Weekend Runners
Friday
Cheltenham
1.45 Derryhassen Paddy
Saturday
Cheltenham
1.45 Kabral Du Mathan, Baron Noir, Old Park Star,
2.20 Meetmebythesea, Madara, Torneo, Johnnywho
3.30 Daylatedollarshort
Navan
3.18 King Rasco Grey, Mighty Park
Wetherby
1.55 Attin
2.30 Torneo
Sunday
Cheltenham
1.25 Crystal Island, Kalkbrenner
3.10 Harry Lowes
Fontwell
1.43 Bass Hunter
Navan
2.25 King Rasko Grey
News
Cristal D’Estruval was cut for two Cheltenham Festival novice chase targets after making an impressive return from a 330-day absence with a dominant chasing debut win. Paddy Power cut the five-year-old to 14-1 (from 50) for the Arkle and 33-1 (from 50) for the Brown Advisory after he brushed aside Be Aware in the 2m graduation chase. The 12-length winning margin was aided by a fluent round of jumping, but winning trainer Harry Derham said he was “not surprised” by the performance.
Willie Mullins hits out at Cheltenham ground. He opened Closutton to the media yesterday and had some punchy comments about how we won't see good horses at Cheltenham if the ground isn't softer.
"I'm a bit worried," he said. "A lot of damage was done the last two days of Cheltenham [Festival] last season because they hadn't watered it properly. If they want the horses who race on soft ground and nice ground all winter to appear there, I think they have to produce the ground for those horses,"
"People with really good horses won't go there and that's why I worry. If we see that trend happening, we're going to change." Mullins suggested that shift may already be under way, adding: "A lot more of my owners are heading towards Aintree or Punchestown."
Sadly we reflect on Tom O’Brien who passed away on Tuesday
Philip Hobbs, the man for whom multiple Grade 1-winning jockey Tom O'Brien rode his entire career, has paid an emotional tribute following his former stable jockey's death aged 39 after a battle with cancer.
O'Brien enjoyed a distinguished career in the saddle, highlighted by success at the Cheltenham Festival and two Welsh Grand National victories. He was a key figure in Hobbs's operation from moving to Britain until retiring at Sandown's end-of-season meeting in April 2023.
"The whole thing is desperately sad, particularly for his wife Hayley and his two kids. It's very, very sad," Hobbs told the Racing Post. "He rode an awful lot of winners for us and we had great times, but it's just very sad that his life has been taken from him so early."
Just one of O'Brien's 1,077 career victories came in Ireland, aboard the Hobbs-trained I Hear A Symphony at the Punchestown festival in 2008. Other Grade 1 successes came in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle aboard Finian's Oscar in 2017 and Elixir De Nutz in 2019, while Thyme Hill landed the Liverpool Hurdle in 2021 before winning the Kauto Star Novices' Chase the following year. Upon retiring from the saddle O'Brien worked as a BHA steward.
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