Racing Welfare communications team nominated for prestigious Third Sector Awards

Racing Welfare has been shortlisted alongside the likes of the British Red Cross and the Midlands Air Ambulance for a prize at the prestigious Third Sector Awards in September.

The charity’s communications team of Parris Lane, Lauren Braithwaite, Tina Scargill and Nicki Strong, along with former communications manager Felicity Marshall, are among the six nominees for the the Communications Team of the Year Award at an event which recognises the achievements of charitable and voluntary organisations.

Racing Welfare successfully launched the Furlong Factor talent competition, which raised £50,000 in funds for the charity during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, while its On Track, Off Course podcast has focused on promoting wellness and issues within the sport.

The winners of the Third Sector Awards will be revealed at a black-tie ceremony in London on September 17.

Chief Justice Clarke set to join IHRB board after he retires from Supreme Court

Chief Justice Frank Clarke will replace outgoing chairman Harry McCalmont on the board of IHRB directors in January.

Martin O'Donnell, currently vice chair, will take over in the chair from McCalmont when his two-year stint ends.

Clarke, who is due to retire from his high-profile role as President of the Supreme Court in October, is an IHRB steward who frequently performs the role of chairman on race days.

Previously an owner with Arthur Moore, he has also chaired referral panels and sat on appeal panels. He is a former chairman of Leopardstown racecourse and sat on the board of HRI from 2003 to 2005, and has been a member of the Turf Club since 1999.

Clarke's fellow steward Myles O'Malley will also join the IHRB board in place of John Power in the new year.

William Hill named as title sponsor for Racing League

William Hill have been unveiled as the sponsors of the Racing League, which begins at Newcastle on July 29.

The new innovation will be run over six successive weekends, featuring 12 teams competing for £1.8 million in prize-money over 36 handicap races.

The likes of John Gosden, Andrew Balding, Richard Hannon and Joseph O'Brien will be grouped in 12 teams of between two and four trainers, each competing for the £150,000 winner's bonus.

Racing League: launches next week

Liam McKee, head of sponsorship and media at William Hill, said: "Racing is part of our DNA at William Hill, and the Racing League is a truly unique and innovative project we are delighted to be involved in."

Oli Harris, CMO of Racing League, added: "William Hill is one of the biggest names in the sports industry and will help take Racing League to the next level in terms of our profile.

"We are very much looking forward to working with the team at William Hill to maximise this relationship. With a week to go until our first event, it's a very exciting time for Racing League."

The sponsors make Newmarket Red, a team comprising the Gosdens, Robert Cowell, David Simcock and Sir Mark Prescott, the 9-2 favourites for the Racing League, with Team ThoroughBid (Andrew Balding and Richard Hannon) next best at 6-1.

Life of Michael Pitt to be celebrated at a service on Saturday

A celebration of the life of Michael Pitt has been confirmed for Saturday, with the family offering an open invitation for the service in the West Berkshire Crematorium in Thatcham at 12pm.

The family have asked for no black to be worn and for no flowers, instead wishing for donations to be made to the Injured Jockeys Fund and Racing Welfare.

Everyone who wishes to attend can do, while the service can be followed online through the Obitus website. To log in, the username is rige0029 and password 772040.

Pitt, who was 19, died in a "tragic accident" on July 4 and was an apprentice jockey on the Flat before joining Warren Greatrex.

Valuable collection of racing paintings sells for millions

The BJ Eastwood collection, which featured a number of valuable racing paintings, has made over £14 million at auction, £5m more than its pre-sale estimate.

The collection, belonging to the late Northern Irish bookmaker and one-time manager of boxer Barry McGuigan, Barney Eastwood, consisted of 30 lots and included nine from famed British painter of racehorses, Sir Alfred James Munnings.

Munnings' 'The Vagabonds' painting was the most valuable lot up for grabs and sold for £1.9m having had an estimated value of £700,000-£1m beforehand.

Charles Cator, deputy chairman at Christie's auction house, where the paintings were sold, said: "We could not be more delighted to witness such strong results for The BJ Eastwood collection.

"We feel certain that BJ would be flattered by the enormous interest shown from collectors in his much prized and extraordinary collection of paintings which he so enjoyed throughout his life."

Funeral confirmed for Dick Allan

The funeral of Dick Allan will take place at 12.30pm on Tuesday, July 27, at the North Parish Church in Kelso.

Allan, who died aged 74 from cancer, was a popular trainer in Scotland whose big wins included the 1988 Scottish Champion Hurdle with Pat's Jester.

The funeral will be attended by fellow members of the training ranks along with former jockeys and stable staff.

After the burial at a cemetery near the racecourse, attendees are invited to a wake in the Tweedie Rooms at Kelso racecourse. Allan was born in Kelso, and the racecourse was his favourite.

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