Carberry to miss ride on Sublimity.Sublimity's usual partner Philip Carberry will miss the ride on the 2007 Champion Hurdler in this weekend's wbx.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. The jockey yesterday suffered a crashing fall in France, and was immediately taken to hospital. Latest medical reports now rule him out from his proposed ride on Sublimity, and trainer Robbie Hennessy is said to be seeking the assistance of another top class jockey for Saturday's race. Snoopy Loopy will run in Hennessy.Peter Bowen has decided to take his chance with Snoopy Loopy in Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup. The Betfair Chase winner is reported to have come out of last Saturday's race in fine form, but the official handicapper has done him no favours, raising him eleven pounds in the ratings. In fact, Timeform have gone so far as to call the hike, 'loopy'. The Halifax based ratings organisation believe Snoopy Loopy has been penalised excessively for his Betfair win, and at face value, the new rating of 168 makes it almost impossible for him to win the new Betfair one million pound bonus - which is available to horses placed in the first three in the Betfair Chase at Haydock, then in the first two home in any race at the Cheltenham Festival, before being expected to complete the minor task of winning the Aintree Grand National. According to Timeform ratings, Snoopy Loopy will now rate as the eleventh best weighted horse in this Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup, and he will receive an impossible weight for his proven ability if he goes on to compete in the Grand National. However, Peter Bowen may be eyeing the BHA Order of Merit title. Snoopy Loopy currently heads this ranking with 40 points, and Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup counts towards the season's total. The trainer may therefore be hoping his charge can at least achieve a placing in this weekend's race, and so enhance his chances of figuring in the Order of Merit competition. Wetherby spectators set to see Play again.Trainer Evan Williams has decided State of Play, who was victorious at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase a few weeks ago, will have his next run at the Yorkshire track when he lines up for the Roland Meyrick Chase on Boxing Day. The former Hennessy Gold Cup winner now prefers to have his races spaced so he is relatively fresh for each outing, and after his Boxing Day run, he may not be seen again until the Cheltenham Festival or the Aintree Grand National meeting. Vinny withdrawn again!Cousin Vinny, the favourite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, has been withdrawn by trainer Willie Mullins from Sunday's running of the Royal Bond Novices Hurdle at Fairyhouse. It is thought connections do not like the idea of running on potentially heavy ground, and would prefer to keep their powder dry until such time as ground conditions improve. However, the Cheltenham and Punchestown Bumper winner has yet to put his giant reputation to test over hurdles, and another withdrawal will not ease the nerves of his many anti post supporters. Coral to limit on-course days.As part of their protection against the effects of the growing economic recession, Coral bookmakers, who are represented in a rails position at a dozen UK racecourses, are to cut back on the number of days they are present at race meetings during the coming year. In order to limit their expenses but maximise their potential profits, they are expected to attend only the major meetings staged at the tracks where they currently have pitches. The worry for racecourse officials will be a deepening of the current economic recession, as this may necessitate even bigger cut backs in on-course betting activety by the leading bookmaking firms, and this will obviously lead to a drop in revenues for racecourses.
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