Auroras Encore
Auroras Encore (foaled 10 March 2002) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2013 Grand National. In a racing career which lasted from February 2007 until January 2014 he won two hurdle races and six steeplechases from forty-seven starts. Background Auroras Encore is a bay gelding bred in Ireland by the Mountarmstrong Stud. His sire Second Empire won the Grand Critérium in 1997 and started second favourite for the following year's Epsom Derby. The best of his offspring to date has probably been the Victor Chandler Chase winner Somersby. Auroras Encore was offered for sale at the Tattersalls Ireland sale in September 2003 where he was bought for €7,000 by Frank Barry. Two years later the gelding was auctioned at Doncaster and was sold for 9,500 guineas to Harvey Smith the husband of the trainer Sue Smith. Auroras Encore then entered the ownership of Alicia Skene and was sent into training with Sue Smith at High Eldwick, near ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fairy King (horse)
Fairy King (1982–1999) was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and a successful sire. Background A full brother to Sadler's Wells, he was bred and raced by Robert Sangster and associates. Out of the mare Fairy Bridge, he was sired by Northern Dancer who is regarded as the 20th century’s best sire of sires Racing career Fairy King made only one racing start and broke down with damage to a bone in his foot. Stud record Retired to Stud (animal), stud duty at the Coolmore Stud breeding operation in Ireland, Fairy King most often sired specialist milers. Initially he carried a low stud fee but success from his first crops led to him quickly being much in demand. He stood in Ireland throughout his career and was shuttled to Australia in 1992 and again in 1996. Fairy King sired 395 race winners, including 73 stakes race winners. Among his notable offspring were: * Pharaoh's Delight (1987) - won Phoenix Stakes * Shinko King (b. 1991) - multiple stakes winner in Japan includi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Guinea (coin)
The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where much of the gold used to make the coins was sourced. It was the first English machine-struck gold coin, originally representing a value of 20 shillings in sterling specie, equal to one pound, but rises in the price of gold relative to silver caused the value of the guinea to increase, at times to as high as thirty shillings. From 1717 to 1816, its value was officially fixed at twenty-one shillings. In the Great Recoinage of 1816, the guinea was demonetised and the word "guinea" became a colloquial or specialised term. Although the coin itself no longer circulated, the term ''guinea'' survived as a unit of account in some fields. Notable usages included professional fees (medical, legal, etc.), which were often invoiced in guineas, and h ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Haydock Park
Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the racecourse is set in an area of parkland bounded by the towns of Haydock to the west, Ashton-in-Makerfield to the north, Golborne to the east and Newton-le-Willows to the south. Horse racing had been run in Newton for many years (the great racemare Queen of Trumps won at Newton in 1836), and the venue was also used for hare coursing in the 1880s. The current racecourse was opened in 1899. Much of the course's early development was overseen by Sydney Sandon, who served as course secretary, chairman and managing director in the early 20th century. Facilities The track is a mostly flat left-handed oval of around 1 mile 5 furlongs with a slight rise on the four and a half furlong run-in. An extension or "chute" to the straight allows sprints of up to six furlongs to be run on a straight course. There are courses for flat racing and National Hun ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Uttoxeter Racecourse
Uttoxeter Racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. Course Uttoxeter is a left-handed oval shaped course of 1 mile 2½ furlongs in circumference. The back ‘straight’ has a dog-leg to the right and is undulating as it rises over Clump Hill. The course continues with a downhill run around the far bend into the home straight. The home straight of four furlongs is flat and galloping ensuring fair and competitive finishes to most races including the signature staying chases. The nature of the track often enables front-running tactics to pay off. History The racecourse was built in 1907 and opened by a company formed to take over the interests and licence of Keele Park racecourse, which had recently ceased to operate. There were 5 days of racing in 1907, 2 in May, 2 in October and 1 in December. According to 'The Racecourse of Great Britain and Ireland' guide "the meeting is largely patronised by the nobility and gentry and sportsmen in t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ayr Racecourse
Ayr Racecourse at Whitletts Road, Ayr, Scotland,''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 71 was opened in 1907. There are courses for flat and for National Hunt racing. History Horse racing in Ayr dates back to 1576, but the first official meeting did not take place until 1771 at a racecourse situated in the Seafield area of the town. This first racecourse was a mile oval with sharp bends. In the early days, racing was supported by the local landed gentry and members of the Caledonian Hunt. Important figures in the course's history have included the Earl of Eglinton, Sir James Boswell and the Duke of Portland. In 1824, Ayr's most important race meeting, the Western Meeting, was established and by 1838 it offered £2000 in prize money and the most valuable two-year-old race of the season in Britain. The meeting's feature race, the Ayr Gold Cup, became a handicap race in 1855 and is now the richest sprint handicap in Europe. Due to the small ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Carlisle Racecourse
