The Jan Wilson Memorial Award has been announced by The Pony Racing Authority to coincide with what would have been Jan’s 20th birthday on 1st May. 

The Award, in memory of the young jockey killed with Jamie Kyne in a fire last September, celebrates the life of Jan and her passion for racing, and will give one young rider aged 14-15 years the opportunity to develop their career in the saddle.

The points based Award, funded by the Jockey Jan Memorial Fund, is for riders participating in Northern and Scottish based fixtures of the 2010 Charles Owen Pony Racing Series.  The Award will encourage riders to compete more often on the Northern circuit, which is where Jan enjoyed her career, and will help prepare them for a career in racing.       

The Rider accumulating the most points and winning the inaugural Jan Wilson Memorial Award will receive a perpetual trophy, personalised racing breeches, boots and saddle supplied by Gibsons Saddlers and P H Kinglsey Ltd, both companies that supported Jan when she was a jockey.  Media training will also be offered together with a placement at a Trainer’s yard of choice and personal tuition at the Northern Racing College, where Jan herself benefited from equicisor training.   

Margaret Wilson, Jan’s Mother, says: “Jan would have been 20 years old this Saturday and this new Pony Racing Award in memory of Jan is a positive way to mark the occasion.  Jan loved racing and I am delighted to offer our support to young riders like Jan starting out on their careers.  If you want good jockeys we have to help them on the road.  It was important to me that the Award is something Jan would have wanted to win herself and I am sure she will be watching down on these young riders following their dream like Jan did.  This is for Jan.”

Rebecca Morgan, Chief Executive of The Pony Racing Authority, comments: “The PRA Board is proud and honoured to introduce the Jan Wilson Memorial Award, at a particularly poignant time for Jan’s family and friends.  Her untimely death was a tragedy felt by all in racing and I hope Pony Racing can do her memory proud in offering this new Award in her name.  The Award is specifically aimed at encouraging young riders based in the north, and to reward those aged 14 and 15 years who we feel will benefit most from the prize on offer.  I have worked closely with Margaret Wilson, who has acted with dignity and determination to introduce this Award in memory of her young daughter, to create a fitting and meaningful Award for Jan.”

The Irish have not had the best of seasons with their raids across the Irish Sea but they took the final big race of the 2009-10 National Hunt season when the veteran, 11-year-old, Church Island took the Bet365 Gold Cup under promising 18-year-old Adrian Heskin.
Heskin took Church Island to the front a mile from home and held off challenges from Hoo La Baloo and Lacdoudal before pulling clear to record a six length victory.

The season saw Tony McCoy being crowned champion jockey for the 15th consecutive season, although the season will be remembered as the one where he finally won that elusive Grand National.

Paul Nicholls was, once again, crowned champion trainer.

In a tough race in which only seven of the thirty runners completed the race it turned out to be a family affair as the nine length winner Merigo was ridden by Timmy Murphy and owned by Murphy’s father-in-law Raymond Anderson-Green.

The winner was also the first Scottish trained winner for over 20 years giving Lockerbie trainer Andrew Parker his first win of the season.

Favourite Gone To Lunch was sharing the lead with Merigo as they lined up for home, with No Panic, Razor Royale, Dom d’Orgeval and Out The Black the only other possible winners.

However as they progressed down the home straight Murphy pulled clear, eventually recording a nine length victory.

Gone To Lunch, in turn, pulled well clear of his rivals, 19 lengths clear of third placed No Panic.

There was a battle for fourth place with Razor Royale finding a second wind to deny Dom d’Orgeval.

Former jockey Greville Starkey, probably best remembered for losing the 1986 Derby on Dancing Brave, has died ofcancer aged of 70

A jockey for 33 years, he rode 1,989 winners on the Flat.

He claimed a Classic double-double in 1978, winning the English and Irish Derby’s on Shirley Heights and the English  and Irish Oaks on Fair Salinia.

He also won the 1964 Oaks on Homeward Bound and the 2,000 Guineas on To-Agori-Mou in (1981) and Dancing Brave (1986) and the 1975 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Star Appeal.

He was also involved in one of racing’s great mysteries  when unseated from Ile de Chypre at Royal Ascot in 1988, whenthe horse suddenly swerved across the course for no apparent reason.  The most popular theory being a sonic gun being used to distress the horse.

