BEGINNERS GUIDE

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/results/home.sd?r_date=2013-02-05

RACING POST WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6th 2013

WEEK MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1oth 2013

REVIEW YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

PREVIEW TODAY'S CARDS

http://www.racingpost .com/news/live.sd

Equus Zone

Rodney Masters

“DARLAN was one of the brightest lights we’ve ever had here.

“NICKY HENDERSON yesterday paid an emotional tribute to DARLAN, describing the one-time Champion Hurdle hope, who was defeated only once when completing, as one of the brightest talents ever trained at Seven Barrows.

“The trainer told of a sombre atmosphere among staff at his Lambourn stables yesterday following DARLAN’S fatal fall at the final flight when coming to challenge title-holder ROCK ON RUBY at Doncaster on Monday.

"Henderson said: As you can appreciate, the atmosphere here today was subdued to say the least. But the support we've had from throughout the racing world has been overwhelming. That will certainly help us to pick up and press on. Sadly that will be without one of the brightest lights we've ever had here. We all know the risks involved, but nothing in the world can't take away the pain of an empty box. That applies to any horse, that doesn't come home , but when it is one as good as DARLAN it's not surprisingly that much harder to bear. Our team are devastated, especially ANDY LLEWELLYN (daily handler ride) who looked after DARLAN and rode him out every day.

"I know how devastated, AP [McCOY] is, as of course is JP [McMannus] , who I spoke to in America last night and who cares about his horses more than anybody I know.

"DARLAN won six of his nine races, including this season's Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. As was the case on Monday, at Newbury a year ago he had looked the most likely winner when, travelling well and poised to challenge, he fell two flights from home in the Betfair Hurdle. His sole defeat when completing came in last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle when a length and a quarter runner-up to CINDERS AND ASHES.

"DARLAN simply didn't have a fault in him. Not only was he a stunning looking horse but he was hugely talented from day one. On the two occasions he failed to complete you would have to say he looked like winning.

"JP and I spent the summer discussing whether to go chasing or to see if he was a horse for the Champion Hurdle. Obviously we took that route rather than the novice chase one. I have no doubt he would have become a very bright star as a chaser.

"You couldn't have asked for a nicer horse with a nicer temperament. We'll all miss him enormously."

J Margaret Clarke Turfcall Comment

From the day DARLAN came into training with TEAM HENDERSON, at Severn Barrows Lambourn he was in the hands of the bloodhorse literate. [Equus Zone]

DARLAN was given the opportunity by true highly skilled professional horsemen within the Henderson environment to find himself firstly. Therein.

DARLAN went on to learn a little bit gradually each day, one day at a time, he learned how to respond accurately to what he was being asked to do. He was never confused by ignorant cruel abuse of any sort, he never found the need to have to use his own strength to stick up for his rights or anything like that, either accidently through fear, or on purpose through fear.

By the time DARLAN arrived on Doncaster Racecourse last Monday ready to compete, it wasn't some fluke or any sort of accident, it was because of bloodhorse literacy, highly skilled professional bloodhorse literacy ongoing daily over weeks, months, years, quiet patience, kind, highly skilled bloodhorse literacy. That DARLAN never came back home was like all that work went down with DARLAN destroyed like the Titanic tragedy, but worse not a ship or a machine but a true living breathing horse who was much loved, and cared for.

“YOUR FAVOURITE RACEDAY

“The results are in, the big countdown continues .... ….

From Aintree to York there’s something for every one from 30 down to 21. Follow 'Your Favourite Racedays,' pages 12-13

BRING ON THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL Best bets for tonight’s international friendlies Back page

Jon Lees Special report

"COULD RACEHORSES END UP IN THE FOOD CHAIN?

Jon Lees finds that racing’s scrupulous standards of identification still leaves gaps for the unscrupulous to exploit.

“Horses end up being passed from hand to hand in an ever-diminishing spiral of poor husbandry, ignorant neglect and wilful mismanagement.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

“After the discovery of horsemeat in supermarket burgers we ask whether it’s possible for racehorses to end up in our food and what’s being done to prevent it …..

Veterinary Professor Tim Morris tackle’s something within his Veterinary Zone this time.

J. Margaret Clarke

Turfcall Comment

THIS WHOLE SHOCKING ISSUE OF TRAUMATIZED RACEHORSES FRIGHTENED TO DEATH LEFT TO SUFFER AND DIE STARVED IN SHOCKING CONDITIONS, SHOWS UP THE PRESENT POOR STANDARD’S FOUND WITHIN POLITICAL,

HORSERACING, AND BANKING GOVERNMENT'S.

ANCIENT STAGNANT DEFUNCT CRUEL GOVERNMENT'S are found to be ripping off the people not only in Britain, but all people and all living creatures including the horses world wide.

RECENT TELEVISED NEWS shows film of David Cameron’s recent visit to Africa, we see him surrounded by dying babies held in their traumatized mother’s arms, mother’s too poor to be able to help their babies get better due to government failure, government dictatorship's and government bank regulation theft, like here in Britain. Where was Sir Bob Geldorf? Where was Barney Curley? Where was Band Aid? All were needed upsides David Cameron for true back up action to kick in, so why were they not there with Cameron? What help was Cameron’s Lip Service is such a situation as this? Useless a waste of time and money. Nothing more than a public snub to all those mother's and their babies facing and suffering shocking deaths.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2013
Tuesday March 12 to Friday March 15

EQUUS ZONE joins up with the PUNTERS ZONE

Cheltenham Festival Betting Odds

http://www.cheltenham-festival.co.uk/

BRITISH FLAT TURF SEASON OPENS 2013

DONCASTER LINCOLN FESTIVAL 2013
Friday March 22nd and Saturday March 23rd

EQUUS ZONE joins - up with the PUNTERS ZONE
http://www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/horse-racing/fixturedetails/232
http://www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/horse-racing/fixtures

2013
KEY RACE DATES
http://www.racingbetter.co.uk/fixtures/index.html

AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL FESTIVAL 2013
Thursday April 4th to Saturday April 6th

EQUUS ZONE joins up with the PUNTERS ZONE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_National
http://beechersbrook.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/2013-grand-national-news.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equine_fatalities_in_the_Grand_National

BEGINNERS GUIDE

A guide to horseracing and how to bet

http://www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/horse-racing/beginnersguidetoracing/howtobet

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5th RACING POST 2013. DAVID CARR DARLAN TEAM DEVASTASTED BY LOSS OF STAR WITH THE WORLD AT HIS FEET. DEATH OF CHAMPION HURDLE CONTENDER CASTS LONG SHADOW OVER TRIAL..

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/results/home.sd?r_date=2013-02-04

RACING POST TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5th 2013

WEEK MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1oth 2013

REVIEW YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

PREVIEW TODAY'S CARDS

http://www.racingpost .com/news/live.sd

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2013 PUNTERS ZONE

MEETS UP WITH EQUUS ZONE
Tuesday March 12 to Friday March 15

Cheltenham Festival Betting Odds

http://www.cheltenham-festival.co.uk/

DONCASTER RACECOURSE MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th.

David Carr "On how fans who came to see stars were stunned into silence."

"One moment and the magic had vanished ... Some game, isn't it, Henderson said through his tears ... As tributes flow in...

"For the second time in ten months champion owner JP McManus and champion jockey Tony McCoy were left united in grief after the loss of star horses, killed on the racecourse.

"Last April their Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup winner SYNCHRONISED lost his life in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree, suffering fatal injuries when running loose after falling at Becher's Brook.

"Yesterday their Stan James Champion Hurdle second favourite DARLAN was throwing down a strong challenge in the 32Red Hurdle at Doncaster, only to fall at the final flight. He was killed instantly."

"A distraught McCoy gave up his remaining rides, while DARLIN'S trainer Nicky Henderson was in tears "He didn't deserve that, why is it always the good ones? Some game isn't it?"

"IT HAD all looked so good beforehand. A real Magic Monday in prospect. These were proper Saturday horses. ROCK ON RUBY, DARLAN, COUNTRYWIDE FLAME. Winners of the Champion Hurdle, Christmas Hurdle and Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

"Used to competing for big weekend prizes, performing for a terrestrial television audience of millions, glad-handed afterwards by Channel 4's Clare Balding or Nick Luck."

THE WINDS OF SHOCK STUN THE WORLD OF HORSERACING

Monday, 4 February 2013

MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th RACING POST 2013. MAGIC MONDAY PRICEWISE SPECIAL TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CHAMPION HURDLE.REVIEW OF YESTERDAY'S ACTION OVERTURN AND SIZING EUROPE TAKE SURE-FOOTED STEPS TO FESTIVAL

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/results/home.sd?r_date=2013-02-03

RACING POST MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th 2013

WEEK MONDAY FEBRUARY 4th TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1oth 2013

REVIEW YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

PREVIEW TODAY'S CARDS

http://www.racingpost .com/news/live.sd

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2013 PUNTERS ZONE

MEETS UP WITH EQUUS ZONE
Tuesday March 12 to Friday March 15

Cheltenham Festival Betting Odds

http://www.cheltenham-festival.co.uk/

Saturday, 2 February 2013

SACRED SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd RACING POST 2013. RACING FROM PUNCHESTOWN. DAVID ASHFORTH'S MUSINGS

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/results/home.sd?r_date=2013-02-02

RACING POST SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd RACING POST 2013

WEEK MONDAY JANUARY 28th TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd 2013

REVIEW YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

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MEETING INFO STATISTICS FAVOURITES SIGNPOSTS STANDARD TIMES PRINT-OUTS

http://www.racingpost .com/news/live.sd

DONT FORGET TO READ WILLIE MULLINS FEATURE IN TODAY''S RACING POST
RPSUNDAY ALWAYS GOOD AS WELL.

