News On Featherbed Lane

Featherbed Lane is set to step up in class at Haydock next month following his narrow defeat in the Lanzarote Hurdle.

Philip Hobbs' progressive stayer just failed to complete a hat-trick of victories when beaten a nose by Swincombe Flame, who was receiving 14lb, in the competitive handicap at Kempton earlier this month.

The seven-year-old's owner Terry Warner is now looking forward to seeing Featherbed Lane run in the Grade Two Betfred Goals Galore Hurdle Trial, formerly known as the Rendlesham, at Haydock on February 18.

He said: "He's going to Haydock in a fortnight's time for the three-mile hurdle there. Haydock's usually heavy, so we thought we'd better run him there."

Time Out For Time For Rupert

Connections of Time For Rupert are to mull plans for the rest of the season after the eight-year-old fell slightly short when fourth in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

While this year's Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup remains a possibility, trainer Paul Webber is hoping his stable star still has time to improve.

"He's all right after his run. It's just that he's an eight-year-old and not quite as good as them yet - but he might get a bit better yet," said the Banbury handler.

"We haven't had chance to sit down and think about what next. The Gold Cup will be tricky now unless a few drop out, so we will have to have a bit of a think.

"The owners are considering whether to give him an entry in the Grand National. I'm sure he will next year, but not sure they will do it this year with him being an eight-year-old.

"He can still get physically stronger, so it might be better to wait a year."

World Thoroughbred Rankings

Frankel has been confirmed as the world's champion racehorse with a rating of 136 in the World Thoroughbred Rankings revealed in London.

His mark, deemed to have come when beating Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes, puts him on a par with Sea The Stars, winner of the Guineas, Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2009.

Australian sprint sensation Black Caviar was next in the list with a figure of 132, 4lb clear of Champion Stakes winner Cirrus Des Aigles and Arc heroine Danedream.


The unbeaten Frankel, trained by Sir Henry Cecil, enjoyed a spectacular 2011, recording a jaw-dropping six-length success in the Qipco 2000 Guineas under Tom Queally.

Further Group One glory came his way in the St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes, with his season ending as it began with a brilliant win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on the inaugural British Champions Day.


Aidan O'Brien's Camelot (119) was, alongside French-based Dabirsim, named joint top-rated juvenile colt in Europe.

Ballydoyle stablemate Maybe (116) was crowned joint top-rated juvenile filly in Europe along with the John Gosden-trained Elusive Kate.

Don't Push It..."an unbelievable horse"

Jonjo O'Neill has branded Don't Push It "an unbelievable horse" after confirming the retirement of the 2010 John Smith's Grand National winner.

The 12-year-old famously provided jockey Tony McCoy with his first National success at the 15th attempt, but has signed off from racing after failing to fire on the gallops at Jackdaws Castle.

O'Neill said: "He's in great form, and he's doing everything grand at home, but he's just not showing us the same old sparkle. He's 12 now and we are doing the right thing in retiring him."


Don't Push It returned to Aintree last April and turned in another honourable display when finishing third behind Ballabriggs.

He will spend his retirement at owner JP McManus's Martinstown Stud in County Limerick, having won eight races in a 29-race career which yielded over £750,000 in prize-money.


O'Neill added: "The whole yard, and especially Tony and JP, owe him everything. He was also mine and JP's first National winner and means the world to both of us. He ran a blinder when he won in 2010, and he also ran a blinder last year when he finished third.

"We thought we had him right again this year after he ran so well over hurdles at Cheltenham, but he's now telling us enough is enough.

"He's been an unbelievable horse and I'm sure he will be well looked after at JP's - he will have a great retirement. He's a smashing horse and will never be forgotten."


McCoy, currently sidelined with a rib injury, added on At The Races: "The last thing we wanted was for something to happen to him, so the decision was pretty easy to make.

