Iroko has connections excited as he prepares to complete his comeback from injury in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old gave upwardly mobile training duo Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero a landmark first Festival success when claiming the Martin Pipe 12 months ago.
It seemed unlikely he would feature at this year’s showcase meeting, with an injury suffered shortly after his imperious chasing debut expected to keep him out of action for the rest of the campaign.
However, he returned to full training quicker than anticipated and will head to Prestbury Park’s New course attempting to repeat last year’s heroics in an open Turners Novices’ Chase that kicks off day three of the Festival.
“He’s absolutely fine and in good health and is all set to run – we’re looking forward to running him on the Thursday in the Turners,” said Greenall.
“He seemed to really handle the New course (in the Martin Pipe), but I think he’s pretty versatile and he would handle the Old course just as well.”
The injury sustained by Iroko earlier in the season has left his training team in a race against time to prepare their stable star for the Cheltenham Festival.
Despite failing to beat the clock in order to provide the gelding with a prep run, Iroko successfully came through an away day at nearby Haydock recently, with Greenall believing the experience he has garnered running in handicaps will stand him in good stead for his Turners assignment.
“It (possible races) just came too soon really, fitness wise, but he has been away and schooled at Haydock and we’ve done everything we can,” continued Greenall.
“I think the fact he has run in some good juvenile races and some good handicaps, he is streetwise in that sense and it will just be jumping the fences at speed he will lack experience in, I suppose.”
It could be a big afternoon for the Greenall and Guerrero partnership, as fast on the heels of Iroko, in the very next race they will saddle White Rhino in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
A general 10-1 shot to land a knockout blow with the bookmakers, the eight-year-old brings solid course form to the table, having finished second at the November meeting before going one better over the Pertemps track and trip the following month.
He was last seen qualifying for this event by finishing third at Huntingdon and is predicted to sharpen up for that outing back in the Cotswolds.
“He will go in the Pertemps on the same day, if he gets in,” continued Greenall.
“He seems to have come on nicely since his Huntingdon run, has a nice weight and we look forward to running him.”
City Of Troy tops the 49-strong list for the initial entry stage of the season’s first Classic contest, the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was unbeaten in three runs as a juvenile, culminating in a superb three-and-a-half-length Dewhurst victory at Newmarket in October.
He has his name on the long list to return to Headquarters on May 4, alongside stablemate Henry Longfellow – also unbeaten and the winner of the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.
Richard Hannon’s Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere champion Rosallion features, as does the well-regarded Godolphin colt Ancient Wisdom, winner of the Futurity Trophy for Charlie Appleby.
Owen Burrows is represented by Shadwell’s Alyanaabi, second to City Of Troy in the Dewhurst and the winner of the Tattersalls Stakes, plus Futurity Trophy fourth Deira Mile.
Coolmore and O’Brien also have the leading fancy in the 1000 Guineas with Opera Singer, a Justify filly last seen winning the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp. Ylang Ylang, winner of the Fillies’ Mile, is another for Ballydoyle.
Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel won both the Sweet Solera and the Moyglare Stud Stakes last season and is another exciting prospect put forward to head to the Rowley Mile on May 5.
The Ryanair Chase remains “very much the plan” for ante-post favourite Banbridge, despite concerns about ground conditions ahead of next week’s Cheltenham Festival.
Joseph O’Brien’s charge was a non-runner in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the showpiece meeting last year due to the rain-softened ground and the official going at Prestbury Park on Tuesday morning was soft, heavy in places.
Banbridge made an impressive start to his campaign when accounting for subsequent Ascot Chase winner Pic D’Orhy in the Grade Two Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton and he has since been saved for the Festival, with a final decision on his participation unlikely to be made until the morning of the race.
“There’s still a long time to go between now and then, there’s lots of racing to happen and lots of weather forecasts that will come and go,” said O’Brien.
“As we’ve said all along, we’ll look forward to the race and hopefully we’ll walk the track on the morning of the race and hopefully he can run.
“Very much the plan is to run. He’s prepared well for Cheltenham so far.”
