Paul Nicholls: Running Plans Update

"Pearl Swan has come on really well from his second in a jumpers’ bumper – where his run delighted me, in truth - and he would be my number one hope for the race."

Ambassador Paul Nicholls updates us on his running plans for next week.

I just wanted to update you on a few running plans.
I have spoken to John Hales this morning, and we plan to run Unioniste in the 3m novice chase on the Betfair Super Saturday card at Newbury on February 9th.
We won the race with Denman - who is due to parade next Saturday - before his win in the Sun Alliance in 2007 and this will tell us more about what Festival route to go down with Unioniste.
I have also scratched Tidal Bay from the Irish Hennessy next Saturday, as he won't be ready in time.
As you know, he missed the Argento as he was slightly lame. He is fine now, but I am not going to rush him. He will go straight to the Festival, and we will make a decision on what race he contests there nearer the time, when we have a better idea on the ground.
Back to Newbury next Saturday, Silviniaco Conti is on schedule to run in the Denman Chase and I will also be confirming three for the Betfair Hurdle; Pearl Swan, Dark Lover and Caid Du Berlais.
Pearl Swan has come on really well from his second in a jumpers' bumper - where his run delighted me, in truth - and he would be my number one hope for the race.

There are no comments on this article.

Amazon Sports Center

US Election Daily Update: Can GOP get a grip of Trump

In senate races, the most expensive ad-wise so far has been Virginia. The Democrats remains 1.511/2 favourites to hold the Senate, and we can’t see anything else happening.

Donald Trump has been hitting the headlines with his outbursts against Barack Obama but who does he think he's helping? Meanwhile, both candidates have been pouring even more money in to advertising as the race gets closer. Elliot Pollak reports...

Just when Barack Obama thought it was safe to come out without a birth certificate in his pocket, Donald Trump has slivered into being again. Yes, Trump's much-hyped announcement over the past couple of days was a promise to give £5m to charity, but only if the President would produce his school records. (Just give it anyway!)

Who Trump thinks he is helping is unclear. Just like the nonsense over the birth certificate, this whole unpleasant business makes the Republicans look a) desperate and b) nasty. One suspects Trump doesn't take orders from GOP HQ, but if they do have any control over him, they'd be advised to lock him in a box for the next fortnight.

Obama hit back on Jay Leno last night, joking that the grudge between himself and Trump stems back from their days playing soccer together on the fields of Kenya. On a more serious note (perhaps), the President also promised an enormous bar of chocolate to any Trick-or-Treaters who visit the White House from Ohio.

The fact that even Halloween looks like becoming politicised is a sign of how close this race now is. Another sign that this will be a more closely fought contest than in 2008, is the result of a new survey reporting that there have been well over double the number of televised ads this time around. Both sides are clearly determined to seize every wavering voter going. Indeed, the Republicans have spent ten times more on television then they did four years ago.

In senate races, the most expensive ad-wise so far has been Virginia. The Democrats remains 1.511/2 favourites to hold the Senate, and we can't see anything else happening.

There are no comments on this article.

Amazon Sports Center

Gordon Elliott Stable News: Grand National update

/ Gordon Elliott / 30 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Aintree beckons for Chicago Grey

"We schooled Chicago Grey over Grand National-style fences at home this week and we were very pleased with him".

Gordon brings an exclusive update from Capranny, where Chicago Grey has impressed during recent Aintree preparations...

It looks like I'll have two runners in the Aintree Grand National on April 14.

Chicago Grey has long been targeted at the race and we schooled over Grand National-style fences at home this week and we were very pleased with him. Everything seems to be going well in his prep at the moment - touch wood - and we're really looking forward to bringing him to Aintree. Paul Carberry will ride him there.

Tharawaat will get into the race so we're also going to let him take his chance. Davy Condon schooled him over the Grand National-style fences and it also went well for him.

Nedzers Return is being aimed at the Foxhunters' Chase and remains on target for it.

Don Cossack is in very good form at home and he'll go to Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday, provided the ground is safe. I've always said I would be in no rush with him and that's still the case. He could be a bit special so we'll continue to be patient with him, but he'll be ready for the Fairyhouse race, provided the conditions are right for him.

Carlito Brigante had to get eight or nine stitches after being struck into early in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham. That's obviously held him up a bit but we'll aim him to have him back for Punchestown. After that, he could go summer jumping, over the larger obstacles.

