The voice of racing men since 1998

Saturday, 26 September 2026

2026 Flat Issue 22 - Cod in striking distance

Headlines

Knight Slays Rivals at Chester

Report

We start at Chester on Saturday where in the 5f handicap Copper Knight (Cod) went to post, Midfield against rail, some headway over 2f out, not clear run over 1f out, switched right and ridden 1f out, ran on well to lead towards finish, winning by ¾ l. He gets 26.5 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
           Sept       Total
Cliff          90.17     923.39
Cod         126.87      887.05      
Bob           26.37    866.85
Neil         110.87      737.32
Steve                       716
Peej                        566.39
Martin     56.8          484.73

Stats Per String
           Runs        Wins
Martin      47      11
Bob           58    20
Cliff           57   21
Neil          55     19
Peej          58     14
Cod           58   19
Steve          44   17

The Week's Losers
Binhareer, Spycatcher

Weekend Runners

Friday 

Newmarket
3.00 Talk of New York, Zeus Olympios
4.45 Go Rimbaud

Saturday 

Newmarket
3.00 Great Barrier Reef
4.50 Addison Grey

Ripon
2.49 Copper Knight
3.28 Schrodinger’s Cat

Haydock 
5.10 Alther Walden

Sunday 

Curragh
2.35 Corolla Point, Spycatcher. Charles Darwin

News
Ruby Walsh hailed the legendary Hurricane Fly as the "perfect hurdler" after the dual Champion Hurdle winner died aged 22 at the Irish National Stud.

Trained by Willie Mullins, Hurricane Fly won an astonishing 22 Grade 1s, including the Irish Champion Hurdle an extraordinary five times in a row between 2011 and 2015, as well as the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2011 and 2013.

A true fan-favourite throughout his seven years at Closutton, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time, landing 24 of his 32 starts over hurdles without ever falling.

He was unbeaten in ten starts at Leopardstown, all of which came at the top level, and won four Punchestown Champion Hurdles in a row from 2010 to 2013, as well as three Morgiana Hurdles in succession.

Walsh rode Hurricane Fly to a first Champion Hurdle success at Cheltenham in 2011, before the pair regained their crown two seasons later when reversing the 2012 defeat to Rock On Ruby. 
In reclaiming the race Hurricane Fly became the first horse in 38 years to regain the Champion Hurdle.

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Tuesday, 22 September 2026

2026 Flat Issue 21 - Ed stays ahead

Headlines

Tiger Roars home at Sandown
A Noteable Speech made in Canada
Scandinavia Lands Irish St Leger

Report

We start at Sandown on Friday where in the 1m 2f Apprentice handicap Dancing Tiger (Cod), went to post, Took keen hold, held up in rear, pushed along over 3f out, headway over 2f out, hung right over 1f out, soon led, ran on inside final furlong, winning by 1 ¾ l. He gets 52.8 points.

At Woodbine on Saturday in the 1m Grade 1 Woodbine Mile Stakes Notable Speech (Martin), went to post, in touch with leaders, headway and ridden over 1f out, led final 110yds, ran on winning by 1 ¼ l. He gets 56.8 points.

On Sunday at the Curragh in the 1m 6f group 1 Irish St Leger Scandinavia ( Bob, Cliff, Cod, Neil) went to post, Raced in second, pushed along challenging 2f out, led narrowly over 1f out, soon ridden, pushed out and went clear towards finish, winning by 2l. He gets 26.37 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
           Sept       Total
Cliff          90.17     923.39
Bob           26.37    866.85
Cod         100.37      860.55      
Neil         110.87      737.32
Steve                       716
Peej                        566.39
Martin     56.8          484.73

Stats Per String
           Runs        Wins
Martin      46      11
Bob           58    20
Cliff           57   21
Neil          54     19
Peej          58     14
Cod           57   18
Steve          44   17

