Un De Sceaux, The New One & More
WINNERS ENCLOSURE
- Un De Sceaux brightening up a gloomy day at Ascot when winning the Clarence House Chase for the third time
- The New One doing the same at Haydock when winning the Unibet Champion Hurdle Trial for the fourth time on the spin
- Chester Racecourse unveiling how the track’s new entrance will look, with canopied exterior, repositioned box office and a new bar, when it opens in time for the new season start in May, and heralding further development plans which will go on public view
- Trainer of six months Olly Murphy running 11 horses at Fakenham and picking up a four-timer at 1,228-1 – only one runner failed to win prize-money
- James Bowen bringing his claim down to 3lb when winning on Jenkins at Ascot
- Criquette Head-Maarek, 69, calling time on her illustrious training career, which included victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Three Troikas in 1979 and back-to-back wins with Treve in 2013 and 2014
- Hollie Doyle riding her 100th winner at Lingfield
- Catterick groundstaff member Andrew Lacey having race run in his name to celebrate his 18th birthday
STEWARDS ROOM
- BHA writing to congratulate Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge (Karen Brady) on her appointment as secretary of state for Northern Ireland, when they should have written to Karen Bradley who moved to the cabinet post from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Racing delayed at Chelmsford due to snow meaning County Carlow trainer Katy Brown, who left Ireland at 8.30 on 17 January to run two horses at Lingfield, where one was eliminated which she re-routed to Chelmsford where the delay meant a return ferry was missed and she got back to Ireland at 7.00 on 23 January
- Paul Gilligan receiving a nine-month ban from the BHA due to “compelling evidence” that he tried to couch a witness during a hearing in December 2016 – the trainer is reported to have phoned his wife in a break in the proceedings with instructions for witness Joe McNamara
- Jockeys Henry Morshead (20) and Nathan Alison (27) quitting the sport – Morshead is going to university whilst Alison is quitting the saddle but staying in racing
- Market Rasen receiving just one star in an environmental health check of the track’s food hygiene standards – inspectors called for major improvements in managing food safety and handling
- Bob Champion losing a collection of photographs and press cuttings, to be used for his autobiography due to publish in April, in the recent Liverpool car park fire – anyone who can provide replacements should contact bob@bobchampion.co.uk
- A house fire, thought to have been caused by a faulty washing machine, destroying the possessions of stable staff working for Hughie Morrison