Cause Of Causes was a bit unlucky not to pick up his maiden hurdle at Downpatrick last weekend but he's come out of the race absolutely fine. I'd say we'll keep him for Punchestown now. We'll also probably keep him on the go through the summer as I think he prefers better ground and he's a horse that could do well on the Flat and over jumps.

Timeform Dubai Handicapper Stephen Molyneux brings you his SmartPlay selections for the $10 million Dubai World Cup card......

Timeform take a look at the runners for a typically competitive Lincoln Handicap, run over Town Moor's straight mile......

The world's richest race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan on Saturday March 31, has attracted a star-studded fourteen-runner field. Timeform give you their assessment of the race, runner by runner.......

All the betting moves ahead of the evening racing at Wolverhampton and Dundalk...

Amazon Sports Center

Cheltenham 2012: Going update from Simon Claisse

Latest News / Timeform / 22 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

What will the going be at the Cheltenham Festival?

"If I had to give a going description now, I would call it good, good to firm in places"

Simon Claisse, Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing at Cheltenham Racecourse, has news of the ground ahead of the Cheltenham Festival in March...

He said: "We think we might have temperatures of 15 and 16 degrees Celsius by the end of the week.

"The course was pretty well frozen from Festival Trials Day (January 28) until Tuesday of last week.

"We managed to get a bit of fertiliser on it last week and I have taken the decision this morning that we will start to water the course tomorrow, primarily to activate that fertiliser.

"If I had to give a going description now, I would call it good, good to firm in places and my expectation would be, without the six to seven millimetres of irrigation we are going to put on, that come Sunday or Monday we would be good to firm.

"The outlook that I have been given today for the next week is predominantly dry. We still remain somewhere between 40 to 50 per cent of our normal expected annual rainfall.

"February, apart from a little bit of snow, has been a particularly dry month - I don't think we have recorded two or three millimetres since the beginning of the month.

"We are trying maintain the ground at good. There will probably still be a little bit of good to firm after we finish this first bout of watering.

"Our own reservoir is full - we had a nice spell of rain after the International meeting in December which enabled us to fill the reservoir so we do have plenty of water in stock.

"The water we collect and put in our reservoir is harvested from the site. What we are doing is catching rainwater and putting it on the course. It then goes into the drains and back into the reservoir - the water goes around in circles."

What will the Official Going be on the opening day of the Festival? Click HERE to see the latest odds.

David Pipe continues to give very little away about the likely Cheltenham Festival target for the dashing grey Grands Crus......

Raya Star will be given an entry in the Coral Cup as well as the Country Hurdle at Cheltenham after his fine run at Newbury......

Owner Raymond Mould has moved to quash any speculation that his brilliant novice Sprinter Sacre could be supplemented for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham......

Amazon Sports Center

Celebrity Big Brother Update: Friday eviction is close call

Celebrity Big Brother / Eliot Pollak / 01 September 2011 / Leave a Comment

Is Lyons on the way out?

"Lyons has come across as cruel, but throw in those ridiculous abs, and he's both cruel and absurd."

Eliot Pollack provides an irreverent update on all things CBB and assesses the odds on a tight three way battle to avoid eviction...

The second Friday night Big Brother eviction is upon us, whilst the house (and indeed the world godamnit) is still reeling from the surprise eviction of Pamela in midweek. She may have been surprised to go, although one would think not half as surprised as the Channel 5 viewers were when she entered the house in the first place.

Hence it is little surprise that Pamela left to a subdued audience who were still trying to figure out what exactly she might be, raiding their Baywatch memory banks which they had hoped to use for happier occasions. She returns to obscurity, but not before hurling four of her inmates to the lions whilst taking time to save Katona, the Jedward sisters, Amy Childs, and the Gypsie slugger, Paddy - a man who might yet win this thing, despite not forming a completely clear sentence thus far

As for the four fighting it out to survive, it looks set to be a pretty close call, with Tara Reid, Darryn Lyons and Bobby Sabel all jostling to avoid the boot. Peter Reid's sister is the current favourite at [2.18], whilst old Everton captain Mick Lyons' son is priced at [2.8]*. Sabel is available at [3.6], and it is indeed hard to recall a tighter three-horse race to a BB eviction for a long time.

Were this a 'vote to get rid' scenario, it is safe to say that Lyons would be history. For the most part, he's come across as cruel, but throw in those ridiculous abs, and he's both cruel and absurd. A dreadful man. And yet, with this being 'vote to save', he may slip through the net, on the assumption that Bobby and Tara fans will be too busy larging it in Movida to make a simple phone call on their studded iphones.

Tara has been one of the more paranoid inmates for some time - forever convinced that plots are being hatched. The smart viewers will know to keep her in. If only for the potential of a crippling meltdown, but as the current favourite for the chop, we may be shorn of that particular treat.

Bobby has probably been trumped by Lucien as the "house hunk", so may yet be relying on his personality to keep himself in the running. That's not a good thing.

*Not really folks

The Betfair market has decided there are only three real potential winners at this stage, and that's counting Jedward as one. Eliot Pollak gives us an update on the events and the betting of this latest edition of the hit...

She's not done much, save for wind up the viewers and housemates, so is it any wonder that Sally Bercow is odds-on to leave the Big Brother house? not really says Eliot Pollak...

Political wildcat Sally Bercow is already winding up the Big Brother house and, ergo, the watching hordes - no wonder she's odds-on to go, says Eliot Pollak...

Betfair website

Afternoon Market Movers: Goodwood update

Market Movers / Editor / 27 July 2011 / Leave a Comment

The latest movers from Glorious Goodwood as the Sussex Stakes approaches...

Goodwood

14:00
My Arch 16.5 into 14.0

14:35
Rockinante 5.4 out to 7.2

15:10
Frankel 1.85 into 1.72
Canford Cliffs 2.36 out to 2.68
Rio De La Plata 85.0 into 48.0

15:45
Four Nations 11.0 into 7.4
Sadlers Risk 8.5 out to 10.5

16:20
My Queenie 5.2 out to 10.0

16:55
Shamandar 14.0 into 8.4
Shavansky 9.4 out to 14.5
Decent Fella 11.0 into 8.25

17:30
Totheendoftheearth 11.5 into 7.8
Blessed Biata 7.0 out to 10.5

This afternoon's market movers from Goodwood, Perth and Redcar......

This evening's market movers from the UK and Ireland......

This afternoon's market movers from Beverley and Goodwood......

Betfair website

Open Championship Update: Fantastic Fowler can be links legend

The Open / Paul Krishnamurty / 17 July 2011 / Leave a Comment

Rickie Fowler - all white on the day?

"Fowler has, for my money, played the best golf this week."

It's the final day at Royal St Georges and Darren Clarke is still in the lead. However, the likeable Northern Irishman's dream may be dashed by a certain young American, says Paul Krishnamurty.

Royal St George's had a reputation as a front-runners' course from previous Opens, and so it has proved once again. Of the six players under par going into this afternoon's final round, four were either first or second after one of the opening two rounds. Only one new face gatecrashed the leaderboard yesterday, much to the delight of the betting.betfair team.

If Rickie Fowler doesn't win today, he surely will win an Open in the future, such is the magnificence of his shot-making around a windy, links layout. Steve Rawlings calls yesterday's 68, (in much worse conditions than the leaders had to face), one of the best he's ever seen and I can't disagree. At the time Fowler was out on the course, shooting 73 or 74 would have been an achievement. Considering he was also badly drawn for the first two days, Fowler has, for my money, played the best golf this week.

Having already backed Rickie at [120.00], there's little sense in pressing up at [8.4], but I wouldn't deter anyone else. In theory, a case could be made for any of the dozen players on even par or better, but the Sandwich stats point to a much shorter list. The furthest any winner since WW2 has come back from on the final day is just three shots, which if repeated leaves just Fowler, Darren Clarke, Dustin Johnson and Thomas Bjorn.

There are so few birdie opportunities early on for the chasers, that I suspect these front-runners will soon have it between them, although obviously it is too early to write off the likes of Martin Kaymer and Phil Mickelson. Darren would be a hugely popular winner, but he has never wholly convinced under pressure, especially on two previous close shaves in the Open. He was superb from tee to green yesterday, but I can't help think he might regret holing so few of those birdie chances.

Johnson rates a bigger threat in my view, working on the assumption that he's learned from that infamous collapse when leading the 2010 US Open. So long as he keeps finding fairways, Dustin has the power to take advantage of Sandwich's few birdie opportunities, especially the two par-fives. Again, I wouldn't deter anyone from a bet at [3.8]. See the two-ball advice below for discussion of Bjorn.

