The Racing Post (London, England) back issues from April 2008:
Ruby resists the call to desert his National hero; Walsh sticks with Hedgehunter after approach to ride Turko.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jon Lees RUBY WALSH yesterday stayed fiercely loyal to former winner and Aintree specialist Hedgehunter after resisting an attempt by Paul Nicholls to persuade him to switch to Turko in Saturday's John Smith's Grand National. Nicholls is warming to the ...
TEN REASONS WHY YOU DON'T NEED TO CLICK ANYWHERE ELSE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... 1 David Ashforth's daily blog 2 Ken Pitterson's Paddock Notes for the major races 3 Grand National tipster forum featuring Dench, Winstanley and Nevison 4 Audio interviews with owners, trainers and jockeys 5 Trackside Live with going updates, ...
Cloudy Lane cut after more support; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Turia Tellwright CLOUDY LANE yesterday shortened further in the betting for Saturday's John Smith's Grand National in what one bookmaker described as a "steamroller effect". The Donald McCain-trained eight-year-old was yesterday cut into as short as 5-1 ...
Brennan out to improve record as he makes his big-race pick; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Turia Tellwright PADDY BRENNAN hopes that he can improve his dismal record in the John Smith's Grand National, having opted to ride Fundamentalist at Aintree. Third behind Mister McGoldrick in the Racing Post Plate at Cheltenham, just 48 hours after ...
Voy Por to tackle conqueror again; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... THERE will be plenty of top-class opposition to Master Minded and Kauto Star when they run at Aintree this week. Voy Por Ustedes was well beaten by Master Minded in the Champion Chase but will take him on again in Friday's John Smith's Melling Chase. Trainer Alan ...
Punchestown run set to be the last for Beef Or Salmon; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Tony O'Hehir BEEF OR SALMON will be retired after next month's Punchestown festival, where he will be aimed at the Guinness Gold Cup, trainer Michael Hourigan announced yesterday, writes Tony O'Hehir The 12-year-old, one of the most popular horses trained in ...
Blazing blinkers plan; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE AINTREE UPDATE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... BLAZING BAILEY may wear blinkers when he takes on Inglis Drever again in the John Smith'ssponsored Liverpool Hurdle on Thursday. The six-year-old finished behind Inglis Drever for the third time this season at Cheltenham, and trainer Alan King told At The Races: "He ran another ...
Starzaan going flat out; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE AINTREE UPDATE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... HUGHIE MORRISON believes his Cheltenham Festival disappointment Starzaan, whose best form has come on flatter courses, can stage a revival in Friday's John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase. Before being pulled up after making jumping errors in the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase, the ...
Katarino fitness fight; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE AINTREE UPDATE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... SAM WALEY-COHEN is taking nothing for granted with Katarino as the 13-year-old attempts to provide him with a third victory in the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase on Thursday. The pair teamed up to take the famous prize in 2005 and 2006, but Katarino has been restricted to a ...
Tidal could be set for Master Minded clash; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jon Lees AN UNUSUALLY early match-up between the Champion Chase and Arkle winners could feature on this week's Aintree bill after Howard Johnson yesterday said he was seriously considering taking on Master Minded with Tidal Bay on Friday. Although Tidal ...
National course good to soft as clerk considers selective watering; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By David Carr GROUND conditions at Aintree dried out slightly yesterday, and a forecast of similar weather for much of the week raised the prospect of possible watering before the Grand National meeting begins on Thursday. The going on the National course was ...
TAAFFE EYEING HISTORIC WIN; COUNTDOWN TO AINTREE This year marks 50th anniversary of his grandfather's victory in the Grand National with Mr What, the last novice to triumph.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Tony O'Hehir talks to Tom Taaffe, trainer of last year's National third Slim Pickings, about his prospects this year, and to his uncle Tos Taaffe about the events of 50 years ago, when the family's Mr What landed the big race SEEING your first Grand National runner ...
