Sandown’s Betfair Tingle Creek card has passed a morning inspection but with further rain forecast conditions at still being monitored.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper felt the course was raceable before the scheduled 7.30am precautionary inspection, however, with up to another six millimetres and possibly more rain still to fall, he will be keeping a close eye on how the course is shaping up.

As well as the Tingle Creek the meeting features the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle, saved from Newcastle’s abandoned meeting last week.

Chepstow will inspect again at 8.30am as while the course is currently raceable 15 millimetres of rain has fallen since midnight.

There will be a 7.30am inspection at Sandown on Saturday morning ahead of day two of the Betfair Tingle Creek Festival.

The going on the opening day of the meeting was described as soft, with good to soft places on the chase course and heavy, soft in places on the hurdles track, but there is significant rain forecast through the night and into the morning on Saturday.

Tomorrow’s card includes the Tingle Creek itself, along with the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and the relocated Fighting Fifth Hurdle – all Grade One events.

Andrew Cooper, clerk of the course, said: “We have just been waiting for the latest weather outlook for tomorrow which does confirm that it looks like we are going to have a spell of potentially heavy rain from 4am until 9am.

“Most forecasts are giving around 10 millimetres in that time period, with some forecasts suggesting we could get either side of that.

“We have changed the hurdles course before the first race today to heavy, soft in places, while the chase course has been left as soft, good to soft in places.

“We are racing today on extremely soft ground and with the potential of a good volume of rain in the early hours, I think it is sensible to take stock and see what happens tomorrow morning.

“It can be hard to be too dogmatic as to what the tipping point is, as sometimes you are surprised how much rain the course will take and sometimes you are disappointed how little the course will take.

“My gut feeling is that we will be okay. It is a marvellous day of racing and we will do everything we can to race.”

Anticipated heavy rain has also prompted Chepstow to call a 7.30am precautionary check ahead of Saturday’s card, which features the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial.

The meeting at Wetherby has already been abandoned due to a waterlogged course.

Huntingdon passed a second inspection on Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s Peterborough Chase card.

Officials initially inspected on Thursday afternoon after the track was waterlogged earlier in the week, but conditions had improved with another check called ahead of declarations.

The track was found to be raceable, with the going reported as soft, heavy in places with further rain possible ahead of the fixture.

Kelso is due to stage Sunday’s other jumps action, with the Scottish Borders National the highlight, but the course will have to pass a 4.30pm precautionary inspection on Saturday due to forecast rain.

Constitution Hill, Shishkin and Jonbon headline a star-studded card at Sandown on Saturday.

The rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle will see Nicky Henderson saddle both Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville) and Shishkin (James Bowen).

Taking on the Seven Barrows duo are Goshen, Not So Sleepy and top-notch mares Love Envoi and You Wear It Well.

On an important afternoon for Henderson, Jonbon is odds-on for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase in which he will face four rivals – Boothill, Edwardstone, Haddex Des Obeaux and Nube Negra.

Willmount is another leading contender for the team as the impressive Newbury winner moves up to Listed level in the Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle.

Also on the Esher menu is the Betfair-sponsored Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, where the Joe Tizzard-trained JPR One bids to atone for an unfortunate mishap at Cheltenham last month.

Saturday’s high-profile Tingle Creek meeting at Sandown will see Racing With Pride given a welcome platform to champion inclusion within the sport for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

In celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Rainbow Laces campaign, a wide range of activities aimed at encouraging the LGBT+ community’s involvement in racing will be on show at the Esher track.

There will also be a race specifically sponsored with this initiative in mind; the Betfair Supports Racing With Pride Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.

RWP committee member and British Horseracing Authority diversity and inclusion project manager Di Farrell-Thomas said: “There’s lots of activities going on there, which Great British Racing have led on setting up specifically for the Rainbow Laces campaign and celebrations.

“That campaign has been going now for 10 years and in racing, we want to mark that as well and keep up the progress towards LGBT+ inclusion.

“There’ll be plenty going on; in the fan zone, there will be the exerciser with Racing With Pride silks to wear, so people can come along and learn about the organisation.

“From Racing to School, there will be some jockey masterclasses as well. Racing With Pride members have been invited along to enjoy the day, ask questions and talk about LGBT+ inclusion.

“We’ve been very lucky with Betfair allowing the sponsorship races to have rainbow-coloured numbers and also the BHA staff on course will be wearing our badge as well, in support of inclusion.

