Nicky Henderson has issued an upbeat bulletin on Constitution Hill, a day on from the disappointing workout which rocked the Unibet Champion Hurdle market and racing in general.
The undoubted superstar of the National Hunt world was at Kempton Park on Tuesday morning, as the Seven Barrows trainer put the finishing touches to his Cheltenham Festival squad.
But Henderson was left “in shock” at what Constitution Hill produced, and he subsequently scoped badly.
Giving an update on his X (formerly Twitter account) on Wednesday, he said: “I am pleased to say that Constitution Hill appears perfectly normal this morning. He is bright and well and ate everything last night. His temperature has remained normal both last night and this morning.
“As with all the other horses that galloped at Kempton yesterday, they are having an easy day today. They have had a lead out and all appear to be sound and well and are having a good pick of grass.
“We would plan to ride them all, including Constitution Hill, tomorrow, although he will have quieter exercise for the next 48 hours at least as we still have to bear in mind that he has got a hopefully relatively mild lung infection which has to improve considerably before any serious work could begin again.
“Fresh air is as important as anything for a horse’s lungs. The intention is to rescope on Friday to monitor which way this is going.”
Harry Derham has confirmed Givemefive will not take up his engagements at the Cheltenham Festival following his brave effort in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday.
Despite holding entries for both the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Boodles Fred Winter, the young handler had always suggested a run at National Hunt flagship meeting was unlikely.
And having left it all on the track when narrowly denied by Kalif Du Berlais at Kempton, Derham has firmly ruled out a trip to Prestbury Park for his talented juvenile.
He said: “He obviously ran really well and we were very pleased with him.
“It looked to me like he was beaten by a good one and we’re not going to go to Cheltenham. That race has took a fair bit out of him, I haven’t cantered him since and he’s still quite quiet. We will make another plan.
“I wasn’t really tempted (to go to Cheltenham) to be honest. He can’t win the Triumph and he would need to be fresh and well-handicapped to win the Boodles and we’re probably neither. It didn’t tempt me that much and I want to win races, I don’t want to go to Cheltenham to take part.”
Givemefive is owned by Major-winning golfers Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka, with McDowell enjoying his first visit to watch the four-year-old in his Grade Two assignment.
The Northern Irishman may not have experienced the victory which would have capped off his visit to Sunbury, but left having fully relished watching his charge in action.
“Graeme said he had a great time and the race got the heart racing,” added Derham.
“It obviously wasn’t the result we dreamt of but he ran a fantastic race and on the day just wasn’t quite good enough.
Of his next outing, the trainer continued: “We could go to Fairyhouse (for the juvenile Grade Two), but we will just see how he is in the next few weeks. I haven’t cantered him since his run, but as long as he is all right I would be quite keen to go there – he should have had enough time to recover.
“His owners have always said to just do the right thing by the horse, so we will let him recover from Kempton and then we will make a plan.”
Also missing the Festival is Derham’s star mare Queens Gamble.
The six-year-old – who was twice a bumper winner at Cheltenham when trained by Oliver Sherwood – was as short as 10-1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle after winning her first three outings over timber, but will now miss the remainder of the season.
“Her leg scanned clean, but there was a little bit of heat in there on Monday,” explained Derham.
“She is very fortunate to be owned by very good and understanding owners who don’t want to push her and will give her a chance.
“She will be back in the autumn with no problems at all.”
In a moment that will resonate through the corridors of track and field history, Lamara Distin, the high-flying Jamaican representing Texas A&M, soared to unprecedented heights at the SEC Indoor Championships.
Last weekend, the 23-year-old SEC champion shattered the women's NCAA indoor high jump record, scaling a breathtaking 2.00 metres, not only claiming her third-straight SEC title but etching her name as the first NCAA athlete to conquer this elusive mark. The feat also holds special significance as Distin becomes the trailblazing woman from the English-speaking Caribbean to achieve such an extraordinary height and by that virtue establishing a Jamaica national indoor record.
It was a moment of relief and reward for the talented Jamaican. "Achieving the long-awaited goal was an incredible and rewarding feeling. I have been going after this mark for years so for it to finally happen, it’s such a great feeling. I’m super-elated that my hard work is paying off."
Distin's journey at the Randal Tyson Track Centre was nothing short of a masterclass in precision and execution. She cleared her initial six heights on the first attempt, securing her SEC indoor high jump title with a jump over 1.97m. With history beckoning, she boldly raised the bar once more. On her third and final attempt, she defied gravity, clearing the record-breaking 2.00m, etching her legacy into the NCAA and Jamaica history books.
