Bruised McCoy plans to rest until weekend

REPRODUCED COURTESY OF THE RACING POST

TONY McCOY will not ride again until the weekend at the earliest in a bid to be fully fit for the start of the Crabbie’s Grand National meeting in nine days’ time.

Speaking at Towcester on Monday, McCoy indicated the bruising he sustained in a fall at the Cheltenham Festival almost two weeks ago was still troubling him.

McCoy took a couple of days off after Cheltenham and has ridden winners since, including posting his 200th success of the season on Palermo Don at Haydock six days ago.

However, after drawing a blank at Towcester the champion was still feeling sore and was strongly advised by jockeys’ doctor Philip Pritchard to take the rest of the week off.

McCoy said: “Dr Pritchard has been treating me for the bruising and told me that continuing riding at the moment was only aggravating the bruising and that I definitely needed to give it a bit more time to settle down.

“I’m still getting a lot of pain at times and feel very sore, so I’m now resigned to having the rest of the week on the easy list. I hope to be back by the weekend.”

McCoy will be crowned champion for the 19th time at the end of the season in just over a month and wants to be fit and well for the busy end-of-season schedule.

He said: “It’s important I’m at the top of my game for Aintree, so taking a break seems the sensible option as I don’t want to be letting anyone down.”

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Premier Information: Done in bid to resurrect racing at Great Leighs

Good to see that the Great Leighs race track may eventually get going. We reproduce the article below courtesy of the Racing Post.

BETFRED owner Fred Done is at the heart of a new attempt to resurrect the racecourse at Great Leighs.


Done, along with SIS and Bet Solutions International, the parent company of the course's betting partner Betsi Ltd, has formed a company that has taken on the Essex track.


The new owners, who hope to rename the course Chelmsford City Racecourse subject to permission, expect to be ready in time to enter the BHA's fixture application process for 2015 in the new year.

There is no grandstand at the track but planning permission in place, while the Polytrack surface is said to be in extremely good condition.


The new owners plan to offer at least £42,000 in prize-money per fixture, with some meetings offering more.

Betfred's director of racing Joe Scanlon has been appointed as racecourse chairman. He said: “I’m delighted that a new joint venture company has acquired the assets of Great Leighs and I look forward to working with our partners.


“The track is ideally placed for Newmarket’s training centre, while the surrounding area has a total catchment in excess of three million people.


“This is an exciting challenge and represents a significant investment. Working closely with the BHA we intend to deliver a high class programme of racing which can only be to the benefit of everyone involved in our wonderful sport.”


The news is the latest twist in the remarkable story of Great Leighs which became Britain's first new racecourse for 81 years when it opened in April 2008 but closed in January 2009 after it was announced the companies owning the racecourse had been put into administration.





The track has remained closed ever since despite the efforts of previous owners MC Racetracks, who had two subsequent applications for fixtures declined by the BHA.

MC Racetracks is no longer involved and the new owners said that neither is the course's founder and former owner John Holmes, who was last week arrested along with his partner Jill Turner and a second man over allegations of involvement in a £2.4 million VAT fraud.

All three have been released and bailed to report to their local police station on March 5 and 6 next year. They have not been charged and they deny the allegations.


If you would like to read more articles such as the one above, you can read up to date news on our Premier Information website, along with looking at some of the other blogs in the industry such as Brians Betting.

Premier Information: King George Entries

With the jumps season moving forward it was interesting to see the current contenders for the King George for Boxing Day.  

 

Below, courtesy of the Racing Post, you can read about the leading players.

 

LONG RUN, winner of two of the last three editions of the William Hill King George VI Chase, and last year's runner-upCaptain Chris top a high-class list of 30 entries for the Christmas highlight.

Paul Nicholls, who sent out Kauto Star to win a record five runnings of the King George, has Al Ferof, Rolling Aces,Silviniaco Conti and Tidal Bay engaged while Long Run's trainer Nicky Henderson has also entered Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth, Captain Conan, Finian's Rainbow and Riverside Theatre.

Willie Mullins, who won the King George with Florida Pearl in 2001, has Sir Des Champs and Prince De Beauchene in the field while Lord Windermere, Mount Benbulben, Flemenstar,Argocat, Rubi Light and Roi Du Mee have also been entered from Ireland.

Katenko is one of two entries in the King George for trainer Venetia Williams, along with Houblon Des Obeaux, and he has been cut to 14-1 (from 20) by Betfred for the Paddy Power Gold Cup next Saturday after being allotted 11st6lb on Wednesday.

