I’m really aware of moving from the gates as I got a holiday for it at Ascot and I

“I’m really aware of moving from the gates, as I got a holiday for it at Ascot and I knew I was on the edge,” he said “I held my hands up at Ascot as I did cause interference But I had no intention to do this today. I couldn’t believe it.”The last rider to be referred for a similar offence was Paul Eddery, who received a 10-day suspension in May.Godolphin’s challenge for Saturday’s Eclipse Stakes will, as expected, be spearheaded by Tobougg, with Fantastic Light switched to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot three weeks later. The Dubai team have confirmed that Frankie Dettori will ride Tobougg, third to Galileo in the Derby, with Broche running as pacemaker. Their stablemate Ekraar may make the line-up for the £325,000 Sandown contest if he pleases in the next 24 hours.Forecast rain has given course officials a problem over whether to water the track.

Showers are due before Saturday’s race but, with the ground drying out, Sandown’s managing director, Andrew Cooper, admitted that they may have to water in places today.Cooper said: “It’s increasingly uncertain when we are going to see some rain. Forecasts suggest that it is going to stay hot and dry until Thursday night and then we will see showers for the next two days. But we could easily get nothing until Saturday night.Over the winter, Sandown struggled to stage any jumps racing at all with the turf almost continually waterlogged. As recently as the end of April, the final races at the Whitbread meeting had to be abandoned due to heavy rain.The notion that rain might turn the Sandown going soft prompted punters to support Michael Jarvis’s mudlover Holding Court. Installed as a 25-1 shot by the sponsor, Coral, yesterday, that price was cut to 16-1 as punters backed last year’s French Derby winner. Also in demand were Black Minnaloushe, now 2-1 favourite from 9-4, and Medicean, a 7-2 chance from 4-1.ECLIPSE STAKES (Sandown, Saturday) Coral: 2-1 (from 9-4) Black Minnaloushe, 11-4 Tobougg, 7-2 (from 4-1) Medicean, 7-1 Endless Hall, 9-1 Grandera, 16-1 (from 25-1) Holding Court, 25-1 Bach, Compton Admiral.* The Ribblesdale Stakes winner Sahara Slew has suffered a setback and will miss the Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Sunday week.

Her trainer, John Oxx, said that the filly will be rested and brought back later this year.* Indy Rose maintained the irresistible form of David Loder’s juvenile team when romping to victory at Yarmouth yesterday. Loder and his Maktoum-owned squad of two-year-olds have now had 14 successes from 19 outings, and only two of the 15 horses to have run have failed to score. “She has worked nicely and is right up there in the pecking order among the seven-furlong fillies,” Loder said.. Henley Royal Regatta will start in style today as the Olympic hero James Cracknell joins the television presenter Sharron Davies on the riverbank at the Leander Club to help launch a new kit deal between the British swimming team and an Italian swimwear manufacturer.

Henley Royal Regatta will start in style today as the Olympic hero James Cracknell joins the television presenter Sharron Davies on the riverbank at the Leander Club to help launch a new kit deal between the British swimming team and an Italian swimwear manufacturer.
Cracknell’s muscular body has been rather in demand of late, with a recent photo feature with his crewmate Tim Foster in a women’s magazine leaving readers in no doubt that he has been training hard.Meanwhile, the riverbank gossips are chattering over the news that Sir Steven Redgrave has been recruited into the Leander quadruple scull for the Queen Mother Challenge Cup. The invitation came after he decided to row in the GB v Italy Masters Supersprint two weeks ago in Florence. Despite minimal preparation, Redgrave won his races against Italy’s Agostino Abbagnale.”I thought I’d just turn up on the day and see what happened”, he recalled, displaying hands covered in blisters. “I didn’t think I stood a chance, but I beat him and he wasn’t at all happy about that. From there I got an offer to race at Henley in the quad.”A tempting offer too, since Redgrave’s record at Henley currently stands at a mere 19 wins. Victory this weekend would give him a nice round 20.Like the Queen Mother event, most of the small-boat categories start late in the week, so the likes of Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, favourites in the Silver Goblets coxless pairs, will not be on display until tomorrow.

Also beginning their Henley challenge then are Matthew Wells, Tim Foster and Guin Batten in the single sculls. Wells is selected for the men’s Diamonds event and should be an act to watch, while Foster, knee injury clearly well on the mend, displayed a dazzling turn of speed on Monday at the Hampton Court Supersprint.Batten faces a tougher challenge in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup with the entry of the Olympic medallists Ekaterina Karsten and Katrin Rutchow, who both have beaten her comfortably this year.The British men’s eight is staying away from Henley, leaving the premier Grand Challenge Cup open to Croatia or Australia.Britain’s women defend national honour in the Henley Prize, the Nautilus eight comprising the women’s double, coxless pair and half of the eight who raced in Seville.. Don King is offering $12.5m (£9m) to Lennox Lewis for a rematch against Hasim Rahman, who took the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles from Lewis in South Africa in April. Don King is offering $12.5m (£9m) to Lennox Lewis for a rematch against Hasim Rahman, who took the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles from Lewis in South Africa in April.
The promoter disclosed the offer at a news conference yesterday to promote his show in Beijing on 5 August, when John Ruiz will defend the WBA heavyweight title against Evander Holyfield.”Hasim Rahman is ready to fight Lennox Lewis anywhere, any time,” King said. “We’re offering $12.5m to Lennox Lewis, which is more money than he got for going in as a champion and getting knocked out.”. There is an old, old cricket gag, attachable to any out-of-form batsman, and still recycled at the expense of David Gower on that near-unwatchable show They Think It’s All Over You know the one.