In doing so, Distin awarded the 2024 SEC Indoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The former Hydel High School star shared the depth of emotion and accomplishment tied to this historic moment. "Being among an elite class of high jumpers and the first Caribbean woman to achieve this height fills me with a deep sense of gratitude and motivation to continue pushing my limits," she shared, reflecting on the significance of this achievement.
The journey to this moment, however, was not without its challenges. The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion opened up about the transformative year of 2023, marked by a change of coach from Sean Brady to Mario Sategna.
During the year, Distin was well below her best even though she won the Indoor title with a clearance of 1.91m. However, after only clearing 1.87m, she relinquished the national outdoor title to Ball State’s Charity Griffith, who soared over a height of 1.93m to claim the crown.
“The change of coach was a bit of a challenge for me last year as I know that I would be doing completely different workouts that I was used to with my old coach since I was a freshman,” she explained.
“I’m used to the (new) program now so I’m super grateful everything is falling into place at the right time. There are little things that still need to be fixed but we’ll get there. Change can be daunting, but it can also be a catalyst for growth and improvement.”
For Distin, reaching the 2.00m mark was not just a physical breakthrough; it also marked a profound mental transformation.
“Reaching that two-metre mark is not only a physical breakthrough but also a significant mental breakthrough for me. It’s like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. This has opened up new possibilities and has shown me that I am capable of achieving greater heights,” she stated.
“It has given me the confidence to set bigger goals and strive for even more success in the sport. I will continue to have faith in God and remember that his timing is always better than me.”
With the summer approaching at the Paris Olympics looming ever closer, Distin and her coach are meticulously planning her competitions, ensuring she peaks at the right time for the Olympic challenge ahead.
“An Olympic year means I have to also be smart as it relates to competitions. Competing at the collegiate level is totally different than the professional level as our season starts earlier. Moving into this season, my coach and I are taking the necessary measures in order for me to be fresh enough for the Olympics which is being strategic with competition planning. We have a plan and we’re sticking to that plan.”
As she sets her sights on consistently clearing higher heights, Distin shared the key factors for sustained success. "Maintaining a positive mindset, consistency in practice, taking care of my overall well-being, and seeking support when needed" are the cornerstones of her approach.
Grounded in her faith and armed with a renewed sense of self-belief, Distin is not merely defying gravity; she's rewriting the script of what's possible in high jumping and aiming for nothing less than Olympic glory.
Though faced with uphill tasks to overturn 0-2 and 0-3 deficits, Caribbean clubs Cavalier of Jamaica and Dominican Republic’s Moca FC, will be intent on leaving everything on the pitch when they challenge FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC in Round one return leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday.
Cavalier will be away to FC Cincinnati at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio t 7:00pm, while Moca FC are also away to Nashville SC at Geodis Park in Tennessee for the 9:15pm encounter.
Last week’s first leg was the first ever Champions Cup match for both Cavalier and FC Cincinnati, with the Major League Soccer (MLS) side proving too good for their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) counterpart, despite a gritty effort by the latter.
Sergio Santos and Malik Pinto did the damage for FC Cincinnati inside Jamaica’s National Stadium. But perhaps more impressive was the effort from FC Cincinnati’s defence to shutout the highest scoring team from the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, which comprises Golden Boot winner Shaniel Thomas.
With a two-goal cushion and a pair of away goals, FC Cincinnati, playing their first ever Champions Cup match at home, are in the driver’s seat to progress to the Round of 16, and only need a repeat of last week’s performance to confirm that much.
While MLS clubs hold a seven-win advantage in meetings with Jamaican clubs, that statistic will mean very little to Rudolph Speid and his Cavalier side, who will be hoping to summon their best all-round performance to not only shutout the menacing Luciano Acosta and company, but more importantly, score some goals of their own.
Cavalier twice scored five goals during last year’s Caribbean Cup, doing so in the group stage against Golden Lion of Martinique in a 5-2 win, followed by a 5-0 win at fellow Jamaican club Harbour View in the semifinals.
Cavalier will require that kind of output if they are to turn this series around in their favour. In addition to Thomas, Jalmaro Calvin and Orlando Russell, will need to fire on all cylinders.