Top weight of 11st12lb is Finian's Rainbow, while recent Old Roan Chase winner Conquisto is on 11st3lb.

Conquisto's trainer Steve Gollings said on Wednesday: "Conquisto has come out of the Old Roan 100 per cent and I could not be happier with him.

"He is in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but nothing is certain yet. We will assess the race at the next stage and take it from there, but other possibilities include the Amlin Chase at Ascot and the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon. It's exciting stuff."

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Premier Information: National Hunt Horses

National Hunt racing is an extreme test of basic physical qualities in a horse – soundness, endurance and durability.  Although speed and jumping ability are essential requirements of any winning performance, these talents will never be fully realised unless a horse has the ability to withstand the constant rigours inherent in this code of racing.

The ever present unpredictable element posed in a race by obstacles and injury conspires to make National Hunt racing a powerful leveller of horses and men.   This ensures it retains its original sporting flavour, attracting many supporters, owners, etc, from farming and country communities where there is an appreciation of the difficulties, uncertainties and patience required to bring a National Hunt horse to full racing maturity.   Many successful National Hunt horses have bred and reared by their owners, whose sympathetic interest and involvement have made certain the horse has been given unhurried consideration to establish a racing career.   Success emanating from such an approach cannot be simply bought, and this aspect of the National Hunt horse has less attraction for the sometimes business-minded Flat race owner who looks for a faster return on investment.

Whilst the racing life of a flat racehorse may be short, The National Hunt horse avoiding serious injury can expect five or six seasons, involving a two part career.   First as a hurdler and then as a chaser.

The length of time a horse spends as a hurdler or chaser will be determined by the age at which it embarked on a National Hunt career and what was considered initially as its possible forte.   A hurdler is considered to be at its peak at six or seven years of age and a chaser is thought normally to be at the height of its powers at nine or ten years of age.

We will continue to look at National Hunt horses in the next part of this article which will appear here soon.

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Premier Information: Overview of British Horseracing

Controlling Bodies

Although it is hard to pin down exactly when horses may first raced each other we can date racing’s governance in the UK back to as early as 1750 when the Jockey Club was formed. Although there have been recorded races (1174 in London being the first one) before this point it is hard to know too much about what exactly took place. The Jockey Club governed racing up until 1993 before handing over to the BHB (British Horseracing Board). The BHB stood as the governing body until merging with the HRA (Horse Racing Authority) in 2007 to create the BHA (British Horseracing Authority). The Jockey Club now runs 14 of the UK’s racecourses, in addition to Jockey Club Estates and the National Stud.

Britain’s Racecourses

There are currently 60 licensed racecourses in Britain with Chester (opened 16th Century) being the oldest and Ffos Las (opened 2009) being the newest. It is the eccentricities of these individual racecourses which make British racing so appealing. No track can be likened to another, something which cannot be said of American tracks which are all left handed and flat. Racing UK covers action from 30 British racecourses.

The Classics

There are five Classic races in Britain: the 1000 Guineas (first run 1814), the 2000 Guineas (first run 1809), the Oaks (first run 1779), the Derby (first run 1780) and the St Leger (first run 1776). Winners of these races can be guaranteed that their names will be etched into the history of racing beyond their racing days. Indeed many of the winners of Classic races go on to stamp their quality and class on their offspring when they retire to the paddocks. The most prolific classic winning stallion of the modern day is undoubtedly Galileo (2001 Derby Winner) whose progeny have been nothing short of phenomenal.

Trainers

British Racing is steeped with trainers who have dominated racing on both UK shores and further afield. Present-day trainers such as Sir Henry Cecil, Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Hannon currently hold the mantle as being amongst the elite trainers of their generation. In fact, Sir Henry Cecil has an astonishing 25 classic victories to his name along with 73 Royal Ascot wins.

Jockeys

Ask any modern day racegoer to name a jockey and it is likely that the first name to roll off their tongue will be Frankie Dettori. This is because Frankie has been the one jockey to put racing in the spotlight on a continuous basis, as a result of his huge talent and even bigger personality. Tony McCoy has done a similar thing for Jumps racing although his talent has done the talking more than anything. These are just two great jockeys who are following in the footsteps of previous great such as Sir Gordon Richards, Fred Archer and more recently Lester Piggott.

Owners

Racing was ruled by aristocracy from the start with many large owners being wealthy landowners. While racing’s British aristocrats are still hugely involved in the game there is a broader number of owners than what there was centuries ago. The two ‘mega-powers’ of the game in the current day are John Magnier’s Coolmore operation and Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation. These highflying owners follow on from previous greats such as the Duke of Portland, HH Aga Khan III, Sir Victor Sassoon and Robert Sangster. Both men run huge operations with horses on the track and horses in paddocks with a view to breeding future superstars. Whilst owners and families come and go, it is safe to say that these two men are in it for the long haul and their legacies will have an impact on future generations of equine thoroughbreds.