Banbridge is set to lead a small but select team of “six or seven” runners for O’Brien across the biggest four days of the season in the Cotswolds.
He added: “Hopefully we’ll have something running most of the days, some of them would like the ground a bit softer and some of them would like it a bit quicker.
“At the moment, it looks as if it’s going to favour the horses that prefer a bit of juice, but let’s see what happens – it can dry out fast and it can get softer quickly too. We’ll keep an eye on things over the next week.”
Lark In The Mornin heads the betting for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, but O’Brien revealed his participation is “up in the air”.
Considering some of his other running plans, he said: “Nurburgring is an intended runner in the Triumph Hurdle, he is still entered in the Boodles but he’s going to run in the Triumph.
“Home By The Lee is in the Stayers’ Hurdle, we’ll have Solness in the Grand Annual and Busselton in the Ultima Handicap Chase, so there’s a few runners there.”
Gavin Cromwell is leaning towards the Stayers’ Hurdle with two-time former champion Flooring Porter.
The nine-year-old won the contest in both 2021 and 2022 before finishing fourth behind Sire Du Berlais last season.
He began his steeple chasing career this term, beating Broadway Boy on debut at Cheltenham and then finishing third in both the Florida Pearl and the Neville Hotels Novice Chase.
It has not been guaranteed that he will stick with the discipline at the Cheltenham Festival, however, and with the withdrawal of Constitution Hill from the Champion Hurdle picture there has been a ripple effect on other races.
Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point now looks likely to start in the Champion Hurdle and in his absence Cromwell is minded to bid for another Stayers’ Hurdle with Flooring Porter.
Speaking on a stable tour for Attheraces.com, the trainer said: “We are leaning towards the Stayers’ Hurdle. That isn’t 100 per cent confirmed, but with Irish Point looking likely to go for the Champion Hurdle, that might just seal it.
“We had a really tough preparation for Cheltenham with him last year as he missed a month after Christmas, but he still ran really well. We’ve had a much better preparation with him this year.
“It’s a very competitive race, but if he brought his best form to the table, he’d be entitled to be in the mix with the best of them.”
Perceval Legallois is the second favourite for the Kim Muir at present. but will not line up for the race as Cromwell feels the mark of 144 he has been allocated is prohibitive.
He said: “We’ve decided not to run him at the Cheltenham Festival. The British handicapper was very tough on him, so we’ll stay at home with him.”
My Mate Mozzie holds entries for both the Grand Annual and the Arkle and is most probably going to run in the latter race, especially considering Marine Nationale has been ruled out of the contest.
“He’s more than likely going to run in the Arkle,” said Cromwell.
“He’s going to have to run a career-best to win it, but he shaped really well right on the tail of the current favourite Found A Fifty at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and that form has worked out well since.
“Maybe the winner was idling, but we got further back than was planned and finished off very well, so we have reasons to rate him better than the bare form too.
“Marine Nationale coming out can only help him too. The better the ground, the better his chance.”
Jamaica, Windward Islands and Guyana all kicked off the 2024 CG United Women’s Super50 Cup with comfortable wins in St. Kitts on Monday.
Jamaica were the most dominant on the day, securing a massive 200-run win over defending champions Barbados at Warner Park.
The Jamaicans first piled up an intimidating 289 all out off 46.5 overs thanks to a top score of 97 from Captain Stafanie Taylor and a rapid 93 from all-rounder Chinelle Henry.
Taylor’s knock came off 100 balls and included 11 fours and a six while Henry was more belligerent, making her score off just 69 balls and hitting nine fours and four sixes.
Natasha McLean also chipped in with 24 against 3-24 off 8.5 overs from Aaliyah Alleyne and 2-35 off 10 overs from Allison Gordon.
Jamaica then produced an excellent display of bowling to restrict the Bajans to just 89 in 37.4 overs.
Taylor completed an excellent all-round performance with 2-16 from 6.4 overs while Vanessa Watts took 2-24 from her full quota of 10 overs.
NaiJanni Cumberbatch top scores for Barbados with 22.
