Thursday, July 15, 2004
SKY BET SPONSORS THREE RACES AT YORK'S NEW SATURDAY FIXTURE
Sky Bet is sponsoring three races at a major new raceday at York on Saturday, July 24, including the feature £50,000 Skybet Dash, a heritage handicap over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upwards rated 0-105 at 3.25pm which sprint specialist Milton Bradley is targeting.
Sky Bet, a wholly-owned company of BSkyB, is one of the country's leading betting and gaming companies as well being the industry leader in the development of interactive TV betting.
The £15,000-added Skybet Press Red To Bet on Channel Four Nursery over five furlongs goes to post at 2.20pm, while the £15,000-added Skybet Interactive Betting on Channel Four Handicap over seven furlongs for three-year-olds is due off at 2.50pm.
Dale Tempest, the Sky Bet public relations director, said: "These are exciting times for Sky Bet and we are proud to take centre stage with this sponsorship on an exciting new raceday at York, one of the finest racing venues in the world.
"Two years ago, Sky Bet had never sponsored a horse race and, in a short space of time, we have become one of the top five sponsors in the country. Our commitment to horse racing goes much further than just high-profile race days.
"In 2003, Sky Bet paid incentives for stable staff amounting to over £18,000. This was made up by our minimum guarantee of £100 for the best turned out award for any Sky Bet sponsored race and another £100 for the groom responsible for the winner.
"Also as existing sponsors of the annual "Go Racing in Yorkshire Awards", this new partnership with York means that Sky Bet sponsors at all nine Yorkshire racecourses in 2004."
Bradley is a man whose horses must always be respected in sprints and he revealed today that seven-year-old Corridor Creeper is his most likely candidate for the Skybet Dash.
"If the Skybet Dash was over five furlongs, I'd have a few possibles and I still might enter a few but they might not just be quite high enough in the handicap. I suppose Corridor Creeper would be one I would pencil in for it," said the Chepstow-based trainer.
Corridor Creeper has been placed on his last two starts, second at Newcastle and third at Sandown on July 2 which was the last of eight runs in less than two months.
"We've given Corridor Creeper a little break because he had quite a few races in quick succession and, hopefully, he'll be back good in the next week," explained Bradley.
"He wouldn't want the ground too soft but he'd go in a bit of cut. At Newcastle, he was second and there was quite a bit of cut that day [the going was officially soft].
"There's not a lot of difference between five or six furlongs with him - he can get both alright. He didn't get the six in the Wokingham Handicap at Ascot [when 24th of 29 runners] but he was ridden a little too much in gear."
Yorkshire trainer John Wainwright could saddle his stable star Vita Spericolata, who was only beaten six lengths into eighth by Tante Rose in a Group Three event over the same trip at York on July 9.
The seven-year-old Prince Sabo mare has won five times including three Listed events.
Wainwright revealed today: "Vita Spericolata could turn up for the Skybet Dash - we'll put the entry in and have a look as the race is over six furlongs.
"She ran pretty well at York last Friday and has come out of the race very well."
THE JOCKEY CLUB ANNOUNCE TWO FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS BY THE SECURITY DEPARTMENT
Gary Carter to face Disciplinary Panel following Security Department Investigation
Shaun Keightley and Pat McCabe face Disciplinary Panel hearing into running of Red Lancer
Warned off individual Christopher Coleman involved in both cases
The Jockey Club announced today that two further investigations by the Security Department will result in Disciplinary Panel hearings. The jockey Gary Carter has been informed that he must attend a Disciplinary Panel hearing regarding the running of eight horses he rode between August and September 2003 and his association with Christopher Coleman, a person excluded by the Jockey Club in January 2003. Shaun Keightley, the trainer, and Pat McCabe, the jockey, have also been notified that they are required to attend a Disciplinary Panel hearing in connection with the running of Red Lancer at Wolverhampton in October 2003.
Gary Carter has been informed that the Disciplinary Panel will seek to establish whether or not he is guilty of, or has conspired with Christopher Coleman for, the commission of a corrupt or fraudulent practice by ensuring that certain horses he rode would not run on their merits or win or be placed in their respective races in the interests of bets laid on Betfair. Gary Carter also faces charges in relation to his association with Coleman, a person known to be excluded, and in respect of his failure to supply certain telephone billing accounts for a specific period considered relevant to the enquiries being made by the Security Department.
At a separate enquiry, the Disciplinary Panel will seek to establish whether or not Shaun Keightley and Pat McCabe, in their respective capacities as trainer and rider of Red Lancer, are guilty of, or conspired with Christopher Coleman for the commission of a corrupt or fraudulent practice by ensuring that Red Lancer would not win or be placed when the gelding ran at Wolverhampton on 20th October 2003, in the interests of bets laid in the 'win' and 'place' markets on Betfair.
Shaun Keightley also faces two further charges, namely hindering and obstructing a Jockey Club investigation with regard to statements given during an interview with an investigating Officer in March 2004, and associating with an excluded individual in connection with horseracing.
As yet, no dates for the disciplinary hearings have been set.
Christopher Coleman, a tailor by trade, is cited in both cases in relation to bets placed by him or on his behalf.
Christopher Coleman gave evidence in Southampton Crown Court in 2001 at the trial of former jump jockey Barrie Wright. Reporting restrictions were lifted in 2002 and in January the following year the Jockey Club's Disciplinary Panel held a hearing and considered the transcripts of evidence given at the trial. The Panel found that Coleman had aided and abetted breaches of the Rules of Racing in that he had solicited and received information from Barrie Wright and that on frequent occasions he had passed on part of his winnings to Wright. They also concluded that he had rewarded other unidentified jockeys for information.
The Panel ordered Christopher Coleman to be excluded from all premises owned, licensed or controlled by the Stewards of the Jockey Club with immediate effect for an indefinite period. It further informed him that no application to have the Exclusion Order lifted would be considered before January 2005.
Christopher Coleman has now been informed that the Disciplinary Panel are to hold enquiries into his associations with Gary Carter, Shaun Keightley and Pat McCabe, and that they will consider whether or not to extend the date before which an application to lift the exclusion order imposed would be considered.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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