Fehily eager for Kauto Star ride

Noel Fehily is hoping for good news on his wrist injury as he retains hopes of riding Kauto Star (11/10 to win the race with Stan James) in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The jockey was called up to substitute for the injured Ruby Walsh last week but fell on Rivaliste at Newbury and suffered a suspected broken wrist.

An initial x-ray could not precisely tell the damage as it was very swollen and they could not get a “clear picture”, but he is hoping to get a “better prognosis” when he goes back to the specialist on Tuesday.

“I’m not really in pain. Since they strapped it up it’s been a lot better, so I’m very hopeful it’s not quite as bad as first thought,” said Fehily.

“I’m very hopeful I’ll be back to ride Kauto Star on Boxing Day.

“From what the specialist said on Sunday if we can keep it strapped up, keep the improvement and the swelling coming down, he’s very hopeful he can have me back riding in two to three weeks which would be well before Christmas.”

Imperial Commander’s (7/1 to win the race with Stan James) trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has said his horse is healing “really well” from a wound on his leg and looks likely to recover in time.

Dar Re Mi pulled out of King George

12/1 shot Dar Re Mi will not feature in the Betfair-sponsored King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot meaning only six runners will feature.

John Gosden’s mare, a three-time Group One winner, has been declared a non-runner due to a bruised foot. The news will disappoint race-goers who were looking forward to the battle between Dar Re Mi and Epsom Derby winner Workforce (Workforce evens favourite with bet365).

It will also be a bitter blow to owners Lord and Lady Webber but the party is now focused on securing success in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.

Speaking about the withdrawal, Gosden’s racing secretary Peter Shoemark said: “She has bruised her foot and unfortunately that means she will be unable to run.

“It’s just unfortunate that it has come so close to the race but she will be absolutely fine.

“It’s not ideal but we’ll look forward now and the Yorkshire Oaks could be her next objective.”

The plan had been to battle it out with Workforce in the prestigious 12-furlong race. It will be Workforce’s first outing since winning the Derby in record time and the colt, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is aiming to become the first three-year-old to win the King George since Alamshar in 2003. He is also hoping to become the first Derby winner to win the race since Galileo in 2001.

Hopes are high in the Workforce camp, with owner Prince Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, saying that preparations for the race have gone smoothly and with no interruptions.

Promising an exciting day, the seven-length romp to victory at the Derby is giving the Workforce camp significant confidence on the colt’s success in the King George.

Harbinger is 5/2 second favourite for the race, with Cape Blanco an 11/2 shot.

Mawatheeq out of Ascot showdown

Trainer Marcus Tregoning has revealed Mawatheeq will not run in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes as he needs more time to recover following injury problems.

The five-year-old has struggled in 2010 with several injury issues but was expected to run this weekend.

However, Tregoning has decided to pull him out of the contest before finalising plans for the Danzig colt for the rest of the season.

“We were going to work him somewhere this weekend but we decided against it and that means he will miss the King George,” said Tregoning.

“We’ve just decided to give him a bit more time as we don’t feel he’s going to be ready for Ascot.

“We haven’t decided where we’re going with him yet but we just feel he wants a bit more time after the injury problem he had in the spring.”

Find out when the horse will reappear by keeping track of all the latest horse racing betting news.

With Mawatheeq out of the picture, Workforce is the current 5/6 favourite on bet365 for Saturday’s big race with the likes of Harbinger (9/4) and Cape Blanco (6/1) also set to be in the shake-up.

Peslier booking a bonus for Harbinger fans

Outstanding French jockey Olivier Peslier has been confirmed as the new partner for impressive Hardwicke Stakes winner Harbinger in the big mid-summer feature Group1, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

Harbinger had been the regular mount of champion jockey Ryan Moore throughout the colt’s career, but with Moore set to ride the ante-post favourite and Epsom Derby winner Workforce for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, the mount on Harbinger was up for grabs.

Speculation had been rife that Peslier was the leading contender to partner the fast improving son of Dansili and, sure enough, the galloping Frenchman has accepted what is an outstanding outside ride.
Peslier has teamed up with Stoute on a few occasions in previous years but without any success. However, the rider of international greats such as Goldikova, Banks Hill, Doctor Dino, Peintre Celebre and Helissio is certain to offer Harbinger every assistance from the saddle.

Owners Highclere Thoroughbreds are also delighted to have bagged such an outstanding pilot for the historic race and the company’s managing director Harry Herbert is hoping that Peslier will be able to ride the four-year-old in his final piece of work ahead of the big race itself.

On the betting front, Epsom hero Workforce remains a rock solid favourite with Bet365 at 5/6, while Harbinger is available to back at 5/2 with Stan James.

Aidan O’Brien’s Irish Derby hero Cape Blanco can be backed at 6/1, and Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dar Re Mi is attractively quoted at 12/1. It’s 14/1 bar.

The race takes place at Ascot on Saturday, June 24th, so make sure you keep track of all the latest horse racing betting news in the build up.

Harbinger sets sights on King George

Highly progressive Harbinger (10/3 for the  King George VI & Queen Elizabeth with Stan James) is bang on target for a mouth-watering showdown with Epsom Derby winner Workforce and Irish Derby hero Cape Blanco in what promises to be a King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond stakes to savour.

Sir Michael Stoute’s four-year-old son of Dansili has gone from strength to strength this term with wins at Newbury in the John Porter Stakes, Chester in the Ormonde Stakes and, most recently, Royal ascot in the Group2 Hardwicke stakes. In the lattermost contest champion jockey Ryan Moore barely had to move a muscle as his mount coasted around the mile-and-a-half course before cruising into the lead turning for home, powering effortlessly clear to record a three-and-a-half length verdict over the useful Duncan.

Stoute, who is also set to saddle the current 11/10 favourite Workforce,  seems more than hopeful that Harbinger (7/2) can cope with a further step up in class when he contests the mid-summer showpiece in less than four weeks’ time. The race is building up to be a real thriller. With Aidan O’Brien expressing interest in running this weekend’s Curragh scorer Cape Blanco at Ascot, and both the high class fillies Sariska and Dar Re Mi being possible entries for the event, Harbinger will certainly have his mettle tested when racing for the first time without the assistance of champion jockey Ryan Moore.

It is hard to imagine that Moore will not be on Workforce and as yet no plans have been revealed about a possible replacement for Harbinger. Harry Herbet, racing manager for Harbinger’s owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing gave a bullish performance in a recent interview on At The Races, confirming the wellbeing of their star horse and suggesting he has improved since his triumph at the royal meeting.

Keep track of the situation by following all the latest horse racing betting news.