National Hunt Racing To Return To Windsor Racecourse

National Hunt racing is to return to Windsor, the venue's owner Arena Racing Company announced on Monday. The track staged jump racing until 1998 but also stepped in to host a number of fixtures when Ascot was being redeveloped in 2005 and 2006.

It is hoped the first meetings will take place during the 2024-25 season with December 15, 2024 earmarked for the first action.

“We have long held a desire to bring jump racing back to Royal Windsor racecourse, and we are really pleased to confirm this plan well ahead of the planned first fixture in December 2024,” said Mark Spincer, managing director of ARC's racing division.

“Whilst the racecourse hasn't hosted regularly scheduled jumps fixtures since 1998, we believe that the plans that we have put together with the British Horseracing Authority will mean that the small number of fixtures that we would like to host will sit well alongside the long established, popular summer Flat programme.

“A significant amount of work has gone into considering the optimal layout for jump racing at Royal Windsor, which will see the course configured differently to how it was previously, but we believe that it is an excellent proposal to offer jump racing fans the chance to come back to Royal Windsor, whilst not impacting on the Flat programme, which is an important consideration.

“The proximity to the River Thames gives the track excellent drainage, and our records show that the racecourse very rarely ran jumps fixtures on heavy ground, with the majority of abandonments coming due to frost.

“Happily, turf management techniques have developed significantly since that time, so we are confident of providing excellent jumping ground for the fixtures that we would like to host in 2024 and 2025 and beyond.”

Windsor will not see an increase in its number of net fixtures, however, with the new jump cards switched from traditional Flat meetings in April and October.

To facilitate the return of National Hunt racing, the track will be reconfigured to utilise previous dormant areas of the site, with the jumps course a continuous left-handed circuit rather than the current figure of eight.

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Racing League Team Managers Announced Ahead of Jockey Draft

The seven team managers for this year's Racing League were announced on Tuesday just days ahead of the jockey draft, which is set for Saturday, Apr. 1 at Doncaster.

Frankie Dettori was added to the roster of seven managers attempting to win this year's competition and leads a strong East team which will be one of the favourites to wrestle the title from last year's winners, Jamie Osborne's Wales & The West.

“Racing League brings something different into racing and I've really enjoyed being part of it for the last two years,” Dettori said. “The format adds a fun element while still being ultra-competitive. I will be doing everything I can to be the first player-manager to win it.”

Over £2m in prize-money will be up for grabs, with an additional £50,000 for the winning team, a £35,000 prize pool for the winning team's jockeys and £20,000 to the jockey who scores the most individual points over the competition. Among the 108 riders to have signed up for the draft are last year's leading jockeys Saffie Osborne and Sean Levey, with Oisin Murphy a noteworthy addition. Each team manager will select seven jockeys via the draft and may add a wildcard selection at any time during the competition.

A total of 135 yards have registered to compete, up from 125 in 2022. Among those set to have their first Racing League runners this year are Sir Michael Stoute, joining Frankie's ranks in The East; Michael & David Easterby extending their family ties in Yorkshire and Hughie Morrison adding strength to Scotland.

The seven team managers are:
• Ireland–Kevin Blake
• London & The South–Matt Chapman
• Scotland–Linda Perratt
• The East–Frankie Dettori
• The North–Mick Quinn
• Wales & The West–Jamie Osborne
• Yorkshire–Leonna Mayor

Racing League kicks at Yarmouth on July 27 and continues at Chepstow, Windsor, Newcastle and Wolverhampton before concluding at Southwell on Sept. 13. All six fixtures will be shown live on ITV Racing and Sky Sports Racing.

The complete list of team trainers can be found here.

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Arqana May Topper Debuts At Windsor

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Observations features the 2022 Arqana May Breeze-Up topper.

5.50 Windsor, Mdn, £9,950, 2yo, 6f 12yT
SAKHEER (IRE) (Zoffany {Ire}) debuts for KHK Racing and Roger Varian, having topped the Arqana May Breeze-Up at €550,000. A half-brother to the G2 Kilboy Estate S., G3 Park Express S. and GIII Matchmaker S. winner Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), the February-foaled bay meets another newcomer in Amo Racing's filly Magical Sunset (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), a Richard Hannon-trained €340,000 Goffs Orby graduate who is a half-sister to the Wokingham winner Hey Jonesy (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}).

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1/2 to Cappella Sansevero Debuts at Windsor

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Observations features Madam Macho, a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cappella Sansevero (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

5.40 Windsor, Novice, £13,500, 2yo, f, 5f 21yT
MADAM MACHO (GB) (Camacho {GB}) debuts for Chasemore Farm and Charlie and Mark Johnston and is a half-sister to the G3 Round Tower S.-winning sire Cappella Sansevero. A 220,000gns Book 1 graduate, the April-foaled chestnut gets six pounds from recent winner Katey Kontent (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), a Clive Cox-trained full-sister to the talented listed-winning sprinter El Caballo (GB).

HOW THEY FARED
15.00 Leopardstown, Mdn, €13,500, 3yo, 12fT
Coolmore and Westerberg's hitherto unraced Gulliver's Travels (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the €2-million top-priced colt at Arqana Deauville's 2020 September Yearling fixture, stayed on with relish from off the pace to finish fourth.

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