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Horse Racing – New Flat season begins at The Curragh this Saturday

Attention in the Thoroughbred County will turn to a Festival of Flat racing this weekend as a new season begins at The Curragh this Saturday followed by Naas on Sunday.

On a weekend that promises some fantastic fare, the 2022 Flat season will get underway on Saturday with the traditional curtain-raiser of the Castlefield Stud-sponsored opening two-year-old maiden of the season on a card that features the €100,000 Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire and the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes.
At Naas on Sunday, the Plusvital Devoy Stakes is the highlight along with the ultra-competitive Madrid Handicap for three-year-olds.

Fresh from his Cheltenham Festival success last week, trainer Joseph O’Brien expects to be busy on the opening weekend of the Flat season with 14 entries across both cards.
“It was great to have a winner at Cheltenham,” said O’Brien. “It’s a tough place to compete so to come away with a winner was brilliant but you always seem to be moving onto the next thing in racing.

“So we’re looking forward to getting the Irish Flat season going at The Curragh and Naas. All the dreams are alive and well at this time of the year and hopefully we’ll get off to a nice start.

“We are hoping to run Emphatic Answer in the Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes in The Curragh. She’s a good progressive filly who won a handicap over course and distance last year and finished up when second at listed level in the Garnet Stakes at Naas, so we’re looking forward to her running well on Saturday.”

Looking ahead to Sunday, O’Brien added: “Patrick Sarsfield is in the Plusvital Devoy Stakes. He is a nice horse who won at Group 3 level in the past in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown. He’s in good form. We are happy with him and we thought this would be an ideal opportunity to get him going. We are hoping that he’ll get his season off to a positive start in Naas on Sunday.”

Jessica Harrington has made no secret of the main focus of attention of her string turning towards the Flat season and she too looks set to be well represented at her local racecourses this weekend.

Harrington has Laelaps in the Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire, a horse who her daughter and assistant, Kate, hopes will be well suited by conditions at this time of year.
“Laelaps is a bit of a soft-ground horse but has done very well over the winter and is an awful lot more relaxed now compared to last year. He’s been gelded since last year and we’re very happy with his work,” Harrington reported.

The famous Commonstown stable will be hoping to get the season off to the best possible start in the opening Alkumait Standing At Castlefield Stud With A €10,000 Bonus Irish EBF Maiden where they run the filly Ocean Quest in the first juvenile race on the calendar.
“Ocean Quest has been exciting us at home,” she added “She’s by first-season sire Sioux Nation and she’d done everything nicely so we hope she’ll run a nice race.”

Harrington won the Plusvital Devoy Stakes at Naas with Still Standing in 2019 and on Sunday relies on the talented Barrington Court who has certainly shown a liking for the track.

“Barrington Court is in the Plusvital Devoy Stakes. She won two Listed races, the Bluebell Stakes and the Finale Stakes, in the space of three weeks Naas at the end of 2020 so we know she likes the track.
“We’re very, very happy with her. She’s flying and ready to go but we just wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much.”

A notable aspect of the weekend is the emergence of new sponsors at The Curragh, in the form of Castlefield Stud, who will reward the winning breeder of the opening race with a free nomination to their first-season sire Alkumait, and Barberstown Castle, recently acquired by racehorse owner, Amanda Torrens.

Thanks to The Curragh’s ongoing partnership with Cavalor Equine Nutrition, all winning horses will receive an equine wellness hamper, while, Moyglare Stud will continue to sponsor the stable staff canteen, ensuring that the staff who care for the horses and are working on the day can enjoy a complimentary meal.

Then, it is on to Naas the following day, Sunday, March 27, where Plusvital, Compas Stallions and Equuip are among the key sponsors and owners with runners have access to first-class hospitality and facilities as they watch their charges perform.

The Irish Flat season will get underway at The Curragh with an eight-race card beginning at 1.25pm on Saturday, while Naas also host an eight-race card on Sunday with four of the races being sponsored by Compas Stallions. Micheál Orlandi, owner of Compas Stallions, will reward the winning breeder of each of his four sponsored races with a free nomination to the the named stallions of the race and the Compas Stallions Handicap winner will get a free nomination to a Compas Stallion of their choice. In addition to that, the winning breeder of the Plusvital Devoy Stakes will also win €500 worth of Plusvital products.

