The turf
The turf
Seen any groundhogs your way? In racing the New Year began much as the old one had ended. At Cheltenham’s…
British horse racing’s debt to the Middle East
A joyful Saturday at Ascot recently reminded me that when the old Hurst Park Racecourse (near Hampton Court Palace) closed…
The culture of the weighing room needs to move with the times
In the first such case for 20 years, former rider Freddy Tylicki, paralysed and wheelchair-bound since his mount Nellie Dean…
A feast of feelgood emotion
Ascot’s image is all champagne and fascinators, high society and high rollers. Said Art Buchwald: ‘Ascot is so exclusive that…
My tips for this season and a look back at our Flat Twelve
There are Flat people and there are jumping people. People like the late Captain Tim Forster, trainer of three Grand…
A brace of new books worth the space in any racing library
In 1986 a young Mark Johnston, having acquired a derelict yard on the Lincolnshire coast, phoned the Jockey Club to…
Charlie Appleby is the trainer to beat
I know what Keats was on about with his mists and mellow fruitfulness, but autumn is less of a joy…
The making of a racehorse trainer
My best fun, through ten years reporting European politics for CNN, was bumping around the Continent with sparky young producers…
My Arc de Triomphe tips
The emphasis may all be on speed horses these days, with breeders interested only in horses that struggle to get…
The importance of second chances
A Sandown Saturday proved the perfect send-off for 12 raceless days on the otherwise wonderful Isle of Mull. A Frankie…
A great contest without the skulduggery of the past
Taking a day off racing to enjoy Joe Root’s regal 180 not out against India on the third day of…
Proper racing is back at last
At last proper racing is back. Through the long days of lockdown horses and jockeys have still given their all…
Jockeys suffer online abuse just like footballers
At least England’s defeat in the European Cup final has spared us the sight of Boris Johnson, who can scent…
The 4,000 spectators at Sandown Park weren’t short-changed
When only four horses were declared to contest this year’s Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, there were the usual…
The rise of older jockeys
There are many facets to Royal Ascot’s appeal. For some it is glamour, style and opulence. For some it is…
The Derby was a game of musical saddles
We all know it takes courage to win races over jumps, along with athleticism, stamina and speed. But you need…
Racing badly needs the full relaxation of restrictions
Humans are herd animals too. Jockeys, trainers, owners and those enjoying the few prized media attendance slots for racing behind…
My Twelve to Follow on the Flat
Combing through race recordings to try to find some fun horses for Spectator readers this summer, I have been struck…
My top tip for the Grand National in 2023
Want to know the winner of the Grand National in 2023? You heard it here first: when the ante-post books…
Hats off to Rachael Blackmore
Sporting heroes in our modern world have an extra burden to carry. Within seconds of their triumph, with the adrenaline…
The secret of Ireland’s racing success
How Father Sean Breen would have loved this year’s Cheltenham Festival. The late parish priest at Ballymore Eustace, who owned…
The true cost of Gordon Elliott’s crass stupidity
Thanks to Covid, there could be no spine-tingling roar at the Cheltenham Festival this year as the first race runners…
Ireland’s love affair with horse racing
With the Cheltenham Festival close, the quest for serious punting money intensifies. I had one potential contributor identified at Kempton…
The coup that nearly cost the bookies £10 million
Since coup conspirators nearly won £10 million from the bookies, the sport has divided into two camps. Some grinned and…
My tips for Cheltenham
Dry January it wasn’t and I am not referring to the trainers who normally undergo an annual abstinence but who…
