The excitement for the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational on May 11 continues to build as standout Ivory Coast sprinter Marie-José Ta Lou has been confirmed to join the star-studded lineup for this prestigious event in Kingston.
Alongside Ta Lou, other renowned athletes such as Christian Coleman, Antonio Watson, and Akeem Blake will grace the track, promising a thrilling mix of elite track and field competition and entertainment. Marvin Anderson, the Athletes Liaison, is curating an impressive list of participants that he believes will meet the high expectations for this exciting sporting event.
The Jamaica Athletics Invitational will feature a lineup of 10 track events and four field events, showcasing the talents of top athletes from around the globe. Fans can anticipate high-stakes competition and exceptional performances as athletes vie for victory on the track and in the field.
Tickets for this highly anticipated event will go on sale online starting April 22. Attendees will have the option to choose from two categories of grandstand tickets priced at $3,000 and $2,500, while entry to the bleachers will be free of charge.
The stage is set for an electrifying evening of athletics at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational, and fans are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to witness world-class athletes in action at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Roshawn Clarke, the World U20 400m hurdles record holder, is brimming with confidence as he gears up for the Velocity Fest meeting at the National Stadium in Kingston this Saturday. Clarke, who shattered Winthrop Graham’s 30-year-old national record of 47.60 with a remarkable time of 47.34 at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, is eyeing a podium finish at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
The 19-year-old sprinter is excited to demonstrate his current form and fitness, hinting at potentially running either the 400m or the 200m at the Velocity Fest meeting. Clarke's recent performances have been promising, with a strong 400m season opener of 46.05 on February 10 and an identical time two weeks later. He has also run a nippy 20.69 over 200m in mid-March.
"I’m running fast. I ran my first race with a personal best as a season-opener. I repeated that exact time again so I am pretty confident, I am being consistent," Clarke shared during launch of the Racers Grand Prix on Tuesday. "I am running the 400m or the 200m this Saturday so I am just going there to enjoy myself and better my season’s best."
Clarke, who will turn 20 on July 1, is determined to lower his national record and challenge the world's top athletes like world-record holder and three-time world champion Karsten Warholm of Norway, the USA’s Rai Benjamin and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the 2022 champion. These formidable competitors have all clocked times under 47 seconds in the 400m hurdles.
"In Paris, the big three won’t go any slower than 46 so I am stronger now," Clarke explained. "My speed is very much improved right now, probably if I contest the 200m this weekend I will probably shock myself, again and my coach with how fast I am in training."
With high expectations for himself and a focus on execution, Clarke is poised to make waves and as he fine-tunes his skills at the Velocity Fest meeting, fans and competitors alike eagerly anticipate his performance and potential for achieving new personal milestones.
Reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles strengthened their position to retain the West Indies Championship title, as they downed Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners by eight wickets in their final round encounter at Frank Worrell Field, in Trinidad and Tobago, on Friday.
Set 180 for victory, Harpy Eagles, through half-centuries from Raymond Perez (79 not out) and captain Tevin Imlach (50), as well as 42 from Tagenarine Chanderpaul, got across the line with minimum fuss, to successfully wrap up what started out as a slow campaign.
Scores: Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners 200 (Demario Richards 43, Romario Greaves 36, Avinash Mahabirsingh 23, Amari Goodridge 22, Jediah Blades 22 not out, Jarion Hoyte 21; Nial Smith 3-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-51, Gudakesh Motie 2-40, Isai Thorne 2-45) and 203 (Shamarh Brooks 59, Odaine McCatty 56, Jario Hoyte 22; Kevin Sinclair 2-29, Niall Smith 2-35, Gudakesh Motie 2-42, Veerasammy Permaul 2-44).
Guyana Harpy Eagles 223 all out (Raymond Perez 62, Tevin Imlach 55, Kevin Sinclair 37, Kevlon Anderson 27; Avinash Mahabirsingh 17.4-2-51-8) and 182 for two (Raymond Perez 79 not out, Tevin Imlach 50, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 42).
Resuming on 165-7, the Marooners only added 38 runs to their overnight total, with captain Shamarh Brooks (59), adding only five to his 54 from overnight, before being removed by Niall Smith. Jarion Hoyte (22) and Jediah Blades (11) offered little resistance before the innings inevitably ended.
Kevin Sinclair (2-29), Smith (2-35), Gudakesh Motie (2-42), and Veerasammy Permaul (2-44), shared the wickets.
With the bowlers’ job done, the batsmen responded with much gusto, as Chanderpaul and Perez laid the foundation for the chase with a solid opening stand. Chanderpaul had three fours and a solitary six in his 62-ball knock, before his departure brought Imlach to the middle.
The captain, along with Perez took the Marooners bowlers to task in another tidy partnership that ensured they ended the campaign on a high. Imlach’s 51-ball 50 included six fours and a lone six, while Perez’s unbeaten 79 off 92 balls had five fours and two sixes.
With their job done, Harpy Eagles, who started the round in third position on 87.2 points, will have to await the outcome of the other contests involving leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes and second-placed Barbados Pride.
The 12 match points before bonus has pushed Harpy Eagles up to 99.2 points, and ahead of Windward Islands Volcanoes (90 points), who require a daunting 304 runs to top Leeward Islands Hurricanes, while Barbados Pride (87.6 points), lead CWI Academy by 21 runs, heading into Saturday’s final day.
Elsewhere, At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, Barbados Pride, with five second innings wickets intact, will seek to build on their lead and possibly bowl down CWI Academy to stand at chance of claiming top spot.
Scores: Barbados Pride 155 (Jonathan Drakes 35, Kevin Wickham 27, Shian Brathwaite 26, Demetrius Richards 21 not out; Johann Layne 3-23, McKenny Clarke 3-26, Joshua Bishop 2-25, Ramon Simmonds 2-43) and 228-5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 90, Raymon Reifer 43 not out, Kevin Wickham 35, Shian Brathwaite 21; Joshua Bishop 3-43).
CWI Academy 243 (Ackeem Auguste 76, Carlon Tuckett-Bowen 49, Johan Layne 38, McKenny Clarke 30; Akeem Jordan 4-76, Raymon Reifer 2-32, Jair McAllister 2-40, Shaquille Cumberbatch 2-75).
At Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands Volcanoes has nine second innings wickets in hand to try and get the remaining 304 runs to deny Leeward Islands Hurricanes (84.6 points) a fifth win of the campaign.
Scores: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 300 (Mikyle Louis 100, Jewel Andrew 68, Jeremiah Louis 43, Jahmar Hamilton 34; Ryan John 3-67, Gilon Tyson 2-33, Daren Cyrus 2-70) and 294 (Keacy Carty 65, Mikyle Louis 33, Kieran Powell 31, Justin Greaves 27, Jewel Andrew 26, Jahmar Hamilton 23, Oshane Thomas 21, Colin Archibald 20; Kavem Hodge 3-60, Gilon Tyson 3-91, Shamar Springer 2-32, Darel Cyrus 2-84).
Windward Islands Volcanoes 179 (Johann Jeremiah 41, Shamar Springer 33, Kavem Hodge 29, Stephan Pascal 25; Daniel Doram 16-5-34-6, Hayden Walsh Jr 3-21) and 112-1(Stephan Pascal 60 not out, Johann Jeremiah 23 not out).
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, who started the round in fourth position on 72.8 points, wrapped up a convincing innings and 125-run win over Jamaica Scorpions, but are unlikely to upstage any of the top three in the race for the title.
Bryan Charles finished with 13 wickets in the match as the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force ended their 2024 West Indies Championship season with an innings and 125 run thrashing of the Jamaica Scorpions on day three at Sabina Park.
The Scorpions entered Friday 159-9 in their first innings, trailing the Red Force by 273 runs. The final pair of Jeavor Royal and Andrae Dennis further 30 before being bowled out in the 64th over of the innings.
The Red Force then asked the hosts to follow on before dismissing them for 118 in just 44.4 overs to complete a dominant win.
Opener Javaughn Buchanan was the only Scorpions batsman to offer any kind of resistance with a 95-ball 33 as Bryan Charles was, once again, the pick of the Red Force bowling, ripping through the Jamaican batting on his way to figures of 7-43 from 13.4 overs to finish with a match haul of 13-125.
Debutant Navin Bidaisee took 2-20 from six overs in support.
Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 432 all out in 122 overs (Joshua Da Silva 106, Terrance Hinds 79, Amir Jangoo 51, Kjorn Ottley 45, Khary Pierre 43, Jeavor Royal 3-113, Ojay Shields 2-61, Peat Salmon 2-83)
Jamaica Scorpions 189 all out in 63.4 overs (Kirk McKenzie 57, Jeavor Royal 46, Bryan Charles 6-82, Khary Pierre 3-57) & 118 all out in 44.4 overs (Javaughn Buchanan 33, Bryan Charles 7-43, Navin Bidaisee 2-20).
