Robbie Llewellyn may have TV cameos in Games Of Thrones to his name but it is victory on the racecourse that is fuelling his ambition as he paves his way in the training ranks.
Many would dine out on donning the armour of a Dothraki knight in the popular TV blockbuster, but the 33-year-old has no desire to reminisce about his brief stay in the fantasy land of Westeros and has always held the desire to train racehorses.
Llewellyn’s journey to the training fraternity has seen him excel in the pointing field and assist Tim Vaughan before an epiphany during Covid finally convinced him to roll the dice and commit to taking on a trainer’s licence.
From that moment on, survival entered the equation as starting from the bottom, Llewellyn and his wife Sarah upped sticks to a flat in Wiltshire and began navigating the treacherous world of training racehorses.
It was a move the unassuming Welshman describes as a “calculated punt” and two years on the flat is now a house and his initial 24-horse barn is set to be doubled as he begins expanding his empire.
Llewellyn said: “We didn’t have a lot of money starting off so we couldn’t go out and buy the fancier-bred or expensive horses and we’ve had to work our way up from the bottom.
“Surviving is the biggest thing at the moment and there is no massive grand ambition. But if we can keep going as we are and try to increase the quality – as well as the Monday-to-Friday stuff we want to be competing on the Saturday – that would be good.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my wife Sarah, we took a gamble and moved up from Wales to Wroughton. We rented a two-bedroom flat round the corner and rented a 24-box barn and had three horses, two of which we owned ourselves.
“It’s expensive to get going, and you have to cut the costs when you can to get going. But that was just over two years ago and now we have a barn of 24 full and we have just taken on another barn now which we might have licensed next season I would have thought.
“It was a bit of a punt, but a calculated punt because I guess I knew I could earn money elsewhere if it didn’t work out training wise. We’ve now got a house on the farm right next to the horses, so if it all went Pete Tong tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter because we have a house.”
Life towards the bottom end of the racing ladder is all about maximising returns on a budget, and Llewellyn is always on the search for the next value buy to add quality to his team.
He added: “We have to think about the way we do things and we can’t just turn up at the sales and pick the flashy stuff, we have got to look at things from a different angle really. We’re on the button, looking at sellers, claimers, we have to be ‘on it’ all the time.
“I’ve been lucky, I had some supportive owners before I took the licence out and I was lucky a few owners sent me horses to train to get me up and running and the business going.
“I think every single owner who had horses with us before we had a licence has had a winner with us now and that is what I’m most proud of. It’s great the people who started with us when no one knew us are beginning to have success and enjoying it as much as we are.”
Having initially done his training modules aged 18, Llewellyn tried his hand riding in the pointing field before hanging up the saddle to train ‘between the flags’ for Welshman David Brace.
That gave Llewellyn the bug and having always wanted to train, it was his time assisting Vaughan that convinced him he held the knowledge required to become his own boss.
“I kind of had a free rein for David Brace training his pointers for him and we won two owners’ championships and I always wanted to train but just didn’t know how we could do it,” he explained.
“Working two seasons as an assistant to Tim Vaughan, I realised there wasn’t such a big step to go and Covid was the first time in my life I realised what I wanted to do. If I was going to train I didn’t want to get to 50 and regret not giving it a go when I was 30.”
It is remiss to ignore the part Llewellyn’s dalliance with the big screen has played in his journey, but the trainer is keen to stress he is far from an Academy Award nominee, but simply someone with horses in the right place at the right time.
“I’m no actor and I have no interest in being in front of the camera,” he pointed out.
“I have no interest in talking about the Game Of Thrones stuff really as I don’t want to be known as the film guy and I’m not an actor.
“You’ll never see me do that again. It’s just something I was able to earn a bit of money out of – being able to ride a horse. People get excited about it, but I just needed to earn a few quid and they happened to be filming round the corner from my house and needed someone who is six foot who could ride a horse.”
However, his time working alongside leading film-industry horse supplier The Devil’s Horsemen has opened up some vital revenue streams that have not only helped make training a more viable option, but reaffirmed to Llewellyn it was the avenue he wanted to take in life.
“I now work alongside ‘The Devil’s’,” said Llewellyn. “I worked for them for two years in between leaving David Brace’s and starting at Tim’s, just as a sub-contractor I suppose.
“When I went back into racing they asked me if I could provide some horses for The Crown on Netflix, then we did Dream Horse and since then we’ve done adverts.