The Weeks Losers
Danielle, Consent, Schrodinger’s Cat, Wise Approach, Amelia Earhart, Christmas Day, Pierre Bonnard, Mezcala, Purview, James J Braddock, Fallen Angel , True Love, Precise , Item, Dandana, See The Fire, Copper Knight, American Affair, Jan Brughel, Red Letter, Enoch, Morrophore

Weekend Runners

Friday 

Ayr
3.40 Schrodinger’s Cat, Monsieur Kodi, Montezuma

Chester
4,17 Copper Knight

Saturday 

Newcastle
7.00 Copper Knight

Ayr
2.30 Monsieur Kodi, Montezuma
3.40 Monsieur Kodi, Montezuma, Spycatcher

Newbury
2.47 Nobody Knows
 
News
Constitution Hill's two most likely immediate options are the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot on October 3 and the St Simon Stakes at Newbury on October 24, but his international ambitions could now be diverted to a new race in Bahrain as Nicky Henderson considers the next steps for his star.. 


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Thursday, 10 September 2026

2026 Flat Issue 20 - Editor extends lead

Headlines

Prince Crowned at Haydock
Power Fizz’s home at York
Daryz dazzles at Longchamp

Report

We start at Haydock on Saturday where in the 1m 6f handicap Aegean Prince (Neil) went to post, Took keen hold, soon prominent, led narrowly over 2f out, shaken up and went clear over 1f out, went further clear inside final furlong, eased final 110yds, easily by 7 ½ 1. He gets 26.3 points.

On Sunday at York in the 7f handicap Power Fizz (Cliff), went to post, Midfield, pushed along over 4f out, on near side of group when ridden and headway over 1f out, kept on well and led final strides, winning by a neck. He gets 42.6 points.

At Longchamp in the 1m 4f group 2 Daryz (Cliff, Cod, Neil), went to post, Raced in second, shaken up to lead over 1f out, winning easily by 1 ¾ l. He gets 21.2 points.

On Monday at Windsor in the 1m 2f group 3 Maho Bay (Neil), went to post, Took keen hold, made all, against near rail when faced challenge 2f out, soon ridden, kept on well inside final furlong. Winning by 2 ½ l. He gets 37 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
         August   Sept       Total
Cliff          85.5    63.8     897.02
Bob           00                   840.48
Cod         129.44   21.2    781.38      
Steve      151.91               716
Neil         31.2       84.5   710.95
Peej           81.4             566.39
Martin      83.41             427.93

So Congratulations to Steve who is August trainer of the month

Stats Per String
           Runs        Wins
Martin      42       10
Bob           53      19
Cliff           53      20
Neil          50         18
Peej          54      14
Cod           50         16
Steve          41     17


The Weeks Losers
Space Waltz, Go Rimbaud, Needle Match, Finalise, Addison Grey, Gethin, Constitution Hill , Tiffany, Copper Knight, Double Rush, Spycatcher, Gstaad , Opera Ballo, Bay City Roller, Raaheeb

Weekend Runners

Friday 

Doncaster
3.00 French Master

Chester 
3.17 Copper Knight

Sandown
5.32 Dancing Tiger

Saturday  

Doncaster
2.20 Schrodinger’s Cat
2.55 Never So Brave, Wise Approach, Puerto Rico
3.35 Christmas Day, Pierre Bonnard, Amelia Earhart
4.15 Mezcala

Leopardstown
3,15 Purview, James J Braddock, Amelia Earhart
3.55 Precise, Diamond Necklace, Fallen Angel, True Love, See The Fire, Faiyum, Red Letter
4,25 Faiyum, Needle Match, Puerto Rico
5.00 Item, Calandagan, Ombudsman, Purview, Diamond Necklace, Zeus Olympios, Gstaad, Minnie Hauk, Precise, Pierre Bonnard, Puerto Rico

