Racing

Steeplechasing enjoyed a successful return to Fair Hill

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May 27, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

FAIR HILL, Md.--Steeplechasing finally returned to Fair Hill, and the day was a huge success, with the new turf course holding up beautifully despite days of rain and large fields of runners on Memorial Day, May 25..

Predominate, ridden by Graham Watters, leads Neotopic and Take Your Seats in the Valentine (Photo by Tod Marks)Charlie Fenwick, President of the Fair Hill Foundation, had twice the reasons to celebrate, as not only was it a great day of racing, but, as co-owner of Bruton Street-US, he had a winner and two seconds.

"It's been seven years since we've had racing at Fair Hill," said Fenwick. "The whole turf track was redone. The Fair Hill Foundation paid for a lot of that. We were delighted with the day."

"There was lots of anxiety before the races, but it went off beautifully," said Fenwick. "The sport was terrific. There were 83 runners. That's the biggest field Fair Hill has ever had and maybe the biggest field this year."

"The turf was superb," said Fenwick. "It had absorbed three inches of day from two days before the races. It was unfortunate that there had not been flat racing on Sunday, but hopefully we can get flat horses back on the course soon."

A full day of flat racing had been scheduled for Sunday, May 24, but racing was cancelled due to the downpour the day before.

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Mark Beecher won three at Potomac Hunt Races

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May 19, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

SENECA, Md.--Mark Beecher saddled the winners of three races, including the featured Open Hurdle, at the Potomac Hunt Races on Sunday, May 17.

Mark Beecher Daniel R. Baker's Decisive Triumph, ridden by Dan Nevin, won the $7,500, 2 1/8 mile Preakness Open Hurdle by about 9 lengths over Solomon's Choice, trained by Jason Cole.

"Decisive Triumph is 13 now, so he's not allowed to run in sanctioned races, under the National Steeplechase rules." said Beecher. "He just went around nicely and won with a smile on his face." 

Pelham Road's Awesome Strike (On), ridden by Nevin, won the $5,000, 3 mile Novice Timber by a nose over Auction Kingdom, trained by Neil Morris, and Sir Lenny, trained by Cole.

:Awesome Strike is a nice horse for the future," said Beecher. "He's 7, and we've had him for a year and a half. This was his second timber start, after he was third at the Piedmont Point-to-Point. Last year, he won the maiden hurdle at Camden, but in my eyes he was always going to be a timber horse."

"He'll have the summer off and then run in the maiden timber at Shawan," said Beecher.

Turks Head Turf's Grace Darling (Ire), ridden by Sophie O'Brien, won the $1,000, 1 1/2 mile Amateur Open Flat race by 2 1/2 lengths over Outperform, trained by Joe Davies, and Why Why Not, trained by Todd Wyatt.

"She's a little mare owned by Betsy Barr," said Beecher. "She just had a nice little run around, because she's running this weekend at Fair Hill."

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Kathy Neilson had two winners at Radnor Races

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May 19, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

MALVERN,Pa.--Kathy Neilson saddled two winners, including Philip My Dear in the featured National Hunt Cup, at the Radnor Hunt Races on Saturday, May 16.

Philip My Dear, left, leads Roja Redemption over the last fence in the National Hunt Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Commonwealth Racing's Philip My Dear, ridden by Freddie Procter, won the $35,000, 2 1/8 mile National Hunt Cup Allowance Hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths over Roja Redemption, trained by Jack Fisher, and Starforce,trained by Ricky Hendriks.

"My daughter Skylar found Philip My Dear, he was being trained by a Kentucky trainer," said Neilson. "He loves a right-handed track. He's fast. He made a lot of money on the flat. But he''s much better on a right-handed track, so it's a little tricky as to where he goes to race. He'll go next to Callaway and Shawan, as both are right-handed."

"Skylar loves him and trains him," said Neilson. "He really should be named Skylar My Dear."

Motley Crew Racing's Marcel Magic (Ire), ridden by Evan Dwan, won the $25,000, 3 1/4 mile Radnor Hunt Cup Allowance Timber by 4 3/4 lengths over Anzio, trained by Sandra Webb, and Total Joy (Ire, trained by Leslie Young.

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Joe Davies had three winners at Willowdale, two for Armata

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May 12, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa.--Joe Davies saddled three winners at Willowdale Steeplechase on Saturday, May 9, including two, The Ballybreen Fox (Ire) and De Nordener (Ire), for Armata Stables.

Bogey's Image, ridden by Teddy Davies, leads Huyana early in the Timber Stakes (Photo by Jim Graham)Davies also saddled Bogey's Image to win the featured Willowdale Timber Stakes.

"It was a good day," said Davies.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Ben Griswold, primary owner of Armata Stables. 

Armata Stables' The Ballybreen Fox, ridden by Teddy Davies, won the $15,000, 3 mile Maiden Timber by 3 lengths over Doesn't Sting (GB), trained by Jack Fisher, and Shining Marble (Ire), trained by Kathy Neilson.

Armata's De Nordener,, ridden by Charlie Marshall, won the $15,000 Foxhunter's Chase Apprentice Rider Timber by 4 3/4 lengths over Old Style Humor (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher, and The Kid Rocks, trained by Meriweather Morris. 

"We've had The Ballybreen Fox a couple of years," said Griswold. "He came with that name, straight from County Tipperary.'

"We've had De Nordener a couple of years, too," said Griswold. "Charlie Marshall, who rode Mr. Fine Threads to win the Maryland Hunt Cup, found both of them for us."

"They probably won't run again this spring," said Griswold. "As for where they'll go next, the one race we all want to win is the Maryland Hunt Cup. That's a huge goal. The odds of winning that race are so small."

Armata Stables has won the Maryland Hunt Cup four times, including most recently this spring, 

"Armata Stables has been in business for 32 years, running in it every year,, so that's how often you have tor run in it to win," said Griswold.

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Little Trilby won the G1 Stakes at the Gold Cup for Ricky Hendriks

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May 4, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

THE PLAINS, Va.--Ricky Hendriks saddled Little Trilby (GB) to win the G1, 2 1/8 mile Commonwealth Cup at the Virginia Gold Cup on Saturday, May 2.

Little Trilby, left, duels with Jimmy P early in the Commonwealth Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)"He ran a big race," said Hendriks,who has had Little Trilby for almost two years.

Owned by Del Rio Racing and ridden by Conor Tierney, Little Trilby won by 6 3/4 lengths over Welshman, trained by Jack Fisher, and Merry Maker (Ire), trained by Arch Kingsley.

"Little Trilby had just won two races in Ireland, and a friend of mine called me and said we should get him," said Hendriks, who got the horse in August, 2024.

Little Trilby won the Holiday Cup Stakes at Aiken that fall for Hendriks and now has four wins, all in Stakes, and a second in 10 races in this country.

He was just unlucky last year," said Hendriks. "He won the Stakes at the Gold Cup here in the fall, but they had just dropped it from a grade 1 to a grade 2, and then he fell at the Colonial Cup. We still can't understand why he fell in that race."

"He's a very straight forward hose to train," said Hendriks. "We had this race targeted from early spring. My team did a great job getting him ready."

"It all paid off Saturday," he said. "That was by far his best race. He's just 6, so hopefully he's just coming into himself."

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Leslie Young and Ricky Hendriks had winners at Middleburg Point-to-Point

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April 29, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

MIDDLEBURG, Va.--Broken Vow (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, won the Maiden Hurdle and Jamestown, trained by Ricky Hendriks, won the Restricted Maiden Hurdle at the Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point on Sunday, April 26.

Leslie Young Leslie Young saddled Silverton Hill's Broken Vow (Ire), ridden by Luke Carberry, to win the 2 1/8 mile Maiden Hurdle by 2 lengths over Sir Lenny, trained by Cole, and Bandoola, trained by Hendriks.

"Kevin Prendergast bred Broken Vow, and she ran once at Lingfield on the flat and won," said Young. "I bought her in a digital sale. We've had her since February. This was her first race for us. She ran great."

"She's easy to train," said Young. "For a little rd-headed filly, she's a good girl. She's  nominated for Iroquois, but maybe she'll go to Fair Hill instead."

Broken Vow landed in front of long time leader Sir Lenny over the last fence and went on to win at Midleburg.

