The turf
The turf
We all know it takes courage to win races over jumps, along with athleticism, stamina and speed. But you need…
The turf
Humans are herd animals too. Jockeys, trainers, owners and those enjoying the few prized media attendance slots for racing behind…
The turf
Combing through race recordings to try to find some fun horses for Spectator readers this summer, I have been struck…
The turf
Want to know the winner of the Grand National in 2023? You heard it here first: when the ante-post books…
The turf
Sporting heroes in our modern world have an extra burden to carry. Within seconds of their triumph, with the adrenaline…
The turf
How Father Sean Breen would have loved this year’s Cheltenham Festival. The late parish priest at Ballymore Eustace, who owned…
The turf
Thanks to Covid, there could be no spine-tingling roar at the Cheltenham Festival this year as the first race runners…
The turf
With the Cheltenham Festival close, the quest for serious punting money intensifies. I had one potential contributor identified at Kempton…
The turf
Since coup conspirators nearly won £10 million from the bookies, the sport has divided into two camps. Some grinned and…
The turf
Dry January it wasn’t and I am not referring to the trainers who normally undergo an annual abstinence but who…
The turf
Doing good doesn’t always work out as expected. A regular entering his local pub takes pity on an old lady…
The turf
Hearing that the Queen has both a real and an official birthday, a small boy asked the obvious question: ‘Does…
The turf
Greville Starkey’s great victories as a jockey included the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Star Appeal at 119-1. In…
The turf
Who owns Altior? I ask because of the brouhaha over Nicky Henderson’s late withdrawal of his stable star, winner of…
The turf
Why hasn’t Bristol De Mai become as beloved by the racing public as his fellow greys Desert Orchid and One…
The turf
First the company report. Readers who invested a tenner on the nose each time our Twelve to Follow for the…
The turf
With or without the crowds, nowhere does racing like Cheltenham. The four winners, including her first Group One shared equally…
The turf
Fortunately for me and the politicians we entertained over my years covering the darkest profession, Mrs Oakley didn’t do a…
The turf
Wetumpka Racing? When your yard is running at a handsome strike rate of 40 per cent wins to runs you…
The turf
It is all, it seems, in the tweaks. So said Aidan O’Brien, Ireland’s master-trainer supreme, before his tough filly Magical…
The turf
We all have weeks when every win bet finishes second and every each-way comes home in fourth. You begin to…
The turf
Lester Piggott was famous for pinching other jockeys’ rides. He used his friendship with owner Ivan Allan to have Luca…
The turf
It was to have been, if not a glorious return, at least an encouraging one. On the Stewards’ Cup day…
The Turf
When I first began racing, few jump jockeys reckoned their careers would last beyond the ages of 32 or 33.…
The turf
It wasn’t so much a Derby victory this year as an act of grand larceny. Aidan O’Brien isn’t just a…
