Friday, November 19, 2004

TEAM CAPTAINS LLEWELLYN & LEE RELISHING THE BETFAIR.COM JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE AT AINTREE TOMORROW

Llewellyn, Team Captain of the Great Britain Team, said: "I am looking forward to captaining the Great Britain Team at Aintree, where hopefully we will be able to retain our title.

"There is a splendid mixture of youth and experience in the team."

Lee, Team Captain of the Ireland Team, revealed: "I'm really looking forward to the betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge and we're going to give our best to wrestle the title from the British boys.

"I'll be at Aintree early in the morning to get everything organised perfectly."

This is the second betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge of 2004, with Britain beating Ireland by 56 points to 38 in the first event at Limerick in July. Last year's betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge at Aintree saw Great Britain overcome Ireland by 67 points to 30.

Three of the four races involved in the betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge will be broadcast live on the BBC, including the £50,000 betfair.com Grand Sefton Chase (2.20pm) over the Grand National fences, while a recording will be shown of the first race, the betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge Handicap Hurdle (12.45pm). Betfair will also be running a market on the challenge.
The two teams will also have a manager to provide advice and encouragement during the four races of the competition.

Roy Evans, the Great Britain Team Manager, formed an integral part of Liverpool Football Club's set-up since his playing debut in 1969. Having been an important member of the coaching team during a golden era at Anfield, he served as manager from 1994 to 1998 and nurtured the careers of players such as Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. He also had a spell as Swindon's manager in 2001.

Ireland's Team Manager Jim Culloty has won the last three renewals of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on the great Best Mate but is currently on the sidelines after breaking his thumb at Exeter on November 2.

Betfair will be running a market on the competition and Tony Calvin, Betfair's Sports and Horseracing PR Manager, said: " "Betfair is proud to be sponsoring what promises to be a great day's racing at Aintree.

"All six races look likely to be very informative and racing enthusiasts should enjoy trying to select some winners."

Charles Barnett, Managing Director at Aintree, added: "Last year's betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge was an exciting innovation for jump racing and a very enjoyable event.

"We have some quality action to look forward to tomorrow and it looks difficult to determine at this stage which team holds the upper hand - it should be a very close competition and thrilling to witness."

GOING

Andrew Tulloch, Aintree's Clerk of the Course, said today: "The current going on all courses is soft.

"The forecast is for a clear, dry day today with a bit of a nip in the air while tomorrow there is cloud coming in during the evening with perhaps some drizzle on Sunday morning but clearing away by lunchtime for the second day's racing."

THE IRELAND TEAM

Graham Lee - Team Captain
Graham Lee was born on December 12, 1975. After having ridden in pony races and left school aged 15, he had his first winner aboard the Dessie McDonogh-trained Blushing Pearl in a handicap hurdle at Navan, Ireland, on November 7, 1992.
He had always wanted to be a jockey and had five rides for Noel Meade before joining McDonogh's County Meath stable. He subsequently travelled to England in 1993 to join Mary Reveley's Cleveland yard.
After breaking a leg in a fall at Sedgefield in February, 1996 and, having lost a lot of weight, Lee decided to try his luck riding on the Flat. He didn't enjoy that experience, went on a high-protein diet to put weight back on and returned to performing over jumps.
He now rides for many of the top northern jumping stables including those of Howard Johnson, Malcolm Jefferson and Ginger McCain.
Last season he achieved a personal best of 94 winners, with his greatest victory coming when partnering Amberleigh House to success in the Grand National at Aintree for Ginger McCain. A fortnight later, he went on to record a memorable double when taking the Scottish Grand National at Ayr aboard Grey Abbey.

Owner Graham Wylie's injection of new bloodstock into Howard Johnson's Crook-based stable has greatly benefited Lee with the likes of Inglis Drever, Chivalry and Royal Rosa all providing him with memorable successes.
For the past two years, he has won the prestigious Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby for trainer Howard Johnson, scoring on Ballybough Rasher in 2003 and Grey Abbey earlier this season.

