Tag Archives: steeplechase

44th Annual High Hope Steeplechase Returns on Sunday, May 22

Lexington, KY, May 13, 2011 – After a one year hiatus to make room for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, High Hope Steeplechase Day – a Lexington area fan favorite for 44 years – returns to its home at the Kentucky Horse Park on Sunday, May 22, 2011.

High Hope Steeplechase is now Lexington horse lovers’ only chance to enjoy the beauty and excitement of live Steeplechase racing combined with lots of family fun and entertainment, all in a country fair setting.

As an added special feature on High Hope Day will be the third running of the “Catch a Riding Star” race featuring student-jockeys currently enrolled in the North American Racing Academy.

Launched in 2006 by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System under the guidance of Hall of Fame and two-time Kentucky Winning jockey Chris McCarron, NARA is now part of Bluegrass Community and Technical College.

Continue reading 44th Annual High Hope Steeplechase Returns on Sunday, May 22

CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP, ENGLAND, by LYNN LAWSON

LONG RUN became the youngest horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for nearly 50 years in a truly enthralling race. The showpiece of the festival lived up to its name when the Nicky Henderson trained horse powered to a seven length victory ridden by amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen. Kauto Star and Denman, the previous Gold Cup winners ( 2007, 2008, 2009 ) trained by Paul Nicholls, put up an immensely brave challenge together with last year’s victor, Imperial Commander but eventually bowed down to the strength of the young contender. The 6 year old French bred gelding, owned by the father of the jockey went off as 7-2 favourite giving his Berkshire based trainer the elusive victory that he has sought for 33 years.

Denman ran a terrific race in defeat to finish runner up for the second year and stable mate Kauto Star held on to third place. Thirteen horses went to post for the 3m 2½ furlong Steeple Chase which was first run in 1924 and now boasts £500,000 in prize money.

Grand National, England

Fourteen times Champion jockey Tony McCoy won the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, the world’s most famous steeplechase. After fourteen attempts dating back to 1995, an emotional McCoy couldn’t hide his joy when winning the race which had eluded him for so long. Victory prevailed riding the Jonjo O’Neill trained 10/1 joint favourite ‘Don’t Push It’, a 10 year old bay gelding by ‘Old Vic’. For millionaire owner J P McManus, this win was also long overdue after 33 attempts since his first as an owner in 1982.

A maximum field of forty runners lined up to tackle the awesome Aintree course. The four and a half mile race with 30 fences has a total prize fund of 925,000 pounds and is arguably the toughest test of horse and jockey in the world. An estimated 100 million pounds is wagered on the race each year with this year’s outcome costing the bookmakers an estimated 50 million pounds.

Runner up Black Apalachi was prominent throughout but McCoy was always stalking him on the second circuit before jumping the last together and pulling clear to win by five lengths.

LYNN LAWSON
12TH APRIL, ’10

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]