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Premier Information: Best Odds Guaranteed

Getting the best possible deal from the bookmaker.

BEST ODDS GUARANTEED

In such a competitive market bookmakers will provide a plethora of incentives to gain punters custom and Best Odds Guaranteed is a terrific allurement.

Bookmakers will allow you to take the price of your selection and if the starting price is bigger than the price you have taking when staking your bet they will pay out at the bigger odds.

If you take the price and the starting price is shorter you will still gain the odds you bet your selection at, and so Best Odds Guaranteed nullifies any trepidation you may have when taking an early price.

Paddy Power, in particular, are one of the major bookmakers who offer Best Odds Guaranteed as they look to attract trade. Over the last few years bookmakers had only offered Best Odds Guaranteed on selected races, but Paddy Power are one of a number of bookmakers who now offer Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing.

In the betting ring punters are always looking for the best price on offer for their selection and there's always that gambling element to taking a board price. However, with the Best Odds Guaranteed service being offered by online bookmakers, that worry is quashed as you will be certain to gain the starting price if it is bigger than the one you originally took when placing the bet.

Bookmakers offering Best Odds Guaranteed at the time of writing are:

Hills, Coral, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Stan James, Paddy Power & Betfred.

Premier Information: The St Leger Festival

As with a number of race meetings in the UK, the St Leger Festival is the highlight of the social calendar in Doncaster and a source of immense pride for Yorkshire.  The four day festival is run every September starting on a Wednesday and culminating on Saturday with the big one itself – the St Leger Stakes.  The ‘Leger’ is the last of five classics in the British racing calendar and the oldest classic of them all having been run since 1776.  Famous winners of the Leger include household names Nijinsky, Ribero, Dunfermline, Nedawi and of course, in 1985, Oh So Sharp who was the only filly to win the fillies’ Triple Crown.

Other hugely important races on the card include the Park Hill Stakes, a Group Two race for fillies and mares and the equally important Doncaster Cup over the long trip of two-and-a-quarter miles.  The Portland Handicap is another big betting race attracting interest from all around the country.  Tremendous hospitality and great entertainment are offered by Doncaster Racecourse to make the experience of the St Leger a memorable one.

Racing highlights on day one include the Listed Scarborough Stakes, run over a flying five furlongs, and the Leger Legends race.  Run over the trip of one mile, the Leger Legends Classified Stakes was introduced in 2010 and has become immensely popular with race goers, backers and the racing media.  This is a truly unique race in as much as it is for ex-professional jockeys and run for charity.

Day Two (Thursday) is Ladies’ Day and quite a spectacle if the Yorkshire sun is shining! Appropriately enough, the two racing highlights of this day are for the females, namely the Park Hill Stakes and the Sceptre Stakes.  The Sceptre is a Group Three run over seven furlongs while the Park Hill is an important Group Two race run over the St Leger distance of a mile and three quarters.

Friday is an important day on the racing calendar with three Group Two’s and a Listed race on the card.  The Listed race is the Flying Scotsman Stakes (seven furlongs) while the Group Two’s start with the fast five furlong Flying Childers Stakes for the two-year-olds.  The Doncaster Cup and the May Hill Stakes make up that line-up.

Saturday is of course the big day featuring the main event itself, the St Leger Stakes.  Although the Group Two Champagne Stakes and Park Stakes are quality races in their own right, it is all about the St Leger here.  Naturally a rich event with well over £500,000 in the purse, the St Leger can provide an opportunity for a horse to win the much coveted ‘Triple Crown’ of British horse racing should a horse have already taken the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby.  Big betting event the Portland Handicap is run on the final day also.

Tickets are at a premium for the St Leger Festival but with a capacity of 50,000 on ‘Town Moor’ there is always a very special atmosphere.

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Premier Information: Live Horse Racing

Many of those who in joining Premier Information find themselves betting and taking an interest in racing for the first time want to watch the races they find themselves involved with.   This article explains that in this day and age, coverage is very extensive.

Never has horse racing been so accessible for the armchair viewer as racing from all over the UK & Ireland is available from two dedicated horse racing channels.

Before the introduction of At The Races and Racing UK the only live action you would see would come from Channel Four Racing and BBC, generally on a Saturday afternoon, whilst RTE would provide Ireland with live coverage of some of the major meetings in Ireland and the UK.