“It probably put my life into perspective and that’s how we made the move into training really, doing something because I wanted to do it, not just being somewhere because it was a way of making money.
“I think we have an easy life. When you are working six or seven days a week and 18 hours on a film set, working in racing is easy – coming in and doing something you enjoy every day.”
He went on: “It’s a sideline which enables us to train if I’m honest and we had 20 horses at Newbury for a Coral advert recently which really helps us keep going because with the prize-money as it is, it’s a tight game to make money in. It means the business survives and takes the pressure off.”
Now in his third season with a licence, Llewellyn has easily eclipsed last season’s tally of five and saddled 15 winners at just past the halfway stage of the campaign.
Operating at a strike-rate of over 20 per cent, the biggest victories of his career came at Ascot during the the track’s two-day pre-Christmas meeting where Titan Discovery’s triumph on the Friday was quickly supplemented a day later by the success of Top Cloud.
“The Friday was a special day and Titan Discovery is probably the nicest horse we’ve got,” said Llewellyn.
“Owner-breeders Kevin and Anne Glastonbury I’ve known since I was 14 and as soon as I came out of Tim’s, they sent me some young horses to break in and to have a nice horse for them is massive.
“When he got a mark of 104 I thought we might as well have a day out at a nicer meeting and a day out at Ascot while he was on the way up and improving. We thought he had a solid each-way chance, but you still never know when you are taking on the big boys and you always assume one will have a bit more up their sleeve.
“It was magical and to win on the Friday and then come back and win with Top Cloud on the Saturday was a different world to be honest. We paid £8,000 for him and again he was there to give the syndicate a nice day out at Ascot and for him to win made it a special two days.”
Those results have convinced the fledgling handler he is on the right track and has given him the confidence to take on the best in the game again if the opportunities arise.
“We know we can get them fit and know we can place them well, but sometimes you just avoid those type of races because you think it’s Ascot on a Saturday and we’re not good enough,” said Llewellyn.
“Realistically though, we probably are. We still have to be in the right grade, but now just because it’s Ascot on a Saturday, if it’s the right race we can’t just ignore it.
“It’s kind of opened my mind a little bit to say ‘oh come on, let’s have a go’. Training is a confidence game and you are only as good as your last winner.
“At the minute everything is flying so we’ve just got to try to earn as much money as we can and place our horses the best we can with the limited numbers we’ve got.”
Ryan Moore produced another masterclass of race riding to help Warm Heart bow out in a blaze of glory at Gulfstream Park.
Aidan O’Brien’s filly was chasing a third elite-level success in the $1million 1/ST BET Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and went off at 12-5.
Moore was happy to track the front-running Main Event for much of the nine-furlong contest but made a daring dive up that horse’s inside entering the home straight.
It was a move which brought back memories of his brilliant Breeders’ Cup Turf triumph on Auguste Rodin and reaped the same reward.
Warm Heart sprinted through a gap on the rail to seize a decisive advantage and then repelled the late challenge of I’m Very Busy to win by half a length.
O’Brien said: “We’re absolutely delighted. It’s incredible. Ryan obviously gave her an incredible ride and has done such an incredible job.”
Moore added: “The leader was always leaning out and he was weakening, and I knew I had plenty of horse, so no problem. I was happy to wait.
“She’s always travelling very comfortably. I didn’t want to be there too early and I didn’t want to be tipping out into the straight, so I thought I’d just wait. She’s a great filly. She’s had an incredible year. She hasn’t had a bad race.”
It was a sixth success for Warm Heart, who last year prevailed in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille.
The four-year-old is now set to embark on a second career as a broodmare, with a visit to stallion sensation Justify on the horizon.
“We’d love to have her and to be racing her, but the lads’ business is breeding these horses and she’s an absolutely incredible broodmare to be going to Justify,” said O’Brien on the Gulfstream Park website. “It’s so exciting, really.”
The $3million Pegasus World Cup was won by last year’s Preakness Stakes hero National Treasure, who edged out Senor Buscador by a neck for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Flavien Prat.
Louisiana State University (LSU) Sophomore Brianna Lyston gave fans a signal of what is to come from her this season with a personal best and collegiate leading 7.07 to win the women’s 60m at the Razorback Invitational at the Tyson Center in Fayetteville on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, who entered the meet with a personal best of 7.29 done last season, first produced an easy 7.14 in qualifying before returning to run her new personal best in the final to win comfortably ahead of Georgia’s Kaila Jackson (7.20) and Florida’s Grace Stark (7.21).
