News
Thursday November 5 2026
Tizzard and Mulholland continue hot streak against weak opposition
Easy pickings were to be had at our replacement fixture, part of the BHA's deft shifting of the autumn race calendar to accommodate cancellations at Wincanton, Exeter, Fakenham, Ludlow, Kempton and Newbury, the courses most affected by the drought which has laid bare the fixture list in the south of the country and East Anglia.
Mulholland clocks four winners in a week at Plumpton
It was only a few days ago that Neil Mulholland was celebrating a treble at Plumpton on Monday. Small wonder he sent a further pair of runners to compete at our replacement fixture - not one you'll find in any diary. And judged from the 25 runners that totalled the meeting's 7 races, a few of his contemporaries had missed out on the extra programme too.
All credit therefore to the Bath handler, who continued his rich streak of form with a fourth Plumpton winner this week in Bel Ombre, who made all to win a three runner Star Sports Handicap Chase over 2m4f by a ready 6 1/2l under Conor O'Farrell. The 6 year old finished full of running, so don't be surprised to see hm out again shortly, before the handicapper racks him up a pound or two.
To be fair to all our handicappers, it's difficult to set any sort of rating against the falsely run pace of our small field steeplechases presently. With 11 chase runners here, and 14 at Newcastle across a total of 5 chases, we are sadly denied a contest in all but a small minority. Bring on that rain and it will change, but rain is as rare nowadays as French winners at the Breeders' Cup.
West Country handlers dominate
Much of the rest of the afternoon belonged to the West Country, with winners for Joe Tizzard, Paul Nicholls and Seamus Mullins.
Tizzard is another handler on a hot streak presently, maiden hurdler Jenny France being his eighth winner in the past fortnight. This mares maiden hurdle was a West Country Benefit, the other two runners hailing from Anthony Honeyball's stable across the county border in Dorset. Freddie Gingell picked up the ride in the absence of stable jockey Brendan Powell, who was hospitalized after a fall here on Monday. Gingell of course has history with the Tizzards; he's Joe's nephew.
The same number of runners turned out for the opening novices' handicap chase on a card fully sponsored by Star Sports, this time quite a race in prospect as 6/5 favourite Crest of Stars pressed Bond Broker up the straight, before a blunder at the last nearly had Rex Dingle out the front door. Well sat that man! But his chance was gone, and Jay Tidball was able to coast to a tidy 11l advantage.
Basilette gets full marks for consistency
Seamus Mullins trains a little further up the West Country on Salisbury Plain, and in Basilette, he has a mare who turns up week after week.
This was her 12th run since May 1st, during which time she's never been out of the first three for owners Gee Tac Ltd. She's delivered them four victories during that time, twice on the flat at Bath and Brighton, at Stratford and here over Jumps. Claimer daniel Samson had her prominent in the four runner field throughout, relegating another Honeyball runner to second place again in this modest handicap hurdle over the minimum trip.
That shows some resilience from the mare, and good placement from her trainer. It appears not all the horsemanship talent for the Mullins family resides at Closutton.
Continuity at Cisswood
As Donald Trump nursed an almighty hangover from the mid-terms, what more appropriate title for the winner of the 3m 1f handicap chase than Diplomatic Ash, an synonym for Trump's steamrollering of his doemstic electorate.
Unlike the mid-terms, this was, however, an altogether closer affair, made worse by slipping on the final bend. However, Tom Cannon persevered to outpoint Stratford winner Melton Mossy from Caroline Williams' stable to get up on the line, a short head the margin.
It was another Plumpton winner for the Cisswood Stables team, now headed on paper at least by Josh and Jamie Moore. Business as usual methinks.
Central Command takes control
Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan have turned into a formidable partnership these past few years, scoring at the highest level, and more routinely, at fixtures such as this.
A 33rd winner of the term for Snowden might in any normal circumstances put you in for a shot at the title, but that ship has long sailed. Indeed, the Skeltons, who skirted Plumpton to send runners to Newbury's all hurdle card and to Newcastle, were rewarded with a winner at each meeting.
Meantime, juvenile Central Command, already a winner on the flat this year at Newcastle, Lingfield and Doncaster, made light of the transition to obstacles in a confident 2 1/4l win over Barbury Boy, from Alan King's - another who knows how to turn middle distance flat youngsters into successful hurdlers.
Williams returns home empty-haded
A frustrating afternoon for Caroline Williams was compounded when 2/1 favourite Klic Boum was outplayed by joint favourite Marlacoo in the four runner novices' handicap chase.
Despite a mistake at the last, Stan Sheppard had enough in hand to land the spoils with a 4 1/2l margin for Tom lacey, despite giving away over a stone to his Welsh rival.
