THE feature at Sandown this afternoon is the Tolworth Hurdle and I ride Prospect Wells in what is a tricky little contest, even if there are only five runners.
IT is very much a case of role reversal for me this weekend. Normally, I'm in England today and back in Ireland tomorrow, but it is the opposite this time round.
ON Monday morning, nice and early, I’ll head to Dublin airport for a 7.45am flight to Heathrow.
WHEN I was asked this week to write about the highs and lows of 2011 my immediate reaction was to focus on the new whip rules brought in by the BHA across the water.
TODAY at Ascot is all about Big Buck’s and his attempt to make it 14 wins in-a-row in the Long Walk Hurdle.
I KNOW the Paddy Power at Cheltenham today is the major contest of the weekend, but let’s start with the horse I consider my best ride over the two days, Hinterland in the first, a three-year-old hurdle.
AS I’m sure you are aware, I lost my appeal in London on Thursday morning against a five-day whip ban incurred at Aintree.
I SUPPOSE people were probably a little surprised I returned to action in Britain yesterday, taking one ride at Wetherby.
I HEAD to Aintree this afternoon for four rides, but three of them pale into insignificance, with all due respects to the horses involved, compared to teaming up with Master Minded in the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase.
I SUPPOSE the race everyone will be looking out for today is the novice chase at Chepstow when Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti take each other on. I wouldn’t rule Michael Flips out of the equation completely, but realistically, it should be between these two.<
WHEN I walked out of Cork University Hospital exactly two weeks ago there was only one thing on my mind, the Galway Plate and Blazing Tempo.
I THINK it’s fair to say I’m more hopeful than confident facing into the final day of Punchestown this afternoon.
I have to say that today is my strongest book of rides for the week and it will be more than disappointing should I walk out of Punchestown tonight without a winner.
FIRST things first and that disappointing display by Kauto Star at Punchestown yesterday.
I WILL be most disappointed should Kauto Star fail to deliver in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown this evening.
A year ago I was injured, working for RTE and watching Willie Mullins and Paul Townend combine to land winner after winner at Punchestown.
THIS is a big weekend for Paul Townend and Davy Russell, as they go head-to-head at Sligo tomorrow in their bid to become champion jockey for the first time.
I SUPPOSE people may be a little surprised at my choice of ride, Shakervilz, in Monday’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
A WEEK ago The Midnight Club and I managed to negotiate those Grand National fences at Aintree, admittedly in our own good time, and today it’s a case of trying to do a lot better in the Scotttish equivalent at Ayr.
I HAVE had it in my head for a long time that The Midnight Club could be an ideal Grand National candidate and am obviously very much looking forward to riding him at Aintree this afternoon.
IT’S Chepstow this afternoon for just three rides, but I’m certainly not making the journey for a day out and will be disappointed if failing to get among the winners.
THERE’S always something of a lull between Cheltenham and Aintree and the racing this weekend is fairly mundane.
I busted an absolute gut to get to Cheltenham, but it was more than worth it and I cannot believe how well the week went.
WHEN I settled down, after what was an astonishing first day of Cheltenham, I began to reflect on all of the miserable days I suffered over the previous four months.
WHEN at Sandown last Saturday, I decided to give Willie Mullins a ring in an effort to firm up some plans for Cheltenham.
THERE’S nothing like a bit of excitement before Cheltenham and I certainly had my share with that crashing tumble aboard King Of The Refs at Naas on Wednesday.
THERE was no fairytale return for me at Newbury yesterday when Don’t Turn Bach finished well behind in a handicap hurdle.
IT SEMES like an eternity since I smashed my leg at Down Royal way back on November 6, but I’m now ready and raring to go and the only question is what day will I return next week.
I RATE Paul Nicholls’ The Minack the bet of the day in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot this afternoon.
I tipped him up when he won at Wincanton and Warwick and there is no way he should be deserted now.
LAST weekend we went through the big Hennessy meeting at Leopardstown in some detail, but the weather ruined the party and, of course, it has been rescheduled to this afternoon.
ANYONE who knows me will be well aware that sitting on the fence is not in my nature, but it is precisely what I intend to do as far as tomorrow’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown is concerned.
I’LL be mildly disappointed if the appropriately named Rock On Ruby doesn’t deliver for Paul Nicholls in the Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham today, should the meeting pass an inspection.
THE rescheduling of Gowran Park from Thursday gives us a chance to look at this afternoon’s Thyestes Chase.
THERE’S a chance you’ll be able to knock me over with a feather should Kauto Star fail to deliver in the delayed King George at Kempton today.
LET’S hope Sandown today beats the elements and gets the green light this morning.
I know Celestial Halo has a bit to find in the conditions hurdle at Cheltenham today, but it will be no surprise to me if he manages to turn things around.
I just hope Kempton passes an inspection this afternoon, because otherwise St Stephen’s Day is going to have a very bare appearance indeed.
ASCOT today was duly abandoned yesterday afternoon, so let’s start this week with a glance back at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
I’M at Cheltenham today for Channel 4 and it’s terrific to see some proper racing back on the menu.
NO National Hunt racing today or, you’d imagine, for the foreseeable future gives us a chance to draw breath.
WITH the Fighting Fifth Hurdle being moved to Newbury, we have a proper day’s racing.
