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 [...]
Prudential boss Tidjane Thiam jumps into Credit Suisse role March 9, 2015 Prudential boss Tidjane Thiam is set to leave the FTSE 100 giant later this year to head Swiss banking titan Credit Suisse, it emerged last night. The surprise exit, which would bring the curtain down on a six-year tenure at the helm of the Pru, is expected to be announced as soon as this morning, [...]
Will Apple’s watch range be worth its weight in gold? March 9, 2015 Apple yesterday unveiled its highly anticipated take on the smartwatch with a host of new innovations and an ostentatious 18 carat gold version. The cheapest in the range is the Apple Watch Sport, priced from £299. But one version, the solid-gold Apple Watch Edition will set buyers back up to £13,500. The launch of the [...]
Greece denies return of Troika as new talks with creditors to begin March 9, 2015 Greece will begin talks with representatives of its creditors tomorrow as it tries to have reform proposals approved, allowing it access urgently needed cash. Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis yesterday denied that the it spelled a return of a the Troika – a term for its three main creditors that Varoufakis had said was “dead”. [...]
Spanish house prices climb at their fastest pace for six years March 9, 2015 House prices in Spain are rising at their fastest rate since 2008, official statistics showed yesterday. Residential property prices climbed by 1.8 per cent in the final three months of 2014 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Spain’s national statistical office. For 2014 as a whole, prices were 0.3 [...]
George Osborne to avoid post-election cuts debate by ducking out of Treasury Questions finale March 9, 2015 Labour claims George Osborne is trying to avoid debating the cuts planned in the event of a Conservative election victory, after learning that the chancellor will not be at the last Treasury questions session before the General Election. Osborne will be attending the Ecofin meeting of EU finance ministers instead. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls only [...]
Labour MP John Mann says Tories blocking questioning of ex-HSBC boss Lord Stephen Green March 9, 2015 A leading Labour MP yesterday accused the Tories of blocking moves to summon former HSBC boss Stephen – now Lord – Green to the Treasury select committee to account for the controversy surrounding its Swiss operations. Lord Green, who left HSBC to join the House of Lords as a Conservative peer and trade minister in [...]
