Wednesday, November 17, 2004
GRAHAM LEE REPLACES TONY DOBBIN AS IRELAND'S TEAM CAPTAIN IN betfair.com JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE AT AINTREE
Graham Lee will replace Tony Dobbin as team captain for Ireland in Saturday's betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge at Aintree. Tony is now unavailable to ride at Aintree on Saturday as he will be partnering Edredon Bleu in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.
Of course Graham Lee is no stranger to the famous Aintree fences, having recorded a memorable victory on Ginger McCain's Amberleigh House in the 2004 Grand National.
The 28-year-old was also the leading rider at last season's Grand National meeting and went on to complete a famous double when also winning the 2004 Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Grey Abbey.
MANN HOPING FOR ANOTHER GOOD AINTREE EFFORT FROM FLINDERS CHASE
Lambourn trainer Charlie Mann is hoping for another good run over the famous Grand National course at Aintree from Flinders Chase in Saturday's feature race, the £50,000-added betfair.com Grand Sefton Handicap Chase over an extended two miles and five furlongs.
The nine-year-old ran an excellent race in the Topham Chase at Aintree on April 2 to finish a fine fourth behind Cassia Heights, beaten just two and a half lengths.
Mann revealed today: "Flinders Chase definitely runs in the betfair.com Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree on Saturday."
Flinders Chase will be having his first start since his run at Aintree in April but this is not something that concerns Mann: "He won first time out a year ago this Friday at Exeter, so I've got no concerns about his level of fitness.
"He ran an excellent race in the Topham last time out and he looked very good over the Aintree fences. We're very hopeful of another good run at Aintree on Saturday."
The trainer went on to explain that Aintree is the main aim for Flinders Chase later in the season: "I would think we would aim him at the Topham once again this season. He might get a National entry, although he would have to go up a bit in the ratings for that to be a realistic possibility - the John Smith's Topham Chase looks to be the race for him this season."
GROUND
The ground at Aintree is currently GOOD TO SOFT on the hurdle and Mildmay courses and GOOD TO SOFT, SOFT IN PLACES on the Grand National course.
Aintree's Clerk of the Course Andrew Tulloch said today: "There is some rain forecast before the weekend although it is likely to be only of a showery nature.
"I would think that the ground is likely to still be good to soft at the weekend."
BRIT INSURANCE ANNOUNCES NATIONAL HUNT RACING SPONSORSHIP DEAL
Brit Insurance, a UK-based international general insurance, reinsurance and investment Group, has announced a further development to its sports sponsorship activity with its first venture into National Hunt racing.
Brit will sponsor an integrated seasonal package in the National Hunt calendar comprising four 3-mile Grade 2 Novices' Hurdle races culminating in a new race at next year's four day Cheltenham Festival.
The series kicks-off with the £35,000 Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday 11th December. Two further Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle races - each carrying a £30,000 prize fund - will then be staged at Doncaster on Saturday 29th January and at Haydock Park on Saturday 19th February. The Cheltenham and Doncaster races will be broadcast on Channel Four, whilst Haydock's race is covered during BBC Grandstand.
The culmination of the four race series will be the newly created £75,000 Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle on the Friday of the 2005 Cheltenham Festival, National Hunt racing's most prestigious meeting.
The 3-mile Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle will be televised live as part of Channel 4's Festival coverage on Friday March 18th 2005 with an expected audience of over one million viewers and an audience share of between 10-20%.
Race coverage will also be broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live during a dedicated three-hour programme.
All four Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle races form part of the National Hunt Pattern - a series of televised races at major racecourses that create a path to the championships for horses in each category.
Neil Eckert, CEO at Brit Insurance, said: "In conjunction with our sponsorship advisors, WSM, we sought to identify a sports property that would complement our existing portfolio.
"Our sponsorship of The Brit Insurance Super Series Squash Finals, Surrey CCC and The Brit Oval has been an outstanding success but has left us with a void to fill over the winter period. A key consideration was therefore to invest in a property that would extend our sponsorship activity throughout the calendar year.
"As a key feature of the UK's winter sporting calendar, National Hunt racing provides an excellent fit. Not only does it deliver tremendous media exposure for the Brit brand through live terrestrial TV, national radio and press coverage, but it also presents us with highly sought-after hospitality opportunities during the Cheltenham Festival" he added.
Peter McNeile, Commercial Manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, said: "National Hunt racing - and the Cheltenham Festival in particular - has proved an excellent platform for sponsors to build their brands and businesses and we look forward to working with Brit to ensure that their sponsorship delivers maximum value.
We are delighted to welcome another leading brand to our family of race sponsors."
BETFAIR LAUNCHES RESCUE PACKAGE TO SPORTING OPTIONS' CUSTOMERS
Betfair, the leading online betting exchange, has launched a rescue package for Sporting Options' customers who have lost money as a result of Sporting Options going into administration on 15th November. This means 5,000 of the 5,300 Sporting Options' customers (or 95 per cent) owed money could be compensated in full in the next few days.
The package has been agreed with Sporting Options' administrator and approved by Betfair's board of directors.
"Our rescue package reflects Betfair's commitment to the betting exchange punter and to the nascent betting exchange industry. It is a testament to Betfair's financial strength that we are in a position to be able to do this," said Stephen Hill, Betfair's chief executive.
"The demise of Sporting Options shows why we urgently need the new Gambling Bill, not only to regulate online bookmakers but also to update regulation for the wider betting industry so that all punters are properly protected," said Mr Hill.
Mr Hill noted that customers' funds at Betfair are held on trust in a separate, ring-fenced account which is audited by KPMG. "Protecting customers' funds should be a condition of a bookmaker's licence and further, the new Gambling Commission should have the power to conduct spot-check audits of online and bricks and mortar bookmakers to ensure that this is the case," said Mr Hill. "The confidence that our customers have in the security of their deposits with Betfair has helped us to become the global leader in our field."
Mr Hill added: "We very much welcome Sporting Options customers to Betfair and we look forward to helping as many of them as possible. We hope we have gone some way in restoring their confidence in the betting exchange industry."
BETDAQ STATEMENT ON SPORTING OPTIONS ACCOUNT FUNDS
BETDAQ is pleased for those exchange customers who will benefit from their losses on Sporting Options being made good by Betfair.
"We had discussions with the administrators about undertaking a similar gesture but it quickly became clear that an alternative package was in place," said BETDAQ's Rob Hartnett. "If Sporting Options had a bond similar to BETDAQ's, this action would not have been necessary."
"The events of the last 24 hours have been regrettable but the actions of one company, whatever they turn out to have been, should not be used to damn a whole industry. The prompt action of Betfair and BETDAQ in expelling Sporting Options from BETA, the Betting Exchange Trade Association is indicative of our intent to protect our hard earned reputations as high quality, low margin alternatives to the traditional betting sector."
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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