7pts Louis Oosthuizen @ [1.7] (vs McEvoy) (Starts 11.00)

Having defended his title with great credit, Oosthuizen rates the final day banker against a vastly inferior opponent. Yesterday's 74 in appalling conditions was an excellent effort, illustrating a determination to show his St Andrews success wasn't a fluke. He also stayed on well for a top-ten at the US Open, suggesting that while hardly setting the world alight on a weekly basis, Louis enjoys these tough tests in the majors. McEvoy has only two top-20s to his name this season, and could easily fall away.

4pts Bo Van Pelt @ [2.2] (vs B Watson) (Starts 11.20)

After losing a lot of friends with his petulant outburst in France, Bubba Watson has so far proved many of his critics wrong this week by performing better and with more determination than any of us expected. I still wonder whether he's the ideal type for battling on when all is lost in the final round though, and today's opponent is precisely the consistent sort that is likely to set a solid target. Bo Van Pelt hit one of yesterday's best rounds, shooting 73 in the worst of the weather. I expect he'll build on that and register his lowest Open finish to date.

7pts Trevor Immelman @ [2.0] (vs T Watson) (Starts 12.05)

No praise is enough for Tom Watson, who once again illustrated his credentials as the best links player of all time yesterday. At the age of 61, two years after missing a putt on the final green to win a sixth Open title, Tom looked set to play another final day part before the weather suddenly improved and allowed the leaders to get away. No doubt there will be a huge crowd following him today.

From a punting perspective though, I wonder whether he's over-estimated in this 2-ball. Maintaining that sort of form two days running in terrible weather is no easy feat for anyone, let alone a veteran, and in Trevor Immelman, he faces a capable opponent with a solid weekend Open record. Trevor has made all seven cuts in this major, and is bidding for a fourth top-25.

4pts Rickie Fowler @ 1.9 (vs Bjorn) (Starts 14.00)

This column has been with Fowler every day so far, and I'm not about to desert him. As argued above, he's played the best golf this week and I expect a strong challenge this afternoon. Ever since turning pro, he's come across as a big occasion player. Maybe he hasn't won yet, but neither had Ben Curtis in 2003, and Fowler is vastly superior. After yesterday's heroics, he seems like a man going forward, whereas Bjorn could be in retreat. Nevertheless, whatever happens today, Thomas has played a blinder so far on this return to the scene of his darkest hour.

Popular Irishman Darren Clarke takes a one shot lead into the final day but can he hang on?...

The world's top two may have gone but, at the half-way stage, the Open Championship is a thriller which anyone can win. Paul Krishnamurty tells us who we should keep an eye on between now and Sunday tea-time....

Paul Krishnamurty gets stuck into the second day's three-balls with five bets to consider...

Betfair website

US Open Update: Majors man Schwartzel remains under-rated

US Open / Paul Krishnamurty / 18 June 2011 / Leave a Comment

Charl Schwartzel – Good value in both markets at halfway

“For my money, Rory needs to shoot par or better to take a virtually unassailable lead into Sunday.”

With Rory well clear, Paul Krishnamurty casts his eye over the Winner w/o McIlroy market...

We may all be golf fans, but yesterday's events at Congressional served to illustrate the very different perspectives between patriots, pundits and punters. Those in the first two groups seem united in their joy at Rory McIlroy's sensational, record-breaking performance, which leaves the Irishman six shots clear at halfway, nine ahead of third place. However, while we punters might have wished Rory well before the week started, we are now generally united in hoping he starts dropping shots, preferably several and soon. Indeed, Rory's double-bogey on his final hole yesterday came as quite a relief, keeping the event alive as a betting heat.

These major weekends are the highlights of the golf punting year, so it would be a terrible shame to see this great event reduced to a one-man show. That used to happen quite regularly when Tiger Woods was at his peak, but we've been spoilt in recent years, particularly in the US Open. For my money, Rory needs to shoot par or better to take a virtually unassailable lead into Sunday, which doesn't seem like a stiff target given the way he's played so far. Of course, many will remember his catastrophic collapse at Augusta and hit the lay button, but that doesn't interest me yet. I need to see that there's somebody close enough to put McIlroy under some pressure first, and that isn't the case yet.

