Britain’s most highly-rated representative at the 22nd Breeders’ Cup meeting, Ouija Board, produced a good performance in the Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday, but was unable to reproduce last year’s outstanding win, and finished second behind Intercontinental.
Her connections were pleased with her performance, which follows a difficult season beset with problems at home. She is expected to remain in training for the rest of this season and travel to either Japan or Hong Kong for her next race, before retiring to stud at some point in the future.
The only European horse to win a race at the meeting was Shirocco. The French horse carried all before him to take the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The Turf was the only race in which the European raiders truly shined, as France and Ireland shared the first four places between them.
The highest-placed British horse after Ouija Board was Stellar Jayne, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for the Godolphin stable.
Carberry chosen for Best Mate
The uncertainly surrounding who will ride Best Mate (pictured) in his return to the track has come to an end. Paul Carberry has been chosen to ride the public’s favourite as his campaign to claim a fourth Cheltenham Gold Cup gets underway at Exeter tomorrow. It will be the famous gelding’s first run since missing the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the soft ground is unlikely to be in his favour.
Irish Turf Club hit by fire
A fire destroyed the registry office of the Irish Turf Club on Saturday night. The building was completely gutted by the flames. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation but arson has not been ruled out. It is hoped that most of the records kept in the office will have survived the blaze in their fireproof cabinets.
Former jockey awarded damages
A former jockey, who was seriously injured in an accident with a car while crossing a road at the head of a string of 60 racehorses in Lambourn, has been awarded £115,000 damages. Terry Sturrock suffered multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung as well as psychological trauma in the accident, which resulted in the death of the horse he was riding. The injuries were so severe that Sturrock was unable to return to his job as a senior work rider.
