Sizing Europe and Captain Cee Bee are set to renew their rivalry in The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham on the opening day of The Festival, after both were among 47 entries for the two-mile championship contest.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Europe maintained his unbeaten record over fences after Captain Cee Bee fell at the last when travelling ominously well in the Bord Na Mona Nature Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown in December.

Captain Cee Bee’s fall left Osana, runner-up to Katchit in the 2008 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle when trained by David Pipe, to take second place to Sizing Europe. This season Osana has been under the care of Edward O’Grady.
 
Captain Cee Bee landed the 2008 Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for trainer Edward Harty and owner J P McManus.

The Arkle entry also includes past Festival winners Mikael D’Haguenet (2009 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle) and Cousin Vinny (2008 Weatherbys Champion Bumper) from the eight from the Willie Mullins yard.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls landed the Arkle with Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Azertyuiop (2003). He has five entries this year, headed by Tataniano, successful from the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Pigeon Island over the course and distance in the Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase on November 15.

The Arkle could also feature the Henrietta Knight-trained Somersby and a whole bevy of contenders from Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows stable, headed by French import, Long Run and the recent Kempton winner Mad Max.

Epsom trainer Terry Mills has died  after a long battle with cancer.

Mills first took out a licence in 1993.

In a statement, Mills' assistant Richard Ryan said, "Terry Mills passed away today peacefully after fighting a long struggle against cancer.

"Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife Beryl and his two sons Robert and Stephen.

"I speak for all the staff at Loretta Lodge in feeling the huge loss of our friend and leader.

"The yard will continue to be run to the highest standards as per the wishes of Mr Mills.

"His son Robert is expected to be granted a temporary licence to train shortly."

Solwhit has moved to the head of the Champion Hurdle betting after taking the Irish version at Leopardstown .

Celestial Hero made the early running but had to cede the lead after three out as Solwhit, Donnas Palm and Sublimity all breezed past with the latter named hitting the front initially.

The reigning Champion Hurdler Punjabi was soundly beaten by Alan King’s Medermit in the Champion Hurdle trial at Haydock. Bookmakers responded by cutting Medermit’s odds from 33’s into 16’s for this year’s renewal. Punjabi remains unchanged at 10's

Another Haydock winner, Diamond Harry, also saw his Festival odds slashed after a facile victory on his chasing debut. His cause was helped by the fall of Bensalem when upsides three out.

Earlier on at Ascot, Twist Magic showed his old form in taking the Victor Chandler with an all the way victory, winning with 12 lengths in hand. Petite Robin tried to press him but made too many jumping mistakes.   

Veteran Our Vic rolled back the years to take the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock with a brave front running performance. Danny Cook makes amends for taking the course at Cheltenham. Grand National winner Mon Mome was fourth.

Defending champion Big Buck’s heads 35 entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Paul Nicholls’ charge defeated the Nicky Henderson-trained Punchestowns to win the 2009 renewal of the three-mile contest and has been in great form this season, winning the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle from Lough Derg and the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle from Karabak, both at Newbury.

Nick Williams has entered Diamond Harry, who was third in the Long Walk Hurdle, whilst the progressive Lie Forrit also has an entry.

The Henry Daly-trained Mighty Man, runner-up to Inglis Drever in the 2007, filled that same berth behind Big Buck’s in the John Smith’s Liverpol Hurdle at Aintree last term.

A 12-strong Irish entry features the Edward O’Grady-trained Torphichen and Jumbo Rio, as well as the Mouse Morris trained War Of Attrition.

Cape Tribulation has been entered by Malcolm Jefferson and the trainer is considering his options, the runner also holds an entry in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle two days earlier.

Other notable entries include 2008 Champion Hurdle winner Katchit and the same season’s Champion Bumper hero Cousin Vinny, as well as the high-class but unpredictable Tidal Bay from the Howard Johnson yard.

ORS understand that William Buick is poised to replace Jimmy Fortune as retained jockey in the John Gosden yard.

It is also understood Fortune will replace Buick as stable jockey to Andrew Balding.

21 of the 34 entries for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle are Irish.

Heading the challenge from across the Irish Sea is the Noel Meade-trained Go Native, winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season. The seven-year-old has already the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton the following month, beating Starluck, who also holds a Champion Hurdle entry.

Solwhit was third behind Go Native at Newcastle butbeat the 2007 Champion Hurdle victor Sublimity in the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle. Both horses are set to re-oppose in this weekend’s Irish Champion Hurdle, where they could meet the progressive Donnas Palm, who landed the Grade Two Tara Hurdle on his latest appearance. 

Voler La Vedette has been forced to miss her intended engagement in the Irish Champion Hurdle but the talented six-year-old, a 13-length winner over Go Native in a Grade Three Hurdle at Down Royal in November, may bid to become the first mare to land the Champion Hurdle since Flakey Dove in 1994.

