Classic Hopes Put to the Test

Double-handed: Abdullah and Cecil

Some of the season’s leading three year olds put their Classic credentials to the test this week, headlined by champion juvenile Frankel’s attempt to make a successful seasonal reappearance in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Subject to some sensational gallop reports this winter and an emphatic winner of last season’s Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, Henry Cecil’s charge will be available to back at only very skinny odds with his biggest danger looking likely to be Richard Hannon’s Coventry Stakes victor Strong Suit.

Also among the list of entries for the Group 3 race is Frankel’s stablemate Picture Editor who could also be used as a pacemaker. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to the pair’s owner, Khalid Abdullah, said: “Frankel has a very good cruising pace but you really don’t want a crawl in any trial – the whole idea is to bring him on for a Classic and there wouldn’t be much point in running if it was just a crawl.

“Picture Editor won his maiden at Doncaster nicely and it looked quite a good race at the time. He then bolted up in a three-horse race at Leicester, which was a bit of a non-event, and he worked really well going into the Zetland Stakes but disappointed on the day.

“He has come through the winter quite well and we have quite decent hopes for him. He may well turn up on Saturday in the Greenham Stakes to ensure a good gallop for Frankel.”

Elsewhere, Native Khan has been installed as evens favourite to get back to winning ways in Thursday’s Breeze Up Vendors Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

After winning the Solario Stakes in impressive fashion last summer, Ed Dunlop’s grey colt disappointed behind Casamento in the Racing Post Trophy on ground that was considered too soft.

Dunlop said: ”He’s strengthened nicely and this is a nice starting point. It looks a strong enough race on class rather than numbers. It was a late decision to run here as he’s been working so well and we’re pleasantly surprised that the ground remains fast.”

Also in the six-strong line up is Richard Hannon’s Group 2 winner Libranno.

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Hobbs Has Champion Hurdle Hopes for Menorah

Posted by Leigh on November 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

After success at the Cheltenham Festival in the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle, Philip Hobbs has plans for his charge Menorah, hoping that he can score a victory in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on Sunday and cement his claims as a competitor for the Champion Hurdle.

Eddie Ahern hopes to be back within two weeks

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Arsenal Victory Key To Chelsea Title Hopes

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The eyes of many football fans may be tempoarily distracted by the Ryder Cup this weekend, as golf’s biggest event takes centre stage from the Celtic Manor, but for Chelsea Football Club, all involved must ensure they are fully focused on this Sunday’s crucial match at Stamford Bridge.

Despite their slip up at home to West Brom last weekend, Arsenal are without question legitimate contenders for the 2010-11 Barclays Premier League title. After falling just short last season, the Gunners have added real quality in the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh to their squad and with influential captain Cesc Fabregas posied to return, it will be a huge test of Chelsea’s title credentials on Sunday.

As impressive as the start made by those in chelsea shirts was – the Blues won their opening five games with a goal difference of plus twenty – it could ultimately count for nothing if Arsenal head home to watch the closing stages of the Ryder Cup with three points under their belt.

Should that happen and Manchester United win at Sunderland the previous day, Chelsea would be top of the table only on goal difference and the emphatic nature of their opening victories would count for almost nothing.  The Blues must therefore ensure that they are on the top of their game and ensure that no slip up takes place.

My feeling is that Chelsea will win the game as the players will feel they have a point to prove. They didn’t get the respect their early form deserved with critics proclaiming that they “hadn’t been tested yet”, an accusation which was further supported with last weekends loss to Manchester City. In truth, it was a very poor performance with too many players not showing what they are capable of.

Worryingly for Arsenal, one such player was Didier Drogba. The last thing Arsene Wenger will be wanting is a fired up Ivorian with a point to prove as the Gunners have simply been unable to handle the hitman. I would back Drogba to score a double in a 3-1 Chelsea victory, a result which would see Arsenal fall 7 points behind their title rivals.

With the players then heading off on international duty with the Euro 2012 qualifiers taking centre stage, this would be a huge psychological strike in the title race. Arsenal would be no means out of the title race, but the early season optimism would be well and truly knocked out of them and it would take a lot of mental strength for them to haul themselves back into the mix.

Written by Colin Hill, a sports writer who blogs about new football shirts.

AUSTRALIA: Hay List team confirm Royal Ascot hopes

Greyhound news  TOP STORIES Fear Zafonic bids to emulate the Hawk Titan's best in Swindon's Pride Of The WestGio continues fantastic run to take Puppy CupInjured Big Mike misses Laurels engagementJolly Poacher fastest as Laurels heats kick offRead Full News Service Search News Archive

FRANCE: Aga Khan's Arc hopes come through trials well

Sarafina: Arc still an objective after Vermeille second

  PICTURE: APRH  Aga Khan's Arc hopes come through trials well By Desmond Stoneham 7:41PM 13 SEP 2010 ARC hope Sarafina, who had to overcome an outside draw to finish a length and a quarter behind Midday in the Prix Vermeille, was reported to be in good shape on Monday after her first start in three months and first attempt at 1m4f and against older fillies.

RELATED LINKS Arc betting  Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said of the Aga Khan's filly:

"All is impeccable and she didn't have a hard  race. I don't think the distance was a problem and the Arc de Triomphe still remains an objective.  She acted on the soft ground but we wouldn't want it too heavy."

Of the three trials on Sunday's card the 2008 champion trainer said. "I was most impressed with the colts (Behkabad and Planteur) in the Prix Niel. Theyran the fastest time of the three races over the full Arc distance."   

Arc favourite Behkabad, who beat Planteur by a head in the Prix Niel, was reported to have come out of the race well by trainer Jean-Claude Rouget on Monday.

The Pau-based trainer has yet to win an Arc de Triomphe and a good run by Behkabad could make Rouget champion trainer for the second year running.

Andre Fabre is just €400,000 ahead in the table and he will rely on the Prix Vermeille runner-up Plumania to boost his winnings in the €2.2m Arc.

The Aga Khan's first jockey Christophe Lemaire will have the difficult job of choosing between Behkabad, who is unbeaten in three races at Longchamp, and Sarafina.  Gerald Mosse is likely to be on board his discard.

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Hannon Sets Moyglare Hopes on Memory

Posted by Leigh on August 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Memory, the stellar charge of Richard Hannon’s, will place her undefeated tally on the line in on Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.