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Ask too classy for Schiaparelli at Longchamp.

As he entered the straight well clear on the front running Schiaparelli, Frankie Dettori must have thought he had today's Group 1 Prix Royal Oak in the bag, but slowly, Ryan Moore edged race favourite Ask nearer to the Godolphin runner, and then he seemed to go up the gears as the two entered the final furlong, with Ask finding more as he got to the front, before eventually going on to land the race from the gallant Schiaparelli.

As the two main protaganists entered the unsaddling area, the stewards enquiry warning was sounded, but on this occasion, the connections of the winner did not have to worry for long, as the enquiry found no major interference, and the race result stood.

Dunguib impresses on hurdling debut at Galway.

2009 Cheltenham Champion Bumper victor Dunguib gave a fluent example of how to jump hurdles before going on to score very comfortably by four lengths in this afternoon's CCTV Venue Control Novice Hurdle at Galway.

Always under restraint, Dunguib was forced to sit in behind the leaders until amateur partner Brian O'Connell asked him to quicken in the home straight, but once he had cruised into the lead, his jockey never had to ask him any questions, and he won 'hard held'.

Following the race, trainer Philip Fenton said,

"He has speed to burn, and at this stage, I don't think we will go beyond two miles with him. I would think something like the Royal Bond Hurdle would be his obvious next race, but we will take a little time to work out what to do once we get him home."

Door Boy sees off Cappa Bleu.

Despite putting in a very novicey jump at the fourth last in today's Halloween at Matalan Novice Chase, the Graham Wiley owned Door Boy rallied sufficiently to score by four lengths from Little Josh, with the race favourite Cappa Bleu a further eighteen lengths adrift in third place.

In relation to the third placed horse, we reported in this section during the week trainer Evan Williams confirming Cheltenham Foxhunters winner Cappa Bleu would need his first run of the season at today's Aintree meeting, but to be frank, the 5/2 favourite was a little disappointing, and the trainer now believes he not only needed the run, but that he should also be stepped up to three and a quarter miles if he is to be seen at his best.

Horrendous incident blots Aintree card.

The second last flight of the Liverpool Volkswagon Novice Hurdle witnessed a horrendous incident which shook many of the crowd at today's Aintree meeting. Jockey Campbell Gillies was in with a chance of winning on his mount Lie Forrit, but his saddle slipped just before the hurdle, and he fell to the turf, half dazed, he got up and headed for the rail, only to be mown down by Risk Runner, the horse also being felled in the sickening collision.

The John Quinn trained Spring Breeze went on to win the race from Forty Aces, but few were interested in the result following the freak incident at the second last.

Mann rules out Ascot for Air Force One.

Although Air Force One finished as runner up in last year's United House Gold Cup at Ascot, trainer Charlie Mann has confirmed his gelding will by-pass the event this year, and instead, he will go straight to the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on 28 November.

Air Force One also finished as runner up behind Madison du Berlais in last year's Hennessy, and Mann feels preparing him at home might be the way to ensure he goes one better this year. Commenting on his decision, Mann said,

"I just think if he goes into the Hennessy fresh, he might go one better this year. His wind operation over the summer seems to have been a success, and I am very hopeful he can recapture the form he showed in the 2007 2008 season."

Brady shooting high with Ebadiyan.

Several judges believe Ebadiyan would have been on the scoreboard at this year's Cheltenham Festival if he had not run out at the second last flight in the Triumph Hurdle, and trainer Oliver Brady certainly believes his young hurdler is capable of better things, for today he told At the races,

"I will turn him out for his first run in about three weeks, and then the plan is to prepare him for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. I honestly believe he is a very good hurdler, and I am very hopeful he will show how good he is as the season progresses."

Retirement looms for Star de Mohaison.

Since winning the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006, the Sir Robert Ogden owned Star de Mohaison has been dogged by injury ever since and has never had the opportunity to repeat a top class win. Connections are now said to be considering permanent retirement for the eight year old, and a final decision is expected in the next three weeks.

Owner of top sprinter Overdose arrested.

Despite having been unable to run this season due to injury, top sprinter Overdose still holds celebrity status in his native Hungary, as does his owner Zoltan Mikoczy, so the people of the east european country were amazed to hear the owner of the 'Budapest Bullet' has been arrested in Rumania on charges of theft and false documentation.

According to Budapest news agencies, Mikoczy was stopped by Rumanian police as his convoy headed out of the country, and he was strip searched and handcuffed at the roadside for alleged deception involving meat processing equipment.

