Scotia It`s getting cold in the Scotland.

'Special' run needed for Denman to beat Kauto

PAUL NICHOLLS believes that Denman will need to "find something special" if he is to exact revenge on stablemate Kauto Star when the two illustrious chasers meet for the third time in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

After posting a personal best 36-length victory in Saturday's William Hill King George VI Chase, Kauto Star is just 5-4 with the sponsors to win a third Gold Cup. Denman, who defeated Kauto Star at Cheltenham in 2008 only to be beaten by the same horse last season, is quoted at 2-1.

Nicholls, who described Kauto Star as "100 per cent fine" following his King George win, said: "On what we saw on Saturday, he has definitely improved as that was his best ever performance without a shadow of a doubt.

"Denman now has to find something special in the Gold Cup. I know Denman won a Hennessy off 174, but what would Kauto have done in the same race off the same mark?"

Asked for his thoughts on Denman's likely partner at Cheltenham, Nicholls, who has increasingly turned to Tony McCoy this season when Walsh has been unavailable, played a straight bat.

He said: "You can't imagine that Ruby is going to get off Kauto Star, but a lot can happen between now and the Gold Cup. I'm quite relaxed about it and I've got all angles covered."

Denman's joint-owner Harry Findlay agreed that Kauto Star had been exceptional on Saturday, but said: "I still think Denman will win in March, but before the King George I thought we were a raging good thing, now it's become the greatest battle of all time.

"I think more things are in our favour in the Gold Cup and I've always believed that we could beat Kauto at Cheltenham even though Kauto might be the better horse."

5 day forecast ,tropical central Scotland

Forecast remains bleak for British jump racing


JUMP racing could be scarce in Britain this week as sub-zero temperatures and further snowfalls do their worst to bring the sport to a standstill.

At 7pm on Saturday Betfair punters made Sunday's Plumpton's card, featuring the At The Races Sussex National, a 1.51 chance to go ahead, odds echoed in comments from clerk of the course, Mark Cornford.

"We are very, very positive," said Cornford on Saturday afternoon on At The Races. He added: "The frost covers are down we coped well with a frost on Friday night."

Monday's jumps cards at Lingfield and Wetherby were both odds against taking place on Betfair due to frozen turf, while sharp frosts were forecast for Tuesday's jumps cards at Leicester and Taunton.

Wednesday's card at Hexham, under snow since December 16, is subject to an inspection on Monday while Southwell's jumps card the same day must overcome repeated overnight frosts.

Ludlow's card on Thursday faces an inspection on Tuesday while even as far ahead as Saturday prospects are not good

Nicholls pair subject of substantial ante-post bet

DENMAN and Master Minded were among the high-profile stars whose Cheltenham Festival odds were trimmed on Monday as jumps-loving punters, starved of action due to the cold snap, turned their attention towards ante-post betting.

Coral reported that one high-staking telephone customer had placed a "substantial bet" on the pair with Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup second favourite Denman backed at 2-1 and defending Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Master Minded supported at 13-8. As a result, the stablemates are now 7-4 and 6-4 for their respective assignments.


Coral spokesman Simon Clare said: "With just the one domestic fixture at Wolverhampton, it has been very quiet in our shops today, but surprisingly it has been one of our busiest days of ante-post betting we have had since the start of the jump season."

Denman was also cut to 2-1 from 9-4 by Paddy Power, who have further shortened another Paul Nicholls-trained heavyweight, Big Buck's, into 4-7 from 4-6 for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Paddy Power have reduced the odds of another leading festival fancy, Dunguib, who now trades at 5-4 from 6-4 with the firm for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. William Hill go 11-8 from 6-4 about the same horse.

Punjabi, who heads to Ffos Las on Saturday, weather-permitting, was cut to 10-1 from 12-1 for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle with Coral, while Nicky Henderson-trained stablemate Barbers Shop is 7-1 from 8-1 for the Ryanair Chase with William Hill. Victor Chandler have introduced Joncol into their list for the same contest at 9-1.

William hills go 4/5 no turf racing in the Uk until a week on Saturday!!

2 off the all weather meetings wednesday are under threat..

Morning Bob, our visitors came from that to arrive to 4 days of rain, where has the sun gone?

Kauto Star attracts TV audience of1.1 million

OVER one million viewers tuned into Kauto Star's record-breaking fourth King George VI Chase victory at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Channel 4's coverage of the Kempton card achieved an average audience of more than 700,000, but the publicity surrounding Kauto Star's bid to create history resulted in the showpiece race attracting a peak figure of 1.1 million, 200,000 up on twelve months earlier.

The Morning Line, earlier on the same day, also enjoyed an increase in viewing figures, withover 250,000 tuning in to watch Kauto Star's owner Clive Smith.

Channel 4 spokeswoman, Hannah Walker said: "We are very pleased with the figures and the Kauto Star effect is obvious."

Lingfield`s all weather meeting has been lost to the Weather,Kempton`s evening meeting is also Doubtful..

Ffos Las faces fight to save Saturday card

FFOS LAS appeared on Wednesday to be losing the battle to salvage turf action in Britain this week.

With no jumps racing since Sunday and heavy snow even dispatching all-weather meetings on Wednesday, Ffos Las clerk of the course Tim Long said the bitterly cold conditions could also claim their meeting this Saturday.

He said on Wednesday: "We had a good thaw yesterday and I was quite buoyant but we got two or three inches overnight and have only had a slight thaw today.

"We're forecast a frost each night and that is the main concern. We'll get the frost covers down when the snow melts, although the snow acts as insulation as well.

"There is no more snow forecast but at the moment we need a bit of luck to race on Saturday. We'll look again tomorrow and probably take a view on an inspection then."

If Ffos Las's Saturday fixture, which features the SIS Live Welsh Champion Hurdle and the rearranged Blue Square Tolworth Hurdle, does go ahead it would be the first British or Irish jumps meeting since Plumpton defied the weather to race on Sunday.

William Hill were offering just 4-6 that no jump racing takes place before January 16.

Prospects for jump racing early next week appear extremely bleak, with Ayr, which has been ice-bound since December 12, preparing to inspect at 11am on Thursday for its Monday fixture.

Clerk of the course Hazel Peplinksi said: "The forecast is for the cold spell to continue with very little prospect of a thaw in time for Monday."

In Ireland snow-bound Punchestown abandoned its Saturday fixture on Wednesday and Sunday's meeting at Leopardstown remains in the balance with a clearer picture of the situation expected on Thursday.

Tom Burke, manager of the track, said on Wednesday: "Snow is covering the track and we are unraceable at present. We are expecting a severe frost tonight and the forecast is for the cold weather to remain up to and beyond the weekend."

Horse Racing Ireland announced a replacement fixture for Thurles on Friday, January 15.

Date of next UK jump racing fixture (William Hill)

4-6 Saturday January 16 and beyond

3-1 Saturday January 9

8-1 Friday January 15

9-1 Thursday January 14

11-1 Wednesday January 13

12-1 Tuesday January 12

20-1 Monday January 11

33-1 Friday January 8

33-1 Sunday January 10


WEATHER PROSPECTS Thursday Huntingdon Abandoned
Ludlow Abandoned
Thurles Abandoned
Lingfield AW - Standard; inspection 6.30am Thursday; forecast is for a snow-free night
Kempton AW - Standard; inspection 8am Thursday; snow forecast for Wednesday night
Southwell AW - Standard to slow; very confident of racing
Friday Bangor Abandoned
Fontwell Abandoned
Lingfield AW - Standard
Southwell AW - Standard to Slow
Wolverhampton AW - Standard; four inches of snow on the track; inspection 2.30pm Thursday
Saturday Sedgefield Abandoned
Wincanton Abandoned
Punchestown Abandoned
Ffos Las Soft, Good to Soft in places; two inches of snow on the track; needs “a bit of luck” to go ahead
Kempton AW
Lingfield AW
Sunday Hereford Abandoned
Leopardstown Snow-covered; currently unraceable; frosts and cold weather expected until the weekend at least
Southwell AW
Monday Ayr Track frozen; sub-zero temperatures forecast all week; inspection 11am on Thursday; “very little prospect of a thaw”
Taunton Track frozen; Soft (before freezing); sub-zero temperatures forecast all week; snow-covered with more to come
Wolverhampton AW
Tuesday Leicester Track frozen; hurdle - Soft, Heavy in places, chase – Good, Soft on Flat crossings (before freezing); snow-covered; freezing temperatures every night; more snow forecast on Friday and Sunday
Newcastle Track frozen; Soft (before freezing); six inches of snow on the track; freezing temperatures until the weekend; snow forecast on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Southwell AW

Ffos Las been abandoned,along with the meetings at Lingfield and Kempton today

The 1200m 1st race at Southwell took 140 seconds

2nd race even slower,if you have to have a bet at Southwell,try and find horss that stay further..