A trio of entries from the stable of Willie Mullins includes last season’s David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle winner Quevega, while Philip Fenton has given an entry to the exciting novice Dunguib.

The home defence is set to be headed by last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Zaynar, who has posted two impressive Grade Two victories so far this season.

A horse with a 100 per cent record at Cheltenham this season is Khyber Kim, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. The eight-year-old came with a tremendous run from way off the pace to land the Greatwood Hurdle at The Open in November and then successfully stepped up in class to land one of the leading trials for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the Boylesports.com International, in December when he had Celestial Halo, Medermit, Punjabi and Ebadiyan in arrears. If successful on March 16, Khyber Kim would collect a £200,000 bonus from Boylesports for winning both the Boylesports.com International and the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Master Minded heads the 24 entries for the One Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, aiming to become only the second horse to win the £320,000 two-mile championship three times, following Badsworth Boy in the 1980s.

The seven-year-old is one of five entries for champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls along with Free World, I’msingingtheblues, Takeroc and Twist Magic.

A strong Irish entry of seven includes the 2009 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor Forpadydepasterer as well as Big Zeb, who was travelling well when falling four out last year, the 2006 victor Newmill and Tranquil Sea, already a winner at Cheltenham this season following his victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 14.

The smart novice chaser Sizing Europe has also been given an entry.

Well Chief, the 2004 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor and twice runner-up in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, has been entered by David Pipe.

Voy Por Ustedes is no stranger to Festival glory having captured both the 2006 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and the 2007 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. Alan King’s charge has been entered once more for the latter contest and is also one of 43 entries for the Grade One Ryanair Chase, in which he finished second last year as the odds-on favourite.

The Sir Robert Ogden-owned nine-year-old was sixth on his latest start in the Grade One Lexus Chase over three miles at Leopardstown on December 29. King is yet to decide whether his charge will contest the two-mile Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase, staged over an extra five furlongs and worth a record £250,000 in 2010.

The Barbury Castle trainer revealed today: “Voy Por Ustedes came back A-one from his run in Ireland and in all likelihood will go to the Game Spirit Chase (two miles & a furlong) at Newbury next month.

We will have a look at our options based on what he does there.

“We have given him entries in both the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase, so at this stage he could go for either race.”

Seasons Holiday's Queen Mother Champion chase entries click here

43 runners have been entered for the Ryanair chase amongst them are the Queen’s Barbers Shop, the 2008 RSA Chase victor Albertas Run and Poquelin, successful over the course and distance in the Boylepsorts.com Gold Cup last month.

Ryanair Chase entries click here

Kauto Star, looking for a third win, heads the entries for this yearstotesport.com  Cheltenham Gold Cup.

There are only 27 entries for the Blue Riband event, the lowest in recent years, which will take place on Friday 19th March.

Kauto Star is bidding bid to emulate Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate in claiming  a third victory in the £475,000 Grade One contest.

His chief rival this season looks once again to be stable-companion Denman, who had his rival seven lengths in arrears when winning the 2008 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and took the runner-up spot in last year’s contest after an interrupted preparation. On his only appearance so far this season, the 10-year produced one of the great weight-carrying performances of modern times to land the Grade Three Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

A strong hand for the champion trainer, bidding to become the first handler to win four successive totesport Cheltenham Gold Cups since Basil Briscoe (1932-35), may also include the Hennessy Gold Cup runner-up What A Friend, who has gone on to Grade One success in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown for partowner Sir Alex Ferguson.

Other notable contenders include Imperial Commander, who took the Grade One Ryanair Chase at The Festival last season and went down by a nose to Kauto Star in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock Park in November.

The Irish challenge of eight is headed by the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Cooldine, successful in last season’s Grade One RSA Chase, and the unexposed Glencove Marina.

Trainer Mark Bradstock is considering letting his star chaser Carrurthers take on the very best after finishing fourth in the RSA Chase at The Festival in 2009 and was a comfortable winner on his latest start at Newbury last month.

For full entry details click here

In what must be the most unsurprising news of the season an International panel of handicappers declared 2009 to be “a year of exceptional racehorses.”

The outstanding colt of 2009 was the remarkable Irish horse Sea The Stars given a rating of 136 who remained undefeated throughout the season in notching up 6 Group 1 wins in Ireland, England and France. 

His best performance, in the view of the Handicappers, was at Leopardstown in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes in September, when he comfortably defeated the impressive Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory (128) and multiple Group 1 winner Mastercraftsman (124).  

His rating of 136 is the highest rating accorded a racehorse since the World Thoroughbred Rankings were launched in 2004 (the highest previously was Manduro (131) in 2007) and is the highest rating awarded since the French colt Peintre Celebre  was rated 137 (under the former International Classifications back in 1997). 