“So, there will be plenty of stuff going on – with branding across the course, plus merchandise and prizes and so on, with people able to get involved in competitions.”

The Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign began in 2013 and has been embraced by a number of sporting bodies, notably the Premier League, and Farrell-Thomas is determined to put racing at the forefront as well.

She added: “Other sports have done this for 10 years, particularly people see it in football, but I think it’s become recognisable across other sports as well. It’s pride, it’s inclusion, it’s celebrating diversity and who people are.

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress, for sure. Initially, Sir David Letts, who is the chair of Racing With Pride, did some research to fully understand that picture of how inclusive racing is in terms of LGBT+.

“We’ve definitely made a lot of progress, many organisations certainly engage with the network, which helps it grow.

“We’ve held educational events as well, so people are willing to learn and actually having that experience that our members can now go and feel that confidence, with thanks to all the partners who have been so helpful in welcoming us. Having visible signs of support as well makes a huge difference.”

Farrell-Thomas has welcomed the support given to Racing With Pride from those working within the sport.

She said: “Jockeys have been wearing the Racing With Pride silks and we have had trainers speak explicitly about the wider support and diversity, so attitudes are definitely changing.

“People within the sport are more used to gaining different experiences and I do feel we have made progress within that space.”

Receiving the backing of Betfair this weekend and other organisations within the industry is another big plus – and racing is also feeling the benefit.

“We’re very grateful to them, it’s really supportive to have wider partners looking to link in and see the importance of diversity,” stated Farrell-Thomas.

“It also helps bring new people into racing, in terms of filling the workforce, people buying horses and just getting involved in the breeding of horses, which is an area we need to expand to help grow the sport of racing.

“Any help from wider partners is always grateful.

“There are people who come racing who have never been racing before, so just to have that confidence to come along and experience something that is different is fantastic.

“Some people who have attended have actually become owners on the back of that, so it’s that kind of experience that breeds the next stage of involvement in racing. That side of things is really important to highlight.”

Impressive Cheltenham scorer Broadway Boy will have his sights raised in his next outing, with connections eyeing either Sandown or Kempton next month for their star staying novice.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the five-year-old went into plenty of notebooks when making a low-key fencing bow at Worcester, before performing encouragingly in defeat behind Flooring Porter in October.

Returning to Prestbury Park for Listed action during the November Meeting, he confirmed the promise of his early chasing endeavours with a destructive display, making all as he romped to a 20-length victory over well-regarded stablemate Weveallbeencaught.

The talented young chaser is now in line for a step up in class with Sandown’s Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase on December 8 or a Boxing Day tilt at Kempton’s Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase both options for his next start.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham amazingly well,” said Willie Twiston-Davies, who in his role as assistant to his father plays a key part in readying Broadway Boy.

“I’m a bit unsure where we are going to run him as the horse will tell me when he’s fresh and well again, but he seems to have come out of Cheltenham brilliantly.

“I suppose we will enter for Sandown on December 8 for the Esher Chase, the Grade Two on Tingle Creek weekend. If not we will probably wait for Kempton and go there.”

Although having one eye on the Cheltenham Festival in March, the Twiston-Davies team are keen to strike while the iron is hot when their talented operator is ready for action, with nothing among the UK staying novice ranks giving connections many sleepless nights.

“There is no rush and the owner Mr Proos is really laid back,” continued Twiston-Davies.

“We’ve obviously got one eye on March, but we realise there is plenty of prize-money and races to be won on this side of the pond at the minute.

“Stay Away Fay was impressive, but I don’t think many will have the improvement Broadway Boy has probably got. He’s only five and already running to a high rating so early on in his career. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Broadway Boy’s Cheltenham victory saw him introduced into the betting for the two staying novice events at the Festival in March and although a shade shorter at a general 16-1 for the longer National Hunt Chase, connections are certain he will be sticking to the three-mile route, with the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase the aim for March.

Twiston-Davies added: “Dad and I had a big discussion about it after he won at Cheltenham. He’s only five now and will be six at the time, so I don’t think we want to be running over four miles and we would like to think he has a bit more class than just being a four-mile slogger at this stage of his career – he’s not slow at all.

“I think he’s a very classy animal and I don’t think we need to be going four miles just yet.”

The younger Twiston-Davies cut a delighted figure after Broadway Boy’s Cheltenham success, racing to the top of the shoot to congratulate winning rider and good friend Tom Bellamy.