Lyston’s time is the third-fastest in the world this year, fourth-fastest in collegiate history and equals the LSU school record done back in 2018 by Aleia Hobbs.
The men's equivalent saw USC's Travis Williams run 6.63 for third behind LSU's Myles Thomas (6.62) and USC's JC Stevenson (6.61).
Jamaican World Championship 4x400m relay medallist Stacey Ann Williams ran 51.86 to win the women’s open 400m ahead of Americans Kendall Ellis (52.12) and Bailey Lear (52.49). World Championships 400m hurdles finalist Andrenette Knight ran 52.53 for fifth.
Arkansas Junior and reigning Jamaican National champion Nickisha Pryce ran 51.58 for third in the college women’s 400m behind schoolmate Amber Anning (50.56) and Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler (51.34).
Pryce was a semi-finalist in the 400m at the World Championships in Budapest last August.
Florida Senior Jevaughn Powell ran 46.28 for third in the college men’s 400m behind USC’s William Jones (45.24) and Texas A&M’s Auhmad Robinson (46.15).
2023 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion and World Championship 100m hurdles finalist Ackera Nugent ran 7.94 for second in the women’s open 60m hurdles won by the USA’s Tia Jones in 7.85. Christina Clemons ran 7.95 for third.
Jamaica’s Phillip Lemonious, who won the NCAA Outdoor title competing for the University of Arkansas last season, ran 7.68 for third in the men’s 60m hurdles. Interestingly, the top two finishers in the race, Texas A&M’s Connor Schulman and Jaqualon Scott, also ran 7.68. Their times when rounded up to the thousandths were 7.672, 7.673 and 7.675.
St. Vincent's Shafiqua Maloney ran 2:02.29 to take top spot in the women's 800m ahead of Sanu Jallow of Arkansas (2:02.60) and Gabija Galvydyte (2:02.82).
In the field, Arkansas high jumper Romaine Beckford, the defending NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion, improved his indoor career best to 2.27m with his victory on Friday evening.
The winning height moves Beckford to No. 4 on the UA all-time list and No. 3 on the Jamaican all-time indoor list with the equal No. 4 performance.
Having won the competition, Beckford opted for the Olympic standard of 2.33m as his next height and had three attempts with his last try coming closest to clearing.
Mississippi State’s Sherman Hawkins and USC’s Elias Gerald both cleared 2.17m for second and third, respectively.
Elsewhere in the field, Jamaican Oklahoma Junior Nikaoli Williams produced 7.86m for second in the men’s long jump behind Florida’s Malcolm Clemons (8.06m). Clemons’ teammate Caleb Foster jumped 7.68m for third.
With Trinidad and Tobago’s Copa America playoff against Canada fast approaching and their opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign revealed, Head coach Angus Eve is cautiously optimistic about the way forward.
This, as he believes his senior Soca Warriors are in a much better place ahead of this year’s campaign compared to last year when they had a fairly successful run, which included an historic victory over United States in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.
Should they secure an upset victory over Canada in the upcoming March 23 fixture, Trinidad and Tobago would qualify for the prestigious Copa America tournament to contest Group A alongside Argentina, Peru and Chile.
The Soca Warriors are also set to contest Group B in the second round of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers alongside Costa Rica, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Bahamas.
Eve, who views the ongoing T&T Premier Football League, as well as pre-season football for his foreign-based charges in North America as an additional boost, pointed out that they have already started plotting the way forward.
“We had a strategy meeting where we planned our way forward. We have been speaking individually with everybody in their individual roles. This is what the collective meeting (was about), to bring back in all the data and plan the way going forward,” Eve told TTFA in a recent interview.
The tactician credited T&T Premier Football League’s tier one and tier two competitions for improving his talent pool to some extent.
“It has been tremendous and refreshing for us because every (national training) camp that we would have gone in previously the locally based players weren’t playing (regularly), and we had to do a lot of work to bring (them) up to match fitness,” Eve reasoned.
“Now they are playing, the league is going well. I think it’s very competitive so we can see that the players are playing much sharper. I thought that this (second) season the boys would be playing a lot faster, and they are. So, it’s good for us and we want to bring them in,” he added.
That said, Eve welcomed the fact that surging young talents Tyrese Spicer of Toronto FC and Colorado Rapids’ Wayne Frederick II, are now among the potentials for a national call-up.