Meanwhile, Nashville SC, who got their first-leg goals from Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge and Tyler Boyd, will be aiming to maintain their dominance to also confirm their spot in the Round of 16.
However, with Mukhtar and Surridge both carrying injuries, their absence could dampen Nashville’s attacking prowess and possibly present a window of opportunity on which Moca FC will be aiming to capitalise on.
A win on United States soil would see Moca FC being the first Dominican Republic team to do so. Though highly unlikely, it is by no means impossible and Gustavo Ascona, who was one of the stars of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup with four goals, along with Juan Angeles, will be integral to their chances.
Trinidad and Tobago's senior Soca Warriors will up the ante on preparations for their upcoming Copa America qualifying assignment, when they tackle Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in a two-match friendly series on Friday and Sunday.
The games which are scheduled to be played at the Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, and the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, are both set to be contested at 4:00pm Trinidad and Tobago time. Both games will assist Angus Eve and his Soca Warriors in gauging their readiness for the upcoming Copa America qualifying encounter against Canada, scheduled for March 23.
They will also assist Heimir Hallgrimsson, and his Reggae Boyz, who are also in preparation mode for their Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semi-final engagement with United States set for March 21.
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica met three times last year, twice in friendly matches in Montego Bay, and those were followed by their Concacaf Gold Cup clash in June. The Soca Warriors won the second friendly 1-0, after the first match ended goalless.
However, Jamaica came away comfortable 4-1 winners in the Gold Cup group stage meeting.
Jamaica were also responsible for sending Canada into the Copa America playoff match, by virtue of the away goal rule, after they rallied to secure a 4-4 aggregate scoreline in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal in November.
Like Canada, Eve's Soca Warriors also missed out on an automatic place at the 2024 Copa America, as they lost 2-4 on aggregate to United States, despite winning the second leg 2-1 in Port of Spain.
Since then, Eve has backed his team to remain competitive and, by extension, build on that momentum from the win against United States.
“Like the US team, the Canada team is built up the same, (with) a lot of European-based players. Some of the players (are) playing in the MLS (Major League Soccer), some playing back home, but most of the players are playing in Europe and they are playing with good teams,” Eve assessed in a recent interview.
“But we think we can go in there; we think we can compete with anyone right now and we want to show that. We want to show that confidence that we could go out on the park and compete with anyone,” he added.
Eve believes that with the right application, the team will compete strongly against Canada, as well as in the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, which promises to be both demanding and exciting.
“We just have to be tactically aware. A coach can only give instructions. When the players go out there, they have to have the mindset to play the position, to play the role that the coaches give them to the best of their ability because, a coach could never tell a player what to do for every second of every minute of a game,” he reasoned.
"We will use those games (against Jamaica) as the final two warm-up games going into the CONMEBOL playoff match and when that happens, then we will pick that final squad,” Eve declared.
The winner of the playoff between Trinidad and Tobago and Canada, will join Jamaica, United States, Mexico, Panama and either Costa Rica or Honduras, as the Concacaf representatives at the prestigious Copa America, which will be hosted in the United States from June 20 to July 14.
Officials at Cheltenham expect the Festival to get underway on close to soft ground, with the start of the showpiece meeting now only a fortnight away.
Like much of the country, Prestbury Park has endured a predominantly wet winter, but a rare dry weekend has given clerk of the course Jon Pullin reason for optimism.
“As everyone will be very well aware, we’ve had a very wet build up this year,” he said on Tuesday.
“Thankfully, the rain held off over the weekend and it’s the first 48 hours of dry weather we’ve had for a number of weeks, which has allowed us to at least get on and start to mow this week, which was very much needed, so I’m pleased that we got that window.
“We’d be soft ground, as you can imagine with the rain that we’ve had, and the cross country would be heavy in places as well.”
While further rain is forecast in the coming days, Pullin is not expecting a huge swing in conditions either way ahead of day one of the Festival on March 12.
He added: “The forecast for the next seven to 10 days remains unsettled. Thursday looks as if it could be quite wet, but apart from that it’s just little bits and pieces.
“We’ll see how we go, but if that forecast remains, we’ll have similar ground to what we do now for the start of the Festival, I would imagine.
“There’s nothing scary I’m seeing in the forecast at the moment. We’ve been fortunate we’ve been a lot milder this year than last and the grass covering has been good.