Even though the two terrestrial channels still show action on weekends, with Channel Four still providing racing every Saturday afternoon and the BBC broadcasting the major meetings like Royal Ascot and the Grand National it is the emergence of the subscription channels who have enhanced racing's accessibility.

Both channels give viewers up-to-the minute analysis before and after the racing with both offering an array of additional programmes, to both inform and entertain the general public.

Before the racing even gets underway both Racing UK and At The Races have aired some informative shows which utilise various pundits and gives the viewer a better insight into the day's racing ahead.
No race is too small for the channels and they treat a seller from Market Rasen with the same respect as a Group One from Newmarket.  With knowledgeable presenters giving their views along with the occasional controversial thought adding an edge to a programme, both Racing UK and At The Races have improved racing coverage no end.

At The Races in particular, have enhanced the reputation of Irish racing, as they cover all 26 racecourses in their live coverage.  Before, Irish racing was never really shown in the UK but ATR's coverage has now opened the racing viewer's spectrum and has allowed the punter out there to watch their flutter.

Bookmakers have also recently offered the facility of watching live racing online as they look to entice customers.  Paddy Power for instance, offers customers the chance to watch any race live in UK & Ireland as long as they stake a £1 bet on that specific race.  So, you don't have to hold a subscription to the aforementioned TV channels, you can just place a small bet and watch your chosen race online.

Premier Information - British Racing’s Commitment to the Welfare of Racehorses

I do not know of anyone in horseracing who does not love horses. These horses deserve the best attention and care as they give their all for our sport. Horses love to run and with only a few exceptions enjoy racing.

The following article (courtesy of the BHA) explains the commitment of the racing industry to the care and welfare of horses.

Everyone in the sport - racecourses, trainers, owners, breeders, stable staff, jockeys, administrators, officials and veterinary professionals - is committed to, and has a role in, ensuring and enhancing horse welfare.

The British Horseracing Authority is the governing body of the sport and - through the Rules of Racing and its licensing and inspection of participants, education, training and monitoring - ensures horse welfare, including compliance with UK Animal Welfare legislation.

Some risk to horses is inherent in the sport, as it is to differing degrees in the life of a horse in any environment, but we recognise our responsibility to care for our horses and reduce unnecessary risks. Horseracing has close and constructive relationships with animal welfare organisations, such as the RSPCA, SSPCA, World Horse Welfare and Retraining of Racehorses, and works with these and other groups to understand and reduce risk.

Horseracing’s welfare initiatives focus on the following:

Care – those involved in horseracing have every incentive for horses to race to the best of their ability, so wish to see them well cared for from before they enter racing, throughout their careers in the sport and beyond. Breeders and the sales industry also have every interest in the welfare of horses.

In training, and on racecourses, the horses are in the care of experienced horsemen and women whether licensed trainers, stable staff or jockeys. Expert veterinary care is always available. Horses are reviewed before racing by one of the Authority’s Veterinary Surgeons and medication controls ensure they do not race under the effect of any drugs.

When a horse retires from racing there are many avenues open to them, and the Industry supports and monitors the work of trainers and owners, and organisations such as Retraining of Racehorses to assist with finding new homes and careers for horses.

Surface – all courses are licensed annually by the Authority and work with the Authority’s trained and experienced Inspectors of Courses and independent agronomists to provide the best and safest racing surfaces, to minimise the risk of injury, and to encourage owners and trainers to run their horses.

Courses are limited in the use of their turf, and racing on hard ground is not permitted in jump racing. Trainers also have every incentive to provide safe training grounds and all recognise their duty of care to their horses.

The Authority provides specific annual reports and statistics on ground conditions and casualties at every course, and inspects trainers’ facilities and provides advice to enable trainers to meet licensing criteria.

Obstacles – all racecourse obstacles are designed in line with the specifications of General Instructions, agreed in liaison with the Authority’s Inspectors of Courses, and both hurdles and fences are regularly renewed and reviewed.

The BHA collates statistics of fallers and casualties from each race meeting, including Point to Points, and reports to racecourses to assist them in identifying and improving any individual obstacles which may pose a problem. Racecourses invest substantially to improve horse safety.

To underpin these, and other, industry horse welfare initiatives and the Authority’s regulation, horseracing provides assistance and support for numerous research projects designed to improve racehorse welfare.

This includes commercially funded projects, and the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s veterinary programme which invests several million pounds every year in research projects to enhance horse health and welfare.

The Authority ensures personal confidentially and commercial competiveness is respected to encourage reporting from participants and shares appropriate data with participants, other racing authorities and research groups.

