James Crespi unveiled as new Epsom General Manager

Now Is The Hour lunged late to claim a dramatic last-gasp victory in the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park. A fiercely-competitive field of 18 runners went to post for the latest renewal of the prestigious handicap and while the Willie Mullins-trained 7-2 favourite Captain Cody was an early casualty, the champion trainer still looked set to strike Thyestes gold for a record-extending 11th time, as Spanish Harlem and 7lb claimer Sean Cleary-Farrell held sway on the approach to the final fence. However, the race quickly changed complexion, with the eight-year-old unseating his rider and seemingly handing the race the hat-trick-seeking Better Times Ahead, only for Eoin Staples to conjure a late charge out of Now Is The Hour to join him close to the line. Following a brief but tense wait, the judge confirmed Now Is The Hour (8-1) had got up by a head, completing a treble on the card for Gold Cup-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell, who had not saddled a winner with his previous 40 runners. He said: “This is unbelievable stuff and I wasn’t sure if he had won, as it was close. Eoin was very good on him and is great value for his 5lb claim. It is a fantastic race to win and what a difference a day can make! “It is the first time he has got his ground since he won a Grade Two hurdle race at Haydock. “The race is a big part of the calendar with a huge history and while I had finished second in this race last year, it is great to have your name on the cup.” Nick Rockett landed last year’s Thyestes Chase before going on to win the Randox Grand National at Aintree for Willie and Patrick Mullins, a double also achieved by Hedgehunter (2005) and Numbersixvalverde (2006). Now Is The Hour was cut to 20-1 from 33-1 for the world’s most famous steeplechase by Coral, but Cromwell is first aiming to settle some unfinished business at the Cheltenham Festival, with his charge having fallen two from home when still in contention for last season’s National Hunt Chase. “He again qualifies for the National Hunt Chase so will go straight there, despite having a penalty for winning this,” Cromwell added. “You couldn’t have said he was beaten when falling at the second-last at Cheltenham last March and he was a maiden (over fences) coming here, so it was a nice way to break his maiden tag. “If he doesn’t do anything else, he has been fantastic for us and we have been on the cold list for a while, so this is well appreciated. “There was definitely a period when my horses were out of form, but I had a lot of moderate and badly handicapped ones too, which probably made everything look a lot worse. “We didn’t get to restock like you’d love to for this season and last year we were so lucky to win big handicaps when everything fell into place. We had the first three home in the Dan Moore Chase last year, but those same horses ran again this year when they were badly handicapped. That’s the nature of the game.” #horseracing Must-see compilations and best bits ➡️ http://y2u.be/Kfl2CXtG6xA Greatest Hits! Some of our most amazing action ➡️ http://y2u.be/AfNpAewK4m4 Feature-length documentaries for racing lovers ➡️ http://y2u.be/xIprr1hNCeA Thrills, spills and funnies! ➡️ http://y2u.be/AHqOQUnNhXo Racing Greats ➡️ http://y2u.be/74MKoH7TLIE All the best Group One and Grade One action ➡️ http://y2u.be/mOq9ZgMn_ME Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland. Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs Read less

Joseph O’Brien will give Home By The Lee a fifth shot at the Stayers’ Hurdle after he bounced back to form at Gowran Park. The 11-year-old has run in the three-mile hurdling crown at the Cheltenham Festival in each of the past four seasons, finishing sixth in 2022, fifth in 2023, third in 2024 and then unseating his regular partner J J Slevin last season. The 10-time winner had disappointed on his last couple of outings, most recently finishing fourth behind Teahupoo in a first-time visor when bidding for back-to-back Christmas Hurdle wins at Leopardstown. But with the visor removed and blinkers reapplied, Home By The Lee (3-1) showed his true colours in the Grade Two John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle, eventually wearing down the 9-4 favourite Staffordshire Knot in the testing conditions to prevail by half a length. O’Brien said: “He has bundles of stamina and a great will to win, which are two things you need to win here today with the conditions. I am very proud of the horse and being an 11-year-old, we will enjoy every run that he has left. “It is a prestigious race to win and hopefully there is more to come this season.” Home By The Lee was cut to 33-1 from 50-1 by Coral for the Stayers’ Hurdle, and his trainer added: “We were feeling our way with him when he finished second in this race back in 2022 and he has been a high-level staying hurdler for the last number of seasons. “On the figures he has run right up to his best today and he will go back to Cheltenham for the fifth time in March. He got brought down last year, which was probably his best shot, but you never know what might happen this year.” #horseracing Must-see compilations and best bits ➡️ http://y2u.be/Kfl2CXtG6xA Greatest Hits! Some of our most amazing action ➡️ http://y2u.be/AfNpAewK4m4 Feature-length documentaries for racing lovers ➡️ http://y2u.be/xIprr1hNCeA Thrills, spills and funnies! ➡️ http://y2u.be/AHqOQUnNhXo Racing Greats ➡️ http://y2u.be/74MKoH7TLIE All the best Group One and Grade One action ➡️ http://y2u.be/mOq9ZgMn_ME Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland. Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs Read less

"I think he's very, very good," says leading amateur and Grand National-winning jockey Patrick Mullins after a winning racecourse debut for Our Trigger. He could be set for the 2026 Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival before a likely exciting career over obstacles for perennial champion trainer Willie Mullins. Read less

