Tag: Nicky Henderson
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A Constitutional Conundrum
The prolific racing blogger Stephen Power (@racingblogger) posted a very simple question in the immediate aftermath of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle: “If you owned Constitution Hill, what would you do now?”? First, the back story. From the first time Michael Buckley’s animal was seen on a course, he was seen as one of…
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Selections for Punchestown – Apr. 29th 2025
2.30: HAGGARD – EW – (ROB JAMES/COLIN BOWE) 3.05: BLUE HOP – EW – (RACHAEL BLACKMORE/BEN BROOKEHOUSE, IN GB) 3.40: BRENTFORD HOPE – EW – (JOHNNY BURKE/HARRY DERHAM, IN GB) 4.15: KOPEK DES BORDES (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 4.50: BALLYBURN (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 5.25: LAGUNA BEACH – EW – (JOHN GLEESON/NICKY HENDERSON, IN GB) 6.00: MARINE…
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Do not discount the others
There’s something very fitting about what you will read hereafter appearing around the same time as the completion of the third round of soccer’s FA Cup. Therein have been some of the greatest upsets ever seen in any sport. Such as Northampton’s expulsion of Manchester United or Arsenal being ousted by Wrexham a decade and…
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Slevin very much in the Green
In any walk of life, a conclusion of one sort generally leads to the beginning of another. Whether that be a footballer retiring a going into management, or a jockey retiring and taking out a training licence or a journalist moving on from actively writing and into an editing or sub-editing role. Mind you, in…
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Good doctor? Nutty Professor more like
The lunatics are trying to take over the asylum. Colm O’Rourke’s notions about splitting Dublin in two has finally been usurped as the most madcap, lampoonable sports proposal out there. By a doctor no less. Now read on… The man Matt Chapman of Sky Sports and ITV Racing described as “The Good Doctor” – Newland…
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Seismic Cheltenham shakeup as Hill’s Constitution questioned?
Cheltenham betting markets could potentially be tossed into turmoil after it emerged that Constitution Hill worked poorly at Kempton this morning. While there’s no such thing as a certainty in racing, Nicky Henderson’s stable star looked primed to be the closest to the phenomenon there might ever be in the Champion Hurdle. However, the bombshell…
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The foreseen, the unexpected and the downright emotional
Less than 24 hours before the commencement of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, this corner had no problem admitting that, in some ways, not a sh** was given about the action at Prestbury Park. Mitigating such misgivings, though, was the hope that the sound of the Cheltenham roar at the start of the first race would…
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Selections for Cheltenham Day 1 2023
1.30: MARINE NATIONALE (MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN/BARRY CONNELL) 2.10: EL FABIOLO (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 2.50: THE BIG BREAKAWAY – EW – (BRENDAN POWELL/JOE TIZZARD) 3.30: VAUBAN – EW – (DANNY MULLINS/WILLIE MULLINS) 4.10: BRANDY LOVE (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 4.50: BAD – EW – (RACHAEL BLACKMORE/BEN PAULING) 5.30: MISTER COFFEY – EW – (DEREK O’CONNOR/NICKY HENDERSON)
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One viewpoint that didn’t take long to be proven right
Stories such as those of the late Tom Foley and Oliver Brady or Mick Winters or Anthony Knott across the water are what make National Hunt racing the special part of life it is for so many of us. For those of us imbued with a love of racing running through our veins, stories like…
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Sorry Ma’m – there doesn’t appear to be any racing on the TV in the Royal Box
When you hear the words ‘Barbers Shop’, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Haircuts, obviously. Or possibly musical quartets. Though not necessarily those including Homer Simpson on the roof of Moe’s or Peter Griffin going around hospital wards. In this corner, mention of Barbers Shop evokes memories of what I think was Queen…