The Racing UK Club Day took place on Saturday in the Ascot Pavilion with over 900 members travelling from far and wide to take part in their biggest day of the year.

As MC for the day, The Wine Tipster began by introducing Aidan Coleman who talked through his 5 rides for the day. His least fancied ride was Forthefunofit in the 4.10pm race as he returned to hurdles for the first time in ages following a run of poor form. He not only won but returned at 20-1, the biggest price of the day! It also happened to be the Racing UK Club Day Today Handicap Hurdle.

The Wine Tipster also marked the card for the day along with Tom Stanley from Racing UK. They both highlighted Cue Card at 4-9 in the Betfair Ascot Chase who now heads to the Cheltenham Gold Cup with an outstanding chance following the sad defection of his stablemate Thistlecrack with a tendon injury. He also backed Tenor Nivernais in the 2.25 who won by 30 lengths which featured in his Racing Plus column. His nap of the day in Racing Plus was Divine Spear who finished 2nd in the 3pm race following a very exciting finish. Divine Spear was backed down from 12-1 on the day so he still paid each-way backers.

Early in the day, the names of four members were picked out of a hat and given the chance to judge the best turned out horse in the Racing UK Club Day Today Handicap Hurdle and to present the winning team of Forthefunofit with their trophies

For the first time, professional wine and champagne expert and racing pundit, Neil Phillips, The Wine Tipster presented two masterclasses featuring four different wines from Bibendum Wines. The first, after the first race, was a focus on Australia with highlights including Tim Adams Fairfield Semillon which was a great introduction to Semillon for many alongside his Riesling. The Diamond Valley Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley proved a great reminder of excellent Chardonnay from Australia.
The Rosé masterclass took place after the third race with the Operetto Garganega Pinot Grigio Blush a favourite as well as Château Leoube showing its perennial popularity. There were so many questions that the masterclass had to pause so that the members didn’t miss the 3pm race!

It was a fantastic and busy day. The Wine Tipster managed to fit in a piece for Ascot TV highlighting Yering Station Little Yering Shiraz Viognier and Château Leoube Rosé. He was also interviewed by racing broadcaster, Rupert Bell for Ascot TV and Tim Dellor and Sasha Thorbek-Hooper from BBC Berkshire.

The Racing UK Club Day was a great success blessed with fantastic weather and gripping racing. It also saw the launch of the new menu in the Parade Ring and Panoramic Restaurants as well as the new fine wine list.

The Wine Tipster will be back in action on Friday 10th March at Chadlington Memorial Hall near Chipping Norton at 7.30pm for an evening of wine tasting, horse racing tips for the Cheltenham Festival and opera with Clare Bradshaw, Mezzo Soprano and Richard Coxon, Tenor.

A selection of wines from both the New World and Old World will be available to taste. Neil will feature the ever popular and successful Prosecco specifically from the DOC regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. In addition, you can try the quintessential Rioja, Beronia. The winery was founded in 1973 by a group of business who enjoyed the gastronomic delights of the Rioja regions when they were on holiday.

In the build up to The Cheltenham Festival, you can follow Neil’s top racing tips in his Racing Plus column and daily during Festival week. We will also get the latest news on the chances of our local trainers Charlie Longsdon and Ben Pauling. This meeting is truly the highlight of the Jump season which takes place from 14th to 17th March. Over 260,000 people enjoy the electric atmosphere at The Festival epitomising everything that is great about Jump racing. Watch the finest horses, jockeys, owners and trainers battle it out for the highest racing honours, their reputations and over £4.1 million of prize money.

Local opera singers Claire Bradshaw  and Richard Coxon, Festival Director for the Dean & Chadlington Summer Music Festival  will provide the musical entertainment.

Light bites will be provided by Café de la Post and Chadlington Quality Foods. Tickets are available from Café de la Post and Chadlington Quality Foods or contact Judi Parker, judi@phillips-hill.co.uk or tel: 01608 676 830. Tickets are priced £10 each with all proceeds going to the Village Hall Project.

For more information and to book tickets, click here.

Raffle & Spot Prizes to be won!

Last weekend, Newbury Racecourse in Berkshire enjoyed a perfect day for the 60th running of Hennessy Gold Cup. Run over 3 miles and 2½ furlongs, the £200,000 Hennessy Gold Cup is one of racing’s biggest tests for horse and jockey, won by many of racing’s best loved stars including Mandarin, Arkle and Denman. This year, the trophy was presented by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Wine Tipster backed Native River who set off as 7-2 favourite and crossed the line half-a-length in front of fast-finishing Carole’s Destrier (25-1) with Double Ross (50-1) a gallant third. Native River not only jumped well but showed he’s also a stayer in an impressive and exciting finish. It was also The Wine Tipster’s nap of the day in his On The Box column in Racing Plus continuing his fantastic tipping run.

This win formed the middle of a treble for trainer Colin Tizzard, a yard in great form at the moment, enjoying wins for Thistlecrack and Ultragold (9-2) in the bet365 Handicap Chase.

The Wine Tipster took some time out to chat with Radio Berkshire where he shared his tips and enjoyed a warming cocktail appropriately named, Horse’s neck. It is a combination of Hennessy Fine de Cognac with ginger ale and a slice of lime. Ideal for a winter’s day at the Races.
This Friday and Saturday The Wine Tipster will be presenting at The Tingle Creek Christmas Festival at Sandown Park in Esher. Sandown Park is a wonderful racecourse and, as ever,we have two cracking days of racing ahead.

See you there!

Rock On Ruby was my nap of the day in my On The Box column in Racing Plus last Saturday and I was delighted to see this likeable nine-year-old take control at the top of the hill, scoring his first success over the smaller obstacles at two and a half miles.

Cheltenham is a home game for Ruby On Ruby and Harry Fry his trainer was delighted with his performance, whilst the youngest family member, Ruby, born November 25th, was there in the unsaddling enclosure to cheer in the winner.

At the Cheltenham Festival in March Rock On Ruby could appear in the three mile Ladbrokes World Hurdle, however I’m not convinced that the extra half mile will really suit him and the two and a half mile Aintree Hurdle looks the right card to play.

The celebrity racehorse Mad Moose was returning from his racecourse ban at the same meeting, once again deciding to down tools at the start despite the genuine jump racing crowd willing him on.

Mad Moose’s owners Middleham Park Racing have decided that is enough and his trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies said “We love him dearly but he really is a complete sod! “.

Have a lovely retirement Mad Moose.