PUNCHESTOWN (IRE) ATR SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd

GOING: HEAVY (Fresh ground on the hurdle track; using inside straight on the hurdle track for the first circuit only; finishing on main straight). (Light rain)

12:50	Anna Gannon 80th Birthday Maiden Hurdle 2m4f	Card	Betting
1:20	Racing UK Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m	Card	Betting
1:50	Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) 3m	Card	Betting
2:20	Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase (Grade 2) 2m	Card	Betting
2:50	Glenfarclas P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase 3m	Card	Betting
3:20	Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Grade B) 2m	Card	Betting
3:50	Michael Fitzpatrick Memorial Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (Grade C) 3m4f	Card	Betting
4:20	ITM Promoting Irish Bloodstock (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race 2m	Card	Betting

Show all racecards for this meeting on one page

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

DAVID ASHFORTH
Saturday's musings from a retired racing enthusiast.

David Ashforth at the Derby Awards 6.12.10

David Ashforth:
twice voted journalist of the year

PICTURE: Dan Abraham

DAVID'S SATURDAY MUSINGS
02.02.2013

"Don't despair - salvation lies in the Superdome"

David's snowman not only lost 'his rather nice carrot nose' but has melted out of sight. This week we have a pic of Monster Man, Ray Lewis "You wouldn't want to run into Ray Lewis, especially an a football field."

Posh sort of top, very impressive I must say - a Super Bowl, Super Star of sorts obviously …..

Having no idea about Super Bowl whatsoever other than this photograph. A mighty

looking man indeed.

"IT'S one of life's great puzzles. What to do when racing's abandoned? It's a tricky one and, over the years, various approaches have been tried, none of them altogether successful.

"Experimenting with other sports is a popular route and last Sunday, while trying to decide whether to watch Nordic combined skiing or indoor hockey (the super sixties premier division finals), my eyes alighted on an event at Hopton-on-Sea, in Norfolk, on BBC2. "Bowls. singles. Rishi Persad presents live singles action from the world indoor championships at the Potters Leisure Resort."

"Come on, Rishi, what do you know about bowls? But there he was, in front of an enthusiastic crowd, filling us in on Stewart Anderson and Paul Foster, the finalists. I wonder if Persad knows who won the championship in 1982, after Davis Bryant had won the first three events? Or who has won the tournament the most times? As you probably know yourself, it was John Watson and Alex Marshall, respectively.

"Funny enough, on my way to crack walnuts with a sledgehammer, a man asked me to join the Cirencester Bowls Club, tempting me with the information that, first, it's in Ashcroft Road, second, it's the only sport where I'd be below the average age and, third, I could join them on their annual trip to Torquay, which was where they were setting off for. It's tempting.

"Of course, Persad can't compete with the ubiquitous (a great word) Clare Balding, who spent Saturday afternoon covering the racing from Cheltenham for Channel 4, the evening hosting a game show on BBC1 and Sunday morning saying "Good Morning Sunday," on Radio 2. It's the Super Bowl tomorrow ... no, surely not.

CH4 Horseracing Team a balancing act.

Rishi Persad perhaps his talents are best described as an ‘in between person’, not in the Equus Zone, more in the People’s Zone . Clare Balding who has worked with Rishi before

clearly has great confidence in him, that is the main thing. The key issue here is how best to bridge the gulf to bring the Equus Zone and the Peoples Zone together so as a true understanding between the two, may best be reached. Another work of art in the mix to aim for, which has proved throughout hiistory to be more than tricky, virtually impossible so far to date. A challenge indeed .... wondering if we can achieve this?

"It's amazing what people will do. Some of you may remember a racing journalist called Nick Reeves, who was working for the Sporting Life when I joined in 1990. Nick a great guy, endlessly good humoured, later moved to France, where he works for the Agency France-Presse. A few years ago, when I asked him what he was doing, he said he was covering Ping-pong. Ping-pong! Last summer, at the Olympics, Nick covering rowing, among other things, and, at the moment, he's in Africa for the Africa Cup of Nations, football now being his speciality, although he did return to racing for last year's Cheltenham Festival, with an enormous punt. It lost, so some things don't change.