A key element to the weekend festival is providing visitors with some insight as to what is involved on race day and also to consider what might occur, at a time of year when everyone has a dream and the champions of tomorrow are still to emerge, while the anticipation that comes with the existing stars returning to the exhibit their class is also thick in the air.

At The Curragh, included in the entertainment will be a variety of parade ring chats with leading trainers and jockeys as they look forward to the season, together with a number of very special guests.

 

What Football and Horse Racing Have in Common

One is a sport involving teams of people running around a pitch and the other is a jockey riding a 4-legged creature around a track – so you might assume that the list of things they have in common is minimal. However, actually when you break down the sports and what is needed if you wish to be involved at a professional level you’ll find that the two sports have more in common than you think. Recently Betway got together West Ham players Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and Mark Noble with champion Jockey Katie Walsh to discuss what it’s like being a jockey at events such as Cheltenham and whether the football stars could relate.

Passion For The Game

Katie talked about the passion that riders feel before a game and that when all of the competing jockeys meet in the dressing rooms before a race people can become quick-tempered – largely down to the adrenaline they’re all feeling and the need to do well when the race happens. We know that the same thing can happen in football dressing rooms, especially if the two teams competing cross paths before the match takes place.

Lively Fans

Whether it’s fans of the sport, those taking part or even the sports commentators, you’ll tend to find that people are really passionate about their chosen sport. We’re used to seeing groups of football fans cheering on their team so it’s easy to assume that compared to horse racing it is those fans that are most lively. However, Day One at Cheltenham had record numbers of people in attendance this year; which just goes to show there are plenty of passionate sports fans out there.

The Need For Preparation

If there is one thing that the two sports have in common, it is the dedication that is needed to take part in any level, but especially if you want to complete professionally. We’re used to seeing football stars training as newspapers and social media start to talk about how our favourite teams are preparing for big matches – and horse racing is really no exception. With horse racing, it is important to remember that the horse does a majority of the work and therefore it is important that both the horse and the jockey prepare in advance of any races; which for something like Cheltenham usually starts a few weeks before the event.

Tactics & Training

When it comes to getting ready for any big event, but sports will involve discussions with teams of people about what tactics to use and what might work well for a particular event. West Ham will work closely with their football manager and coach, whereas Katie Walsh will work with the horse trainer as well as the owner. With any sport, there is no set training regime or set of skills needed that suits everyone, so it’s a matter of approaching everything on an individual basis and doing what’s best for the person (or horse) involved and that is something both sports more definitely share common ground with. 

 

Elizabeth Golding season best in the junior women’s figure skating

Team Ireland’s Elizabeth Golding produced a season best in the junior women’s figure skating short programme at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Vuokatti, Finland today. The 17-year-old is the first Irish figure skater to represent Ireland in an Olympic event, and finished with 32.41 in the event which will finish later this evening. The EYOF runs from the 20-25 March 2022.

Speaking after her competition Dubai based Golding was pleased to land her first combination setting her up for a season best performance,

 

“I loved it, I was really excited when I looked up and saw all the people watching and clapping and cheering it was just like really like a like an ego booster maybe. No I really enjoyed it even though I made snakes on the flying camel spin which I never usually do, I’ll just take is as a life lesson and move forward with it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

 

“The first combination that Triple Salchow Double Toeloop, I’ve been having problems with it for a few months now, and I couldn’t do it when I put my music on. But thank God this time I did it and I did it in the most important place.”

 

In Alpine Skiing Charlotte Turner missed qualification for the finals in the Parallel slalom today by 1.50 seconds. Three Irish Alpine Skiers contested the exciting short race where athletes competed side by side with each other. The top thirty finishers move to the finals which take place next Friday, with Turner finishing in 40th place overall. Teammates Megan Ryan and Kailey Murphy were 45th and 53rd respectively in their final event of the Games.

This was the first time that these athletes competed in this type of event with Ryan saying,

“I’ve never skied anything like this before, so it’s pretty fun. It’s like they used giant slalom gates where they put them at the distance of a slalom course so it’s really fast and really quick. Both athletes start at the same time so it’s like you’re duelling someone and hope you beat them down. It was a lot of fun and I’ve never done anything like it.”