Peter Buchanan
Born on August 3, 1978, Peter Buchanan benefited from the tutelage of the late Captain David Foster, one of the most popular characters in the Irish equestrian world, as a young event rider and continued to play a major role in the Foster operation, with widow Denise at the helm, despite studying accountancy in Dublin.
In July, 2002, he joined Willie Mullins's stable and then, just over a year later, having also excelled on the Irish point-to-point scene, he became attached to Howard Johnson's County Durham yard
He rode his first winner in this country on his boss's Teme Valley at Sedgefield on Boxing Day in 2003. The conditional rider is now stable jockey to Lucinda Russell and he partnered Caesar's Palace to victory in a handicap hurdle at Aintree's October Meeting.

Barry Cash
Co Kildare-based Barry Cash was described earlier this season as a "particularly strong rider and a very good judge of pace" by trainer Arthur Moore.
Born on December 2, 1974, he is a second cousin of former top Flat rider turned trainer Walter Swinburn and is best known for being one of the jockeys fortunate enough to have ridden top Irish performer Limestone Lad on a regular basis.
He has also ridden a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, taking the 2004 Supreme Novices' Hurdle on Brave Inca.

Tom Doyle
Originating from Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, Tom Doyle, who was born on February 8, 1980, began his career with trainer Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.
He began riding out for O'Brien at the age of 13 and made his racecourse debut on the Flat for the master of Ballydoyle at Wexford in 1995. O'Brien's yard became increasingly Flat orientated and, with Doyle's weight rising, he went to work for Irish jump handler Eamon Sheehy.
He was also riding in point-to-points at this time and passed his leaving certificate in hospital while recovering from a point-to-point fall.
Tom spent two years at Sheehy's Co Kilkenny yard and had his first winner under Rules aboard Sheehy's Blackburn at Fairyhouse in November, 1997.
In the 1999/2000 season, Doyle made the move to Britain and achieved 12 winners. He turned professional in January, 2001. Among the best horses ridden by Doyle are Samuel Wilderspin, Burning Impulse and Tidour.
He now rides principally for Paul Webber and Richard Lee.

Noel Fehily
Born on December 24, 1974, Noel Fehily, is attached to Charlie Mann's stable and began riding in Britain as an amateur gaining his first success here on Ivy Boy at Plumpton on November 16, 1998.
This followed experience on the point-to-point circuit and one hunter chase success in his home country. He rode 12 winners in that first campaign and turned professional after winners at the start of the 1999/2000 season, which he ended with a score of 17.
Lambourn-based Fehily was voted conditional rider of the year at the annual Lesters Awards in 2001.
His biggest win came when Moral Support won the Tote John Hughes Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow in December, 2000. Fehily is one of the first jockeys to employ a personal fitness trainer - interval training and balanced meals are now important parts of his life.

Brian Harding
Born on September 26, 1972, the son of a dairy farmer and point-to-point trainer in Co Cork, Brian Harding rode in pony races from a young age but originally set out to be a Flat jockey, attached to Kevin Prendergast's stable in Ireland.
After becoming too heavy to pursue a career on the level, he joined Gordon Richards' stable at Greystoke in Cumbria in 1992. He struck up a great rapport with McGregor The Third, winning three times over the cross-country course at Cheltenham, where his greatest moment also came when standing in for Tony Dobbin to win the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase on One Man at the Cheltenham Festival.
He also won the Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree in 1996 on Addington Boy.

Jason Maguire
Jason Maguire, who was born on April 13, 1980, is based with trainer Tom George at his Stroud yard in Gloucestershire.
The nephew of former top jockey Adrian Maguire, he rode in Irish pony races and partnered his first British winner, the Tony Martin-trained Search For Peace, at Cheltenham on November 12, 1999.
His biggest success to date when winning the 2002 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle on Galileo at the Cheltenham Festival.

Keith Mercer
Keith Mercer rode Liberman to success in two bumpers for Paddy Mullins in Ireland before the gelding joined Martin Pipe and won the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival under Tony McCoy.
Mercer joined Ferdy Murphy as an amateur and gained his first winner in this country, having had a total of six successes in the Emerald Isle, on Lazy But Lively at Sedgefield on Boxing Day in 2003.
He gained his first double as a conditional rider a fortnight after joining the professional ranks at Hexham on June 12 this year with Feanor and Shays Lane. Mercer lost his 7lb claim at Towcester on November 4, when partnering Union Deux to a comfortable success.

Vince Slattery
Cheltenham-based Irishman Vince Slattery never turns a ride down and the 36-year-old jockey was awarded the October Ruinart Star Performer of the Month for his feat of having ridden at all 59 racecourses in the United Kingdom at Kelso on October 3. This was after 17 years and hundreds of thousands of miles of driving.

