Owner, David Reynolds, has been disqualified for three months and fined £10,000 after he admitted being in breach of violent conduct and acting in a manner prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing.

This fiollows an incident at Lingfield where Reynolds assaulted jockey Kieren Fallon. 

Paul Struthers, Media Relations Manager for the British Horseracing Authority, said, “The entry point penalty for violent conduct toward an official is a fine of £5000 or a disqualification of 3 months, so the Panel has gone above the entry point by disqualifying Mr Reynolds for that period and, in addition to that ban, fining him £10,000.”

After a taking a bashing at Cheltenham punters garnered sweet revenge on the opening day of the flat season as the heavily backed Penitent emptied layers satchels after landing a massive gamble in the William Hill Lincoln at Doncaster.

Already well backed ante-post the money flooded in for the William Haggas four-year-old when he was allocated the prime draw on Thursday.

Cheltenham Racecourse have announced that in excess of £140,000 was raised for Cancer Research UK on Ladies Day at The Festival.

The majority came from sponsors of the 12 riders in the Cheltenham Festival Ladies Charity Sweepstake, won in a close finish by Dublin barrister Orna Madden on Prince Picasso. As part of the conditions of entry, all 12 lady riders were tasked with gaining sponsorship of a minimum of £5,000 each; however, many of the ladies who rode far exceeded the minimum amount needed, individually raising five figure sums for the Charity.

Collections around the racecourse during the day and at the exits helped swelled the figure. Donations were made by a number of bookmakers including Julie Williams, the daughter of the late Freddie Williams.

John Smith’s and Aintree have announced eight racing greats to be inducted into the inaugural John Smith’s Grand National Legends.  This new initiative celebrates Grand National history and an awards ceremony will be held at Aintree racecourse on John Smith’s Grand National Day – Saturday 10th April.

A shortlist of Grand National Legends was compiled by a selection panel of racing experts were asked to consider the star performers – equine and human – from the 1830s through to the present day. Thousands of racing fans have placed their votes over the last few weeks the five selected by public vote are joined by three further awards selected by the panel:

Ginger McCain and Red Rum                                                        
John Buckingham and Foinavon                                                    
George Stevens       
Manifesto      
Jenny Pitman
Sir Peter O’Sullevan
Edward Topham
Captain Martin Becher

Julian Thick, Managing Director at Aintree, commented:  “The John Smith’s Grand National always seems to produce a great story and we have been delighted by the public response to this vote. We also felt it was important to recognise the contributions made in the very early days of the race, with Captain Becher and Edward Topham playing a huge part in creating the race we know today and George Stevens’ record as a jockey unlikely to be surpassed. We now look forward to celebrating these first inductees to Aintree on John Smith’s Grand National Day.”

Aintree and John Smith’s are still searching for John Smith’s Grand National ‘People’s Legends’. If you have a story about how the people of Liverpool get involved with the race or if your pub landlord hosts a fantastic Grand National party each year, then they want to hear about it. Nominations can still be submitted at www.grandnationallegends.com and the best five will be invited as a guest to Aintree on Liverpool Day, Thursday 8th April.

Last year’s winner Mon Mome, who finished third in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, is among 75 runners who remain in the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National after the latest scratchings.

63 of the remaining horses - a remarkable 84 per cent - are still in the handicap for the race, which takes place at Aintree at 4.15pm on Saturday, April 10. There is a maximum field size of 40, with a weight of at least 10st 7lb currently needed to make the final line up.

Six of the last 11 John Smith’s Grand National winners were trained in Ireland and there  are 25 contenders who could add to that record in 2010 including Vic Venturi, winner of the totesport.com Becher Chase at Aintree in November, and Black Apalachi, who landed the same race in 2008. Both represent trainer Dessie Hughes.

The 2007 John Smith’s Grand National winner Silver Birch needs 11 horses to come out of the race to be guaranteed a run while Comply Or Die, successful in the 2008 renewal and runner-up in 2009, is certain of a place in this year’s line-up.

Other leading contenders include The Package, who was a fast-finishing second in the William Hill Trophy Chase at Cheltenham last week, Welsh National winner Dream Alliance and 2009 Irish Grand National winner Niche Market, who will bid to give trainer Bob Buckler his biggest success to date.

The five-day confirmation deadline for the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National is on Monday, April 5 and the final declaration stage on Thursday, April 8.

Jockey Kieren Fallon has been allegedly attacked by owner David Reynolds when unsaddling from his mount, Elna Bright, at Lingfield this afternoon.

