Leopardstown Preview

Mikael D'Haguenet faces seven rivals as he goes on a retrieval mission in the Bord na Mona With Nature Novice Chase at Leopardstown today.

Willie Mullins' exciting prospect fell at the final fence at Fairyhouse just two weeks ago after looking like making a triumphant comeback in the Drinmore Novice Chase following more than 19 months off the track.

Now his trainer is just hoping the tumble has no lasting effects, saying: "He seems fine after his last run, as long as he didn't lose his confidence. He'll handle the ground, but we just hope the last run didn't dent his confidence. He has jumped well schooling since."

Mikael D'Haguenet will certainly face a stiff test as he drops back in trip to two miles and a furlong. Noble Prince and Realt Dubh are major contenders, while Henry de Bromhead is represented by Loosen My Load, who was due to run in the abandoned Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton over Christmas.


De Bromhead said: "He's in good form but unfortunately he won't be in love with that ground, he's more a good ground horse. It looks a stronger race than what the Feltham would have been and while our lad is lovely, he's going to hate the ground, unfortunately.

"I want to step him up in trip but I don't want to do it in the really heavy ground we get over here so we'll do that in the spring maybe. One thing that is in his favour is his jumping, it's brilliant."

Paul Nolan reports Noble Prince to be in fine shape following his victory at Punchestown on his seasonal reappearance. However, he appreciates the task facing his charge.

"He's very well and we're very pleased with the horse, but it's a hell of a race," said the County Wexford trainer."


Jessica Harrington is also fully aware of the challenge facing her runner Saludos, who got off the mark over fences at Navan in November.

"He's been very good and we're very happy with him," said the County Kildare trainer. "It's a very tough race. I'd say it's the race of the year."

Big Bucks Wins AGAIN!

Tony McCoy was a mere passenger as he steered Big Buck's to an effortless victory in the race named in his honour, the AP Wins Sports Personality Long Walk Hurdle at Newbury.

The race was saved over from Ascot's card on December 18, with Big Buck's' owner Andy Stewart stepping in to sponsor it. Sent off at the prohibitive odds of 2-13 after nine successive wins over hurdles, the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old landed the honours as expected.

Lough Derg, a former winner of the race, put up his best effort for some time and despite looking likely to be swamped turning into the straight, he rallied for pressure to see off Restless Harry for second. However, in truth, this race was only ever about one horse and he provided McCoy with a treble and Nicholls a four-timer on the day.

Stewart said: "It's a privilege to own him - he's a horse of a lifetime. I thought he (Nicholls) was mad to go over hurdles with him but on the basis he got that right, I'll always listen to him. In 2011 he will go for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. He's the best horse I've owned."

Nicholls added: "He's getting more assured and is older and stronger. You can ride him any way you like now and he was probably a lot fitter from his last run. He'll probably run in the Cleeve Hurdle (Cheltenham, January 29) now and then we'll go to Cheltenham and Aintree. Ability wise, he's as good as I've trained - he's got it all."

McCoy said: "You don't even need to say anything about a horse like that you just have to look at his form. I hate admitting defeat but there's no point even trying to follow a horse like him around Cheltenham as he's just obviously the best."

Jonjo O'Neill's Backspin maintained his unbeaten record with an ultra-impressive performance in the sportingbet Supports Heros Charity Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury.

Previously the winner of a Punchestown bumper for Mags Mullins and a Bangor novice hurdle for O'Neill, he landed the Grade One prize with the minimum of fuss.

Tony McCoy chose to go up the far side on his own, while his main rivals, For Non Stop, Court In Motion and Al Ferof, all came up the near side. When they all emerged from the gloom, it was Backspin (5-1) who had put clear daylight between the chasing pack to score by eight lengths from Court In Motion.

McCoy Is The Man

Tony McCoy has been crowned BBC Sports Personality Of The Year - the first person in racing to gain the nation's vote - at the climax of the televised annual review at Birmingham's LG Arena.