“We have some new boys who will get the opportunity to come in the camp and work with us in that environment. We have seen a lot of nice young players coming through the league.
"The players in Canada, the players in the US are already in pre-season with their clubs so they will get a lot of pre-season matches under their belt. It’s a lot more game time and also that we have the few players in Europe, they are still in action and playing,” Eve noted.
“(So) I think we’re in a better place going into this round of matches because soon after, we’ll have the World Cup campaign to start,” he ended.
In his lone year competing at the NCAA level, Jaydon Hibbert undoubtedly cemented himself as the greatest jumper in collegiate history.
The now 19-year-old Arkansas sophomore became the youngest ever winner of the Bowerman Award after going unbeaten in the Triple Jump at the NCAA level in 2023, setting new collegiate Indoor and Outdoor records in the process.
Hibbert’s best jump came at the SEC Outdoor Championships on May 13 when he established a new World U-20 record with a massive 17.87m effort to win gold. He then went on to claim top spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June in addition to his wins at the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships in February and March.
Hibbert’s associate head coach at the University of Arkansas, Travis Geopfert, put into perspective just how much of an impact his performances made at the collegiate level.
“His stamp on the history of NCAA Track & Field is already there in a very short period of time. That, we’re going to forever celebrate. His name is in the history books forever and I’m excited for that continue on the world stage as well,” he said.
Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Buckman also commented on Hibbert’s decision to turn professional.
“We’re so proud of Jaydon and all he’s accomplished here as a Razorback in such a short period of time,” he said.
“We’re just really, really happy that he’s able to take this next step and go to the next level. It really gives us a sense of satisfaction and pride. I wish him nothing but the best,” he added.
Now, Hibbert has decided to go the professional route while staying at Arkansas to complete his collegiate education.
He will continue to train under the guidance of Geopfert, who is excited about what the former Kingston College standout will be able to produce at the highest level.
“I’m super excited for him. It’s a great opportunity that he’s earned and I’m really excited for the work that he’s put in already this year and how that’s going to pay off going forward. The experience that I’ve been fortunate to have to work with a lot of professional athletes over the years, I’m excited for the setup that we have here for ’Hibby’ to make a smooth transition to the professional ranks,” he said.
Hibbert’s focus this year will be the outdoor season, according to Geopfert.
“We’re going to focus on the outdoor season. Training is going extremely well. He’s a lot stronger and getting faster. We’re working on some technical things that he can still clean up a little bit. Despite all that success last year there’s always room for improvement,” he said.
One specific area he is excited to work on with Hibbert is his approach to the board. For most of last season, Hibbert was operating using a short run-up but Geopfert says the extra time to train ahead of the outdoor season will give Hibbert time to work off his full run-up, meaning some scary distances could be in the near future.
“From a technical perspective, what I’m most excited about is him working on his full approach and getting more and more comfortable with the speed that he has. We have time to do that now,” he said.
Geopfert also commended Hibbert on the decision to stay in school despite making the jump to the professional ranks.
“I’m really proud of him for staying grounded and staying in school. It’s a terrific opportunity and I’m excited for what’s to come this year,” he said.
Harry Fry was left pondering where to head at the Cheltenham Festival having seen his hugely-talented Gidleigh Park remain unbeaten in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Hurdle.
The strapping six-year-old went to Cheltenham for his Festival dress rehearsal with a perfect record of three from three, having backed up his wide-margin bumper success last term with two impressive displays over hurdles.
He was sent off the 5-6 favourite in the hands of Johnny Burke, but was made to pull out all the stops by Nicky Henderson’s 15-2 shot Lucky Place, prevailing by half a length in a tight finish.
Having scored over just shy of two miles and five furlongs, Fry now needs to decide whether Gidleigh Park remains at a similar distance for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle or steps up to three miles for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – a race he has won in the past with Unowhatimeanharry (2016).
“It’s a Grade Two on Trials Day and we were stepping up in grade, so we knew he needed to step up,” said Fry.
“Talking with Johnny there, the race hasn’t been run to suit and it has turned into a bit of sprint for home, but he has got down and battled and got the job done on the day.
“It’s the first time he’s had to really battle and he will have learned again and be sharper for it. But he’s almost given us more questions than answers in terms of which race to run him in in March.
“They didn’t go fast and we have to go home and reflect, but he’s won and we can’t complain about that. That’s what it is all about, a win is a win and he’s done it in spite of things being run not quite to suit, so it’s onwards and upwards.
“Come March they will go a proper gallop and he’s come here, stayed unbeaten and the dream is still alive. We will go home, enjoy it and it’s a nice dilemma to have.
“Relieved is probably the overriding feeling right now and we’ve got six weeks to now work out what race we go for.”
Fry is no stranger to handling quality young stock and although unwilling to compare him to the likes of the aforementioned Unowhatimeanharry and ill-fated Neon Wolf, he believes his future lies over the larger obstacles where the patience of winning owners, the Eyre Family, will truly be rewarded.
Fry continued: “He’s done everything right so far and I don’t like comparing horses, so we will just let him be Gidleigh Park. He will tell us how good he is on the racecourse.
“He’s a big, tall individual who was quite raw to begin with. In the outside school when we started, he could barely get round the bend and just in terms of giving him time, I’m delighted for the Eyre Family and it is their first winner here at Cheltenham.
“They have been patient and allowed us to take our time and ultimately he is a chaser, so what he is doing over hurdles is a bonus.”
Ashroe Diamond showed her class to provide Willie Mullins with a third victory in the SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster.
The Closutton handler had sent two of his best ever mares to Town Moor to plunder this Grade Two prize in the last decade, with the brilliant Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power triumphant in 2014 and Vroum Vroum Mag landing short odds three years later.
This time around Mullins fired a twin assault, with 7-4 shot Ashroe Diamond considered the second string by punters as her stablemate Gala Marceau was sent off the 10-11 favourite.
Both had shown their worth at Grade One level, with Gala Marceau beating another Mullins mare in Lossiemouth at Leopardstown last year before the tables were turned in the Triumph Hurdle, while Ashroe Diamond was placed behind top-class geldings Facile Vega and Marine Nationale before enjoying her day in the sun at Fairyhouse in the spring.
Crucially, Ashroe Diamond had already run this winter with a third-placed finish in the Hatton’s Grace, whereas Gala Marceau had been off the track since doubling her top-level tally at Auteuil in May.
It was clear earlier in the home straight the former was travelling the better in the hands of the trainer’s son Patrick Mullins and once given the office, Ashroe Diamond picked up smartly to put the race to bed and score by two and a half lengths from the staying-on Under Control.
“What more could you ask for? I think my mare’s form with Facile Vega and Marine Nationale is the best mares’ form out there,” said Mullins junior, riding his first ever winner at Doncaster.
“She has a high cruising speed and she settled great today, she’s normally quite keen and you have to get a bit of cover with her.
“She’s always a brilliant jumper and she can often run a bit keen, but she has form against top geldings last year and I always rate that above juvenile form – that’s a restricted division.”
Ashroe Diamond was widely cut for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and Mullins views her as a leading candidate.
He added: “Her pedigree suggests she can go further, but it’s two and a half miles in the mares’ race in March and that will be no problem to her.
“We won’t know until Cheltenham but I’d love to ride her there.”
Paul Nicholls could not hide his excitement as Ginny’s Destiny followed in the footsteps of Stage Star and booked his ticket to the Turners Novices’ Chase with an excellent display in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase.
A useful hurdler when trained by Tom Lacey last season, he has gone from strength to strength since sent over fences by the champion trainer this term.
Attempting to replicate the exploits of Stage Star – who won this contest 12 months ago before following up at the Cheltenham Festival – Ginny’s Destiny never missed a beat as the 4-1 favourite registered a flawless two-and-three-quarter-length victory over Theatre Man.
“I was expecting that on his homework,” said Nicholls.
“He’s improved massively from run to run and I haven’t had too many improve so much over a short period since Master Minded funnily enough. Master Minded won at Sandown years ago and kept going forward and he has done the same, his work has been unbelievable. I think he’s a really smart horse.
“From his first run when he was ordinary, he had just got better and better and better and you like to see that – there’s not many horses who do that.
“The girl who rides him every day rides Pic D’Orhy every day and she puts him on a par with him. He is 162 and if he could be as good as him, we would be really happy. He obviously jumps and gallops and that is what you want.
“I honestly thought he would win today – and I know that’s being confident – but he’s a very smart horse.”
Ginny’s Destiny was cut to 9-1 with Betfair for the Turners Novices’ Chase after winning his third-straight chase at Prestbury Park and Nicholls confirmed that a return to the Cotswolds for the Festival would be his next port of call.