And although admitting he should not have favourites, it is clear Broadway Boy holds a special place in the former jockey’s affections having been involved with the horse from the very moment he was purchased for just £22,000.

“I bought him and broke him in and have sort of ridden him every day,” said Twiston-Davies.

“You don’t sort of have favourites but you do get attached to some horses and this is just one of those I’ve been fortunate enough to ride every day and I deal with David Proos the owner very closely.

“It’s more chance than anything, but luckily he has turned into a very nice horse.”

Alan King was pleased to “erase the memory” of Edwardstone’s no-show in the Champion Chase in March when chasing home Jonbon in the Shloer Chase on Sunday.

King now has to decide, with the help of connections, whether to take on Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon again in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on December 9 or step him up in trip for the Peterborough Chase the following day.

King has been musing for some time now that Edwardstone may need further than two miles to be seen at his best.

He said on his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk: ”I thought it was a smashing run, and it was such a relief to see Edwardstone erase the memory of last March.

“Cheltenham is still a mystery, but we can now look forward and it is a case of deciding whether to have a rematch with Jonbon when we defend our Tingle Creek crown on December 9 or wait 24 hours so we can step him up to two and a half miles for the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.”

Nicky Henderson further strengthened his hand in the novice hurdling division as Southoftheborder made a successful reappearance at Sandown.

The Seven Barrows handler has unleashed a number of exciting prospects already this month, with Willmount in particular making a big impression at Newbury on Thursday.

Southoftheborder was bought for £145,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point last year and looked the part on his bumper debut at Ffos Las in March.

The five-year-old was a prohibitively priced favourite for his return in the Tattersalls Tingle Creek Festival Sale Maiden Hurdle and was not hard pressed to score by two and a half lengths in the hands of Nico de Boinville.

The winner may return to Sandown for the Listed Betfair Claremont Novices’ Hurdle on December 9.

Henderson said: “We got him here last year at the sale at the Tingle Creek meeting following a recommendation from Derek O’Connor.

“He will be a proper horse as we have only taken half the wraps off him yet.

“I looked at it last night and I thought there looked like some decent opposition in there.

“You wouldn’t want to overdo this fellow, as he is big and you could wind him up too much. It is a case of going gently with him. Nico (de Boinville) said he was lovely and that he could run around again.

“I should think that (Listed race at the Tingle Creek meeting) is the sort of thing that we could look at and we could look at what was the Kennel Gate at Ascot for Willmount.”

Gary Moore’s Le Patron (11-2) made it two from two over fences with a bold front-running display of jumping in the Sri Lanka – The Wonder Of Asia Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase, with the trainer’s son Jamie steering him to a 10-length success.

“He got it all his own way out in front, but I’ll be quite honest, I’m amazed he won as easily as he did as he won a bad race at Fontwell and the runner-up has since been beaten in a 0-100,” said Gary Moore.

“His greatest asset is his jumping and what a place to bring a horse that jumps like he does. He never got out of second gear really.

“It has exceeded my expectations what he has done. There are some nice races you can come back here for – you could look at the Scilly Isles in February – and there is no better place to come for me.”

Ben Pauling hailed the achievements of jockey Luca Morgan after the champion conditional announced his retirement from the saddle.

The 22-year-old has long been associated with Pauling’s Naunton Downs operation and enjoyed a stellar 2022-23 season which saw him not only lift the conditional jockeys’ title at Sandown in April, but also partner his sole Listed winner when steering Fiercely Proud to success at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

However, with an injury over the summer only adding to the stresses of Morgan’s career-long battle with the scales, he has now made the decision to hang up his boots and bow out.

“It’s a very sad day for all of us to be honest and Luca has been a huge part of the team for four years,” said Pauling.

“He’s not just been an able jockey who has delivered for us on so many occasions, but he has been a massive part of the team at home and has always been a very popular member and we have always loved watching his successes.

“I personally and everyone at home has taken massive satisfaction from seeing him win the conditional jockeys’ title. It was a dream of his from a young age and it’s a proud moment for all of us that we were able to achieve that with him.”

It is a decision Pauling knew was always around the corner and the handler is now keen to support Morgan in whatever way he can as he embarks on a new career out of the saddle, confident he will continue to thrive away from the racecourse.

He added: “He had an injury in the summer and it has been apparent that he had been struggling and we’ve had many conversations about it. He has really given it his best shot.

“We always knew there would come a time when his weight would get the better of him and I think we all dreamt of having this season and maybe one more.