So what do for a bet today? 2-balls will certainly be an option when announced later, and it may be a good time to start playing the 'Without McIlroy' market. Take out Rory and we'd have a typically thrilling weekend in store. Y E Yang leads the rest by three, but only four shots separate the next 41 players. As a former PGA champion, Yang is respected but the competition is fierce. I'm opening my book with three trades from off the pace.

Firstly as argued on Thursday, Charl Schwartzel remains under-estimated since his Masters triumph. Given that pedigree, odds of [34.0] from two shots behind third place is huge. With top-20 finishes in the last four majors, he clearly enjoys these gruelling weekends. Considering he's only two shots off third place overall, Schwartzel also may be worth a small interest to win the event at [250.0].

On the same level par total, John Senden may lack majors pedigree, but his ultra-reliable long-game should theoretically be ideal for a US Open. This is only Senden's third crack at this major, and after two missed cuts he appears to have learnt a few lessons. If as expected, conditions get harder over the weekend, this consistent Aussie could be in his element, running up pars while others fall away. That was the case when producing his previous best effort in a major, finishing fourth behind Tiger Woods in the 2007 PGA at Southern Hills.

Finally another Aussie. Jason Day was runner-up on his Masters debut, and from +1 at halfway, is no forlorn hope to repeat the achievement in his first US Open. Day has been making a habit of brilliant late rattles, coming from well behind to finish sixth at Sawgrass, and fifth last time out in the Byron Nelson. Improving all the time, and with four top-tens in his last five starts, expect to see Day there or thereabouts again over the weekend, at least for the minor honours.

Outright

0.5u Charl Schwartzel @ [240.0]

Betting without Rory McIlroy

2u Charl Schwartzel @ [36.0]
1u John Senden @ [65.0]
1u Jason Day @ [65.0]

Record breaking Rory sprints clear. It's all over already surely?...

Paul Krishnamurty picks out three major winners to go to war with at Congressional......

He's off again! McIlroy roars to the front with an immaculate 65 but can he stay there this time?...

Betfair website

Timeform Horses To Follow Update

Timeform Features / Jamie Lynch / 28 April 2011 / Leave a Comment

Stoute and Moore feature among Lynchy's mythical 2011 Flat awards

"If you are not a member of timeform.com already, then there's no better time to join. Sign up today entering the code TBB40 and deposit £20, and Timeform will treble it."

Timeform's Horses to Follow publication has made a flying start to the Flat season, operating at a 40% strike rate and a 20-point profit to level stakes. Jamie Lynch takes you through the highs and lows so far....

Rory McIlroy, Concorde, Blazin' Squad, dinosaurs, Wimpy, Macaulay Culkin, the Nazis, Big Brother, Great Leighs, Police Academy, asbestos, Freddy Adu. History is peppered with warnings that a powerful start doesn't always equal ongoing success, and, here at Timeform, we certainly aren't in the business of counting chickens before they hatch or horses before they win, but it's fair to say we're happy with the positive start by our Fifty To Follow, operating at a 40% strike rate and a 20-point profit to level stakes.

Every dog has his day, they say, and ours was Greenham day at Newbury. Okay, so we get no brownie points for Frankel, who's a publicity machine in his own right and will be all the more of a household name after Saturday, but there was profit to be made elsewhere on the Newbury card courtesy of Modun and Light From Mars. Billed as 'the new Redford' in his entry in Horses To Follow, Light From Mars duly landed a big handicap at odds of 14/1 on just his second start for Dandy Nicholls, who will soon be able to drop the word 'sprint' from his 'sprint king' title, while Modun's runaway win took even us by surprise, and he's an archetypal Sir Michael Stoute improver destined for Group company. Before that, though, there's another good handicap in Modun, the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot the obvious one, and nothing can stop him...nothing other than perhaps Sunny Game, similarly impressive on his return at Epsom last week.

Inevitably, however, it hasn't all been fun and sunny games, and it would be remiss of us to focus on the bullseyes when a few duds have been fired as well. As we say at this juncture every year, the Flat season is a marathon and not a sprint, and we've barely covered the first hundred yards so far, making it easier to excuse the horses who haven't immediately met expectations, but even so we were hoping for more from Fulgur, State Opera and Golden Hinde at the Craven meeting. All the same, the positives outweigh the negatives up to now, and we're in for a big weekend, hopefully with Havant making it a Guineas double the day after Frankel struts his stuff. Exciting times.

