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James Given in no doubt Dandino can prove Classic material

Lincolnshire trainer with point to prove believes he can make his mark in Saturday's St Leger

Rudyard Kipling's If, with its line about trusting yourself when others doubt you, is framed on the wall of James Given's office at his stables in the tiny Lincolnshire village of Willoughton. It seems quite possible that the trainer's self-belief may have been tested in the years since he made a flying start to his career by winning the Ebor, the Cambridgeshire and the Chester Cup in his first four seasons, but the 44-year-old is in confident mood at the mid-point of what may be a hugely significant week for him.

On Sunday, he was in Turkey to watch Indian Days win the Bosphorus Cup, worth £159,000 to the winner and the most lucrative success that Given has ever had. On Saturday, he will be at Doncaster to see if Dandino, a scrappy colt who has racked up four wins and a narrow defeat this year, can give him a first Group One victory in the St Leger.

Given's name is unfamiliar at this level of the sport and he acknowledges that the betting public are wary. "This sounds chippy and it's not meant chippily at all," he says, "but if this horse was trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he would not be 7-1. I've never won a Leger, I don't have a Group One pedigree. I've had a number of places in Group Ones but never won one and people bet where they have confidence. People don't have that confidence and I quite understand that because I haven't done it yet. If this horse was trained by Stoute, he'd be 4-1."

Sunday's win by the unfancied Indian Days was doubly significant because of what had happened nine days before when that horse worked with Dandino, who beat the older horse by a neck. "It was a nice, strong breeze but it wasn't a race," concedes Given. "Nevertheless, if Dandino hadn't been on his mettle, he would have been struggling to stay with him, so that was a nice indicator as to how he's setting up for Saturday."

The trainer is still rattled by Dandino's sole defeat of the season, when finishing fast but just too late to catch Rebel Soldier at Glorious Goodwood last time out. "He was beaten less than the width of this table," Given agonises. "Just two strides more . . ."

But he was cheered five days later by an incident that showed how little the race had taken out of his colt. "My intention was just to walk and trot him for a couple more days but his lad said, 'This horse is bloody fresh.' So I said, well go and canter him, then.

"I was standing at the top of the gallop, 20 feet from him, and as he's gone past he's done the most enormous buck and kicked out with one hind leg at me. Obviously, he was never going to hit me, but it was just extraordinary. It was his way of saying, I'm fine, I'm fit and well and fresh."

A six-week period at home has allowed Dandino to grow into himself. "He's about 10kg heavier now and I don't think that's fat, it's muscle.

"At Ascot [in June], I thought he still looked slightly unfurnished. You looked at his backside and there was a kind of hollowness to it.

"I was looking this morning, he's got a nice sort of apple shape, he's filled out. Shoulders, neck, the whole horse has got stronger."

For the first time in seven years, Given has a proper standard-bearer, something he says is "absolutely crucial" for a trainer like him, with 50 horses at a yard away from the main training centres. "You need a horse that writes you headlines every year.

"As a business, we need people like you wanting to come and talk to us. And you weren't coming to visit me when Lady Gloria was winning Group Three races. That's just how life is.

"We need people to pick up the Guardian and think, 'Oh, Given, yeah. He's done well in Turkey and he's got a runner in the Leger,' someone who might be interested in having a horse or a leg in a horse, who might phone me up and say, 'Here's half a million, go buy one'."

Talking Horses: Today's best bets and latest racing news

Today's best bets, the latest racing news plus day two of our weekly tipping competition

Today's best bets, by Chris Cook

Just how bad is that wrist? Ryan Moore has yet to ride a winner since his return from injury last week and you would imagine he may be starting to feel a little twitchy about it. He's had 17 chances, after all, including one at even money and another at 11-10.

The champion jockey has five rides at Goodwood this afternoon and it seems likely to me that he can finally rediscover the winner's enclosure on Indigo Way (3.10) in the nursery. This juvenile ran with credit to be seventh in one of the year's hotter maidens, won by Strong Suit, at Newbury in May but he did much better when scoring at Doncaster on his only run since, at the end of July.

His powerful finish that day bodes well for today's race, over an extra furlong, and he seems sure to have plenty of improvement left in him. Brian Meehan, his trainer, admitted the horse had had a minor setback between his first two starts, making his success all the more creditable.

Flodden and Handsome Jack also have clear potential to be ahead of the handicapper but Indigo Way looks the one to be on at around 4-1. His chance may not be weakened if the overnight rain has got into the ground, as his dam coped well with soft.

Moore may be on the cold list but his strike-rate round here is an excellent 19%, which compares favourably with, say, Eddie Ahern's 6% from 208 rides in the past five years. There are tracks where jockey stats are probably nothing more than a reflection of the quality of rides they've had, but Goodwood is a tricky track that seems likely to reward skill.

Richard Hills has gone to Lingfield to ride the 8-11 shot Hajjaan in a maiden, so Tadhg O'Shea gets to ride the completely unexposed Daboos (4.55) for Hamdan al Maktoum in Goodwood's mile handicap. This gelding was a comfortable winner on his debut at Folkestone, which may not have been the summit of his owner's ambition when he paid $260,000 for him at Saratoga a couple of years ago.

The runner-up has won since, while the fourth has scored twice in handicaps, most recently off a mark of 70. That suggests that Daboos has plenty of scope to be ahead of the 79 on which he starts in handicaps and he seems likely to benefit from the extra furlong. He's a shade over 4-1.

Sassanian gets another chance to disgrace himself in the opener at Sedgefield. "His desire to win is nil," said the form book analyst after his penultimate run and the way he weaselled out of winning at Newton Abbot last week was something to behold.

He remains winless after 14 runs but his recent form figures read 2222223 and he has started favourite four times. This is a horse that tortures punters.

It seems he will be favourite again today, which tells you something about the weakness of the opposition. Tim Vaughan has done well to find such a poor race, even if he's had to send his horse on a 600-mile round trip for the chance to win £2,700.

I have faith in Sassanian's determination not to pick up that first-place prize money and will be supporting his most obvious rival, Magnetic Force (2.25) at 3-1. Rated 75 on the Flat in Britain earlier this year, when with Sir Michael Stoute, the grey is now trained in Ireland, where he showed some modest promise over hurdles when tied in a tongue strap last time. He has blinkers for the first time today, so if connections want to try even more headgear next time, their only remaining option appears to be deely boppers (or bobbers).

Tipping competition, day two

Thought we'd picked some tricky races yesterday but the first poster, tom1977, had the first two winners for a handy early lead. Beats me why the rest of you didn't just follow him!

Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 3.55 Lingfield, 5.20 Sedgefield, 5.25 Goodwood.

This week's prize is a copy of the new book Rodders Of Arabia, the autobiography of the former trainer Rod "Nipper Reed" Simpson. "When you talk about the 'characters' in racing Rod Simpson is guaranteed to be in the top three," says John Francome in the press release. "On a different path he could have been a Sir Michael Stoute."