“He’s a very good work horse at home, he has class, he jumps and he will come back here now for the Turners,” he continued.
“He will get three miles, but I’m not going to do that until next year. He will follow the Stage Star route now and he is a bit stronger and more robust than Stage Star. You have to train him with kid gloves whereas this lad loves his work and thrives on everything you give to him and is a proper horse.
“Stage Star carried the weight last year and if they are good enough off that mark, then it doesn’t matter what weight they are carrying. He’s a massive horse and the weight was never going to worry him and Harry gave him a peach of a ride.”
Ga Law was another horse to showcase his love for Cheltenham when making a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure in the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.
Jamie Snowden’s eight-year-old was a winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup in 2022 but has found victories hard to come by since, with a crushing fall at Doncaster on his next start knocking the wind out of his sail and halting his progression.
However, he was back to his best in the hands of Gavin Sheehan to tee-up either a shot at Kempton’s Coral Trophy Handicap Chase on February 24 or a return to Prestbury Park for the Plate in March.
Snowden said: “He won the Paddy Power in 2022 and fell in the Sky Bet Chase (at Doncaster) when coming to win his race and it has taken a long time to get him back in that kind of form really – he lost his confidence and lost his way a little bit.
“We always thought we would get him back, but that fall at Doncaster was pretty nasty and it’s taken us a year to get him back. He ran really well in the Coral Gold Cup but just didn’t stay and the drop back in trip on the New course has helped him here today.
“He’s back now and it was lovely. He jumped really well out in front and got into a lovely rhythm. I thought the New course might suit him better than the Old course as he’s a long-striding horse and Gavin has given him a lovely ride.
“We were going to go to Kempton next, but we might have to come here instead. We will enjoy today and think about the next day tomorrow.”
There was a huge shock in the My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase as Elixir De Nutz battled back to beat Jonbon, providing jockey Freddie Gingell and trainer Joe Tizzard with a first Grade One win.
The race was expected to be dominated by Jonbon in the absence of El Fabiolo but he rarely looked at ease.
He jumped slowly in the early stages as Elixir De Nutz (22-1) helped set the pace, getting into a great rhythm under Gingell.
Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon eventually got on an even keel and coming down the hill looked set to stamp his authority on the race.
However, the 1-4 favourite, ridden by James Bowen for the first time, ploughed through the fourth last, almost getting rid of Bowen and losing all momentum.
To his credit Jonbon looked to have done enough to triumph heading to the final fence but he again jumped poorly, allowing Elixir De Nutz and Gingell another chance and they took it with both hands, winning by a neck.
Gingell is the son of Tizzard’s late sister, Kim, and is already in demand with champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
Capodanno indicated the strength of Willie Mullins’ hand in the Gold Cup when running out a comfortable winner of the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
No match for stablemate and current Gold Cup holder Galopin Des Champs at Christmas when a distant third, he was taking on most of the best of the British challenge in the Grade Two event, including the smart novice Stay Away Fay.
The Real Whacker, a Festival winner as a novice last season, took the field along to halfway when Ahoy Senor, winner of the race 12 months ago, nudged up his inside and began to put some pressure on.
Stay Away Fay, Royale Pagaille and then Capodanno (7-2) all moved up menacingly at one point or another, with almost all five in a line approaching the second last.
The Real Whacker cracked first and then unfortunately Stephen Mulqueen suffered a tack malfunction on Ahoy Senor.
With Stay Away Fay outpaced, Capodanno and Paul Townend pulled clear and went on to beat a staying-on The Real Whacker by two and three-quarter lengths.
There was a sad postscript to the race as Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino sustained a fatal injury when falling early on.
Jeriko Du Reponet maintained his unbeaten record in the SBK Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster, but he was made to pull out all the stops in the process.
Sent off the 4-6 favourite, Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old was expected to book his ticket for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with the minimum of fuss following two effortless wins at Newbury.
He was in deeper company on this occasion though, with Ben Pauling’s Fiercely Proud and Sam Thomas’ Lump Sum also unbeaten over hurdles and Nicky Richards’ The Kalooki Kid a dual winner too.
The Grade Two was supposed to have been run at Haydock last week, without Jeriko Du Reponet, but as the race was rescheduled, Henderson rerouted his charge and Mark Walsh travelled from Ireland for the ride.
He travelled into the race supremely well, despite a few sketchy leaps, but still looked like winning quite comfortably.