Given that these are indeed exciting times, and given that we are in the predictions market, why not go the whole hog? Football managers are forever emphasising the importance of 'taking each game as it comes', but where's the fun or expertise in that, and therefore here goes: let's cut forward seven months and prematurely hand out the 2011 Flat awards, admittedly with a bit of Horses To Follow bias in the results. Remember where you heard it first.

HORSE OF THE YEAR: (in the style of Michael Buffer) The reigning, undisputed, undefeated heavy weight champion of the world: Frank 'The Freak' Frankel. Unbeaten through his three-year-old career, the closest he came to losing his perfect record was in the Dante, which persuaded connections to swerve the Derby, despite 97% of people voting 'yes' in a worthless poll asking 'should Frankel go to Epsom?' However, Frankel recaptures the public imagination and admiration by subsequently winning the St James's Palace, the Juddmonte and the Irish Champion before spanking the Yanks in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Imagine that.

CHAMPION JOCKEY: Hanagan gives it his all again and gets twenty-six clear at one point in June, but thereafter Ryan Moore goes into overdrive to re-establish himself as the best in the business. Richard Hughes finishes only fourth this time (behind Neil Callan) but still wins the style award: is there a finer sight in racing than a folded-up Hughsey scything through a field?

CHAMPION TRAINER: Everyone's rooting for Cecil, and Frankel alone gets him close, but the old master Sir Michael Stoute transforms enough handicappers into Group horses to pip him, Conduct's win in the Champion Stakes the decisive act. By the way, don't forget that Workforce is still around.

LEADING SPRINTER: Bated Breath makes great strides in the sprinting ranks (please God), but it's Dream Ahead who deserves the award for his regeneration in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, when a bit of September rain makes all the difference to him. Obviously, we don't count the superior Aussies that turn up and leave the British sprinters for dead in the Golden Jubilee and/or July Cup. Same goes for that Hungarian speedball if he ever makes it over.

LEADING MILER: They never meet, but Frankel would have beaten Goldikova if they had: trust us. Goldikova boringly wins yet another Breeders' Cup Mile, but she isn't quite the same force aged six.

LEADING MIDDLE-DISTANCE PERFORMER: With Frankel not moving up that far, the remaining three-year-olds are much of a muchness, leaving the stage clear for the established older horses, principally Workforce, who this year does make it to the Breeders' Cup where, with him, Midday and Frankel all successful, Khalid Abdulla has the best day of his life; and someone as rich as him will already have had some good ones.

LEADING STAYER: A belated first prize for Aidan O'Brien, who assures us that Fame And Glory has enough speed to win a July Cup but eventually bites the bullet and campaigns him as a stayer with resounding success. Fame And Glory wins the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot by the same margin as Yeats' four combined.

CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD: Something by Iffraaj probably, owned by Khalid Abdullah probably, making its debut at Newmarket in July and sent off at 4/6 probably.

LEADING SIRE: The aforementioned Iffraaj is up there, while Teofilo does best of the rookie sires, but the award unexpectedly goes to former trainer Philip Mitchell, with elder son Jack riding over 100 winners and youngster Freddie taking the amateur circuit by storm.

RIDE OF THE YEAR: Somebody somewhere along the line will get one home with a slipped saddle or no irons, but the trophy automatically goes to any jockey who can persuade Fishforcompliments to win.

-----------------------

Timeform give an update on their Horses to Follow in every edition of their 'Extra' publication. Timeform Horses to Follow Extra is published ten times a season to coincide with the big Flat meetings. The Guineas edition features no less than five big-race previews, as well as numerous other winner-finding features. Download your copy now from timeform.com.

If you are not a member of timeform.com, then there's no better time to join. Sign up today entering the code TBB40 and deposit £20, and Timeform will treble it. That will give you enough to subscribe to the whole season of Timeform Horses to Follow Extra and leave you enough change for a racecard on both days of the Guineas Meeting. Enjoy!!

Timeform's Phil Thompson brings you three horses worth watching closely in the coming weeks......

A maximum field of fifteen will line up for the 2000 Guineas on Saturday, with Dream Ahead the most notable absentee at the latest declaration stage, whilst 23 have been declared for the 1000 on Sunday......

Timeform look back at the weekend's action at Sandown......

Betfair website

Paul Nicholls Ante-Post Update: Gold Cup and Champion Chase hopefuls

Betfair website