Speaking afterwards Fallon said: "Unfortunately, you are not able to retaliate, but I used to do some boxing in my younger days and I know how to defend myself.

"Luckily he has been escorted out and we can move on.

"He needs to take some boxing lessons, anyway!"

The stewards held an inquiry which said, "The stewards called before them Kieren Fallon, the rider of Elna Bright, accompanied by Brett Johnson, the trainer, Vanessa Buckman, the groom, and Peter Crate, the owner, in connection with an incident that took place in the unsaddling enclosure after the race.

"It had been alleged that David Reynolds, the part-owner of The Scorching Wind, had assaulted Fallon and Crate and had been involved in a fracas with Johnson.

"The stewards also called before them Stuart Williams, the trainer of The Scorching Wind, in order to positively identify the alleged assailant, and David Gardner, a security steward, as a witness.

"The stewards subsequently called before them Reynolds, who admitted to assaulting Fallon and being involved with a fracas with Crate and Johnson.

"Having heard evidence from the various parties, the stewards referred the matter to the British Horseracing Authority."

In a statement issued on Tuesday the BHA have said they are looking at the stewards report following the incident at Lingfield on Saturday where jockey Kieran Fallon was allegedly assaulted.

The statement went on to say “The facts appear to be relatively straightforward and we would expect to have charges issued in the near future.  What those charges are, is yet to be decided, although they will be published once they are issued and a date for a hearing set.”

In answer to criticisms that the police were not involved the statement went on to say, ““Racecourse security staff intervened in the incident quickly, and as all parties involved were bound by the Rules of Racing, the matter was dealt with by the Stewards. 

“There were no police on duty at the racecourse and it would have been a matter for the course to call them had they felt it necessary, and had the incident involved individuals not bound by the Rules of Racing, they would have done so.  It was also open to those affected to involve the police themselves.”

The British Horseracing Authority has charged David Reynolds, with two breaches of the Rules of Racing, in relation to the incident at Lingfield on Saturday 20th March 2010. 

The charges are as follows:

Breach of Rule (A)32 of the Rules of Racing for violent and improper behaviour on a premises licensed by the British Horseracing Authority, in that:

a)     Following 2.25pm race at Lingfield on Saturday 20 March 2010, he approached Kieren Fallon, a licensed jockey and the rider of ELNA BRIGHT, from behind in the unsaddling enclosure and punched him in the face; and

b)    In attempting to strike Mr Fallon for a second time but being prevented, he struck Mr Peter Crate, the registered Owner of ELNA BRIGHT, in the side of the face?

and

Breach of Rule (A)30 of the Rules of Racing, in that by his conduct detailed above he acted in a way which was likely to, and did, prejudice the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain?

The hearing will take place at 11am on Monday 29th March at the offices of the British Horseracing Authority.

The Guideline Penalties for the two rules are:

(A)32     Violent conduct towards Stewards or Officials
Entry point of £5000 or suspend /disqualify for 3 months, with a range of £2,500 to £12,000 or 1 month to 1 year              

(A)32   Violent or Improper conduct between riders/trainers                               
Entry point of 4 days (rider) or £500 (trainer), with a range of 1 to 21 days and £100 to £1000

(A)30     Prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing
Entry point of £2,000 or Suspend / Disqualify 3 months, with a range of £1,000 - £10,000 or 1 month - 3 years

Eighteen set off to contest the John Smith’s Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter, only three completed in the testing conditions.

The only mare in the contest, the 11-year-old L’Aventure set out to make all, at a reasonable pace.

For a four mile contest with such a high attrition rate there was only one faller, Ballydub at the second and Tony McCoy on Synchronised, who missed Cheltenham due to the ground being firm, did well to avoid being bought down.

By halfway McCoy had made progress from the rear and was soon tracking the leaders.

Runners dropped out quickly on the final circuit and by the time they turned for home it was effectively a two horse race with L’Aventura still leading but McCoy stalking menacingly on Synchronised.

Coming to the last the pair were a fence clear of Giles Cross and locked together.

Synchronised put in the better leap at the last to lead on the run-in. To her absolute credit L’Aventura battled on under Daryl Jacob but the champ had sufficient in hand to record a ¾ length victory.

The winner finished very tired and was dismounted by McCoy after the line.

It was billed as the clash of the giants with the “only question” being would Kauto Star or Denman win the totesport Gold Cup. Well after months of hype we, at last, know the answer – neither of them.

Carruthers and Denman set off in front with Kauto Star, Imperial Commander and Cooldine tracking.