However, Fiercely Proud lived up to his name and battled on gamely and then Lump Sum laid down the final challenge before Jeriko Du Reponet settled matters by a length and a quarter.
The bookmakers were not impressed, though, and Betfair pushed the winner out to 8-1 from 5s for the Supreme.
Walsh felt a slow early pace had gone against his mount and expects Jeriko Du Reponet to improve for the experience.
He said: “We went no gallop early, which didn’t suit, and he didn’t even jump great early considering we were going so slow.
“When we picked up going into the straight, he was electric over the last three (hurdles). Early on he was a bit sloppy, but I think that was because he thought he was just going round for a school.
“The race wasn’t run to suit, we went too slow and it turned into a sprint, that was the reading I got.
“In his other races he was just cantering around, but he really had to fight today and he put his head down when I wanted him.
“He’s a lovely horse, he can only beat what’s in front of him and he showed a good attitude.
“He’s only five and I think he’ll keep improving.”
The Institute of Sports’ Primary Schools Football and Netball competitions are now down the last 32 after the parish champions have been decided and the draw for the island playoffs completed.
The competition saw the participation of 280 schools for football and 190 schools for netball. This involved the active participation of approximately 8,210 students, with 5,290 participating in football inclusive of 573 females and 2,850 for netball as the parish champions were decided.
St Patrick’s Primary of Kingston are defending all-island netball champion, and they were drawn in Zone 4 alongside Golden Grove Primary of St Thomas, Lime Hall of St Ann and Mandeville Primary of Manchester.
The schools were provided with gears by INSPORTS, with action scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, January 30, when St Patrick’s takes on Lime Hall Primary.
There will be a new champion in the football as the defending champion Pembroke Hall Primary were eliminated during the St Andrew playoffs.
Permanent Secretary, Denzil Thorpe, speaking on behalf of Minister of Sports, Olivia Grange, said the tournaments mark another special achievement in Jamaica’s grassroots sporting development.
“I am sure we would all agree that the Institute of Sports has been doing an excellent job of unearthing talent, as evidenced by the fact that 12 of the 14 National Under-15 team were discovered by INSPORTS and recommended to the Jamaica Cricket Association,” Thorpe pointed out.
“That is the kind of impact we want coming out of these football and netball competitions, which are arguably the biggest age-group competition of their kind in the English-speaking Caribbean,” he added.
“One of our latest stars, Dujuan “Whisper” Richards who signed for top English club Chelsea recently, came up through the INSPORTS football competition, where he was discovered at Harbour View Primary School during the 2015/2016 season.
“These programmes will enable us to bring to the fore, the best talent there is in a competitive environment, in keeping with the INSPORTS mandate of “unearthing talent” in every nook and cranny of Jamaica,” said Thorpe.
Matches will be played on a home and away basis.
Football Play-Offs 2023- 2024
Zone 1: Unity Primary, Corinaldi Primary, Falmouth Primary, Claremont Primary
Zone 2: Little London Primary, Howard Cooke Primary, Clarks Town Primary, Bethel Primary
Zone 3: Brompton Primary, Mandeville Primary, Bethany Primary, Granville Primary
Zone 4: Ocho Rios Primary, Holland Primary, Ballas Valley Primary, New Forest Primary
Zone 5: Denbigh Primary, St Aloysius Primary, Frankfield Primary, Balmagie Primary
Zone 6: Spanish Town Primary, Rousseau Primary, Watsonton Primary, Calabar Primary
Zone 7: Golden Grove Primary, Greater Portmore Primary, Port Antonio Primary, Enfield Primary
Zone 8: Norwick Primary, Port Maria Primary, Lyssons Primary, Oracabessa Primary
Netball Play-Offs 2023-2024
Zone 1: New Hope Primary, Corinaldi Primary, First Hill All Age, Pell River Primary
Zone 2: Savanna-la-mar Primary, Irwin Primary, Clark's Town Primary, Green Island Primary
Zone 3: Brompton Primary, Little London Primary, Bethany Primary, Flankers Primary
Zone 4: Golden Grove Primary, Lime Hall Primary, St Patrick Primary, Mandeville Primary
Zone 5: Spaulding Primary, Black River Primary, Bethabara Primary, Mona Primary
Zone 6: Naggo Head Primary, Half Way Tree Primary, Frankfield Primary, Nazareth Primary
Zone 7: Lyssons Primary, Bridgeport Primary, Seaside Primary, Oracabessa Primary
Zone 8: Buff Bay Primary, Port Maria Primary, White Horses Primary, Clan Carthy Primary
Sir Gino produced a startling display to burst the Burdett Road bubble in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson’s imposing youngster had impressed many on his hurdling debut at Kempton but he faced a different calibre of opponent this time in Royal Ascot winner Burdett Road.
