Harry Skelton: We’re very proud to be the winning-most trainer-jockey partnership
Star Sports ambassador Harry Skelton looks back on a record-breaking weekend for the team, and ahead to Festival plans for some of their Trials Day runners.
Three World Pool fixtures in three days from UAE, New Zealand and Hong Kong
World Pool will return to action with three fixtures in the space of three days on Al Maktoum Challenge Day (January 23) from the UAE and Railway Stakes Day (January 24) from New Zealand, before the Group 1 Stewards’ Cup and Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup in Hong Kong are commingled on January 25.
Racing punter turns £40 into over £30k
One William Hill punter welcomed the weekend in with a huge horse racing win, as they landed separate winning treble and patent bets to the tune of over £30,000.
Which 10 horses could steal the show at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival?
At the end of January, National Hunt fanatics will descend on Leopardstown Racecourse, for the Dublin Racing Festival.
One of the highlights of the National Hunt calendar, the DRF always attracts some of the best horses, trainers and jockeys in the business.
The Dublin Racing Festival is held annually at Leopardstown, with the showpiece races namely the Irish Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Hurdle.
Sports News Blitz’s racing expert, Kieran McHugh, has picked out 10 horses which he believes you should be keeping an eye on before the Leopardstown extravaganza begins on January 31.
Horse racing news: Who will replace Harry Cobden as Paul Nicholls’ retained rider?
Former champion jockey Harry Cobden will become JP McManus’ number one jockey in Britain and Ireland from May.
Sports News Blitz’s racing expert, Kieran McHugh, explores the question on many people’s minds - who will replace him at Ditcheat?
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble go head-to-head as Ka Ying Rising returns
Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble have both been entered for the HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Stewards' Cup (1 mile/1600m), while superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising is set to return in the G1 HK$13 million (approx. £1.2m) G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (6f/1200m) on 25 January at Sha Tin.
New World Pool fixtures from Australia, South Africa, UK and Ireland for 2026
World Pool’s 2026 fixture list will feature a host of new big race days from Australia, UK, Ireland and South Africa.
World Pool’s new spate of fixtures will kick-off in South Africa little over a week into the new year, when 10 races on King’s Plate Day from Kenilworth on 10 January will be commingled for the first time.
A further new South African addition to the fixture list will see races on H F Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes Day (7 March) from Turffontein part of World Pool in Q1.
Horse racing news: After making history yet again, where next for Japanese star Forever Young in 2026?
It’s fair to say that Forever Young is Japan’s new idol horse.
But what lies ahead for Yoshito Yahagi’s history-making five-year-old in 2026? Sports News Blitz’s Kieran McHugh explores.
Horse racing news: World Pool posts strong growth in 2025
World Pool turnover on overseas races, that is those meetings internationally commingled from outside Hong Kong, grew by 20% in 2025.
The total amount bet into the Hong Kong Jockey Club-powered pools across 57 overseas racedays in 2025 totalled HK$9.3bn, up from HK$7.8bn in 2024.
2025 also saw a new record set for the highest single race turnover for World Pool bet types. Ka Ying Rising’s appearance in The Everest saw betting surge to a total of HK$83m, smashing the previous high of HK$66.2m wagered on the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2023 when Hong Kong sprinter Wellington lined up.
Myretown heads William Hill Half A Mill Classic Chase betting
Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s Myretown heads the betting for Saturday’s William Hill Half A Mill Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick. Last seen when falling at Newbury on his seasonal bow, the Ultima winner will be looking to get his campaign back on track in the latest William Hill Half A Mill bonus race.
Horse racing news: Constitution Hill 3/1 to win on the Flat in 2026
Constitution Hill can be backed at 3/1 with William Hill to make a successful switch to the Flat in 2026, having fallen on his last three starts over hurdles.
The former Champion Hurdle winner is 3/1 to win a Group or Graded race on the level at any point in the new year.
The leading bookmaker’s popular ‘Horses To Remain Unbeaten’ market is back as well, with Hong Kong’s star sprinter Ka Ying Rising heading the betting at 2/1.
Horse racing news: Il Est Francais given query rating by Timeform
Timeform have handed last year’s King George runner-up Il Est Francais a query rating (?) ahead of his bid to go one better in this year’s Boxing Day feature, meaning Tom George’s seven-year-old is considered out of form and cannot be assessed with confidence.
Il Est Francais was imperious when winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Kempton’s Boxing Day card two years ago, beating a high-class Hermes Allen by 11 lengths and looking like one who could dominate the staying chase division for years to come.
Hong Kong heroes Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble star at Sha Tin
Hong Kong’s big three, Romantic Warrior, Ka Ying Rising and Voyage Bubble turned on the style at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, all successfully defending their Group 1 crowns from 12 months ago.
Andre Fabre claims a record-breaking fourth win in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase with Sosie
In the week he celebrated his 80th birthday, Andre Fabre became the first trainer to win the HK$26 million (approx. £2.5m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (1m4f/2400m) four times, as Sosie surged to success under a cool and confident Maxime Guyon.
Ryan Moore takes place among world’s elite for LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley
The LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley without Ryan Moore is almost unthinkable, and on Wednesday night (10 December), the 42-year-old will join 11 of the world’s elite riders for the 19th time in 20 years.
That couldn’t have been taken for granted when the line-up was first announced a month ago, as Moore continued his recovery from a stress fracture of the femur, which was first revealed at the end of August.
But the four-time recipient of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey award made his return to race riding when landing a double at Lingfield a week out from the LONGINES IJC, and was in relaxed mood at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning (9 December) after riding a barrier trial for longtime ally John Size.
Harry Eustace carries high hopes for Docklands in LONGINES Hong Kong Mile
There will be another Eustace among the names for Sha Tin’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday (14 December) once again with David's brother Harry hoping for a more prominent showing from his stable star Docklands.
The elder sibling of one of Hong Kong's brightest training talents has had a fine year himself, with Docklands becoming his first top-level winner in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Now a very experienced five-year-old, he bids to improve upon last year's 12th-placed finish when tackling the HK$36 million (approx. £3.5m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
Mr Vango well backed for William Hill Half A Mill Becher
After 13 runners were declared for Aintree’s William Hill Becher Chase, the first William Hill Half A Mill bonus race, Mr Vango has been popular in the betting and is the 4/1 favourite.
Gavin Cromwell: Bioluminescence all set for William Hill Half A Mill Becher Chase
William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell has provided the latest on Bioluminescence ahead of her run in the William Hill Half A Mill Becher Chase at Aintree on Saturday.
Khaadem bidding to become oldest LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint winner
Khaadem will attempt to become the first nine-year-old to win the HK$28 million (approx. £2.7m) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (6f/1200m) at Sha Tin’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday, December 14.
Sir AP McCoy: I couldn’t give up on Constitution Hill over hurdles
Sir AP McCoy has told William Hill that he doesn’t think connections should be giving up on Constitution Hill’s career over hurdles, despite another fall in the Fighting Fifth at the weekend.