French jockey Thomas Stromboni critical after Auteuil fall

The 20-year-old was attended to on the track by course medics and an emergency services crew for more than an hour before being moved to the specialist trauma centre at the Pitie Salpetriere.

Stromboli was in a coma when taken away from Auteuil and was reported to have suffered cardiac arrest while lying on the track, following the fall from Quick Beauty.

Trainers and jockeys were called to meet with raceday stewards after the incident during the race, the fourth on the card, with the decision taken to run the last three races following a delay of more than an hour. Stromboli has ridden six winners this year out of a total of 16 career successes.

Quick Beauty's trainer Yannick Fouin wrote on Facebook on Sunday morning: "Thomas has a fractured shoulder blade [scapula], a collapsed left lung and serious cardiac bruising. No attempt will be made to wake him until his heart is stabilised. We have no idea whether he will be all right until he is awake. All our thoughts are with his mother and father."

Point-to-point fixtures released

British point-to-pointing’s 2018-19 fixture list has been published and contains 173 meetings at 100 locations, with an increased emphasis on early-season fixtures.

The release of the list, ratified by the BHA, confirms the earliest commencement to a British season will take place at the former jump racing venue of Buckfastleigh in Devon on Sunday, November 18.

A total of 14 meetings have been scheduled before the end of the year, a 75 per cent increase on the eight pre-new year fixtures held last season.

Three venues will stage point-to-pointing for the first time - Eaton Hall in Herefordshire, the licenced racecourse of Ffos Las, and Monmouthshire Showground.

Hackwood Park in Hampshire, Garnons in Herefordshire and Ystradowen in Glamorgan have all closed, but another former Welsh venue, Bonvilston, will reopen for the first time since 2011 when staging two fixtures in the spring.

Death of John Rowswell

John Rowswell, a popular figure on the racecourse for many years, has died after a long illness. He was 73.

He started in racing at the Press Association at the age of 17 and later worked as a racecourse operative for Ladbrokes for 30 years.
Rowswell was a cheerful character with a welcoming smile and a fund of jokes.

He leaves a widow Wendy and two sons. His funeral will take place at midday on October 12 at Coney Hill Crematorium, Coney Hill, Gloucester GL4 4PA.

Qatar deal

A deal has been struck between the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) and Qatar Airways that will result in the airline being associated with events such as Glorious Goodwood and the Arc.

Qatar, via the QREC, is the headline sponsor of the Arc until 2022, having begun the association in 2008, and also signed up to Britain’s biggest sponsorship deal with Goodwood in 2015.

However, in an interview with ITV in August, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, brother of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim, revealed a break clause in the Goodwood deal that could result in it potentially ending after next year’s Glorious Goodwood meeting.

Sam Morshead service

A service of thanksgiving for former jockey and Perth general manager Sam Morshead, who died last week, will be held on Tuesday, October 9.

It will be at 2pm at Comrie Parish Church, Comrie in Perthshire. Family flowers only, donations to the Injured Jockeys Fund, the Atlantic Salmon Trust and Prostate Cancer UK.

Crack On Crack On off to Hong Kong

Crack On Crack On has been sold to continue his career in Hong Kong with new connections aiming him at the prestigious BMW Hong Kong Derby in March.

Previously trained by Clive Cox for owners Paul and Clare Rooney, the three-year-old won three of his eight starts in Britain, including the Silver Bowl Handicap at Haydock, and £97,354 in win and place prize-money.

Crack On Crack On is set to join the stable of leading Hong Kong trainer John Moore, who has handled the likes of Able Friend, Viva Pataca and Xtension, another former Cox inmate, following the purchase by his son George.