James Owen’s charge had shown a liking for hurdles in two previous wins over obstacles and Harry Cobden was eager to anchor him at the back of the pack as his mount was keen on his first run since November.
The big two closed in on long-time leader Milan Tino turning into the straight and while Burdett Road was still travelling strongly, when James Bowen asked Sir Gino to quicken he took two lengths out of his main rival.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the race, however, was after the last when the 5-4 chance sprinted 10 lengths clear of the 6-5 favourite.
Sir Gino is now Betfair’s 6-4 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle from 9-2.
Nicky Henderson’s Marie’s Rock is given another chance to advertise her staying talents in the rearranged SBK Warfield Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster on Sunday.
The extended three-mile contest was originally scheduled for Ascot last Saturday before the cold snap forced a switch to Town Moor and Marie’s Rock’s owners, Middleham Park Racing, are thrilled their star mare gets the opportunity to run in a Grade Two event worth over £25,000 to the winner.
Her previous forays up to a staying trip have ended in defeat, but Middleham Park’s Tom Palin believes she has shown enough promise at the distance to be a major player in a race that also features Dan Skelton’s West Balboa, who was sent off favourite for the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle last month.
He said: “We’re very grateful for the fact that this race is going ahead. It looks a good opportunity for us to go back up to three miles.
“I do concede three miles is probably not her optimum and most effective trip – her championship trip. But that’s not to say she is ineffective over three miles and her ratings for her previous tries suggest she is capable of putting in a performance in the mid-to-high 140s, which in theory should see her competitive in this race.
“I don’t think she doesn’t stay it, she showed at Aintree she can get the trip. Is she a Grade One Stayers’ Hurdle contender over three miles? No. And that is why we are targeting the Mares’ Hurdle again at Cheltenham and is the only Festival entry she has got.
“However, I do think she is worth another crack at three miles in this Grade and amongst this company.”
The Cheltenham Festival winner was last seen chasing home Bob Olinger when defending her Relkeel Hurdle crown at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, with connections content with the nine-year-old’s display against an on-song rival.
“I think we were as good as a Marie’s Rock aged nine could be last time against a resurgent Bob Olinger,” continued Palin.
“I wouldn’t have changed anything, almost nothing at all, about our Relkeel run – I think we did as well as we could and I would be supporting Bob Olinger wherever he runs next, that was a ridiculous performance from him.
“I thought we ran a really respectable race there and a repeat of that Relkeel performance should be enough to see her competitive here and to finish in the first five in a Mares’ Hurdle.
“You have to give West Balboa plenty of respect, she was backed into favouritism in the Long Walk. But we were backed into favouritism at Newbury, so it will be an interesting battle between them. We’re going to Doncaster full of hope we have found the right race for her and if everything goes to plan she should be competitive.”
Marie’s Rock is joined by a pair of Seven Barrows stablemates in Theatre Glory and Tweed Skirt, while Jamie Snowden’s Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well tries three miles for the first time having finished well held in third in the Fighting Fifth last month.
Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos will continue inching her way towards the Cheltenham Festival in the opening Download The At The Races App Novices’ Hurdle.
Amongst the favourites for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March, the six-year-old has done nothing but impress when maintaining her unbeaten record over hurdles this season.
She has now been found a fantastic opening to bank some more experience ahead of National Hunt’s showpiece meeting in just over six weeks’ time.
O’Brien said: “Neil (Jukes, race planner) can take all the credit for plotting this one and hopefully it’s a good opportunity for her to go and run without many penalties and she can turn up there and run her race and then look forward to the next one.
“I’ve been very happy with her since her last run, but more importantly Tom Broughton who rides her all the time says she is ready to go, so we will head to Doncaster on Sunday.
“I’ll probably be watching it from behind my fingers or behind a sofa somewhere and there won’t be a lot of pleasure in watching it, but we just need to get on and run her and I’m never afraid to get beat.
“You never know what is going to turn up on the day and we’ve just got to go and take our chance and hopefully do what we need to do.”
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