Former champion apprentice Lee Newman heads to Bahrain for riding stint

Scottish jockey Lee Newman, who has returned from a broken neck to resume his successful career in Australia, begins a stint riding in Bahrain on Friday.

The former champion apprentice, who came back from nearly a year and a half on the sidelines in May, has three rides on the opening day of the campaign.

“I’m on a retainer for a stable with 20-plus nice horses owned by Mr Al Afoo,” said the jockey, who will be returning to ride in Western Australia afterwards.

“It’s a sort of ‘working holiday’ and I like the fact they only race once a week and that the weights are better for me. I need a break so I thought this would be perfect and so far so good.”

Owner Ebrahim Al Afoo also has horses in Britain with Tim Easterby, who trained Wadi Al Salaam to win for him at Newcastle in October.

New slots for former Towcester fixtures

The BHA has confirmed slots in the 2020 fixture list for the ten jumps meetings that were purchased by Arena Racing Company from the owners of Towcester after the Northamptonshire track went into administration and the new owners failed to find a suitable operator.

They are as follows:

Thursday January 30 Ffos Las
Wednesday February 12 Hereford
Thursday March 12 Doncaster
Thursday April 9 Hereford
Friday April 24 Worcester (evening)
Monday May 11 Southwell (evening)
Monday May 18 Ffos Las
Wednesday October 7 Sedgefield
Thursday November 26 Lingfield
Thursday November 17 Hereford

Further information can be found on the Racing Admin site www2.racingadmin.co.uk.

Inquiry adjourned

The BHA inquiry into the Newcastle running and riding of La Trinidad, trained by Roger Fell and ridden by apprentice Paula Muir, was adjourned late on Thursday evening after both parties had completed their summing up.

La Trinidad finished a never nearer sixth of 11 in a 7f median auction race, after which Muir told the Newcastle stewards she had been instructed to get him settled and balanced, and to let him run his race, adding that he had developed a breathing problem and she felt it better to keep a hold of his head.

However, the stewards found that the rider and trainer had intentionally failed to ensure that La Trinidad ran on his merits and suspended the gelding for 40 days.

An independent panel was convened to determine whether Fell and Muir were in breach of rules regarding intentionally not running or riding a horse on its merits who would not have finished first, second or third. It will resume on Monday for deliberations and a verdict.

Betfair handicap hurdle bonus

Betfair will offer a £100,000 bonus to the connections of any horse who wins the two most valuable handicap hurdles in Britain this winter, the £150,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in December, and Newbury’s £155,000 Betfair Hurdle in February.

No horse has ever won both races in the same season, although the Alan King-trained Raya Star, successful at Ascot in 2011, finished a close third to Zarkandar at Newbury.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls welcomed the news, saying: “It’s an excellent initiative by Betfair, and one which is sure to attract strong entries for both races."

Gordon Elliott also praised the initiative. "The Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot is a race we have won twice, with Cause Of Causes and Bayan. It is a race we like to target,” he said.

"The £100,000 bonus is a great initiative to reward everyone involved and, if we are fortunate enough to win the Ascot contest again, it will really focus our attention on the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury."