Is someone suggesting we have Strictly Come Gee-Gees? Well, forget it

www.guardian.co.uk - The Racing For Change project has talked of X Factor-style promotions. What's the going rate for a sport's self-respect?Racing For Change, the project designed to save our sport, is a slippery beast. Scant detail is understood about this enigmatic creature, though it is known to have existed for more than a year now. Whether by accident or design, it is difficult to corner, tag and categorise. You think you have it by the tail and it sheds it for another. Sometimes you'd like to throttle it.One thing is clear: it lives in close confinement with a large elephant that goes by the name of Funding. Any restructuring of the income stream to British racing, which currently relies on a percentage of dwindling eligible bookmaker profits, does not lie within RFC's remit. Racing's fundamental problem will not be addressed.Even within this status quo it is yet to be decided how to measure RFC's worth. One device is whether, by a date presumably to be agreed, it succeeds in increasing racing's share of the betting pound. Another is whether it grows media-rights income from nearly nothing to something. Inexplicably no target figure for augmented sponsorship has yet been set either.How the concept of "premierisation" - enabling racing's best events to occupy the foreground of the sport's attention more effectively - will work in practice cannot yet be said. Start talking detail, such as whether promoting a core Flat season that starts with the Guineas and ends with an unspecified finale risks ghettoising the existing bookends, and you're told this is a package aimed at the irregular consumer, that nothing will really change for the racing fan.Here there seems to be a disconnect proposed between what racing will mean to Us, the fans, and Them, the wider public, whom RFC implies live an entirely different existence. This discontinuity was also evident in RFC's recent headline proposals for a team competition and celebrity-led, X Factor-style approach.Latching on to celebrities - awkwardly grafted on to promote a sport they are paid to attend, replete with their sometimes damaging moral baggage - or to the previous decade's big TV idea is so far behind the curve, it's flat-lined. RFC says consumers "welcomed the idea of a series they could follow over a short period of time".Are these the focus groups who said they'd go to pubs if smoking was banned? Imagine these serial theoretical opinion-givers went so far as to attend Strictly Come Racing with Brave Cheryl Tweedy. How does the concept pay its way? What is the going rate for a sport's soul and self-respect anyway?How you engage an occasional audience in everyday racing - the stuff that pays the bills - continues to be overlooked. Little effort has been made to hook those who already boost racecourse attendances when an evening music concert is scheduled. Making a lasting connection while new blood is in your backyard should be a priority for Racing For Change.Racing also doesn't look after its existing customers - the sport's primary recruiting officers for the next generation - well enough. This means communicating better, providing accurate information, access to relevant technology and a higher standard of service.This is a viable target more pertinent to the sport's success than turning an envious eye to the attention enjoyed by football and a blind one to its flirtation with financial implosion.Racing For Change has undoubtedly bought breathing space and goodwill with its extensive strategy of consultation. This should not be confused with approbation, however. Perhaps its ambition is hard to pin down because, unless it is an attempt to be all things to all people, it has not decided what it is yet either. But the clock is ticking on the chameleon act.Horse racingLydia Hislopguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)

Tom Cooper declares Forpadydeplasterer on course for Cheltenham

www.guardian.co.uk - 2009 Arkle Chase winner has recovered from lameness Trainer says lack of recent run is not a problemForpadydeplasterer, apparently ruled out of the Queen Mother Champion Chase with lameness in early February, is one of 14 possible runners in the two-mile race at Cheltenham next week, after the latest confirmation stage.Last year's Arkle Trophy winner has not raced since finishing second to Twist Magic in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in December, and was initially expected to be in his box for at least three weeks when he was struck by lameness just over a month ago. However he surprised his connections with the speed of his recovery and schooled impressively at Leopardstown 12 days ago."I am very happy with Forpadydeplasterer at the moment, he is fit, fresh and well," Tom Cooper, his trainer, said . "He had a setback but he is well over it now. We are going to Cheltenham without a run [in 2010] but I don't think that should be a problem. I think the Tingle Creek was a great effort on that ground, he had good horses behind him."On Wednesday better ground will help him, without a doubt. He is a course and distance winner and he is going back there with a huge chance."Master Minded, the winner of the race for the past two seasons, is the clear favourite to emulate Badsworth Boy, a three-time winner from 1983 to 1985.Paul Nicholls's chaser is top-priced at 5-6 with William Hill and Paddy Power, ahead of Kalahari King, the runner-up to Forpadydeplasterer in last year's Arkle, at 5-1. Twist Magic is a 7-1 chance while Forpadydeplasterer and Big Zeb can be backed at 9-1.Horse racingCheltenham festivalGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)

