Funeral of champion trainer Peter Walwyn to take place on Tuesday

The funeral for two-time Flat champion trainer Peter Walwyn, who died last week, will take place noon at the St Michael & All Angels Church in Lambourn on Tuesday.

Walwyn, who was 84, was a towering figure in the village revered for his handling of Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Grundy, who denied Bustino in an iconic duel up Ascot's straight.

Founder of the Lambourn Trainers Association, Walwyn was widely respected as a trainer and man, affectionately being known as 'Big Pete' by some and 'Basil Fawlty' by others.

Walwyn, whose wife Bonk died in 2014, is survived by children Edward and Kate and two grandchildren.

Good launches video prize

Goodwood racecourse has launched a video competition asking racing staff across the country to tell their story, with the winner receiving £1,000.

The competition, details of which can be found under the social media tag #RacingLife, aims to highlight the long and often demanding working hours of stable staff around the country.

The videos will be shown on Goodwood's social media sites this month and will be narrowed down to a shortlist of four finalists to be judged by a panel.

The judges will be looking for videos with a sense of humour and creativity that also show insight into the everyday life of a racing yard.

Entries for the competition can be sent via racinglife@goodwood.com and will close on December 31.

For more information visit: Goodwood.com/terms-and-conditions/media-and-marketing.

William Hill give stable staff charity chance to get into ring

William Hill are giving stable staff in Yorkshire and the north of England a chance to make a sporting new year’s resolution and sign up to raise money for Racing Welfare.

Racing staff, who must be over 18, can sign up for an eight-week training programme beginning on 12 January to get into the boxing ring at Goffs’ Doncaster Sales complex on 17 March next year.

Former stable lad boxing champion Franny Norton said: “Back in the day, stable lads boxing was a huge part of my life, it gave me confidence and a level of fitness that helped enormously with my race riding. It’s fantastic that Racing Welfare and William Hill are giving today’s racing staff the opportunity to experience the adrenaline buzz of boxing – it’s the next best thing to riding in races!”

Derby-based Ultra White Collar Boxing are supervising the training which will be in gyms in York and Ripon so will suit Yorkshire and northern racing staff.

Dawn Goodfellow, Racing Welfare’s chief executive, said:“We’re delighted Goffs UK are letting us use the Doncaster sales complex which is a perfect amphitheatre for this and we have had a lot of interest from staff wishing to take part.””

Anyone interested should go to https://www.ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk/sign-up-racing/ or to find out more call Mary-Ann Sandercock on 07790 844887.

Budd elected Jockey Club deputy senior steward

Julia Budd, who made history in 2012 when becoming the first female steward of the Jockey Club, has been elected to the position of deputy senior steward of the organisation.

Budd, 59, succeeds Andrew Merriam in the role which is effectively deputy chairwoman of the Jockey Club.

Joining the Jockey Club's board of stewards for three-years starting on January 1 will be Dido Harding, best known in racing as owner of 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn, and Sandy Dudgeon who has already served one term as steward.

Senior steward Roger Weatherby said: "I would like to congratulate Julia on her appointment as deputy senior steward and thank Andrew for his considerable support in that role. Julia has made an excellent contribution as a steward and I look forward to working with her as the deputy on our board.

"I am delighted to welcome Dido and Sandy as stewards. We will benefit hugely from their commercial expertise and passion for British racing as we look to support a bright future for our sport."

Budd, a founding partner of leading international search firm The Zygos Partnership, is chairwoman of Epsom racecourse.

She said: “It has been a privilege to act as a steward and now to be appointed as deputy senior steward. I have big shoes to fill in succeeding Andrew Merriam after the tremendous contribution he has made in the role, but I look forward to the challenge very much."

Coffey hoping to overturn Navan non-trier verdict

Restricted licence-holder Pat Coffey said he was "very surprised" he and his jockey Jonathan Fitzpatrick were found in breach of rule 212 A (ii) by the race day stewards at Navan on Saturday after the running and riding of The Monks Kitchen in the opening maiden hurdle.

Coffey, who was fined €2,000 and his horse suspended for 42 days, said he would appeal against the decision.