Full Scores: Jamaica Women 289 all out off 46.5 overs (Stafanie Taylor 97, Chinelle Henry 93, Aaliyah Alleyne 3-24, Allison Gordon 2-35)
Barbados Women 89 all out 37.4 overs (NaiJanni Cumberbatch 22, Stafanie Taylor 2-16, Vanessa Watts 2-24).
At Conaree Sports Club, the Windward Islands won a thriller against Trinidad & Tobago by two wickets.
The Windwards first restricted T&T to 185 all out off 48.2 overs after losing the toss and being asked to field first.
Lee Ann Kirby led the way for the Trinidadians with 59 off 40 balls including eight fours and a six while Samara Ramnath and Captain Britney Cooper made 28, each.
Windwards skipper Afy Fletcher took 3-40 from her 10 overs while Carena Noel provided good support with 2-18 from 5.2 overs.
The Windwards then recovered from being 53-5 after 14.3 overs to reach 186-8 off 49 overs and secure a fantastic win.
Malika Edward was the only top order batter for the Windwards to reach double figures with 22.
The bulk of the runs came from Jannilea Glasgow, Nerissa Crafton and Pearl Etienne who batted at six, seven and eight, respectively.
Glasgow top scored with 62 off 114 balls including seven fours while Crafton made 45 off 77 balls including four fours.
The pair embarked on an 86-run sixth wicket partnership before Crafton fell. Glasgow and Etienne then put together a 43-run seventh wicket partnership to all but seal victory.
Etienne made a quick 22-ball 23 including two fours. Karishma Ramharack took 2-19 from her 10 overs for T&T.
Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Women 185 all out off 48.2 overs (Lee Ann Kirby 59, Samara Ramnath 28, Britney Cooper 28, Afy Fletcher 3-40, Carena Noel 2-18)
Windward Islands Women 186-8 off 49 overs (Jannilea Glasgow 62, Nerissa Crafton 45, Pearl Etienne 23, Malika Edward 22, Karishma Ramharack 2-19).
Finally, Guyana secured a comfortable 56-run win over the Leeward Islands at St. Paul’s Sports Complex.
The Leewards won the toss and proceeded to bowl out Guyana for just 139 in 37 overs thanks to a fantastic 3-9 off seven overs from Shawnisha Hector as well as 3-21 off nine overs from Rozel Liburd.
Realeanna Grimmond top scored for Guyana with 38 while Shabika Gajnabi made 20.
Guyana then produced an excellent reply with the ball to dismiss the Leewards for just 84 off 36.5 overs.
Plaffiana Millington led the way with 4-10 from her 9.5 overs while Nyia Latchman took 3-25 from eight overs.
Full Scores: Guyana Women 139 all out off 37 overs (Realeanna Grimmond 38, Shabika Gajnabi 20, Shawnisha Hector 3-9, Rozel Liburd 3-21)
Leeward Islands Women 84 all out off 36.5 overs (Divya Saxena 18, Plaffiana Millington 4-10, Nyia Latchman 3-25)
Connections of L’Homme Presse are metaphorically applying the bubble wrap as they anxiously count down the days to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old gave co-owners Andy and Pam Edwards and Peter and Patricia Pink a day to remember when scooping the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on a wet Wednesday in 2022, but they were forced to watch on as he missed the blue riband through injury 12 months ago.
Seen as one of Britain’s best chances of Gold Cup success, L’Homme Presse is now close to finally getting his chance to bid for glory in the week’s feature event.
Having shown no signs of any reoccurring injury worries since returning from a long 391-day lay-off, connections will soon be able to dream of a second triumph at National Hunt racing’s showpiece meeting.
“We haven’t had any little niggles or anything so far, touch wood, but we still have 10 days or so to go and that is plenty of time for a racehorse to do something silly,” said Edwards.
“It’s a slightly anxious time, rather than a nervous time. At this time (of year), everyone is in the same boat and they are trying to wrap their horses in cotton wool, while keeping the horses ticking over – and it’s a massive effort to get them to any race, never mind the Festival.
