Author: Russ

Dan Skelton is making a determined bid to be Champion Trainer, and after a quiet spell in January, his yard is now hitting top form at just the right time. Skelton has long excelled at training winners in high-quality handicap hurdles, particularly over trips beyond two miles. This strength has been evident throughout February, with…

Getmetothemoon Can Continue Honeyball Revival at Plumpton It has been a tough season for Dorset trainer Anthony Honeyball, compounded by the tragic loss of Forward Plan, the yard’s leading chaser. He looked set to go very close in the Great Yorkshire Chase before suffering a fatal fall. Honeyball is a brilliant target trainer, but several long-term plans have been disrupted by the bad…

Non Stop to Resume Chasing Career with a Win at Plumpton Joe Tizzard’s yard is in flying form, and Non Stop, who returns to the larger obstacles in the 4:15 at Plumpton, looks well placed to add to their impressive February record. From their last 22 runners sent off at 12/1 or shorter, Tizzard’s team has recorded seven winners,…

Not A Light makes his handicap hurdle debut at Catterick on Monday for the in-form Peter Hobbs and Johnson White partnership—their first runner at the track under the newly combined training license. While Hobbs did send out one runner at this track when the license was solely in his name, this marks a fresh chapter for the…

It’s that time of the season when selectivity in betting on Class 3 handicaps and above becomes crucial. With the Cheltenham Festival just four weeks away, many runners will be looking to protect their handicap marks ahead of the weights being announced. The 1:50 at Newbury on Saturday looks a prime example, with the top six in…

Recommending Flegmatik at Kempton in 2m 4f + handicap chase is hardly rocket science – however such is the horses record at this track that it is too obvious a bet to ignore. I recommend that you back this when the markets are released Thursday evening . I doubt the bookies will be over generous,…

The yard have not given up on the 6yo Majloom who remains in training for the upcoming season. Probably one of the most frustrating Group 1 horses to have been housed at Somerville Lodge, his misfortunes started in the St James Palace Stakes when as a 3yo the colt was arguably denied victory by being…

The Sydney Banks Hurdle has thrown up some classy winners in the past , although only older readers will remember probably the best of them the 1976 winner Grand Canyon who won in imperious fashion on his way to becoming a top notch chaser, whose front running, bold jumping style captured the imagination of the…

The Oliver Greenall Josh Gueirriero yard is back in full swing after taking time out in January and they look to have found a straight forward opportunity for their 70,000 euro purchase Love True dropped in grade at Sedgefield on Wednesday. A big drifter from 15/2 out to 25/1 on her first run back from…

Since her run of major successes in big races at the back end of 2024, the form of the Venetia Williams yard has been very inconsistent with several of the leading horses and many of the lesser lights under performing. However, in the last few days of January and into February they have returned to…