Darts legend Phil Taylor finished runner-up in the prestigious awards ceremony, while heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis was third.

McCoy has ridden more than 3,000 winners and has claimed just about every big race in the calendar, including the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and King George VI Chase, and landed his first victory in the John Smith's Grand National on Don't Push It in April.

It was a triumph that saw McCoy, 36, allow his emotionless guise to slip following so many agonising failures in the world's most famous race as he waved his whip to the crowd in sheer delight at the relief of ending his hoodoo.

The 15-times champion jockey told viewers and a packed arena full of sports stars: "This is an unbelievable feeling to be standing in front of so many amazing sports people - so many people who I look up to. To win this award is very surreal.

"I work in a wonderful sport of horse racing and I'd like to thank every one of those (people) because I know that most of the (racing) public spent most of the night voting for me.

"Without Jonjo O'Neill (trainer of Don't Push It) I wouldn't be standing here because I definitely wouldn't have won the Grand National without him. To win it for JP and Norah McManus was an unbelievable feeling because I knew they wanted to win it as much as I did.

"To my wife, Chanelle, and my mother and father, my brothers and sisters, all the other lads in the weighing room who I work with every day, and I know I drive mad, thanks to them.

"Even more amazing than winning this trophy is my daughter, Eve, who is three. I know she's going to be watching and I just want to say how amazing she is."

Success at the country's premier awards ceremony will be seen by the racing industry as the ultimate recognition for a career in which McCoy has rewritten the record books time and again ever since he became champion jockey for the first time in the 1995-96 season.

Freddie`s Back

Freddie Tylicki is back riding out in Malton as his return to action from a major shoulder injury draws closer.

The champion apprentice of 2009 missed the vast majority of the turf season after a fall at Musselburgh in June and needed pins inserted into the shoulder he dislocated and fractured.

The German-born rider, who made such an impression for Richard Fahey's stable, has been honing his skills but is mindful of the need not to rush matters and reported: "Things are going very well."

He went on: "I spoke to my shoulder specialist a couple of days ago and he said there was no need to see him again, which was very good news.

"I've actually been riding out at Mr Fahey's for the last couple of weeks and I'm up to four lots a day now.

"I've still got to see the physio a couple more times and there is still a bit of stiffness in the shoulder, so I've got to get past that first."

Looking Bleak

Prospects of turf racing before Christmas look bleak as the second big freeze of the winter continues to bite.

The only jumps card remaining before Boxing Day is on Tuesday at Sedgefield, where hopes hang on an 8am inspection on Monday after the track suffered sub-zero temperatures.

Clerk of the course Charlie Moore said: "We're going to have a look at 8am, but we're obviously up against it. There is some warm air arriving later in the week, but it looks like it's going to come too late for us."

The other remaining jumps fixtures before Christmas - at Hereford on Tuesday and Musselburgh and Ludlow on Wednesday - have all fallen by the wayside.

Hereford has been hit by severe frosts and snow in recent days and clerk of the course Keith Ottesen saw little point in delaying the inevitable as he abandoned Tuesday's card.

He said: "There is not a huge depth of snow here. We covered the track last week, but it is still frozen in places underneath. We'd need a massive swing in the situation and that isn't going to happen, so it's sensible at this stage to call it off."

Ludlow clerk of the course Bob Davies reported: "We're still frozen. We had minus 13C on Saturday night. We've got frost forecast and the temperature might reach zero if we're lucky, and more snow coming. We haven't had a chance since last week."


Musselburgh general manager Bill Farnsworth added: "We've got two inches of snow and it's continuing to snow heavily. We should get more snow showers during the week. Underneath the ground is frozen solid. We've got no chance."

With a rise in temperatures expected at the end of the week, officials at both Kempton and Leopardstown are optimistic about their Christmas fixtures.

Leopardstown racecourse manager Tom Burke said: "We're not in bad condition. We had a slight dusting of snow overnight but we don't have any frost in the ground. On the 26th some charts suggest we could get up to around 10C."