At the eighth the complexion of the race changed as Kauto Star made a mistake and quickly dropped back into fifth place and Ruby Walsh was unable to recover the stuffing seemingly knocked out of last years champion.

Meanwhile up front Denman and Carruthers were putting in a textbook display of jumping, taking the field along in the rain. As they topped the hill for the final time Kauto Star was getting reminders from Ruby Walsh.

By four out Carruthers had run his race and Denman was in front with Imperial Commander emerging as the main threat. However that fence will now be remembered as the fence where Kauto Star crashed out of the contest.

Two out Imperial Commander had a narrow lead but Denman is a battler. They turned for home locked together. Approaching the last Imperial Commander was getting the upper hand. Both put in great leaps but it was Imperial Commander who powered up the hill, coming home seven clear of Denman.

The remainder were 23 lengths behind and it was last years 100/1 Grand National winner Mon Mome who put in a great effort to take third spot at 50/1 with the front running Carruthers in fourth.

Gold Cup Day as it happened click here

There was finally a winning favourite in one of the Festival Championship races as Big Bucks took the Ladbrokes World Hurdle for the second year running.

He came home a 3¼ lengths clear of the relatively unfancied Time For Rupert who did his utmost to make a fight of it and was not disgraced in second spot.

The front pair came home eleven lengths clear of third placed Powerstation.

Former Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition set the pace in the three mile contest, with Fair Along and Ebadiyan prominent.

Tidal Bay supporters knew their fate fairly early into the contest as he was having one of his off days.  

Turning for home War Of Attrition had run his race and it was a two horse contest with Time For Rupert leading but under strong driving and Big Buck’s alongside, Walsh not moving a muscle.

Big Buck’s jumped into a narrow lead at the last and pulled away on the run in, with Time For Rupert making sure the defending champion had to at least break some sweat for his win.

Master Minded become another big winner for the layers as he flopped in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, coming home only a disappointing fourth.

The “surprise” winner was Colm Murphy’s Big Zeb, usually rekown for his iffy jumping, however today he put in a faultless round, settled mid-division and running on between the last two with the result never in doubt after the last.

Front running Forpaddydeplasterer did nothing wrong in second spot, with Kalahari King back in third.

Master Minded was settled mid-division and he made a couple of minor jumping mistakes. When Ruby Walsh asked for an effort coming down the hill there was no response and hopes of three consecutive wins were dashed.

Eight rivals stand between Master Minded and a third consecutive Queen Mother Champion Chase victory.

Paul Nicholls' runner decimated his rivals in 2008, whilst he had to work a little harder to beat Well Chief by seven lengths last season.

The David Pipe-trained rival challenges again, while Nicholls also saddles Twist Magic, a faller at the second-last in last years renewal.

Last year's Arkle winner Forpadydeplasterer taks his chance as does Kalahari King.

Willie Mullins runs Golden Silver, whilst another of last years fallers, Big Zeb, also has another attempt.

Oh Crick and Mahogany Blaze are the other contenders.

After the recent “will they, won’t they” scares both Binocular and Solwhit are amongst the dozen final entries for Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s Binocular makes the final line-up, following his third 12 months ago after overcoming a recent fitness scare that had potentially ruled him out of the contest. Henderson also runs last years winner Punjabi and Zaynar.

Solwhit will also take his chance having recovered from a dirty scope last week

Noel Meade’s Go Native heads the field and is in line for a £1million bonus from betting firm WBX.com if triumphant after landing the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and then the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Jumbo Rio, Won In The Dark and Raise Your Heart also making the journey over from Ireland are the other Irish contenders.
Paul Nicholls challenge is headed by the 2009 runner-up Celestial Halo.

Khyber Kim, Merdermit and Starluck are the other contenders in an open contest.

Cheltenham Racecourse has announced that Venetia Williams is the winner of this year’s award for ‘The Outstanding Contribution made by a Lady to Jump Racing’.

Venetia won the John Smith’s Grand National in 2009 with Mon Mome and in the same year added two more victories at The Festival at Cheltenham to her impressive CV.

The panel of judges, made up of several female professionals from different sides of the racing industry, had a tough job finding a winner, but Venetia emerged victorious in an incredibly tight vote. Others on the shortlist were Joan Moore, Jessica Harrington, Sally Alner, Clare Balding and equine therapist Belinda Cullen.

Commenting on the news, Edward Gillespie, Managing Director of Cheltenham, declared: “I am delighted that after a stellar year in a wonderful career Venetia Williams has been recognised in this way.