"Every cloud has a silver lining (what a stupid saying that is) - witness the abandonment of Taunton's meeting on Tuesday. I'd been planning to go but, as it turns out I might not have arrived anyway because on Sunday my car started making the most amazing whirring noises. I did what you do when that happens - look in the booklet in the glove compartment to see how to open the bonnet, then open it. I don't know why. What did I expect to see? An arrow pointing to a message reading. "That's where the problem is, mate"?

"Every cloud has a silver lining ….Every cloud could be full of torrential rain, or full of fluffy white snow, maybe we could even find David’s nose less snowman again, he is sure to stand out from all the other snowmen … easy to pick out one would expect… he would be the only one without a nose. David did specifically mention his snowman had a particularly nice carrot nose, obviously it was that bookmakers tired horse, noticed yawning, who grabbed the snowman’s nose before he went off to have his nap. I digress.

"WHAT have my seven-year-old Ford Focus and a seven year-old racehorse got in common? When they break down, the bill's enormous. So that ruled out another popular alternative to

racing, shopping. It’s never worked for me, possibly because there never seems to be anything I want, apart from another book and a chocolate flake. Anyway, shops are on the move in Cirencester, There’s a new Coral, to add to the old Ladbrokes, but Blacks Leasure (tents), Thorntons(chocolates) and Clinton Cards (cards) have all gone, although coffee shops have stepped into their shoes. Oh, Stead & Simpson (shoes) have gone, too.

“If racing’s off tomorrow (incidentally, meetings full of bumper races don’t count, as I’ve discovered from watching one), salvation’s available late in the day from the Superdome in New Orleans. It’s Super Bowl XLVII, between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. If you like Alicia Keys she’ll be singing the national anthem and if you like Beyonce she’s singing at half-time. If you’ve got $4 million (£2.5m) to spare, you can have your own 30-second television advert.

WALKING TO NEW ORLEANS (song)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_to_New_Orleans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N59oBXp0eUA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjX1vFk384s

“If you don’t know much about American football, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers quarterback, is spelt Kaepernick and is a bit like an outstanding novice chaser who is favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Ray Lewis, a Ravens’ linebacker, is the one they’ll keep talking about. He is 37, in his 17^th season, all with Baltimore, was named as Most Valuable Player after the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001 and will retire after the game. Lewis was once charged with murder, but the charge was dismissed. Even so, you wouldn’t want to run into him, especially on a football field.

“Either Kaepernick or Lewis will be on the winning side. I’ve no idea which.”

AN ADVENTURE INTO SUPER BOWL PERHAPS ... IS IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN HORSERACING?

SUPER BOWL AMERICAN FOOTBALL UPDATE

The Racing Post let no one down on the SUPER BOWL front on Sunday for all

Super Bowl fans.

Phil Agius introduced his best bets for Sunday nights game

49ERS CAN STRIKE GOLD AGAIN SUPER BOWL PREVIEW

Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens claim

Super Bowl XLVII

By Gregg Rosenthal
Around The League Editor
Published: Feb. 3, 2013 at 11:21 p.m.
Updated: Feb. 4, 2013 at 02:07 a.m.

http://www.nfl.com/news

SPORT Live NFL: Super Bowl Sunday 3 February

Sky Sports 1 10.30pm NFL: Super Bowl

Baltimore Ravens v San Francisco 49ers

Steve Wall brings us info: BALTIMORE RAVENS v SAN FRANCISCO 49ers do battle for the Vince Lomandi Trophy in the 47th Super Bowl in New Orleans. The hero for the Ravens in the AFC Championship game was Joe Flacco, who threw 240 yards and three TD's as they beat New England Patriots 28-13. That answered a few questions about his big-game mentality. Two siblings coach tonight's combatants - Jim Harbaugh of the 49ers and brother John of the Ravens.

Observed
Looks like a tough guy's sport, lots of rough looking skirmiches going on. Interesting headgear and colours.

The lights went out for half an hour.

More later

Friday, 1 February 2013

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2nd RACING POST 2013. JOIN UP WITH CH4 MORNING LINE AM AND PM LIVE ACTION FROM SANDOWN PARK.FFOS LASS AND WETHERBY

http://www.turfcall.co.uk

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd

RACING POST SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2nd 2013

WEEK MONDAY JANUARY 28th to SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3rd 2013

REVIEW YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/results/home.sd?r_date=2013-01-31

PREVIEW TODAY'S CARDS