“The beauty of any other race is, if you don’t get them to a said race, there is always another one. But if you don’t get them to the Festival, that is it until next year, so the pressure is on all the staff and trainers at the moment.”
He went on: “From our point of view, we just want to get him there and what chance he has and all the rest of it, right now that is immaterial. Once we are there on the day, that’s when we can start thinking about what sort of chance we have.
“I’m very relaxed and he will get there or he won’t. What will be, will be, and I’m very relaxed about that side of things.”
It was an emotionally-charged afternoon when L’Homme Presse returned from injury in imperious style in Lingfield’s Fleur De Lys Chase, but the gelding failed to read a similar script when tuning up for his Gold Cup bid in the Ascot Chase.
Sent off the 5-4 favourite, L’Homme Presse’s usual zest was lacking as he struggled to hunt down the boldly-ridden Pic D’Orhy on ground quicker than ideal – and over a trip shorter than optimum.
However, connections are taking encouragement from the way their charge finished the race and with two runs now under L’Homme Presse’s belt, they feel he is in the ideal spot to challenge for top honours in the Cotswolds on Friday week.
“He came out of the race really well and we were really happy with him,” continued Edwards.
“I think Ascot has put him right, but not by design. We went there to win it and for whatever reason, he just wasn’t quite himself.
“He didn’t jump with the same sort of passion that he had at Lingfield and Charlie (Deutsch, jockey) had to kick him in the belly twice to get him started. He was just always slightly behind the bridle going into the fences and in his racing style.
“The result of that is he ran below his best, but he ran through the line and it’s brought him on nicely, which means we have a nice fresh horse going to Cheltenham.”
With the Ascot Chase contested over two miles and five furlongs, the L’Homme Presse team can look forward to a much more suitable stamina test in the Gold Cup for their staying star.
And while the current ground updates coming out of Prestbury Park may be unnerving for some connections ahead of the Festival, Edwards will be willing the rain to keep falling for a repeat of the soft conditions L’Homme Presse has previously relished.
“Everyone is desperate for a bit of sunshine but I only want sunshine on March 16,” he added.
“Soft ground is in our favour and we would be happy with it being soft. We are going to enjoy the moment and we will always keep the faith.”
Kim Bailey’s has paid handsome tribute to his Grade One-winning chaser First Flow after announcing his retirement.
The 12-year-old was last seen winning the Godstone Handicap Chase at Lingfield during the Winter Million meeting, carrying top-weight to a length-and-a-quarter victory over Saint Segal.
That run will be his last as the decision has been been made to retire Bailey’s stable stalwart after a career that saw him win 12 races and amass over £300,000 in prize-money.
A €4,500 Tattersalls purchase with a pedigree that offered little insight into his ability, First Flow became a smart novice hurdler who won his first three starts over obstacles after a brief bumper career.
He then went novice chasing in the autumn of 2019, acquitting himself well when winning four times and never finishing out of the top three in eight starts in his opening season over fences.
The following term he won three successive starts and shone at the top level when landing the Clarence House Chase at Ascot, defeating the likes of Defi Du Seuil and Politologue.
Reaching a career-high mark of 166, he was subsequently sixth in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 2021 Festival and from there was consistently placed in graded chases from two miles and a furlong to two miles and six – including a second-placed finish behind Hewick in the Oaksey Chase at Sandown.
“He was a unique horse and a complete star for the yard,” said Bailey.
“It’s very sad to see him retire but it’s something I expected to happen last year and he’s done another season, I’ve got no races to run him in so I think it’s a good time to stop.
“We’ve very much run out of options, he isn’t good enough for Grade One races anymore and he’s carried top-weight in handicaps three times this year.
“He was very tired after the last one and you can only go to the well so many times.
“I probably should have retired him there and then, but emotionally I couldn’t cope with that idea.
“He is a freak of nature, I think most good horses are, it’s been an interesting journey the whole way through because he’s such an interesting character – if he was a human being you would enjoy a night out with him!
“I hope we can find him a home close by so I can keep an eye on him, he is quite special to me.”
