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Wednesday’s racing round-up brings news of a big-race target for Venetia Williams’ star chaser L’Homme Presse…
Connections of L'Homme Presse have revealed he is being prepared to run in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Fourth in last year's Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham, L'Homme Presse was set to run well in the 2022 King George VI Chase prior to unseating jockey Charlie Deutsch at the final flight. The Venetia Williams-trained nine-year-old returned from a sizeable absence to claim the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield on his reappearance last January and that same contest is firmly under consideration for his return this season.
Gordon Elliott's Irish raider Shecouldbeanything recorded a fourth-straight success over fences when landing the feature Listed Yorton Mares' Novices' Chase at Bangor this afternoon. A comfortable winner in Grade 3 company over fences at Tipperary last time, victory looked unlikely for Shecouldbeanything for much of the two-mile one-and-a-half-furlong contest. However, under a persistent Sean Bowen, she ran on strongly to get the better of Cheltenham Festival-winning hurdler You Wear It Well by a length and three quarters. Speaking of the 7/2 winner, Bowen told Sky Sports Racing: "You can see why she's won as many races as she has with an attitude like that, she really wanted it, which was key. I spoke to Gordon half an hour ago and I said I'd make plenty of use of her, she's got the experience and stays well, but I lined up and couldn't go the gallop. She's obviously been winning over two-and-a-half, and she probably needs every yard of two and a half miles."
Olly Murphy looked to unearth another useful hurdler after Junker d'Allier made it two-from-two over hurdles with an impressive display at Bangor on Wednesday. Runner-up on all three outings in bumpers last season, the Olly Murphy-trained five-year-old readily carried the penalty he picked up for winning at Carlisle last month when running out a comfortable six-and-a-half length winner under Sean Bowen. A step up in grade now awaits the son of Kapgarde, with Murphy eyeing a possible tilt at the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle at Aintree. "He's a good horse I think," Murphy told Sky Sports Racing. "You get disappointed when a horse doesn't win a bumper, and you think they can't be a good horse. He got beat in three bumpers, but jumping is his forte and he's a lovely, staying horse for the future. We're going to have to step him up in grade now. Whether he's a horse for a Tolworth (Formby Novices' Hurdle) or not I don't know. We've a lot of horses in the same kind of category as this lad that have gone and done what he's done, which is a nice position to be in. We could look at Cheltenham in December for a two-mile novice hurdle or we look at Aintree for the Tolworth."
Lord Allen of Kensington CBE was today confirmed as the new Chair of the British Horseracing Authority. As a highly experienced Chairman and one of the most prominent business leaders of his generation, Lord Allen brings a wealth of experience to the role including in the financial and commercial sectors, Government, broadcast, international companies and global sports events. He is due to assume his post on 1 June 2025 and will work closely with the current Chair Joe Saumarez Smith in the months ahead of taking up the role to ensure a smooth transition. Lord Allen is currently Chairman and Trustee of the Invictus Games Foundation and was Chairman of the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2000-2003 for which he was awarded a CBE. He oversaw London's bid for the 2012 Olympics and was Board Director on the Organising Committee.
William Haggas was responsible for saddling both Listed winners at Lingfield on Wednesday afternoon. Sea Theme kicked off proceedings with a smooth success in the BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies' Stakes in the hands of Billy Loughnane. The 6/5 market leader, who was well-positioned throughout the one-mile six-furlong all-weather contest, always looked in command up the home straight and stayed on strongly to see off Beeley by half a length to give William Haggas his fifth success in the race since 2017. Just thirty-five minutes later, the Somerville Lodge handler was once again in the winners' enclosure when Doom made it three straight wins in the BetMGM Fleur De Lys EBF Fillies' Stakes for team Haggas. Sent off a 5/2 favourite after finishing sixth in the Group 3 Sceptre Fillies' Stakes at Doncaster, Doom kicked clear in the straight to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths under Rossa Ryan.