Wow! Spanish Harlem looks the winner of the famous handicap but for a final-fence unseat under his young rider, while beneficiaries Mark Walsh and Better Times Ahead are collared on the line by Now Is The Hour for jockey Eoin Staples and trainer Gavin Cromwell in the historic feature and annual highlight at Gowran Park. Read less

The old favourite and two-time Grade 1 winner is set for a fifth crack at the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after showing his abundant stamina under J J Slevin in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park for trainer Joseph O'Brien. Read less

Danny Archer is joined by Dan Overall and Jake Price to preview this weekend's Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham. Sir Gino and The New Lion clash in the International Hurdle, whilst Grey Dawning headlines four runners in the Cotswold Chase. There's also NAPs and strong fancies across both Cheltenham and Doncaster! Must-see compilations and best bits ➡️ http://y2u.be/Kfl2CXtG6xA Greatest Hits! Some of our most amazing action ➡️ http://y2u.be/AfNpAewK4m4 Feature-length documentaries for racing lovers ➡️ http://y2u.be/xIprr1hNCeA Thrills, spills and funnies! ➡️ http://y2u.be/AHqOQUnNhXo Racing Greats ➡️ http://y2u.be/74MKoH7TLIE All the best Group One and Grade One action ➡️ http://y2u.be/mOq9ZgMn_ME Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland. Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs Read less

11 Group 1 winners will battle for riches at Meydan’s superb ‘Fashion Friday’ meeting this weekend. The Longines-sponsored nine-race card stages two Thoroughbred Group 1 races, including the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge, worth AED3,680,000, offering guaranteed entry to the winner for the $12million Dubai World Cup on 28 March. It features the last two winners Walk Of Stars and Kabirkhan, both trained by Bhupat Seemar, who has six of the nine runners. Seemar also trains Artorius for owners Juddmonte, who finished second to Heart Of Honor in the Listed Entisar last time out. Imperial Emperor was the impressive winner of the G2 Al Maktoum Mile last time out and steps back up in trip here. Taking on the Seemar team is Heart Of Honor, who beat four of Friday’s rivals last time with a late run to secure victory in the Entisar. The G1 Jebel Hatta [presented by Longines], race seven, looks to revolve around Opera Ballo, who was hugely taking when winning the G2 Rashidiya in December. Taking him on is stablemate Nations Pride, a four-time G1 winner, as well as G1 Canadian International winner Silawi, for trainer Hamad Al Jehani. Midak, making his first start for trainer Ian Williams and owner Fitri Hay, looks a fascinating recruit having won a Group 3 in France last May, while last year’s third Holloway Boy and Charlie Fellowes’ Vafortino complete the line-up. The G2 Al Fahidi Fort, race three, over 1400metres on turf, features a rematch between the last two winners; Mysterious Night, successful in 2024 and Marbaan, who beat him last year. Witness Stand, winner of the G2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood in July, makes his local debut for trainers Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole. The G3 Al Shindagha Sprint, race four, over 1200metres on dirt, is a fascinating affair, with G3 Dubawi Stakes winner El Nasseeb clashing again with second, third and fourth Mufasa, Colour Up and Dark Saffron. Seemar, who won this race 12 months ago with Tuz, runs three, including impressive last out handicap winner Drew’s Gold. Mufasa carries the same silks of RRR Racing and has stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea on board. The G3 UAE 2000 Guineas has attracted a strong field of 16, including Appleby’s Devon Island, winner of both his Meydan starts to date. Bhupat Seemar trainer trains four in here, including Six Speed, winner of the Guineas trial last time out. The G2 Blue Point Sprint [presented by Longines], race five, has its defending champion in West Acre, winner 12 months ago for British trainer George Scott. The four-year-old was last seen finishing second to the reopposing Spartan Arrow at Dundalk in October. West Acre’s ten rivals include Cover Up, winner of the Listed Dubai Dash over this track and trip in December. Must-see compilations and best bits ➡️ http://y2u.be/Kfl2CXtG6xA Greatest Hits! Some of our most amazing action ➡️ http://y2u.be/AfNpAewK4m4 Feature-length documentaries for racing lovers ➡️ http://y2u.be/xIprr1hNCeA Thrills, spills and funnies! ➡️ http://y2u.be/AHqOQUnNhXo Racing Greats ➡️ http://y2u.be/74MKoH7TLIE All the best Group One and Grade One action ➡️ http://y2u.be/mOq9ZgMn_ME Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland. Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs Read less

On the latest episode of our behind-the-scenes programme, we visit Lucinda Russell and her operation at Arlary House Stables, including joint-trainer Michael Scudamore and assistant and legendary former jumps rider Peter Scudamore. We also hear from rider Stephen Mulqueen on his successful stint in the States and we head to the Dundee pub of owner Jimmy Fyffe, who tells us about his ambitions in horse racing and the exciting young prospects he has coming through. #thisracinglife #horseracing Must-see compilations and best bits ➡️ http://y2u.be/Kfl2CXtG6xA Greatest Hits! Some of our most amazing action ➡️ http://y2u.be/AfNpAewK4m4 Feature-length documentaries for racing lovers ➡️ http://y2u.be/xIprr1hNCeA Thrills, spills and funnies! ➡️ http://y2u.be/AHqOQUnNhXo Racing Greats ➡️ http://y2u.be/74MKoH7TLIE All the best Group One and Grade One action ➡️ http://y2u.be/mOq9ZgMn_ME Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland. Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs Read less

Great to see the old friend still being ridden out every day at the Lucinda Russell stable in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, on the latest episode of our popular behind-the-scenes programme This Racing Life. Read less