James Bowen 'unlikely' for Aintree with another x-ray required next week

James Bowen admits it is "unlikely" that he will be able to ride at the Grand National meeting next week as he requires a further x-ray on his arm following a break from an unseat at Huntingdon in February.

An x-ray due on Monday was pushed forward, but the 22-year-old jockey will be looked at again before he knows if he can return for Aintree. If deemed fit to ride, Bowen will have a possible ride in the National aboard Francky Du Berlais for father Peter.

Bowen said:  "I had my x-ray sooner in the end and I'll have another next Tuesday, but I'd say I'm probably unlikely for Aintree. I still won't know until next week, there's a little chance but I won't give up. To miss Aintree would obviously be disappointing."

Only one whip ban of more than four days in latest review panel findings

Britain's jockeys continued to show how quickly they have adapted to the modified whip rules last week, with only one ride attracting a suspension of more that the entry level of four days when the whip review committee met on Tuesday. 

Conditional jockey Dylan Whelan was banned for a total of 11 days for using his whip in the incorrect place on two occasions and without giving his mount time to respond, when winning aboard Rocambolas at Uttoxeter last Saturday. 

The other 12 bans handed out were all for more minor offences, with five jockeys suspended for going one one strike over the permitted limit of six on the Flat or seven over jumps. Of the seven technical offences recorded apart from Whelan's, five were for not allowing sufficient time to respond in between uses of the whip, a rule which existed under the previous regime but which stewards have been instructed to pay renewed attention to. 

With the Flat turf season just getting going and no Group 1 fixtures to mitigate any of the four-day suspensions, several high profile jockeys will miss the whole of Newmarket's Craven meeting, including Adam Kirby, Daniel Muscutt and Sean Levey, while Harry Skelton is ruled out of the first day of Ayr's two-day spring meeting but will be clear to return on Coral Scottish Grand National day.  

Betgoodwin named as new Spring Cup sponsor

Bookmaker Betgoodwin has become the new sponsor of Newbury's Spring Cup, which will have an added £20,000 in the prize pot.

The mile handicap is run on the Spring trials fixture, featuring the Greenham Stakes, on April 22. Last season Modern News won the 17-runner contest.

Newbury's chief executive Julian Thick said the prize-money boost, which takes the race value to £70,000, contributed to the commitment of a 16 per cent increase to race values.

He added that the contest was one of the track's "most successful betting turnover races".

Bellewstown's lost Saturday card rescheduled for Thursday afternoon

The Flat card lost to waterlogging at Bellewstown on Saturday has been rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. 

Horse Racing Ireland confirmed the move on Monday, with fresh declarations to be made by 10am on Tuesday morning.

Conditions at the County Meath track remain testing, officially being given as heavy. The course has been described by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board as fit for racing, although there is between 5-10mm of rainfall forecast to fall in the area on Wednesday before a clearer forecast again for Thursday.

The going at Clonmel, where a jumps card is scheduled for Thursday, is also described as heavy. An IHRB update noted there had been 9mm of rainfall since the entry stage and the Tipperary venue could also see a further 5-10mm on Wednesday. 

A decision has already been taken to omit the last two fences in the back straight due to conditions on that segment of the track. 

Side Glance: Ascot's equine ambassador with children from Ascot Heath Primary School

RoR announces new equine ambassadors

The Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) charity has launched its Horses For Courses programme, which involves several courses being allocated an equine ambassador to appear on selected racedays. 

Nine courses have already named their ambassadors, including Ascot, where ten-time course winner Side Glance was introduced to a group of school children from Ascot Heath Primary School last month.

Four more tracks have confirmed their participation later in the year and all those involved will use their communications channels throughout the season to promote their ambassador's story.

The charity hopes the equine ambassadors will help to provide a link between the courses and their local communities, as well as to educate racegoers about racehorses and their lives after racing.

Two-time Many Clouds Chase winner Definitly Red will appear at Aintree on the second day of this month's Grand National festival, and the Jockey Club North West's head of racing Sulekha Varma said: "It’s important to us that racehorses have the best care and attention even after their careers in racing have finished, so to have the opportunity to showcase this across our racecourses is fantastic."

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