Cheltenham Tips
Victorious Forever will break new ground at the Cheltenham Festival when the Declan Queally-trained Carrigmoornaspruce (Diamond Boy), no bigger than 14-1 for next Thursday's Grade 2 mares' novice hurdle, will carry the leading Bahraini-based owners' familiar red and white silks for the first time under National Hunt rules. Shaikh Nasser bin Hamed Al Khalifa's Victorious Racing and his brother Shaikh Khalid's KHK Racing merged last August to form Victorious Forever. Together, the brothers have horses like 1,000 Guineas contender Zanthos (Sioux Nation) and 2,000 Guineas entry Saber Strike (Night Of...
Tom Cleary has said that he would be the first man to raise a glass to the connections of Oh My Word at Cheltenham after confirming that owner Seamus Ross has moved the leading fancy for the Champion Bumper to his old ally Tony Martin. Cleary enjoyed his greatest day as a trainer when Oh My Word produced a spellbinding performance to win the Listed Future Champions Bumper at Navan under Derek O'Connor last month. In doing so, Oh My Word landed back-to-back bumper wins at the track and joined...
There are few more respected figures in French National Hunt racing than Nicolas de Lageneste. It seems as though everything de Lageneste turns his hand to, be that breeding, training or simply owning racehorses, it is a success. Last year he completed the rare achievement of being crowned champion National Hunt owner and breeder in the same season. Nobody has ever done that before. Fewer still would be capable of nurturing a horse like Il Est Francais (Fr) (Karaktar {Ire}). Not only did de Lageneste breed the superstar chaser, who...
Last year was a big one for John McConnell. He fulfilled a lifelong ambition when Seddon won a race at the Cheltenham festival. That bargain buy went on to win at the Punchestown festival before bringing the trainer to the American Grand National at Far Hills. Fennor Cross was another horse to fly the flag for the stable with great distinction. Again, a cheaply-bought recruit, Fennor Cross won races at the Punchestown and Aintree festivals. However, in what came as a bitter blow to all associated with the horse, Fennor...