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Ryanair Chase
The Ryanair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards, or 4,139 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March. It was one of several new races introduced at the Festival when a fourth day was added to the meeting in 2005. Prior to this there had been a similar event at the Festival called the Cathcart Challenge Cup, but this was restricted to first and second-season chasers only. The registered (non-sponsored) title of the race is the Festival Trophy, and it was initially classed at Grade 2 level. The inaugural running was sponsored by the Daily Telegraph, and since then it has been backed by Ryanair. The event has held Grade 1 status since 2008. R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, hosts National Hunt horse racing. Its most prestigious meeting is the Cheltenham Festival, held in March, which features several Grade I races including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase and the Stayers' Hurdle. The racecourse has a scenic location in a natural amphitheatre, just below the escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at Cleeve Hill, with a capacity of 67,500 spectators. Cheltenham Racecourse railway station no longer connects to the national rail network, but is the southern terminus of the preserved Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The main racecourse has two separate courses alongside each other, the Old Course and the New Course. The New Course has a tricky downhill fence and a longer run-in for steeplechases than the Old Course. Hurdle races over two miles on the New Course also have a slight peculiarity in that most of the hu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vautour (horse)
Vautour (19 May 2009 – 6 November 2016) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing and won three times at the Cheltenham Festival. After beginning his racing career in France he moved to Ireland and made an immediate impact over hurdles in the spring of 2014 winning the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, Deloitte Novice Hurdle, Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Tattersalls Champion Novice Hurdle. When moved up to compete in steeplechases he added wins in the Killiney Novice Chase, JLT Novices' Chase, 1965 Chase and Ryanair Chase as well as finishing a close second in the King George VI Chase. He died after a paddock accident on 6 November 2016 at the age of seven. Background Vautour was a bay gelding with a white blaze and white socks on his front feet bred in France by Haras De Saint Voir & Patrick Joubert. He was sired by the French stallion Robin des Champs, whose other progeny include Quevega and Sir Des Champs. Racing career Early career in France On his ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty (born 16 September 1979) is a retired Irish jockey. He is the second most successful jockey of all time at the Cheltenham Festival. Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997 and three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. His first win in England was the 1998 Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on Miss Orchestra for trainer Jessica Harrington. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington-trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase. He won the Grand National in 2003 on Monty's Pass. Also that year he won five races at the Cheltenham Festival, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Moscow Flyer and was voted Irish sports personality of the year. In the 2003–04 season he became Champion Irish jump jockey for the second time and won the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Iris's Gift. Geraghty and Moscow Flyer won their second Champion Chases at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony McCoy
Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times, every year that he was a professional. McCoy recorded his first winner in 1992 at age 17. On 7 November 2013 he rode his 4,000th winner, riding Mountain Tunes to victory at Towcester. Even in his first season riding in Britain, as an apprentice for trainer Toby Balding, McCoy won the Conditional Jump Jockeys Title with a record 74 winners for a conditional jockey. McCoy claimed his first Champion Jockey title in 1995/96 and went on to win it every year until his retirement in 2015. McCoy has won almost every big race there is to win. His most high-profile winners include the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, King George VI Chase and the 2010 Grand National, riding Don't Push It. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albertas Run
Albertas Run (foaled 23 April 2001) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. He won two National Hunt Flat races and became a successful hurdler, winning the National Hunt Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final and the John Smith's Extra Cold Handicap Hurdle in 2007. He became more successful as a Steeplechaser, winning four Grade I races: the Royal and SunAlliance Chase, the Melling Chase and two runnings of the Ryanair Chase. His other wins included the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase, the Amlin 1965 Chase and the Old Roan Chase. Background Albertas Run is a dark-coated bay gelding with two white feet bred in Ireland by Oliver and Salome Brennan. He was sired by Accordion a son of Sadler's Wells who became a very successful National Hunt stallion, siring Flagship Uberalles, Dato Star (Christmas Hurdle) and Accordion Etoile (Ryanair Novice Chase). In 2004, the three-year-old gelding was sent to the Tattersalls Ireland sales where he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nigel Twiston-Davies
Nigel Twiston-Davies (born 16 May 1957, Crickhowell) is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Naunton, Gloucestershire. He began training in 1981 and sent out his first winner, Last of the Foxes, at Hereford Racecourse in 1982. He has trained over 1000 winners under National Hunt rules including two winners of the Grand National with Earth Summit in 1998 and Bindaree in 2002, and the winner of the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Imperial Commander. He also trained Imperial Commander to win the Ryanair Chase at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival. Personal life His sons, Sam and William, both became jockeys. William retired in 2017. Cheltenham winners (17) * Cheltenham Gold Cup - (1) Imperial Commander (2010 * Supreme Novices' Hurdle - (1) Arctic Kinsman (1994) * Ballymore Novices' Hurdle - (3) Gaelstrom (1993), Fundamentalist (2004), The New One (2013) * Broadway Novices' Chase - (2) Young Hustler (1993), Blaklion (2016) * Triu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paddy Brennan (jockey)