The Jockey Club has announced the opening race on day two of next week’s Cheltenham Festival will be run as the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle.
The Grade One contest, registered as the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle, has had several different sponsors in recent years, including Neptune Investment Management and Ballymore.
Gallagher, a global insurance broking and risk management firm, joined The Jockey Club as its Official Community Partner in May 2023 and has now agreed to put its name to a two-mile-five-furlong contest that features the brilliant Faugheen (2014), Envoi Allen (2020) and Impaire Et Passe (2023) on its recent roll of honour.
The partnership sees The Jockey Club and Gallagher work together with the collective aim of opening up the sport to young people from a broad range of backgrounds and communities to the industry of racing and encourage them to consider it as a potential career.
Sophie Chambers, managing director of Gallagher’s bloodstock practice, said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with The Jockey Club by sponsoring the Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival later this month.
“Our partnership has made real progress in our aim to expand the sport to more young people and this is the natural next step.
“Horseracing is a fantastic sport and we want to encourage more youngsters who traditionally would not consider this a career choice to consider coming into the racing and thoroughbred industry.
“There are hugely diverse roles available, beyond just the jockeys we see on the racecourses, all offering great future progression. We hope our series of experience days will open youngsters’ eyes to the opportunities.”
Acting director of partnerships at The Jockey Club, Matt Powell said: “Gallagher has been instrumental in expanding the Junior and Youth experience days which are a hugely important part of our joint efforts to engage communities that the sport doesn’t traditionally reach.
“We are excited to see our partnership grow with the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle opening the card on Style Wednesday.”
Dunbeholden Football Club’s recent signings have added a new dimension to Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde’s squad and are pushing teammates to reach a higher level, as the St Catherine-based team continued its Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL) playoff hunt with a 3-0 win over Harbour View, on Monday.
Dwight Merrick (35th), on loan from Mount Pleasant FA, and Rojay Smith (89th), who signed from Harbour View in January, joined Carlington Blackwood (72nd) on the score sheet, as Dunbeholden outshone the “Stars of the East”, at Stadium East field.
They have now won three games on the trot in a five-match unbeaten run and are now sixth on 33 points, three ahead of closest rival Waterhouse FC (30 points). Mount Pleasant (46 points), Cavalier (44 points), Tivoli Gardens (41 points), Portmore United (41 points) and Arnett Gardens (38 points), occupy the other playoff positions.
Dunbeholden’s assistant coach Ricardo Smith, was delighted by the team’s dominant display and current vein of form heading into the business end of the season.
“I am very impressed by the win, especially with the clean sheet. The performance was so good that I can't pick out a player to say they didn’t play well. Everybody had a good game and the fact that we are back in a playoff position is an even bigger positive,” Smith said.
After going down 0-2 to Harbour View earlier in the season, Dunbeholden were mindful not to suffer another defeat in a similar manner and that might have resulted in their cagey start.
However, once they found rhythm, it was only a matter of time before they broke the deadlock, which they eventually did when Merrick drove a firm left-footer from about 20 yards out pass Trinidad and Tobago-born custodian Glenroy Samuels, at his near post.
With Merrick’s second goal of the season proving the difference at the end of the first half, Harbour View showed more purpose at the top of the second half, and enjoyed a good passage of play in which they used the right channel well to provide service inside the box, but failed to get on target.
In fact, of the four shots that Harbour View got off throughout the entire game, none was on target, and that all but explains why they succumbed to a fourth-consecutive defeat.
Dunbeholden doubled their lead in the 72nd minute courtesy of a tidy team build-up, which comprised 16 passes, very much reflective of a typical Lenworth Hyde-coached team. That series of ball movement opened up Harbour View’s defence and Donovan Segree played a perfect final pass through to Blackwood, who applied an excellent finish.
They almost had a third three minutes later when Segree found space at the top of the 18-yard box for a left-footed effort, which was tipped over by Samuels.