Turner added,

“We haven’t done Parallel slalom before so it was like a new mindset and just being open to the experience and not really thinking about results. Giorgio our coach gave great advice to try to ignore the person next to you as much as you can, so that was my goal and luckily I didn’t see her through the course so I just focused on myself.

 

“In my second run I came pretty close to not finishing I had some trouble in the last few gates but I was able to save it. It is a really difficult balance between control and risk but that’s what makes it fun and makes the sport competitive.”

Murphy relished the atmosphere and opportunity to be paired against teammate Ryan,

“It was super fun and so cool to have Megan right there and it was great cheering on Charlotte at the start. I’ve never skied much like that, it was really cool. All the kids at the finish, it was really cute, you come through the finish and have a million high fives.”

Runners and weights for the 2022 Aintree Topham Chase & Foxhunters

Entries for the £150,000 Randox Topham Handicap Chase (Friday 8th April) and the £50,000 Randox Foxhunters’ Chase (Thursday 7th April) at Aintree next month are revealed.

Both contests take place over 2m 5f 19y of the Grand National course at the Randox Grand National Festival.

Randox Topham Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 

Annamix (FR) 9 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Batcio (FR) 10 Luke McMahon T. M. Walsh Ireland

Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Blackbow (IRE) 9 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Bothwell Bridge (IRE) 7 Victoria Dunn and Nicholas Mustoe Nicky Henderson g

Busselton (FR) 5 Chanelle Phar. Ltd Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland

Cat Tiger (FR) 8 Mr David Maxwell Paul Nicholls

Celebre d’Allen (FR) 10 Mr Allan Stennett Philip Hobbs

Chatham Street Lad (IRE) 10 Mr V. Healy Michael Winters Ireland

Clan Legend 12 Clan Gathering N. W. Alexander

Cobolobo (FR) 10 Anne, Harriet & Lucinda Bond Jonjo O’Neill

Colorado Doc 11 Mr David Brace David Brace

Commodore (FR) 10 Mrs C Watson & Mrs S Graham Venetia Williams

Didero Vallis (FR) 9 Normans, Ramsay, Tufnell & Bishop Venetia Williams

Discordantly (IRE) 8 The Odd Fellows Partnership Mrs J. Harrington Ireland

El Paso Wood (FR) 8 Judith Wilson David Pipe

Emir Sacree (FR) 8 Mr G. L. Porter Nicky Henderson

Fantastic Lady (FR) 7 Mr E. R. Hanbury Nicky Henderson

Five Star Getaway (IRE) 8 Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott Christian Williams

Foxy Jacks (IRE) 8 Mr D. F. Desmond M. F. Morris Ireland

Francky du Berlais (FR) 9 Mr Roddy Owen Peter Bowen

Gaelik Coast (FR) 8 Mr T. G. Leslie Donald McCain

Glen Forsa (IRE) 10 Merriebelle Irish Farm Limited Charlie Longsdon

Golden Whisky (IRE) 9 Mr & Mrs William Rucker Evan Williams

Janika (FR) 9 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson

Killer Clown (IRE) 8 Tim Syder Emma Lavelle

Kiltealy Briggs (IRE) 8 McNeill Family Jamie Snowden

Lalor (GER) 10 Mr D. G. Staddon Paul Nicholls

Mac Tottie 9 Steve & Jackie Fleetham Peter Bowen

Mister Coffey (FR) 7 Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford Nicky Henderson

Mister Whitaker (IRE) 10 Mr T. G. Leslie Donald McCain

Morning Vicar (IRE) 9 The Parishioners Nicky Henderson

Mr Whipped (IRE) 9 Mrs J. A. Martin Brian Ellison

Nero Rock (IRE) 7 John Marriott Jennie Candlish

Nestor Park (FR) 9 Mrs S. P. Davis Ben Pauling

Neville’s Cross (IRE) 7 Mr F Green and Mr J Chinn Tom Lacey

Notebook (GER) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Ofalltheginjoints (IRE) 8 The Reserve Tankers Colin Tizzard

One More Fleurie (IRE) 8 Mr K. McKenna Ian Williams

Palmers Hill (IRE) 9 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo O’Neill