Paddy Brennan (born 13 April 1981) is an Irish jump jockey. He was champion conditional jockey in the 2004/05 season and won the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Imperial Commander. As of 2021 he is based in Gloucestershire, where he is stable jockey at Fergal O'Brien's yard. Early life A native of Ardrahan, County Galway, Brennan was a keen GAA player with dreams of becoming a county hurler. Although not from a racing background, he had a pony and went hunting. Brennan started out in racing at the yard of trainer Jim Bolger with the intention of being a flat jockey but decided to switch to jumps on account of his weight. He moved to the UK in 2000 to join Paul Nicholl's stable at Ditcheat, Somerset. Career In the 2004/05 season Brennan became champion conditional jockey and achieved his first Grade 1 success with Ashley Brook in the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April. His first win at the Cheltenham Festival came in 2006, when he rode 40/1 outsider Shamayoun to victory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imperial Commander (horse)
Imperial Commander (29 March 2001 – 6 April 2017) was a Cheltenham Gold Cup winning thoroughbred racehorse. Racing career Early career Imperial Commander's first race was at Summerhill point-to-point in Ireland on 24 April 2005, a race he won by 8 lengths. His next racecourse appearance and first under rules was a National Hunt flat race at Cheltenham on 25 October 2006. This too he won, and already he was being described as a 'future chaser on looks' by the Racing Post. He garnered one victory over hurdles, a £2000 race at Newcastle in January 2007, but failed to win at Graded level, including attempts at the 2007 Cheltenham and Aintree festivals (although he was placed at the latter). As a steeplechaser As predicted by the Racing Post, it was as a chaser that his career really took off. He was victorious in his first two chases, both at Cheltenham in late 2007, and he won again in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November 2008, when he was ridden by Paddy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Timmy Murphy
Timmy, or sometimes Timmie, is a masculine name, a short form of Timothy or Tim. This variation is popular as a nickname and is commonly used when someone is young, but is often used in adulthood. It is a version of the Greek name ( Timόtheos) meaning "one who honours God", from τιμή "honour" and θεός "god"., . ''Tim'' (and its variations) is a common name in several countries. People * Timmy Allen (born 2000), an American basketball player * Timmy Chang (born 1981), American college football coach and former quarterback * Timmy Chipeco (born 1975), Filipino politician * Timmy Dooley (born 1969), Irish politician * Timmy Duggan (born 1982), American retired road racing cyclist * Timmy Fitzpatrick, 1940s hurling goalkeeper * Timmy Hammersley (born 1987), Irish hurler * Timmy Hansen (born 1992), Swedish rallycross driver * Timmy Hill (born 1993), American stock car racing driver * Timmy Horne (born 1997), American football player * Timmy Jernigan (born 1992), Amer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mick Fitzgerald
Michael Fitzgerald (born 10 May 1970) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey and current television racing pundit. Fitzgerald rode for the majority of his career in Great Britain and less often Ireland. Career as a Jockey Mick Fitzgerald's career lasted for over 15 years. After experience on the Pony racing circuit in Ireland he began riding out for Richard Lister, a local flat trainer in County Wexford, at the age of 16. This was followed by a move to the Curragh to ride out for John Hayden. Once he had left school at 18, a growth spurt led to an increase in weight forcing a switch to National Hunt racing. Fitzgerald's first National Hunt yards were in South West England with John Jenkins and Richard Tucker. His first two winners came during this association at the end of 1988, the first being a horse called Lover's Secret at Ludlow on 11 December. However it took until 1991/2 National Hunt season for Fitzgerald to obtain regular rides and winners. This was with Jackie Retter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Nicholls (horse Racing)
Paul Frank Nicholls (born 17 April 1962) is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007–08 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money. To date, he has trained over 3000 winners, won the 2012 Grand National, four Cheltenham Gold Cups and has been crowned British jump racing Champion Trainer thirteen times. Early life The son of a policeman, Nicholls was educated at Marlwood School, Alveston before leaving at 16 to take up work in a local point-to-point yard. Jockey career Nicholls turned conditional in 1982 under the tutelage of Josh Gifford before joining David Barons in 1985, and became stable jockey in 1986. It was with Barons that Nicholls was most closely associated during his riding career. The pair enjoyed numerous big race successes, including back-to-back wins in the Hennessy Gold ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Pipe (racehorse Trainer)
David Pipe (born 7 February 1973) is a horse racing trainer based in Somerset. He is the son of 15 time champion trainer Martin Pipe. Early career Pipe started riding in point to points in 1992 and scored 22 wins in 5 seasons, and 2 under rules - including on Bonanza Boy in the Ludlow Gold Cup. After retiring from the saddle he would begin learning the training craft across the globe spending time with Michael Dickinson, Criquette Head-Maarek and Joey Ramsden. Training career Pipe began training point to point horses and had great success with 164 winners over six seasons. In April 2006, he took over the training licence from his father Martin Pipe. His first winners as racing trainer came on 9 May 2006 with Standin Obligation at Kelso Racecourse. On the same day at Exeter Racecourse he had another winner with Papillon De Iena ridden by AP McCoy. During his first season, Pipe struck success with Gaspara winning the Imperial Cup and the Fred Winter his first trained winner at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |