Cheltenham

'We're Up Against Monsters' – Molony On Kenny Alexander's Cheltenham Squad

Peter Molony, racing manager to Kenny Alexander, says he cannot split the powerful owner's Jade De Grugy (Fr), Kargese (Fr) and previous Cheltenham Festival scorer Telmesomethinggirl (Ire) when it comes to picking the operation's best chance of a winner at Prestbury Park next week.  The Rathmore Stud boss also provided a passionate riposte to some of the criticism being levelled at the mares' races at the Cheltenham Festival by stating that their horse of a lifetime Honeysuckle (GB) may never have seen a racetrack had it not been for the...

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Davy Russell: 'Nothing Has Made Me More Nervous Than Dancing With The Stars'

Legendary jumps jockey Davy Russell says he hasn't thought about emulating Nina Carberry's achievements in flying the flag for racing by winning Ireland's version of Dancing With The Stars and revealed that riding in the Grand National or the Gold Cup does not compare to the nerves that come with competing on the show.  Russell, who bowed out from the saddle in December 2022 before briefly returning to race-riding for his long-time ally Gordon Elliott after Jack Kennedy broke his leg the following January, has heaped praise on his dancing...

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'People Started To Question Me When The Horses Weren't Running Well – That Was Tough'

Last year was a big one for John McConnell. He fulfilled a lifelong ambition when Seddon won a race at the Cheltenham festival. That bargain buy went on to win at the Punchestown festival before bringing the trainer to the American Grand National at Far Hills.  Fennor Cross was another horse to fly the flag for the stable with great distinction. Again, a cheaply-bought recruit, Fennor Cross won races at the Punchestown and Aintree festivals.  However, in what came as a bitter blow to all associated with the horse, Fennor...

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Derby Winner And Tiger Roll's Sire Authorized To Stand In Ireland Next Year

Authorized (Ire), the brilliant Derby-winning son of Montjeu (Ire) who has made his name as a leading jumps sire through the exploits of Tiger Roll (Ire), Nichols Canyon (GB) and I Am Maximus (Fr), is set to return to Ireland where he will stand at Ger O'Neill's Capital Stud in County Kilkenny.  O'Neill revealed on Thursday that a deal has been struck with the Jockey Club of Turkey, where Authorized has stood since 2020, to bring the 19-year-old back to a jurisdiction where his stock is in most demand.  Dual...

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Premier Racedays To Kick Off at Cheltenham In The New Year

Premier Racedays, an undertaking by British Racing to market and promote racing's best racedays, will launch with the New Year's Day fixture at Cheltenham, the first of some 170 such programs to be staged in 2024. Premier Racedays is part of a two-year series of changes with the aim of growing British racing by 'increasing engagement among new and existing customers, improving revenues across all areas of the industry, promoting investment in the sport through the recruitment and retention of owners, and encouraging the best horses to be bred, trained...

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Cheltenham Festival Winner Impervious Sidelined For First Half Of Season

Colm Murphy has been dealt a hammer blow with the news that his Cheltenham Festival-winning mare Impervious will miss the first half of the season at least due to injury.  A gallant winner of the Grade 2 Mrs Paddy Power Mares´ Chase at Cheltenham last season, Impervious was a general 10-1 chance to win the 2024 Ryanair Chase.  However, the JP McManus-owned daughter of Shantou has been sent back to Martinstown Stud after injuring a joint in preparation of the new season and Murphy explained that he is holding out...

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Tattersalls Cheltenham Posts Gains

The 2023 Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale, which returned this year to Cheltenham for the first time since 2019, produced a record-breaking turnover of £22,750,500, and an average price of £87,502 for the 260 horses listed as sold. Additionally, Friday's sale posted a strong clearance rate of 97%. The 4-year-old gelding I See The Sea (Ire) (Affinsea {Ire}) (lot 33), sold by Donnacha Doyle of Monbeg Stables; and 5-year-old Binge Worthy (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) (lot 13), consigned by trainer Denis Murphy's Ballyboy Stables, each brought £160,000 to lead...

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Jamie Codd Q&A: The Legendary Rider Talks All Things Cheltenham And More

   Jamie Codd is an amateur jockey in name only. One of the finest National Hunt riders that Ireland has ever produced, Codd can count 10 Cheltenham Festival winners to his name, and has strong claims of adding to his tally next week.    But it's not just about the action on the track with Codd. In his role with Tattersalls Ireland, Codd will put in many hours behind the scenes to ensure the smooth running of the Cheltenham Sale, of which Gold Cup livewire Bravemansgame and Brown Advisory Novice...

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Johnny Collins: 'I Bounce Out Of Bed Every Morning – I Love This Job'

No shortage of hard work and bundles of perseverance lie behind Johnny Collins's achievement in turning his Brown Island Stables into one of the finest nurseries of equine talent there is. It is all the more remarkable in that he achieved this with no racing background and just his own eye and pocket to get the whole thing off the ground. Competitive and ambitious, the 46-year-old counts several million euros worth of stock at his County Cork base, which is the culmination of over 15 years producing top-class horses over...

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New Irish Racing Documentary Begins On TG4 Next Week

A new four-part series of Laochra Na Rásaíochta, featuring some of Ireland's greatest National Hunt racehorses, will air for four consecutive Wednesdays at 8 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, Mar. 8, TG4 and Touchline Media announced on Tuesday. The opening episode tells the stories of Willie Mullins's three Champion Hurdle heroes--Hurricane Fly (Ire), Faugheen (Ire) and Annie Power (Ire)--and also features a segment on Quevega (Fr), the record six-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival. Contributors include Willie Mullins, Paul Townend, Ruby Walsh, David Casey, Gail Carlisle, Ted Walsh and Noel Meade....

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'Honeysuckle More Likely To Be Retired Than Run In Mares' Hurdle At Cheltenham'

   Peter Molony is best known for being the man who bought the reigning Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) on behalf of his client Kenny Alexander. He also works for Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing operation, is an agent for Goffs and has had a multitude of top horses through his hands at Rathmore Stud. That may be why the Limerick native signs off on his Twitter bio with the word 'busy'!    Son of the legendary Martin Molony, widely regarded as the best dual-purpose jockey of all time, Peter...

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Cheltenham Festival Aspirants To Sell On Goffs Online

Goffs will offer Minella Crooner (Shantou) and Music Drive (Muhtathir) for sale this week through Goffs Online. The Gordon Elliott-trained pair have the 2023 Cheltenham Festival firmly in their sights, while Minella Crooner will be sold with an entry at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Bidding will open at 11am and close at 1pm on Thursday, Dec. 22 and prospective purchasers are asked to register here no later than 12 noon on Wednesday. A 5% agents commission will be paid to the successful purchaser provided they are a registered bloodstock agent...

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