Carlisle Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the village of Blackwell just outside Carlisle in Cumbria, England. The course has been on its present site since 1904, when it moved there from the area known as The Swifts close to the centre of Carlisle. The course is 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2.41 km) in circumference, right-handed, and hosts flat racing in the summer and National Hunt racing over the winter months. The last half mile is up a steep incline. The going can get very heavy in the winter. History was made on 2 July 1929 when the newly formed Totalisator Board operated their pool betting system for the first time on a British racecourse at Carlisle. Carlisle is home to the Carlisle Bell, one of the oldest horse races in existence. Held annually at Carlisle Racecourse in June alongside the Cumberland Plate, the race is run over 7 furlongs and 173 yards, and although the Bell is presented ceremoniously to the winner, it is actually kept in the nea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a horse racing, racecourse in Aintree, Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, bordering the city of Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase, which takes place annually in April over three days. Aintree also holds meetings in May and June (both on Friday evenings), October (Sunday), November and December (both Saturdays). History of the course Horse racing was popular in Liverpool from at least Tudor dynasty, Tudor times, In the 18th century Nicholas Blundell organised races on the sands at Crosby, Merseyside, Crosby. In 1829, William Lynn, the owner of the Waterloo Hotel in Ranelagh Street, Liverpool, approached the Second Earl of Sefton, William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton, William Philip Molyneux, whose nickname was 'Lord Dashalong', about leasing land to organise flat racing. Lord Sefton liked racing, so he agreed. He laid the foundation stone on 7 February 1829, and place ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Handicap (horse Racing)
A handicap race in horse racing is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper. A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give it a disadvantage when racing against slower horses. The skill in betting on a handicap race lies in predicting which horse can overcome its handicap. Although most handicap races are run for older, less valuable horses, this is not true in all cases; some great races are handicaps, such as the Grand National steeplechase in England and the Melbourne Cup in Australia. In the United States over 30 handicap races are classified as Grade I, the top level of the North American grading system. Handicapping in action In a horse handicap race (sometimes called just "handicap"), each horse must carry a specified weight called the impost, assigned by the racing secretary or steward based on factors such as past performances, so as to equalize the chances of the competitors. To supplement the combined weight of jockey and sad ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sedgefield Racecourse
Sedgefield Racecourse is an English left-handed horse racing course, used for jump racing. It is owned by Arena Racing Company and located close to the town of Sedgefield, County Durham. The finishing straight is about three furlongs in length, with a steep descent followed by a climb to the winning post after the last fence. It is also used as a venue for numerous other indoor and outdoor events, such as weddings and conferences.The Sporting Life websiteSedgefield racecourse website The course was almost shut down three times in the 20th century. History Racing has been taking place at Sedgefield since at least 1732, but little is known of these early meetings. In 1804 Ralph Lambton, an ancestor of the Earls of Durham, formed a club based at the Hardwick Arms and Sedgefield became the headquarters of the Ralph Lambton Hunt. Among the original members of the club were Ralph Brandling, then owner of Gosforth Park and Robert Surtees, the father of Robert Smith Surtees, the author ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Market Rasen Racecourse
Market Rasen Racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse in the town of Market Rasen, in Lincolnshire, England. The course is a right-handed oval with a circumference of around one-and-a-quarter miles. Although National Hunt racing is traditionally a winter sport, Market Rasen stages a year-round programme of racing. Its most high-profile fixture is the Summer Plate meeting, normally staged on the third Saturday in July. This features the two-and-a-quarter miles Summer Hurdle and the eponymous Summer Plate, a two-and-three-quarter miles chase Chase or CHASE may refer to: Businesses * Chase Bank, a national bank based in New York City, New York * Chase Aircraft (1943–1954), a defunct American aircraft manufacturing company * Chase Coaches, a defunct bus operator in England * Chase Co ..., both of which are among the most valuable National Hunt races staged in Britain during the summer months. Notable races * Prelude Handicap Hurdle * Prelude Handicap Chase * Summer Handicap ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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National Hunt
In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: hurdles and steeplechases. Alongside these there are "bumpers", which are National Hunt flat races. In a hurdles race, the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles; in a steeplechase the horses jump over a variety of obstacles that can include plain fences, water jump or an open ditch. In the UK the biggest National Hunt events of the year are generally considered to be the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Outline Most of the National Hunt season takes place in the winter when the softer ground makes jumping less dangerous. The horses are much cheaper, as the majority are geldings and have no breeding value. This makes the sport more popular as the horses are not usually retired at such a young age and thus become familiar ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the reorganisation of the Local Government Act 1972 which saw it formed from a large part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The county had a recorded population of 2.3 million in the 2011 Census making it the fourth-largest by population in England. The largest towns are Huddersfield, Castleford, Batley, Bingley, Pontefract, Halifax, Brighouse, Keighley, Pudsey, Morley and Dewsbury. The three cities of West Yorkshire are Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield. West Yorkshire consists of five metropolitan boroughs (City of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, City of Leeds and City of Wakefield); it is bordered by the counties of Derbyshire to the south, Greater Manchester to the south-west, Lancash ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |