Andrew Nelis racing

Nicky Henderson will do all he can to get Altior to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase after revealing the brilliant two-miler was found to be lame on Sunday morning. Altior suffered his first career defeat over jumps at Ascot in November, but bounced back on his return to his favoured two miles in the Game Spirit at Newbury last month. All had been set fair for an eagerly-awaited showdown with Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi at Cheltenham on Wednesday. But Henderson told the PA news agency: “Unfortunately Altior was lame this morning, due to an old splint that has been dormant. It’s never bothered him before and typically it rears its ugly head now. “We are working away and there’s lots we can do, we have two days, but it’s an uphill battle. We have the treadmill he can go on and it’s very cold water, which helps these things a lot. “We have to keep going. We’re working away and we’ll either get lucky or we won’t.” He added: “He was sound as a pound yesterday – yo

Shishkin and Asterion Forlonge are two of 16 runners declared for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday. Since making it no further than the second flight on his hurdling debut, Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin has proved himself a top-class prospect with two facile victories at Newbury and Huntingdon – propelling him to favouritism for the traditional Festival curtain-raiser. Henderson also runs Chantry House and Allart in his bid for a fourth Supreme success. Willie Mullins has won the race more than any other trainer, saddling four of the last seven winners and six in all, with Tourist Attraction providing him with his very first Festival success when striking gold in 1995. His chief contender this time around is Asterion Forlonge, who like Shishkin carries the colours of owner Joe Donnelly. The grey is unbeaten in three starts under rules and ran away with a Grade One at Leopardstown last month. Like Henderson, Mullins fires a three-pronged assault,

Jamie Codd will renew his association with Le Breuil when the pair go in search of a second successive victory at the Cheltenham Festival. The leading Irish amateur teamed up with Ben Pauling's charge to claim a narrow success in the National Hunt Chase last March and will this year bid to steer him to Festival glory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup. Codd has won the Kim Muir on a record four occasions - aboard Character Building (2009), Junior (2011), The Package (2015) and Cause of Causes (2016) - and Pauling is hopeful Le Breuil gives him a good chance of adding to his tally.

Paisley Park is the star name among 18 horses still in contention for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday. Emma Lavelle’s stable star is widely regarded as one of the bankers of this year’s Festival as he bids for back-to-back victories in the day three feature. The eight-year-old is unbeaten in his last seven starts in all and is odds-on across the board to continue his winning sequence on his return to Prestbury Park. Willie Mullins has three remaining contenders in 2018 Stayers’ hero Penhill, Bacardys and the brilliant mare Benie Des Dieux. The latter is expected to bid for a second in in Tuesday’s Mares’ Hurdle, but retains the option of taking on Paisley Park. There are three other Irish-trained hopefuls, in Gordon Elliott’s Apple’s Jade, who is set to wear blinkers for the first time on what could be her swansong, Martin Brassil’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner of last season City Island, and Matthew Smith’s Ronald Pump. Tom George looks set t

A Plus Tard, Frodon and Min are three of 13 horses confirmed for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday. The Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon brought the house down when triumphant in last year's renewal under a jubilant Bryony Frost, but arguably faces a tougher test this time around, with a couple of top-class Irish raiders in opposition. Henry de Bromhead's A Plus Tard made light work of his rivals in handicap company 12 months ago and proved himself a genuine top-class performer when claiming the notable scalp of Chacun Pour Soi on his latest appearance, at Leopardstown in December.

Altior, Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil remain on course for a fascinating clash at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday, after the trio featured among 11 horses confirmed for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained Altior is bidding to become only the second three-time winner of the two-mile showpiece, after Badsworth Boy racked up a hat-trick in the 1980s. However, despite having suffered just one defeat in 21 starts over jumps, the 10-year-old is unlikely to have things all his own way on his return to the Cotswolds, with two formidable rivals taking him on. Defi Du Seuil has been the star of the division in Britain so far this term, winning each of his three starts for trainer Philip Hobbs and owner JP McManus, including the Tingle Creek at Sandown and the Clarence House at Ascot. The lightly-raced Chacun Pour Soi beat Defi Du Seuil at the Punchestown Festival – and while he suffered a surprise defeat on his return to action at Leopardstown

Gordon Elliott has said “there’s every possibility” Envoi Allen could contest the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival rather than lining up on day two. The six-year-old has dominated the market for the two-mile-five-furlong Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on the second afternoon of action, but testing ground could prompt Elliott to rethink his plan and drop back to two miles instead. Envoi Allen won the Champion Bumper at the meeting last year and he arrives unbeaten in seven starts, including three over hurdles this term. Having won at Grade One level over two miles as well as two and a half, Elliott would have no qualms about switching back in distance. Speaking at a Betfair preview on Thursday evening, Elliott said: “There’s every possibility I’ll switch him back to the Supreme Novice. “I’ve been speaking to (trainer) Olly Murphy over the last few days, he doesn’t live that far from Cheltenham and he says it hasn’t stopped raining. We g