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not yet joined in this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you must start on -3.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Standings after day one

tom1977 +11.50

donlewis +6.25

shears39 +6.25

drupat +6.25

goofs +6

twig28 +6

millreef +6

moidadembums +6

chris1623 +6

Mai11 +6

Copshaw +2.50

xwireman +2.50

sandiuk +2.50

erifder +0.75

MrPositive -3

titusisashambles -3

TeddyFrost -3

Rollneck -3

TheVic -3

snowy81 -3

WalthamstowLad -3

BearRides -3

Onmeheadson -3

melonk -3

Woadboy -3

JDK1 -3

TL127 -3

diegoisgod -3

keepitdusty -3

johne5knuckle -3

FinsburyPark -3

Rivercity -3

slackdad38 -3

DrSativa -3

Harrytheactor -3

orso -3

JahLion -3

Doctoroncall -3

suckzinclee -3

MauriceNL -3

15244 -3

23skidoo -3

Ellandback -3

coma88 -3

sangfroid -3

londonpatrick -3

carl31 -3

Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.

Click here for today's latest odds.

And post your racing-related comments below.

Second-favourite Snow Fairy on rain watch ahead of Doncaster St Leger

• Oaks winner may miss Classic if ground rides too soft
• Aidan O'Brien likely to have two runners on Saturday

Twelve horses have been declared for the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday, the last of the season's five Classics, but the weather in south Yorkshire could still have a major effect on the size of the final field at Town Moor if a forecast of heavy rain proves correct, with the second-favourite Snow Fairy, the dual-Oaks winner, a major doubt if the ground turns very soft.

Rewilding, the impressive winner of the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month, is the 13-8 favourite to give Godolphin their sixth win in the race, and Mahmood Al Zarooni, who has been a licensed trainer for barely six months, his first. Corsica, owned by Sheikh Mohammed's son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, has also been declared, though his main role will be to act as a pacemaker for Rewilding.

Aidan O'Brien, as so often, has the strongest hand in terms of numbers, but Flying Cross is more likely to contest the Irish St Leger at the Curragh the same day, while Bright Horizon is only a "possible" runner at Doncaster.

That would leave Midas Touch and Joshua Tree, second and third behind Rewilding at York, to represent Ballydoyle in a race O'Brien has won three times.

"Midas Touch has been very consistent," O'Brien said. "He ran a very good race to be second in the Irish Derby and again in the Great Voltigeur. We think he's still on the upgrade [and] he was giving 3lb to Rewilding at York, so we were delighted with him. I was happy to get a run into Joshua Tree at York, and he was only just ready to come back. We've taken our time with him and he's come on again since the race."

No riding arrangements have been confirmed for Saturday as Johnny Murtagh, O'Brien's stable jockey, could well go to the Curragh, where the Group One National Stakes for two-year-olds also features on the card.

Other leading contenders for the Doncaster Classic include John Gosden's Arctic Cosmos, owned by his wife Rachel Hood, and Dandino, from James Given's yard, who runs for the many thousands of members of the Elite Racing Club. Ted Spread, the Chester Vase winner, will represent Mark Tompkins, who will welcome every drop of rain at Town Moor between now and Saturday afternoon.

"He's a big, tall horse and he was always going to be better at this time of year, and even more so next season," Tompkins said. "When he won a Derby trial at Chester we felt almost forced to run in the Derby, but the course and the ground didn't suit him.

"I was delighted with him at York last time [when fourth in the Voltigeur] and I'm pleased that they're forecasting rain, but it's still got to happen. If we do get rain, then we have a real chance of getting in the frame."

Ryan Moore will not find out until later in the week whether he will be required to ride the outsider Total Command for Sir Michael Stoute, or free to ride Snow Fairy. "His [Total Command's] full-sister, Quiff, was touched off in the race," Stoute said. "We will check the ground on Thursday. He wants it good or softer."

Graham Bradley's comeback in saddle at Doncaster is stain on the sport

Jockey who was banned for five years should not have been given a 24-hour licence to ride again by the BHA

If Graham Bradley's bloodstock business fails to pick up again after his five-year ban from the sport, he could always try his luck as an image consultant. Less than a month ago, Bradley's name was often preceded by the words "notorious ex-jockey". Smack in the middle of the card at Doncaster tomorrow, however, he will be presented as one of the sport's "legends", to be feted alongside Pat Eddery, Charlie Swan and John Francome in the most high-profile charity event British racing has seen.

Bradley is, to some extent, a self-anointed legend, having earned an entry into tomorrow's race by raising several thousand pounds for two very worthy racing-based causes. But his participation was confirmed only when the British Horseracing Authority agreed to license him for the day, in effect suggesting that from the regulator's point of view, it is time to let bygones be bygones. And if the BHA is happy, why should the event's organisers think twice about taking Bradley's cash?

The BHA's argument is that Bradley's ban has expired, it is only one race, and in a good cause. In any case, by the time the Leger meeting reaches Classic afternoon on Saturday, tomorrow's novelty event will seem a distant memory, and Jack Berry's dream of a retirement home for northern jockeys will be a step closer to realisation. But while Bradley's ban has ended, the stain that he left on the sport has yet to fade away. A simple Google search on "Graham Bradley Brian Wright" offers many reminders of the jockey's long and close relationship with one of the most significant drug-running gangsters of recent times. Bradley has often protested that he simply "had a punter" who paid him for tips, and that many – perhaps most – jockeys at the time had a similar arrangement.

An important difference, of course, is that Wright – currently serving 30 years for importing cocaine – was willing and able to corrupt the sport to shift the odds in his favour. It may be that Bradley knew, or suspected, where Wright's money was coming from and what it was doing, but decided that he didn't care. Alternatively, he might not have had a clue, and just pocketed the cash with no questions asked. It does not really matter where the truth lies because whichever way you look at it, he was treating the sport that gave him a good living, and the punters who bet on it, with complete contempt.

Nor has there been much sign of contrition since. Bradley exhausted the legal system in his attempts to get his suspension overturned or reduced while his autobiography, Wayward Lad, would have been an entertaining read had it not been for his attempts at self-justification on every other page. It left an impression that, in Bradley's mind, the greatest crime he committed was getting caught, and that his long suspension was a heavy-handed act of revenge for his cheeky-chappie attitude to authority over many years.

It is the kind of outlook on a jockey's life that the BHA has been doing its best to eradicate for the best part of a decade. Plenty of Bradley's colleagues have been banned for passing inside information, and every apprentice at the racing schools – one of which will get money from tomorrow's race – receives a clear message that selling tips is corrupt.

The race's organisers have one over-riding aim, which is to raise as much money as possible. The BHA, though, has much wider responsibilities to the sport's integrity and image. The decision to re-license Bradley, even if it is for only 24 hours, is an insult to anyone who suffered as a result of Brian Wright's malign influence on racing.

That the race is being staged to benefit a good cause is beyond doubt, but it is still a pitiful excuse.

Talking Horses

Today's best bets, the latest racing news plus day five of our weekly tipping competition

12pm Nowhere to go for Paco Boy

Chris Cook: You can watch yesterday's Prix du Moulin here. Paco Boy did not seem to run up to his best and could perhaps have used a stronger pace. Richard Hughes had him well placed through the first half of the race, just behind the leaders, but it was a pity he ended up being trapped behind the front pair in the home straight, with nowhere to go.