“We did put a bit of fleece down on the New course in the home straight for a couple of weeks, just to kickstart the recovery there, but the grass is looking really well after the cut this morning, so we’re pleased with where we are at this stage.”
Champion juvenile City Of Troy is among the initial list of 72 put forward at the first entry stage of the Betfred Derby.
Aidan O’Brien’s Justify colt was unbeaten in three runs as a two-year-old, taking his maiden, the Superlative Stakes by six and a half lengths and then the Dewhurst by three and a half lengths.
His rating of 125 has left him at the top of the pile ahead of the new season, with stablemate Henry Longfellow third on the list on 119 and also nominated for the Epsom Classic.
There are 17 O’Brien-trained horses in the mix, including Diego Velazquez, winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, and Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Los Angeles.
City Of Troy – who will be seen first in the Qipco 2000 Guineas – heads the market, with Henry Longfellow behind him, after which Charlie Appleby is represented by Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom and Zetland Stakes victor Arabian Crown.
There are 46 British entries, 23 from Ireland and one each from France, the USA and Japan.
The next entry stage for the £1.5million showpiece, which takes place on June 1, is on April 24.
The shock news of Constitution Hill’s disappointing workout and subsequent poor scope caused reverberations around the racing world just two weeks ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Here, we look at some of the key questions raised by the dramatic development:
What problems arise from mucus in a horse’s trachea (windpipe)?
Mucus is continually being produced by all horses and cleared from the lungs – if it is healthy and clear. However, bacterial or fungal infections lead to excess mucus secretion and any change in colour to yellow, green or even brown makes it thicker and harder to move. This mucopurulent discharge contains a combination of mucus and pus, which can cause difficulty in breathing and reduced exercise performance.
Is this a regular occurrence?
“Horses are like humans, look how many people had the awful cough around Christmas that took ages to get rid of,” commented trainer Nicky Henderson. Constitution Hill himself has been affected by a similar setback already this season, when forced to miss the Unibet Hurdle on Cheltenham’s Trials day. On that occasion, Henderson reported back in mid-January: “A routine scope last week wasn’t entirely satisfactory and a follow up this morning shows the issue hasn’t resolved and therefore there would not be time to get him ready for next week. In the meantime, he will continue with light exercise, be rescoped in a fortnight’s time and then start his preparation for March.”
How long does it take to clear up?
Obviously, much will depend on how severe the infection is, but an immediate course of antibiotics will be administered and aid any recovery. Henderson said: “Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon who scoped him feel we definitely have a chance of correcting this in time and we will be doing everything possible to do so. We have a fortnight to work him and it is possible, so we will keep everybody notified accordingly. He is absolutely fine within himself and we have simply got to get on top of this issue as quickly as possible.”
Just how big is Constitution Hill for Cheltenham?
Every sport needs its superstars, and in the shape of Constitution Hill the world of National Hunt racing certainly has one. He is a perfect eight from eight over hurdles and the idea of defeat when he is at his best is more or less unthinkable. Think Frankel, but over jumps.
How has the Champion Hurdle betting been affected?
Constitution Hill was as short as 1-4 to retain his crown, while Coral even made him favourite to record the biggest winning distance at this year’s Festival. However, he was eased out to as big as 6-4 at one point with Champion Hurdle sponsors Unibet, who then trimmed him back into 5-4 after a more encouraging update, with State Man their 4-5 favourite. That firm is one of only a few not now offering odds on a non-runner, no bet basis. With that concession, Constitution Hill is 4-6 at best with Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill – and still as short as 2-5 in places. William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “We might be non-runner, money back on the race, but we believe there is significant doubt now about Constitution Hill’s participation and even if he does run there have to be concerns, so we’re prepared to take him on.”
Will any other connections now be tempted to run their horses?
Bookmakers are taking no chances with the odds of Lossiemouth, but Willie Mullins may still prefer to keep his exciting mare separate from stablemate State Man, especially as last year’s Triumph Hurdle star is such a short-priced favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle. Owner Rich Ricci said after Lossiemouth’s latest Cheltenham success on Trials day: “We’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle I think, and I think we learned last year that these four-year-olds turning five, it is very hard to run in open company.” Gordon Elliott could consider dropping Irish Point back from the Stayers’ Hurdle, with the Cullentra handler and owners Robcour also having Teahupoo at the head of the betting for that Thursday feature.
Nicky Henderson is not giving up hope of Constitution Hill being able to defend his Unibet Champion Hurdle crown and will have his unbeaten superstar “rescoped” again on Friday, after a below-par workout at Kempton Park on Tuesday put his participation in doubt.
