Love at first sight for minister Crouch on first festival visit

Sports minister Tracey Crouch made her first visit to Cheltenham racecourse on Thursday and it was productive in more ways than one.

Crouch, who was instrumental in pushing through the reforms of the levy system which have improved the sport's finances, visited the racecourse stables to see how the equine participants are treated and also had a meeting with the charity Racing Welfare.

It was also financially fruitful as the minister picked out and backed Shattered Love to win the JLT Novices' Chase.

"It has been a really useful day, a really productive day," Crouch said afterwards. "One of the things you can talk about in a meeting but can't necessarily get a real understanding of are the welfare aspects – what's happening behind the scenes to look after the horses, look after the jockeys and look after the trainers.

"So for me to go and see some of the operations behind the scenes is a way of confirming racing is doing all it can to improve the welfare not just of the animals but also of all those who are involved."

Crouch may not have been to Cheltenham before but she is no stranger to a bet on the races.

"I have bet on Cheltenham many times but I have never been before," she said.

"Sadly it is a flying visit. The BHA have been very keen for me to come to a meeting and obviously you can't get much better than the festival."

Moore case adjourned

Jockey Killian Moore hasn’t had the best festival week. He would have been hoping for much better yesterday on the well-fancied Forza Milan in the Pertemps Final but pulled up. However, he has other things on his mind too, having been listed on a drink-driving charge at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Moore is accused of driving on the B4078 at Dumbleton, Gloucestershire, on February 2 this year with 59mcgs of alcohol on his breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs. He did not enter a plea and magistrates agreed to adjourn the case until March 29.

Effect of the festival draw

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show will be broadcast live from Cheltenham on Friday, but the Dikler was surprised to hear about the addition of starting stalls at the festival during an edition of the Radio 2 show his week.