Uco Valley is okay, but he's not good enough to go to the Gold Cup," said Young of the gelding that was leading in the Grand National when Justin Batoff on Storm Team steered right into Uco Valley in an attempt to avoid cutting a flag.

Both Uco Valley and Storm Team, as well as their jockeys, are lucky not to have been badly hurt if not killed.

Batoff has since resigned his jockey's license and will ride races no more.

Jamestown, trained by Hendriks, owned by Leamington Racing and ridden by Jake Coen, won the Restricted Maiden by 7 lengths over T Rex, trained by Lawrence Smith, and Ladsfirstlove, trained by Jason Cole.

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Cyber Ninja won the $75,000 Novice Stake at Foxfield

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April 28, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--Riverdee Stable had a good day at the Foxfield Spring Races on Saturday, April 25, finishing first and second in two races, including in the featured $75,000 Danial Van Clief Novice Stakes.

Cyber Ninja and Rocket One, first and second in the Novice Stakes (Photo courtesy of Camden Littleton)Cyber Ninja,trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Jamie Bargary, won the $75,000, 2 1/8 mile Novice Stakes by 1/2 length over Rocket One, also owned by Riverdee and trained by Fisher, and Mr. Percy (Ire), trained by Neil Morris was third, another 2 3/4 lengths back.

"We bought Cyber Ninja in the fall of '24 off Bill Mott," said Sean Clancy, manager of Riverdee Stable."We gave him the winter off. Last year was his first full year racing for us."

Riverdee raced Cyber Ninja both on the flat and over fences last year, and he placed second in an allowance on the flat and won an allowance over fences.

"I felt confident going into this race off last year," said Clancy. "He was sitting third, with two way off in front, but I knew we had those two measured. At the top of the hill he got a little flat."

Cyber Ninja was fourth over the last fence but rallied in the stretch for the win.

"I was impressed by him," said Bargary. "He's one of the best I've ever sat on."

"He's nominated for the Novice at Nashville," said Clancy.

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Mr. Fine Threads won the Maryland Hunt Cup

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April 28, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

GLYNDON, Md.--Mr. Fine Threads won the Maryland Hunt Cup on a rainy Saturday, April 25 for owner Armata Stable's fourth win and trainer Joe Davies' eight win in the most difficult timber race in the world.

Mr. Fine Threads leads Great Road at the 6th (Photo by Tammie J. Monaco)Ridden by Charlie Marshall, Mr. Fine Threads won by 6 lengths over Shootist, trained by Todd McKenna and Royal Ruse, trained by Sanna Neilson.

Seven of the nine starters finished, with Withoutmoreado, who won in 2024 and was second last year, and Road to Oz, who won last year, being the only two that fell.

"The third time was the charm," said Davies of Mr. Fine Threads, who had fallen in his first two runs in the Hunt Cup. "It started raining 10 minutes before the race, not enough to soften the ground but enough to make it slippery."

"Withoutmoreado slipped on the take-off at the sixth,"said Davies of the horse ridden by son Teddy. "Teddy's okay and is planning to ride in the Gold Cup this weekend."

"Mr. Fine Threads had a pretty quiet first fences at the back of the field and began to move forward at the 16th," he said. 

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The Maryland Hunt Cup to be an exciting competition

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April 22, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

GLYNDON,  Md.--This year's Maryland Hunt Cup may be one of the most exciting and hard fought ever, with a big field 10 entered for the 4 p.m. race on Saturday, April 25.

Road To Oz, left, and Withoutmoreado in last year's finishThe field included two past winners, Withoutmoreado, who won in 2023 and finished second last year after losing his rider in 2024, and Road to Oz, who won last year over Withoutmreado in his first attempt at the daunting 4 mile race that includes 22 stiff timber fences ranging from 4' to 4'10 in height.

Getting around the course is a challenge in itself.

With a very close finish between Road to Oz and Wiithoutmoreado last year, it could be just a rematch, but there are a number of other strong contenders to challenge them.

Also entered are two horses besides Withoutmoreado that have finished second; Shootist, who finished second in 2024 and also finished fourth in 2023; and Royal Ruse, who was second in 2023 and lost his rider in 2024.

