Festival Focus: The Arkle

Sprinting to the Finish
- Arkle favourite Sprinter Sacre

With the Cheltenham Festival now just a mere two weeks away, it’s time for another instalment of Festival Focus and in the wake of Paddy Power’s announcement that they would be offering the quite astounding concession of money back if Sprinter Sacre wins it seems only fitting to cast an eye over the market for the second race of the festival, The Arkle.

Named after possibly the greatest racehorse to ever jump a fence, the Arkle is a 2 mile speed test for novice chasers and is usually run at a blistering pace.

Winners of the race have a fantastic record of following up a year later in the Queen Mother Champion Chase – as reigning champ Sizing Europe did last year after winning the Arkle in 2010 – so the importance of this race can not be undersold.

With such an exciting crop of novice chasers this season, the 2012 Arkle has always looked like being one to savour, but with the recent exploits of the aforementioned Sprinter Sacre it has rapidly become one of the most hotly anticipated races at the festival.

Sprinter Sacre was good over hurdles, losing just twice - one of said defeats was at the festival when third in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle behind Al Ferof – but he’s been even better over fences.

He built on an easy debut over larger obstacles at Doncaster by comprehensively accounting for Peddlers Cross at Kempton over the festive period, although excuses can seemingly be made for Peddlers Cross that day it was a performance by Sprinter Sacre that catapulted him to the forefront of the betting for the Arkle and he has been there ever since.

Union Rags Wins Fountain of Youth Stakes

Union Rags was dominant as he
landed the Fountain of Youth Stakes
at Gulfstream Park Sunday

Kentucky Derby favourite Union Rags was in action at Gulfstream on Sunday in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

It was his first run since a very unlucky second to Hansen in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile back in November in which he covered about 77ft more than the winner during the race and went down by the shortest of distances.

The Grade 2 Fountain of Youth had been billed as a showdown between Union Rags and another leading Kentucky Derby hope Algorithms, the morning line favourite for the race; however the unbeaten Algorithms was an 11th hour scratching after reportedly injuring a splint bone in his right front leg.

Union Rags still didn’t go off favourite though, with Algorithms' trainer Todd Pletcher’s other horse Discreet Dancer – also unbeaten – getting that honour.

As the race unfolded though the 6-5 that Union Rags was allowed to go off at looked a steal as he cruised past the pace-setting Discreet Dancer after being sent after him on the far turn to score by 4 lengths from News Pending, with Discreet Dancer fading in to a well beaten third.

The manner of Union Rags victory was impressive to say the least, winning under a hands and heels ride from new jockey Julien Leparoux. In a cruel twist, regular jockey Javier Castellano had earlier elected to ride the scratched Algorithms rather than the winner.

After the race Union Rags’ trainer Michael Matz, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2006 with Barbaro, indicated that the $1million Florida Derby (won last year by Dialed In) on 31st March will likely be next on the agenda for his hugely talented colt before a tilt at the Louisville classic in May.

Union Rags is has come in to 4.1 on Betfair now for the Kentucky Derby having previously been around the 10.0 mark, while Timeform have raised his rating from 123 to 124 putting him 6lb and more ahead of his likely rivals for the Derby.

I fancied this horse for the Kentucky Derby after the Breeder’s Cup last year and this dominant performance has cemented those sentiments. Union Rags certainly looks a force to be reckoned with after kicking off his three-year-old campaign in such an eye-catching way.

Minsk Set For Hurdling Debut

I Love Belarus!
- Minsk breaking his maiden at
The Curragh last June

One of the biggest hype horses around at the moment, Minsk, is set to finally make his hurdling debut this Saturday in the Grade 2 Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle (1.55) at Fairyhouse.

Formerly with John Oxx on the flat, the Dessie Hughes trained four-year-old is a general 6/1 shot for the Triumph Hurdle, making him co-favourite in most quarters with Sadlers Risk; and all this is in spite of the horse having not yet jumped a hurdle in public!

In his last run on the flat, Minsk put up an impressive display to land the Irish Cesarewitch and owner Barry Connell apparently plans to switch the horse back to Oxx after the Triumph for a tilt at the Melbourne Cup later this year.

This certainly seems to suggest that connections think they have something special on their hands. Reports from the yard have been positive as well with Minsk reported to have schooled very well as his Cheltenham preparations are stepped up.

Thrusting him in to a Grade 2 for his start over timber also indicates the high regard this horse is held in, but it won’t be a walk in the park going up against the likes of Bat Masterson, One Cool Shabra, Midnight Oil and Ut De Sivola.

One thing is for sure though, Minsk certainly has a lot of people excited (myself included) and if he wins like he’s clearly expected to here then you can guarantee his Triumph Hurdle price will be a lot shorter than 6/1 come 2pm on Saturday.

Newbury, Grand National Weights, Ascot Chase, Grand National Trial - The Big Punt

Riverside Theatre
- Ascot Chase Favourite

The latest edition of The Big Punt podcast is now available for download.

Join Sam and me as we discuss the rearranged 'Super Saturday' card (now taking place on a Friday) at Newbury, the Grand National trial at Haydock, the Ascot Chase featuring the return of Riverside Theatre and the big story of the week - The Grand National weights.

You can download the podcast HERE

Festival Focus: Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Too hot to handle?
Cinders And Ashes is a leading fancy for the
Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham

The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is the Cheltenham Festival’s curtain raiser and is usually accompanied by that famous roar that signals the beginning of the week’s festivities.

For the past couple of renewals we’ve had red hot favourites in Dunguib & Cue Card, both of whom have been beaten, so in that sense the race is one of the more unpredictable of the week and to make matters worse this year’s renewal looks more wide open than ever.

Al Ferof sprung what some would call a surprise last year, but if you look at him now – Timeform’s highest rated novice of the season – it is hard to imagine he was allowed to go off at the price he started at.

It just goes to show how a horse can seemingly come from nowhere in the Supreme Novices’ and go on to become a superstar and future champion.

This year’s race will surely be no different and there are already several horses entered that are being touted as the next big thing.

Grand National 2012 Weights Announced

Ballabriggs & Jason Maguire winning
last year's Grand National

As a Valentine’s Day gift the weights for this year’s Grand National have been announced today.

First won in 1839 by a horse called Lottery, many people view the race as just that, but increasingly the race is starting to attract better and better horses and it is the best handicapped horses that generally come out on top.

This is why the weights announcement has become such a huge news story, and this year is no exception with the internet buzzing for much of the day about this year’s weights.

Here is the full list of entries along with their age and allotted weight for the world’s most famous horse race, as announced earlier today.

Top 5 Denman Races - What Culture

You've probably already read it by now, but my Top 5 Denman Races feature is getting an airing over at What Culture this week in the lead up to the race names in The Tank's honour this Saturday, The Betfair Denman Chase.

You can find the feature by clicking the link below, so click through, share, like and comment and spread the word about one of the greatest race horses of all time.

Top 5 Denman Races

Grand National, Cheltenham, Ffos Las & Superbowl - The Big Punt

Will Kelly Clarkson's
stomach make an
appearance this
Sunday!?

The latest instalment of The Big Punt podcast is available for download.

Join Sam and me as we talk Cheltenham, the Grand National, this weekend’s Racing from (fingers crossed) Ffos Las and Punchestown, what could have been at Sandown (now sadly off due to the big freeze) and the Superbowl, including a few special bets and an analysis of Kelly Clarkson’s abdomen and the likelihood of it making an appearance this weekend (it’ll make sense in context!)

You can download the twentieth edition of The Big Punt HERE