In 2000 he gained another accolade, the Ride of the Month' award, when using all of his strength to get home Flagship Colm in the handicap hurdle before the big race on King George VI Chase day at Kempton on Boxing Day. He also rides on the Flat.

Mark Walsh
Based with Irish trainer Christy Roche at County Kildare in Ireland, teenager Mark Walsh, whose cousin is former champion conditional David Walsh, gained his first win on Shrug in the Peggy Barry-Walsh Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown on September 29, 2002.
Earlier this year, he gave Puck Out a brilliant ride to win the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle at the Aintree Festival, gaining his first win in Britain and losing his 7lb claim in the process.

THE GREAT BRITAIN TEAM

Carl Llewellyn - Team Captain
Born on July 29, 1965, in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Carl Llewellyn began as an amateur with Stan Mellor and Jim Old.
He rode his first winner on Starjestic at Wolverhampton on March 14, 1986. He now lives in Wantage, Oxfordshire, and is stable jockey to Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Carl enjoyed his first big-race victory when landing the Mildmay Of Flete Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at the 1988 Cheltenham Festival on Smart Tar, but 1992 was his year of greatest achievement when he partnered Tipping Tim to win the William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase at the Festival before going on to triumph in the Grand National on Party Politics, on whom he deputised for the injured Andy Adams. Later that year, he gained another high-profile victory on board Tipping Tim when taking the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
He has had to contend with injury throughout his career, and even returned from a jockeys' challenge match in Russia with bruised ribs, lungs and kidneys, and a stiff neck.
An injury to Tom Jenks meant he picked up the spare, winning, ride on Earth Summit in the 1998 Grand National. He also finished third in the 1997 renewal on the 100/1 shot Camelot Knight and was unlucky when unseated on Beau both times in 2001 and 2002. Beau's departure in 2002 was particularly painful, as the jockey had turned down the chance to ride the winner Bindaree.

He has ridden seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including last season's Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle on the very exciting Fundamentalist.

Dominic Elsworth
Dominic Elsworth, who hails from Guiseley near Leeds, was born on January 17, 1980.

The Yorkshireman has come a long way since "wobbling off" his first-ever ride in public. He has ridden since the age of eight, mixing hunting, eventing and point-to-pointing.
He is based with Sue and Harvey Smith near Bingley in West Yorkshire and had one of his biggest successes when winning the Tote Becher Chase over the National fences on Ardent Scout at Aintree in 2002.

Marcus Foley
Marcus Foley was born on August 27, 1981 and rides primarily for Nicky Henderson.
He won five point-to-points before turning professional in June, 2001, and won three races in the late Queen Mother's silks, including when scoring on First Love in an Ascot bumper.
The biggest success of his career so far came in the totesport gold Trophy at Newbury in February this year when he was triumphant on Geos.

Foley loves riding and summed his approach as this: "I wouldn't do anything else - it is what I always wanted to do, so even when you have a bad day you think of it as good day."

Warren Marston
Born March 16, 1971, Warren Marston was educated at Millfield and played hockey as a schoolboy on the right wing for England.
After school he worked for the David Morley in Newmarket and then David Nicholson, for whom he rode as a conditional for two years, partnering his first winner, Bel Course, at Worcester on May 16, 1990.
He rode as stable jockey to Jenny Pitman from the autumn of 1994 to February, 1997, and has been freelance ever since. He describes his Cheltenham double in 1996 aboard Indefence in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Nahthen Lad in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase as a career highlight.
Warren landed the Racing Post award for the National Hunt ride of the season on The Last Fling, when he held off Earthmover by three-quarters of a length in the Warwickshire Gold Cup at Warwick in January, 2002 and also gained a memorable victory when partnering La Landiere to success in the 2003 Racing Post Chase at Kempton.

Henry Oliver
Born July 14, 1981, Henry Oliver managed to leave school, where he took up boxing to stop being bullied, in Wolverhampton aged 14 and headed off to New Zealand where - under the guidance of legendary trainer Kenny Browne - he followed the family tradition by becoming a successful jockey, combining the career with sheep and cattle farming. He landed the NZ$100,000 Great Northern Chase and, with his New Zealand licence, managed to ride in Britain a month shy of the Jockey Club minimum age of 16.
Oliver's father, Henry senior, is a colourful former trainer and jockey, his mother Sally also trained, while sisters Jacqui and Sharon are former National Hunt jockeys. Henry senior's cousin, Michael Oliver, trained West Tip to win the 1986 Grand National.
Henry junior is very much a chip off the old block, becoming champion conditional in the 2001/2002 season with 47 wins. Last season he has enjoyed big-race victories on Tyneandthyneagain in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster and the Eider Chase at Newcastle.