Pink Eyed Pedro 11 Mr David Brace David Brace

Presentandcounting (IRE) 8 Mr J. Turner Donald McCain

Regal Encore (IRE) 14 Mr John P. McManus Anthony Honeyball

Riders Onthe Storm (IRE) 9 Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott Richard Hobson

Roi Mage (FR) 10 Pryde/Van Der Hoeven/McGladery/Beaumont Patrick Griffin Ireland

Romain de Senam (FR) 10 Judith Wilson David Pipe

Royal Rendezvous (IRE) 10 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland

Sam Brown 10 Mr T. C. Frost Anthony Honeyball

Samcro (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Senior Citizen 9 McNeill Family Alan King

Simply The Betts (IRE) 9 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls

Sir Jack Yeats (IRE) 11 Gowing’s Eleven Richard Spencer

Sizing Pottsie (FR) 8 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Mrs J. Harrington Ireland

Slate House (IRE) 10 Eric Jones, Geoff Nicholas, John Romans Colin Tizzard

Snugsborough Hall (IRE) 11 Rising Sun Partnership L. P. Cusack Ireland

Spiritofthegames (IRE) 10 Mr N. W. Lake Dan Skelton

Spyglass Hill (IRE) 9 Mr Niall O’Leary Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Tamaroc Du Mathan (FR) 7 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls

Us And Them (IRE) 9 Burnham P & D Ltd Alan Jones

Via Dolorosa (FR) 10 Judith Wilson David Pipe

Windsor Avenue (IRE) 10 Phil & Julie Martin Brian Ellison

Wishmoor (IRE) 12 The DMS Partnership J. F. Levins Ireland

62 entries 

16 Irish-trained 

Randox Foxhunters’ Chase  

Activial (FR) 12 12 0 Mr J. B. Harper Francesca Poste

Another Venture (IRE) 11 12 0 Mrs Louise Daly Nicky Henderson

Bob And Co (FR) 11 12 0 Mr David Maxwell Paul Nicholls

Cat Tiger (FR) 8 12 0 Mr David Maxwell Paul Nicholls

Clondaw Westie (IRE) 11 12 0 For Fun Partnership Alan Hill

Complete Sizing (FR) 10 12 0 Jonathan Lee and Angie Sykes Philip Rowley

Cousin Pascal (FR) 10 12 0 Mr P. A. Clifton J. J. O’Shea

Dashing Perk 11 12 0 Mr Paul Jenkins Dr Richard Newland

Demain des L’Aube (FR) 9 12 0 Mrs S. J. Easterby W. Easterby

Dieu Vivant (FR) 9 12 0 Mr P. Chesters Oliver Greenall

Dorking Cock (IRE) 8 12 0 S. R. B. Crawford S. R. B. Crawford Northern Ireland

Down The Highway (IRE) 9 12 0 Coolderry Partnership Ciaran Murphy Ireland

Drumconnor Lad (IRE) 12 12 0 Mr David Keys & Mrs Breda Keatley Adrian Keatley

Ferocious (IRE) 8 12 0 Gottabelucky Partnership Miss K. Leckenby

Gesskille (FR) 6 12 0 The Nevers Racing Partnership I Oliver Greenall

Golden Tobouggan 11 12 0 Mrs Julie Wadland Mrs Julie Wadland

Highway Jewel (IRE) 8 11 7 The Highway Partnership Bradley Gibbs

Its All Guesswork (IRE) 10 12 0 Luke McMahon Gordon Elliott Ireland

Jaunty Flyer 10 12 0 B Jones & Son Robbie Llewellyn

Jett (IRE) 11 12 0 Mr Robert Waley-Cohen Robert Waley-Cohen

Latenightpass 9 12 0 Mrs P. A. Ellis T. Ellis

Le Breuil (FR) 10 12 0 Mrs Emma Palmer Ben Pauling

Marracudja (FR) 11 12 0 Foxtrot Racing Marracudja Dan Skelton

Michael’s Pick (IRE) 8 12 0 Mrs D. A. Love Ciaran Murphy Ireland

Mighty Stowaway (IRE) 11 12 0 Camilla Sharples Gordon Elliott Ireland

Myth Buster (IRE) 9 12 0 The 369 Partnership Mrs Sara V. Bradstock

Peacocks Secret (IRE) 10 12 0 Mr J. T. B. Hunt D. Peters

Pont Aven (IRE) 9 12 0 Mr T. C. O. Gredley J. P. Owen

Porlock Bay (FR) 11 12 0 Mr John Studd Will Biddick

Premier Magic (IRE) 9 12 0 Mr Julian Sherriff Bradley Gibbs

Reikers Island (IRE) 9 12 0 Mr Daniel Cherriman Alan Hill

Rewritetherules (IRE) 8 12 0 Mr David O’Brien David O’Brien

Some Man (IRE) 9 12 0 R. Nicholas D. M. Christie Ireland

Stand Up And Fight (IRE) 10 12 0 Mr John P. McManus Enda Bolger Ireland

The Dellercheckout (IRE) 9 12 0 Mrs Caroline Robinson Mrs C. J. Robinson

Vaucelet (FR) 7 12 0 Samuel John Hegarty/Miss Jennifer O’Kane D. M. Christie Ireland

Winged Leader (IRE) 8 12 0 Samuel John Hegarty/Miss Jennifer O’Kane D. M. Christie Ireland

Zamparelli (IRE) 10 12 0 Miss Sarah A. Dawson Miss V. Collins

38 entries 

9 Irish-trained  

Not Qualified  

Caryto des Brosses (FR) 10 0 0 Mr J. R. M. Ridge David Kemp  

Deans Road (IRE) 13 0 0 Mr M. Creed T. Ellis  

Last Encounter (IRE) 12 0 0 Mr A C Wilson A C Wilson  

Oscar Wilde (IRE) 8 0 0 Mr S. Coltherd Stuart Coltherd  

Tidal Flow 9 0 0 Mr N. Sutton Alan Hill  

Out of Luck at the Bookies? Don’t Abandon Sport for the Casino Just Yet

There’s a well-worn adage that the only surefire way to make money from sports betting is to become a bookie. While there’s undoubtedly some wisdom inn that, many sports fans have been choosing a different alternative over the past year or so. The proliferation of new Irish casino sites appearing in cyberspace, all seeming to fall over one another to dish out spins or even money for free, can seem a tempting alternative putting the kiss of death on your favourite horse with another €5 bet.

 

Do casino games offer a better return?

You might expect that to be a question that’s impossible to answer, but the mathematicians will tell you otherwise. With a casino game, there’s a house edge that you can work out for any game. With slots, it is usually between three and six percent, although there are a few games where it is as low as one percent. In European roulette, it is 2.7 percent. You can even work it out for online bingo games, where it can be as high as 10 percent.

Sports betting does not have a house edge incorporated as such. Instead, there’s the vig, which is the bookie’s commission. The theory is that the odds offered on the outcome are true odds, so no stacked in favour of the bookie. If that’s correct, then over time, the losing bets pay exactly for the winning bets. Then the bookie makes money by collecting the vig from all gamblers, win or lose.

 

Utilising theories and skill to plan your game

Mathematical theories are great as far as they go. In a game like roulette or bingo, the maths stacks up perfectly because the ball is coming to a halt on the wheel or coming out of the machine in a way that is truly random.

With games like poker or blackjack, it’s not so straightforward. The result depends on the cards you play and the calls you make, so the house edge calculation is based on your assumed level of skill. If you hit or stand at random, the house will eat you more often than if you follow basic blackjack strategy, that stands to reason.

The same applies with sports betting. We said earlier that the bookie aims to set true odds, but doing so is subjective. Ireland went into their Six Nations game 39pt favourites against Italy. Was that the right call? Beating the bookie isn’t just about backing the right team. It’s just as important to spot which bets to place and which to leave alone.

That means knowing more than the bookies. It’s not an easy challenge, but it’s what gives sports betting that extra dimension that you just won’t find in a casino game. And in the final analysis, that’s why most sports fans agree that slots, poker and even a crafty game of bingo have their place – but they will never replace backing your favourite team or runner on a Saturday afternoon.

Will Kevin de Bruyne win his third consecutive PFA Players Player of the Year Gong?

The last two Premier League seasons have been unadulterated successes for Belgium and Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne.

‘KDB’ has been coined the assist machine in the English Premier League and his performances for club and country have defied logic at times.

