Horse Racing: Breaking Stories and all the Latest from Racing Post

Good ground likely at Newmarket by first race
CONDITIONS are starting to dry out at Newmarket ahead of 2,000 Guineas day with clerk of the course Michael Prosser predicting good ground is likely by the start of racing this afternoon.

Craven hero Stormy Antarctic bidding for Classic glory
NOT since 2004 has a winner of the Craven Stakes gone on to claim the 2,000 Guineas, but the market suggests Stormy Antarctic has a good chance of emulating Haafhd.

Dowling out for at least six months after horror fall
CONDITIONAL jockey Tommy Dowling will be on the sidelines for at least six months, and possibly even the whole season, after breaking his shoulder, collarbone and ribs in a fall at Fontwell on Friday evening.

Punchestown: Jer’s Girl superb in Champion Novice
AGE and sex proved no obstacle to Jer’s Girl, the youngest horse in the race and only female, as she blitzed the boys in tremendous fashion under Barry Geraghty with O O Seven and Thomas Hobson a distant second and third.

Punchestown: brilliant On The Fringe lands festival treble
ON THE FRINGE completed the Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown treble for the second consecutive year after yet another inspired ride from Nina Carberry.

Can anything beat Air Force Blue in 2,000 Guineas?
AIR FORCE BLUE’S superb rise to stardom last season was rounded off in scintillating style in the Dewhurst Stakes in October and last year’s champion two-year-old is a red-hot favourite to claim Qipco 2,000 Guineas glory on Saturday.

Vroum Vroum Mag motors to Champion Hurdle success
VROUM VROUM MAG triumphed in a thrilling conclusion to the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, beating off a late challenge from Identity Thief to remain unbeaten for trainer Willie Mullins.

Punchestown: Jer’s Girl brilliant in Champion Novice
AGE and sex proved no obstacle to Jer’s Girl, the youngest horse in the race and only female, as she blitzed the boys in tremendous fashion under Barry Geraghty with O O Seven and Thomas Hobson a distant second and third.

Trainer Paul Gilligan hit with six-month ban by BHA
TRAINER Paul Gilligan has been banned for six months by the BHA for sending a horse to race at Uttoxeter who had previously competed at an unrecognised meeting in Ireland.

Guineas heroine Legatissimo retired after setback
LEGATISSIMO will not, as planned run at four and has been retired after suffering a setback, trainer David Wachman announced a year on from her superb 1,000 Guineas triumph.

Punchestown: Tent has ‘nothing to lose’ in Vroum battle
THERE is no Annie Power for My Tent Or Yours to take on in Friday’s Betdaq Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, but another mighty mare stands in his way with Vroum Vroum Mag heading the home defence.

ABP-accredited Blue Riband Bet suspends trading
BLUE RIBAND BET, who gained authorised betting partner status with the BHA earlier in the year, have suspended trading with immediate effect.

Hong Kong: Bow Creek to return to UK after Sha Tin outing
BOW CREEK, who represents Godolphin in Sunday’s HK$14 million (£1.16m) Champions Mile at Sha Tin, will fly from Hong Kong to England the following day but is expected to bypass an entry in Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes.

Punchestown: Tent has ‘nothing to lose’ in Vroum Vroum battle
THERE is no Annie Power for My Tent Or Yours to take on in Friday’s Betdaq Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, but another mighty mare stands in his way with Vroum Vroum Mag heading the home defence.

ABP Blue Riband Bet suspends trading
BLUE RIBAND BET, who ganied Authorised Betting Partner status with the BHA earlier in the year, has suspended trading with immediate effect.

Newmarket going eases to good to soft after rain
THE GOING at Newmarket was changed from good to good to soft on Friday morning after the Rowley Mile was hit with 8mm of rain.

Punchestown: One Track Mind claims Stayers Hurdle crown
ONE TRACK MIND sprung a surprise to deliver more Grade 1 joy for Warren Greatrex and Gavin Sheehan, but there was more final flight woe for Ruby Walsh as the strong-travelling Shaneshill came down.

Punchestown: Douvan dominates again to seal Festival hat-trick
DOUVAN completed the Cheltenham-Aintree-Punchestown treble in effortless style, leading from start to finish and never looking in any danger under an ice-cool Ruby Walsh.

Punchestown preview: Four big stories on day four
AS WE come into the final days of the Punchestown festival, some of the last lingering questions of the jumps season will be answered. Here are four likely talking points on day four.

Eshtiaal needs help to gain start in Chester Cup
ESHTIAAL may be a general 8-1 second favourite for Wednesday’s Chester Cup but connections face an anxious wait to discover whetherthe six-year-old will gain a start in the race.

One Track Mind claims Stayers Hurdle crown
ONE TRACK MIND sprung a surprise to deliver more Grade 1 joy for Warren Greatrex and Gavin Sheehan, but there was more final flight woe for Ruby Walsh as the strong-travelling Shaneshill came down.

Air Force Blue heads Guineas field of 13
LONG-TIME ante-post favourite Air Force Blue will wear a tongue tie as he faces 12 rivals in Saturday’s Qipco 2,000 Guineas in his bid to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a seventh win in the race.