Dan Skelton edged back to the top of the table for the British jumps trainers’ championship after a crucial treble at Ayr.
The Alcester trainer was a little shy of £31,000 adrift of Irish champion Willie Mullins on the leaderboard ahead of the meeting, the first day of the valuable Coral Scottish Grand National fixture which could prove so pivotal in the destination of the title, in which Paul Nicholls will also have a big say.
Shakeyatailfeather finished second in the Abbott Risk Consulting Mares’ Maiden Hurdle and Catch Him Derry landed the Get Home Safe With Thistle Cabs Handicap Hurdle as the 5-6 favourite to kick off Skelton’s afternoon, after which Punta Del Este outran odds of 25-1 to take the feature Coral “We’re Here For It” Handicap Hurdle, which was worth £16,338 to the winner.
Theformismighty finished fourth in the same race to add another £1,884 to the total, with Presenting Nelly duly providing another victory at 5-1 in division two of the GS Group ‘Hands & Heels’ Handicap Hurdle that brought the day to a close.
For that win she pocketed £5,281, putting Skelton back in front by just under £5,000 heading into Saturday, where he has 10 entries across Ayr and Bangor and when Mullins will play his hand with three horses in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and six in the Scottish Grand National.
Speaking to Racing TV after Punta Del Este’s win, Skelton said: “I’m sure all the mathematicians will be calculating it all, but tomorrow’s the important day for the championship.
“The three of us are in the Scottish Grand National and in all the races really, tomorrow will be a big day.
“It’s a privilege to have the owners come up here and be looked after Ayr, the track is always in as good condition as it can be and given the winter we’ve had I think they’ve done a great job with that.
“Every course has its unique atmosphere and the Scottish Grand National is unique indeed.
“L’Eau Du Sud is the obvious one for the Scottish Champion Hurdle, he’s the favourite for the race after a very good run at Cheltenham.
Nicholls, meanwhile, claimed his share of the prize-money on offer to keep himself competitive ahead of the two big weekends to come, with the season drawing to a close at Sandown in a week’s time.
Nicholls was in fact the first trainer to strike a blow at Ayr as Outlaw Peter won the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase under Harry Cobden as the 7-2 joint-favourite.
Nicholls also took home some of place money on offer, with Beau Balko finishing third in the Seko Logistics Scotland Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and Don’t Tell Su the runner-up of the GS Group “Hands & Heels” Handicap Hurdle.
Dominic Ffrench Davis would love a crack at the Chester Cup with Prince Alex having seen him make a winning return to action in the Compton Beauchamp Estates Ltd Silver Bar Handicap at Newbury.
With last year’s Chester hero Metier and another leading fancy in Spartan Army behind him, Ffrench Davis has every right to be thinking that way, if the seven-year-old makes the cut.
He has been well travelled in the Amo Racing colours, being with Ralph Beckett initially before moving to Michael Bell, then Johnny Murtagh and Tom Dascombe and then Lambourn.
Yet despite his advancing years, the 10-1 chance – fourth in this race 12 months ago – looked a rejuvenated character in fending off Robert Johnson by a length and three-quarters.
“It was a super performance and he’s been moving very well at home,” said French Davis.
“He wintered with us, he’s a seven-year-old now and I think he probably had a few aches and pains. We gave him a good break over the winter and he’s come back a better horse and is moving beautifully. He used to hang a bit and he doesn’t hang at all now.
“I think he’s feeling well in himself now and has slipped to a rating that he’s always been a bit better than. This was a bit of a warm up for the Chester Cup and it was also to see if he stayed the two miles.
“I didn’t have him last year and I had a horse in this race finish second and I was watching this one thinking ‘oooh he’s cantering’ and he didn’t finish off his race. But he was probably feeling a few aches and pains and when we got him in Lambourn at the end of last season he ran two very solid races.
“I thought starting off I best give him another go at two miles and both times we ran him he looked like he wanted it. We decided to aim at these staying races and he’s in a great frame of mind. He’s improved no end in the last couple of weeks and he’s not quite there in his coat so he is going to improve again.
“Let’s hope there is a little bit of soft at Chester and we can have a crack. It’s a great prize and he switches off lovely. If the ground is suitable, let’s have a go.”
Unfortunately the news for Ffrench Davis’ 1000 Guineas hope Persian Dreamer is not so positive and she is now unlikely to make the fillies’ Classic.