Of the remaining entries, Monbeg Stream (Ire) finished fourth last year, Mr. Fine Threads and Great Road, both of which fell last year, and Storm Team, Animal Kingston and The Butler Yates (Ire), who are the three first time entrants.

All the horses must be ridden by amateurs.

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Cyril Murphy had two winners at Loudoun

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April 21, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

LEESBURG, Va.--Cyril Murphy saddled two winners in the recognized races at the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point races on Sunday, April 19.

Ranger ThunderboltIrv Naylor's Ranger Thunderbolt, ridden by Harry Beswick, won the $20,000, 2 1/4 mile Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 30 1/2 lengths over Army Times, trained by Neil Morris, and Carnane (Ire), trained by Kathy Neilson.

"We've had Ranger Thunderbolt for quite some time, since November 2023," said Murphy. "Sunday was the first time he got to the races. He had all kinds of injuries. He won quite nicely. Hopefully, he will win again."

Belfast Banter (Ire), owned by Naylor and ridden by Elizabeth Scully,, won the $15,000 Apprentice Rider hurdle by a head over Walk the Warrior (Ire), trained by Leslie Yong, and Clifton Down (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher.

"That was great for Belfast Banter and for Elizabeth," said Murphy. "Elizaabeth comesin to rideout for us twice a week and has been forquite a while."

"Belfast Banter won the A.P. Smithwicjk a couple of years ago and then had a tendon injury that kept him away for two years. Last year he had to run in stakes, and his old legs couldn't keep up. He's 11 and not that competitive now. Now, because he didn't win a stake last year, he can run in apprentice races, and luckliy the apprentice races give him a chance. The alternative would have been retirement. He enjoys training and still has a desire tor race.=, so the apprentice races are great."

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Mr. Fine Threads won the Grand National for Joe and Teddy Davies

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April 20, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

BUTLER, Md.--Joe Davies saddled Mr. Fine Threads to win the $50,000, 3 1/4 mile Grand National Timber Stakes on Saturday, April 18 after barely avoiding a catastrophic collision that took out three horses.

Mr. Fine Threads after splitting loose horses (Photo by Robert Keller)Mr. Fine Threads, owned by Ben Griswold's Armata Stables and ridden by Teddy Davies, won by 3 lengths over Shootist, trained by Todd McKenna, and Master Seville, trained by Mark Beecher, with Royal Ruse, trained by Sana Meilson, the only other finisher, fourth.

Approaching the 11th fence while Uco Valley (Ire) was leading, Justin Batoff on Storm Team wandered way off to the right outside of a flag.

Despite having already been off course, Batoff dragged his horse sharp left and collided violently with Uco Valley, throwing both riders to the ground.  

Riderless, Uco Valley and Storm Team veered sharp right to avoid jumping the fence just as Davies was approaching.

"Teddy said that he had a split second to decide whether to try to pull up or to go between Uco Valley and Storm Team," said Joe Davies.

Teddy chose to try to go through, and he just squeaked through by a hair's length.

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Jack Fisher won both stakes at the Middleburg Spring Races

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April 20, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

MIDDLEBURG,Va.--Jack Fisher saddled his mother's Keys Discount to win the Timber Stakes and then in the next race saddled Riverdee Stable's Zabeel Champion (GB) to win the G2 Temple Gwathmey Stakes.

Zabeel Champion, left, and Ziggle Pops early in the Temple Gwathmey (Photo by Tod Marks)Zabeel Champion, ridden by Freddie Procter, won the G2, $100,000, 2 1/2 mile Temple Gwathmy  by 1 length over Hidden Path, trained by Ricky Hendriks, and Ziggle Pops, also trained by Fisher.

"The plan is to go to Iroguois," said Fisher. "We expected this to just be a school."

Fisher said this win moved Zabeel Champion up in his estimation.

"Zabeel Champion was owned by some English owners that sent him over here in  2023, said Sean Clancy, manager of the Riverdee syndicate. "I manged him for them, and he won the Appleton Hurdle Stakes and the Noel Laing Stakes. Riverdee bought him in 2024. He was a really good third at Iroquois to Snap Decision that year." 