As has become tradition, Henderson took several of his Festival contenders for a spin at the Sunbury circuit, including Constitution Hill, whose only start this season was in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Bookmakers were quick to suspend the betting markets in the wake of the work, and the Seven Barrows trainer told the PA news agency his superstar had scoped badly following it.
“Unfortunately, in a routine gallop this morning, Constitution Hill was very disappointing and it transpires, after the vet has scoped him, that there is evidence of mucus,” said Henderson.
“We’re taking a sample of it to a laboratory to analyse it, which will tell us about the significance of it and we should know more after that.
“Last week, he worked brilliantly and he was scoped 10 days ago, but these things happen, just like it did with him earlier in the year (having to miss Cheltenham on Trials day in January).
“Horses are like humans, look how many people had the awful cough around Christmas that took ages to get rid of.”
He went on: “The vets still think it could clear up in a week and all his serious work has been done already, whether he makes it (to Cheltenham) will depend on the severity of it.
“He was disappointing this morning working with Sir Gino (Triumph Hurdle favourite), who he has worked with in the past. He would normally go easily with him, but this morning he couldn’t, so Nico (de Boinville) realised all was not well and wasn’t hard on him.
“Obviously, the mucus was affecting him. He’s not coughing, he’s just got a dirty picture, as we say.
“I’m not saying definitely either way (about Cheltenham) and I’ll keep hoping. As you can imagine, it has come as a bit of a shock.”
Giving an update later on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Henderson said: “Following up on this morning’s situation with Constitution Hill, the sample from his tracheal wash has shown a small increase in the number of neutrophils which indicates a respiratory infection, which is significant but far from drastic.
“He will start a course of antibiotics immediately and we plan to rescope him on Friday in order to monitor which way this is going. He would only be having light exercise this week following this morning’s racecourse gallop.
“Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon who scoped him feel we definitely have a chance of correcting this in time and we will be doing everything possible to do so. We have a fortnight to work him and it is possible, so we will keep everybody notified accordingly.
“He is absolutely fine within himself and we have simply got to get on top of this issue as quickly as possible.”
Having been the 1-4 favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the start of the day, by the afternoon Constitution Hill was significantly bigger at 5-4 with the sponsors, who make the Willie Mullins-trained State Man their 4-5 favourite. In their non-runner, money back betting market, Coral make State Man 4-7 and Constitution Hill 4-6.
It has been a challenging couple of years for Samantha Wallace, after a serious injury threatened her career to the point where she was left questioning her future in the sport.
The Trinidad and Tobago native, who represents New South Wales Swifts in the Suncorp Super Netball League, was delivered news that any athlete dreads, especially during the high point of their career.
“The surgeon said, 'I don't think you'll be returning to netball,'” Wallace revealed.
That news from the surgeon was as a result of a knee injury Wallace picked up in Round one of the 2022 season, when she damaged her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus. At that point, Wallace was the Swifts' leading goal scorer with a tally of 585 goals at 93 per cent accuracy for the 2021 season in which they were crowned champions.
It has now been more than 700 days since Wallace last paraded her skills in a competitive netball game, but that will change when the 2024 season gets under way in April, as the 30-year-old is out to not only prove the surgeon wrong, but more importantly, to defy the odds in a demonstration of stubborn determination and sheer will to succeed.
“It's a bit bittersweet and a bit emotional (being back) and the expectations in my head. Will I be good enough? Will I be the Samantha I used to be? So many fans and young kids are waiting for my return. I'm trying not to put all that expectation on myself,” Wallace said.
"[But] I'm finally back on court, I just want to take each day one step at a time and try not to think about the outcome, but the process," she added.
Reflecting on her journey back from the proverbial wilderness, Wallace pointed out that it was during the latter stages of recovery that she was hit hardest, both mentally and physically.
“I thought I would've been back last year. After my surgery, I was doing well, but then I was told I needed a clean out. I didn't understand why because I thought I was doing really well in my recovery. The swelling was still there but I was able to squat, and I was walking okay, but after I did my clean out that October or November, I went backwards," Wallace shared.
Motivated by her faith, with support from her family, friends, teammates, and her own desire not to end her career in that manner, Wallace kept going.
"I felt like giving up. I felt like I can't keep going through this, especially after my first year of rehab and the initial thought of coming back the next year and then having that taken away,” she said.