Sam Thomas out of Cheltenham Festival following schooling accident

www.guardian.co.uk - Fractured vertebra for jockey who lost ride on Denman Barry Geraghty set for ride on Gold Cup mountSam Thomas, who rode Denman to win the Gold Cup in 2008, will miss this year's Cheltenham Festival after suffering a suspected fracture of a spinal vertebra in a fall while schooling horses at Paul Nicholls's yard.Thomas was jumping the last of six schooling fences on Woolcombe Folly, a possible runner in next week's Arkle Trophy, when he suffered a crashing fall. He was then taken to the Royal United hospital in Bath by air ambulance, where a spokeswoman confirmed that he was "conscious and able to talk".Nicholls said that Thomas's injuries are not as bad as had been feared but that the jockey is likely to be out of action for at least six weeks."I was speaking to his dad just now, and he told me that the prognosis is OK," Nicholls said. "His dad is saying that he has suffered a hairline fracture of a vertebra, and basically the doctor says that it should take six weeks to heal and there is no damage to the spinal chord."It is not as bad as we all first feared, and there's even a possibility that he will be out of hospital tonight. It was a bad fall and you can't take any chances with a neck injury, but the main thing is that it isn't as bad as we thought it could be."Thomas has suffered mixed fortunes since taking the Gold Cup two years ago with an excellent tactical ride, and learned only a few weeks ago that he had lost the ride on Denman in this year's Gold Cup, to Tony McCoy.However he had been due to partner Tell Massini, the ante-post favourite, for Tom George, his principal retainer, in the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham next Friday, as well as riding Tricky Trickster for Nicholls in the Gold Cup on the same card. Paddy Brennan is expected to replace Thomas on George's runners and Barry Geraghty has been lined up for Tricky Trickster.Yesterday'sThe injury also seems certain to rule Thomas out of the Grand National meeting at Aintree in three weeks' time.McCoy, who was alongside Thomas when he suffered his fall, also schooled Denman for the first time since falling from the Gold Cup second-favourite when his mount was an odds-on shot in the Aon Chase at Newbury."Today was just the second time McCoy had sat on him and it was the first time since Newbury," said Harry Findlay, the 10-year-old's joint-owner."Denman jumped two hurdles, then two schooling fences and then two proper fences. He was good and aggressive over the first and then a little slower at the second, when McCoy had to cajole him along. Some days you can watch him and not have him on your mind, but I would have given him nine out of 10 today."He was definitely keen enough when jumping, but Kauto is so ready for the race. He has been trained for this race all year and it will take a phenomenal performance for anything to beat Kauto Star."Findlay also hinted that Denman is unlikely to be ridden with the sort of aggression that left the field trailing behind him at Cheltenham two years ago."The day we won the Gold Cup, Tony McCoy said that the race would leave its mark and that we needed to be careful ," Findlay said. "I spoke to him this morning and he still thinks that. He might have won the Hennessy giving away two stone, but I don't think it was the same Denman who won the Gold Cup. He was on fire that day. We are unlikely to be so aggressive this time, but we had to do it then as it was the only way of beating Kauto Star."Horse racingCheltenham festivalPaul NichollsGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)

Gold-Cup winner Sam Thomas airlifted to hospital after fall

www.guardian.co.uk - Jockey now a doubt for next week's Cheltenham Festival 'I'm afraid this was a bad fall,' says trainer Paul NichollsThe Gold Cup-winning jockey Sam Thomas has been airlifted to hospital after a riding accident this morning and his participation in next week's Cheltenham Festival is in doubt. Thomas is being treated at Bath's Royal United Hospital, where x-rays have been taken, the results of which are not yet known.Thomas had been schooling the Arkle Chase hope Woolcombe Folly at Paul Nicholls' yard near Ditcheat in Somerset when he had the fall. "You know when a jockey has suffered a bad fall, and I'm afraid this was bad," Nicholls told the Racing Post. As is common in that rural area, Thomas was transported to hospital by air ambulance.There was an early indication that the jockey may not have suffered a serious injury. "I'm hoping he'll be OK for next week," said his principal employer, the trainer Tom George, who has been in touch with the hospital by telephone. He would offer no other details at this stage.The 25-year-old Thomas enjoyed his greatest moment in the saddle when partnering Denman to victory in the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He rode the same horse to be second behind Kauto Star last year but has lost the ride on Denman since accepting a position as George's No1 rider last spring.He was expected to ride Tricky Trickster, Nicholls' third-string, in next Friday's Gold Cup. His other mounts at the Festival would include George's Tell Massini, the 9-2 favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle.Cheltenham festivalHorse racingChris Cookguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)

Gold Cup winner Sam Thomas airlifted to hospital after fall

www.guardian.co.uk - Jockey now a doubt for next week's Cheltenham Festival 'I'm afraid this was a bad fall,' says trainer Paul NichollsThe Gold Cup-winning jockey Sam Thomas has been airlifted to Bath's Royal United Hospital with suspected back and neck injuries after a riding accident this morning. His participation in next week's Cheltenham Festival is in doubt."He had a bad fall schooling at Paul Nicholls's yard," said the trainer Tom George, who is Thomas's principal employer. "I've spoken to his girlfriend, who has been allowed to talk to him. Initial X-rays have shown that there are no broken bones."Thomas had been schooling the Arkle hope Woolcombe Folly at Paul Nicholls's yard near Ditcheat in Somerset when he had the fall. "You know when a jockey has suffered a bad fall, and I'm afraid this was bad," Nicholls told the Racing Post. As is common in that rural area, Thomas was transported to hospital by air ambulance.The 25-year-old Thomas enjoyed his greatest moment in the saddle when partnering Denman to victory in the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He rode the same horse to be second behind Kauto Star last year but has lost the ride since accepting a position as George's No1 rider.He was expected to ride Tricky Trickster in next Friday's Gold Cup. His other mounts at the Cheltenham Festival would include George's Tell Massini, the 9-2 favourite for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle.Cheltenham festivalHorse racingChris Cookguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)

Talking Horses: Today's best bets and latest news plus our weekly tipping competition