Paul Robson
20-year-old Paul Robson hails from Hawick in Scottish Borders and is the son of trainer Adam Robson. His first winner under rules came at Bangor on August 18, 2001, on Ballistic Boy and he turned professional the following April.

He was initially attached to Jonjo O'Neill's stable before joining Nicky Richards. A series of injuries and weight problems saw him take a career break for a time last season. He has returned to action this season and ridden eight winners so far.
Star Jack and General Wolfe are among the best horses he has ridden.

Tom Siddall
Tom Sidall is based with trainer Jonjo O'Neill at Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire and has Dave Roberts as his agent.
He rode his first winner for O'Neill on Mac Hine at Sandown in November, 2002, having joined him in August.
Previously, he had worked for Malcolm Jefferson for four years in North Yorkshire and last season gained his best tally of winners with 25 successes. His mother Lynn is a trainer in North Yorkshire.

Sam Stronge
Sam Stronge, stepson of former jockey and trainer Robert Stronge, was born on January 28, 1982, and gained his first winner at Ascot on April 8, 1998 on Joy For Life in the Merlin Novices' Hunters' Chase.
He worked for David Nicholson before signing up with Paul Nicholls. Stronge gained his first hat-trick when partnering Exit To Wave, Father Krismas and Turtle Valley to success at Warwick in November, 2000. Four months earlier he had secured one of the biggest successes of his career in the English Summer National at Uttoxeter on Berlin Blue.

FIELDS FOR THE BETFAIR.COM JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE AT AINTREE

12.45pm betfair.com 0870 90 80 121 NOVICES' HURDLE
Class B, £15,000 Added. For 4yo+ 2m 4f. Weights: 11st. Penalties: a winner of a Class D to G hurdle 5lb; of 2 hurdles, or of a Class A to C hurdle 8lb.Allowances: fillies & mares 7lb.

1) FOOTBALL CRAZY (IRE) (Ken Bevan, Stuart Brain) Peter Bowen 5-11-08 Warren Marston GB
2) LENNEL (One In Ten Racing Club Two) Alan Bailey 6-11-00 Vince Slattery IRE
3) NO REFUGE (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Howard Johnson 4-11-00 Graham Lee IRE
4) THAMES (IRE) (Trevor Hemmings) Nicky Henderson 6-11-00 Marcus Foley GB

1.20pm SHARP MINDS BETFAIR NOVICES' CHASE
Class C, £15,000 Added. For 5yo+ which have not won more than two chases, 2m. Weights: 11st. Penalties: after April 24, 2004, a winner of a Class D to H chase 6lb; of 2 chases, or a Class A to C chase 10lb. Allowances: mares 7lb.

1) BERNARDON (GER) (Tony Deakin) Tony Deakin 8-11-10 Noel Fehily IRE
2) ALMAYDAN (George Brookes & Family) Richard Lee 6-11-06 Tom Doyle IRE
3) TOWN CRIER (IRE) (Trevor Hemmings) Sue Smith 9-11-06 Dominic Elsworth GB 4) CHAUVINIST (IRE) (Bunny & Nick Roberts) Nicky Henderson 9-11-00 Marcus Foley GB
5) CHIVALRY (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Howard Johnson 5-11-00 Graham Lee IRE

1.50pm betfair.com JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE HANDICAP HURDLE
Class B, £28,000 Added. For 4yo+, 3m 1/2f. Minimum weight: 10st. Penalties: after November 13, a winner of a hurdle 6lb.

