Will Reilly takes a look ahead to this week’s racing in Ireland and Britain
The highlight of this week’s racing in Ireland is the start of the turf flat season, which takes place at Naas on Sunday. Also on Sunday, the Ulster National will take place at Downpatrick and there is a €65,000 feature at Navan on Monday.
In Britain there are valuable cards on Saturday at Kelso and Newbury.
Racing in Ireland between Monday March 18 and Sunday March 24
Monday 18 March
Navan, 2:25pm – a National Hunt card that features the following:
- €65,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final (Grade B, 3 miles, 4:30pm)
- €45,000 Toals.com Bookmakers Grade 2 Webster Cup Chase (2 miles, 4pm)
Thursday 21 March
Cork, 2:10pm – a National Hunt card that features the €20,000 UCC Horse Racing Society Hurdle (2 miles, 2:45pm)
Friday 22 March
Dundalk, 5:10pm – An all-weather flat card that features the €15,500 Moffett Engineering Ltd Median Auction Race (6:45pm, one mile); the card marks the end of the Winter Series at the track, although racing continues at the stadium beyond this point as the calendar-year championship takes place
Saturday 23 March
Thurles, 2:20pm – a National Hunt card that features the €50,000 Pierce Molony Memorial Novice ‘Chase (Listed Race, 2:55pm, 2m2f)
Sunday 24 March
Downpatrick, 2:15pm – a National Hunt card that features:
- €40,000 Toalsbet.com Ulster National Irish EBF Handicap ‘Chase (3m4f, 3:50pm)
- €20,000 Connollys RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (2:15pm, 2m2f)
Naas, 1:30pm – a card that marks the start of the turf flat season in Ireland; the feature races are:
- €25,000 Naas Racecourse Launches 2019 Irish Flat Season Handicap (6f, 2:30pm, 3yo+)
- €50,000 Naas Racecourse Business Club Madrid Handicap (7f, 3:05pm, 3yo)
- €45,000 Devoy Stakes (a Listed Race, 10f, 3:35pm, 4yo+)
- €77,500 Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes (4:10pm, one mile, fillies, 3yo+)
- €100,000 Tote Irish Lincolnshire (4:45pm, one mile, 4yo+)
Racing in Britain between Monday March 18 and Sunday March 24
Monday 18 March
Southwell, 2pm – a National Hunt card
Exeter, 2:10pm – a National Hunt card
Plumpton, 2:20pm – a National Hunt card
Tuesday 19 March
Huntingdon, 2pm – a National Hunt card
Wetherby, 2:10pm – a National Hunt card that features the £15,000 racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle (3miles, 4yo+)
Taunton, 2:20pm – a National Hunt card that features the £14,400 Kiff and Anne Collier Memorial Handicap Chase (3m4f85y, 5yo+)
Wednesday 20 March
Market Rasen, 2pm – a National Hunt card
Haydock, 2:10pm – a National Hunt card that features the £15,000 Bravo Inns Chase (a novices’ limited handicap, 2m4f135y, 5yo+)
Chepstow, 2:20pm – a National Hunt card
Thursday 21 March
Sedgefield, 2:05pm – a National Hunt card that features a £16,000 handicap hurdle (2m3f188y, 4yo+)
Chepstow, 2:20pm – a National Hunt card
Ludlow, 2:30pm – a National Hunt card that contains the following races
- £21,500 Bromfield Sand And Gravel Handicap Chase (2miles, 5yo+)
- £14,100 Alfa Aggregate Products Chase (a novices’ limited handicap (2m4f, 5yo+)
Friday 22 March
Musselburgh, 2pm – a National Hunt card
Lingfield, 2:10pm – an all-weather flat card that features a £19,000 12-furlong handicap
Newbury, 2:30pm – a National Hunt card that features a £20,000 bumper (Listed Race, 2 miles, 4-6yo)
Newcastle, 5:30pm – an all-weather flat card
Saturday 23 March
Bangor, 1:40pm – a National Hunt card
Kelso, 1:50pm – a National Hunt card that features the following races:
- £40,000 handicap hurdle (2 miles, 4yo+, 1:50pm)
- £50,000 Liz Adam Memorial Handicap Chase (3m2f, 5yo+, 3pm)
- £50,000 William Hill Handicap Hurdle (3m1f170y, 4yo+, 3:35pm)
- £18,600 EBF/TBA Mares’ Novice Chase (series qualifier, 2m5f133y, 5yo+, 2:25pm)
Lingfield, 2pm – an all-weather flat card that features a £19,000 5f handicap (3yo+, 3:45pm)
Newbury, 2:05pm – a National Hunt card that includes the following races:
- £20,400 The Insure With Be Wiser Handicap Chase (3m2f, 5yo+, 2:05pm)
- £40,000 The Be Wiser Insurance Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (2m2f183y, 4yo+, 2:40pm)
- £40,000 The Grade 2 EBF & TBA Mares’ ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle Series Final (2m4f118y, a limited handicap, 4yo+, 3:15pm)
- £20,000 The Doom Bar Handicap Chase (2m3f187y, 5yo+, 3:50pm)
- £50,000 Goffs UK Spring Sale Bumper (2 miles, 4-5yo, 5pm)
Kempton, 5:40pm – an all-weather flat card that features a £15,000 Conditions Stakes race (7f, 4yo+) and two £10,000 handicaps
Sunday 24 March
Exeter, 2:10pm – a National Hunt card that features the £20,500 Exeter Chase (a novices’ limited handicap, 2m3f, 5yo+, 3:45pm) and the £20,500 racinguk.com Handicap Chase (3 miles, 5yo+, 4:20pm)
Carlisle, 2:25pm – a National Hunt card that features the £20,000 Dalston Handicap Chase (2m4f, 5yo+, 4pm) and the £15,000 Little Orton Handicap Hurdle (3m1f, 4yo+, 4:35pm)