“My thoughts are primarily with Luca and it is not an easy decision for a young man of his age who has only ever wanted to be a jockey. But he is a very intelligent young man and very quick witted and he will only go from strength to strength in whatever he does next.”

He went on: “We will be there for him in whatever he wants to do and if we can be a part of that going forward, we would be thrilled.

“It’s a sad day, but one we knew was coming at some point and it’s just a shame it has to happen.”

The Cheltenham Festival-winning handler praised Morgan’s “brave decision”, pointing out his talent as a jockey can never be questioned as he bows out at the peak of his riding powers.

“It is exceptionally brave and those of us who have never had to fight with our weight will never understand the stresses that can put on you personally, mentally and physically,” said Pauling.

“So it is a brave decision and it is the right decision and he goes out as champion conditional.

“Everyone can see the ability and talent that he has and he will be remembered for that.

“I’m hugely grateful for the days he has given me, my team, my wife Sophie, who adores him, and our owners. There have been some great times and he will be fondly remembered.”

Class came to the fore in the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown, as Chindit held off Knight.

Richard Hannon’s stalwart had got back to winning ways last time out in a Group Three at Haydock, although that meant he was carrying a 5lb penalty in this Listed contest.

With the rain turning the ground testing, Chindit’s task was made harder, but Pat Dobbs could be spotted sitting motionless with two furlongs to run.

Also going well was the three-year-old Knight, sporting first-time cheekpieces, and it was those two who came through to take up the running from Raadobarg.

Chindit (7-2) gained a length and while Knight pushed him all the way to the line, there was a head between them at the line. Raadobarg held on for third with Breege, owned by the sponsors, in fourth. Eydon, off since finishing fourth in last year’s 2000 Guineas, was a non runner.

Hannon said: “I’m delighted with that. It is nice for Pat, as he has ridden him in every race apart from two. He doesn’t love that ground and he had a 5lb penalty today.

“He is one of the biggest allies our yard has had for years. He has run in all these good races and turns up on every occasion. He never runs a bad race. He is a pleasure to have.

“Michael Pescod, his old owner, is always the first man to ring me as he is delighted. He has been such a star for us over the years. Dr Poonawalla (owner) has purchased him to service his own mares. A Group One is not massively on the agenda, and he wants to enjoy the horse for what he is.

“He (Poonawalla) has come over from India for today and he said ‘Richard the horse will run come what may’ and I like a man like that who says what he wants. He has enjoyed the horse and he has got a huge amount of pleasure from him.

“A special mention also has to go to Sean Fox and Callum Richards. Sean has done wonders with the horse, but the two of them have done a fair bit of work with him.”

He added: “He is in the Joel Stakes and I’ve put him in the Challenge Stakes. I’d like to take him to America or Australia and run him on fast ground, but there is also the Hong Kong option as well. There are all kind of options for him.”

Poonawalla then plans to stand Chindit at stud in India.

Chasemore Farm did have better luck in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes which they won with the Andrew Balding-trained newcomer Dambuster (17-2).

Balding said: “I’d hope he will stay a mile and a quarter in time, but not a huge amount further. I’d like to give him another run this year, but I don’t know where or when. He is a fine big horse and fingers crossed he will do well next year.”

Heredia finished with a flourish to land the Virgin Bet Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.

Richard Hannon’s charge was a convincing Listed winner at Haydock last time out and was duly sent off the 5-2 favourite to add to her tally in this Group Three affair.

Settled towards the back of the field as Roman Mist cut out the early running, Heredia was clearly travelling well coming into the straight and when Sean Levey gave the signal, she made rapid strides down the middle of the track.

Heredia seized the advantage inside the final furlong and while Queen For You tried to match her, the winner proved three-quarters of a length too good at the line. Last year’s race winner was a further length and a quarter back in third.

Mortlake will look to take the next step forward when he makes a Group-race debut in the Virgin Bet Solario Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The Churchill colt broke the juvenile track record at Leicester on August 13, winning a seven-furlong novice by five lengths in an impressive run under Rossa Ryan.

The performance followed a very green debut at Salisbury in July, where the Ralph Beckett-trained bay was fourth behind Tom Dascombe’s Hot Fuss, who ran with some credit in the Acomb Stakes last week.

The Leicester effort was a big step forward and a more accurate representation of the ability he had shown at home – ability that will be tested further at Sandown this weekend.

Eamonn O’Connor, founder and managing director of owners Quantum Leap Racing, said: “They turn around so quickly and second runs can be so different, so we put a line through Salisbury – it didn’t worry us as we’d seen enough at home to suggest he might be a nice horse.