Race that mirrors the proud city that gave it life.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alastair Down OFF TO Liverpool, which always strikes me as about ten cities crammed into one - punchy, proud, tough and yet extraordinarily sentimental. Much seems to be made of Liverpool being European city of culture, but only by dimwits who think culture ...
Major changes to whip rules possible after 'constructive' summit.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Rodney Masters A MAJOR overhaul of suspensions may be on the cards following yesterday's discussion of the whip rules between jockeys and the sport's regulators at Wincanton, which was called in the aftermath of the high-profile bans at the Cheltenham Festival. ...
New chief executive will have unifying role at Jockey Club.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Rodney Masters A BRIEF to pump up income, particularly from overseas, and to make the Jockey Club more commercial will head a list of assignments for the person who some time within the next three months will be appointed the organisation's first chief executive, writes ...
Queen's rare foray into yearling market.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: David Milnes THE QUEEN broke with her usual policy of racing homebreds when making a rare foray into the yearling market last October, writes David Milnes Her racing manager John Warren made two purchases at the October Yearling Sales at Tattersalls in ...
Super Spring Mile effort points to Benandonner.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: SIMON ROWLANDS A TOUCH of class comes to Southwell this afternoon when the 4.45 sees pounds 16,000 in added prize-money and an octet of useful sorts on show for the 1m Arenaleisureplc.com Handicap. With such riches on offer it is no surprise that some of the ...
Backing Jarvis runners on turf can yield big profits; Monthly trends Kevin Morley pinpoints three trainers well worth following in April.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Kevin Morley REACHING a century of winners for the jumps season is a constant for Philip Hobbs. He stands on 96 winners this term and will be keen to pass the milestone yet again sooner rather than later. His record in April suggests he has little to worry ...
Smart John 'gets the trip well and he jumps well'.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: David Carr and Turia Tellwright 3.15 Wetherby Benfield Ford Wetherby Handicap Hurdle 2m31/2f Live on RUK Card page 44 Key stat Just two horses in this 12-runner field have won at the track previously - Springvic and Tarabaloo, who scored ...
Big day for . . . Sir Tantallus Hawk.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... SIR TANTALLUS HAWK bids to ensure another potentially lucrative week starts on a high for Alan Swinbank when he tackles the bumper at Wetherby (4.55). On Friday, Swinbank will bid to repeat last year's success in the mares' bumper at the Grand National meeting when he saddles ...
SICK NOTES; The lowdown on horses returning from a long break.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... BENFLEET BOY has his first start for Brendan Powell today in the Bet Grand National - Betdaq Handicap (4.35) at Folkestone after 573 days off the track. The four-year-old, who suffered a fractured knee when with Brian Meehan, has impressed his new trainer at home. A ...
Tips box Naughty Thoughts worth considering in Folkestone fillies' event.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Racing Post Ratings Simon Turner Naughty Thoughts 5.05 Folkestone (nap) Ivestar 3.05 Southwell Came Back 5.15 Southwell TOM DASCOMBE has made a good impression in his brief training career and looks to have a fine chance of saddling another ...
Mr Barnacle can improve again for step up in distance; TRADING POST.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Matt Williams Ivestar 3.05 Southwell Lay Could easily have been flattered on his final start at Ayr last season, which is the main reason why he has been priced up at the forecast 4-5. The odds-on favourite clipped heels and fell early ...
More versatile than ground myth suggests; TRADING POST Sire in focus Breeding from the punter's perspective every Tuesday. This week Pivotal.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Nancy Sexton WHILE the spotlight falls on to the prestigious three-day Aintree meeting this week, it will be hard to escape the large number of Flat meetings, six of which will be held on the turf, writes Nancy Sexton. The ground is likely to ride on the soft ...
TRADING REPORT; TRADING POST.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Matt Williams Cabourg flops at 1.01 IN-RUNNING carnage often goes hand in hand with races for amateurs, and that was the case in the 1m handicap at Southwell won by Wodhill Schnaps. Dave Morris's seven-year-old is an infrequent winner and the in-running layer ...
