- Saturday, 20 January 2024 07:44
- Written by G Edwards
Unfortunately none of the intended jumps fixtures for today have beaten the weather and we are left with just the two all-weather fixtures in Britain at Lingfield and Wolverhampton. We do have one runner on the flat as well, Kintaro at Lingfield. He makes his stable debut in the 1.25pm handicap over 1m4f and Rob Hornby rides. He is a four year old who has only had six career starts and he has shown a good level of form without winning.
- Friday, 19 January 2024 07:47
- Written by G Edwards
It is another blank day for jumps racing with both Lingfield and Market Rasen having been abandoned due to frozen conditions. We did have Ben Lilly and King Turgeon declared to run at Market Rasen but that was called off just before lunchtime yesterday, after the course had seemed fairly hopeful of racing for most of the week. We had our coldest night of the year so far on Wednesday evening at -8c at Pond House and it isn’t much warmer today! It was a lovely day however with the sun out but temperatures didn’t get to about 0c until midday and you definitely wouldn’t canter horses on the grass at present.
- Thursday, 18 January 2024 07:58
- Written by G Edwards
It is a blank day for jumps racing today with both Wincanton and Ludlow having already been called off and in Ireland Fairyhouse is also abandoned. There are two all-weather meetings at Chelmsford and Southwell but there are no runners from Pond House. The jumps card at Lingfield on Friday was called off after an 8.30am inspection yesterday and Market Rasen look later today ahead of their Friday fixture and prospects do not look that promising.
- Wednesday, 17 January 2024 07:51
- Written by G Edwards
So unfortunately the continuing low temperatures overnight are now playing their part on the jumps fixtures this week. Both Plumpton and Chepstow were called off yesterday and we were due to have Paricolor running at Newbury this afternoon but that was abandoned yesterday after an inspection at 3pm. They had the entire course covered in fleece but as I have mentioned before, the covers do a great job but only work up until a certain point. Newbury will be especially disappointed to lose this fixture as it would have been their first under the coverage of Sky Sports Racing.
- Tuesday, 16 January 2024 07:52
- Written by G Edwards
Plumpton's meeting today was abandoned early this morning before their planned inspection at 8:30am, unfortunately they had a very cold night getting down to -6. We were set to have two runners at the Sussex track, Ben Lilly and Kauto Kawai. Ben Lilly has been running consistently well this season, winning twice and placed as well. He finished fifth last time out at Doncaster, not beaten far and that was a more competitive race than this. I think this track would have suited better than last time, and I think he his better on a sharper track over this distance and he wouldn't have minded the drying ground.
- Monday, 15 January 2024 07:55
- Written by G Edwards
Hereford must pass an 8am inspection to race today because of the risk of low temperatures overnight, but fingers crossed it goes ahead and we have one runner, Ya know Yaseff who runs in the 1:37pm Handicap Chase over 3 miles and Jack Tudor rides. She has been very consistent all season and with blinkers fitted she has won two chases and been placed in all her starts. She ran a good race at Wincanton just before Christmas to be second and a repeat of that run would give her a good chance in this. I think a return to slightly better ground and a sharper track is in her favour and I hope she will not be far away. Our biggest danger could be the top weight trained by Alan King.
- Sunday, 14 January 2024 07:15
- Written by G Edwards
It is a relatively quiet day on the racing front today with just one jumps meeting at Kelso and a flat card on the all-weather at Lingfield. In Ireland they race at Punchestown and have a Grade 3 novices chase at 1.05pm and a Grade 2 novices hurdle over 2 miles at 1.35pm. There are only five runners in the hurdle race and the Willie Mullins trained Mystical Power heads the betting in the green and gold hoops of owner JP McManus.