But with Harbour View offering very little in attack, Dunbeholden applied consistent pressure and inevitably gifted another. Samuels gave up possession to substitute Brian Burkett, who played a pass across goal for Smith to tap in, and put Harbour View, who were celebrating the club's 50th anniversary, out of their misery.
Harbour View’s Head coach Ludlow Bernard was again left disappointed by his team’s sub-par display, which all but sums up why they are currently in 11th position on 19 points.
“It was a non-performance from us, and we only have ourselves to blame. I mean, when I look at the three goals, it's really a crying shame,” Bernard lamented.
“I don't want to come with a blame game over the air, it is something we have to deal with internally, but clearly someone has to answer to the goals. It really costs us, especially at a critical point in the game when we're just getting on top of the game and getting ready to come back in the game and you concede a goal like that…its Unthinkable,” he added.
Matchweek 21 Results
Lime Hall 1, Molynes United 2
Portmore United 1, Montego Bay United 1
Treasure Beach 0, Tivoli Gardens 5
Vere United 0, Arnett Gardens 1
Waterhouse 0, Mount Pleasant 1
Cavalier FC 1, Humble Lion 1
Dunbeholden FC 3, Harbour View 0
After a 6-0 aggregate beating from Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit FC Cincinnati in Concacaf Champions Cup play, Rudolph Speid and his Cavalier unit would have hoped for better fortunes on return to the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL).
While they did well to come from behind in a 1-1 stalemate with Humble Lion, the outcome was by no means pleasing to Speid, who felt they were undone by poor officiating in the lukewarm contest at Stadium East field on Monday.
With the score tied in the dying moments of the game, after Andre Clennon (56th) fired Humble Lion in front, and Jalmaro Calvin (72nd) responded for Cavalier, Jeovanni Laing thought he had the winner for Speid’s side, but the goal was disallowed by referee Andre Farquharson.
This, as there was some contact between Laing and Humble Lion’s goalkeeper Shamal Briscoe in a challenge for possession leading up to the goal. However, replay showed that Laing got to the ball well ahead of the advancing Briscoe, who through momentum, then collided with the attacker’s trailing leg on his way towards goal.
The call left Speid fuming, as it denied his team two points which would have pushed them back to the summit of the league, albeit on goal difference. Instead, they remain second on 44 points, two behind reigning champions Mount Pleasant FA (46 points), but with a game in hand.
“There was another call for a penalty that we didn't get, and then that was a clean goal. These are not easy things to miss. It is the most difficult thing for you make a call like that wrong. I mean after we spend millions of dollars to play football, we are supposed to win our game, if we get to win our game. Frankly, I think we won the game, except for that blatant call that has no place in football,” Speid argued.
Cavalier earlier dominated proceedings, and squandered numerous chances, in a goalless first half, much to Speid’s disappointment.
It was almost like rubbing salt in a wound when Clennon put Humble Lion in front 11 minutes into the resumption, as he fired home from close range, after Cavalier failed to clear their lines from Xavian Virgo’s freekick.
Cavalier later bossed possession in their press for the equalizer, which eventually came in the 72nd when Calvin glanced a perfectly weighted cross from Laing into the far corner of the goal for his 10th of the season.
Speid’s side maintained the momentum from there, and thought they had the winner in time added, but for the controversial call.
“I am not happy with the performance because we got a lot of opportunities, especially in the first half that we could have done better with. But again, it was just a difficult game to play, every time we challenged, it was a call, so it was just difficult for us to play this game,” Speid said.
“It is very important that we maintain it (our challenge for the top spot), but if we get games like this, we don't know what's going to happen because I didn't think this was a fair result,” he added.
Humble Lion’s Head coach Vassell Reynolds found more positives in the result, especially with his Clarendon-based team fighting to stay above the relegation zone.
They are currently in 12th position on 19 points, seven points ahead of Treasure Beach (12 points), who occupies the drop zone with the other promoted team Lime Hall Academy (seven points).
“Many people thought that we would have come here and get a beating, but I thought the guys played gallantly and I think we deserve at least a point from the game,” Reynolds said.
