Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sports World |
- Yzerman gets chance to show Red Wings what he learned in Detroit
- Forpady ruled out of Ryanair Cheltenham Festival challenge
- Spender to miss Kempton and head straight to Cheltenham
| Yzerman gets chance to show Red Wings what he learned in Detroit Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:27 AM PST With Tampa Bay Lightning enjoying a fantastic season so far, their coach and rookie GM Steve Yzerman is now is going to have to let his head rule his heart as he faces the franchise at which he made his name in the NHL. Steve Yzerman has admitted that this is the first that he wants the Red Wings to be defeated by another franchise, and he'll know that he will need to utilise all the skills and training that he learned as a grunt coach at Detroit if he is to stand a chance of defeating possibly the greatest franchise in NHL history, and the ice hockey odds suggest he has every chance of doing this. However, with Yzerman already transforming his previously underperforming side to one that can realistically challenge for a spot in the playoffs this season, the challenge of playing against the Red Wings is just a minor moment in the rebuilding of the Tampa Bay franchise from one that has been seen as a bit of a joke to one that is seen as being a real contender to win the magnificent Stanley Cup. Having said that, although this may just be a minor game, the reality is that a victory against the Red Wings could be the kind of result that sees the Lightning really start to believe that they are not only a side good enough to win the South East Division, but one also capable of going the whole way and showing that they can compete against the very best from an incredibly strong Western Conference. Should Yzerman manage to upstage his old side, this may be the start of another special chapter in his already magnificent career.  |
| Forpady ruled out of Ryanair Cheltenham Festival challenge Posted: 17 Feb 2011 05:17 AM PST Tom Cooper's smart performer Forpadydeplasterer will not take his chance in the Ryanair Chase at next month's Cheltenham Festival after failing to recover in sufficient time from his exertions when a sick horse in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park last month, Runner-up in last season's Queen Mother Champion Chase to fellow Irish star Big Zeb, the nine-year-old has been attempting to fashion a career over longer distances this term and held a speculative entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (as well as in the Champion Chase once again), but Cooper made it clear some time ago that the Ryanair Chase was the event they were targeting for horse racing Ireland A runner-up to Albertas Run over two-and-a-half miles in the Grade 1 Melling Chase last April, the Moscow Society gelding went to Kempton's delayed 'King George' in January on the back of a solid effort over the minimum trip when chasing home the useful Gauvain in November. But at Kempton the Irish horse was never travelling with his usual fluency and was beaten such a long way from home that the extended trip was never going to be revealed to be the cause of his failure to complete the course which affected Irish horse racing tips. After pulling up before the 12th fence, Cooper took his stable star home and soon found he was suffering from an infection. That illness was soon overcome but it has taken longer than anticipated for Forpadydeplasterer to get back into the old routine so connections have taken the decision not to rush his preparation to have him ready for Cheltenham, and instead look to the Punchestown Festival on home soil in April. Poquelin, trained by Paul Nicholls, remains the clear punters pick at present for the Ryanair Chase and is a solid 4/1 market leader.  |
| Spender to miss Kempton and head straight to Cheltenham Posted: 17 Feb 2011 04:16 AM PST Colin Tizzard has revealed the latest plans for his talented handicapper Hey Big Spender who bounced right back to his best with an impressive win under a big weight at Warwick recently, writes Elliot Slater. Tizzard has his strongest ever team heading to the Cheltenham Festival next month, headed by Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Cue Card, smart novice chaser Hell's Bay, Triumph Hurdle candidate Third Intention, and Hey Big Spender, who after his recent success will go directly to Cheltenham and miss the Racing Post Chase, a race for which he had been quoted at around 16/1 in most ante-post lists. Carrying 11st 12lbs in the class 2 handicap chase over two-miles and five furlongs at Warwick, Tizzard's eight-year-old led at the 13th and always had the race under control from then on. He ran out a four-length winner from Fine Parchment, confirming himself back to the kind of form that saw him beat John Smith's Grand National candidate Big Fella Thanks in good style in a Carlisle graduation chase earlier in the season and looks a decent prospect in the Cheltenham odds. Fancied by many good judges to run a big race in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his subsequent outing, the Rudimentary gelding led for much of the trip but had faded out of contention when taking a tired fall at the final fence. A lack lustre run at Cheltenham on New Year's Day did little to inspire confidence for the rest of the term, but clearly Tizzard has his charge back to close to his best now and has the option of bidding for either the Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase, or the Ryanair Chase, a race for which he is priced up at around 33/1 with most firms.  |
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