Albeit from the sofas in their living rooms, punters and racing fans witnessed an historic Cheltenham Festival this year, an event that wrote stories pinning the eyes of the nation on the sport of horse racing. Withdrawals from betting apps and the buzz of watching Rachael Blackmore secure yet another victory have people across the […]
Horse Racing
OPINION: Cheltenham Festival Prestbury Cup – Why Britain Are So Far Behind The Irish
Following the Irish rout at last week’s Cheltenham Festival, the British have been left scratching their heads as to what went so badly wrong. Rachael Blackmore alone, won more races than the entire British cohort, with the Prestbury Cup score ending with an embarrassing five British winners – while Blackmore contributed six to Ireland’s record 23 successes. Only two of the 15 Grade 1 races, over the four days, […]
Gold Cup 2021: Who is Jack Kennedy? The 21-year-old jockey who made history aboard Minella Indo at Cheltenham
Minella Indo has won the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup, ridden by Irishman Jack Kennedy. Kennedy, 21, has won four races at this year’s Festival, but the pinnacle of which was the Gold Cup for Henry de Bromhead on Friday afternoon, helping the trainer to become the first to win the Champion Chase, Hurdle and Gold […]
Gold Cup 2021: Minella Indo goes down in Cheltenham Festival legend for Henry de Bromhead
Minella Indo won the 2021 Gold Cup at Cheltenham Festival for Jack Kennedy and trainer Henry de Bromhead. The 8-year-old fought off a valiant effort from A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore to win by 1 1/4 length. Favourite and winner of the two previous Gold Cups, Al Boum Photo, never mounted a close challenge […]
Horse racing is morally questionable but it’s importance to local economy comes above that: Comment piece
Horse racing has been morally dubious at the best of times and as time goes on it partly remains a sport still in the dark ages, a time before professionalism. The questionable treatment of the horses, drug use and being a sport built around gambling, however in the name of the “greater good”, I must […]
Cheltenham Festival Day Three: Who punters should keep an eye on
Day Three of the Cheltenham Festival is building in anticipation, as fans and punters build their bets and accumulators ahead of another afternoon of excitement and drama. Firm favourites Bob Olinger and Monkfish ran to storming victories in the 13:20 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and 13:55 Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase respectively, whereas outside shots Heaven Help Us at 33/1 and Sky […]
Cheltenham Festival: How things stand in the Prestbury Cup
As the third and penultimate day of Cheltenham racing is upon us, the festival has once again proved to the world why it holds such a special place in the hearts of horse racing fans. This year’s meeting has already provided some key talking points; day one proved to be a historic one as […]
Cheltenham Festival 2021: the absence of spectatorship and its impact on the betting industry
For the first time in its 161-year history, the Cheltenham Festival has been taking place behind closed doors, with no fans allowed to attend this year due to COVID-19’s presence. A year on from last year’s race week, which was promptly followed by the first of three national lockdowns in the UK, public health has […]
Cheltenham Festival day two: Sky Pirate wins the Grand Annual Chase
Nick Schofield rode to Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase glory on Sky Pirate, beating odds-on favourite Embitterred (9/2) in the process. Rachel Blackmore, who was riding Joseph Patrick O’Brien’s horse, was unseated for the third time today only 24 hours after becoming the first-ever female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at […]
Cheltenham Festival 2021: Tiger Roll wins the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Tiger Roll has won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, his fifth success at the Cheltenham Festival. The two-time Grand National winner (9/2) made his way in front at the halfway mark, and thrashed favourite Easysland (evens) by 15 lengths. Some Neck (17/2) came third. A mistake at the eighth fence began what was a poor […]