Rooney: We blew chance March 10, 2015 MANCHESTER United skipper Wayne Rooney believes his side blew a huge chance to win the FA Cup after succumbing to Arsenal at Old Trafford on Monday. United boss Louis van Gaal insisted in the build-up to the quarter-final tie that a top-four finish was more valuable than lifting the FA Cup, a competition Rooney is [...]
Gamble works for Walsh but late fall lets bookies off hook March 10, 2015 TOP jockey Ruby Walsh insisted victory in the Champion Hurdle vindicated his decision to ride Faugheen over Hurricane Fly in the opening day’s feature race at the Cheltenham Festival yesterday. The unbeaten seven-year-old gelding held off a late challenge from stable companion Arctic Fire to maintain his perfect record of nine wins from nine races, [...]
Thomas remains in contention as Wiggins slips further behind March 10, 2015 BRITAIN’S Geraint Thomas remained 10th in the overall standings of the Paris-Nice after Germany’s Andre Greipel sprinted to a second-stage victory yesterday. Thomas, along with Tony Martin and Lars Boom, had opened up a 13-second lead with a little over 5km to go, only for Griepel, assisted by Lotto-Soudal team-mate Greg Henderson, to reel in [...]
Duke Of Lucca to strike in Cross Country for Hobbs and Johnson again March 10, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE CROSS COUNTRY, FRED WINTER AND CHAMPION BUMPER OONE of my lasting memories from last year’s Cheltenham Festival was watching trainer Martin Keighley throw down his racecard in frustration. He’d just seen his charge Any Currency suffer defeat by the narrowest of margins to Philip Hobbs’ Balthazar King in a thrilling renewal [...]
Don Poli has the class and stamina to win RSA Chase March 10, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE RSA CHASE & NEPTUNE HURDLE EVEN the briefest glance at the roll of honour for the RSA Chase (2.05pm) proves that this race has long been a stepping stone for horses with the potential to go on and triumph in a Gold Cup. In fact, three of the last eight winners [...]
Vyta Du Roc looks the value call in wide-open Neptune March 10, 2015 ANOTHER Cheltenham Festival novice hurdle and another Willie Mullins-trained favourite. Nichols Canyon is a warm order to land this afternoon’s opening Neptune Novices’ Hurdle (1.30pm) and follow in the hoofprints of Douvan, yesterday’s hugely impressive Sky Bet Supreme Novices winner. The five-year-old son of Authorized looked very good when quickening up smartly from the front [...]
Racing FX March 10, 2015 I’M going to be busy this afternoon with six rides and we kick off with the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle (1.30). I’m looking forward to riding OUTLANDER, it’s a wide open race, but the trip will suit and he did really well at Leopardstown last time. DON POLI goes for the RSA Chase (2.05) and we’re [...]
Cheltenham specialist Champagne Fever to score Festival hat-trick March 10, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE BETWAY CHAMPION CHASE AND CORAL CUP THE BETWAY Champion Chase (3.20pm) is quite simply the race of this year’s Festival. There are so many potential stories and the build-up, with injury concerns about the last two champions, has created a huge buzz. Sprinter Sacre is probably the most talented racehorse we [...]
Gigginstown duo catch the eye in the Coral Cup March 10, 2015 FINDING the right selection in the 26-runner Coral Cup (2.40pm) is no easy task, as one winner at a single figure price in the last decade would indicate. The Paul Nicholls-trained Aux Ptits Soins makes his British debut this afternoon, and has reportedly been catching pigeons at home. At 16/1 a few weeks ago I [...]
Betway March 10, 2015 WE’RE absolutely thrilled with the quality of the Betway Champion Chase in our first year as sponsors. It really is the race of the Cheltenham Festival. Having the last two winners, Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre, back for more is a fantastic treat for racing fans. When you add in the likes of Dodging [...]