Lingfields Feature Race Preview

Gerard Butler is expecting a good run from the hat-trick-seeking Akhmatova in the feature race at Lingfield Park, the Inside Track Racing Club Quebec Stakes.

The daughter of Cape Cross has been in good form of late, winning handicaps over the course and distance and at Kempton last month.

"I think she'll run very well. She likes it round Lingfield, we've a good man (Eddie Ahern) on board and I'm very hopeful," said the Newmarket trainer.


James Given has kept Hidden Glory busy of late, but is hoping the three-year-old gelding can put up a respectable show in the Listed contest.

"This will be his third race in 15 days, but he's had an easy time in between and seems well in himself," said the Lincolnshire trainer.

"It's a decent race with two horses rated 100 (Chapter And Verse and Suits Me) plus Gerard Butler's three-year-old filly (Akhmatova) off 91 and with her 5lb fillies' allowance.

"We're badly in with some, but they've all got to turn up and perform and we have to see where we can go with the horse.

"We've got Tom (Queally) on board and he used to be our stable jockey until Henry Cecil tempted him away, so we've got a good history together."

Haydock Off

This afternoon's meeting at Haydock, featuring the Tommy Whittle Chase, has been abandoned due to snow.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright had called an 8am inspection due to an adverse forecast but just after 6am their fate was sealed.

Tellwright said: "It was not a difficult decision. Even the motorway is blocked. We've got about eight inches on the track. The trouble was it was very dry so it settled immediately."

He added: "It snowed in the first half of the night so it made the decision easy."

Todays Meetings Off

Ascot's showpiece meeting featuring the BGC Long Walk Hurdle has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Friday's fixture was also called off and even though an inspection was held at 4.30pm in the hope that conditions might have improved, there was no sign of it and clerk of the course Chris Stickels was left with an easy decision.

He said: "We've abandoned, I'm afraid. The track is frozen in places and has a light covering of snow. The temperature is minus 3C and falling, and there is no prospect of it warming up."

Stickels and his team faced the monumental task of covering the whole track earlier in the week, but it was not enough even to save the first day of the meeting.


Newcastle is also off after Gosforth Park was hit by sub-zero temperatures, with no sign of a thaw.

Clerk of the course James Armstrong said: "We've had to abandon. It was minus 7C at the coldest part of the track on Thursday night and if anything, rather than thawing it will just be getting even more into the ground. It has got in under the frost sheets, so we've no chance.

"Our next meeting is on January 11, so fingers crossed it is warmer by then."

Carlisle Meeting Off

Carlisle's meeting on Sunday has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Course officials only announced an inspection just before 10am on Friday, but less than two hours later the meeting had been lost.

Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: "We've had to abandon, we've got no chance. The temperatures could get as low as minus 9C and the highest we could reach is minus 1C. The track is still frozen solid now and it's minus 2C."

He added: "We don't race again until February, so with a bit of luck we might have thawed out by then."

Nicholls Keeps Options Open

Paul Nicholls is set to have at least two runners in The Ladbroke at Ascot on Saturday.

The champion trainer plans to run Tito Bustillo and Advisor and he will decide later in the week whether Toubab goes for the valuable handicap hurdle as well or runs at the Berkshire track on Friday instead in the Mitie Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle.

"I have three in there. Toubab is also in on Friday and I've only put him in there just to cover my options. I'll definitely run Tito Bustillo and Advisor," said the Ditcheat handler.

"With Toubab I haven't made my mind up whether we go Friday or Saturday."

Newbury Hosts Big Un`

The totesport.com Peterborough Chase has been saved and will be run at Newbury on Wednesday following Sunday's late abandonment at Huntingdon.

The Grade Two contest will form part of an eight-race card at the Berkshire track.

The first race is due off at 11.55am with the Peterborough scheduled for 3.10pm.

Original entries will be carried over and declarations must be made by 10.00am on Tuesday.