BANKERS OR BLOWOUTS? TRADING POST.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Matt Williams Magical Speedfit 2.50 Folkestone SP forecast 4-6 Disappointed at the end of last season, but he had quite a long campaign and we can forgive him his last two starts, when he had probably had enough for the year. Trainer will be keen ...
THE STATS THAT MATTER; TRADING POST.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Matt Williams It has been nearly five years since David Nicholls last had a runner at Folkestone. Prior to that, the North Yorkshire trainer had quite a good record at the Kent track with six winners from 19 runners (32% strike-rate). Today he sends two 278 ...
Oxx into hall of fame at Irish trainers' awards.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Brian Fleming JOHN OXX was yesterday inducted into the hall of fame at the Irish Trainers' 2007 Awards luncheon - and had news of the filly some believe could this year add to his impressive record of Classic wins. Market moves in recent weeks suggest that ...
International at Woodbine the long-term aim for Turbo Linn.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: David Carr TURBO LINN, whose rags-to-riches story made her one of the stars of the 2007 Flat season, is set to return to action in the next month, writes David Carr. Alan Swinbank is eyeing a race at Hamilton for the popular mare, whose main target for the ...
BHA to look into Toy Gun betting.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Graham Green THE BHA is reviewing the betting patterns surrounding the running of the Howard Johnson-trained second favourite Toy Gun in the Caesar Novices' Chase at Hexham on Sunday, writes Graham Green. The six-year-old, a major drifter with both bookmakers ...
Johnson slams northern tracks on prize-money and ground conditions.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Jon Lees and David Carr HOWARD JOHNSON fired a broadside at northern jumps tracks yesterday, on the eve of the area's biggest jumps meeting of the season at Aintree, write Jon Lees and David Carr. The County Durham trainer is upset at ground conditions, ...
IN BRIEF: Aintree preview evening.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... THE London Racing Club is having an Aintree preview evening at Jury's Hotel, South Kensington, tonight at 7.30pm. Guests with LRC chairman and ...
IN BRIEF: Derby Grandstand sold out.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... OFFICIALS at Epsom have announced tickets for the ...
IN BRIEF: Kempton meeting sponsor.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... ODDS comparison website Oddschecker.com has signed up to become the ...
IN BRIEF: Backer at Punchestown.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... EVENTUS, the marquee hire company, will sponsor the Grade 1 Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at the upcoming Punchestown festival. The ...
GOLD STARS; EXPERT WITNESS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Somersby Henrietta Knight Won, Huntingdon, March 24 Debut bumper winner who made a big impression. Divvys Dream Peter Beaumont Seventh, Newcastle,March 26 Raw sort who never got competitive, but made a good step forward ...
BLACK MARKS; EXPERT WITNESS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Nevada Royal Paul Nicholls PU, Newbury, March 28 This season has not gone to plan. Diamond Tycoon Brian Meehan Eighth, Kempton, March 29 His performance first time ...
Time for Tazbar to stake his claim to staying crown; EXPERT WITNESS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Richard Austen I CAN'T think of one reason why I should go to Cheltenham. The bad news for the Cheltenham authorities is that the quote came not from Fergus Wilson but from Keith Reveley, and he was quoted on February 19 not April 1. What is more, it was not just Reveley ...
Horse Racing: Walking the track pays dividends for Walsh as Nicholls lands three-timer; WINCANTON.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: by Andrew King PAUL NICHOLLS showed that his horses are in peak form in the run-up to Aintree's Grand National meeting by sending out a near 20-1 treble with Qrackers, Marodima and Earth Planet. Qrackers was given a peach of a ride by Ruby Walsh as he gave up ...