“We want to move away from this, from this dreaded zone just to prevent us looking over our shoulder when we are playing, and also, so that we can go out and play with a little bit more confidence. So, a few more points in the upcoming games and we should be fine,” he noted.
Jordan Gainford will be reunited with Hewick in next week’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The young rider is the nine-year-old’s regular partner, steering him to a hat-trick of big-race victories in 2022 as he landed the bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate and the American Grand National.
However, injuries have meant Gainford has not been on Hewick’s back competitively since his fall two fences from home in last year’s Gold Cup, with Rachael Blackmore steering him to a subsequent win at Sandown and Gavin Sheehan in the saddle for his most recent triumph in the King George at Kempton.
Having been sidelined since suffering damaged vertebrae in a fall at Naas in mid-December, Gainford made his return late last month and after enjoying his first winners since his comeback at Leopardstown on Sunday and Monday, trainer Shark Hanlon has confirmed he will be back on board Hewick at Prestbury Park.
Hanlon said: “Jordan is going to ride the horse. I spoke to Gavin last night to tell him, he’s done nothing wrong and gave the horse a great ride (at Kempton) and he might ride him again one day.
“But Jordan is back and has ridden a couple of winners and in fairness he made the horse for me, so I think it would be only manners to let him ride him next week.
“He was down here yesterday to sit on the horse and at that stage he didn’t know if he was riding the horse or not, but he came down and schooled him. I told him the story, I said we’d have to wait and see and in fairness to him he came down and rode the horse twice in the last week.
“Jordan knows the horse well, the horse travels well for him and I’m delighted to have him on board.”
Raddesh Roman has added another milestone to his career by signing with TruShake as their latest brand ambassador.
Roman is the fourth jockey in less than two years to join the TruShake family.
He placed fifth in the 2023 standings and is currently in second place behind Tevin Foster, another TruShake Ambassador.
Lauren Mahfood, Marketing Manager, Trade Winds Citrus Limited, says she is elated to add another brand ambassador to their sporting family.
She noted that, “Horseracing in Jamaica is very popular and as a Jamaican brand it is amazing to be a part of sport that Jamaicans are so passionate about and support our talented jockeys.”
Mahfood went on to say that "TruSHAKE is a great fit for the jockeys who are very mindful of their weight. As a nutrition shake, TruSHAKE can act as a meal replacement or as a snack to complement the jockey’s diet depending on their goal weight."
Roman is pleased to be associated with the company and has set his sights firmly on taking the 2024 championship. He said, "I will do all I can to make this relationship work and will perform at my best at all times."
Roman joined the big leagues when he rode Blue Vinyl to victory in the 2000 Guineas and St Leger Classic races in 2022 and added an elite win on his resume last August (2023) when he rode Runaway Algo for his 100th career winner.
Roman joins the other jockeys 2023 winner, Reyan Lewis, Tevin Foster and Javaneil Patterson; while the other athletes are Olympic bronze medalist in women's hurdles, Megan Tapper and race car driver, Fraser McConnell.
Roman had three wins on Saturday for the SVREL 7th Anniversary.
The Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) and KPMG joined forces recently to launch the 24th KPMG League which will feature sixteen teams. The launch was held at the association's home base at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston.
There was a mood of heightened excitement for this year's staging of the league after last year's successful post Covid-19 return. AGI was the dominant team then but there is one change to their line-up which could make the difference this year.
Karen Anderson, president of the JSA said "we can expect exciting matches. We see some really strong teams that have registered for the event and I think we will see an upset or two and so we are extremely excited to see how the matches will play out over the two months of the event."
The league will run on a handicap system which is used to level the playing field so that everybody will have a chance to play and do well.
The teams will play round robin matches in the first round of four teams per group. The top two teams will go to the quarterfinals where all matches going forward will be played on a knockout basis. The other two teams in the group will play in a plate final or final for the losing teams.
Anderson announced that the association will introduce new software to run the league fully for the first time.
"The association will be running it using the software that we have, the SportyHQ software, which will help us to be a bit more efficient in getting our results out and in the efficiency of the play because now people can follow live. We are trying to be innovative in how we bring new and different to a league that has been running for 24 years."