With incredible vision, passing ability and two powerful feet, de Bruyne was hugely influential in City winning both the Premier League and Carabao Cup last season and although his native Belgium weren’t able to get over the line at Euro 2020, de Bruyne was one of the standout performers at the tournament.

Footballers always profess that individual honours are nowhere near as important as winning things as a team, but Kevin de Bruyne has received gratification for his performances domestically over the past couple of seasons, by winning the PFA Players Player of the Year award in both 2020 and 2021.

His global stock has also risen, with sponsorship deals flooding in from a variety of sources and ‘KDB’ is one of the most recognisable footballers on the planet.

In 2022, he is chasing his third consecutive PFA Player of the Year title, which would see him become the first player to ever achieve the feat.

Once again, de Bruyne has put in some breath-taking performances in 2021/22 but at odds 12/1 and with the Bet365 UK current bonus (new customers get up to 50 in bet credits), he looks to have his work cut out a little this season.

His chances of winning the gong again are in no part due to his performances but due to the incredible showing displayed by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian has been a one-man wrecking ball in the Premier League this season, bagging 19 goals and 10 assists, with 12 league games still to play.

Whether his brilliance can see Liverpool claw back their deficit to Manchester City in the title race remains to be seen but Salah’s numbers stand up in the history of the Premier League legends.

At 0.2/1, Salah looks to have the PFA Players Player of the Year award in the bag but with a quarter of the season still to be played, there is still a window for some players in the division to put their name forward for the gong.

Another Manchester City starlet in Bernardo Silva has also enjoyed a superb campaign, with goals and assists running throughout the season.

The Portuguese international was rumoured to be on his way out of City in the summer but he has proved his worth to Pep Guardiola’s men exponentially this term.

Salah has upstaged everybody this season but at 14/1, Bernardo Silva is sure to be in the running for a nomination at the end of the campaign – especially if City were to win another league title.

Such has been City’s dominance at times this season, that another blue makes his way into the reckoning in the form of homegrown sensation Phil Foden.

The ‘Stockport Iniesta’ has an insatiable habit for popping up with important goals and he has become a hugely influential player over the past couple of seasons for club and country.

At the tender age of just 21, Foden does look to have the world at his feet, and he could be in contention at 20/1 to win his first PFA Players Player of the Year award this term.

Van Gerwen goes top of Premier league Darts table after Brighton result

Michael van Gerwen reacting in the final during the 2022 Cazoo Premier League in Brighton. Photo credit should read: Steven Paston/PDC RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

Michael van Gerwen moved to the top of the Cazoo Premier League table with a second successive league phase night victory in Brighton on Thursday.

Van Gerwen became the first player to win back-to-back nights in this year’s Premier League, defeating Michael Smith 6-4 in a thrilling final on Night Five at the Brighton Centre to follow up last week’s Exeter success.

Arguably the best final of the competition so far saw both players average over 100, but after Van Gerwen opened up a 4-1 lead, Smith was unable to chase the Dutchman down.

Smith, who was looking to bounce back from the disappointment of losing last weekend’s UK Open final, pinned the bullseye for a 126 checkout to reduce the deficit to 4-3.

But after he missed tops for a level game, Van Gerwen tidied up 25 to move 5-3 up, and two legs later held throw to pocket the £10,000 top prize and five league points.

“I feel good, and I feel comfortable on stage at the moment,” said Van Gerwen. “I know what I’m capable of but sometimes you have to give yourself a bit of time to show it.

“It’s always a good feeling to be top of the table, it gives you confidence.

“The way I’m playing, I feel like winning a big tournament is coming soon; hopefully it will be the Premier League but there’s a long way to go.”

Van Gerwen’s evening began with a 6-5 win over James Wade, before he landed a 170 checkout in a 6-1 triumph over Joe Cullen, who received a bye into the semi-finals following Gerwyn Price’s withdrawal due to a hand injury.

Smith picks up three valuable league points thanks to wins over Gary Anderson and Jonny Clayton to lift him off the foot of the table.

Losing semi-finalists Clayton and Cullen leave Brighton with two points each, with Clayton defying a ten-point gap in the averages in his 6-5 quarter-final victory over birthday boy Peter Wright, who drops to second in the table.