"Jonjo and JP were very keen to make sure he retired in one piece. He's emotionally too valuable for something to have happened to him. He gave his all. He gave me the greatest day of my racing life - I always wanted to win the Grand National. I will always be indebted to Don't Push It."

Bangor Affected

Bangor's meeting on Friday is to be an all-hurdle and bumper affair after the two chases were abandoned.

Rain had made the chase course heavy and with more forecast, officials decided it was prudent to take the contingency of scrapping races on the chase course.

Racing will take place on the inner track which has not been used since last spring.

"We're forecast a bit more rain so we're being cautious," said clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch.

"The hurdles course on the inside has not been raced on so we're giving every opportunity for the meeting to go ahead."

The British Horseracing Authority have confirmed the six-card programme is scheduled to commence at 1pm.

That race is likely to be a division of one of the hurdle contests which will be finalised following the 24-hour declaration stage.

The fixture will conclude with a bumper at 3.45pm.

Weather Watch

Sedgefield are keeping a close eye on the weather ahead of this afternoon's meeting.

Trainee clerk of the course Phil Tuck reports strong winds at the track and officials will continue to monitor conditions.

He said: "The wind speed has increased since this morning and we are monitoring the situation.

"We've not got any equipment to measure the speed available at the moment but if it continues, we might have to call an inspection."


This afternoon's meeting at Lingfield goes ahead after officials cancelled their planned inspection.

Clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie Ross had called a 7.15am check but after seeing less than one millimetre of rain overnight, he is happy to give the meeting the green light.

He said: "Obviously I've walked round the course and feel that with just 0.8mm of rain, I could cancel the inspection as I was happy that the track is raceable."


Friday's meeting at Chepstow has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen called an 8.30am inspection after the track saw plenty of rain earlier in the week.

Ottesen reports further rain at the course overnight and admits there is no chance of conditions improving in time to race.

He said: "It rained again last night and we really couldn't take any more.

"There would have been questions about whether we would be raceable without it, but a further seven millimetres overnight has put us back to where we were.

"The ground is waterlogged and there is no reasonable chance of it improving anywhere near enough to race."

Nicky Henderson Winner...As An Owner!

Nicky Henderson is a regular trainer of winners at Huntingdon, but Joseph Lister also allowed him a rare success as an owner in the Epds Consultants "Saving Developers Money" Novices' Hurdle.

Conditional Gary Derwin was in Henderson's white and dark blue silks aboard the even-money favourite, who was second on his first two starts for the yard at Ludlow and Folkestone, with his latter conqueror Ohio Gold following up the next time out.

Derwin needed to chase Joseph Lister along for a brief moment on the back straight but he quickly picked up the bit and drew four and a half lengths clear.

"It's about time I sold him - he'll make a fun chaser for someone but I've been keeping him for my kids to ride," said Henderson, whose daughter Camilla is an aspiring amateur jockey. Gary works for me, and I'm lucky at the moment as I've got some good conditionals in him, Jerry McGrath and David Bass."

Colin Tizzard plans to give Cue Card one more outing

Colin Tizzard plans to give Cue Card one more outing before having a tilt at the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

The high-class hurdler recorded his second victory from four starts over fences with an impressive performance at Newbury on Saturday, beating exciting novices For Non Stop and Walkon comfortably.

The six-year-old has been competing over longer distances so far this season, but Tizzard plans to bring his charge back to two miles for one of the hottest Arkles in recent memory.

"He's come out of the race absolutely fine and I was delighted with him," said Tizzard.

"I thought he ran a very similar race to how he ran at Newbury the time before. He got touched off last time and this time he won.

"He'll be coming back to the minimum trip now and the Arkle looks the race to target with him. They'll go flat out, so it will be almost like a two-and-a-half-mile race anyway.

"I haven't a clue where he'll run next. I'd imagine he'll just have one more run before Cheltenham and it will be around the end of January, start of February.

"That will mean he'll have had five runs over fences before Cheltenham, which should be enough experience for him."