Cards Tomorrow's Cards Top Offers Ante-Post ATR App Replays Market Movers More Cheltenham banker Russell in Festival mood again Top jockey bidding to add to 22 winners at showpiece meeting. Thursday 05 March  2020 News Share this         ladbrokes Get £20 in free bets If a poll was taken on the best riders at Cheltenham over the past couple of decades, Davy Russell would surely be somewhere near the top of the list. It is remarkable to think the former leading point-to-point rider did not even turn professional until the autumn of 2002, after the then 23-year-old was plucked from relatively obscurity by the late Ferdy Murphy to become his stable jockey in the north of England. While that spell did not last much more than a year, the pair remained on good terms, with Murphy later providing Russell with a couple of Festival successes through Joes Edge and Naiad Du Misselot. Russell’s first Cheltenham triumph came aboard th

When See More Business gave Paul Nicholls his first Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph in 1999, Harry Cobden had not even had his first birthday. Fast forward to the present day, and the 21-year-old will bid to give the 11-time champion trainer a record-equalling fifth victory in the blue riband aboard dual King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux. While Cobden may be too young to remember See More Business first time round, he is well aware of his achievements and the impact his Gold Cup win had on helping to shape the Ditcheat trainer’s career. Cobden said: “I wasn’t even one when See More Business won the Gold Cup, so I can’t remember any of it at all! “I don’t think I’ve ever watched his race fully, though that is not to say that I may have caught a glimpse of it somewhere. “Obviously See More Business was a phenomenal horse and one that really put Paul firmly on the map to help him get to the position he is in today.” Like See More Business, Clan Des Obeaux will be bidd

Being crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival requires the backing of a strong team – and after lifting last year’s title, Nico de Boinville looks perfectly poised to challenge for the coveted prize again. As number one to five-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson, the 30-year-old has a host of big rides to look forward to – headed by none other than Altior, who will be seeking a record-equalling third victory in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Having seen his unbeaten record over jumps ended by Cyrname at Ascot in November, the Patricia Pugh-owned 10-year-old looked like his old self reverting back to two miles with a third straight victory in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month. De Boinville said: “Altior’s season has been well documented in the press. What he did last time was show signs of his old self returning. “The way he put it to bed in the end was typical Altior. People expect him to be winning these races by huge distances, but he never a

Hopes of next week's Cheltenham Festival going ahead as scheduled received a boost on Tuesday as Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed no current plans to cancel mass events, despite the ongoing threat of coronavirus. The Government has set out a 'battle plan' in response to Covid-19, with a 27-page document released amid widespread concerns about the impact the virus will have on people's well-being, the economy and public services. Launching the plan at a Downing Street press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had "no doubt at all" that the "country is going to get through coronavirus, and get through it in good shape".

David Pipe believes Ramses De Teillee ticks plenty of boxes ahead of his Grade One debut in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The talented chaser – who holds an entry in next month’s Randox Health Grand National at Aintree – will look to maintain his unbeaten record over hurdles this season by giving Pipe a first victory in the three-mile contest. Although beaten on his sole start over fences this season, Ramses De Teillee has thrived over hurdles, backing up his triumphant return at Cheltenham in October with Grade Two wins at Doncaster and Haydock. Pipe said: “We were always going to take advantage of his novice hurdle status at some point, but we could never have dreamt it would have worked out this well. “We tweaked his wind after he was beaten over fences and he seemed to come back an even better horse, as they were good performances at Haydock and Doncaster. “He doesn’t mind the big occasion, he jumps and stays well and he is rated 15

Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo showed his well-being ahead of the defence of his crown in a schooling session after racing at Navan on Tuesday. Al Boum Photo, ridden by his big-race partner Paul Townend, pleased trainer Willie Mullins in the racecourse workout. He was in a group of four along with stablemates Kemboy, ridden by Patrick Mullins, Duc Des Genievres (Robbie Power) and Melon (Danny Mullins). “I’m very happy with how they all jumped,” said Mullins. “In the first group we had Kemboy, Al Boum jumped very well, Duc Des Genievres and Melon. “We put cheekpieces on Melon and I think they sharpened up his jumping nicely. “We just went for a circuit, it wasn’t fast work as it was just jumping I wanted to get into them. I was happy.” In a second group, Allaho led fellow Festival hopefuls Carefully Selected and Billaway. “I was very happy with how they all jumped and galloped,” said Mullins. “At the moment my preferred option is the RSA with Allaho.

Last year’s Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell believes big improver Darver Star has a lot of the attributes needed for the race he landed 12 months ago with the ill-fated Espoir D’Allen. This time last year Darver Star had yet to win over hurdles, but heads to Cheltenham having won four of his last six races and recorded a running-on second in the Irish Champion Hurdle, half a length behind Honeysuckle who runs in the Mares’ Hurdle. As a result he is now a shorter price in the betting than Espoir D’Allen was when he delivered Cromwell’s first Festival success in capturing the Champion Hurdle by 15 lengths at 16-1 for the widest winning margin in the race’s history. “In the real world if you’d said to me this time last year that Darver Star would be running at a Cheltenham Festival, I would say you were bonkers, let alone running in a Champion Hurdle with what I consider would be a good place chance,” said Cromwell. “He has improved 48lb from 104 to 152. He only

Henry de Bromhead has confirmed his unbeaten mare Honeysuckle will contest the Close Brothers Hurdle at next week's Cheltenham Festival, rather than the Unibet Champion Hurdle on the same afternoon. The Kenneth Alexander-owned six-year-old claimed her seventh victory from as many starts with a battling display in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, after which connections were keen to keep their options open regarding her Festival target. Honeysuckle was as short as 4-1 to beat the boys in the Champion Hurdle next Tuesday.