The Cazoo Premier League roadshow heads to Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Thursday March 17 for Night Six of the league phase, as Van Gerwen meets Price in a mouth-watering clash.

The night’s other quarter-finals will see Wright take on Cullen, Smith up against Wade and Anderson face Clayton as the £1 million tournament resumes.

The Cazoo Premier League is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC’s worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).

2022 Cazoo Premier League

Night Five – Brighton Centre

Thursday March 10

Quarter-Finals

Michael Smith 6-1 Gary Anderson

Jonny Clayton 6-5 Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen 6-5 James Wade

Joe Cullen Bye (Gerwyn Price withdrew)

Semi-Finals

Michael Smith 6-1 Jonny Clayton

Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Joe Cullen

Final

Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Michael Smith

Click here to view match stats from all Night Five matches.

Night Six – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham

Thursday March 17

Quarter-Finals

Michael Smith v James Wade

Michael van Gerwen v Gerwyn Price

Gary Anderson v Jonny Clayton

Joe Cullen v Peter Wright

Pos Name Pts Nights Won Matches Won Leg Diff Legs Won LWAT
1 Michael van Gerwen 14 2 8 +26 61 28
2 Peter Wright 10 1 6 +5 46 17
3 Jonny Clayton 10 1 6 -3 43 17
4 Gerwyn Price 7 1 4 +1 34 12
5 James Wade 7 0 4 -2 42 14
6 Joe Cullen 5 0 3 -5 33 14
7 Michael Smith 5 0 3 -5 33 10
8 Gary Anderson 2 0 1 -11 23 8

Lisnagar Oscar to fly the flag for Ukraine at Cheltenham Festival

Lisnagar Oscar, one of the biggest priced winners at The Festival™ at Cheltenham in recent years, will bid to regain his Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle crown next Thursday (March 17th) in custom silks representing the national flag of Ukraine.

 

The Rebecca Curtis-trained gelding stunned racing fans by winning the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2020 at odds of 50-1. He failed to repeat the feat last year but his owners – The Racing For Fun syndicate – are hoping he can do them proud next week while also raising awareness and funds for the people of Ukraine.

 

The Jockey Club, which runs Cheltenham Racecourse, is supporting the charitable efforts of The British Red Cross in its response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a series of initiatives throughout The Festival and has made a donation of its own to the British Red Cross’s Ukraine Appeal.

 

One of those initiatives is the wearing of the custom silks in the blue and yellow of the Ukraine flag and follows a suggestion by racehorse owner Colin Peake, who was determined to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis unravelling in Ukraine.

 

Peake explained: “Getting as much coverage as possible to highlight what is happening in Ukraine and getting people to put their hands in their pockets and support the humanitarian charitable efforts on the ground can only be a good thing.

 

“I thought to myself, ‘what better way to do it than have a horse running in the colours of the Ukraine national flag at Jump racing’s flagship event with all the coverage it receives?’ It’s all about getting the blue and yellow colours at the heart of the action.

 

“I got in contact with Allertons and they agreed to make a set of silks representing the flag of Ukraine at no cost and I then tried to find a horse that could wear them at The Festival.

 

The trainers to look out for at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival

Once again, horse racing fans are gearing up for the Cheltenham Festival, one of the most hotly anticipated events on the sporting calendar.

Four days of racing’s best squaring off in some of the most competitive races of the year. The unpredictability of the jump racing season is exemplified at Cheltenham, and with the coronavirus pandemic forcing last year’s Festival behind closed doors, this will be the first time spectators have been in attendance since 2020 — just a week before the country entered a national lockdown.

That aforementioned unpredictability means betting for Cheltenham 2022 is a particularly difficult task. It’s down to the work of the trainers to get their horses prepared for any occasion, and a good trainer can prove the difference between a place on the podium or not. Read on, as we go through some of the trainers to look out for this year at Cheltenham. 

Henry de Bromhead

What a four days it was for Henry de Bromhead this time last year. The Irishman would hardly have expected to enjoy the purple patch he did, with seemingly everything he touched turning to gold. Heading into the Festival, we were all aware of how strong the County Waterford stable was, possessing a plethora of previous Grade One winners, but few would have imagined how dominant De Bromhead would be — picking up an impressive treble of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup. His best hope of success this year comes in the Champion Hurdle, where the unbeaten Honeysuckle looks certain to retain the title, with Rachael Blackmore looking to win consecutive Leading Jockey awards.