“She’s had a little minor setback in pre-training and we’re giving her time to get over that and we’re not sure when we will have her back in full training,” he said.
“I think it is likely she will miss the Guineas and she’s in Ireland just trying to get over her setback.
“It’s disappointing and we might not get our ground anyway in the Guineas, she is a filly who loves to get her toe in and she might not get the ground at Newmarket to run her there.”
The Jamaica Football Federation is continuing its commitment to developing youth football in the country with the formation of a new Under-17 tournament to be contested by Jamaica Premier League clubs, JFF president Michael Ricketts announced Thursday.
The competition, tentatively set to commence on May 5, will not be mandatory for clubs to participate in as this is its inaugural year.
“We would want to encourage as many of the Premier League clubs to participate in this Under-17 competition. As it is now, most of the clubs will be participating,” Ricketts said.
“We thought that it was very important that we capture those that are probably on the verge of getting out of high school and have them in a formal setting so that they can make a transition from U-17s to U20s and, ultimately, the senior set up,” he added.
This is also a timely move because, as of 2025, the FIFA Under-17 World Cup will be held annually instead of every four years as was customary.
“We want to insert some energy and some vibe to ensure that as best as possible, we must be competitive and very relevant at age 17 and under so that we can actively participate and add some level of competitiveness at the World Cup which, as of next year, will be held every year,” Ricketts said.
Jamaica got to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in New Zealand in 1999 and Mexico in 2011.
Owner Julie Wood is dreaming of Derby glory with Voyage after seeing her patience being rewarded with a debut victory in the Darley Novice Stakes at Newbury.
Sent off a relatively unconsidered 28-1 chance and seemingly the second string of Richard Hannon behind Sam Hawkens, Voyage travelled like a dream for Pat Dobbs.
While all his rivals were under pressure entering the final furlong, Dobbs was sat motionless at the head of the pincer movement.
The worry was, having travelled so well up to that point, what would he find under pressure? The answer was plenty, as while several made ground from the rear, including Harry Charlton’s Vanish, he could only close to within a length and three-quarters.
“Julie was right by giving the horse a lot of time last year and we brought him here to do a piece of work after the last National Hunt meeting and he worked OK there, but was a bit keen,” said Hannon.
“I liked the horse that finished fifth (Sam Hawkens) a lot and this is not a complete surprise, as he’s shown plenty, but you know what Julie is like, she likes to have a go at the big ones.”
Wood said: “You never know what you have until you ask them, you never know what you’re sitting on.
“I wasn’t worried about the soft ground, but we were just a bit worried about him settling and he still seemed to be finding plenty at the end of the race and Pat didn’t really need to get serious with him, he just pushed him out and the horse changed legs and he was off.
“I have always had a dream of having a horse good enough to line up in the Derby and maybe this is it? To come here today and win in that going is a good effort and Pat rode him really well.
“It’s great to be back at Newbury and to have a horse come up the straight like that against some quality, well-bred animals is really something.
“It’s my 24th year with Richard and I’m still enjoying it, still as fresh as ever. Every season you have new hope and however the dice roll, we’re there to play them and we’ll enjoy every moment.
“I don’t know whether we go straight to the Derby and obviously we need to get a minimum rating to run in the Derby, which he might get after today’s performance.
“We will see how he comes out of today, we have enough time to do something (a trial) but we haven’t entered him anything – today was the aim and the Derby was the hope.”
Royal Ascot could beckon for Hannon’s Hawaiian following a smooth winning debut in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup EBF Maiden Stakes.
A field of eight unraced juveniles lined up from some of the biggest yards in the country, with Hannon’s Kodiac colt sent off the 11-8 favourite.
Sean Levey was always in command on Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s homebred, and while the winning distance over Clive Cox’s Star Anthem was only a neck, he never truly looked in any danger of being beaten.
Fresh from winning the Craven Stakes with Haatem on Thursday, Hannon clearly has his string in good order at this early stage of the season.
“He did a bit of work at Kempton and I thought it was a little bit too good to be true,” said Hannon.
“He’s done everything so easily at home, he hasn’t learned anything and he might have just learned something today.
“Sean said if he had made the running, it might have made it easier, but we think a fair bit of him and he’s a fast horse who we will stick to five furlongs with at the moment.
“It’s a bit early doors to be talking about Royal Ascot, but we might look at a Lily Agnes or something on the way. He will need one more run before Ascot just to be sure.
