David Bridgwater was in the news for the right reasons at Plumpton yesterday when Bravo Riquet followed up a recent victory at the course in the TV Focus At timeform.com Handicap Chase.

The contentious issue of the whip reared its head again after a pulsating finish to The Ladbroke at Ascot.

Garde La Victoire has been left with top weight following the five-day confirmations for The Ladbroke at Ascot on Saturday, in which a number of contenders have come in for support.

Pineau De Re will not run over fences again before he defends his crown in the Crabbie’s Grand National next April.

Barry Connell must feel like kicking something.

Pineau De Re claimed Crabbie's Grand National glory at Aintree for trainer Dr Richard Newland and jockey Leighton Aspell this afternoon.

Not content with having another shot at winning the Crabbie’s Grand National, Across The Bay’s localowners have even begun writing their own headlines.

Caoimhe’s Delight gave trainer, Sean O’Brien, his first success in graded company when landing the Grade 2 INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Dawn Run Mares’ Novice Chase at Limerick yesterday.

Simonsig drained the pressure from a tense Nicky Henderson with a flawless novice chasing initiation at Ascot yesterday.

Trainer Oliver Sherwood warned he feels like “packing it up” after being fined £3,000 over the running and riding of Furrows in the bet365.com Novices’ Chase at Hereford.

Senior jockeys in action at Exeter gave a cautious nod of approval to the British Horseracing Authority’s latest set of amendments to the whip rules.

Dessie Hughes feels Vic Venturi and In Compliance are ready to do themselves justice in the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday.

Jim Old’s training talents were once again on show at Newbury as he brought Counting House back from the brink to land the Racing UK For Your Pub Call 0870 351 8834 Handicap Hurdle.

THE 2002 Champion Hurdle is remembered in this country for the fact that Istabraq was pulled up by Charlie Swan when chasing a record-breaking fourth win in the race, and immediately retired.

TWELVE months on from throwing his Champion Hurdle bid into doubt with an unimpressive success in the totesport 0800 221 221 Contenders Hurdle at Sandown, Binocular was back at the Esher track on Saturday.

Leighton Aspell stepped in for the spare ride aboard Briery Fox and guided the 12-year-old from last to first in the Independent Newspaper Veterans' Handicap Chase at Ascot today.

Tony McCoy showed at Southwell why he remains the punter’s best friend with two champion rides on Lord Generous and Kilshannig.

Alan King has not yet unleashed his better horses but Aohna proved the stable are coming into form by winning at Huntingdon.

Paul Nicholls unleashed another of his powerful squad as Cheltenham candidate Pride of Dulcote put in an exhibition round in the Fred Rimell Memorial Novices' Chase at Worcester.

Jumps jockey Leighton Aspell has announced his retirement from the saddle at the age of 31.

KADOUNT put his chasing experience to good use as he belatedly got off the mark over fences at Plumpton yesterday.

Papeete won at the first time of asking over obstacles in the Jumping Here Again On 22nd Mares’ Only Novices’ Hurdle at Lingfield.

Tidal Wave, who was voted last season's Jumper Of the Year in France after winning three times over hurdles, gained his first success in Britain when running out an impressive winner at Carlisle.

Grade One-winning mare United will attempt to regain the winning thread when stepping up in distance in the betfredpoker.com Long Distance Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.

GARY MOORE served notice that his stable’s quiet spell has ended as he sent out a double at his local jumps track Plumpton.

Graham Lee has picked up the plum ride on L’Aventure in Saturday’s Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock.

THREE days after his Grade 1 success on The Railway Man at Leopardstown, Davy Russell was back among the winners at Fairyhouse yesterday, bringing his total for the season to 60 with an easy win on Fools Rush In in the Advanced Hospitality Bookings Maiden Hurdle.

Trainer Nick Gifford believes Straw Bear still has something to prove before he can justify his short price in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Halcon Genelardis continued his climb up the novice chasing ranks with a resounding victory at Wetherby which provided trainer Alan King with his 300th career success.

Oliver Sherwood breathed a sigh of relief when Brumous gave him his first winner for six weeks with victory at Leicester.

Jim Lewis has revealed Leighton Aspell’s knowledge of Huntingdon was one of the key factors in the jockey picking up the ride on Impek in tomorrow’s totesport Peterborough Chase.

CANCER-BEATING, Grand National winning jockey, Bob Champion, will pay a flying visit to Limerick tomorrow to captain the visiting team in the annual Jockeys' Challenge at Limerick Racecourse.

United, trained by Lucy Wadham and ridden by Leighton Aspell, won the Grade One Colm McEvoy Auctioneers Champion Four Year old Hurdle at Punchestown today.

CONNECTIONS of Philson Run are looking to Seamus Durack to produce their charge as late as possible in the Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr tomorrow.

CHELTENHAM Gold Cup hero Kicking King is one of a clutch of big names among the possible runners at this month’s Punchestown Festival after entries for nine of the 10 Grade One races were revealed yesterday.

Take The Stand is set to make a quick reappearance in Saturday’s Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

Tony McCoy notched a treble as punters picked up some of the Christmas expenses at Fontwell today.

Paul Nicholls believes that Royal Auclair has a good chance of giving him a second success in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup as a trainer to add to the two he won as a jockey.

Gary Moore has reported Tikram to be “fresh and well” after his performance in yesterday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, and the Brighton handler is considering running his stable star at Windsor next weekend.

ALLEGATIONS of corruption in horse racing are just another twist in a long line of scandals which have blighted the sport.

Carl Llewellyn, Mick Fitzgerald and Leighton Aspell have all been passed fit to ride in this afternoon's Martell Cognac Grand National at Aintree.

Fantastic Champion was Lucy Wadham’s only runner at today’s Fontwell Park meeting and the 15-2 shot made the trip from Newmarket worthwhile in the opening race.

Baracouda again put the pretenders in their place as he made a winning reappearance in the Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury today.