Additionally, Anderson welcomed new sponsor Wata to provide hydration throughout the league. She thanked title sponsor for this year's sponsorship of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This will allow for the association to take up the cost of staging all the matches while relieving the teams of the cost of hosting matches.
Rajan Trehan, country managing partner of title sponsor KPMG credited the league for its continued high contribution to developing young players in the game of squash in the country.
"Over the period (of our sponsorship) it has developed into a very strong league and its one of the major events on the JSA calendar. We are proud because we believe in the development of youth as well as sports and we have adopted squash as one of the sports to make sure that we contribute in the development of squash in particular."
He also said that KPMG will be around for much longer than the 24 years they have been sponsoring the league.
One of Jamaica's best young player Sanjana Nallapati endorsed that league while saying that her game had improved because of her involvement in the league. "It (her game) was definitely better because we had a bunch of matches. Games are usually up to 11 but these were up to 21. Even though it was best of three, it tested our fitness quite a bit and the squash definitely improved quite a bit by the end of it."
Dave Morrison of defending champion AGI (Advantage General Insurance) was upbeat about the league. "Last year was really satisfying. We have never always done well because the nature of the tournament is to ensure that regardless of the quality of players you have, it’s all eliminated or equalized because of the handicap structure. But last year we really came out with a certain level of determination and yes, I had to one or two times, I had to save the team but I will remind them that that's what I did but yes, we had a very, very exciting tournament last year. I really enjoyed it."
The league will serve off on Tuersday evening at the Liguanea Club while it is scheduled to end on April 19 at the same venue.
Marine Nationale will miss next week’s My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase due to a suspensory strain.
The seven-year-old won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last year and had been a general 9-4 favourite to supplement his Festival haul in the Arkle.
However, trainer Barry Connell reports his star performer to be in need of a six-week rest, scuppering not only his Cheltenham run, but also any possible engagements at Aintree or Punchestown.
Connell said: “He basically needs six weeks off and he has got a minor suspensory strain.
“We did our final piece of work with him on Saturday and were thrilled with him – it was as good a piece of work he has done in the last year and a half.
“Everything was all ready for Cheltenham and he was all ready to go, but we obviously don’t ride out on Sunday and came in this morning and the horse was lame.
“He has never had a lame step in his life before, so we just put him to one side for the vets to look at him. They went through him in detail and it’s the best possible result we could have hoped for because it’s basically liked a pulled muscle in human terms.
“It is in the suspensory, not a tendon and it’s not a tear, it’s basically a little shadow.
“If we had not caught it and gone on with it, things could have been worse, so the vets say if he gets six weeks’ rest, he will be 100 per cent.”
Marine Nationale has run just twice this term, winning impressively on his fencing bow at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting before suffering a shock defeat at Leopardstown last month.
While his jumps season is over, Connell could yet look for a Flat target in the autumn once the gelding has fully recovered.
He added: “We have missed our spring campaign with him, he’s going to miss Cheltenham and Punchestown, but we’ll get him out early on grass and what I’ve kind of got in the back of my head with this horse is we could give him a go at a Flat campaign.
“That is something we could possibly look to do in the autumn, but the main aim will be to go back to Cheltenham for the Queen Mother Champion Chase next year.
“Given that he has had a truncated season, a Flat campaign is something that could come to fruition in the autumn. I’ve always felt he would be a great horse on the Flat and I don’t know how high he could go, but he could be a horse for maybe the Irish St Leger or something like that.
“One door closes and another opens and the main thing is we have a horse who is going to be 100 per cent in six weeks.
“It’s obviously very disappointing that we can’t go over and win the Arkle this year, but I don’t think there is any National Hunt horse who gets a complete clear run at things and if this is as bad a setback as we get, then we will definitely take it.
“He’s a fresh horse, he’s only had seven runs in his life and he will be as good as new for the Queen Mother next year and in the meantime, we might have a nice go at a few runs on the Flat in the autumn – that’s something we can look at when the dust settles.”
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