“What I liked is that he ran in a straight line, he was almost a bit babyish in the last half-furlong and he was looking around a bit so I’m hoping there’s a bit more to come.

“We’ll find out, we’ve got some fairly punchy entries for him at Group Two and Group One level and Saturday will tell us whether we’ve been realistic with those. It’s a good stepping stone for a horse of his profile, it’s the ideal race for him really.”

Beckett has been in flying form recently and is well stocked with smart horses, adding gravitas to a Group entrant who trains alongside some talented stablemates.

O’Connor said: “He’s not short of a smart horse or two, Ralph, he had a treble that day (Leicester) and is absolutely on fire, but then he has been for the last couple of months so there’s no surprise there.”

Mortlake is in the very early days of his career and will be handled with patience, as is the modus operandi of his owners, who have produced several horses to lucrative sales overseas with their approach.

“We’ve got a nice syndicate, we only buy five yearlings a year and punch way above our weight for that,” O’Connor explained.

“We started in 2017 and every single year we’ve had a decent horse, my definition of decent being 90-105 rated. Our model is very obvious, we move them off to Australia or foreign climes at the end of their three-year-old year, replenish the pot and go again.

“Jeremy Brummitt buys our horses and is our de facto racing manager and he does a very good job. We had two horses in our first year, five each year after, maybe six in one year, and to be able to produce a 100-rated horse every year is tremendous – hopefully we can continue it.

“We go through that cycle every year in the hope of unearthing a serious Group horse, in which case we’d be more inclined to keep them racing in the northern hemisphere.

“We do things the right way, we buy horses with clear staying pedigrees and we’re very patient with them. You read about syndicate members wanting a quick return and therefore buying precocious types – we’re the diametric opposite of that.

“We buy horses we know we need to be patient with, we don’t normally see our horses out before August or September so he’s almost precocious for us!”

Great State will aim to extend his winning run this weekend when he heads to Sandown for the Scurry Stakes.

Richard Fahey’s three-year-old has won four of his last five and is unbeaten since dropping back to five furlongs in March – winning at both Southwell and Thirsk, before stepping up to Listed company in the Westow Stakes at York last month.

The son of Havana Grey handled the rise in grade with aplomb, readily winning by two and a half lengths, and he will now bid for more big-race success over the minimum distance at the Esher track on Saturday where once again Oisin Murphy will be in the saddle.

“He’s an improving horse and we’re pleased with him,” said Fahey.

“I thought it was a good performance winning the handicap against older horses at Thirsk, he picked up well and then came on for it and it was no surprise he stepped up at York and did it very well. He’s improving.

“You would imagine the track and everything (at Sandown) will suit him. Oisin Murphy rides him as my Oisin (Orr) will be at York.”

Desert Crown enjoyed a gallop in Newmarket on Friday morning as he put the finishing touches to his Brigadier Gerard Stakes preparations ahead of his eagerly-anticipated return next Thursday.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt has been off the track since scorching to victory in the Derby just shy of 12 months ago, but has sportingly been kept in training by his owner Saeed Suhail in a bid to secure more middle-distance riches this term.

Partnered on the Limekilns by regular jockey Richard Kingscote, connections were delighted to be able to get the son of Nathaniel on grass before his Sandown reappearance and with the tuning-up process all but complete, excitement is now building ahead of a contest Stoute has won 11 times in the past – including last year with Desert Crown’s stablemate Bay Bridge.

“We were very pleased to get him on the grass on the round gallop on the Limekilns and he worked very nicely and finished in front of his lead horse,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager for the owner.

“I’m not sure if he does too much at home now, but he shouldn’t need to, he will be in good shape going into the Brigadier Gerard.”

Desert Crown is one of eight in the mix for the Sandown Group Three and could be joined by stablemate and regular gallops partner Solid Stone.

Also on the comeback trail is Owen Burrows’ Hukum who has been on the sidelines for virtually the same amount of time as Desert Crown having not been seen since landing the Coronation Cup the day before the latter’s Epsom triumph.

Group One-winning filly Nashwa is one of two in the mix for John and Thady Gosden alongside Francesco Clemente, while the David Simcock-trained Cash was beaten a short head by subsequent Irish Derby champion Westover over track and trip in the Classic Trial last term and could make just his second start at the distance.

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Royal Ascot winner Claymore and Keith Dalgleish’s Chichester complete the list of entrants.

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