“He’s very fast, knows his job and that will do him good. I hope he is an Ascot horse and he travelled great. That experience under his belt will do him good and I think he will improve a lot from that, like all ours do.”
Dan Skelton is banking on a big run from L’Eau Du Sud in the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle to keep him in with a chance of claiming a first trainers’ title.
Runner-up in two of the most competitive handicaps of the season, the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury and the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, the six-year-old has been aimed at this ever since.
Cheltenham week went swimmingly for Skelton and co-owners Sir Alex Ferguson and John Hales, but the feeling was L’Eau Du Sud was mugged by the Willie Mullins-trained Ebor winner Absurde.
“He’s in good order and this is the race we’ve had in mind since Cheltenham, when he was second in the County Hurdle,” said Skelton.
“That was a very good run considering Absurde came from nowhere and showed great Flat speed late on.
“The ground will be perfect for him, the track is no issue, he travels very well and I’d say he’s a very big player, but the prices reflect that.
“If we’ve any chance of overhauling Willie, we need L’Eau Du Sud to figure pretty well, to be honest.
“It looked like we had it won at Cheltenham, but (Paul) Townend had different ideas and used all the Flat speed, so fair play to them, they picked up on the day but we’ll be looking to collect on Saturday.”
Skelton is battling with his old boss Paul Nicholls and Irish champion trainer Mullins, who runs Westport Cove, Bialystok and Alvaniy.
His son and assistant Patrick feels the middle one of that trio may be their best chance.
“Westport Cove is a horse with an awful lot of ability, but he’s a very difficult ride. At Cheltenham, he lost his head and my big worry is that it’s probably too big a field for him, as he has to be dropped out, which is hard to do in a big-field handicap like that,” he said on a Zoom call with the track.
“Bialystok is a Flat-bred horse who I could see winning on the Flat in the summer. There’s a race in this fella. He was unlucky at the DRF, when he got brought down at the second last, and it didn’t happen for him at Cheltenham. If the ground isn’t too soft, he’ll have his chance.
“We also run Alvaniy, who is 8lb out of the handicap but he’s a horse I definitely think is better than his mark. While it will be difficult from 8lb out of the weights, he’s a horse that could pick up place money. There’s a big race in him, but it won’t be easy from out of the handicap.”
Nicholls runs last year’s winner Rubaud off top weight and Afadil.
“Rubaud won this race stylishly last year off a mark of 135 on good ground and has a much harder task this time off 148,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“I don’t think he was right when he ran below par last time on heavy ground at Wincanton. He seems in a good place at the moment but I’d say he has it all to do off top weight on ground that is softer than he prefers.
“Afadil been running at the top of his form this spring and comes here a week after finishing third in a competitive race at Aintree, despite losing ground after a standing start.
“With Freddie Gingell claiming a handy 5lb, Afadil has a lovely light weight of only 10st 3lb and has a sporting each-way chance.”
With the British trainers’ title on the line, Willie Mullins sends a six-strong squad to contest the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.
Mullins is not only seeking his first win in the £200,000 feature, he has never had a single winner at the track. But that could all change this weekend, as he saddles 18 runners across the afternoon.
His National team consists of Macdermott, Mr Incredible, Spanish Harlem, Ontheropes, Klarc Kent and We’llhavewan and assistant trainer Patrick Mullins ran the rule over the sextet in a Zoom call organised by the racecourse.
“Macdermott is an improving horse, he was always going to be a big chaser, he’s a strong type and was always going to improve for a fence and over a trip,” he said.
“He was good the last time out at Fairyhouse and he’s the kind of horse who improves with racing, we struggle to get him fit at home, to be honest, he needs racing to get the weight off him.
“He’s running off a much higher mark (12lb) and that’s going to be a big ask in a far more competitive race.
“I ride Mr Incredible, he didn’t get very far at Aintree, he’s fresh and well, so he’ll take his chance.
“Off a mark of 153, with 11st 9lb, it’s going to be difficult but if he could run into a place, that would be fantastic. We’re hoping he jumps off, that’s the first thing!
“Paul (Townend) was keen to ride Spanish Harlem and he’s a horse we’ve always thought an awful lot of. He has disappointed us a little because his work at home has been far superior to his form on the track.
“It’s his first handicap, so he’ll have to jump pretty sharp, but we’d like to think he’s better than a mark of 140. Paul just thought he had more room for improvement than Macdermott.
“Sean O’Keeffe rides Klarc Kent, very much an old-fashioned chaser, a horse who really should come into his own over four miles. He’s a novice off a low weight but he needs to improve.
