "Although he front-runs, he is quite idle and only picks up when others come to him. You never know how much he has left because of that. He'll make a very nice horse next year."

Sam Winner Wins!

The flowering partnership between Paul Nicholls and Noel Fehily in the absence of the injured Ruby Walsh continued apace at Cheltenham when Sam Winner ran out an easy victor of the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial.

Making his British debut, having earlier this year finished second three times in his native France, Sam Winner (4-1) tracked wide throughout.

When the race began in earnest three flights from home, Fehily gave the youngster an inch of rein and he came down the stands rail to power clear of Grandouet by 15 lengths.

Hughes Misses Out

Richard Hughes was forced to endure a highly frustrating day in his quest to catch Paul Hanagan in the race for the jockeys' championship.

Starting proceedings three behind the long-time leader, Hughes travelled to Nottingham in the afternoon for seven rides, making just Spring Secret count in the B&M Installations Handicap to reduce the arrears.

While Hanagan was not in action at a murky Colwick Park, the pair were due to go head-to-head under the floodlights at Kempton in the evening.

However, adverse weather conditions forced helicopter problems for Hughes and he failed to make it Sunbury for any of his six booked rides, having been left with an ultimately futile bid to travel by road.

The only consolation for Hughes was that none of his intended mounts got home in front, and Hanagan never really looked like extending his lead.