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Midday likely for Nassau Stakes.
Having confirmed Midday has come out of her run in the Irish Oaks with no ill affects, the connections of the three year old filly are now keen to run her on hopefully better ground in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Trainer Henry Cecil has been very successful in this ten furlong contest over the years, and success for Midday would give the trainer his sixth victory in this prestigious blue-ribbon fillies event.
Youmzain to miss King George.
During an early inspection at Mick Channon's yard this morning, the top class six year old Youmzain was found to have a swollen near fore joint, and the trainer made the immediate decision to pull the top grade performerout of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.
A later x-ray indicated no serious problem, but Channon wants to ensure his Group 1 charge is fit for the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in October - a race in which he has finished as runner up on two previous occasions.
Despite Youmzain's regretable absence at Ascot, Ballymacoll Stud, who own the current first and second anti post favourites for the Ascot race, have today confirmed they are prepared to allow both Conduit and Tartan Bearer to compete against each other in the mile and a half Group 1 contest.
Spencer loses non-sensical appeal.
Sometimes we despair of the actions of jockeys. For any fair minded judge, Jamie Spencer was totally to blame for the barging which took place during last Saturday's Norman Court Stud Fillies Stakes at Ascot, but in what can only be described as a total tongue in cheek attempt to get his three day ban imposed for the Careless Riding of Alsace Lorraine overturned, he today appealed his ban to the BHA Disciplinary Panel.
Needless to say, he lost his appeal, and will now miss the first three days of Glorious Goodwood, but quite frankly, this kind of appeal is a total waste of everyones time, and Spencer should adopt a more professional attitude to the appeals procedure on future occasions.
Burke confirms Reignier will meet Monsieur Chevaliere on Saturday.
Despite having had a busy schedule, which has included a second in the Norfolk Stakes and a fourth place in the TNT July Stakes at Newmarket, the Karl Burke trained Reignier is amongst the twenty five horses still declared for Saturday's Whetherbys Super Sprint at Newbury.
However, the North Yorkshire trainer must feel doubly frustrated Reignier has obtained an outside draw, (22 of 25), when his potential arch rival from the Richard Hannon stable Monsieur Chevaliere has been drawn 2, and will have the advantage of the stands side rail for his effort in Saturday's five furlong dash for a prize fund in excess of £250,000.
"On her current weight Sesenta will run at Galway".
Willie Mullins has today confirmed Ascot Stakes runner-up Sesenta will take her chance over obstacles in the Galway Hurdle on 30 July - providing her weight in the race remains at the current ten stones eleven pounds. Speaking today, Mullis said,
"She is still novicy as a hurdler, and I would not want her to carry more than her current mark in the Galway Hurdle, but if nothing changes in the meantime, we will send her to the Festival".
Cheka checks-in at Newbury.
Eve Johnson Houghton is delighted she is just twenty four hours from giving The Cheka his first run in eleven months. Last seen losing out by a short Margin to Sri Putra in the Group 3 Solario Stakes, the three year old has been 'dogged' by minor niggles and injuries over the early part of this season, and although he will line-up in tomorrow's Shadwell Nunnery Stud Conditions Stakes at Newbury, the trainer has warned he will be only 80% fit for this first run, and her main hope is he comes through the experience with no fitness repercussions.
A 'hens tooth event' at Kilbeggan.
For about only the second time in his long and illustrious career, A P McCoy will ride in a competitive race at Kilbeggan. The 'champ' had the choice of three J P Macmanus owned horses in tomorrow's Gigginstown House Midlands National Chase, and he has chosen the Christie Roche trained Line Ball over stable mate Cool Running, or the Charlie Swan trained On The Other Hand.
Line Ball has a bit of a chequered career, having fallen last time out, but obviously McCoy believes he is the one to be on in tomorrow's steeplechase worth 50,000 euros.
A cavviat on Levy Board financial report.
We do not doubt the widely publicised near 21% fall in Levy Revenue for the 2008 - 2009 financial year indicates hard times ahead for British racing in 2010, but we feel it is our obligation to point out that not all bookmaking operators are failing to pull their weight in financial contributions to racing.
