march_55_changes2.qxp
17/2/09
12:57
Page 12
NEWS FOCUS
Changes
In association with
Racing’s news in a nutshell People and business Tony McCoy Di Grissell John Winston Italian Derby Betdirect ITBA Awards Newmarket David Bradshaw Stalls handlers The Durdans Ferdy Murphy Betfair Mark Pitman Groundstaff Awards Abington Place Tristram Ricketts Fellowship Attendances Sandown Park Martin Pipe Jonnie Fenwicke-Clennell William Hill Karl Burke Bookmakers’ Committee McBookie.com
Notches his 3,000th winner over jumps aboard Restless D’Artaix at Plumpton Takes over the reigns from husband Gardie at their East Sussex stable Brother of Flat jockey Robert Winston suffers multiple injuries in A1 road crash but does not require surgery Capannelle Classic downgraded to Group 2 status by European Pattern Committee due to continuous falling rating of winners Bookmaker merges with sister company Stan James; all Betdirect customers have had their accounts switched to Stan James Colman O’Flynn, breeder of Denman, among the winners, while Sadler’s Wells is inducted into the Hall of Fame Forest Heath District Council accepts that the town should be treated as a special case in planning applications, delighting the local training fraternity Racing Director of the Levy Board to leave after 16 years service following company shake-up; two new directors’ jobs have been created Minimum manning-levels for starting stalls teams increased by two to 11; the move was instigated by the Horsemen’s Group and approved by the BHA Plans proposed by Lord Halifax to turn the historic Epsom stables into office and residential accommodation are thrown out by the local planning committee Leading jumps trainer fined £9,500 by the BHA over the running of ‘non-trier’ Mansonn Leda at Catterick in December Betting exchange buys US racing and betting broadcaster TVG for $50 million Former jockey-turned-trainer returns to his old base of Weathercock House to work alongside Carl Llewellyn Doncaster (dual-purpose), Salisbury (Flat) and Aintree (jump) gain the plaudits for 2008 Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum buys famous stables, previously occupied by Geoff Wragg, for his principal trainer Mike de Kock Inaugural recipient of award is Glen Sparkes, 30, a former jockey who is an instructor at the British Racing School in Newmarket RCA figures show that average crowds at British racecourses were down by 8% in 2008, to 4,017; the overall figure fell by around 2% to 5,717,000 Surrey track secures planning permission to build a 109-room hotel on site; a stable staff canteen, saddling boxes and jockeys’ hospital will also be built Newest race at the Cheltenham Festival named in honour of the 15-time champion jumps trainer – the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Hexham’s popular Clerk of the Course suffers a stroke Bookmaker announces plan to close 14 betting shops in Ireland due to economic downturn Trainer one of four individuals, along with jockeys Darren Williams and Fergal Lynch, charged by the BHA in the wake of the collapsed Old Bailey trial Layers’ representatives submit a funding proposal to the Levy Board eight months ahead of the annual levy negotiations deadline Online firm enters the betting jungle with intention of putting Scottish sport at forefront of its offerings
Racehorse and stallion – movements and retirements Inglis Drever (pictured) Sakhee’s Secret Great Palm Silent Name Cima De Triomphe Lahib Saarland Numerous Alessandro Volta Apple Tree Or Noir De Somoza
Triple World Hurdle hero, owned by Andrea and Graham Wylie, is retired at the age of ten; he won 17 of his 35 starts and almost £800,000 in prize-money July Cup victor will shuttle to The Oaks Stud in New Zealand for the 2009 southern hemisphere season Dual-purpose sire, 20, relocates to Nunstainton Stud in County Durham after seven seasons at Arctic Tack Stud in Ireland Grade 2 winner by Sunday Silence continues stud career at Gardiner Farms in Ontario, having spent his first year at Adena Springs in Kentucky Last year’s Italian Derby winner, later ninth to Zarkava in the Arc, joins Luca Cumani from Bruno Grizzetti Former Scarvagh House Stud stallion, 21, moves to Old Road Stud in Tallow, County Waterford Ten-year-old son of Unbridled, based at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, is retired from stud duties owing to fertility problems 18-year-old son of Mr Prospector leaves Haras du Quesnay in Normandy for Al Mughtaragh Stud near Riyadh Four-year-old who formed part of Aidan O’Brien’s triple assault on last year’s Melbourne Cup heads back to Australia to be trained by David Hayes 20-year-old sire of Lough Derg is transferred from France to stand at Beech Tree Stud in Somerset, for £1,500 Chaser returns to France to continue racing career after just one start for David Pipe in Britain
People obituaries Age John Connor John Bolton Hermione Courage
65 75 86
Horse obituaries
Age
Slim Pickings Pressgang General Nediym Killaghy Castle Be My Royal
10 7 15 9 15
Owner-breeder whose La Vecchia Scuola won over hurdles on successive days of last year's Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr Former trainer who sent out Magic Boy to win the 1958 Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot Owner-breeder and wife of trainer Edward Courage
Twice placed in the Grand National for the Tom Taaffe stable Talented novice chaser, trained by Paul Webber, who was runner-up in the 2006 Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival Leading Australian stallion who was a prolific producer of high-class juveniles Promising chaser and Grade 3 hurdle winner who raced for Mrs Nick Embiricos ‘Winner’ of Newbury’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in 2002 but later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
8 THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER