Dysart Enos has done absolutely nothing wrong in her career to date and can come through the next step in her development in the British EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Fergal O’Brien will learn a lot more about his mare after this, because in truth she has not been tested in four runs under rules to date.
This will be different, however, because not only is she taking on the boys for the first time since her debut in a Ludlow bumper, but several of her rivals have already shown some smart form.
Harry Fry’s Beat The Bat won at Ascot, Nicky Henderson’s Kintail has scored at Warwick while the Paul Nicholls-trained Meatloaf was very impressive at Wincanton.
They all carry penalties, as does Dysart Enos, but her 7lb mares’ allowance could come in handy.
The Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny really impressed when winning on Cheltenham’s Old course in November and there is no reason to believe he will not be as effective on the New course.
He looked a completely different proposition allowed to dictate compared to his first run of the season and he may just be one of those who takes his form to a completely different level over fences compared to hurdles.
Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning won nicely at Haydock having earlier gone close behind Stay Away Fay at Exeter so rates a massive danger.
However, all his form is on flat tracks so he needs to prove he is as effective on an undulating course.
Doddiethegreat seems to have been found a great opportunity to maintain his unbeaten record and raise money for a good cause in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle.
Named after the late Scottish rugby union international Doddie Weir, any money he wins is donated to MND charities and so far he has won all four.
That does not tell the whole story, though, as his Ascot win last time out came after a 746-day break. Should he avoided the dreaded ‘bounce’ factor he looks the one to beat off a mark of 131.
Kerry Lee’s Storm Control has more than the odd idea about the game but he may just find the pace of the Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase to his liking.
If allowed to dictate he may just get into a rhythm and be difficult to peg back.
The Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase sees 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo take on a previous Savills Chase winner in Galvin and Fury Road, a Grade One winner as a novice.
As this race is a handicap, though, they may struggle to concede weight to Gesskille, who is being aimed at the Grand National.
He is trained by the excellent duo of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero who may double up in the Citipost Handicap Hurdle with White Rhino.
Bective Abbey can make a winning rules debut for Henderson in the At The Races App Form Study Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster.
A winning pointer, he was purchased for £150,000 and has missed plenty of engagements looking for better ground.
Hold That Taught can follow up a recent Ascot win in the Alfa Aggregate Products Golden Spurs Handicap Chase at Bangor.
Reprised can make the most of a mark of 70 in the Boost Your Acca At BetMGM Nursery Handicap at Southwell.
SELECTIONS:
BANGOR: 12.20 Hector Master, 12.55 Fakir, 1.30 Hold That Taught, 2.05 Butler’s Brief, 2.35 Just Gino, 3.10 Mullins Cross, 3.42 Grand Albert.
CHELTENHAM: 12.05 DYSART ENOS (NAP), 12.40 Ginny’s Destiny, 1.15 Doddiethegreat, 1.50 La Malmason, 2.25 Storm Control, 3.00 Gesskille, 3.35 White Rhino.
DONCASTER: 11.25 Imperial Jade, 11.55 Bective Abbey, 12.30 Urban Soldier, 1.05 Prairie Wolf, 1.40 Bold Reaction, 2.15 Twinjets, 2.50 Magical Annie, 3.22 Tango Boy.
DUNDALK: 4.45 Scorchio, 5.15 Step It Out, 5.45 Dawn Rider, 6.15 Feature This, 6.45 Comfort Line, 7.15 Volatile Analyst, 7.45 Senado Square, 8.15 Celtic Revival.
SOUTHWELL: 5.00 Brownlee, 5.30 Reprised, 6.00 Cobh Harbour, 6.30 Sharp Distinction, 7.00 Smart Deal, 7.30 Willow Baby, 8.00 She’s The Danger, 8.30 Back Tomorrow.
DOUBLE: Dysart Enos and Ginny’s Destiny.
Connections of Highfield Princess are keen to “let the dust settle” on her creditable effort in Hong Kong last weekend before making a decision on her future.
A triple Group One winner in 2022 for John Quinn, the popular mare has fully justified the call to keep her in training as a six-year-old, with victories in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp supplemented by several fine performances in defeat.
Highfield Princess was unable to land a telling blow on local superstar Lucky Sweynesse in Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint, but was far from disgraced in being being beaten four lengths into sixth place and the trainer’s son Sean Quinn was proud of her performance.
“I thought she did her very best, it was tough from her wide draw and she just got a little bit lit up and nudged wide on the bend when the winner came up her inside,” he said.
“I’m not making any huge excuses, it might have cost her a place or two, but she performed very creditably on a very tough stage.
“She kept going and picked up £55,000 for finishing sixth, whereas if she’d finished seventh she’d have picked up nothing, so she paid for the trip and more.”
With Highfield Princess and her trainer having not yet returned to UK soil, a final call on whether she will be retired for broodmare duties, or race on in 2024, has yet to be made.
“She’s still in Hong Kong as we speak, so I think it’s just a case of getting her home, let the dust settle and keep her ticking over and see how she is,” Quinn jnr added.
“To win another Group One this year and probably one of the most valuable Group Twos in Europe when she won at Goodwood, not only has she picked up huge prize-money but she’s enhanced her CV.
“We can look back on this year very satisfied.”
Eva’s Oskar will miss out on another crack at the Grand National in 2024 after a setback ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Tim Vaughan’s nine-year-old was a winner at Cheltenham this time 12 months ago and snuck into the National line-up at Aintree in the spring where he was relishing the jumping test before unseating jockey Alan Johns with nine fences to go.
He was badly hampered when parting ways with his rider and that promising display had his handler eyeing up another tilt at the Merseyside showpiece with the grey.
However, after a respectable comeback run at Chepstow in October, Vaughan has now conceded defeat for the season after discovering a minor niggle that will require time to heal.
“He’s had a niggle and a bit of heat in a leg, so he’s off for this season and hopefully will come back this time next season I suppose,” said Vaughan.
“If we kept pressing on it could cause further damage, so we decided to pull up stumps for this season, get him right and he can come back in the summer to come again.
“We caught it early so I don’t think there will be any lasting damage and his health is the main thing for us. He has been a yard flagbearer for a few seasons now and it is obviously frustrating, but it is part of training racehorses.
“It’s a shame it is him, but we are where we are and the main thing is he’s bright and alert and happy and it is something we can resolve with a bit of time, so we will do what’s best for him really.”
He went on: “The plan was to run again at Cheltenham and then aim for the National again really.
“That was very much on the agenda and I thought he ran a blinder in it last year, he was just a bit unfortunate. He took to the fences really well so it’s frustrating.”
In a groundbreaking achievement for Jamaican football, Reggae Girl Marlo Sweatman has completed the UEFA Elite Scout Programme, becoming one of the select few to gain entry into this prestigious initiative. The midfielder, who plies her trade in Hungary, is now poised to use her newfound skills as a certified scout to open doors for Jamaican players seeking opportunities overseas.
Sweatman is confident that her certification as a scout can be a game-changer for Jamaican football, fostering connections and providing opportunities for talented players to make a mark on the international stage.
"I think this can help Jamaica in a lot of ways. As far as having a Jamaican in such a program, a Jamaican person in such a program, it builds connections as obviously being now a certified scout, I can have the opportunities to help players who have talent from Jamaica go abroad and play professionally if that's something that’s a goal that they would like to have. So yeah, I can just open a bunch of doors," she affirmed.
The 29-year-old midfielder, one of only three women in the recent course, shared her excitement about being accepted into the program, highlighting the significance of her accomplishment as a current player.
"It's in a prestigious Academy through UEFA where they have a selection of scouts, and they pick 35 people. About 200 applied and you have to be a current scout. There was a bunch of scouts from PSG, Benfica, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, so a lot of top teams, and I was able to get accepted into the program as a current player, which was a very big deal," Sweatman explained.
The intensive three-month course took Sweatman across Europe, with visits to renowned football clubs, including Tottenham, Arsenal, Millwall, and AS Monaco. Her commitment to the program meant she had to miss crucial fixtures for the Jamaican national team, including the Gold Cup qualifier against Panama in October and the training camp ahead of the match against Guatemala in early December.
Explaining her motivation for undertaking the course, Sweatman emphasized the importance of education and continuous learning in the dynamic world of football.
"I think education is very important, and I think a lot of players sometimes wait until their playing career is done to think about what they're going to do. I think the best thing is to get as many courses and certificates as you can and continue to learn about the game as it's always growing while you're playing and then you can set yourself up for your after football career," she stated.
Being one of the few women in the program, Sweatman sees her achievement as not only a personal honour but also a significant contribution to the growth of women's football globally.
"It's very special to be in the course with such experienced scouts. But to be a woman in the course, it's even more an honour. I mean, it just takes a lot of courage to be in such an environment where it's mainly men, but to learn from other people and to learn from their experiences, it's always a blessing. And I'm very grateful for this opportunity," she concluded.
Ex-footballer Ben Turner is excited to see Marsh Wren return to Warwick for what he describes as her ‘cup final’ in Thursday’s Larkshill Engineering Lady Godiva Mares’ Novices’ Chase – should the meeting survive a morning inspection.
The Stuart Edmunds-trained seven-year-old carries the colours of the Far Bihoue Partnership, which is fronted by the former Cardiff and Coventry City defender.
Having seen Marsh Wren make a successful debut over fences at Warwick last month, Turner is keeping his fingers crossed she can boost her future value as a broodmare with victory in this Listed event.
“This is a massive opportunity for her to get some black type as we want to breed from her eventually and I don’t think we will get a better mare to breed from,” he said.
“From what both Stu and Ciaran Gethings have said she is looking in savage form at home. Arclight is rated higher than us, and is trained by a master trainer in Nicky Henderson, and we have to give her weight as she is only a four-year-old, but her best form is over shorter and on better ground.
“The ground can’t be testing enough for Marsh Wren. So many horses struggle to find that little bit extra when the ground is bottomless but she takes to it like a duck to water.
“This is Marsh Wren’s time of year, and this is her trip. This is her cup final, and we planned to go here even before she won her last start.”
Turner is now retired from professional football following a fine career which saw him play and score in the 2012 League Cup final for Cardiff City against Liverpool. He also featured in the ‘Bluebirds’ team that lifted the 2012-13 Championship title.
Having been associated with the glamour of the Premier League, the 35-year-old is proud of the fact that he been able to offer people outside of the stereotypical racehorse owner the opportunity to be part of something special with Marsh Wren.
He added: “My family would say the League Cup Final would be their best memory, and it would be my best one-off memory, but getting promoted to the Premier League was my best achievement as that takes some doing over 46 games.
“Marsh Wren was purchased on a shoestring budget and we have 30 people involved in her including several members of my family.
“What is great about the syndicate is that they are all working class people who have normal jobs. We haven’t got the resources to spend big money out of the point-to-point field, but here they are with a horse in a Listed race.
“When I was playing football I was fortunate enough to have half and quarter shares in horses, along with owning one outright, but being in a syndicate like this is no less of a buzz.
“We have people in their 20s right through to their 70s involved so we have the full age scale, which is great to see.”
The meeting is subject to a 7.30am inspection due to the threat of waterlogging.
Jos Buttler lamented England’s batting, but admitted they must find a way to restrict the West Indies, whose six-hitting prowess saw them claim a four-wicket win in the T20 opener.
England raced to 77 for none at the end of the powerplay, then 112 for two at halfway, but collapsed to 171 all out in 19.3 overs, losing their last five wickets for six runs in 15 balls in Barbados.
Adil Rashid marked his 100th T20 appearance – he was presented with his cap by Andrew Flintoff – with two for 25 and became the first English male bowler to collect 100 wickets in the format.
But the Windies batters lived up to their reputation as big hitters, bludgeoning 14 sixes in total, possibly aided by a half-hour rain delay that made bowling conditions trickier.
Buttler accepted figuring out how to stop them so readily being able to clear the rope must be a priority for England’s bowlers in the remaining four matches.
“From the position we were in at halfway, to only end up with 170 is an area we could have improved in,” Buttler said. “The wicket definitely got harder and the West Indies adapted.
“They hit a lot of sixes as a team, that’s something that is a trademark of their side and we’ve got to find ways to limit that. Obviously the swing in the game with sixes is so big.
“You’ve got to find ways to get it out the arc, try and find ways to take wickets as well, be aggressive and be committed. It’s a great test for us and we’ll find out lots over the next few games.
“But certainly we need to find a way to score 20-25 more runs in that phase which would have been a really good score on that wicket.”
Veteran all-rounder Andre Russell marked his first international appearance since the 2021 T20 World Cup with three for 19 and an unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, as the Windies won with 11 balls to spare.
He is a regular on the franchise circuit, but has been coaxed back into the Windies set-up by former team-mate and now head coach Darren Sammy just a few months before they co-host the T20 World Cup.
“I still have a lot left in the tank, but based on discussions with the coach I told him that after the World Cup, I would walk away from international cricket,” the 35-year-old said.
“But if they need me, I will come out of retirement. If West Indies should still need me, I would be willing to put in the hard yards for them. I always want to play for West Indies.
“Sometimes people might think it’s all about playing leagues and all of those things, but I try to make sure that I look after my body and make sure that when this call up is here, I’m ready.”
England have no time to lick their wounds after a miserable World Cup and ODI series defeat against the Windies was followed by another setback here, with the second T20 on Thursday in Grenada.
They were vindicated in selecting two leg-spinners as Rashid and Ahmed shared five of the six Windies wickets and the pair are set to feature in two matches in Grenada and another couple in Trinidad.
“It was great to see them operate together,” the England captain added. “We need to find out if it’s an option here before we get to the World Cup.
Rashid continues to shine for England and will almost certainly be instrumental in their T20 World Cup defence in six months’ time.
“He was class again,” Buttler said. “He’s been a key player for England for such a long period of time, to reach 100 caps shows his longevity, his skill and he’s been such an important member of our team.”
Jos Buttler lamented England’s batting, but admitted they must find a way to restrict the West Indies, whose six-hitting prowess saw them claim a four-wicket win in the T20 opener.
England raced to 77 for none at the end of the powerplay, then 112 for two at halfway, but collapsed to 171 all out in 19.3 overs, losing their last five wickets for six runs in 15 balls in Barbados.
Adil Rashid marked his 100th T20 appearance – he was presented with his cap by Andrew Flintoff – with two for 25 and became the first English male bowler to collect 100 wickets in the format.
But the Windies batters lived up to their reputation as big hitters, bludgeoning 14 sixes in total, possibly aided by a half-hour rain delay that made bowling conditions trickier.
Buttler accepted figuring out how to stop them so readily being able to clear the rope must be a priority for England’s bowlers in the remaining four matches.
“From the position we were in at halfway, to only end up with 170 is an area we could have improved in,” Buttler said. “The wicket definitely got harder and the West Indies adapted.
“They hit a lot of sixes as a team, that’s something that is a trademark of their side and we’ve got to find ways to limit that. Obviously the swing in the game with sixes is so big.
“You’ve got to find ways to get it out the arc, try and find ways to take wickets as well, be aggressive and be committed. It’s a great test for us and we’ll find out lots over the next few games.
“But certainly we need to find a way to score 20-25 more runs in that phase which would have been a really good score on that wicket.”
Veteran all-rounder Andre Russell marked his first international appearance since the 2021 T20 World Cup with three for 19 and an unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, as the Windies won with 11 balls to spare.
He is a regular on the franchise circuit, but has been coaxed back into the Windies set-up by former team-mate and now head coach Darren Sammy just a few months before they co-host the T20 World Cup.
“I still have a lot left in the tank, but based on discussions with the coach I told him that after the World Cup, I would walk away from international cricket,” the 35-year-old said.
“But if they need me, I will come out of retirement. If West Indies should still need me, I would be willing to put in the hard yards for them. I always want to play for West Indies.
“Sometimes people might think it’s all about playing leagues and all of those things, but I try to make sure that I look after my body and make sure that when this call up is here, I’m ready.”