Boxing Day Showpiece Preview

Kauto Star heads 24 remaining entries in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

The Christmas highlight has been won by Paul Nicholls' star chaser for the last four seasons and he will beat Desert Orchid's record with a fifth success. He returned to action this season with a victory at Down Royal and is a short price to claim the Boxing Day showpiece.

There were no surprises among the six withdrawals, which were Captain Cee Bee, Catch Me, Kempes, Massini's Maguire, Weird Al and Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander.


Henry de Bromhead has given his stable star Sizing Europe the green light to contest the Grade One.

Last season's Arkle winner has stepped up in trip this term, finishing second to China Rock at Punchestown before giving Kauto Star a fright at Down Royal.

Connections had been undecided about whether to let him travel over to England but they are keen to have another crack at the dual Gold Cup winner.

"We're certainly aiming at the King George with Sizing Europe, that's the plan at the moment," said De Bromhead.

"He came out of Down Royal fine and we were delighted with him that day. He seems great now so we'll aim for the King George."

Nicky Henderson has a strong team on paper with Burton Port, Long Run, Riverside Theatre, Mad Max and Punchestowns still engaged.


Forpadydeplasterer adds strength to the Irish challenge along with Tranquil Sea and Cooldine. Nacarat, Planet Of Sound and long-term absentee Noland are also still among the entries.

News From Ireland

Gordon Elliott has taken the decision to move 12 of his horses to Dundalk racecourse in an effort to beat the freeze.

Elliott made the decision as his County Meath base is currently frozen, meaning he is unable to work his horses. By moving to the all-weather track, the Grand National-winning training is able to keep his horses fit.

The 12 include the likes of Carlito Brigante and Chicago Grey, who are due to run at Cheltenham this weekend.

"I took the decision at the start of this week to move my best horses to Dundalk and take advantage of the all-weather facility. We will be camped here until the weather breaks," said Elliott.

"We couldn't afford to miss any more work. We have Cheltenham this weekend and Christmas is only around the corner.

"I will run Carlito Brigante, Chicago Grey and Toner D'Oudairies at Cheltenham this weekend.

"I know there is talk of a thaw coming with temperatures rising to 7C, but to honest I can't see that being enough for Fairyhouse to race.

"Our yard is not too far from there and it would need 27C to get through the ice on our gallops."

More From Mr Murphy

Big Fella Thanks remains firmly on course for a tilt at the Grand National in the spring despite crashing out in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

The eight-year-old was considered a major contender for the Newbury feature but only made it as far as the third fence before parting company with Graham Lee.

Ferdy reports his charge to be none the worse for that mishap and the remainder of his campaign will be geared around a trip to Aintree, where he finished fourth in the National last season.

"He's fine and he'll probably have a run over hurdles in January somewhere," said the West Witton handler.

"After that he'll probably go for the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury, which he won last year, before going back to Aintree for the National."

News From Ferdy

Ferdy Murphy will give Kalahari King an entry in the rearranged Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The nine-year-old made a creditable reappearance under top-weight at Kelso and his trainer immediately pinpointed Thursday's totesport.com Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon as his next objective.

But while that Grade Two contest is still his preferred target, Murphy said: "At this stage I would say it looks doubtful Huntingdon will be on, so we'll give him an entry in the Tingle Creek at Cheltenham."

The handler went on: "If Huntingdon is on, then he'll go there, but the Tingle Creek is an option as it will only be a small field and we know he likes Cheltenham.

"He's been to the beach at Redcar a couple of times recently and will go again in the next couple of days. He's in good form and should have improved for his first run at Kelso, just like all of ours improve for their first run."

Lingfield On!

This afternoon's meeting at Lingfield goes ahead after the track passed a 6am inspection.

Clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross called the check due to the threat of snow but he reports no problems at the venue this morning.

He said: "We're absolutely fine, the track's fine and we're set fair for racing. The temperature now is minus 2.2C but we haven't had any snow, which was a possibility, so there are no problems."

