March 2024

Rain forces inspection for Festival leg of Crystal Cup

By |March 12th, 2024|

Cheltenham faces the unusual position of starting a festival on soft ground following a winter of very high rainfall. February was the wettest and warmest on record, with an above average volume of fixtures cancelled due to waterlogging.

That wet weather shows little sign of relenting, a trend that may impact upon the next leg of […]

Saint Godefroy franks Pau form in re-routed Grand Cross de Mont de Marsan

By |March 11th, 2024|

Hip Hop Conti’s performance in the Grand Cross de Pau was underlined yesterday as runner-up Saint Godefroy ran out a 2 1/2l winner in the Grand Cross de Mont de Marsan, under champion rider Felix de Giles.

The €52,000 contest over 4,700m (2m 7f) took place at Pau in the absence of a serviceable track at […]

Nicolle produces another Cross Country candidate in Hemevoici

By |March 4th, 2024|

A candidate for forthcoming Crystal Cup races emerged over the weekend when Hemevoici triumphed in the €52,000 Grand Cross de Lignières for trainer-rider partnership François Nicolle and Thomas Beaurain.

It was coffee and croissants rather than champagne for owners Jacques and Patrice Détré. The success of French racing relies upon its visibility to punters worldwide, forcing […]

February 2024

Irish have a strong hand in Glenfarclas Chase as Crystal Cup reaches crunch point

By |February 28th, 2024|

Irish contenders make up half the entries for next month’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, leg 8 of the Crystal Cup, as owners from the Emerald Isle continue to assert their authority on the Cheltenham Festival, and on this race in particular. Eight of the last 10 winners have been trained in Ireland, 5 of them […]

Hip Hop Conti strikes a second time in Pau Grand Cross

By |February 18th, 2024|

A fascinating Grand Cross de Pau confirmed the two top exponents of cross country racing in France as favourite Hip Hop Conti reaffirmed his liking for this race with a back-to-back victory by 1 1/2l over the 2022 winner Saint Godefroy, with Harmonie Roque making up the minor placings.

The nine entries whittled down to 7 […]