Lingfield
4.00 Dandana

Sunday 

Doncaster
1.25 Dandana
4.15 Copper Knight

Curragh
3.25 American Affair, Charles Darwin
4.00 Great Barrier Reef
4.35 Scandinavia, Jan Brughel, James J Braddock, Carmers, Purview, Consent, Pierre Bonnard, Amelia Earhart
5.10 Faiyum, Red Letter

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Thursday, 3 September 2026

2026 Flat Issue 19 - Steve Enoching on the door of the top three

Headlines

Enoch makes a point at Lingfield

Report

We start at Lingfield last Thursday where in the 1m novice stakes Enoch (Steve), went to post, Dwelt start, took keen hold, prominent, ridden and ran green inside final furlong, led towards finish, kept on, winning by a head. He gets 22.8 points.

The John Torpey Memorial Trophy
                 August  Total
Bob           00             840.48
Cliff          85.5            833.22
Cod         129.44           760.18
Steve         151.91          716
Neil         31.2              626.43
Peej           81.4         566.39
Martin      83.41          427.93

Stats Per String
           Runs        Wins
Martin      38       10
Bob           51    19
Cliff           49      18
Neil          44          15
Peej          49        14
Cod           48          15
Steve          39        17

The Weeks Losers
Calendar Girl, Great Barrier Reef, Faiyum, Renegade

Weekend Runners

Friday 

Kempton
6.54 Go Rimbaud

Saturday  

Haydock
1.25 Needle Match
3.05 Aegean Prince, Finalise
3.40 American Affair, Double Rush
4.50 Kisskodi

Ascot
1.40 Addison Grey
4.35 Power Fizz
5.10 Dandana

Kempton
2.50 Gethin, Bay City Roller, Constitution Hill, Almeric

Thirsk
4.25 Dandana

Sunday 

York
2.05 Copper Knight
3.50 Double Rush, Spycatcher, Lifeplan
4.25 Power Fizz

Longchamp
Prix Vermille - Gilded Prize
Prix Foy - Daryz, Bay City Roller, Minnie Hauk
Prix Niel - Christmas Day, Pierre Bonnard

News
Constitution Hill looks set to be handed a stiff assignment on his highly anticipated return at Kempton on Saturday as George Scott has outlined plans to send the classy Bay City Roller to tackle him in the William Hill September Stakes.  George Scott told The Punter Bay City Roller,: "I think Paris looks very dry next weekend, and I'm not going to go over to the Foy and run on good ground. We went to Kempton and his metrics were very good on that surface, so we wouldn't be afraid to go back there."

Aiden O'Brien's domination of the Classic shows no sign of abating this year with the first two in the St Leger market in Derby winner Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard, while Amelia Earhart, a 66-1 chance with Betfred, is a real wildcard contender. "What's a little bit different is Amelia Earhart might go with Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard," said O'Brien. "We were preparing her for the fillies' race at Doncaster [Park Hill] and the boss said, 'Why not let her take her chance with the colts?' It's possible and would be very interesting."

Galopin Des Champs, the brilliant dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and one of the best staying chasers of recent times, has died just five days after it was announced he had been retired. The ten-year-old's racing career came to an end last week when trainer Willie Mullins announced his retirement, after which he said Galopin Des Champs would be looked after by Ruby Walsh's daughter Isabelle for an eventing career. However, he has since suffered a fatal injury.

Owned by Greg and Audrey Turley, Galopin Des Champs won 12 Grade 1 races during an incredible career, highlighted by back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs in 2023 and 2024. In a statement announcing his death, Ruby Walsh said: "Sadly, Galopin Des Champs suffered an injury in his field this morning and could not be saved.  Two Cheltenham Gold Cups, three Irish ones, one Punchestown one, two Savills Chases, a John Durkan and a chasing debut that left us all drooling means he has a CV up there with the best staying chasers of the modern era. 

He won at three Cheltenham Festivals and that would have been four had he not slithered on landing after a spectacular jump at the final fence of the 2022 Turners Novices' Chase. He won a dozen Grade 1 races and ran in 19 top-level chases in a row. That is some going

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