Connections under investigation in Flapping enquiry.

According to the information issued by the George Baker yard, the Lady Forwood and partners owned Mondego had returned from a two year injury absence before landing a Wolverhampton Classified Stakes and a Lingfield Handicap in the space of just one week.

However, the BHA had word that the seven-year-old had in fact been racing on the unlicensed 'Flapping' circuit in Ireland under the name of Reverse The Hearse, and in fact had won on that circuit three weeks before his win at Wolverhampton.

Due to the information received and the strange betting patterns surrounding Mondego's first win at Wolverhampton, the BHA security division asked Baker to withdraw the horse from a further run at Wolverhampton on Friday evening, and a full investigation is now under way.

It should be noted, the penalties involving breaches of the Flapping sections of the Rules of Racing are draconian, and if misdeeds are proven, the parties involved can expect very little mercy.

Chance ride leaves Quinlan with double break.

Conditional jockey Mark Quinlan had not been scheduled to ride the Neil Mulholland trained You Can Of Course last Friday, but a heavy fall suffered by Robert Thornton at Ludlow the previous day meant the twenty four year old came in for the ride at Fakenham. As fate would have it, his mount ran out during his race, and Quinlan, who only seven weeks ago celebrated his first winner as a conditional jockey, suffered severe injuries to one of his legs , including a broken tibia and fibula.

Quinlan, who had just finished his Conditional Jockeys Course at Newmarket to take the ride at Fakenham, has had surgery to set and align his broken bones, but he is expected to be out of action for several months.

Doncaster incident leaves Dobbs with broken arm.

A racing incident in a seven furlong handicap at Doncaster yesterday afternoon saw Pat Dobbs being thrown to the ground from his mount Cyflymder, while Mickey Fenton was forced to pull up the ever popular Welsh Emperor in frantic fashion. At the time, race-goers took in a sharp breath as they worried over the fate of the prone jockey and the effected horses.

Later medical investigation confirmed Dobbs had suffered a double fracture of his fore-arm, but thankfully Welsh Emporer had only suffered a cut on the heel, and not the broken leg many had feared.

In an interview this morning, Pat Dobbs said,

"I have been told I have a double fracture of my fore-arm, and I am informed I will need a fair amount of recouperation. I have always found the best thing with injuries is to follow medical advise,so I intend to stay at home and relax. At this stage I do not know how long I will be sidelined, but when I think about how fast things happened, I guessin many ways the result of the fall could have been worse."

Discussing ten year old Welsh Emperor, trainer Tom Tate said,

"I must confess I was worried when Micky pulled him up so quickly, but he's as right as a robin this morning. He had his heels clipped, and he does have a cut , but it is not serious."

Tidal Bay reported fine after unsaddling enclosure spasm.

Owner Graham Wiley and trainer Howard Johnson have both reported Tidal Bay is fine after suffering a post race spasm in the Aintree unsaddling enclosure. The former Arkle Trophy winner had run his best race in some time when finishing two and a half lengths behind Monet's Garden in Aintree's Totetentofollow Old Roan Chase on Saturday afternoon, and in comments after the unsaddling enclosure incident, trainer Howard Johnson did not seem overly concerned,

"He must have been dehydrated, for as soon as we threw some water over him he recovered very quickly, and his heart rate was normal after about twenty minutes. The important thing from our perspective is his wind operation seems to have worked, and he managed to stay with an in-form Monet's Garden throughout most of the race. We are still not sure whether his best distance is two and a half miles or three miles, but we will give him two or three weeks rest now, and take the time to consider our options."

Down Royal the next target for Siege Master.

Odds on favourite Siege Master pleased Dessie Hughes with the manner of his four length win in the Casey Enterprises Chase at Wexford yesterday afternoon, and the handler indicated his gelding would now be aimed at a second year novice chase at Down Royal's premier two day meeting at the beginning of November.

Godolphin continue their good international end of season run.

Godolphin's Vineyard Haven continued their excellent end of season run in international flat races as the three-year-old overcame a poor draw to land last evening's Grade 1 Frank J de Francis Memorial Stakes at Laurel Park in America.

However, it is likely Sheikh Mohammed would like to transfer some of this international success to the Group 1 races in Britain and Ireland over the coming twelve months, and to this end, Godolphin's on-going purchase programme is expected to continue during the winter months.

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