Sky Sports to host and broadcast PJA's Lesters Awards on Saturday

Sky Sports Racing will host and broadcast the PJA's Lester Awards from 5.30pm on Saturday after no title sponsor could be found to help stage an awards ceremony.

The Lesters celebrate the year's top riding achievements and awards will be handed out during a special edition of the 'Get In' programme, hosted by Luke Harvey and Jason Weaver. They include prizes for the Flat and Jump jockeys of the year.

Paul Struthers, chief executive of the PJA, said: “With no title sponsor for the event, we were facing potentially another blank year for the Lesters so we were delighted when Sky Sports Racing agreed to produce a Lesters special, as they did in 2017.

"I'm sure Luke and Jason will make it another fun evening for the deserving winners, as well as the Sky Sports Racing viewers. We are currently working on plans to bring back the live event awards ceremony in 2020 and hope to have some good news in the New Year.”

Sams Profile 'only 50-50' to run in Christmas Hurdle

Sams Profile, one of the leading novice hurdlers from last season, is not certain to reappear in the Grade 1 Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle on December 28.

Instead trainer Mouse Morris may aim the five-year-old at the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park next month, with chasing off the table for this season at least.

Morris said: "He'd only be 50-50 [to run at Christmas]. He's grand, but he might not be ready for a Grade 1 race. Gowran might be more likely."

Morris also had news of French Dynamite, an impressive winner of a maiden hurdle at Thurles on debut for the trainer last month, identifying the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle as the next target for the four-year-old.

The trainer said: "He's in good form and I'd say Naas will be the plan for him."

Irish Arkle to be sponsored by ersg

Global energy recruitment company ersg are the new sponsors of the Arkle Novice Chase which will be run at Leopardstown on February 1 as one of eight Grade 1 races at the two-day Dublin Racing Festival.

Past winners of the 2m1f event include Un De Sceaux, Douvan and Footpad, all of whom went on to success in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham, and Kicking King who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup two years after landing the Leopardstown event.

Jim Ryan, chief executive of ersg, which was established in 2008, said: "I'm delighted to be sponsoring the Dublin Racing Festival. Following the announcement of our new office in Dublin in October, we felt this was the right time to show our support to the local area."

Tote and Off The Ball present €7,699 to Irish Injured Jockeys

Irish Injured Jockeys has received a donation of €7,669 from broadcaster Off The Ball, money raised by the weekly Tote-sponsored charity bet on Off The Ball's Friday Night Racing programme.

Horse Racing Ireland is the title sponsor of Friday Night Racing, presented by Ger Gilroy and which shares its content across Off The Ball's radio, online and social channels.

Gilroy said: "We have great fun with the Tote charity bet every week on Friday Night Racing, so I'm delighted we were able to raise €7,699 for Irish Injured Jockeys to support their excellent work. We're hoping to raise even more money next year."

Michael Higgins, general manager of Irish Injured Jockeys, said: "Not only has Friday Night Racing showcased the stars of our sport, it has raised vital funds for Irish Injured Jockeys to help us achieve our mission to make a real difference to the lives and welfare of jockeys, past and present, and their families by raising funds to provide enhanced help, care and support."

Nicky Morgan remains culture secretary after cabinet reshuffle

Nicky Morgan is to continue as culture secretary, with responsibility for both the racing and gambling industries, after prime minister Boris Johnson's mini-reshuffle on Monday.

Morgan did not stand for re-election as an MP at last week's general election but has been made a life peer, allowing her to retain her role at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Sean Bowen set to return from collarbone injury this week

Sean Bowen is all set to return to the saddle at Newbury on Wednesday or Exeter 24 hours later after recovering from a fractured right collarbone.

Bowen, who is stable jockey for the Harry Fry yard, sustained the injury when taking a heavy fall from the Fry-trained As I See It in a handicap hurdle at Newbury at the end of last month.

The jockey said on Monday: “I feel fine now and I cannot wait to get back as soon as possible. I've pencilled in Newbury on Wednesday for the return if I have any rides or Exeter on Thursday where Harry has a few entries.

“I've been off for almost three weeks and it's been frustrating as I know I have missed at least a couple of winners, however, it was important to make sure everything was spot-on with the busy Christmas/New Year period just around the corner.”

Edouard de Rothschild re-elected at France Galop

Edouard de Rothschild has been re-elected as president of France Galop for a further four years, his fourth term as head of the sport's governing body in total and a second consecutive mandate following a hiatus between 2011 and 2015.

After decisively defeating Serge Tardy in the first round of voting among the newly elected France Galop committee, Rothschild announced that Loic Malivet would continue as vice-president and chair of the Flat Racing committee, while Jacques Detre takes over from Jean d'Indy in the equivalent role for jump racing.

In a speech to the committee Rothschild reflected on four years of hard work to put racing's finances back on an even keel, before turning to what he considers the key fight in the years to come, namely to increase racing's audience among the French population.

Rothschild referred to a recent social study which cites just 18 per cent of French adults as followers of racing, describing the figure as "our Berlin Wall."

Quoting a second study, Rothschild said that highlighting the equine runners and the role of racecourses as green spaces in the cities, as well as economic drivers in the countryside, would be the key to attracting new adherents to racing.

"If we don't want to be speaking in a void, if we want our actions to bear fruit, we have to be positive and extremely ambitious," said Rothschild. "All of us must have a unique obsession, to conquer the hearts of our fellow citizens."

Rothschild also stressed that the fight to broaden the sport's appeal was an international mission and committed France to playing its role on the European and world stage.

BHA reappoints judicial panel chairman

Brian Barker QC has extended his stay as chairman of the BHA’s independent judicial panel for a second three-year term, agreeing to remain in the role until the end of 2022.

The former senior judge began his tenure in January 2017 as the first chairman of the panel, and will continue to lead the appeal board, licensing committee and disciplinary panel.

On his reappointment, Barker said: “Good progress has been made in the Panel’s initial term as we look to ensure a fair and robust judicial process for racing’s participants and I look forward to continuing that progress in the years to come.”

Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the BHA, said: “I am delighted that His Honour Brian Barker has agreed to serve another three years. The sport’s disciplinary processes are fairer and more transparent than ever before and I would like to thank Mr Barker and the independent Judicial Panel’s members for the part they have played since 2016.”

Service date announced for Raymond Deacon

A service of thanksgiving for Raymond "Darkie" Deacon, the famed head lad for champion trainer Fulke Walwyn, will take place at St Michael and All Angels Church in Lambourn at 3pm on January 3.

Deacon, closely associated with 1973 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner The Dikler, died earlier this month at the age of 90.

Donations in his memory if desired to Racing Welfare and the Injured Jockeys Fund, c/o R C Smallbone, 37 Pound Street, Newbury, RG14 6AE.