News Punchcestown Festival Review May 4, 2026 by Major Dickie Day one of the 2026 Punchestown Festival saw the X Country Chase open proceedings and was won impressively by Fountain House trained by Ian McCarthy who won at this meeting last year taking the two and a half mile Hunter Chase. The next two races were competitive handicap hurdles where Jessica Harrington and Willie Mullins […] Read more »
News 1000/2000 Guineas Trials Review April 19, 2026 by Major Dickie The three-day Craven meeting got underway with no Listed or Group racing on day one with the Conditions Stakes being the highlight. The Godolphin owned Talk Of New York won readily after being turned over at Meydan in the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas at the end of February. Wednesday and day two saw the 1000 […] Read more »
News 9th – 11th April Review – Aintree Grand National Festival April 15, 2026 / April 15, 2026 by Major Dickie The three-day Aintree Grand National Festival began with the G1 Juvenile Hurdle where Mange Tout took the honours for Elliott and Kennedy. The daughter of Born To Sea bypassed Cheltenham for this and she stuck on well on this better ground to see off favourite Selma De Vary. Next race up was another G1, the […] Read more »
News 28th – 29th March Review – Doncaster Lincoln Meeting April 2, 2026 / April 2, 2026 by Major Dickie Saturday saw the opening day of the Turf Flat Season from Doncaster. The card began with the William Hill Brocklesby which was run in the memory of trainer Bill Turner who won this race six times over the years. The Richard Hannon trained A Bear Affair took the honours under Sean Levey. The Listed Cammidge […] Read more »
News 1st – 2nd February Review Dublin Racing Festival February 4, 2026 / February 4, 2026 by Major Dickie The Dublin Racing Festival 2026 started a day late. To explain Day one, the Saturday was abandoned due to unfit ground after huge amounts of the wet stuff falling during the week. Sunday’s card went ahead as scheduled and the Saturday card was re-arranged to Monday. The racing got underway with a Listed Mares Handicap […] Read more »
News 22nd + 24th January Review – Gowran Park and Cheltenham Trials Day January 25, 2026 / January 25, 2026 by Major Dickie The eight race Cheltenham Trials Day card began five minutes after midday on ground described as Soft. The Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial (registered as the Finesse Hurdle) saw the unbeaten Minnela Yoga go off the 2/1 favourite. However, he could only finish third behind the winner Maestro Conti for the Skeltons with Harry Derhams […] Read more »
News 16th-18th January Review – Berkshire Million Festival January 19, 2026 / January 20, 2026 by Major Dickie The Berkshire Winter Million Festival got underway on Friday from Windsor. The feature on day one was the Grade 2 Lightening Novices Chase sponsored by Fitzdares. The two-mile event attracted just three runners and the market was headed by the Dan Skelton trained Be Aware who had finished runner up the last twice to Lulamba […] Read more »
News 28th/29th December Review – Leopardstown, Limerick and Newbury December 30, 2025 by Major Dickie Sunday and day 3 of the Leopardstown and Limerick Christmas Festivals. The first Grade 1 at Leopardstown was the Christmas Hurdle for the stayers and for owners Robcor it turned out to be a great result as they owned the first two home namely the winner Teahupoo and runner-up Bob Olinger. This provided another nice […] Read more »
News 26th/27th December Review – Kempton, Chepstow, Leopardstown and Limerick December 30, 2025 / December 30, 2025 by Major Dickie Boxing day saw seven Graded races in the Uk and Ireland including five Grade 1s. The King George at Kempton provided what many people consider to be one of the best National Hunt races ever! The Harry Redknapp owned, Ben Pauling trained and Ben Jones ridden The Jukebox Man prevailed by a nose from last […] Read more »
News Weekend Review – Ascot, Haydock and Thurles 19th/20th December December 21, 2025 / December 21, 2025 by Major Dickie The Ascot Christmas Meeting got underway on Friday with the Grade 2 Noel Novices Chase being the highlight on a competitive card. The race was won by the Sam Thomas trained Steel Ally who was 9 lengths clear at the line after jumping for fun under Dylan Johnson. Owner Dai Walters looks to have another […] Read more »