Cheltenham Looking Hopeful

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse is confident this week's two-day fixture at Cheltenham will beat the cold snap after covering of the entire track began.

Temperatures are forecast to dip to minus 8C on Sunday night, but Claisse hopes the application of the covers will save the turf ahead of racing next Friday and Saturday.

"On the basis of our forecast and the covers being down I'm thoroughly optimistic for the weekend ahead," he said.

"It got down to minus 4C on Saturday night, which delayed the deployment of the covers - we had to push it back from 10am to 11.30am. We've brought in an extra two dozen people to get the job done by the time the weather starts to go off again at about 4pm.

"The beneficial thing from our point of view is that our soil temperature is still above 4C, whereas in January when we deployed the covers before it's only been somewhere between 2C-3C.

"Looking at the forecast for the week the worst frost is tonight (Sunday), which is at minus 8C on the ground, and then it's not so bad.

"Midweek, it's due to be minus 4C, with daytime temperatures of 1C-2C degrees, possibly getting a little bit warmer by the end of the week," Claisse told www.sportinglife.com.

News From Howard

Howard Johnson remains hopeful Tidal Bay can emerge a realistic Gold Cup contender when he heads to Cheltenham for next month's Cotswold Chase.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Arkle Trophy at the 2008 Festival, but his form has since been very much up and down, with connections switching him back to hurdles with some success in recent times.

He returned to larger obstacles on his latest start in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and showed he retains all of his old ability when beating all bar reigning Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander. Johnson is keen to keep Tidal Bay over fences for the time being, and believes his charge is now better suited to a stiffer test of stamina.

"He's fine at the moment and we're looking at the race at Cheltenham in January for him," said Johnson.

"He's difficult to catch right but I think he needs extreme distance nowadays. He ran well at Haydock but he could really have done with another couple of furlongs.

"We'll see how he gets on next time but if he runs well we could think about the Gold Cup, because the race would suit him well and he loves running up that hill."

Johnson admits the current cold snap is causing plenty of problems at his County Durham base and hopes a break in the weather arrives sooner rather than later.

"I can't see there being any racing in the north for the next fortnight," Johnson continued.

"I bet we have up to two foot of snow in some places here. You can't really work the gallops when there is this much snow on them as you'll end up making them worse rather than better.

"We're just keeping them going in the indoor school. Let's hope things improve soon, as they were just coming into a rich vein of form."

Sedgey Off Too

Sedgefield's National Hunt meeting on Tuesday has fallen by the wayside.

The track is currently covered with snow and is frozen underneath, leaving clerk of the course Charlie Moore with no choice but to call the meeting off.

"Not surprisingly we've abandoned. We have 12 inches of snow on the track and it got down to minus 13C. There is a slight improvement in the forecast going forward but we'll have frost every night so the snow will not shift in time," said Moore.

Northern Meetings Off

Musselburgh's meeting on Monday is the latest to be abandoned due to the weather.

The Scottish venue has been hit by 26 centimetres of snow, meaning there is no chance of the meeting going ahead. Even if the course was raceable, concerns would be for racegoers and staff getting to the track.

"We've called racing off, there was nothing else we could do," said clerk of the course Harriet Graham.

"The slight window we had in the forecast has now disappeared. We had another two to three inches of snow last night and continue to have snow flurries. Even if we were raceable nobody could get here."

Tuesday's meeting at Sedgefield is already in major doubt with course officials announcing a noon inspection for Friday. The County Durham track is currently covered by 12 inches of snow and clerk of the course Charlie Moore admits there is little prospect of racing at this stage.

"We have 12 inches of snow on the course and we're going to need a significant rise in temperatures and some rain. If the rain did arrive and the snow cleared, then we would probably be waterlogged, so it's not looking great," said Moore.

"The snow would need to have cleared by 8am on Monday for us to have any chance of being ready to race on Tuesday and we have been covered with snow since Wednesday, November 24. Maybe a miracle will happen, but we need something along those lines at the moment."