“That was my breaking point, the first year of rehab was fine. I just had to deal with it, that happens, it's sport but the second year of rehab, I was like holy moly. I'm ready to quit. I wasn't seeing any progress in the gym, no matter how many leg extensions, presses and squats I did, there was no results until I got a cortisone injection. That's when my knee started settling, the swelling disappeared and I was starting to see muscle build in my leg,” Wallace recollected.
The only silver lining to the injury was that it allowed Wallace time to reconsider goals and targets that she has outside of netball, one being to branch off into early childhood education.
"The injury was bad, but it actually made me sit for once, reflecting on my life as an individual and what I want to do after netball. I love kids, I'm always with someone's kid after games. I don't know whose kid it is; I just end up with some random baby girl,” she said.
Though she missed out on representing Trinidad and Tobago at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the Netball World Cup, Wallace has no regrets about taking the time to ensure a proper recovery for a Suncorp Super Netball return.
In fact, she is now eager to get back in action and reunite with teammates on court, especially after watching her Briony Akle-coached Swifts fall just short of last year’s premiership.
“It's heartbreaking. Romelda [Aiken-George] came in and did an awesome job and she was shocked because when Briony gave her the call she wasn't expecting to be full-time.
“What I love and appreciate about her [Aiken-George] is she checked in to see if I was okay with her replacing me and I was like ‘Hell yes! You are a legend, you've been in this game for so long no one else can replace me,” she added.
"Playing with these girls means so much because these girls rally around me,” Wallace ended.
The British Horseracing Authority has welcomed the “valuable contributions” made by several ministers in Monday’s parliamentary debate into affordability checks.
It was the first chance for MPs to properly interrogate proposals of the implementation of the supposedly “frictionless” checks after 100,000 people signed an e-petition to trigger the debate.
Matt Hancock, who has Newmarket within his constituency, Connor McGinn, whose St Helens North constituency includes Haydock, and Philip Davies were among MPs to lay out arguments against the checks during the debate at Westminster Hall, and the BHA’s chief executive Julie Harrington was encouraged by the discussions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Harrington said: “Yesterday’s debate on the impact of affordability checks on British racing has shone a light on a hugely important issue for our sport.
“It was vital that MPs were given proper parliamentary time to thoroughly interrogate the government’s proposals and we were encouraged by the high turnout for a Westminster Hall debate.
“Many MPs made valuable contributions to the debate, and we are sure that Sports Minister Stuart Andrew will have listened with interest to the views expressed.
“From MPs of all parties and all sides of the debate, there was a clear recognition of the need for the government to protect and support British racing when reviewing gambling legislation.
“If our sport is to remain a healthy industry, supporting jobs in the rural economy and remaining competitive with our international rivals, we hope that government will heed this advice.
“We were encouraged by Minister Andrew ruling out the use of job titles and postcodes in the implementation of enhanced spending checks and confirming that these changes will at least be subject to a genuine pilot.
“We will continue to make the case into the heart of government that the impact of these checks both on our industry and racing bettors needs to be carefully considered and look forward to further discussions on this important issue for British racing with the Gambling Commission and DCMS.”
In Monday’s debate, Andrew said both the government and Gambling Commission had listened to the points raised, although the proposals will proceed, with a pilot of enhanced checks running for “a minimum of four months, during which time the commission will consider all issues that arise”.
Andrew also underlined the concerns about the possible impact of the checks on racing are being taken “extremely seriously”.
Britney Cooper will lead the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force women’s cricket team for the upcoming CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze set to take place in St Kitts from March 1-26.
The 14-member squad, coached by Gibran Mohammed with Merissa Aguilleira as assistant coach, also includes West Indies spinner Karishma Ramharack, who will serve as vice-captain.
With four regulars (Anisa Mohammed, Shakera Selman, and the Knight twins, Kycia and Kyshona) in the West Indies Women’s squad over the past decade announcing their retirements last month, CWI will be hoping that the two regional women’s tournaments can unearth worthy replacements.
The T&T squad includes six players that were part the victorious T&T Under-19 team that won the 2022 Rising Star Regional Under-19 tournament in Trinidad and Tobago last year.
Among them are Shalini Samaroo, Shunelle Sawh, Djenaba Joseph, Kd Jazz Mitchell, Samara Ramnath, and Brianna Harricharan.