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Premier Information: Tote Betting

When placing a bet, many people stick to the “conventional” high street bookmakers and I often get asked about The Tote and how it differs to betting with the likes of Ladbrokes.

If you are not aware of how the The Tote works this article will give you an outline of it.

Since it was established in 1928 by the Government the Tote has grown in stature and with Betfred having bought the company in 2011 it will continue to blossom as an alternative for punters having a bet.

The Tote works on a pool basis, with every bet that is staked on a specific contest going into the pool. After the race has finished the money will be shared out to all those holding a winning ticket. A percentage is taken by the Tote and this has always been pumped back into horse racing.

Since its inception the Tote have continued to concoct new bets to attract custom and it has enhanced their reputation as one of the most diverse betting establishments in racing.

There are a number of unique Tote bets on offer for punters which can sometimes reap huge rewards for a very miniscule stake.

For example, heating engineer Steve Whiteley staked only £2 on the Tote Jackpot and having correctly selected all six winners won over £1million at Exeter racecourse in 2011.

So, it is unsurprising that punters get involved with betting on the Tote when there's a possibility they can win a life-changing sum money for such a small investment.

Even though the Tote Placepot is an easier bet to get right, at the major meetings when there are a lot of runners the return can also be very high. At meetings like the Cheltenham Festival or Royal Ascot, the races have ultra-competitive fields running in them with some races having over 20 runners.

So, usually the betting is wide open and many of the runners can finish in a place, even if they are huge odds and this will usually mean the win fund will enhance considerably as the big priced runners are placed.

Channel Four racing has been a Saturday afternoon tradition for years and they have teamed up with the Tote to offer the Scoop 6. A bet that can continually rollover until it's won has attracted a lot of interest from the punters as they look to pick the winner of six selected live races.

Like the jackpot the prize fund can creep up into the millions and for only a £2 stake can be life-changing money for punters who can pick all six winners.

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Premier Information: Paddock Picks!

Recently, the Racing Post featured an article on what to look for when viewing horses in the flesh just before a race.

It is a useful guide to anyone going racing and therefore, tipping our hat to the Racing Post, we have reproduced the guide below.

Why go to the paddock?

Unlike virtually any other sport, horseracing allows you the chance to get up close and personal with the athletes just minutes before they are due to perform.

The runners in the 100m final at the Olympics don't limber up right in front, allowing you to study their wellbeing as they do their final warm-up before the biggest race of their lives, but the runners in the Sussex Stakes do. And you don't have to be any sort of equine expert to get plenty out of it.

When is the best time?

Runners are invariably in the pre-parade ring 20 or so minutes ahead of a race and make it into the paddock ten or 15 minutes before the off. But on a cool day you might have a wait as some horses will not have their rugs taken off until the jockeys get mounted and you do want to see them in the flesh.

Where should I stand?

Even the sharpest elbows cannot always guarantee the ideal spot as hundreds surround the parade ring at a top meeting but the best viewing is done on a level patch of ground by the side of the paddock, so that you get the chance to see each horse approach head-on and study them from the side before they they turn a corner.

What should I look for?

You are looking for anything and everything that suggests you are watching an athlete primed to run for their life.

>> Imagine Usain Bolt stripped, ready for action and strutting round at the start - many of the things that make him look a likely winner are the same sort of things you are seeking to find in a racehorse. Like well-defined muscle tone, in the case of a horse, over its buttocks and behind the ribcage.

>> Just as a pot belly would put you off an Olympic sprinter, the  racehorse 'carrying condition' - ie. fat - may not be in top physical shape, though some horses are naturally more robust than others so may well carry a bit of condition even after a couple of runs.

>> And the aura of physical wellbeing that an athlete gives off is also seen in a horse - look for a sleek, shiny coat that positively shouts good health.

There are also negatives to look out for:

>> Such as horses sweating, getting edgy if not downright unruly or showing signs of 'greenness' - a two-year-old newcomer neighing in excitement at every gust of wind, for example, or seemingly startled as their jockey gets on board.

>> Or even getting 'coltish'. One of racing's more charming euphemisms, which describes the way a horse - invariably young, always male - gets 'excited' physically, often at the sight of a female rival.

What does it all mean?

Context is all. Ability and effectiveness to handle the trip and ground counts for plenty. I might be fit as a flea but I am still not worth a bet to beat an Usain Bolt who has been out of training for a month. And the green, unfit, coltish horse may still win.

But paddock inspection can give as big a clue as any as to how an animal is likely to perform.

Courtesy of the Racing Post.

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