It’s not a great weekend to be missing, with some really good racing and even now, I’m guessing at where I’d be riding today if I was fit. But now I don’t have to make a decision, I’m not going to even try to make a call.
I’M just about coming to terms now with what happened at Down Royal last Saturday, it was certainly an afternoon of mixed fortune and mixed emotion.
IF Kauto Star is anywhere near the horse he has been throughout his career then you’d have to think him capable of dismissing the opposition at Down Royal today.
IT would be remiss of me this week not to start with Paddy Mullins, who was, quite simply, a genius and a legend.
I HAVE felt the need, for a little while now, to comment on the manner in which the Turf Club continues to roster its race-day officials.
CHELTENHAM is a magical place and I am really looking forward to seven rides there this afternoon for Paul Nicholls.
IN LOTS of ways, at least for me, today marks the real start of the National Hunt season. I’m at Chepstow and ride seven horses for Paul Nicholls.
I’VE won four of the last six runnings of the Kerry National, but am no more than hopeful off adding another aboard Deutschland today.
IT’S nice to be back with you this morning, if only briefly, having been on the sidelines of this great game of ours since last April.
LOOKING at the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown today the first thing which strikes me is from where is the pace going to come.
AS far as I’m concerned there is only one plus to me not riding today, and that’s the fact I don’t have to choose between Willie Mullins’ three runners in the World Series Hurdle.
I have little hesitation siding with Denman in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown today.
SINCE I began riding, I have never missed a Punchestown Festival through injury.
I’D be telling lies if I didn’t admit that the last week has been a strange one. To go from being absolutely flat out to doing literally nothing has been difficult.
IT’S Grand National Day again and last year proved, with a 100-1 winner, that the National is the National whatever way you look at it. You can take form, ground, jockeys, trainers and whatever else you like but, at the end of the day, it’s the National and anything can win it.
A RIGHT bit of fun organising to get to Haydock for my solitary ride this afternoon. (My sister and agent) Jennifer was wondering why she was struggling to get me into Manchester until it dawned that there’s a pretty important Premier League game at Old Trafford at lunchtime (I’ll take the draw for United by the way, more than happy with a point).
IN THIS game, we move forward so quickly, we hardly take time to properly examine what’s gone before.
GLANCING back at the week at Cheltenham, you would have to accept there were two very big disappointments for me, Kauto Star in the Gold Cup yesterday and Master Minded in the Champion Chase.
SO this is it, the highlight of the entire week and the only real question to be answered at Cheltenham today is whether I can win a third Gold Cup on Kauto Star.
WELL, Master Minded certainly fluffed his lines yesterday and was never going to win the Champion Chase.
I’M as confident as I can be heading into a Grade 1 that Master Minded will have all the answers in the Queen Mother Champion Chase today.
I HEADED for Cheltenham on Sunday night and then had a relaxing enough day yesterday.
I HAVE a great chance aboard Pasco in a valuable two and a half mile handicap chase at Newbury this afternoon.
I haven’t been eating a whole lot over the past day or two, with Fistral Beach set to carry just 10-0 in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton this afternoon.
MOST people probably think the last week has been all about the likes of Master Minded and Denman, but I disagree.
NEWBURY this afternoon is all about two horses, Master Minded and Denman.
I have decided to ride Kauto Star, in preference to Denman, in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I RIDE in all seven races at Cheltenham this afternoon and will certainly be disappointed if returning to Ireland tonight without a winner.
THE countdown to Cheltenham has really started now and it promises to be a revealing weekend, between Ascot and Haydock this afternoon and the two days at Leopardstown.
FOLLOWING a break of some two weeks, it will be smashing to get back into the swing of things at Kempton this afternoon.
FOLLOWING a break of some two weeks, it will be smashing to get back into the swing of things at Kempton this afternoon.
THERE’S a strong possibility this could well develop into a hugely frustrating weekend.
INSTEAD of teaming up with the likes of Big Buck’s, Pepe Simo and Big Fella Thanks at Ascot today, I will be spending the afternoon at home.
THE last three Saturdays have been terrific, with Kauto Star, Denman and Twist Magic, and the plan at Cheltenham today is to keep the run going.
NO Master Minded today, so I have to settle for Twist Magic in what looks a fascinating Tingle Creek at Sandown.
I THINK it will take an extraordinary display by Denman if he is to defy top weight in the Hennessy at Newbury today.
MY main ambition, as far as Cheltenham today is concerned, is to walk out of the place relatively unscathed.
I suppose you could best describe my weekend as the storm before the calm!
I’D imagine many of the readers of this paper will think the big race of the weekend is the Cork Grand National tomorrow, so let’s start with that.
I HOPE I’ll be asked to say cheese after the first race at Chepstow today.
I’M at Cheltenham today for four rides for Paul Nicholls, on what is probably best described as a low-profile meeting by the high standards of that great track.
THE million dollar question at Listowel today is can I win my fourth Kerry National?
IF I wasn’t madly optimistic regarding the prospects of Roby de Cimbre in the Plate yesterday, then the exact opposite is the case with Deutschland in the Hurdle this afternoon.
THOSE of you with long memories may remember here a year ago just how confident I was of winning the Galway Plate aboard Oslot.
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