Ramnath, 16, and Harricharan 15, are the youngest players in the squad.
T&T will open their campaign against the Windward Islands on March 4.
T&T SQUAD: Britney Cooper (captain), Karishma Ramharack (vice-captain), Shunelle Sawh (wk), Samara Ramnath, Djenaba Joseph, Lee Ann Kirby, Kirbyina Alexander, Caneisha Isaac, Brianna Harricharan, Kd Jazz Mitchell, Selene O’Neil, Shanice Pascall, Shalini Samaroo, Steffi Soogrim. Gibran Mohammed (coach); Merissa Aguilleira (assistant coach); Marjorie Thomas (manager).
Fergal O’Brien feels Dysart Enos has enjoyed the perfect preparation ahead of her bid to see off a formidable Irish challenge at the Cheltenham Festival next month.
The Malinas mare has yet to taste defeat in six starts under rules, with her three wins of last season supplemented by a hat-trick of victories over hurdles.
O’Brien’s team went to £95,000 to secure Dysart Enos’ services at the Goffs UK Aintree sale two years ago and the Ravenswell Farm handler had high hopes from the moment the hammer went down.
“Dysart has been phenomenal for us, she’s six from six and we loved her when we bought her,” he said.
“From day one I felt we had a good horse because Noel Fehily was underbidder and he and David Crosse are very shrewd judges. Noel actually brought her back from Aintree for us and rang me up and said ‘are you sure you’ve got someone for this mare’ and I said we definitely did!”
Seven months after being bought Dysart Enos made a winning debut under rules at Ludlow before getting the better of the highly-regarded Queens Gamble in Listed company at Market Rasen.
But it was her nine-length success in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at Aintree’s Grand National meeting that marked her down as a potential top-notcher.
O’Brien added: “The day we bought her I never envisaged this mare would take us where she has. To turn up at Ludlow on the first day, Connor (Brace) gave her a lovely ride and it’s very difficult to drop in behind 14 others at Ludlow and come through and beat the geldings and that race worked out well.
“We genuinely went to Market Rasen thinking we’d finish second to Queens Gamble. Paddy (Brennan) gave her a lovely ride, but I felt Market Rasen probably suited her and she had the speed for it.
“We rolled on to Aintree and that is where she really blew us away. It was a very good field, the form has worked out very well and she was phenomenal that day, the way she travelled through the race and Paddy was able to put her where he wanted.
“As soon as they got inside the last furlong and a half he was able to let her go and the way she opened up and quickened away from them was spectacular.”
Dysart Enos made a smooth transition to the jumping game at Huntingdon in November and the route she has taken since has been slightly unorthodox.
Rather than sticking to her own sex in Listed and graded races, she has gained some valuable experience of Cheltenham, beating the boys in December, before landing cramped odds in another novice event at Doncaster last month.
“Jumping hurdles we’ve planned our route to Cheltenham, rightly or wrongly,” said O’Brien.
“We’re going there without a 5lb penalty, which most winners have over the last few years, but we just felt if we could get away without having a 5lb penalty then surely that’s got to be better.
“The plan was always to start off at Huntingdon and then go to Newbury for the Listed race and none of the owners were at Cheltenham when she won, so I was very grateful they let us run there.
“She can be a bit hot and stressy, so it was important for her to go and see Cheltenham and have a walk round that paddock and come up that hill and see what’s in front of her.
“Hopefully we can get her there in one piece and I think if we do she’ll be in the mix.”
Despite her unbeaten record, Dysart Enos is only third in the betting for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead and the Willie Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy also yet to taste defeat.
O’Brien respects the claims of both, but does not fear either.
He added: “Gordon’s horse does look phenomenal and Willie’s horse looks great, but there’s a couple of English horses there I wouldn’t rule out, Queens Gamble being one and Jeremy Scott’s horse (Golden Ace), who I was so impressed with round Taunton.
“We’ve ticked a lot of boxes as we’ve been round Cheltenham and she’s got a lot of speed. You’re hoping Gordon’s horse might want two and a half (miles) and we’ll have the legs on that one, that’s what we’re hoping anyway – you’ve got to cling to some bit of hope when Willie’s and Gordon’s horses are coming over!
“We certainly wouldn’t change anything that we’ve done this season. We’ll see on the day and give it our best shot.”
While Dysart Enos and Stayers’ Hurdle candidate appear the trainer’s two chief Festival contenders, he has a couple of others who could join them on the short trip to Prestbury Park.