“Brian Hayes rides Ontheropes. He got a leg after he won the Munster National and has been disappointing since but he was coming back to form last time and could be just coming to form at the right time.
“We’llhavewan was second in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown and ran well in the Irish National when perhaps he didn’t get home, but I think he just made some crucial jumping errors which just knocked him back.
“We’ve put the cheekpieces back on and that should help him jump sharper. He’s a little out of the handicap but Kieran Callaghan is our claiming rider, a local guy and he’s very good. I could see him running into the money.”
Dan Skelton is battling with Mullins for the title and is represented by Ballygrifincottage.
“He’s a horse that just recently has done really well. He had a bad autumn and winter but his form as a novice hurdler and early novice chaser looked very good,” said Skelton.
“For whatever reason, we lost him completely and everything just went to pot but he’s back in great form now and it was a good run at Ascot on his comeback and an even better run at Sandown when second the last day.
“I don’t think four miles will be a problem, but you never actually know until you try it – there is a slight unknown with that, but I go into it with the expectation that he’ll stay the trip.”
Trying to cling on to his title is Paul Nicholls, who runs top-weight Stay Away Fay and Broken Halo.
Nicholls told Betfair of the former: “He’s a class horse but life isn’t going to be easy for him running off top weight of 12st off a mark of 158.
“It just didn’t happen for him in the Turners at Cheltenham, where he was never happy, didn’t travel in the ground and his jumping let him down.
“We’ve removed the cheekpieces he wore there, as they didn’t seem to work, and I’ve felt for some time he would be suited by marathon trips. The track at Ayr should be much more suitable for him.
“Broken Halo was in with a shout when falling two out in the London National at Sandown in December and won at Taunton last month. He looks an interesting outsider.”
Brian Ellison’s Anglers Crag arrives chasing a five-timer and proved his stamina when winning the Eider Chase.
“This has been the plan since the Eider and he’s in good form. He’s been blood tested and scoped, everything looks clean and he looks a million dollars, so we just want a bit of luck in running now,” said Ellison.
“A bit of soft ground would help keep the job right for him. He’s gone up again in the weights, but you deserve to when you win, don’t you? It’s when you finish second and you go up that I don’t like!
“Willie Mullins obviously runs six, he’s struggling for winners!”
The form choice is arguably Jamie Snowden’s Git Maker, second to subsequent Grade One winner Inothewayurthinkin at Cheltenham.
“He ran a blinder to finish second at Cheltenham, pulling a long way clear of the third horse, and the winner has obviously come out and won a Grade One at Aintree, so the form has certainly been franked,” said Snowden.
“We’re up 1lb for that and we go there in good form. Obviously, it’s a highly competitive race, as you’d expect, but we couldn’t be happier with our chap and he gets in off 10st 3lb.
“I think he’ll stay well. They’ve had a bit of rain there and you would certainly hope the ground would be on the softer side, as he would definitely want a bit of cut in the ground.
“With a little bit of luck in running, hopefully he’ll have a chance.”
Emma Lavelle’s My Silver Lining has been consistent in long-distance chases all season, winning the Classic Chase at Warwick.
“She seems in great order. I was sort of looking for reasons not to go – was she flat, or was the ground not soft enough, or whatever, and none of the reasons came,” said Lavelle.
“I’m really happy with her, of course it’s a competitive race and with the championship the way it is, it’s probably more competitive than some years, but she’s really well, she’s as honest as they come, she’ll keep galloping and jumping and we’re just hopeful that she’ll put up another personal best.”
The last time Willie Mullins had a chance of winning the British trainers’ title, Paul Nicholls landed the Coral Scottish Grand National with Vicente before going on to secure top spot in the table at Sandown.
This time around, the all-conquering Mullins is throwing everything at it, with 18 runners on the big card at Ayr on Saturday, as he attempts to emulate the legendary Vincent O’Brien, something the Closutton handler’s son and assistant Patrick acknowledges would be “incredibly special”.
While the victory of I Am Maximus in the Grand National at Aintree put Mullins in the driving seat, the team are taking nothing for granted, based on what happened in 2016.
This year, they are involved in a three-way battle with Dan Skelton joining the fray, and Mullins jnr thinks if any of the three manage to win either the National or the Scottish Champion Hurdle this weekend, it will go a long way to deciding the outcome.
“We find ourselves in a position we weren’t particularly expecting, so we’re going to be putting everything we can towards it now,” he said.