Monterrico the star of Moore's treble; LINGFIELD.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: by Bruce Jackson RYAN MOORE, out of luck in Dubai at the weekend, has yet to score on turf this season but took his championship score to five with a treble to go with his first weekend strikes at Kempton on Lincoln day. The long odds-on favourite to regain ...
Zaffeu and Slattery make it four wins from last five; SOUTHWELL.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: by Will O'Hanlon ZAFFEU failed to win a race last year, but he is making up for lost time this season and notched his fourth win from five starts this term when landing the 1m6f handicap under Vince Slattery. Racing off his highest mark for years, Zaffeu ...
CHAT ROOM; The best of your emails and texts.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... National humiliation I often think that serious punters must dread the Grand National. They know that non-racing friends, relatives, and neighbours will be pestering them for their National good thing. When the poor beast duly crashes out at the first they know their humiliation ...
Idiot's guide to Betfair cross-matching and how it might affect your pursuit of the pennies; NET PROPHET.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alex Hankin IN THE middle of February, without warning, Betfair fundamentally changed the way they matched bets. Did you notice at the time? Me neither, and while the ensuing storm of controversy has been hard to miss, the impact on your experience of using the exchange ...
IN BRIEF: Spreads on the hoof; NET PROPHET.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alex Hankin SPREAD firm IG Index have introduced a new browser-based version of their PureDeal spread betting product, targeted at the on-the-go City punter who has been frustrated by being chained to the company-issue Blackberry. Apparently, the problem ...
IN BRIEF: Reefer madness; NET PROPHET.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alex Hankin I CAN'T work out whether reeferpoker.com is some sort of April Fool joke or an elaborate police honey-pot operation to ensnare hapless spliffheads. Or have I got the fear? It's a new online poker site dedicated to celebrating the twin delights of ...
IN BRIEF: Signs and portents; NET PROPHET.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alex Hankin DON'T confuse grand-national.net with a site dedicated to Saturday's big race, despite the familiar ring of the prominent legend "a drink and a quick decision". ...
Plenty to shout about - but quiet simplicity prevails; SITE TEST NET PROPHET henrycecil.com.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alex Hankin AFTER last season's return to the high table, the nation's favourite Flat trainer goes into battle this spring with multiple Classic prospects and arguably the potential to record his most celebrated season ever. His website's not bad either. ...
Horse Racing: Curlin well clear - but Devil lays down marker; WORLD CLASS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Sam Walker Racing Post Ratings international expert NOT surprisingly, Curlin's wide-margin victory in Dubai puts him well clear at the head of the Racing Post Ratings tables for 2008. He earned a RPR of 131 - rated through third-placed Well Armed (115) running ...
De Kock plans global raid with Dubai team.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Nicholas Godfrey MIKE DE KOCK is busy plotting a global campaign for the rest of 2008 after yet another successful night in Dubai on Saturday, when he saddled two winners on theWorld Cup card and sent out Asiatic Boy to finish runner-up to Curlin in the main event, ...
BETTING WINDOW TODAY'S NAPS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... South Africa ave Randall Silbato 12.05 Durbanville Well-drawn colt produced an encouraging fourth of 12 over this 6f trip at Kenilworth on debut in February and is expected to benefit from break for leading local connections ....
Horse Racing: Historic day as Doncaster opens doors on new arena; BLOODSTOCK WORLD.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Nancy Sexton AFTER nearly eight years of detailed planning, discussions, rising costs and hopes - punctuated by the setbacks that tend to plague major projects - Doncaster's new state-of-the-art sales complex is finally ready for business. Unless another ...
Autumn launch for equine database; BLOODSTOCK WORLD.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Amy Bennett A DATABASE which aims to contain passport, pedigree and performance information on all horses across Britain is expected to be up and running by autumn. The National Equine Database (NED) could become "a truly world-beating resource," Professor ...
Exceed And Excel colt out in front; BLOODSTOCK WORLD.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Rachel Pagones, Amy Bennett and Nancy Sexton A COLT by Exceed And Excel made AEUR210,000 (pounds 96,374/ EUR121,149) to top the sixth session of the Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Yearling Sale yesterday. Progeny of the son of Danehill, the country's leading ...