England have no time to lick their wounds after a miserable World Cup and ODI series defeat against the Windies was followed by another setback here, with the second T20 on Thursday in Grenada.
They were vindicated in selecting two leg-spinners as Rashid and Ahmed shared five of the six Windies wickets and the pair are set to feature in two matches in Grenada and another couple in Trinidad.
“It was great to see them operate together,” the England captain added. “We need to find out if it’s an option here before we get to the World Cup.
Rashid continues to shine for England and will almost certainly be instrumental in their T20 World Cup defence in six months’ time.
“He was class again,” Buttler said. “He’s been a key player for England for such a long period of time, to reach 100 caps shows his longevity, his skill and he’s been such an important member of our team.”
Jamaican football legend Allan “Skill” Cole is in desperate need of blood, according to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) where Cole is hospitalised with an undisclosed medical issue.
He was admitted to the hospital on Saturday.
The 73-year-old is considered one of Jamaica’s greatest footballers, as he is the youngest player ever to represent the national senior team, having made his debut as a 15-year-old.
Cole represented Kingston College at the Under-16 schoolboy football level. He later moved to Vere Technical High in 1965 and made his mark as an outstanding midfielder, as he led the daCosta Cup with 38 goals. He would however lose the Olivier Shield to his old KC teammates Neville Oxford, Lloyd McLean and Franklyn Morant 3-0 on aggregate.
In 1971, when Brazil were exporting footballers all over the world, Cole was signed by Brazilian club Nautica, but left when he was asked to cut his dreadlocks.
Outside of football, Cole had a passion for horse racing and music, and was a very close friend of the legendary Bob Marley, who was also an avid lover of football.
Giorgio Chiellini believes the Saudi Pro League deserves greater respect as the Gulf state aims to build a competition capable of shifting the global power dynamic in football.
The former Juventus defender, who announced his retirement on Monday, made a similarly unexpected move to the United States when joining MLS side Los Angeles FC in 2022.
Having admired from afar when Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar all completed the switch to Saudi Arabia, Chiellini thinks world football must take note of the ongoings in Saudi Arabia.
Indeed, FIFA announced in October that Saudi Arabia was the only country to submit a bid to host the 2034 World Cup before the deadline, making a second tournament in the Gulf a formality following last year's World Cup in Qatar.
"I think that we have to respect this type of new league and new market," Chiellini, who confirmed his retirement on Monday, told Stats Perform.
"Saudi Arabia is trying to do a lot of new advertising ahead of the World Cup in 2034 to host a good tournament – not like what happened in Qatar. They were trying to do their best but weren't able to develop football in the culture.
"It maybe needs more time. They have just started to build a basis a little better than Qatar and they have a much bigger state than Qatar; that could help them reach this goal."
A host of world-class talent has been enticed to the Saudi Pro League, with players struggling to refuse lucrative contracts.
But Chiellini called for trust in Saudi Arabia's efforts.
"They are doing something unexpected and something so strong in this way," he added. "But I think that they are very trustworthy and it's not a fake moment that will finish.
"Then we'll see, I don't know how it will continue to develop and there are many directions [that it could go], but it's something that we have to respect.
"We have to accept and I think that we have to take advantage of all that, but also we could adapt that in both ways.
"[It is] something that could be good for everyone, from European football and Saudi, it depends on the way you want to see it but it's something that we could expect for years to come."
Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami has brought more attention to MLS, with Giorgio Chiellini hailing the impact of the World Cup winner and likening his move to when David Beckham arrived.
Former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England star Beckham left the Spanish capital for LA Galaxy in 2007 as the dazzling midfielder's move captured the imaginations of many in the United States.
Beckham has since retired and created his own MLS franchise in the USA, bringing the likes of Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to his newly established Miami side.
Juventus great Chiellini also joined MLS, signing for Los Angeles FC, winning the MLS Cup Final last year before defeat in this season's edition on Saturday to Columbus Crew.
And he vouched for the impact of Messi's move to Miami.
"I think that when Messi joined it was comparable to when Beckham joined," Chiellini told Stats Perform.