Gordon Elliott

In complete juxtaposition to De Bromhead, last year at Cheltenham would have been strange for Gordon Elliott, who was serving a six-month ban after images were released of him sitting on a dead horse. The County Meath-based trainer will be eager to try and restore his reputation as one of the best in the business, and with 32 winners at Cheltenham, he’ll want to add to that as quickly as possible and make up for lost time. Elliott’s best race is the National Hunt Chase — one he’s been successful in four times — but with Conflated’s recent win in the Irish Gold Cup, and Tiger Roll potentially running for the last time in the Cross County Chase, Elliott certainly has the chance to write his name in the history books once again after a brief hiatus. 

Willie Mullins

The Irish have dominated proceedings at Cheltenham in recent years as far as big winners are concerned, and Willie Mullins is no exception. He heads to Prestbury Park as the most successful trainer in the Festival’s history, saddling 65 winners in a career spanning over 25 years. Indeed, 2020 was Mullins’ silver anniversary of racing and while he celebrated it by picking up a plethora of accolades including the Gold Cup with Al Boum Photo, it would be the last time he would get to enter the winner’s podium in front of spectators for the best part of 18 months. It’s impossible to overlook Mullins for more success this year as well, simply due to the sheer quality of his stable and the rich experience he boasts in the variety of Grade One races.

Irish set to dominant Cheltenham 2022 Festival?

Irish stables have dominated the leading races at Cheltenham Festival in recent history, and the 2022 competition looks to be no different with the yards of Willie Mullins, Henry de Bromhead and Gordon Elliott among others lining up major hauls at the week-long event. Five out of the last six Cheltenham Gold Cups have been won by Irish trainers, including back-to-back triumphs for Mullins in 2019 and 2020 when Al Boum Photo etched his name in the history of the sport.

The latest racing results will tell you that the Irish-trained horses are in fine fettle ahead of Cheltenham, including Galvin, A Plus Tard and Allaho. A look at the Cheltenham 2022 race cards will show that all three of those horses are among the leading contenders for the Gold Cup, which seems set to fall into Irish hands once more. The last year a trainer outside of the Emerald Isle won the Gold Cup was 2018 when Colin Tizzard and Native River won the crown, beating out the favourite Might Bite. Since then it has been held by Mullins and De Bromhead, who triumphed in the race for the first time when Minella Indo secured the title, while his stable-mate A Plus Tard finished second.

Irish dominance could be the theme of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. The Champion Hurdle appears to be a straight battle between De Bromhead’s Honeysuckle and Mullins’ Appreciate It. Nicky Henderson does have a strong record in the race, but his hopes will rest on Epatante who was blown away by Honeysuckle at the race last season. The French thoroughbred has been on point to secure two victories over the course of the campaign, but it will take a special effort to dislodge Honeysuckle from the top spot, while Appreciate It also boasts outstanding pedigree.

The Champion Chase is perhaps the best hope for Henderson and it is arguably the lock of the week for a non-Irish trainer. Shishkin has been truly dominant over the course of his career, winning his two previous races at Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Chase. He has won his last ten races on the bounce, including a victory over Mullins’ top chaser Energumene in their last outing at the Clarence House Chase. Energumene is a fine horse and could deliver a performance for the ages to knock off Shishkin, but Henderson and Nico de Boinville will be ready for the challenge. Energumene came very close to beating out his rival at Ascot, and a slight improvement could pave the way for an Irish clean sweep of the major prizes.

The Gold Cup seems destined to fall into Irish hands. Galvin enhanced his claim for Elliott by beating A Plus Tard in Leopardstown at the Savills Chase. A Plus Tard won the Lancashire Chase earlier in the campaign with a fine performance and finished second in the Gold Cup last year. Minella Indo’s history in the race will undoubtedly allow him to contend, while Al Boum Photo and Allaho will hold the key for Mullins and a potential third crown. The best hope for a non-Irish trainer is Protektorat out of Dan Skelton’s yard, who he has impressed over the course of the term.

Irish-based trainers seem destined for another major haul at Cheltenham and it will take something special to deny another sweep of the major crowns outside of Shishkin and the Champion Chase.

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