Clare Balding, the face of BBC racing, has revealed she is being treated for thyroid cancer.

She has already undergone two operations, including the removal of her thyroid gland and she is due to undergo further treatment in July.

She says her prognosis is good and she plans to be fronting next weeks coverage of The Investec Derby on BBC television.

Great Leighs Racecourse Limited, who had hoped to make a bid for Great Leighs racecourse, has been denined a licence by the BHA.

This means the course will not be able to apply for any fixtures in 2010.

A statement from the BHA said: "A sub-committee of the Board of the British Horseracing Authority has considered a Racecourse Licence application from Great Leighs Racecourse Limited and has today declined to grant that entity a racecourse licence.

"Great Leighs Racecourse Limited will therefore not be entitled to take part in the 2010 Fixtures Allocation Process."

The original Great Leighs consortium went into administration in January.

The 2009 Brigadier Gerard Stakes promised to be a cracking race on paper and it turned out to be a thrilling race in reality and it produced the closest of close finishes.

Staying On set a good pace with, unusually Conduit tracking the pace rather than being held up. Also with the pace was Campanologist and Allied Powers. Whilst the favourite, Pipedreamer, tracked the front group.

Two out the favourite hit the front, although both Conduit and Campanologist made a fight of it and indeed it was Conduit who hit the front as Pipedreamer once again folded under pressure.

Fifty yards out it looked as though the new tactics were going to work for Conduit. However Christophe Lemaire launched Luca Cumani’s Cima De Triomphe with a blistering late run.

On first viewing it seemed as though Conduit had held on to take the prize. However doubts began to surface as it took Judge Di Clarke an age to announce the result – which was Cima De Triomphé had won the race by the shortest possible distance.

Stotsfold was also running on well at the end, grabbing third spot a length behind the front pair.

Drumfire ran on for fourth, whilst Pipedream only came home fifth.        

Following on from his Irish 2000 Guineas success on Mastercraftsman, jockey Johnny Murtagh completed the Irish Guineas double on Again, giving trainer David Watchman his first classic winner in the process.

Unlike yesterday's somewhat easy win this afternoon he had to fight hard to get Again in front of Mick Channon's Lahaleeb, eventually winning by half a length.

Following on from our report from last night's meeting at Cartmel, jockey Dougie Costello has been given a four day ban for improper conduct following the final race.

Costello was involved in a heated discussion with fellow jockey Denis O'Regan as the pair were weighing in. It is believed the incident was captured on CCTV and the matter was reported by the security officer.

The Stewards held an enquiry and and decided O'Regan was an innocent party.

Speaking afterwards Costello said, "It was a heat-of-the-moment thing, and it was just race-riding. We are sports people and that's it, it was nothing personal, and I don't really want to say any more about it."

O'Regan did not wish to comment.

Mastercraftsman who only finished fifth in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas, was clearly happier with the easier going as he came home the 4 1/2 length winner of the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on Saturday.
Taking up the running two out he soon established a good lead and his rivals were unable mount a serious challenge as he pulled away, relishing the ground.

There is a great deal of disappointment amongst racing professionals as it is announced the unbeaten Hungarian superstar, Overdose, is to miss Royal Ascot due to his foot injury taking longer than expected to recover.

There were some sensational goings on at Windsor on Monday evening when the stewards ordered the withdrawal of the favourite Sendreni, half an hour before the 7:10 race.

Whilst carrying out a routine patrol the stable security guard found an empty syringe, labelled as containing an unlawful substance, in the possession of trainer Michael Wigham.

The full text of the stewards report is as follows.

"On a report from the BHA Stable Security guard, that, during routine checks in the racecourse stables before racing, an empty syringe. labelled as having contained an unallowable substance had been found in the possession of M Wigham, the trainer.

The Stewards interviewed the stable guard, M Wigham and Jill Hancock, Veterinary Officer.

Having heard evidence that M Wigham was unable to explain the presence of the syringe, the Stewards ordered Sendreni to be withdrawn and the matter to be referred to the BHA."  

Dante third, Sans Frontieres, is to by-pass the Investec Derby for Royal Ascot.

Owner Sir Robert Ogden's racing manager, Barry Simpson, told www.racingpost.com, "Having listened to Mick Kinane and discussed it with Sir Robert, we feel Epsom will not especially suit the horse, and neither will the hustle and bustle of the race."

In a thrilling finish to the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, Virtual just headed Alexandros on the line.

Many observers thought Alexandros had held on but the judge soon revealed that Jimmy Fortune had just got the John Gosden trained runner in front where it mattered.

Henry Cecil's front running Twice Over came home third, whilst the very well backed favourite Paco Boy only managed to come home fourth, with connections blaming the soft ground.

The deal for the sale of Great Leighs has fallen through after the administrators, Deloitte, failed to agree a deal with Terry Chambers, owner of a local polo club.

In a statement the administrators said, "The joint administrators have confirmed today that the proposed sale of the Great Leighs racecourse to Terry Chambers will not be concluded following Mr Chambers' withdrawal from the process.

"As the exclusivity agreement entered into with Mr Chambers has now expired, the joint administrators have approached a number of other interested parties in an attempt to secure a third-party sale and negotiations in this regard are continuing."