He said: "I was very surprised to be brought into the stewards' room over the weekend as nothing like that had ever happened to me before. We are hoping for a positive outcome at the appeal."

Fitzpatrick was given a five-day suspension and it is understood that the rider has also lodged an appeal. No date has been set for the hearing.

Mulrennan hit with 18-day ban

Group 1-winning rider Paul Mulrennan is set for an extended Christmas break after a BHA judicial panel handed him an 18-day ban under the totting-up procedure for misuse of the whip.

Although six of those days will be deferred until February 28, Mulrennan will be sidelined on the 12 days when Flat racing is scheduled in Britain between December 15 and December 29, having broken whip rules five times in the preceding six months.

Mulrennan’s latest misdemeanour came at Newcastle on November 24, when he used his whip in the forehand position on 11 occasions within the last two furlongs – four above the permitted level of seven – when runner-up on Canadian George.

The panel subsequently discounted two of the 11 strikes but in going two above the limit, the rider incurred a fifth suspension of between two and six days since June 14, prompting an 18-day suspension.

While the entry point for such offences is 21 days, the panel took into account the fact that five offences occurred over nearly five and a half months, the large volume of rides he had in that time and the fact he had not previously been referred for a whip offence.

The ban in effect ends any outside hope of Mulrennan reaching a century of winners for a third time in a calendar year, with 86 victories on the board in 2017 to date.

Sam Waley-Cohen joins Jockey Club

Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen is among nine new members of the Jockey Club appointed at the body's winter meeting on Monday.

Waley-Cohen, 35, joins his father Robert as a member of the organisation, the largest commercial body in the sport in Britain.

He said: "It's a great honour. It's a group of passionate, enthusiastic people with a great history and legacy and it's great to be part of it."

Waley-Cohen, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Long Run in 2011, added: "I'm a trustee of the Injured Jockeys Fund and it feels between that and the Jockey Club it's a great opportunity to give something back."

Former champion amateur rider Thomas Greenall and Ranald Morgan, a former champion point-to-point rider, steward and Carlisle committee member, have also been appointed members.

Sam Waley-Cohen: not much time to relax when the children are screaming and the telephone's ringingCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Lady Celina Carter, a steward at Ascot, Sandown, Lingfield, and Clarissa Daly, who is chief executive of the Pony Racing Authority and an Aintree committee member, were also appointed, along with Warwick's chairman Andrew Clark, Simon Marsh – racing manager to owner-breeders Madeleine and Andrew Lloyd Webber – Cheltenham committee member William Vestey and BHA appeal board member and steward Charles Warde-Aldam.

Senior steward Roger Weatherby said: "I'm delighted to welcome our new members to the Jockey Club. Each has been appointed based on their passion, knowledge and commitment to our sport and to help us to fulfil our mission to act for the long-term good of British horseracing."

Jockey Club members are in effect trustees of the organisation and may not profit from their role.

Goldwag stepping down as Senet Group chair

Wanda Goldwag is stepping down as chair of the betting industry's self-appointed watchdog the Senet Group to take up a new role in the health sector.

She said: "It has been an honour working with Senet in raising awareness of the risks associated with excessive and problem gambling. I believe the lead players in the sector have a unique responsibility as well as a unique ability to deliver these messages.

"The Senet Group has played a central role in crafting these messages and in securing the commitments made to deliver them and to limit various forms of advertising."

Non-executive director Gillian Wilmot is to act as interim chair while the group reviews future plans.

Wanda Goldwag is stepping down as chair of the betting industry's self-appointed watchdog the Senet Group to take up a new role in the health sector.

She said: "It has been an honour working with Senet in raising awareness of the risks associated with excessive and problem gambling. I believe the lead players in the sector have a unique responsibility as well as a unique ability to deliver these messages.

"The Senet Group has played a central role in crafting these messages and in securing the commitments made to deliver them and to limit various forms of advertising."

Non-executive director Gillian Wilmot is to act as interim chair while the group reviews future plans.

Look back on a sizzling year of racing in the new edition of the Racing Post Annual, which has 208 colour pages packed with the best stories and pictures of 2017. Order now at or call 01933 304858