Denman is to miss the Scottish National at Ayr on Saturday due to unsuitable ground, he is now more likely to be aimed at the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown.

Fourteen times champion jockey Tony McCoy has finally completed the one race he had had failed to win in 14 previous attempts as he won the Grand National on Don’t Push It.

The win was also a first National success for owner JP McManus and trainer Jonjo O’Neil, who also failed to win the race as a jockey.

As they approached home on the final circuit McCoy was part of a group of four runners headed by Black Appalachi and including Hello Bud and Big Fella Thanks.

By the second last it was effectively a two horse race with McCoy challenging Black Appalachi, eventually taking the lead at the elbow to come home five clear.

State Of Play finished well to take third, whilst Big Fella Thanks was fourth.

Last years winner Mon Mome was a faller.

An emotional McCoy was in tears after the race.

"I'm being a big wuss. It means everything to me to win the Grand National," he said.

"I've won lots of big races and I'm supposed to be a good jockey, but to not win the Grand National would be a bit of a negative on the CV.

"I always thought I would win as I always believe that everything will happen.

"I have managed to win a few other races but not a Grand National.

"Everyone on the street knows the National as it is a people's race and from a jockey's perspective that is why it is important.

"After a mile I wouldn't have swapped him for anything else, and I don't just mean horses, as he had totally taken to it.

"I'm delighted for my mum and dad as they've been great for me throughout the years, and for my wife, Chanelle, and my daughter, Eve, who is two and a half.

"Hopefully now she'll be proud of me when she grows up.

"I hope she watched it, but she is more into Ruby Walsh than me. At Christmas time I thought that may be because he looks like Santa, but she still talks about Ruby!

"My trainer put me on the right one if truth be known. I asked him to toss a coin and I think he tossed it a few times until he got Don't Push It.

"I'm delighted for JP as he's the best supporter this game has ever had and ever will have, and I'm very privileged to ride a Grand National winner in his colours."

Always Waining won Topham Chase over the National fences at Aintree. Left in front when the front running Frankie Figg unseated two out. Tracking the front-runner throughout he eventually came home unchallenged.

Scotsirish ran a great race under top weight to come home second, 12 lengths behind the winner.

It was close for the minor honours with  Isn't that Lucky and Dooneys Gate having a good battle.

Private Be was eventually withdrawn after running loose.

Katie Walsh on her first ride over the big fences went no further than the first. Sadly we lost two runners in the race, Prudent Honour and Plaisir D'Estruval - both at Valentines

Alberta’s Run showed his Ryanair victory was no fluke when taking the Melling Chase on day two of the Aintree Festival.

Monet’s Garden put in his usual front running performance, but was done for toe in the closing stages, eventually coming home third.

Forpaddydeplasterer looked to have every chance as they turned for home but was unable to respond when Alberta’s Run made his move.

General Miller, a faller at the first in the Supreme Novices’, made amends in the opener at Aintree beating the favourite Menorah in a battling finish.

The planned participation of Denman in the Coral Scottish Grand National next Saturday, whilst giving racegoers north of the border to see an equine superstar in the flesh, also serves to make a mockery of the handicap.

With Denman allocated top weight of 11 stone 12lbs all the other entries, bar three, will be out of the handicap.

It means horses like Festival winner Poker De Sivola have a notional weight of 8 stone 10 lbs, which means if he takes part he would be a massive 18lbs out of the handicap having to run at the minimum 10 stone.          

Whereas were Denman to come out there probably would be a 26lb rise in the weighs, assuming Madison Du Berlais does not run after his efforts in the Aintree National.

Scottish National Weights

Both Mr Pointment and Abbeybraney have been taken out of the John Smith's Grand National,allowing Cerium and Royal Rosa to run in the race.

First-reserve Silver Birch has also been withdrawn and will run in this Friday's John Smith's Topham Chase.

Knowhere, the fourth reserve on the initial National list, has been eliminated.

Jadanli came home the 25/1 winner of an incident packed Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

He was npi and tuck with Zaarito, until the latter came down too steeply three out, leaving Jadani clear in front.

He cleared the remaining fences but  finished exhausted in the very testing conditions.

There was chaos in his slipstream as Roberto Goldback fell at the final jump hampering  Shakervilz who unseated Ruby Walsh, whilst the long-time leader Let Yourself Go refused.

Deal Done plugged on for second while Shakervilz was remounted to claim third prize, these three being the only finishers.