The British Horseracing Authority have said the sale must be complete with a licence to race in place by May 28 in order to bid for fixtures in 2010.

Bath were forced to abandon their penultimate race due to unsafe ground on the bend out of the back straight.

Clerk of the course Tim Long said: "The jockeys felt the bend was a bit slippery in the previous race so we called it off.

"We have had drizzle on firm ground and although we have made every attempt during the day and during racing to sand the bend, the jockeys were still a little concerned.

"We thought it best to call off the race on safety grounds but the concluding sprint goes ahead as it is on the straight track."

It was trials day at Lingfield and Aiden O’Brien’s Age Of Aquarius was the odds-on winner of the Derby Trial and he had to fight hard for the win, holding off the late challenge of Henry Cecil’s Father Time as well as Montaff, who actually headed the favourite in the home straight.

Bookmakers cannot agree on the run and O’Brien’s price now ranges from 14/1 through to 25/1.

There were no such qualms about the runaway winner of the Oaks Trial, Henry Cecil’s Midday. She has now been cut to as low as 6/1 for the fillies Classic.

Aidan O'Brien's had the first two home in the Virgin Money Chester Vase, but not in the order expected as the 25/1 Golden Sword shot beat his stablemate, the favourite, Masterofthehorse.

Jockey Colm O'Donoghue made all on the outsider, holding on to win by two lengths.

Johnny Murtagh settled the favourite in last place before running on in the home straight, but he was unable to catch his stablemate.

Debussy, who won the recent Classic Trial at Epsom cam home third.

1st 3 Golden Sword 25/1
2nd 4 Masterofthehorse 13/8 fav
3rd 2 Debussy 11/4
8 Ran
Distances 2 & 1 1/2
Fav Second
Tote
Win £24.60
Places £3.60 £1.40 £1.50
Exacta £46.90
CSF £65.25

Barry Hills continued his excellent run of form at Chester this afternoon when Daraahem took the Chester Cup on the opening day of the May Chester Festival.

Ridden by the trainers son Richard he had enough to hold off a late challenge from Henry Cecil's Ajaan, with Halla San third.

1st 4 Daraahem 7/1
2nd 6 Ajaan 11/1
3rd 5 Halla San 20/1
4th 7 Desert Sea 14/1
16 Ran
Distances neck, neck & 1 1/2
Fav Downhiller 9/2 (7th)
Tote
Win £5.70
Places £2.00 £2.70 £5.40 £3.30
Exacta £67.60
CSF £76.87
Tricast £1,483.20

The 2996 Chelteham Champion Hurdle winner, Brave Ica, has been retired.

The 11 year-old has been below par this season and the decision to retire him was relatively easy for connections.

Trainer Colm Murphy said,  “All good things must come to an end and while it’s always a pity to call it a day it was great to have him around for so long.

“We always said we’d be quite happy to retire him if he wasn’t up to competing at the highest level after what he achieved so far."

"After discussing it with his owners after Punchestown, the decision has been made to retire him.”

Investec, a specialist bank, have signed an agreement to sponsor the Epsom Derby Festival until 2013. 

Epsom Downs Racecourse Managing Director, Nick Blofeld, said, “We are very excited by the news and believe there is a great fit between the two companies which will mean we are both able to benefit from a long-term relationship. 

“Investec are a very successful international company and have worked in other sports already, probably best known in the UK is their England Autumn International Rugby sponsorship at Twickenham, The Investec Challenge Series. 

“Investec have great respect for the traditions of the Derby and Oaks, but also want to bring such great races and the event to more of their clients and contacts who haven’t yet felt that buzz and excitement.”

Investec’s UK CEO, Bradley Fried said: “We are delighted to be joining Epsom and the Derby Festival at the beginning of a new era and know that together we will be able to make a great event even better.” 

Investec become only the third sponsor of The Derby, following Ever Ready and Vodafone.

Rainbow View became the sixth odds-on favourite to be beaten in the 1000 Guineas since 1900, as Rainbow View only managed to come home fifth in the 2009 renewal, sponsored by Stan James.

Victory went to the 20/1 shot Ghanaati, trained by Barry Hills and ridden by son Richard. Jim Bolger's Cuis Ghaire came home in second, a length and a half behind, whilst Super Sleuth ran on well to take third.

Newmarket action as it happened click here

Jockey Philip Robinson was very lucky to escape with being winded and some bruising after a terrible looking fall when the second favourite Chief Editor collapsed and died during the Palace House Stakes.

The rider was motionless on the ground after the fall and was treated by medical staff for almost 20 minutes before being moved.

The Stanjames.com 2000 Guineas produced a good finish with the prize going across the Irish Sea, however it was not going back to Ballydoyle as many had expected.

Sea The Stars took the glory, trained by John Oxx and ridden by veteran rider Mick Kinane. This was Kinane’s fourth victory in the race, his first coming on Tirol, way back in 1990. For the trainer this was only his second 2000 Guineas runner and his first victory.

Coming out of the dip the favourite Delegator, having been settled handily by Jamie Spencer, hit the front and it looked as though favourite backers would be happy.

Gan Amhras had been well backed in the morning and he ran on well to claim third spot.

First and third are both Epsom bound and will take their chances in the Derby. Sea The Stars is now The Derby favourite in most books.

Newmarket report click here