2009 marked the return of two outstanding fillies from 2008 who achieved even higher rank this year, namely the French-trained Goldikova (130) and the North American mare Zenyatta (128) and also the emergence of another exceptional filly, the North American three year old Rachel Alexandra (127).  

Goldikova is the best filly/mare miler since Miesque (132) (1987/1988) over twenty years ago and like that remarkable filly, she has managed to win back to back TVG Breeders’ Cup Miles.  However, her best performance, in the view of the Handicappers, was her magnificent romp in the Prix du Haras de Fresney Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois  at Deauville in August. 

Zenyatta created history by becoming the first filly/mare ever to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic amid joyous scenes of jubilation at Santa Anita in November, and has now retired unbeaten after 14 wins.  She is the highest rated filly/mare on a non turf surface since Inside Information (129) back in 1995.  That was the year that North America joined the International Classification process, and since then no three year old filly on a non turf surface has come near to matching the achievements of Rachel Alexandra, who also created history in defeating the colts in the Preakness Stakes (but whose best performance, the handicappers consider, was in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in August.

An explanation as to how the ratings are achieved can be found here

Following the recent spate of abandonments and with the current cold snap delaying the resumption of racing on turf, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has programmed a provisional National Hunt Flat Card on the all weather at Kempton for Saturday, January 16th. 

The seven National Hunt Flat races are aimed at Steeple Chasers and Hurdlers, plus one Standard National Hunt Flat race. 

Normally horses which have run in Steeple Chases or Hurdle Races are not eligible to run in National Hunt Flat races, but given the large number of recent abandonments, the BHA have modified the Rules in order to trial this initiative.

The turf course at Kempton is currently snow covered and frozen in places.  A decision on whether racing can take place will be made on Thursday at which point the provisional card that follows will be triggered should turf racing be Cancelled.

Elimination for the races, should they be over subscribed, will be by the BHA Handicapper.

The first report from the controversial Racing For Change review is being published today and the headline proposal is to experiment with using decimal rather than fractional odds.

On weekend in the spring an experiment will be carried out where all odds will be quoted as decimals so odds like the familiar 6/4 will become 2.5.

Another proposal is to change some of the archaic terminology and jargon used in the sport to bring it into the 21st century.

Suspended Sentence For Conduit Threat Man

A man who threatened to kill top racehorse Conduit in a bid to avoid a gambling debt of £55,000 has been given a 34-week suspended jail term.

Andrew Rodgerson of Rochdale told Conduit's owner the horse would be stabbed if it ran in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot last July.

He was arrested before the race, which was run amid tight security.

Rodgerson who admitted threatening to damage property was sentenced at Bury Crown Court, sitting at Bury Magistrates' Court. An original charge of blackmail was dropped by the prosecution.

Rodgerson sent a series of text messages and e-mails to Peter Reynolds, the general manager of the horses owners, Ballymacoll Stud.

Ten days before the race the first message read, "Dear Peter, we would just like to warn you should Conduit run in the King George then the horse will be killed."

Judge Angela Nield called his crime as a "foolish escapade" which could have had a serious impact on the horse racing industry.
 
"I am clear that the gravity of the offence is the potential impact to the racing industry of this type of offending becoming more prevalent," she said.

Rodgerson admitted making the threats after becoming indebted to a betting ring.

Prosecuting Counsel Duncan Wilcock said Rodgerson would be asked to place three or four bets per day with a usual wager being up to £400 each way on a horse.
 
"This particular bet was an accumulator where other horses had already won and if Conduit won then Rodgerson said he would be in debt to the syndicate for £55,000."

Joseph Hart, defending, said Rodgerson had mistimed the bet and realised if it won he would owe the syndicate the huge sum, leaving him "utterly terrified".

He said: "These were powerful men, he thought these were shadowy men. He thought perhaps they would be people who would hurt him."

Rodgerson told police he had no intention of carrying out the threat.

The BHA have announces three additional fixtures as the weather continues to take its toll on turf racing.

The additional fixtures will be at Lingfield on Thursday, Southwell on Friday and Kempton on Saturday.

The Lingfield fixture will consist of three bumpers as well as all-weather contests, with the other two being all-weather only.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace has been retired following defeat at Punchestown on Thursday.

Winner of the hurdling Blue Riband  in 2004 and 2005, he also won the Royal & Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdlein 2003.

The 13-year-old is to remain at his trainer Dessie Hughes's stables in County Kildare.

Hughes comented, "He will be ridden out every day until the spring and he'll go out to grass in the summer and we'll bring him back in again I'm sure.

"He won't want to do nothing, so we'll have to keep him moving. We'll keep him happy and it's nice to have horses like him in the yard."

Hardy Eustace won 15 of his 46 starts, including seven Grade Ones and won over £1million in prize money.