Firstly I’d like to extend my commiserations out this morning to a journalist friend of Betfinder.co.uk who after almost 30 continuous years of attending and reporting from Aintree’s Grand National meeting, has had their media application rejected this time.
Understandably Covid restrictions have put the media attendees down to less than a tenth of their usual level, but rather galling to us and our media friends in general is that there will still be “celebrity pundits” prating around on ITV for three days, whilst loyal supporters are confined to barracks. The joys of a global pandemic!
The legacy of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum
The sad news broke last week that Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, the great owner-breeder whose all-conquering horses included Nashwan and Dayjur, had died aged 75.
Maktoum’s royal blue silks with white epaulettes were a familiar sight in the UK, where he won the Derby twice along with a whole host of other big races. He was also crowned Champion owner on the Flat on nine occasions between 1990 and 2020. His breeding operation was a huge success in England, Ireland and the United States.
The racing world was shocked this week by the sad news of the passing of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum
He leaves behind a huge legacy on track and off it. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends pic.twitter.com/BqiL7PBa4X
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 27, 2021
In 1989 his horse Nashwan became the first one to win the 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Eclipse and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, all in the same season. His other Derby winner, Erhaab, took top honours in 1994.
Sheikh Hamdan also enjoyed successes on the international stage. He bred Sakhee, who landed the 2001 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and his Invasor, won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup. In fact, the Sheikh was the Champion breeder in Britain on five occasions.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s legacy is a big one and will he will surely be missed in the racing world. Let’s hope his exors and family continue their interest in the sport.
And they’re off! (kind of)
The much anticipated UK Flat season cranked into action at the weekend with the two-day Lincoln meeting taking place at Doncaster.
Curiously one anomaly to the “start” of the new Flat season is that straight after Doncaster kicks things off, racing doesn’t take place on the turf again for an entire week. It’s hardly a fanfare beginning is it! Perhaps it’s something for the marketeers to look into for the future?
Let’s take a closer look at those Doncaster results:
Saturday
- Eve Johnson Houghton’s Chipotle (8/1) put in a polished performance to land the Brocklesby Conditions Stakes, the first race of the turf Flat season.
- The Doncaster Mile was won by the James Tate-trained Top Rank (11/2) and he looks like a good horse going forward.
- Artistic Rifles (8/1) gave new trainer Ed Bethell his first ever winner on turf, and just his second overall, with victory in the Spring Mile.
- Benoît De la Sayette’s first ride on the turf was a momentous one as he landed the Lincoln Handicap for trainer John Gosden aboard Haqeeqy (9/2). The fact that the horse is owned by Hissa Hamdan al-Maktoum, whose father Sheikh Hamdan died just last week, was lost on no one.
- Charlie Hills was in the winner’s enclosure too as Royal Commando (15/2) was a tidy winner of the famous Cammidge Trophy.
- The other winners on the eight runner card were Too Friendly (9/1), Leroy Leroy (7/2f) and Francisco Bay (9/2).
Sunday
- Tahitian Prince (14/1) shed his maiden tag when taking the 32red.com Handicap for Richard Hannon and Sean Levey.
- The George Scott-trained George Peabody (11/1) took the Unibet Novice Stakes and looks a promising type.
- Richard Hannon was on the score sheet again as the Rossa Ryan-ridden Soundslikethunder (8/1) just got the nod in a photo over stablemate Lexington Knight.
- The Kevin Ryan-trained Throne Hall (9/2) triumphed in the 32Red Casino Handicap.
- Tamborrada (11/10f) remains unbeaten for Charlie Appleby after claiming his first race on turf, the 1m Unibet Handicap.
- The other winners on the card were the exciting Archie Watson-trained Outbox (4/5f), Yorkshire sprinting stalwart Gunmetal (15/2) and Camilla Paulton’s Aced It (12/1).
Irish News
The Mick Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad (Evs fav) was straight back to winning ways after running a creditable fourth to Chantry House in the Marsh Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The nine-year-old showed no ill-effects from that run and picked up the Grade Three Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick with a degree of comfort.
Chatham Street Lad is an early 25/1 antepost chance with Unibet for November’s Ladbrokes Trophy.
The post Horse Racing Blog: RIP Sheikh Hamdan / Doncaster Recap / Irish News appeared first on Sports Betting Odds, Free Bets, Tips & Predictions.