11.55pm Reading matter for you Cathy Gannon fans

Chris Cook: Cathy Gannon, well established as the most popular jockey on Talking Horses, has a full page to herself in today's Racing Post. She shares the ups and downs of her week, starting with an emotional first Group win in Ireland and ending with an injury at Brighton. It's well worth a read.

Today's best bets, by Will Hayler

By the time you read this, I will hopefully be safely ensconced in a Bath boozer, supping gently upon a pint of Old Nettlethrasher.

Today marks the annual pilgrimage I make with a few friends down to the South-West's most unextraordinary racecourse. At the time of writing. it looks a painfully difficult card to unravel, but buoyed by a couple of soothing ales I'm sure to be brimming with confidence by the time that the first race ticks around.

With plenty of pace in the line-up, I'm hoping they go fast enough for Barons Spy's (3.10) stamina to come into play. His mark has come down 9lb from the rating off which he outstayed his rivals at Warwick last summer and his latest third at Chepstow in quite a well-contested affair hinted at a revival in form.

Whodathought (2.10) makes some appeal tried in blinkers for the first time and with Richard Hughes taking the reins ahead of stablemate Fly By White. On more than one occasion, Whodathought has looked a slightly tricky sort, travelling smoothly before pressure is exerted at which point he has quickly capitulated.

Soft ground wouldn't have suited last time and today's race represents a definite drop in grade. Even if he can't keep his head in front at the line, I would fancy him to trade short in running for those prepared to try and lock in a profit on Betfair.

Glenmuir (4.50) represents a stable who are all performing better now than when under a cloud earlier in the season and he could go well despite his big weight at Newcastle.

But the pick of today's rather meagre offerings could be at Newton Abbot. Off for two years with a leg injury, Maizy Missile (3.00) has returned in fine form, showing admirable determination to get the better of her main rival in a similar contest at Uttoxeter in July.

She has far fewer miles on the clock than most of today's rivals and in a similar contest, she can defy a 9lb hike in the weights and win again. Interestingly, Maizy Missile is the only horse trained by Evan Williams' mum, Mary Evans.

Tipping competition - a new week

For the second time in a month, JahLion came out on top last week. He had no winners on the final day but his closest pursuers fared no better and he held on with a score of £12.25 to nab the brace of tickets to the Ayr Gold Cup offered by William Hill.　

This week's prize is a copy of the new book Rodders Of Arabia, the autobiography of the former trainer Rod "Nipper Reed" Simpson. "When you talk about the 'characters' in racing Rod Simpson is guaranteed to be in the top three," says John Francome in the press release. "On a different path he could have been a Sir Michael Stoute."

To kick things off, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 3.20 Newcastle, 4.00 Newton Abbot, 4.40 Bath.　

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.

Click here for today's latest odds. [url: http://guardian.oddschecker.com/ ]

And post your racing-related comments below.

Paco Boy finds path blocked in Prix du Moulin at Longchamp

• Fuisse, an outsider, wins Group One mile contest
• Richard Hughes hits traffic problems on Paco Boy

Paco Boy failed to end a weekend of celebrations on a high when suffering comprehensive defeat in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp. Richard Hughes, who less than 24 hours earlier had been an usher at the wedding of Paco Boy's assistant trainer, Richard Hannon Jr, failed to find a clear passage when challenging against the far rail and was forced to snatch up the colt just as they had reached top gear.

Fearing a slow early pace, Hughes rode Paco Boy more prominently than usual, settling him in third place behind the early frontrunner Siyouni before stoking his mount up with two furlongs left when the pace quickened.

It was a brave move and one which might have paid off had Paco Boy showed his trademark burst of acceleration but he was still struggling to get on top of the leader when the gap closed.

Victory went to Fuisse, who had delayed the start of the race by 15 minutes when twice unshipping his jockey Stéphane Pasquier in the preliminaries and running loose.

Fuisse, trained by Criquette Head-Maarek, stayed on strongly down the outside of the field and led in the last strides to deny Godolphin's Rio De La Plata by a head, with the same margin back to Siyouni. Paco Boy finished a further length and a half adrift in fourth, with the disappointing French Guineas and Derby winner Lope De Vega only fifth.

Head-Maarek said afterwards that she may now send Fuisse to Newmarket for the Emirates Champion Stakes in mid-October. Paco Boy, the 13-10 favourite, "didn't finish like he usually does", according to Hughes.

Godolphin also missed out in Baden-Baden as the increasingly disappointing Cavalryman failed to fire in the Group One Grosser Preis von Baden, but British-trained runners fared better in Turkey, claiming victories in both of the main contests.

Pressing and Dream Ahead filled the same placings in the Topkapi Trophy at Veliefendi as they did 12 months ago, with the Michael Jarvis-trained Pressing just holding on to claim the first prize worth £238,000.

Ridden prominently, Pressing shot clear a furlong out but drifted across the course as he began to tire and the line just came in time for Neil Callan's mount as Andrew Balding's runner-up came with a late lunge. The Luca Cumani-trained Mabait finished third.

British stables also achieved a one-two-three in the Bosphorus Cup, the James Given-trained Indian Days, ridden by Alan Munro, beating Sri Putra and Buzzword.

Talking Horses

Today's best bets and the latest racing news

Paul Hanagan reaches the 142 mark

Will Hayler: While Richard Hughes was heading into a Parisian dead end with Paco Boy in the Prix du Moulin, Paul Hanagan tightened his grip on the jockeys' championship at York.

A busy day at the track had started with a memorial service in nearby Malton, which many of the riders attended on the one-year anniversary of the death of jockeys Jamie Kyne and Jan Wilson in a fire.

Hanagan, who along with his colleagues wore a black armband during racing, further extended his advantage over Hughes and Ryan Moore, who drew a blank from his mounts at the track.

After the success of El Viento for boss Richard Fahey in the two-year-old maiden, Hanagan has now ridden 142 winners this season, 20 more than Hughes and 39 more than Moore. Most bookmakers have now closed betting on the title, but Paddy Power quote Hanagan at 1-6.

"With riders as good as Ryan and Richard on your tail, you can't take anything for granted, but obviously it's looking good," said Hanagan.

"The biggest obstacle now is the tiredness. The Lincoln seems a long time ago now and to be honest, I am starting to feel it a bit. It's the miles that you do on the road which are the hardest. But I've got to my get my head down and keep focussing."

Officials at Kempton have played down an incident which took place after racing at the track on Saturday.

For the second year running at the meeting, a fracas broke down among racegoers, which one eyewitness described to Guardian Sport as "quite a punch-up".

"One bloke looked in a really bad way and then when this big security guard came running in, he managed to accidentally knock over a middle-aged lady who got on his way," the eyewitness added.

Kempton managing director Amy Starkey responded: "It was nothing like as serious as last year, after which lessons were learned, and security quickly escorted one person from the racecourse.

"We'd had a really good day with a crowd of 4,000, many of whom stayed behind to watch Olly Murs after racing, and this was only a very minor incident which was over almost as soon as it started."

15.20pm: Fuisse lifts Prix du Moulin

Will Hayler: Paco Boy failed to find top gear when it was needed and finished well beaten in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp this afternoon.

There was to be no double celebration for jockey Richard Hughes, who had last night attended the wedding celebrations of Paco Boy's assistant trainer, Richard Hannon Jr.

Hughes had the hot favourite positioned more prominently than usual in third as the Aga Khan's Siyouni cut out a fairly modest pace.

Turning for home, Hughes stuck to the far rail to try and make his challenge but even before the gap closed in front of him forcing Hughes to snatch up his mount with a furlong to run, Paco Boy was being asked some serious questions and it's impossible to argue that he would have won but for meeting the interference.

Instead, it was the fast-finishing Fuisse, the horse who had delayed the start by 15 minutes when unseating Christophe Lemaire and running loose, who got up in the last stride to deny Godolphin's Rio de la Plata.

15.05pm: Pressing scores for Michael Jarvis

Will Hayler: British runners dominated the finish of the Topkapi Trophy in Turkey this afternoon with Pressing and Dream Ahead filled the same placings as they did 12 months ago, with the Michael Jarvis-trained Pressing just holding on to claim the £238,000 first prize.

Ridden prominently, Pressing shot clear a furlong out but drifted across the course as he began to tire and the line only just came in time for Neil Callan's mount as Andrew Balding's runner-up came with a late lunge. The Luca Cumani-trained Mabait finished third.

Jarvis, who had watched home, said: "That was great, he's a fantastic horse, he really is. He's not happy unless he is away for three or four days!

"Maybe he was idling in front a touch, but he has that one big kick. It is always quite worrying whether Neil goes too early or leaves it too late, but it is a wonderful burst which helps him win his races."

Today's best bets, by Will Hayler

Rather Jo'Burg (3.10) than me. A 500-mile round trip from Sussex to York on the last weekend of the summer sounds fraught with danger to me, but Jo'Burg makes the trip north from Lady Herries' Angmering yard and I'm presuming it's not to watch Peppa Pig and pals at York Press Family Raceday..

He's an interesting horse, classy in his youth before losing his way but brought back to something like his best in winning two decent mile-and-a-quarter handicaps at Sandown.

Jo'Burg is happiest when given plenty of space and has proved most effective at Sandown this year when switched away from the field to the stands' rail — this tactic saw him beaten less than two lengths in a valuable affair at the same track a fortnight ago.

It would be no surprise to see him trying something similar under Seb Sanders this afternoon in a claimer where the £10,100 prize money is responsible for producing a field which is well above-average for this kind of event and tougher-looking than the claimers in which Sunnyside Tom has been mopping up recently.

As I write this, the crowds are pouring in at York, but 95 per cent of them are heading for the middle of the course at six quid a head. Someone 100 yards from the winning post is hammering in a windbreak. Given that today's card looks largely impossible, the best place to be is stood in the middle with a board and a marker.

Our old friend River Falcon (4.50) is back in action today, still attempting to re-invent himself as a seven-furlong performer. At his favourite track, I can't bring myself to oppose him.

Without Makfi and Goldikova in the line-up, Paco Boy has an obvious chance in today's Prix du Moulin, but I much prefer Lope de Vega (2.43) at the odds.

There's no guarantee that Paco Boy will get a decent pace to aim at today and that may put the ball in the court of Lope de Vega, especially if he gets a soft lead.

Tattenham Corner

Jamie Spencer, the top jockey, has complained about tempting food being on view in Newcastle's weighing room

Jamie Spencer wants ban on egg butties

Fake Twitter accounts appearing in the name of celebrities remain a constant problem for journalists hoping to use the website for information and quotes. A bogus account in the name of John McCririck caused a stir a couple of weeks ago, but a new name on the tweeting scene – and seemingly a genuine source – is that of the jockey Jamie Spencer. As well as addressing more mundane matters, he took umbrage over the Racing Post's assessment of his ride on Traffic Guard at Windsor last Saturday – "more rubbish" and threatened "excessive use of the whip" against the jockey with "egg butties in the weighing room" at Newcastle. The trainer Stef Higgins is another whose account is worth following. Having accused the handicapper this week of assessing one of her horses "at Pimm's o'clock", she gave a big word for Friday's Kempton winner My Best Bet.

Brighton rocked

High excitement at a busy East Brighton golf club yesterday after Gibraltar Lass, a filly running at Brighton, bolted, threw her rider, broke through a plastic rail and galloped on to the prestigious golf course. The horse ran alongside the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th holes to the par-five 18th where she careered down the fairway and jumped on the green, damaging it. Then she went down the first fairway, sending golfers scurrying into the rough – if they weren't there already – before leaving hoofprints all over the practice putting green. Gibraltar Lass's trainer, Hugh Collingridge, said today the filly had escaped with a few abrasions after being given a tranquilliser. Sedatives were also administered in the clubhouse, though members' talk soon turned to how many "horseshoe" putts they'd endured.

Don't panic Mr Mannering

Limited To Ladies, a syndicate set up exclusively for female owners of the John Best-trained filly Suspender Belt, nearly had a surprise new member last week. A Folkestone raffle for a share in the filly was won by a 92-year-old gentleman by the name of Mr Mannering. Happily, the story had a nice ending as he is giving his syndicate share to a daughter, Leanne.

Dead scared

Halloween is taken seriously across the Atlantic as Churchill Downs in Kentucky – which recently introduced floodlights for evening meetings – has found. The track was due to stage a "Downs After Dark" card beginning at 4.30pm on 31 October. But – fearing that a night beneath the twin spires could prove too spooky – the start has been moved to lunchtime so that the action can take place in daylight.

What's In A Name?

Last Saturday's Prestige Stakes winner Theyskens' Theory is the favourite for next year's 1,000 Guineas following her Goodwood success and her name reflects the business interests of her United States-based owner, Andrew Rosen. He is chief executive of the Theory fashion business and his homebred filly's name reflects the fact that his company had just signed up the top designer Olivier Theyskens to produce a new line of clothing. It is a naming system that has worked in the past – Rosen's father, Carl, named his 1974 champion filly Chris Evert after a line of sportswear he had just brought out backed by the tennis star.

Cape Blanco storms home for Seamus Heffernan in Irish Champion Stakes

• Aidan O'Brien second string is high class at Leopardstown
• Hot favourite and stablemate Rip Van Winkle a poor second

Aidan O'Brien's attempt to complete a Group One treble in less than 70 minutes came up just short today, but while his authority could not extend to Haydock's Sprint Cup, his dominance here was all but absolute. O'Brien saddled four of the first five winners on the most important afternoon of Leopardstown's season, including a 1-2 with Cape Blanco and Rip Van Winkle in the Irish Champion Stakes, and the only disappointment for his followers in the day's feature race was that the forecast was in the "wrong" order.

Rip Van Winkle, the winner of the International Stakes at York last month, was the 8-11 favourite for the Champion, while Cape Blanco, O'Brien's Irish Derby winner, was sent off at 6-1. In the early stages, as Seamus Heffernan set a solid gallop on Cape Blanco, it seemed that he might set the race up for his stable companion, but even an operation with Ballydoyle's wealth of riches does not waste a Derby winner in a pacemaking role.

Heffernan judged the tempo to perfection, and got Cape Blanco running with such a powerful rhythm that it was clear from two furlongs out that it would take an immense effort to pass him. Another kick on the home turn was the final act, and though Rip Van Winkle quickened from the rear to short-head Twice Over for second, he was still five and a half lengths away from the winner.

Cape Blanco beat Workforce, the Derby winner, in the Dante at York in May, and finished a distant second to Harbinger in the King George last time out, so there is little reason to doubt the form. He now seems more likely to run in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket next month rather than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which O'Brien already has the ante-post favourite, Fame And Glory.

"Seamus gave him a great ride," O'Brien said. "We've always thought this horse wanted a mile and a quarter and nice ground. He showed a lot of speed, class and determination, and he got into that great rhythm. He probably gets a mile and a half because his class makes him get it, rather than being a mile and a half horse. It was his courage that got him home at The Curragh. The lads will talk about everything now, he's got races like the Champion and America, there's a lot of possibilities.

"We were delighted with Rip Van Winkle. The ground is on the soft side now, and if we'd had that at declaration time, we wouldn't have been here with him. He has speed and he's a real miler."

O'Brien took his first Group One of the afternoon in the Matron Stakes here, as Lillie Langtry – at 7-2, the longest price of his major contenders for the day's main events – beat Spacious by a neck. She had a couple of lengths to find on the runner-up turning into the short home straight, but while the final margin was small, Lillie Langtry's attitude was admirable, and there was never much doubt from a furlong out that Murtagh would get her home.

O'Brien is inclined to send the winner to the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on Arc day, while she is also likely to form part of Ballydoyle's contingent for the Breeders' Cup in Kentucky in early November. Last year, she finished eighth when favourite for the Juvenile Fillies' Turf, and either the Mile or the Filly & Mare Turf would appear to be a realistic target.

"She was just ready to start back today," O'Brien said, "and Johnny gave her a masterful ride. He only really asked her to race for furlong and a half, so he gave her a peach. She was brave and determined, and she's always been a very classy filly. We'll look forward to her now for the rest of the year."

The Group One race that escaped Ballydoyle's grasp was the Sprint Cup at Haydock, where O'Brien's Starspangledbanner, a dual winner at the top level this season, faded abruptly after setting a strong pace and finished only fifth behind Henry Candy's gelding Markab. The winner may now head for the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp next month.

"He's a seven-year-old and has got a lot of miles on the clock," Candy said. "He started running in 80-rated handicaps over seven furlongs at Lingfield and it is incredible how he has progressed since."

Paco Boy appears to have a straightforward task in the Group One Prix du Moulin at Longchamp tomorrow afternoon, in which he seems sure to start favourite with both Goldikova and Makfi heading elsewhere.

Lope De Vega (2.43) could still be a significant obstacle, however. André Fabre's colt looked outstanding when winning both the French 2,000 Guineas over tomorrow's track and trip and the French Derby over 10 furlongs, and though he ran poorly last time, when he failed to beat even his pacemaker in the Prix Jean Prat, his earlier form gives him a outstanding chance.

Talking Horses | Will Hayler

Today's best bets and latest news in our daily racing blog

Cape Blanco triumphs at Leopardstown

3.45pm: Cape Blanco, trained by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Seamie Heffernan, won the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The winner, a 6-1 shot, had the field well stretched before the home straight and, by forcing the pace, Heffernan had Johnny Murtagh struggling on stablemate Rip Van Winkle (8-11 fav), who had to battle for second place half a dozen lengths back.

Starspangledbanner at half-mast

3.45pm: Markab, trained by Henry Candy and ridden by Pat Cosgrave, won the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock at odds of 12-1. The seven-year-old powered clear up the stand side, leaving the heavily backed favourite Starspangledbanner trailing in his wake.
Despite drifting towards the far side in the closing stages, Markab comfortably held the late charge of Lady Of The Desert (9-1). Genki was third at 20-1.

Rain at Leopardstown

1.30pm: There has been plenty of rain in the Dublin area – it was hurling it down as the Airbus inched its way along O'Connell Street this morning – and the official going has now been tweaked from good-to-firm to good-to-firm, good in places. The rain has eased off now, but it looks like showers through the afternoon, and the first race should give a better indication of just how much of it has got into the ground. There has been plenty of watering here this week, after all.

Today's TV races

Johnny Murtagh could have travelled to Haydock to partner Starspangledbanner in the Betfred Sprint Cup but stays closer to home in order to maintain his association with a colt he has always held in the very highest esteem.

Murtagh may have underestimated the strength of the opposition at York last month, for having travelled strongly, Rip Van Winkle suddenly had to be asked a question at the furlong pole to get the better of Twice Over.

To some extent Twice Over could be considered slightly unlucky that day as by the time the winner's challenge emerged, he had been softened up by the effects of a protracted duel for the lead with Byword, which lasted the length of the straight.

But Rip Van Winkle (3.45) has been registering improved figures with every start this season and his second to the outstanding Sea The Stars in last year's Coral-Eclipse remains fresh in the memory. That form is some way better than Twice Over's success in the same race 12 months later and he can confirm the York placings today.

Haydock 2.00 On his belated return to action, Awzaan looks highly vulnerable. Despite having to give weight away, Fanunalter makes plenty of appeal. He finished only four lengths behind Premio Loco two runs ago, despite not being suited by the slow pace, and endured a luckless run at Salisbury last time.

Kempton 2.15 Some will be willing to take on Hooray having to give 2lb to The Paddyman, but Sir Mark Prescott's filly is tough. If she gets her own way at the front again, she will be hard to pass.

Haydock 2.30 Third in the King's Stand Stakes last season, Anglezarke had seemed to lose her way on her first few starts for Richard Fahey, but caught the eye when rattling home in fourth in the Beverley Bullet last weekend. She has dropped to a nice-looking handicap mark.

Kempton 2.45 Despite having been put in his place by Sans Frontieres last time out, Laaheb is still of obvious interest in this line-up and can confirm form by again beating Saptapadi. He was probably in front soon enough last time and it would be no surprise to see more conservative riding tactics employed today.

Thirsk 2.55 Mulish in the preliminaries and only marginally more tractable in the race itself, Green Lightning looked a difficult customer at York last time out. But maybe the booking of Silvestre de Sousa can make the difference here. There is no tougher jockey than the Brazilian.

Haydock 3.05 A competitive affair, but plenty of these look to be losing the battle against the handicapper judged upon their latest efforts and the answer may lie with a progressive stayer such as Kansai Spirit. He impressed in victory at Newbury last time out, travelling comfortably throughout and quickening clear to score in the manner of a horse who is ahead of the handicapper at present.

Kempton 3.20 An open contest in which Clockmaker can only be a tentative selection after his appalling run at Sandown last time out. He had looked smart previously at this track and the return to Polytrack can only help.

Haydock 3.35 Starspangledbanner should appreciate the return to six furlongs having been outpaced in last month's Nunthorpe Stakes at York. However, he has had a busy year on both sides of the globe and that may just be catching up with him. A lightly raced three-year-old who boasts Group One form and could well be open to improvement faced with this different kind of test, Rainfall is a ludicrous price at around 20-1. Her profile is reminiscent of the 2005 winner Goodricke, who came back down in trip to beat better-fancied older rivals. A gutsy winner of the Jersey Stakes, Rainfall was third in the Falmouth before seeming not to get home over a mile behind Goldikova last time. But she travelled with power in that contest before running out of gas and is classy.

Horse sense

Twice Over (3.45) has work to do if he is to reverse form with Rip Van Winkle at Leopardstown this afternoon, but he seems better than ever at home at Newmarket and it is far from impossible that he can rise to the occasion in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Henry Cecil and jockey Tom Queally have a couple of ideas up their sleeves as to how best to go about getting the better of their Irish-trained rival who was arguably suited by the way in which Twice Over and Byword took each other on at York, leaving them both vulnerable to a sucker punch.

Kansai Spirit (3.05) was paired up with Duncan to work in John Gosden's second lot on the Al Bahathri gallop on Wednesday morning and had pleased his trainer since his latest win at Newbury. He is a young horse on the upgrade and may be too smart for some more exposed types in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock today.

Gosden has a two-year-old who is very much one to look out for, an unraced Medicean colt called Naqash who holds an entry in the Dewhurst Stakes and has produced some highly impressive pieces of work in recent weeks.

Cityscape (2.00) carries some stable confidence on his first start for almost four months in Haydock's opening race. Roger Charlton's runner has had his problems, but also has a good record coming back from a break and was not at his best when outpointed by King Of Dixie at Ascot last time.

Brian Meehan has been finding the net with a few of his two-year-olds in the last few days and Hammer Home (4.10) is another who is fancied to go close at Haydock today. Stablemate Titus Mills, who works well with some of Meehan's most promising juveniles at home, is being lined up to appear at Goodwood on Tuesday and is also fancied to run a big race.

Seen and heard

Controversy remains firmly on the local news agenda before next week's St Leger meeting at Doncaster. After a local action group staged a sit-in to prevent trees being cut down earlier this year, council plans have now been submitted for a second stage of "tree management". Full details are not due to be released to the public until later this month but a local newspaper, The Star, suggested this week that up to 80 per cent of trees on the common land in the middle of the course could be felled in order to improve viewing from the stands - leaving activists up in arms.

Man Of The Match is fancied to go close on his handicap bow at Haydock this afternoon. His trainer, Alan Bailey, rates the colt highly and admitted in a recent television interview that at a princely 135,000 guineas, Man Of The Match's purchase price was about as much as the rest of his stable put together. Confusingly, however, Bailey seemed unclear about the Rathordan Partnership, the colt's registered owners. "I don't know - I haven't really met them," he said. How odd.

Will Hayler's best bet

Orpenindeed (8.20 Wolverhampton)

Orpenindeed's spell in the care of Tim Vaughan in south Wales came to an end after a disappointing third here last time out, but six furlongs seemed too sharp for him that day. Transferred to Jim Best in Lewes, the seven-year-old is back at seven furlongs now and, with blinkers fitted in an attempt to sharpen him up, he looks a more trustworthy conveyance than main rival Dingaan.

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Ebor-winning Marcus Reeder fails to pass 'fit and proper person' test

• BHA tells owner he will not be allowed to re-register
• Dirar's owner warned off twice for breaking betting rules

Marcus Reeder, who enjoyed his biggest moment as an owner when Dirar won the Ebor last month, has been prevented from re-registering as an owner in Britain. The Northamptonshire man has been told that he fails the "fit and proper person" test, having been warned off twice for breaches of the sport's rules on corruption.

The decision by a licensing committee of the British Horseracing Authority appears to kill off Reeder's hopes of expanding his racing interests in this country. Standing in the winner's enclosure after Dirar's success at York, he said: "I've just started buying a lot more horses and a few will be going to Gordon [Elliott, trainer of Dirar] and a few will be going with one of my good friends, Seamus Durack [a jump jockey], who's just got a licence to train. He'll be based in Lambourn."

Reeder, who may appeal against the decision, has served two bans for separate breaches of racing's rules. He was banned for a year in 2006 after laying one of his own horses through Betfair and then for a further 18 months in 2008 when he was found to be part of a nine-man conspiracy to profit from the laying of horses, some of which were owned by one of his co-conspirators.

After that second ban ended in May, Reeder wrote to the BHA expressing contrition and seeking to resume his activities as an owner in Britain. In the immediate aftermath of the Ebor, the BHA signalled that Reeder had been successful, but this was a mistake and in fact the matter was still under consideration. He was not available for comment last night.

Dirar was able to run in Reeder's name because the horse is based in Ireland, where the authorities have allowed him to re-register, in full knowledge of his history. A spokesman for Horse Racing Ireland said at the time that there was "no reason not to set up an account".

It remains to be seen whether the BHA will now take any action to prevent Reeder-owned runners based in Ireland from running in Britain, or if the Irish authorities will reconsider their position.

The field for today's Matron Stakes, one of two Group One races taking place at Leopardstown, has been reduced to six following the withdrawal of Jacqueline Quest, who was first past the post in the 1,000 Guineas in May. "She's just got a bit of a swollen joint," said a spokeswoman for her trainer, Henry Cecil. "It's nothing to worry about and she should be back out in a few weeks."

The chances of Aidan O'Brien winning three Group Ones today are no bigger than 12-1, according to one firm of bookmakers. O'Brien has half the field for the Irish Champion Stakes, as well as Starspangledbanner in Haydock's big sprint, but reportedly views Lillie Langtry in the Matron as a weak link. The filly is returning from a disappointing run at Newmarket's July meeting.

Talking Horses

Today's best bets, the latest racing news plus day five of our weekly tipping competition

Today's best bets, by Will Hayler

Dedication. Dedication. Dedication. That's what you need. There might just be a chance that I am simply trying to be too clever in picking out Record Breaker (9.15) in the last race at Kempton tonight, particularly as the betting does not suggest that anyone else gives him much of a chance at around the 14-1 mark.

His form has been in something of a downward spiral since he finished second to Buxted in a Listed race on his last visit to this track in March.

However, having been wearing a visor for his last couple of starts, the blinkers he has worn for his last two successes are back on now and I am hoping that this switch coincides with a return to more aggressive riding tactics, as these have been used to good effect with him in the past and he also has the services of the excellent front-running rider Joe Fanning this evening.

Looking through his rivals, there seems a good chance that Fanning should be able to get to the front easily enough if he wants to and if the pair can dominate I give Record Breaker a serious chance even with his all-weather rating having annoyingly been kept much higher than his turf mark.

Johnson might have already had a winner on the Kempton card by then because Glen Shiel (5.45) has an obvious chance in the opener.

He produced a rare poor effort on his only previous try on Polytrack but has been running really well on turf of late, finishing second in a solid Ayr handicap full of recent winners last time out.

This evening's move up to a mile should suit and against a largely exposed bunch of rivals, he may prove tough to beat if repeating the form of any of his last three runs.

Smarty Socks (4.10) would have gone close in a valuable handicap at Ripon on Monday but for meeting trouble in running having already done his usual trick of losing half a dozen lengths coming out of the stalls.

Today's competition at Musselburgh looks considerably softer and granted a better route through the pack, he must be the one to beat.

Ryan Moore, the champion Flat jockey, continues to ease himself back into the daily routine after an injury when he partners Lost In The Moment (3.50) at Lingfield. Kieren Fallon, who has been sidelined by flu-type symptoms for the last two days, is expected to be back in action with several mounts at the same track.

Tipping competition, day five

Donlewis was yesterday's leader and found an 11-4 winner, yet he's dropped to third. JahLion went steaming past with winners at 5-1 and 11-4, while londonpatrick had the 5-1 winner to go second.

This week's prize is a pair of tickets to the top enclosure on Ayr Gold Cup day, Saturday 18 September, generously offered by William Hill, who sponsor the great sprint handicap.

Get those tips in early! In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (i.e. today).

For today's thrilling climax we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 4.40 Musselburgh, 5.00 Brighton, 5.20 Lingfield.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not yet joined in this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you must start on -12.

For terms and conditions click here.

Good luck!

Standings after day four

JahLion +15.25

londonpatrick +13.50

donlewis +13.25

goofs +7.75

DrSativa +6

MauriceNL +5.50

Woadboy +5

Mulldog +4.50

xwireman +3.50

TheVic +3.50

BearRides +3

millreef +2.50

Ellandback +2.25

chiefhk +0.50

chrishol +0

chris1623 +0

sandiuk -0.50

tom1977 -1

JDK1 -1

15244 -1

TL127 -1

moidadembums -2.75

sangfroid -3

carl31 -3.25

erifder -5.50

Copshaw -5.50

23skidoo -6

suckzinclee -6

diegoisgod -6.50

coma88 -6.50

Rivercity -6.50

pops2 -6.50

WalthamstowLad -6.50

MrPositive -7

melonk -7

titusisashambles -7.50

Ormrod76 -7.50

slackdad38 -7.50

Viejo -12

Cairo -12

leviticus67 -12

Onmeheadson -12

Shrewdette -12

snowy81 -12

drupat -12

Rollneck -12

peterpickum -12

MISTERCHESTER -12

Templegate -12

Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.

Click here for today's latest odds.

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Claims Five: Why you should care about the Am I Blue coup | Chris Cook

An obscure race at Hereford this week showed up a lot of the problems with British horse racing

Somebody made a killing from a handicap hurdle at Hereford on Wednesday. As you may well be aware, the race was won in impressive fashion by Am I Blue, who had been backed from 25-1 down to 5-1 before hosing up by 19 lengths.

The filly opened at 25-1 because she seemed to have lost what ability she once had. Still without a win in 16 races, she had been consistently moderate when trained by Tim Vaughan but seemed to have become utterly hopeless since moving a few miles down the road to Delyth Thomas at Bridgend.

In her three runs before Wednesday, she was stuffed out of sight, being beaten by 22 lengths, 75 lengths and 88 lengths. The handicap rating assigned to her went down with each race, while her odds got bigger and bigger.

Then came Wednesday and an implausible reversal of fortune. Perhaps there are reasonable explanations for everything that happened that day, but we have not yet heard them in anything other than outline form. There has been outrage in some quarters, amusement in others. Here's my reaction.

1) The stewards have let everyone down

In the immediate aftermath of the race, the stewards asked Thomas if she knew any reason for Am I Blue's improved form. Thomas offered two, that the horse had had "spinal therapy" and had benefited from a change in tactics, racing prominently instead of being held up.

Whether or not they were disposed to believe her, the stewards should at this point have called a formal inquiry, so that at the very least they could get as much detail as possible from Thomas about the treatment this horse is supposed to have had. In light of the amazingly prescient support for Am I Blue in the betting market, it would then have been an excellent idea to refer the whole matter to the British Horseracing Authority, who would be in a better position to investigate the source of that support and the reasons for it.

Instead, the stewards noted Thomas's comments and took no further action. All was right with their world and nothing untoward could possibly have occurred. They had no curiosity about, for example, the precise details of this spinal therapy that can apparently transform a horse from tail-ender to easy winner in just two weeks.

"There was nothing suspicious to investigate," the stipendiary steward, Simon Cowley, told the Racing Post. Given the amazing circumstances of this coup, the stewards should have been very careful in accepting any explanation that Thomas might offer. That they swallowed her words whole and enquired no further suggests they are so credulous as to be incapable of doing a steward's job properly.

As it turns out, there will be an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority in any case. The fact that this was announced just two hours after the race merely goes to show that the Hereford stewards should have taken more of an interest in the first place. Let's hope the investigation is not hampered by their failure to take full, detailed statements in the immediate aftermath.

2) Delyth Thomas seems an unlikely mastermind

Thomas appears to be very well respected as a trainer of Arab racehorses but her record in thoroughbred racing is poor. She has had 19 runners on the Flat since 1989 without getting one in the first three and her 173 runners over jumps had yielded just two successes before this week. Both those wins were recorded by Timidjar some five years ago, in selling hurdles for conditional riders.

When Timidjar won for Thomas, he started at 14-1 and 11-1, so it's clear that this trainer has absolutely no history of orchestrating anything approaching what happened on Wednesday.

That, of course, would make her the ideal name to have next to your horse in the racecard if you were plotting some kind of coup. Thomas is also the registered owner of Am I Blue, but it is difficult to believe that she alone has prepared this horse, especially if we accept her word that she took no part in the gamble. That money came from someone with reason to expect a big run.

Thomas must be asked if anyone else, perhaps a more established trainer, had any hand in Am I Blue's preparation. Of course, one would hardly expect her to answer 'yes' to such a question, which is why one hopes the BHA have an integrity department that can get information by other means than asking questions.

3) Pre-race information is vital

It is deeply unsatisfactory that a trainer can expect to land a coup and then wave away queries by saying: "Well, we fixed [insert physical problem here] and he/she/it obviously feels like a different horse today." Anyone who imagines that punters will swallow that without further elaboration is treating us with contempt.

Here's a thought: if you know a reason why your horse may run a great deal better than it did last time, why not mention it to somebody beforehand? That would seem to be the sensible thing to do, unless you want to find yourself constantly on the receiving end of opprobrium from the press and public.

In fact, Thomas appears to have broken the rules of racing by failing to mention the spinal therapy to officials before Wednesday's race. If, as she claims, some kind of back or shoulder problem was to blame for the three woeful efforts by Am I Blue that preceded her win, Thomas was bound to report that under BHA rule 30.1, which says:

"A trainer must make a report of anything that he considers might have materially affected the performance in the race of any horse trained by him."

As soon as she discovered the problem and commissioned that much-vaunted spinal therapy, Thomas should have been straight on the phone to the BHA. Why wasn't she?

I dare say she would claim inexperience or ignorance of the rule, but the fact is that this rule seems more honoured in the breach than the observance. Times without number, trainers have stood in the winner's enclosure and explained that their charge had been found to have a runny nose / the plague / a missing leg after its previous race and was a certainty to win once the issue was resolved.

Always, on these occasions, the trainer expects to be congratulated for having fixed the problem, instead of being beaten to death for failing to mention it.

Well, trainers are busy people. Perhaps we should make it easier for them to comply with the rules.

Why could there not be a simple piece of software that allows the stable secretary to tap into their computer any reason why Horse A is going to run better in tomorrow's race than it did last time? The explanation could appear on the BHA's excellent website on a page dedicated to that purpose and arranged by race. Punters could scan that page for useful information before placing their bets.

4) Jockey changes should be like-for-like

One of the factors that aggravated punters in regard to Am I Blue was that the jockey whose name appeared next to it in the racecard was Dean Coleman, whereas the horse was in fact ridden by the vastly more experienced Richard Johnson. Thomas and Coleman appear to have tried hard to make this feature of the race as annoying as possible, by providing conflicting explanations for the switch.

Thomas told reporters that Coleman had had to go to the dentist. Coleman, who was present at the track when the race was run, claims the change was necessary because his car got a puncture and he was in danger of arriving late.

Ho hum. They'll probably have their story sorted out by the time the BHA's investigators call round. I suppose it is not completely impossible that both explanations could be true; that Coleman went to the dentist and then tried to make it to the track before sustaining a puncture.

But if it should turn out that either of these explanations is actually bogus, it may look as though connections of Am I Blue were trying to put punters away, lining up a top jockey for their fancied runner but pretending that some youngster would be in the saddle until the bets were on.

It all seems so unnecessary, if the switch was actually planned, since Coleman is capable and would surely have won on Am I Blue in any case. Heck, almost any jockey with a licence could have won on him.

The time has come for the BHA to contemplate a rule that prevents trainers ditching a no-name rider for a big-name jockey at the last moment. Coleman is still so inexperienced that he is allowed to claim 5lb from the weight his mounts are set to carry. If he is taken off a horse, for any reason, his replacement should also be a claimer.

The BHA's spokesman, Paul Struthers, told me that such a rule would now be considered. "It happens rarely but when it does happen it always causes consternation and suspicion," he said.

That's not to say that such suspicion is always justified. But there's no need to rub the audience up the wrong way.

5) Why this matters

Horse racing depends on the support of punters, who make an enormous contribution to the sport, running into tens of millions of pounds every year, via the levy on bookmakers' profits. Admittedly, that source of income is in decline, while racecourses are getting more and more money through picture rights.

Of course, that money also depends on punters. Bookmakers will lose interest in screening live racing in their shops if no one is betting on it. Terrestrial TV channels will cut back on their coverage if no one tunes in.

If it did not grip gamblers around Britain, horse racing would be as obscure and as precariously funded as show-jumping.

It should not be necessary to assert the importance of keeping punters happy, but sadly it is, because many racing professionals show little but disdain for the betting public. And in spite of their importance, punters form the only body of people in the factionalised world of racing without any organisation to protect their interests.

Racing takes punters for granted and I can imagine no future in which that will not be the case. It is a dangerous, self-harming way to behave and the sport's best friends will always be those who advise it to curb that tendency, to do something for the gamblers, to pay lip service at the very least to the idea that they are valued.

It is simply not enough to shrug and say that this kind of thing has always happened, that many punters appreciate a good coup, even if they're not on the winning side.

When a horse with rubbish form is heavily backed and wins easily, punters are bound to suspect they're being taken for a ride. If officials show no interest in examining such events, punters will feel like gullible marks in a cruel and cynical world. And whose money will we take when they're gone?

Twice Over camp hoping shorter track helps them beat Rip Van Winkle

• Tomorrow's Leopardstown race 100 yards shorter than York
• Harbinger sold to stand at stud in Japan

Connections of Twice Over are pinning their hopes on the layout of Leopardstown racecourse as the reason why their horse might beat Rip Van Winkle in the Irish Champion Stakes tomorrow. When the pair met in the Juddmonte International at York last month, Rip Van Winkle finished strongly to go past his rival in the final strides.

"Saturday's race is about 100 yards less and you'd have backed Twice Over to win the York race with 100 yards to go," said Teddy Grimthorpe, a spokesman for Twice Over's owner, Khalid Abdulla. "The run-in at Leopardstown is not as far as it is at York and we were only beaten half a length. It's not such a great lot to turn around."

Grimthorpe said Twice Over was versatile as to tactics and he may need to be, as the pace of the race is likely to be controlled by Aidan O'Brien's three runners.

Kieren Fallon missed a second day's racing because of flu-like symptoms, which caused him to give up six rides at Salisbury. The jockey is expected to return this afternoon at Lingfield.

Harbinger has been sold for an undisclosed sum to stand at stud in Japan. The colt, briefly the highest-rated racehorse in the world after winning the King George by 11 lengths, is said to be recovering well from the fractured cannon bone he sustained on the gallops last month.

Ryan Moore returns to action but accepts that title chance has gone

The champion jockey was unplaced on two rides as he came back from a three-week absence

No one expected Ryan Moore to celebrate his return to race-riding after three weeks on the sidelines by high-fiving a long line of punters as he left the weighing room but, even by his standards, his afternoon here was distinctly low-key. The one bright moment came as he walked into the paddock for his first ride of the day.

"Don't smile, Ryan," Frankie Dettori called out breezily as they trotted past the press corps and, just for once, the champion jockey found it difficult to do anything but.

For any punters still clinging forlornly to short-priced bets on Moore for the jockeys' title, though, this was the day when all hope seemed to evaporate. Moore's two rides on the card were both unfancied in the market and both failed to trouble the judge.

Caraboss, an 8-1 chance owned by the Queen, did at least make it into fourth place in division two of the fillies' maiden, but Tale Untold, at 20-1, was only fifth of eight in the Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes half an hour later.

Despite his three previous titles, the championship has never been an over- riding priority for Moore, who was struggling to keep up with Paul Hanagan even before he suffered a wrist injury in a post-race fall at Windsor on 9 August.

With his services likely to be required in America for the Breeders' Cup in the final week of the turf season, he would need to build a secure lead by the end of October and, even if Sir Michael Stoute's stable explodes into form, just bridging the 33-winner gap to Hanagan would be an immense task.

But Caraboss did not hint at a sudden spate of winners from Freemason Lodge – indeed Stoute, for all the lucrative heroics of Workforce and Harbinger, has saddled saddled just 17 winners since the end of June.

Moore, who spoke briefly to reporters afterwards, has apparently accepted that his title race is run. "It appears that way," he said. "It's not that I don't rate championships, I wouldn't say that, but I guess I'll just keep doing what I usually do."

Moore tried to reduce the swelling on his injured wrist and accelerate his recovery using a cryogenic chamber at a specialist centre in Tring.

"I was down in Tring for about 10 days," he said. "The treatment helps to keep your fitness up because you do a bit of training afterwards and it gives you a bit of a boost, so it's easier to work after you've had the treatment. I've been riding out for the last week and a half now. It's good to be back."

Moore would not be drawn, though, on who he expects to succeed him as champion in what looks like a straight race between Hanagan and Richard Hughes. "It's two months away," he said, "and anything can happen in racing."

It felt like high summer at Salisbury, but the results did not match the fine weather, with 33-1 chances successful in both divisions of the maiden and Margot Did, the hot favourite for the Dick Poole, edged out by a nose and a neck behind Brevity in a race that never quite unfolded as Hayley Turner, Margot Did's rider, would have liked.

Dettori later failed to deliver on an even-money chance as Khawlah, whose relatives include Sea The Stars, started slowly and finished fast but too late in division two of the maiden.

Both Shim Sham and Brevity are trained by Brian Meehan, who could be a man to follow closely over the next few weeks. "The spring was tough, but they're coming through now," Meehan said. "I think my two-year-olds are very special. I thought we had a hell of a bunch last year but they're even better this year."