Asterion Furlong and Shiskin to Clash in supreme Andrew Nelis

Shiskin and Asterion Forlonge Is Andrew Nelis top two

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, with Elixir D’Ainay and Berkshire Royal – who makes his hurdling debut – also featuring in the final field.

After confirming his star novice Envoi Allen will run in the Ballymore on Wednesday, Gordon Elliott relies on Abacadabras, while Tolworth Hurdle winner Fiddlerontheroof is a leading contender for Colin Tizzard.

Edwardstone (Alan King), Captain Guinness (Henry de Bromhead) and Soviet Pimpernel (Peter Fahey) are others of note.

Eleven runners are set to go to post for the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy, with De Bromhead’s Notebook and the Mullins-trained Cash Back renewing rivalry after finishing first and second in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown last month.

Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’Oudairies is another major hope for Ireland, while the home team includes Olly Murphy’s Brewin’upastorm, Dan Skelton’s Maire Banrigh and the Evan Williams-trained Esprit Du Large.

Kim Bailey’s Vinndication heads a field of 24 runners declared for the Ultima Handicap Chase, although that number will be reduced by one after General Principle was declared an early non-runner.

Vinndication’s rivals include Paul Nolan’s Discorama, Ben Pauling’s Kildisart and The Conditional from David Bridgwater’s yard.

Just 7lb separates the 22 contenders for the Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Henderson’s Precious Cargo and Mick Channon’s Hold The Note head the weights, with Henry Daly’s Whatmore and and the Noel Williams-trained Sensulano at the bottom. Kim Bailey’s Imperial Aura and Elliott’s Galvin are the top two in the market.

Willie and Patrick Mullins combine with hot favourite Carefully Selected in the concluding National Hunt Chase.

The eight-year-old is set to face 13 rivals, including Richard Hobson’s Lord Du Mesnil – the mount of Sam Waley-Cohen – and Elliott’s Ravenhill, who is ridden by Jamie Codd.

Epsom Derby Runners and riders 2020 Andrew Nelis

1 AMHRAN NA BHFIANN Sire : Galileo. Trainer : Aidan O’Brien. Official rating : --. Odds : 50-1 Who will add their name to the Derby roll of honour? Positives : His sister, Was, won the Oaks on her third start in 2012, while his brother, Douglas Macarthur, finished seventh in the 2017 Derby after being deployed as a pacemaker. He himself offered something to work on when fourth in a Leopardstown maiden last time, when finishing behind three stablemates who subsequently all made their presence felt in the Irish Derby. His best days are ahead of him. Negatives : Has mountain to climb on form and even his master trainer has not pulled off the trick of winning the Derby with a twice-raced maiden. Indeed, the last maiden to win the race was in 1887. Verdict : Folly to underestimate anything his trainer runs but easy enough to looks elsewhere. 2 EMISSARY Sire : Kingman. Trainer : Hugo Palmer. Official rating : 98. Odds : 33-1 ...

Brodie Hampson what a warrior a inspiration to us All. Andrew Nelis racing

When amateur jockey Brodie Hampson steps out of the weighing room to ride Only The Brave at VL Aesthetics Ladies Night at Carlisle on Monday, there will be part of her that knows she is lucky to be riding at all. Life has not been easy for the 27-year-old, who along with suffering a catalogue of serious injuries has had to deal with losing her dad Mark to cancer in May 2016 and watch her mum bravely defeat the same disease on three separate occasions. It has already been a year of ups and downs for Hampson who only returned to race riding at Beverley on Tuesday of last week, having spent the last four months on the sidelines with a broken leg sustained in a freak gallops accident in Lambourn in March. Reflecting on her latest comeback, Hampson, the fiancée of Group One-winning trainer Archie Watson, admits her most recent time spent out of the saddle nursing her right leg back to full health has been both mentally, and physically challenging. Sh...

Dday 8th june Ireland horse racing Ireland Andrew Nelis racing

Horse Racing Ireland delighted to get June 8 approval for resumption Fri 15 May 2020 Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh has expressed the sport’s gratitude after being given permission to restart action behind closed doors on June 8. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said last week that racing, as a spectator-free sport, would fall into the third phase of the Irish Government’s plan to ease lockdown restrictions, meaning a June 29 restart looked likely. However, following consultation between HRI and the Irish Government, it has been agreed racing can resume three weeks’ earlier than initially scheduled, with strict protocols in place. The last meeting to be held in Ireland before the coronavirus shutdown was at Clonmel on March 24. Kavanagh said: “We are grateful to be one of the sectors permitted to go back to work and acknowledge the responsibility on everybody in racing to ensure the events are run in a safe way. “We know...

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