Alpha Des Obeaux bids for Grade 1 glory at Punchestown
MICHAEL O’LEARY would be the first to admit his true racing passion is for staying chasers, not staying hurdlers, but the Gigginstown House Stud owner has this season’s number-two long-distance hurdler – and his prospects of getting int

France: Duchene reprises warm-up role on Storm
TWO years ago Storm Of Saintly completed his preparation for what would be a victorious assault on the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris when winning the Prix Ingre under Arnaud Duchene, who was standing in for the suspended Vincent Cheminaud.

Punchestown preview: Four big stories on day three
WE ARE at the halfway stage of the Punchestown festival, and it has already provided some memorable moments, here’s what to look out for on day three.

Ascot: Mizzou lands second Sagaro Stakes success for Cumani
MIZZOU came out on top in a terrific three-way battle at Ascot with second Clever Cookie and third Flying Officer giving everything they had in attempting to stop last year’s winner scoring again.

Ascot: Gifted Master makes all for stylish Pavilion win
PURSUING Plan B may yet prove to be a very wise decision for trainer Hugo Palmer as Gifted Master won again and put himself firmly in contention for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Punchestown: Grade 1 victory for tough novice Bellshill
BELLSHILL dug deep and produced a fine jump at the final hurdle to make sure the Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh camp were back where they feel most comfortable -the winner’s enclosure.

Fresh Carlingford Lough capitalises to land Gold Cup
CARLINGFORD LOUGH came into the Punchestown Gold Cup as the freshest horse and came out as the victor, taking full advantage of skipping Fairyhouse and Aintree to win by four and a half lengths at odds of 12-1.

Punchestown: Blow By Blow holds off valiant Moon Racer
BLOW BY BLOW denied Moon Racer a victory on his first run since winning the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last year by making all of the running under jockey Katie Walsh.

Ashforth’s Angles: Two different stories for big money buys
Everybody noticed Douvan at Cheltenham on March 15 because Willie Mullins’ wonder horse won the £86,000 Grade 1 Racing Post Arkle Chase as imperiously as he has won every other race he has blessed with his presence – almost every other race.

Below-par Annie Power to miss Punchestown
ANNIE POWER will not run in Friday’s BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle, and will miss the meeting, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Mizzou masters rivals for second Sagaro success
MIZZOU came out on top in a terrific three-way battle at Ascot with second Clever Cookie and third Flying Officer giving everything they had in attempting to stop last year’s winner scoring again.

Attendances down with bad weather blamed
BAD weather has been blamed for a 12 per cent drop in attendances at Britain’s racecourses for the first three months of the year, as the Racecourse Association released the figures for the start of 2016.

Annie Power latest star to miss Punchestown festival
ANNIE POWER will not run in Friday’s BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle, and will miss the meeting, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Coral agree to pay 846,000 following investigation
GALA CORAL GROUP LTD have agreed to forfeit more than £846,000 and take steps to improve its anti-money laundering and social responsibility processes following a Gambling Commission investigation.

Punchestown: Odds-on Vautour second to God’s Own
AT AINTREE God’s Own took advantage of Vauour falling to land the Melling Chase. At Punchestown he proved he has the beating of that rival, at least at two miles, with a finely judged win under Paddy Brennan.

Cue Card in fine form for Punchestown Gold Cup
ALTHOUGH racegoers have been denied the much-anticipated rematch between Don Cossack and Cue Card, Britain’s top staying chaser still has a chance to claim to be the season’s number-one performer.

David Baxter: four two-year-olds it will pay to follow
David Baxter casts his eye over the juveniles it can pay to follow this season.

Punchestown: Zabana team gain compensation
IT WAS a case of what might of been and just compensation for Andrew Lynch and Davy Russell as Zabana, the horse who ditched his rider at the start of last month’s JLT, made light work of his rivals to land Grade 1 victory for connections.

Punchestown preview: Four big stories on day two
DAY one saw short-priced favourites who had run at Cheltenham and Aintree overturned. Will it be more of the same on day two, or will the battle-hardened Cue Card – on his sixth start this season, prove more reliable?

Whittington rocked by death of stable star Arzal
TRAINER Harry Whittington, who capped a fine campaign by saddling Arzal to win the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree this month, has been left devastated following the death of the classy six-year-old on Tuesday.

Punchestown: Don’t Touch It takes win as Yorkhill flops
YORKHILL tasted defeat for the first time and became the first short-priced favourite to blow out at the 2016 Punchestown festival, with Don’t Touch It guiding to victory by Barry Geraghty – who had a 30-day ban overturned to ride at the meeting.

Odds-on Vautour second to God’s Own at Punchestown
AT AINTREE God’s Own took advantage of Vauour falling to land the Melling Chase. At Punchestown he proved he has the beating of that rival, at least at two miles, with a finely judged win under Paddy Brennan.

Ashforth’s Angles: Grim loyalty drives my Frosty support
IT IS one of the great ‘ifs’ of history, along with “What would have happened if Napoleon/Hitler hadn’t invaded Russia?” or “What would it be like if dinosaurs weren’t extinct and ruled the world, from Ascot Heath?&quo

Hannon on weather watch for Illuminate 1,000 Guineas bid
ILLUMINATE, a general 14-1 for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, will not run if conditions are too soft, trainer Richard Hannon has warned.

Star mare Vroum Vroum Mag misses match against males
VROUM VROUM MAG will miss a clash with the boys in Thursday’s Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown after trainer Willie Mullins did not declare the Cheltenham Festival winner for the Grade 1.