The only Grade 1 over fences at Ascot races today, the eponymous Betfair Ascot Chase, headlines the card in Berkshire on Saturday, 15 February. It features a rematch between last year’s first and second Pic D’Orhy and L’Homme Presse. A distance of two miles five furlongs seems optimum for Paul Nicholls’ charge around here. Venetia …

Another Premier Raceday over jumps at Haydock races on Saturday, 15 February sees the official Grand National Trial as the feature contest. This Premier Handicap Chase over three-and-a-half miles seldom produces the winner of the big one on Merseyside’s other track Aintree, but still excites punters. This year’s edition of the Grand National Trial contains …

Despite losing the Classic Chase to wintry weather last month, Warwick races has its Kingmaker card set for Saturday, 8 February. That Grade 2 novice chase over two miles is the last Arkle trial before the Cheltenham Festival. It features top-level winner L’Eau Du Sud, who has the small mercy of avoiding Sir Gino before …

The Newbury Super Saturday of 2025 has a new sponsor. So long associated with Betfair, William Hill now take over as partners of an 8 February card that contains two Grades 2 and a valuable Premier Handicap. Initially the Schwepps Hurdle, and run for a period as the Tote Gold Trophy, the race known in …

Willie Mullins saddles four of the five runners in the Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival. This boils down to a Leopardstown clash on Sunday, 2 February between State Man and the mare Lossiemouth with others playing for places. It’s an eight-race card rounding off this weekend meeting to the …

Willie Mullins throws plenty of darts at the Dublin Racing Festival 2025 including some of his best prospects and top horses. That is probably why he cleans up at this two-day Leopardstown fixture that gets underway on Saturday, 1 February with the Irish Gold Cup. That is the last of four Grade 1 races taking …

A dry midweek means Sandown Park Racecourse has the green light for its Scilly Isles Saturday card on 1 February. Conditions at the Esher venue in Greater London look very testing, however. On passing an official inspection two days before racing, the Sandown going was heavy, soft in places on the hurdle track. The steeplechase …

The concluding day of the Berkshire Winter Million from Windsor on Sunday, 19 January is a bumper eight-race card. This is because the Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase that couldn’t be staged at Warwick last weekend has been rearranged for this fixture. That adds extra intrigue to a meeting where the feature race is the …

Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins are no strangers to taking each other on in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot. The Grade 1 contest on Saturday, 18 January often attracts top two-milers to Berkshire with Jonbon v Energumene serving up the latest Anglo-Irish clash in the contest. When Ascot last staged the race three years …

It’s fair to say that over the years certain horses become specialists at Haydock Park races. Royale Pagaille fits the bill as he tries to win the Peter Marsh Chase yet again off topweight on Merseyside on Saturday, 18 January following on from retaining his Betfair Chase crown. Royale Pagaille is now an 11-year-old, but …