Racing

It's no secret that horse Racing is one of the most popular social pastimes in the UK. Of course, horse racing has always been popular. But perhaps now more than ever, during these uncertain times, it gives people an excuse to have the flutter, get dressed up and let their hair down. If you're in and around London this month, here are the April races at Kempton and Sandown to try. Kempton Racecourse  Kempton racecourse is situated on the south-western side...

Dr Richard Newland sent out Pineau De Re to win the Grand National in 2014 and already has his eye on the 2019 renewal with Abolitionist. Formerly trained in Ireland by Ellmarie Holden, Abolitionist finished second to Empire Of Dirt in the Troytown Chase at Navan before landing the Leinster National at Naas, with his last season with Holden reaching its pinnacle with third place in the 2017 Irish Grand National.  The ten-year-old made the perfect start for current connections...

Irish-trained horses took the 2018 Grand National by storm as four of the 15-horse raiding party from Ireland filled the first four places, as well as providing eight of the 12 horses that completed the race. That shouldn't come as too much of a shock though as Irish-trainers also supplied five of the first six horses home in the 2016 Grand National, which was also run on soft ground. The 2018 Grand National winner Tiger Roll was capping a wonderful...

What does it take to be a successful horse racing commentator? One thing is for sure, you need brains and quick thinking. West Ham players were invited to find out, with hilarious consequences. Ahead of the famous Cheltenham Festival, and with support from Betway and veteran ITV racing commentator Richard Hoiles, the Premier League stars were put through their commentating paces. It was back to school for players Evra and Noble, who were joined by teammates Joe Hart and James...

The jewel in the crown of National Hunt racing is looming large on the horizon. While there are several important meetings to be staged between now and the middle week of March, trainers, jockeys, experts and punters alike will have one eye fixed firmly on the 2018 Cheltenham Festival. Hundreds of thousands of fans will make the annual pilgrimage from all over Britain and Ireland, ready to enjoy the best action jumps racing has to offer. Over the four days,...

Ladies Day is the biggest day of Royal Ascot, but the real race is for punters to back the colour of the Queen’s hat. Ladbrokes even had a visit from ‘The Queen’ this morning, after she made a pit stop to her local shop on the way to the racecourse. Shop staff reported that ‘Her Majesty’ had a cheeky fiver on the colour blue. The chances of Her Majesty wearing a blue hat on Ladies Day have been set at 3/1, while yellow or...

Both Flat and jumps racing have been blessed with superstars in the saddle and, when discussing famous jockeys, Sir AP McCoy would be a fitting place to start. Now retired, he unfortunately won’t make your Cheltenham tip of the day, but the man from Northern Ireland’s CV reads like a roll call of the top races over hurdles and fences. The 42-year-old claimed the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice, on board Mr Mulliganin 1997 and Synchronised in 2012, and many more...

The one plus side to 2017 going by as fast as lightning means it’s time for Cheltenham again, undoubtedly one of the best racing weekends in the whole calendar. As well as hoping for a great race, you’re probably praying for a big win at the bookies so we’ve produced some tips on how you can pick a winner. My Racing have produced a fantastically quirky little betting app that can pick your winner for you. For those of you...

British racing jockeys, trainers, officials and fans alike were saddened and surprised to hear news of Kempton Park’s closure. The historic south-west London course is set to be bulldozed and sold to developers in order to find an investment programme for racecourses elsewhere. The closure is part of a Jockey Club (JC) plan which aims to spend a staggering £500 million on British racing across the next decade. With the closure of the much-loved Kempton Park brings great change. The...