“It’s 70-odd years since Vincent O’Brien was the only Irish trainer to win the British jumps title, so to emulate him would be something that would be incredibly special.
“In 2016, we actually came into this weekend ahead as well, I think, but Paul Nicholls pulled a rabbit out of the hat and won the Scottish National with Vicente at 14-1 and that was the difference in the end.”
Despite Mullins’ total dominance over the National Hunt scene, his victory last weekend was only his second Grand National, 19 years after Hedgehunter provided him with his first.
“There were a few sore heads on Wednesday after the (homecoming) parade, but you have to celebrate the good days,” Mullins told a Zoom call organised by Ayr Racecourse.
“It was 19 years since we won the Grand National and to win a second is great. We had seven runners, but if I Am Maximus had come down, we wouldn’t have had any in the first six, so you need a bit of luck. I wasn’t sure if he’d adapt to the course, but he did very well.
“We’ve celebrated but we’re back on track now and focussed on Ayr, trying to bring home some sterling.”
There has never been an Irish-trained Scottish National winner since the race moved from Bogside to Ayr and Mullins has never had a winner at the track either.
He went on: “It’s an incredible statistic. I can’t wait to come over to Ayr, it always looks a brilliant crowd for the big racedays there.
“Every year, I watch the Scottish National and it looks a fantastic race with a huge crowd, we’re very excited to be coming over and hopefully we can break one, if not two of those statistics.
“We’ll be stopping off in Perth and one or two other places during the week before Sandown.
“I think Saturday will be a pivotal day. I keep thinking back to 2016 when Paul won the National. If we can get out of Ayr still ahead, that is going to be huge for us.
“If Paul or Dan win the Champion Hurdle or the National, that’s going to make it squeaky bum time as such, but if we can get out ahead, that will be huge.”
Royal Ascot could beckon for Richard Hannon’s Hawaiian following a smooth winning debut in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury.
A field of eight unraced juveniles lined up from some of the biggest yards in the country, with Hannon’s Kodiac colt sent off the 11-8 favourite.
Sean Levey was always in command on Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s homebred, and while the winning distance over Clive Cox’s Star Anthem was only a neck, he never truly looked in any danger of being beaten.
Fresh from winning the Craven Stakes with Haatem on Thursday, Hannon clearly has his string in good order at this early stage of the season.
“He did a bit of work at Kempton and I thought it was a little bit too good to be true,” said Hannon.
“He’s done everything so easily at home he hasn’t learned anything and he might have just learned something today.
“Sean said if he had made the running it might have made it easier, but we think a fair bit of him and he’s a fast horse who we will stick to five furlongs with at the moment.
“It’s a bit early doors to be talking about Royal Ascot, but we might look at a Lily Agnes or something on the way. He will need one more run before Ascot just to be sure.
“He’s very fast, knows his job and that will do him good. I hope he is an Ascot horse and he travelled great. That experience under his belt will do him good and I think he will improve a lot from that, like all ours do.”
Ballymount Boy will cut his teeth as a three-year-old in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
The Adrian Keatley-trained Camacho colt enjoyed a good juvenile season, taking a Hamilton maiden before showing a great deal of promise when finishing just a length behind Vandeek in Goodwood’s Group Two Richmond Stakes.
Vandeek subsequently went on to score twice at Group One level in the Prix Morny and the Middle Park, while Ballymount Boy was runner-up in the Acomb and then the winner of the Listed Prospect Stakes at Doncaster.
He will be seen for the first time this term at Newbury on Saturday, competing over seven furlongs at Group Three level before the rest of his season is mapped out.
“We’re looking forward to running him, the draw hasn’t been very kind to us (stall 11) but he won’t mind the ground,” said Keatley.
“Hopefully it’s a good starting off point and we’ll know where we’re at for the first half of the season after Saturday anyway.
“He has form on firm ground and he has form on soft ground, even from his worst run in France last year (eighth in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere), his form has worked out, with Brian Meehan’s horse (Jayarebe) who finished in front of us that day and won well on Thursday.
“He’s good, solid form from last year, he’s only a length off the highest-rated three-year-old in England in Vandeek, so he’s very much entitled to take his chance in this.”
Wathnan Racing acquired Ballymount Boy midway through last season and also own Mister Sketch, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton and also set to run in the Greenham.
The Territories colt ran three times last year and was beaten just a neck on debut before winning a Salisbury novice by nine and a half lengths in mid-August.