While many betting exchanges are getting away with paying virtually nothing into the British Levy Scheme, Betfair are more than holding up their end of their obligation to the industry. In fact, in a statement today, Tony Calvin of Betfair had the following to say,
"The Levy Board in the UK reports that money raised through betting for the financial year 08/09 fell to £91.6m, a 20% decline from the previous year’s £116m. The report also states that the levy paid by ‘exchanges’ fell by 12.7% during the same period.
For the sake of clarity, Betfair paid £6.16m of the reported £6.2m paid by 'exchanges'. We also paid more than 90% of the £1.35m which has been reported as “voluntary levy from offshore operators”. This payment was paid at the full levy rate – 10% of gross profits.
Our total contribution to the Levy in the period is therefore approximately £7.5m, up 7% from last year.
Betfair appears to be the only major betting operator making a voluntary payment from its offshore business – i.e. the revenue raised from customers betting on British racing from outside the UK –although this is mentioned nowhere in the Levy Board’s report. Amongst betting operators we are also the second biggest sponsor of British horseracing, with only the Tote, which is under a legal obligation to reinvest its profits into the sport, paying more".
Yesterday, Robb Hughes, the Chairman of the Levy Board, suggested the various sections of the racing industry should get together, and sort out the future of racing finance without the involvement of central government.
At Racingsight, we agree with Rob Hughes's proposal, and we further suggest, the above Betfair model could be the basis for discussion, and more importantly, if the industry can be seen to be sorting out its own finances regardless of the general economic situation and the demands of individual companies, it will create extremely good public relations for everyone involved in the current and future british racing industry.
Watson to join Meehan.
In an attempt to revitalise his current under performing career, the connections of 2007 top juvenile Winker Watson have made the decision to transfer the four year old from Peter Chapple Hyams stable at Newmarket to Brian Meehan's yard at Lambourn.
Glass Harmonium seeks pattern race success in France.
Having won the Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot in good style, Sir Michael Stoute is to send Glass Harmonium to Maison Laffitte for his next outing. It is understood he will compete in the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adams, a race won last year by Henry Cecil's Twice Over. Owners Ballymacoll Stud are keen for Glass Harmonium to score a pattern race success, and they are hopeful the visit to France will prove profitable for their three year old's future stud career.
Puff lays out her Lowther credentials.
Ralph Becketts filly Puff was very impressive in her first to last victory in yesterday's Lingfield Fillies Maiden, and with the handler suggesting she will come on considerably for Wednesday's outing, she becomes a very interesting entrant in the Lowther Stakes at York's Ebor Meeting in August.
Shepway development could secure Folkestone as a racing venue.
Arena Leisure have confirmed they have been approached by Shepway Council regarding the development of four hundred new homes on land currently owned by Arena's Folkestone racecourse operation. If the development were to go ahead, the current bends on the racecourse would have to be re-sited, but the finance would allow Arena to build new grandstand, stable and paddock facilities, a development which would safeguard racing at Folkestone certainly until the end of the twenty first century.
Cumani changes his mind on Cima de Triomphe option.
Having stated earlier in the week, he was considering sending Cima de Triomphe to America for a crack at the Arlington Million, trainer Luca Cumani has now confirmed his Coral Eclipse fourth will tackle a mile and a half in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.
Fabre considering Deauville run for Cutlass Bay.
With the certain knowledge promising three year old Cutlass Bay needs cut to be at his best, French handler Andre Fabre is considering running the Sheikh Mohammed owned colt at Deauville's prestigious August meeting.
Deauville quite often has softish underfoot conditions on its grass circuit, but with several major races also available at the August meeting on its all weather track, Fabre is calculating he can give Cutlass Bay an important outing on ground which will suit his rounded racing action.
Strong entry for first ever flat fixture at Ffoslas.
As it stands at present, there are 143 horses still entered for the first flat races to be held at Ffoslas's first ever flat fixture next week. With two of the entered horses being from the Godolphin organisation, there is a possibility Frankie Dettori could be riding at Ffoslas, but it must be stressed, the same two horses are entered at Southwell on the same day.
Heffernan changes his mind over appeal.
Immediately after he received a four day ban from the Gowran Park stewards for his riding of Drum Beat for Aidan O'Brien at last Friday's meeting, jockey Seamie Heffernan reported he would appeal against the penalty, but having given it some more thought, Heffernan has decided not to appeal.
With the four day ban now applying, he will miss the Phoenix Stakes Meeting at Leopardstown, and the first two days of the Galway Festival.
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