"He doesn't run in the summer. Last year in the Iroquois he was running well and was right in contention when he fell over the last fence. We couldn't figure out why he fell, he jumped the fence fine, just fell after it. We were getting him ready to run in the fall, but he had a minor issue, so we stopped with him."

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Grahamzilla won at Blue Ridge for Ricky Hendriks

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April 15, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

BERRYVILLE, Va.--Ricky Hendriks saddled Grahamzilla to win the $20,000, 2 mile Maiden Starter/Maiden Claiming Hurdle at the Blue Ridge Point-to-Point on Saturday, April11.

Ricky HendriksLeamington Racing's Grahamzilla, ridden by Graham Watters, won by 1 1/2 lengths over Coal Boss, trained by Kate Dalton, and Lord Donegal, trained by Neil Morris.

"We got Grahamzilla about three or four months before the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, and he won the flat race there," said Hendriks. "Peter McCausland''s Leamington Racing is a new owner for me."

:Grahamzilla was second at Aiken," said Hendriks. "Conor Tierney rode him there, but he's hurt, so Graham filled in for us."

"He was a big, gangling horse when we got him," said Hendriks. "Jessica McCabe worked with him. She did a lot of dressage with him. It was exciting to see him come together. Maybe he'll go to Willowdale next."  

Kate Dalton saddled Hard Par, owned by MBH Stable, Soda Rock Stable and Dalton and ridden by Bernie Dalton, won the second division of the $20,000 Maiden Starter/Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 2 1/4 lengths over El Bello, trained by David Bourke, and Hello Newman, trained by Barry Foley.

Hard Par went right to the front and led all the way, running comfortably, and won easily, an impressive first race.

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Maryland Moon won at Mount Harmon-Wicomico Point-to-Point

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April 14, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

EARLEVILLE, Md.--Willy Dowling saddled Maryland Moon to win the $2,500, 3 mile Open Timber at the Mount Harmon-Wicomico Point-to-Point on Sunday, April 12.

Before the races at Mount Harmon Frank A. Bonsal Jr.'s Maryland Moon, ridden by Gerard Galligan, won comfortably over Fit for a King and Noah And The Ark (Ire), both trained by Todd McKenna.

"I've had him for about two years," said Dowling.

Maryland Moon ran on the flat, owned and trained by Lacey Gaudet, for three years.

Bonsal acquired Maryland Moon in 2024, and, with Dowling as trainer, switched him to hurdles.

"I ran him over hurdles, but he was never quite fast enough," said Dowling. "Frank Bonsal is a big timber owner, so we switched him to timber this year,"

"He ran at Green Spring, but he wheeled at the start, so he was never in it," said Dowling.

"Gerard gave him a great ride at Mount Harmon," said Dowling. " He won eased down, the jockey never touched him."

He's by Malibu Moon," Dowling said. "The Malibu Moons are tough, but they want to run. He'll go to Fair Hill or Wilowdale in the timber race."

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Uco Valley won the My Lady's Manor Timber Stakes

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April 14, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

MONKTON, Md.--Uco Valley (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, won the $50,000, 3 mile My Lady's Manor Timber Stakes on Saturday, April 11.  

Uco Valley takes a jump early in the My Lady's Manor (Photo by Tod Marks)Uco Valley, owned by Potter Group USA, Gaskells Waste Service and Ashwell Stales and ridden by Darren Andrews, won by 6 1/4 lengths over Animal Kingston, trained by Neil Morris, and The Butler Yates (Ire), also trained by Young.

Bogey's Image, trained by Joe Davies and ridden by Teddy Davies, actually won the race, but after a very long Steward's inquiry, Bogey's Image was disqualified for carrying the incorrect weight.

Apparently, when Davies weighed out after the race, he was carrying a pound less than the 165 assigned weight.

"Nobody wants to win that way," said Young. "I feel badly for Teddy, Joe and the owners. But I don't make the rules."

"Uco Valley jumped great," said Young. "I had Darren Andrews over from England, and Uco Valley relaxed incredibly well for him. That's funny, because he's usually quite keen. He was so relaxed he was a bit far back in the field. I would have felt better if he was up where my other horse, The Butler Yates, was. He had too much to do at the end to catch Bogey's Image."

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