Poet’s Word and Crystal Ocean battling out the final furlong of a scintillating King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot to give Sir Michael Stoute, the trainer of both, a record sixth victory in the race – he said of winning jockey James Doyle, who won on Poet’s Word by a neck “I thought Doyle could have done a little better and got a dead-heat!”
Sylvestre De Sousa teaming up with Michael Appleby to win four races at Pontefract which reportedly cost Betfred £2.5m
Ruby Walsh returning to the saddle after suffering a broken leg in March at Cheltenham winning on his comeback ride on the opening day of the Galway Festival
Dan Skelton taking his season tally to 70 winners following a four-timer at Uttoxeter with brother Harry in the saddle – the wins put the trainer 40 ahead of Peter Bowen
Paula Muir riding out her 7lb claim then adding three more winners in four days
Jockeys at Lingfield raising nearly £250 for the Injured Jockeys Fund through a swear box instigated by Tina Waghorn, manager of their canteen
The Levy Board reporting income of £94.7m for 2017-18 following levy collected for the first time from betting operators based outside the UK – the figure exceeded expectations by 5% and was the highest amount for 10 years
American trainer Jerry Bozzo sending out a winner at Gulfstream in his 98th year having already broken the record for being the oldest trainer of a winner in 2015
Rachel Blackmore riding the first treble of her career at Tipperary with the winners trained by Henry de Bromhead
Jockey Brian Hughes riding a four-timer at Cartmel where Donald McCain trained three winners
International property firm Savills becoming the new sponsors of Leopardstown’ Grade 1 Chase on the third day of the Christmas meeting
Coverage of racing helping ITV4 to increase its male share of the audience to increase by 8% according to the company’s latest financial statement
Musselburgh coming closer to the track’s management being taken over by another racecourse operator following a successful open day for potential bidders
STEWARDS ROOM
…and what hasn’t been so good
The heatwave causing average field sizes to drop below eight, with Bath getting 26 runners for a fixture and having its next meeting transferred to Wolverhampton
Bryony Frost facing a longer spell on the side-lines as the injuries from her fall at Newton Abbot earlier this month were more serious than first thought – as well as a fracture to her sternum she had a small liver tear and bruising to the pancreas which means she will not be riding until the second half of August at the earliest
A burst water main outside Yarmouth racecourse causing traffic chaos and impacting attendance whilst, at the same meeting, the flag man passed out in the heat
A series of setbacks and the heatwave forcing Philip Hide to end his training career – he will wind down his business based near Findon by the end of August
York having to refund racegoers 50% of their admission due to the late cancellation of a post-racing Tom Jones concert after thunder and lightening prevented the veteran Welsh singer from flying to the track
Forged trainers’ badges being spotted and confiscated at a number of meetings, most recently a week ago at Newmarket