www.guardian.co.uk - The latest news and best bets, plus the fourth day of our weekly tipping competitionToday's best bets, by Tony PaleyRobert 'Choc' Thornton is clearly the man to head Racing For Change. There was genuine disappointment and frustration at both Channel 4 and RFC yesterday in response to the jockey's announcement in the Racing Post that he would not be giving any instant television interviews after races if he rides a winner at the Cheltenham Festival next week.It is difficult to estimate how much support Thornton's stand has among his colleagues in the weighing room but his refusal will certainly be supported by the Racing Post's associate editor Howard Wright, who said as much in one of his Friday columns recently.The immediate post-race interview may not be to everyone's taste but it is an opportunity racing affords those covering the sport for TV, and in an age when the projection of personality and colour is vital, as Racing For Change has made clear, it is a shame that people as prominent in the sport as Thornton and Wright take such a position.Thank goodness John McCririck will be in action all next week from the Festival too. Racing Post editor Bruce Millington responded to the Guardian's story last week that the broadcaster's appearances would be further cut back thus:"The bottom line is he's entertaining. Give us an occasionally wrong, but always interesting, broadcaster over a consistently bland one any day. He's also popular. You only have to see the delight on the faces of the Saturday racegoers as they come across him waving his arms about in the ring to see that.Racing is painfully short of characters, and Channel 4 Racing, when McCririck is off-duty, is prone to hitting flat spots between races that are crying out for the unique veteran to enliven with a burst of invective or an effervescent bulletin on a market move for the next contest."You can read Millington's editoral in full here.Sir Alex Ferguson had other matters to attend to last night as the horse he owns, Sworn Tigress, set off at Wolverhampton just as the manager was about to start his half-time team talk at Old Trafford in the game against AC Milan. Sworn Tigress (7.00) romped home as easily as Ferguson's team did in the end and there must be every chance his runner will follow up tonight at the same venue. She is clearly well ahead of her handicap mark at present.Pity the poor commentator at Wolverhampton this evening. In the concluding race at 8.30 horse No6 is Alfie Tupper and horse No13 is Alf Tupper. According to Wikipedia, Alf Tupper was a fictional working class, 'hard as nails' runner, whose adventures appeared in first the 'Rover' and then the 'Victor', British boys comics from D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. His adventures appeared over almost a 40 year period, under the title The Tough of the Track.Similar comments apply to Ciceron (3.35) over the sticks at Wincanton. The lightly raced gelding romped home at Bangor last week and the alacrity with which he cleared the obstacles was impressive for one with limited experience. His opponents are pretty much exposed and it will be disappointing if he cannot follow up this afternoon.Tipping competition, day fourWell, that's what we get for offering a prize to the leader after three days - a four-way tie! The previous clear leader, Renzofan, didn't turn up yesterday, Shrewdette had a short-priced double, keepitduty hit a 9-1 winner and johne5knuckle got the hat-trick. Incredibly, by these diverse means, they all ended up on the same score.Alas, we have to decide on a single winner, which will be done at random, sort of, by means of the 3.40 at Clonmel. We're not interested in your tips for this race. The field will be divided up between the four of you, according to the order in which you post your tips today - the first to post will be allotted the horses with saddlecloth numbers one to four, the next will get five to eight, the third will get nine to 12 and the fourth will get 13 to 16.Numbers 17 and 18 will be disregarded - whoever has the horse which does best of those numbered one to 16 will win a copy of this week's prize. If one of the four doesn't post their tips before 3.40pm, they will be allocated the numbers 13 to 16. If more than one of the four doesn't post their tips by 3.40pm, they will be sorted into alphabetical order by name and treated as if they had posted in that order, after those who have posted. Whew!You are all, of course, still in the hunt to be champion tipster of the week. Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 3.45 Carlisle, 4.20 Carlisle, 4.40 Wincanton.This week's prize is the Racing Post's Cheltenham Festival Guide 2010, a handsome publication whose 190 pages are packed with interesting features, insights and advice on next week's betting jamboree.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 will start on -9.For terms and conditions click here.Good luck!Standings after day threeRenzofan +19.30Shrewdette +19.30keepitdusty +19.30johne5knuckle +19.30Pomme +15.30FinsburyPark +12.30emmapathak +12shears39 +11.30cloudy75 +10slackdad38 +8.30Gluesniffer +8sangfroid +8andyclark57 +8JDK1 +7.30tom1977 +7MatthewHargreaves +4.30MrPositive +3.30fatdeano +2.30gashead1105 +2.30sandiuk +2.30melonk +1.30xwireman +1Rivercity +1Cairo +0Mulldog -0.70TeddyFrost -0.70Ellandback -1.70Jboyler -1.70chiefhk -2DrKelso -2.70barnstormer -2.70Brochdoll -2.70WalthamstowLad -3.70Moscow08 -4Dangalf -4.70Harrytheactor -4.70factormax -5erifder -5coma88 -5DrSativa -523skidoo -5.70mike65ie -6suckzinclee -7Smidster -7chris1623 -7markahoy -7johnny909 -7.70stee33 -7.70TheVic -7.70mightytigers2000 -7.7015244 -7.70leviticus67 -7.70FredS -7.70RoryD -7.70tiznow -7.70MISTERCHESTER -7.70SussexRH -9kentaylor24 -9MrWinnersSonInLaw -9socialwanderer -9Mai11 -9Viejo -9goofs -9WIN TICKETS TO THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL!!!!!For the first time ever, we are going to run a tipping competition on Saturday's edition of Talking Horses. This is because, at short notice, we have landed a couple of tickets to the second day of next week's Cheltenham Festival, provided by those wonderful folks at Paddy Power.They will post two tickets to the winner of Saturday's competition and tell us that they will arrive on Tuesday by registered post. So do be sure to check Saturday's Talking Horses for your chance to be at the Festival.Next week's tipping competitionTotesport have very kindly agreed to provide four £50 free bets as prizes for next week's tipping competition. We will have no competition on Monday, and then we will give a £50 bet to the tipsters who do best on each day of the Cheltenham Festival. As before, we will be asking for your selections for every race, each day, and the competition is bound to be fierce!12pm Hunterview misses cut in Imperial Cup!Chris Cook reports: Hunterview, the ante-post favourite for Saturday's Imperial Cup, will not be able to run. The final declarations were made this morning and David Pipe's runner, backed down to 4-1 from an initial 8-1 earlier this week, was 27th on the list. The race has a safety limit of 24 and there are also two reserves, so Hunterview has missed out by just one place.Pipe will now be without a runner in the race he has won twice in the last three years. His father, Martin, trained the winner six times.Anyone who has backed Hunterview is entitled to get their stake returned, as is always the case with horses who are ballotted out of handicaps.The new favourite is Qaspal at 5-1, with Pepe Simo at 7-1. Qaspal's main aim was supposed to be one of the Cheltenham handicaps - he is entered in the County and the Martin Pipe but will almost certainly need to get a penalty by winning the Imperial Cup in order to make the cut for either of those.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.Horse racingHorse racing tipsTony PaleyChris Cookguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds More... (Horse racing)