Archive for March, 2011
Paul Nicholls spruces up his chances of a first Grand National success (guardian)
March 31st, 2011 | 
Author: • The champion trainer builds Aintree fences at his gallops
• What A Friend to school over the fences on Friday
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Paul Nicholls revealed on Thursday that he has built a couple of Aintree-style
spruce-covered fences at his Somerset yard as part of his preparations for the
Grand National a week on Saturday.
The champion trainer has had many runners in the famous race without success
and hopes for better from this year’s team of four, headed by the well-fancied
What A Friend.
“The fact that I haven’t won the Grand National in 60-odd attempts is sure to
get plenty of air time this week but it certainly doesn’t cause me any
sleepless nights,” Nicholls said through his column on Betfair. “That said, I
am leaving no stone unturned in my bid for victory.”
It has been common for trainers of National contenders to create something
that looks like an Aintree fence for the sake of practice on their home
gallops but Nicholls reported he had done this only once before.
“We borrowed a lot of spruce from the local point-to-point to cover two
existing fences here and they have made a nice test for …
Harrison heads Lincoln weights (britishhorseracing)
Harrison George heads the weights, and a maximum field of 22 runners, for the
William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster.
The six-year-old is one of six entries for Richard Fahey as he searches for a
first victory in Saturday’s historic one-mile handicap. The Malton handler is
also represented by last year’s second Prime Exhibit, Castles In The Air, Brae
Hill, Our Joe Mac and Irish Heartbeat, with stable jockey Paul Hanagan
choosing to ride the latter.
The ante-post favourite for the race is the John Gosden-trained Taqleed, while
the Clarehaven trainer also saddles Doctor Crane, who makes his first
racecourse appearance in almost two years.
David Nicholls has a strong hand with Light From Mars, Docofthebay, Al Muheer
and Dream Lodge all in the field. Lowther, Tartan Gigha and bottom-weight
Gunner Lindley are other interesting contenders.
Taqleed will break from stall 11 in a bid to reward favourite-backers, while
Prime Exhibit is gate one, the same as last year’s winner Penitent.
Tartan Gigha (2), Harrison George (4), Castles In The Air (5) and Irish
Heartbeat (7) are others notably drawn low, while Doctor Crane is the highest
drawn in stall 22.
Leading fancy Gunner Lindley is in stall 18, …
Red-hot Moore at the double (britishhorseracing)
Ryan Moore reaffirmed his determination to regain the jockeys’ title when
landing a double at Leicester to follow up his brace at Lingfield 24 hours
earlier.
Moore, champion in 2006, 2008 and 2009, struck on favourites Retainer and Sand
Owl for different trainers as he continued his flying start to the new turf
season.
The Richard Hannon-trained Retainer (4-9) landed the odds against three rivals
- but gave his supporters a few anxious moment in the ladbrokes.com Conditions
Stakes, as Kieren Fallon made a race of it on Glas Burn, but Moore’s mount
found more to pull away for a length victory.
“He was giving 10lb to the filly and she ran a good race last year in a Listed
race, so it was a very good performance. He showed a good attitude and I was
very happy with him,” said Moore.
Barry Bull, who heads the four-strong syndicate that owns the three-year-old
sprinter, added: “He didn’t run last year after he won at Newmarket in April
as he had a few niggly problems and he was growing. He’s built up quite a lot
now.”
Moore completed his double on the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Sand Owl (15-8)
in the …
Fairy earmarked for Ascot (britishhorseracing)
Snow Fairy is set to return to action in the middle of the season after
suffering an injury which forced her to miss the Dubai Sheema Classic last
week.
The dual Oaks heroine, who also landed two big races in the Far East last
season, could now make her comeback in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal
Ascot.
Trainer Ed Dunlop said: “Snow Fairy returned earlier in the week and she seems
fine, we jogged her up and she’s very good. We are just going to run a few
more tests on her and then we’ll get a picture of what we need to do and where
we are.”
He added: “It was obviously very disappointing having got her there for the
injury to happen, but it does not appear to be too serious.
“We were always going to run in Dubai and then maybe go on to Hong Kong and
then have a holiday before looking at Royal Ascot.
“Any injury is annoying, but she danced every dance last year so we will be
looking towards the middle part of the season and onwards.”
Oscar Time primed for his chance in the Grand National spotlight (telegraph)
A good jumper with speed and stamina, Oscar Time has strong credentials for
the big race at Aintree.