Clerk of the course Tim Long goes back to his roots with return to Bath

It's a case of back to the future for Tim Long, who today resumes the role of clerk of the course at Bath more than a decade after leaving to help launch Ffos Las.

Long was at the West Wales venue yesterday but will be back at Bath on Friday, where he was previously clerk until the end of the 2008 season.

"At Ffos Las I'm just doing the raceday role because Dai Jones completes his accreditation next month," said Long. "Dai has been doing all the work and I'm just helping out on the racedays. I've got one more meeting to do here and then it's just Bath and Worcester."

Bath suffered more than any other course when caught in the grip of last summer's drought, losing five fixtures because of hard ground, as well as its 2018 Good Friday fixture owing to wet weather.

"Bath had the perfect storm of problems last year, what with a very wet and cold start to the spring, followed by no more rain and baking hot temperatures," said Long.

"But it is a fantastic racecourse. There is no irrigation system as is well touted but with that limestone brash soil up there and a climbing five furlongs, it just doesn't just lend itself to it. Bath has been very successful over the years and I've no doubt it's going to remain so."

Friday's card gets under way at 5.35 while the after-racing entertainment is of the Brit Pop variety, courtesy of tribute bands Blurd and Definitely Oasis.

New Horseracing Bettors Forum Co-chairs announced

Matt Bisogno is stepping down from his role as chair of the Horseracing Bettors Forum, the independent body who seek to represent the perceived interests of those who bet on British horseracing. Forum members Colin Hord and Colin Magee will succeed Bisogno when he steps down this month, with Bisogno set to remain on the forum until the end of the year.

Woods makes switch to Newmarket to join Hugo Palmer

Promising 5lb claimer Sebastian Woods has left Richard Fahey's northern powerbase and moved south to link up with Hugo Palmer's operation in Newmarket.

Woods, whose father Wendyll was a successful jockey in Hong Kong, has ridden 34 winners, half of them for Fahey.

Palmer has given up and coming claimers chances in the past and notably aided Josephine Gordon when she landed the apprentice title in 2016, prior to the rider joining the yard the following year.

Palmer said: "Sebastian found it was getting tough for rides up north and found himself coming south for one ride at places like Brighton so he thought he may as well move down here.

"I'll support him when I can but it's not the be all and end all and I've told him to ride out for other trainers to put himself about.

"He's never ridden for me but the plan is for him to ride Debbonair for us at Lingfield on Saturday night."

Fanning misses weekend action

Joe Fanning will be on the sidelines for the remainder of the week after aggravating an old collarbone injury in a fall at Ripon on Wednesday evening.

Fanning's mount Galitello, trained by Mark Johnston, slipped up over 6f from the finish in the 2m handicap, cannoning the rider into the turf.

The rider's agent Niall Hannity said: "Joe has aggravated an old collarbone injury but the doctor is happy with the movement he has.

"It will be swollen for a day or two and he'll miss riding at the weekend, then we'll take it from there."

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