Dog Racing: Cruise in for 20-1 Meenala at Shawfield; Pricewise.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Peter Meldrum HOW fitting that on April Fools Day this old clown should be making his way back to the ancestral home that is Shawfield stadium for the ibetX Scottish Derby. In these days of corporate entertainment and six-packer nights for the lads, or ...
Foster puts 13 forward for Grand National.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Richard Birch JASON FOSTER has entered 13 greyhounds - headed by Kildare Lark and Comans Joe - for the Stan James Grand National, which kicks off over 460-metre hurdles at Wimbledon on Saturday, writes Richard Birch. The Burhill trainer, who would love to ...
Dog Racing: Whisper looks a good shout in Silver Collar heats.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Jonathan Kay GOLD WHISPER has not quite progressed as seemed likely following an impressive Monmore win in February, but Elaine Parker's dog can get back on track by taking advantage of a huge class drop in heat two of the Stones Puppy Silver Collar over 500m at ...
Dog Racing: Returning Ace may need spin warns trainer.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Michael Fortune SKYWALKER ACE, arguably Ireland's top greyhound, is set to make his seasonal debut this week, but trainer Frances O'Donnell warns that the dog is in need of a couple of races to bring him to full fitness, writes Michael Fortune. Unbeaten in ...
IN BRIEF: Slippy positive.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... BARNFIELD SLIPPY could face losing the Ladbrokes.com Spring Trophy title he won at Crayford in February following news that Sam Poots' dog provided a ...
Horse Racing: PUTTING THE SMILES BACK ON TRACK; AROUND THE TRACKS.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Jim Cremin FIRST impressions are what count. Anyone in racecourse management knows that if you put a frown on the face of a visitor, the battle's lost. Oxford has a fantastic edge. After parking your car, first contact is attendant Steve Foster. His cheery ...
Williams out to get Barnfield in Derby betting; SHAWFIELD BETTING.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Kay FREDDIE WILLIAMS might be most famed for his exploits in the Cheltenham betting ring these days, but tonight's first round heats in the ibetX Scottish Derby at Shawfield will get his competitive bookmaking juices running nearly as much. "It's ...
PICK OF THE DAY; Roma v Man United ITV1, 7.30pm.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: James Milton TONIGHT Manchester United travel to Rome, a city that was once at the heart of a great empire, writes James Milton. The fall of the Roman empire was a pretty spectacular collapse, especially considering that Peter Ridsdale wasn't involved at any ...
Lawn Tennis: Mathieu can keep his nerves steady; SPREADWISE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Dylan Hill RAFAEL NADAL has won seven matches out of seven against Paul-Henri Mathieu and has triumphed in six out of seven on the current American hard-court swing, but there could be mileage in getting against the Pearl of Manacor in today's fourth-round clash in ...
Football: Gunners given the upper hand; SPREADWISE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Graham Woods WITH Arsenal and Liverpool playing the first of three clashes in six days tomorrow, IG are offering supremacy and goals markets on the three-legged affair, writes Graham Woods. The Gunners are 0.3-0.6 favourites over the trilogy, having been sold ...
Football: Price looks big on Barca seeing more players in the book; SPREADWISE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Kevin Pullein with the pick of the fixed-odds and spread betting value in tonight's football BACK Barcelona to receive more bookings index points in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie away to Schalke. It is a close call, but it might just be ...
Golf: 9-1 Mickelson looking to fire a warning shot at resting Tiger; 19th HOLE.(Sports)
Apr 01, 2008 ... Byline: Steve Palmer MASTERS favourite Tiger Woods is preparing for the Augusta showpiece away from the spotlight of tournament golf, but his nearest rival in the betting is looking to get himself battle-hardened in this week's Houston Open. Phil Mickelson, a ...