Springtime Promise is three from three since joining O’Brien, most recently landing a Grade Two at Sandown, and may line up alongside Dysart Enos in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle if conditions are testing, while Teorie is considered a lively outsider in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
“It would want to come up soft or worse for Springtime Promise to run. She won over two and a half the other day at Sandown on heavy ground and she could go to Fairyhouse at Easter if it came up soft there,” said the trainer.
“We’ll take it right up to the day and see what the weather does. If it turned up soft she would have a fantastic chance as we haven’t seen the bottom of that mare yet and I could see her coming up that hill in great style.
“I love Teorie, I think he’s got a great attitude. He’s a big price, but he’s in great form. He disappointed a little bit at Musselburgh, but he won very well first time out and then he beat older horses next time at Southwell.
“He’s got a great attitude and loves racing and loves being a racehorse – he loves being amongst them.
“I’m hoping he’ll run very well.”
Family and friends with connections to 1932 Grand National-winning jockey Tim Hamey will gather at Ludlow on Thursday for the latest running of the Forbra Gold Cup.
Hamey partnered Forbra to Aintree glory and while he died in 1993 at the age of 88, the fact the Forbra Gold Cup has been run at Ludlow since 1955 means memories are always evoked at this time of year.
Forbra was owned by William Parsonage, Ludlow’s mayor and a bookmaker, and he was trained by Tom Rimell, father of Fred Rimell – who would go on to win the National four times as a trainer himself.
In 1932, he was a jockey, but as he was only 18, he was deemed too inexperienced for the mount, meaning Hamey was the man called upon for the ride on the 50-1 outsider.
Three previous winners were in the line-up that year but in a race stacked full of previous drama, Forbra came through to beat Egremont by three lengths.
Hamey also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Koko in 1926, in what was just the third running of a race that has gone on to become the holy grail for a steeplechaser.
His nephew, Will Lefebve, a retired racing journalist, said: “The family is steeped in racing history, as Tim had 12 rides in the National, his son Rex had seven and my father, Len, also had one.
“Tim’s record was very impressive, though, he rode in 12 consecutive Nationals and took part in the 1929 one which had a record 66 runners, finishing sixth of just 10 finishers on Grakle behind Gregalach. Grakle actually went on to win the race in 1931.”
While there have been get-togethers on Forbra Gold Cup day in the past, this time Lefebve has arranged a much bigger group of people with links to Hamey and Forbra.
“I have assembled a gathering of about 40 people directly linked to Forbra – either the horse himself or the race named in his memory – who will descend on Ludlow on Thursday,” he said.
“They include descendants of Forbra’s owner William Parsonage, a bookmaker and mayor of Ludlow, and the race is being sponsored by local hydraulics company Flowfit, which is managed by William’s great grandson Simon.
“Forbra was, of course, trained by Tom Rimell, father of four times National-winning trainer Fred.
“A solid gold trophy was presented to Ludlow racecourse 70 years ago by William’s sons, and according to former course supremo Bob Davies, it is worth around £75,000, and consequently is kept in a Ludlow bank vault for 365 days a year. The winning owner gets his or her hands on it for about an hour!
“I first organised a get-together five years ago of the families representing the owner, trainer and jockey of Forbra, and decided on a repeat assembly this year, when there will be many more ‘connections’ at the track.
“Five of the Hamey clan will be present, including Hamey’s grandson Paul, who is bringing along the replica trophy presented to Tim by the Princess Royal in a 1985 Aintree ceremony hosted by Peter O’Sullevan (before his knighthood), during which all surviving Grand National-winning riders received identical mementos. Tim was then the ‘daddy of them all’.
“As far as the Rimell family is concerned, Fred’s daughter Scarlett (Knipe), who bred both Master Oats and Thistlecrack with her late husband Robin at their Cobhall Court Stud, hopefully will be joined by Mark, Annie and Katie Rimell.
“I expect to feel a bit like a shepherd on Thursday, rounding up his flock, with the likes of Richard Johnson, Bob Davies, Graham Thorner, Henry Daly, Venetia Williams, David Pipe and others expected to be there.
“Simon Parsonage has also purchased at a National Horse Racing Museum auction the saddle used by Tim Hamey on Forbra at Aintree 91 years-plus ago. He has had it ‘framed’ in a glass case and is bringing the saddle to Ludlow.”
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