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Fahey starts 2010 in same vein as 2009.

Yorkshire based trainer Richard Fahey enjoyed a very successful season in 2009, and with his Stonecrabstomorrow winning the Claimer at Southwell this afternoon, it would seem the trainer is determined to 'pinch a lead on his rivals' for the 2010 flat racing season.

Cumani rules out Dubai for Man Of Iron.

Formerly with Aidan O'Brien when winning last November's Breeders Cup Marathon, Man Of Iron has now been transferred to the care of Luca Cumani in Newmarket, and it was thought the new acquisition would continue his winter racing career by competing in the Dubai International Carnival of Racing.

However, in an interview today, Luca Cumani indicated Man Of Iron will not go to the Gulf, and instead, he will be prepared for a major summer campaign throughout Europe.

Trainers laying out post thaw plans.

In various interviews today, three british based trainers have indicated their racing plans for certain stable stars providing a thaw sets in during January:

- David Pipe has pencilled-in Well Chief for the £105,000 Victor Chandler Clarence House Stakes at Ascot on 23 January.

- Ian Williams is looking for a suitable three mile novice chase for his currently unbeatne first year novice chaser Weird Al, and with the RSA Chase as his preferred objective, a second outing at Cheltenham on 30 January could be a distinct possibility.

- With one eye on a suitable novice hurdle event at the Cheltenham Festival, Robin Dickin is aiming Challow Hurdle runner-up Restless Harry at suitable hurdling engagements at either Cheltenham or Warwick during January.

All weather tracks forced to inspect.

Tolworth switched to Ffoslas.

The Blue Square sponsered Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle, lost when last Saturday's meeting at Sandown Park was cancelled due to a frozen racing circuit, is, weather permitting, to form part of this coming Saturday's card at Ffoslas racecourse in south west Wales.

Providing the meeting goes ahead, it will now contain the SIS sponsered £50,000 Welsh Champion Hurdle, plus the rescheduled £35,000 Tolworth Hurdle, with both being shown on Channel 4's Saturday afternoon racing programme.

Although Lingfield Park and Kempton Park all weather circuits are currently raceable, heavy snowfall is forecast for both venues over the next twenty four hours, and as the volume of snow could cause timing problems in regard to clearing the all weather racing circuits ahead of tomorrow afternoon's scheduled fixtures, then as a precaution, both racecourses have decided to call inspections of their respective racing facilities early tomorrow morning.

News on these pending inspections will be published in tomorrow's Racingsight News Pages.

Leopardstown on weather watch.

Due to its Atlantic influences, Southern Ireland has so far avoided the worst effects of the current cold conditions prevailing throughout northern and central europe, but the cold air is now beginning to percolate over the Irish Sea, and with frost likely in Dublin for the next few nights, Leopardstown officials are now keeping a close check on conditions at the Dublin based racecourse ahead of Sunday's prestigious MCR Hurdle meeting.

Additional all weather fixtures announced.

With the current 'cold snap' due to last for at least another week, it is likely turf based racing in Britain could be limited to just one fixture at Ffoslas. Therefore, to maintain the integrity and interest in horseracing, the BHA have announced there will be three extra all weather fixtures for the end of this week. The new meetings being staged as follows:

Lingfield Park on Thursday 07 January.

Southwell on Friday 08 January.

Kempton Park on Saturday 09 January.

As an added bonus to race-goers, Kempton's additional Saturday fixture is offering free entry to all spectators, and consequently, the racecourse are expecting a very healthy crowd for what should be a competitive day of all weather flat racing.

Huntingdon the latest to cancel.

An inspection of Huntingdon racecourse took place today, and the course was confirmed as being frozen, and with no thaw expected, the national hunt meeting due to take place on Thursday 07 January was officially cancelled after today's inspection.

Sedgefield's Saturday card now in serious doubt.

With fresh snow having fallen on top of lying snow at Sedgefield this morning, Saturday's race meeting is looking very doubtful, and an inspection of the track has now been brought forward to noon on Wednesday.

Thurles and Ludlow lost.

Following an inspection at Thurles this morning, Thursday's intended card at the Irish venue has been cancelled due to a frozen circuit.

Meanwhile at Ludlow, the inspection planned for 2.00 pm this afternoon was brought forward to this morning, and with snow covering the course and frost in the ground, it took just a few seconds to make the decision to abandon Thursday's scheduled fixture.

Bangor-on-dee joins list of probable cancellations.

Officials at Bangor-on-dee are the latest to issue a pessimistic view on the likelyhood of racing going ahead as scheduled. The Welsh course is due to stage a national hunt meeting on Friday, but with a frozen circuit and a smattering of snow on the course, Clerk of the Course Edd Gretton has arranged an early inspection on Wednesday, but he confirms racing is most unlikely to take place.

Decimalisation of prices recommended.

As part of their suggested programme to encourage younger people to take an interest in horseracing, British racing's 'think'tank' - Racing For Change - have today suggested the age old method of pricing betting odds should be replaced by decimal prices.

The committee suggest odds such as 10/11 and 15/8 are confusing to a modern generation, and they should be replaced by a simple decimal point system already adopted in other countries. It is understood a pilot scheme of the new system will be tried on a late spring or early summer Saturday, but with the BHA apparently backing the suggestion, it would seem it is a 'done deal', and will almost certainly come into full use within the next 12 months.

Editor's Comment: While not having a view on this suggestion one way or another, I am bound to ask if this suggestion is being made because the modern generation cannot work out fractions in their heads, rather than they find decimal pricing easier to understand.

Gambler gets suspended sentence over Conduit threats.

A gambler has been given a suspended jail term after he threatened to kill dual Breeders Cup Turf winner Conduit unless he was withdrawn from a race.

Andrew Rodgerson, 26, warned Ballymacoll Stud's manager Peter Reynolds that he should not run the top class middle distance horse in the 2009 runnning of the King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Rodgerson issued his threats after he had forgotten to place an accumulator bet on behalf of a syndicate, and he panicked when he realised victory for Conduit would lead to the syndicate expecting winnings of E50,000.

Bolton Crown Court heard, Rodgerson, of Balderston, near Rochdale, sent a series of threatening text messages and emails to Reynolds. Ten days before the race he texted Mr Reynolds:

"Dear Peter, we would just like to warn you should Conduit run in the King George then the horse will be
killed."

Five days later he followed up with an email, which read:

"Dear Peter, I don't believe you are taking the threat of death to Conduit very seriously_ We want the horse removed from the King George this weekend. If you cooperate the horse will live. But I must tell you, there are people living in and around Newmarket who are ready and willing. There will also be people around at Ascot on Saturday."

Police in the Newmarket area were informed and Rodgerson was arrested at his home address just two days before the King George. He admitted making the threats. Rodgerson pleaded guilty to threatening to commit damage at an earlier hearing after an initial charge of blackmail was dropped.

Sentencing him to 34 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, Judge Angela Niald said he had embarked on a "foolish escapade". She accepted his actions had no practical consequences in that Conduit lined up for the King George and actually went on to claim victory, but she said a message of deterrence had to go out.

“if offences such as this are not dealt with seriously, then the horseracing industry will be undermined and Those who work in it risk their livelihood being damaged and the manner in which they operate being altered for good.".

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