"And it's something that the league, but also the players, are very happy about because there is a lot of possibility for the future.
"What Messi did was huge for everyone and now there is much more consideration for the league, much more attention and it helps everyone."
Former Italy centre-back Chiellini announced his retirement on Monday, with reports suggesting the 39-year-old will move back to Juventus to take up a boardroom role.
The European Championship-winning defender will at least be thankful he does not have to face Beckham's Miami again next season.
A Messi-inspired Miami powered to a Leagues Cup triumph, with the Argentina captain scoring 10 goals.
"I don't know how every team could face and beat Miami next year," Chiellini added on Miami, who are reportedly close to signing former Barcelona and Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.
"Fortunately this year I met with Messi when they were at the bottom of the table and then he had one month out.
"They were still a really good team, it was one of the best nights and atmospheres. That's very good for the league, very good for the future of the league."
Hasely Crawford is very upset over a series of snubs at the facility named in his honour.
In an interview with the T&T Daily Express, the 1976 Olympic Games men’s 100 metres champion explained that there are six seats assigned to him at the Hasely Crawford Stadium for any event at the venue, as well as six parking passes. Additionally, two permanent parking spots have been set aside.
Unfortunately, those entitlements have led to numerous embarrassing incidents, the first of which was in 2001, when Trinidad and Tobago hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
“They wouldn’t give me a ticket for the final. There were instructions, ‘Don’t give Hasely Crawford any ticket’. But I got in,” Crawford shared.
T&T’s first-ever Olympic champion said he also had major issues in August this year at the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG).
“The opening of Commonwealth was bad. For two days I had problems getting in until Ephraim Serrette brought me an accreditation. On the day of the opening ceremony, a Minister was parked in one of my spots … did move eventually but stayed for a while.”
In another recent incident, Crawford was alarmed by the disrespectful response he got from a group of students at the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) opening when he spoke to them about standing in the aisles. He said he alerted a police officer and the SSFL president, and also went to the students’ school to report the incident.
Crawford explained too that he had been offered tickets to attend SSFL games during the 2023 season.
“One time, the SSFL president gave me a ticket. I told him ‘You’re not doing me no favours, I’m entitled to six tickets.’ Another time, he gave me two tickets. I didn’t take them. The promoters are the ones who are responsible for giving me the six tickets for their events," he argued.
“The TTFA (Trinidad and Tobago Football Association) would give me tickets for their games, but I would often get them on the day, and that would create problems for my guests. One day I had a guest coming. I spoke to the guard to tell him my guest was coming in a brown car. They put someone else in the parking spot and told me a TTFA man said to put him there," Crawford added.
Crawford’s family has also faced embarrassment at the stadium.
“One year they had Soca Monarch. My wife and Kent Bernard’s wife went. They told them ‘No, no, no, this is VVIP, for the Prime Minister and a guest’. But that is where I’m supposed to go. My wife can’t take embarrassment, so she took off," he recalled.
In order to avoid any further indignities, Crawford has opted to stay away from the Port of Spain facility, as he brought his concerns to the attention of the authorities, but to no avail.
“I decided I’m not going anything in the stadium," Crawford said, adding that there have been times when he felt he should ask for his name to be removed from the stadium, but knows this is not the way to go.
“I cannot do it because I cannot spit in the face of Trinidad and Tobago. They gave me that. Allyuh gave me that. But I hate going through this embarrassment,” Crawford told the Express.
Two runners from the Kentucky Derby meeting in 2024 will be offered wild card entries for the Epsom Classics run in June four weeks later.
A runner from the Edgewood Stakes, run on Kentucky Oaks day (May 3), will receive an entry and travel incentive for the Betfred Oaks on May 31, while a colt from the American Turf Stakes on Kentucky Derby day will get the same privileges for the Betfred Derby.
Jockey Club Racecourses and Ascot have been coordinating with Churchill Downs Incorporated to create links between historic races in the UK and the top turf races in the United Stakes, with the aim of increasing runners between the two countries.
With that in mind, there will also be wild card spots up for grabs in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes for the King Charles III Stakes (formerly King’s Stand) and the Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes for either the Prince of Wales’s Stakes or the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.