“The victory of Mon Mome in last year’s Grand National did as much as anything in the last 12 months to highlight the contribution that women make to the wonderful sport of Jump racing and it would be fitting if Venetia was able to add to her Festival tally next week.”

Venetia Williams said: “I’m honoured to have been chosen to receive this award, which owes much to the fantastic team that I work with at home and the loyal owners who have supported me over the years since I began training.”

The award will be presented in a ceremony before racing on Ladies Day, Thursday, March 18, in the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham Racecourse.

In a bid to strengthen the Easter racing programme, the British Horseracing Authority Racing Department has announced that two new £50,000 handicaps will be introduced at both Kempton and Haydock.

£25,000 from central funds will be matched by the racecourses to create two feature handicaps on Easter Saturday.   The Panoramic Bar and Restaurant Handicap Stakes will be run over seven furlongs for four-year-olds and upwards rated 0-105.  At Haydock the Daffodil Vase, an Open Handicap Chase, will be run over two and a half miles.

Stuart Middleton, BHA Racing Manager, said: “There have obviously been some concerns about the quality of the Easter programme for some time and we hope that the injection of £50,000 from the Levy Board and the BHA Development Fund will prove to be money well spent.  Both races fit the overall programme well and will be shown live on Channel 4.”

Sam Thomas will miss next week's Cheltenham Festival after suffering cracked vertebrae in a fall on the gallops on Thursday morning.

Thomas sustained back and neck injuries and was airlifted to Royal United Hospital in Bath following the accident.

It has been reported on Thursday evening that his injuries are not as serious as first believed and Thomas is able to walk, talk and move his arms and legs.

Thomas rode Denman to victory in the 2008 Gold Cup.

His rides at the Festival this year included the Paul Nicholls trained Tricky Trickster in the Gold Cup and Tom George's (for whom he is stable jockey)  Tell Massini, current favourite for the Albert Bartlett.

Hunterview, favourite for Saturday’s Paddy Power Imperial Cup, has failed to make the cut at the final declaration stage.

A maximum field of 24 has been declared. The new favourite is Philip Hobbs Qaspal, who is seeking a hat-trick.

Cheltenham Racecourse have announced the six names that form the shortlist for its award recognising “the outstanding contribution made by a Lady to Jump Racing".

The six names are, Venetia Williams, Sally Alner and Jessica Harrington, representing the ranks of trainers, Belinda Cullen, an equine physiotherapist who has overcome almost 20 years of pain from a racing injury to continue her successful career, Joan Moore, a towering presence in Jump racing in Ireland for decades and Clare Balding, the award-winning broadcaster and journalist.

The winner is being decided by an all female panel of racing professionals and will be announced on Friday, March 12.

Previous winners include Heather Atkinson, who has been the senior nurse in the jockeys’ hospital at the racecourse for over 30 years, Lady Chicky Oaksey, from the Injured Jockeys Fund, Ann Saunders from the Professional Jockeys Association and Nina Carberry, leading female Jump Jockey.

Paul Nicholls Taranis will miss both the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and the John Smith's Grand National.

The nine-year-old has met with a training setback.

Winner The 2007 Ryanair Chase, he made a winning return in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham in January, having been off for two years with a leg injury. It is believed the current setback is not believed to be leg related.

Ticket sales for this years Festival are going well and Friday will be a sell-out with no tickets being available on the day. The Best Mate and Grandstand enclosures are sold out and there are only 2,500 Club Enclosure tickets remaining.

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The weights for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps have been revealed at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The handicappers have admitted framing the weights for the novice contests has been particularly tricky due to the lack of form as a result of the bad weather and what form there is being on soft ground, where good ground is predicted for the Festival.

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Thirteen runners have come out of the John Smith’s Grand National at the latest forfeit stage, although all the main contenders stand their ground.

There is a second scratchings stage on March 23 ahead of the five-day confirmation deadline on April 5 and the final declaration stage on April 8.

National entries

Cheltenham fancy Whiteoak, one of Donald McCains stable stars has been retired.

The mare won the inaugural David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival and finished 12th in the Champion Hurdle 12 months later.

In a statement to Racing UK McCain said, "Unfortunately Whiteoak has picked up a minor injury. We had her scanned late yesterday evening and have just received the results.

"I wanted to let everybody know that she will not run again this year. Having spoken to the owners, it has been decided that she should go to stud to be covered in the spring.

"She has been a fantastic servant to the yard but I have never known a horse put so much into her work and her niggles have finally caught up with her."