1) GREY REPORT (IRE) (Mrs D A La Trobe) Philip Hobbs 7-11-12 Carl Llewellyn GB 2) SMITHS LANDING (Billy McCullough) Sue Smith 7-10-11 Dominic Elsworth GB
3) HAUTCLAN (FR) (Trevor Hemmings) Jonjo O'Neill 5-10-10 Marcus Foley GB
4) ALBANY (IRE) (Andrea & Graham Wylie) Howard Johnson 4-10-07 Graham Lee IRE
5) LAZY BUT LIVELY (IRE) (S P Marsh) Roger Fisher 8-10-00 Keith Mercer (5) IRE
6) CAESAR'S PALACE (GER) (Peter Russell) Lucinda Russell 7-10-00 Peter Buchanan IRE

2.20pm betfair.com GRAND SEFTON HANDICAP HANDICAP CHASE (Over The Grand National Course)
Class C, £50,000 Added. For 5yo+ Rated 0-130, 2m 5 1/2f. Minimum weight 10st. Penalties: after November 13, a winner of a chase 7lb.

1) DAVIDS LAD (IRE) (Eddie Joe's Racing Syndicate) Tony Martin IRE 10-11-12 Brian Harding IRE
2) FOREST GUNNER (John Gilsenan) Richard Ford 10-11-07 Peter Buchanan IRE
3) ANOTHER JOKER (Joanna Needham) Joanna Needham 9-11-04 Carl Llewellyn GB
4) ASPARAGUS (IRE) (Simon Gegg) Matt Sheppard 10-11-04 Sam Stronge GB
5) FLINDERS CHASE (P M Warren) Charlie Mann 9-11-04 Noel Fehily IRE
6) TIPSY MOUSE (IRE) (Trevor Hemmings) Sue Smith 8-11-03 Dominic Elsworth GB 7) DARK ROOM (IRE) (J P McManus) Jonjo O'Neill 7-11-01 Marcus Foley GB
8) FARINEL (J P McManus) Jonjo O'Neill 8-10-10 Mark Walsh (5) IRE
9) IMAGINAIRE (USA) (Miss J Davies, L Jakeman, W Fenn) Venetia Williams 9-10-09 Warren Marston GB
10) RHEINDROSS (IRE) (D C Jones) Arthur Moore IRE 9-10-09 Barry Cash IRE
11) SPINOFSKI (David Stoddart) Paul Webber 9-10-07 Tom Doyle IRE
12) JOE DEANE (IRE) (Mrs D A Gamble) Tom George 8-10-05 Jason Maguire IRE
13) MAC HINE (IRE) (J P McManus) Jonjo O'Neill 7-10-04 Tom Siddall GB
14) BRAMBLEHILL DUKE (IRE) (Mel Davies) Venetia Williams 12-10-02 Paul Robson (3) GB
15) GATORADE (NZ) (Paul Beck) Richard Guest 12-10-02 Henry Oliver GB
16) TREGASTEL (FR) (D W Watson) Richard Ford 9-10-01 Graham Lee IRE

NB: As there are two horses owned by J P McManus representing the Great Britain team, DARK ROOM will wear a distinguishing white cap, rather the usual red cap of the Great Britain team.

THE BETFAIR.COM JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE - AINTREE, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2004

1) The first four races at Aintree on Saturday, November 20, 2004, will constitute the Betfair Jockeys' Challenge:

12.45pm The betfair.com 0870 90 80 121 Novices' Hurdle
1.20pm The Sharp Minds Betfair Novices' Chase
1.50pm The Betfair Jockeys' Challenge Handicap Hurdle
2.20pm The betfair.com Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (Over The Grand National Course)

2) This is a jockeys' team event and jockeys will either represent Great Britain (GB) or Ireland (IRE), depending on the individual jockey's nationality. The GB team will be captained by Carl Llewellyn with the IRE team captained by Graham Lee (please note that the team numbers are flexible thus allowing trainers much more choice than is usual in similar competitions).

3) Horses can represent either team - the nationality of the owner or trainer is not relevant.

4) GB jockeys will wear red caps and breeches with IRE jockeys wearing green caps and breeches.

5) Points will be awarded on the following basis:
1st - 10 points
2nd - 7 points
3rd - 5 points
4th - 3 points
5th -1 point

The team that achieves the highest number of points will be deemed the winner. If the scores are equal, the following criteria will be used to determine the winner:

i) The team with the highest number of winners.

ii) If still equal, the team with the highest number of second places and so on.

6) The winning team will receive the Betfair Perpetual Trophy. The winning manager and captain will be presented with the trophy after race four.

7) The trainer whose horses score the most point during the day will receive a prize of £1,000 and the winning stable yard will receive a prize of £2,000. The jockey gaining the highest level of points wins dinner, bed and breakfast and a four-ball at a top UK golf course. Additionally, the trainer and jockey scoring most points will be awarded a £1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.

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