From there, he stepped up in grade to contest the Mill Reef and was beaten only half a length by Andrew Balding’s Array on heavy ground.
“He’s in great form, he’s done some nice work,” Johnson Houghton said.
“At this stage, this is a stepping stone to know which direction we’re going to go with him.
“He’ll love better ground but I think this ground will be OK, he is a lovely horse but he’s very much still a work in progress.
“He’s improving all the time, I thought he ran really well in the Mill Reef and I think we’ve got a very nice horse on our hands.”
David O’Meara runs Esquire, a Harry Angel gelding owned by Cheveley Park Stud.
A Hamilton winner on debut, he was then second to a very useful horse in the Balding-trained Purosangue in the Listed Rockingham Stakes at York in October.
His next run came in the Prospect Stakes at Doncaster, where he was sixth as Ballymount Boy came home in front.
“I think he’s a progressive horse, trip-wise he may be more suited to six furlongs, going forward,” said Chris Richardson of Cheveley Park.
“He prefers a bit of ease in the ground, so we’ve got our conditions.
“Like all these races at this time of year, it’s very much a fact-finding mission, whether he’s good enough or not, we will learn a huge amount about his potential, so we’ll roll the dice.”
Another notable contender is Ralph Beckett’s Zoum Zoum, a chestnut son of Zoustar who was unbeaten last year when winning two novices and the Listed Prix Herod at Saint-Cloud.
One of those novice runs was a two-and-a-half-length victory over Kikkuli at Newmarket, an interesting piece of form as that horse is a Kingman half-brother to Frankel and subsequently won a maiden at the same track earlier in the week.
John and Thady Gosden’s promising Regal Jubilee makes her seasonal reappearance on Saturday in what promises to be an informative running of the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.
The three-year-old is by Frankel out of the mare Regal Realm, making her a half-sister to Sir Michael Stoute’s multiple Group-race winner Regal Reality.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned bay made her debut at Newmarket in September, but ran no race when hampered in a one-mile fillies’ novice – a performance she put firmly behind her in October when running away with a Windsor novice to prevail by seven lengths.
She then stepped up to Listed level back at Newmarket in the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes, where she shone again in winning by two lengths on heavy ground.
Now returning to action at Newbury, Regal Jubilee will make another step up as she tries her hand on soft ground at Group Three level, in the seven-furlong feature registered as the Fred Darling.
“The stiffer seven at Newbury will suit her, the ground will certainly suit her from what we saw last autumn,” said Cheveley Park’s Chris Richardson.
“I think the trip is the minimum, really, she’s probably bred to be more of a mile-and-a-quarter filly. But it makes sense to go for a trial and see where we go after that.
“Her action favours the more rain-softened conditions we think, but we haven’t got much to go on.
“We’ll take advantage of the slightly easier ground now and see what happens.”
Marco Botti has a fascinating contender in Folgaria, a Due Diligence filly who makes her British debut after joining Botti’s yard from the Italian stable of his brother, Stefano.
She was unbeaten in five starts for Botti’s brother, working her way through Listed, Group Three and Group Two level when taking contests such as the Premio Primi Passi by six lengths and the Premio Dormello by two and a quarter.
Botti said: “She’s unbeaten in Italy, she won over six (furlongs), seven and a mile.
“She joined us about two and a half months ago, the owner decided to see what she can do abroad and it seems a good race to start her off in.
“The ground won’t be an issue, she’s been in good form and her work at home has been pleasing us.
“Of course it’s hard to transfer that form in Italy to England, but it seems the right race to start her off in and see where we are.
“She’s in the French Guineas and this will tell us a bit more about how to compare what she did in Italy to here.
“She won the Premio Dormello in good style, a Group Two, she’s facing a good field at Newbury though it has cut up a little bit.
“We’ve been happy and we will find out whether she’s up to this level.
“She was trained by my brother and we’ve been in touch, she’s been a straightforward filly since she joined us.”
William Haggas is represented by Relief Rally, a Kodiac filly who proved herself to be high quality when meeting with defeat just once in five runs during her juvenile season.
That defeat was a nose loss in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, after which she went on to win the Super Sprint at Newbury and the Lowther Stakes at York.
She was subsequently sold by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, fetching 800,000 guineas at Tattersalls and staying in the Haggas yard for new owner Zhang Yuesheng.
Roger Varian runs Elmalka, with Richard Hughes set to saddle Oh So Sharp third Star Music and the field completed by Andrew Balding’s Topanga.
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