It’s certainly not quiet in the lead up to the Cheltenham Festival and it’s been a busy 24 hours in the racing world with the big news story breaking on Monday that Harry Cobden will become JP McManus’ retained rider from May. We also received the entries for all Saturday’s big races, which will include the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase. In Tuesday’s news round-up we pick out all the big stories from across the sport.
Today’s Racing round-up
Harry Cobden was named as the retained rider for heavyweight owner JP McManus, with him set to take up the position from May. Mark Walsh had previously been the retained rider in Ireland, whilst McManus opted for the best available in Britain, but the Racing Post confirmed on Monday that the 27-year-old would take over the job and be the retained jockey carrying the green and gold silks in Britain and Ireland at the end of the season. (Racing Post)
Five entries have been received for the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase, which will be the feature race at Ascot on Saturday afternoon. Tingle Creek hero Il Etait Temps is the star attraction amongst the quintet, but the Willie Mullins-trained star will face some top two milers with Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon looking to bounce back from that Sandown defeat. Thistle Ask, who has rocketed through the ranks for Dan Skelton is set to tackle Grade 1 company for the first time, whilst Gidleigh Park and JPR One complete the possible line-up. (Sporting Life)
Nicky Henderson has made his biggest point yet to a potential race on the Flat for Constitution Hill, despite having a plan to give his superstar an entry in the Champion Hurdle. The dual Cheltenham Festival winner’s career has hit the doldrums with some crashing falls and out-of-sort runs and Henderson could let him have a spin on the flat to try and get some confidence back into him before a possible tilt at regaining his Champion Hurdle crown in March. Henderson told the Press Association: “We’ll enter him (for the Champion Hurdle), but there is a plan afoot for a Flat race, so we’ll keep you posted if that materialises.” (At The Races)
Former National Hunt jockey Jo Lodder has completed an epic challenge, as the endurance runner completed a 3,000km run over the Great Wall of China to Hong Kong in only 60 days. Raising £75.000 in the process, Lodder, whose career was ended prematurely through injury in 1996 after eight seasons riding in Britain achieved the feat believed the first of its kind. (Mirror)
Sir Gino and The New Lion are set to clash in a mouth-watering renewal of the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day next Saturday. Both star hurdlers hold huge aspirations of landing the Champion Hurdle in March and they are both set to lock horns at Prestbury Park in a contest that will certainly have notable ramifications on the Champion Hurdle market, where Sir Gino currently sits favourite. (Racing Post)