In return, a runner from the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Queen Anne will receive the same incentive for the Arlington Million and a runner from the Falmouth will be invited to the Beverly D Stakes.
The winners will be invited but should they not take it up, the racecourses may turn to the placed horses instead.
Matt Woolston, assistant racing and international racing director at The Jockey Club, said: “We’re delighted to develop these links with races at the Kentucky Derby Meeting in its 150th year.
“A trip to Churchill Downs is one that should be on the bucket list for every racing fan, the world over. The Kentucky Derby itself can trace its origin back to Epsom Downs in 1780, when Diomed won the very first Derby, and we are proud to reinforce this historic link.
“These historic races already have an international reputation and we want to welcome more and more international runners in the years to come.”
Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot racecourse, said: “We are very excited to be working with Churchill Downs and the UK Jockey Club on this exciting new initiative.
“We were very pleased to play our part hosting the Churchill team at Royal Ascot last year, with the Kentucky Derby trophy on display as they built up to this important 150th running of the world’s greatest dirt race.
“We have a rich modern history of American runners at Royal Ascot and their success always adds hugely to the meeting.”
Gerri Colombe appears increasingly likely to travel across the Irish Sea over the festive period to contest the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
So impressive when scoring at Aintree in the spring, Gordon Elliott’s charge made a successful reappearance with a last-gasp win in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal last month.
The leading Cheltenham Gold Cup contender has the option of remaining on home soil for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28, but Elliott is currently favouring the trip to Sunbury.
“He’s going to work Friday morning and if everything is okay, he’s going to go to Kempton,” the trainer said at Punchestown on Tuesday.
Gerri Colombe is the 11-4 second-favourite for the King George with the sponsors, who make last year’s winner Bravemansgame their 2-1 market leader despite suffering back-to-back defeats so far this season.
The Willie Mullins-trained Allaho is next on the list at 11-2, with Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin a 6-1 shot to claim victory on what will effectively be his seasonal debut, having refused to start at Ascot last month before subsequently missing potential outings at Newcastle and Sandown.
Royale Pagaille, who beat Bravemansgame in last month’s Betfair Chase at Haydock for Venetia Williams, is also a single-figure price at 8-1, as is Patrick Neville’s stable star The Real Whacker.
Gordon Elliott has branded reports that the British Horseracing Authority could limit the number of runners an individual trainer can run in major handicaps in Britain as “very dangerous”.
It has been suggested that the ruling body is consulting stakeholders to garner their views regarding the possibility of capping the amount of runners a trainer can declare in Class 1 or Class 2 handicaps to four.
If such a rule change was introduced, it would clearly have a major impact on the Randox Grand National at Aintree, as well as several handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival.
Elliott, no stranger to saddling multiple runners in high-profile races both in Britain and in Ireland, admits the prospect of being limited to how many horses he can run in a race is a huge concern.
“I think to try and cap an owner or a trainer’s horses is very dangerous,” he said after racing at Punchestown on Tuesday.
“If you go back to the 1960s, Tom Dreaper won seven Irish Grand Nationals in a row and he had 50 per cent of the field, although I know there weren’t big fields then.
“In 1983, Michael Dickinson had the first five home in the Gold Cup and then 20 years later Martin Pipe had eight and nine of the field in two races at the Cheltenham Festival – things haven’t changed.”
Elliott made the headlines last month when saddling 14 of the 20 runners in the Troytown Chase at Navan, a move which he staunchly defends.
He added: “There would only have been four runners in the Munster National if I didn’t run one in it, never mind eight, and it would have been the same in the Troytown.
“These races aren’t filling up and you have to try and support them for the sponsors and everyone.
“In the Galway Plate, I ran six horses for six different owners. It’s very hard for me to have to tell someone that they can’t run.
“We buy them all thinking they are going to be Gold Cup horses but a lot of them end up being three-mile chasers.”
When asked to comment on the potential move, a BHA spokesperson said: “From time to time, the BHA will contact stakeholders for views on various issues. We would not comment on speculation around private discussions.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
