Paul Nicholls insists Kauto Star’s high handicap mark is an “irrelevant” factor for connections.

FORMER champion jumps trainer David Nicholson, who died in August, will be remembered in the Stud And Stable Staff Awards.

Plans by a horse-racing consortium to buy the Tote were thwarted by the British government today.

The UK’s largest horse racing operator today confirmed it had been involved in talks regarding an industry-wide bid for state-owned bookmaker the Tote.

A horse-racing industry consortium has made a formal bid for the Tote, the British government-owned bookmaker, below its £400m (€594m) price tag, it was reported today.

MARTIN PIPE yesterday joined a growing list of leading figures within the British racing industry to pay tribute to old rival David Nicholson following the sad death of the former champion trainer at the age of 67.

JOCKEY Kieren Fallon will go to the High Court “and beyond if necessary” after losing an appeal against his suspension from riding in Britain.

Kieren Fallon has lodged an appeal against his suspension from riding in Britain.

KIEREN FALLON has lodged an appeal against his suspension from riding in Britain.

Kieren Fallon has lodged an appeal against his suspension from riding in Britain.

Kieren Fallon believes his “career is in ruins” following the decision of special panel of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority to ban him from riding in Britain after he was charged as part of a police investigation into alleged race-fixing.

SMURFIT Kappa Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca was named Horse of the Year at a glittering ceremony for the first Anglo-Irish Jump Racing Awards.

Aidan O’Brien will take his time before deciding on the next target for his brilliant Stan James 2000 Guineas winner George Washington.

Royal Shakespeare is set to make his chasing debut at Sandown next Saturday in a last-ditch bid to secure the British Horseracing Board’s Order Of Merit competition.

Frankie Dettori has threatened to quit the Jockeys’ Association over the minimum riding weight, which he claims is having a detrimental effect on the health of riders in Britain.

British Horseracing Board members have agreed in principle to introduce 48-hour declarations for all races on the Flat later this year.

Monday’s meeting at Southwell will now be run solely on the all-weather after the five scheduled races on the turf were abandoned due to the prospect of heavy ground.

Racing’s future funding and structure were the subject of an “extremely constructive meeting” between the Minister for Sport Richard Caborn MP and representatives from all aspects of the industry.

HEDGEHUNTER, last year’s John Smith’s Grand National hero, will share joint top weight of 11st 12lb following the news that 96 horses stand their ground at the second forfeit stage for next month’s renewal of the Aintree marathon.

WAR OF ATTRITION has earned an official rating of 170 with his impressive victory in last Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

War Of Attrition has earned an official rating of 170 with his impressive victory in last Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The current cold snap is threatening to wreak havoc with the fixture list over the next few days after this afternoon’s jumps meetings where abandoned due to frost.

At The Races are hoping the British Horseracing Board give the go-ahead to universal 48-hour final declarations on the Flat next Monday to help continue the racing channel’s progress.

OLIVER Sherwood’s Claymore is on target for Saturday’s valuable Vodafone Gold Cup Handicap at Newbury on Saturday.

Martin Broughton can dream of a possible trip to the Cheltenham Festival with Cruising River after the Henrietta Knight-trained gelding claimed victory in the Weatherbys Printing Handicap at Huntingdon.

British Horseracing Board chairman Martin Broughton might have a few pressing business matters on his mind at the moment but he found the time to go to Huntingdon and watch Cruising River take the day’s biggest prize at odds of 25-1.

Monkerhostin has been allocated top-weight of 11st 12lb for the John Smith’s Grand National by senior British Horseracing Board jumps handicapper Phil Smith.

British Horseracing Board chairman Martin Broughton today gave his personal support to the proposed switch to a 48-hour deadline for final declarations in British Flat races.

Greg Nichols has spoken of the reasons behind his decision to leave the post of chief executive at the British Horseracing Board later this year.

CITROËN have signed a two-year-deal to become an official partner to the John Smith’s Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Racing remains in “robust health” according to the British Horseracing Board’s annual report, despite a series of legal setbacks last year.

Jockeys in the UK are set to have more scope for sponsorship with the removal of the owners’ veto in the near future.

Inglis Drever will bid to maintain his status as champion stayer after being confirmed a definite runner in the rescheduled totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27.

INGLIS DREVER will bid to maintain his status as champion stayer after being confirmed a definite runner in the rescheduled totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27.

Inglis Drever will bid to maintain his status as champion stayer after being confirmed a definite runner in the rescheduled totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27.

Howard Johnson was left to ponder plans for Inglis Drever after his stable star made the long journey to Windsor for the totesport Long Walk Hurdle only for the meeting to be cancelled.

INGLIS DREVER is a red-hot favourite to add to his big-race haul in Saturday’s totesport Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor.

ALMOST €200 million was wiped off the value of Paddy Power after the bookmaker warned that a winning streak by punters would hit profits this year.

LEADING bookie Ivan Yates has said punters can expect lower betting costs “in due course” following the “fair and amicable” settlement of a multi-million euro dispute between 59 Irish bookmakers and the British Horseracing Board (BHB).

A settlement has been reached in the challenge by a consortium of Irish bookmakers to the British Horseracing Board’s right to make charges for pre-race data.

Carlisle has been forced to abandon three hurdle races and a bumper at its meeting on Sunday.

Bangor has abandoned the three steeplechase races scheduled to take place at its meeting on Wednesday.

GREY ABBEY has been installed as 7-2 second favourite with the sponsors for back-to-back successes in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.