Jockeys are set to boycott Sunday racing at Sandown as their row with officials over the use of mobile phones escalated. Talks aimed at resolving the dispute over the use of phones during meetings ended on Tuesday without an agreement.
Meanwhile, Hawk Flyer, a leading fancy for the Seabiscuit St Leger, has been put down after fracturing a pastern.
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Have the Jockey Club also banned owners, trainers and their own officials from using their mobiles, I suspect not. Is it another case of double standards? If the rule is good enough for jockeys is should be good enough for everyone on the racecourse.
Paul, UK
 |  I would just like to praise Persian Punch on his recent win. There is only one word to describe this horse - Incredible |
The jockeys will win the fight with the Jockey Club. They are in a win-win situation. Although they are still losing out on race riding fees and any winning percentages, the main losers are the racecourses, on-course bookies and most importantly the big four bookmakers.
They will all put pressure on the Jockey Club sooner rather than later. Good luck to the jockeys, the Jockey Club is just full of old codgers who are not willing to accept defeat or change. Bring on Tuesday when we have no racing and watch the bookies cry..
Ian Ford, England
Whilst sympathetic to the jockey's requirements for using a mobile phone for personal needs during a race meeting (family emergencies etc), many people in the UK in jobs with security restrictions (e.g. secure hospitals, prisons etc) live with lack of availability of mobile phones. It will not be the disaster that has been forecast in some areas
Simon M, UK
I would just like to praise Persian Punch on his recent win. There is only one word to describe this horse, Incredible. I have never seen a horse so game and a horse which loves his racing so much. Personally, i hope that he is retired at the end of the season to enjoy a well deserved easy life doing other things.
I don't think you will ever see a horse that has caught the attention of the public so much. I think there were people who bet against him yesterday who were cheering him past the post. He is a delight to watch. Also, it was a great piece of riding by one of the best jockeys in Europe in my opinion, Martin Dwyer.
Liam Dunne, N. Ireland
I am so looking forward to a very open looking St Leger, I will be there to see Westmoreland Road give Pat Eddery a great send-off, I've backed him down from 33's so my fingers are truly crossed
Alex Fraser, Scotland
Alamshar's performance was very poor and it proves that the three year old crop this season is poor compared to last year. High Chaparral has proved that. Though Dalakhani is a better horse tham Alamshar (in my books). He will have to be really good to beat High Chaparral in the Arc.
Munir Mitha, USA
| The enforced mobile ban upon jockeys is a disgrace |
What a marvellous performance by High Chaparral, over a distance short of his best, but what a woeful ride Darryl Holland gave Falbrav - how much trouble can somebody get in a small field? How can he possibly be defended as "he always rides him like that" - a shocker!
Dale, UK I cant wait for the jumps season to get going, I can`t wait to see Azertyuiop go for the Queen Mother.....that's my banker for the season
Matthew W, UK
The enforced mobile ban upon jockeys is a disgrace. The Jockey Club want to take a long hard look at themselves and maybe the will see that this rule is a very stupid one.
Miss S. Humphreys, Wales
The jockey club is going to far.Jockeys need their phones, its tough enough for jocks to make a living as it is.
Forrest, USA
Was the short walkout a serious protest or did the jockeys just stop and think about the money they would lose by not riding.
Steve Franklin, Barrow in Furness
Best Mate ought to be hard to beat in the championship races over three miles plus this season as he is a quite outstanding steeplechaser. It will be interesting though to see how good Beef Or Salmon really is as he looked very progressive until falling in the Gold Cup this season. Michael Hourigan's charge will definitely be one to watch out for this season. Baracouda is another potentially interesting contender if he takes to fences. He is certainly very quirky but has a hell of a lot of ability.
One horse I cannot wait to see this season though is Liberman who won the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. He battled on very bravely when challenged at Cheltenham and will be right in the firing line for the top novices' hurdles.
All these horses will feature very prominently in the forthcoming jumping season and I for one can't wait until it all kicks off again with the Thomas Pink meeting at Cheltenham being the first big one. Roll on!
Jerome Zarathustra, Ireland
Alamshar takes on older champions at Leopardstown but he is no young pretender. Sindar was called one when he took on older horses in the Arc and we all know the results. The Aga is a cleaver breeder and am sure he won't want Alamshar to lose which may enhance the breeding value of the horses that may beat him or unless the Aga has enough stallions in stock and has no immediate plans to retire Alamshar to stud which I think he did with all his previous derby winners. MY US DOLLARS ARE ON ALAMSHAR!
Munir Mitha, USA
Does anyone have any early predictions for the jumps season when it gets into full swing? Will Best Mate do the double again? Will Baracouda go over fences? Is Rooster Booster the real deal? Personally, I am watching out for La Landiere this season.
Phil Stark, Kosovo
| I agree Ahern is an absolute disgrace to horse racing and a four-day ban is pathetic |
The Arlington Million was won by the best horse 'Storming Home' but he spooked and, in the last three strides before passing the winning post, crossed and caused severe interferences to the horses that finished third and fourth. As per the rules of racing he was rightfully disqualified and placed fourth. On a big event day you see many people come to a racecourse who basically are not punters or racing enthusiasts but regular people.
They felt sorry for the jockey and the horse and they made a lot of commotion. I still feel that you will hear a lot of the same horse in the Breeder's Cup.
Bobby, USA
I agree Ahern is an absolute disgrace to horse racing and a four-day ban is pathetic. He should be banned for four months, heavily fined and reported for animal cruelty. It's all on film so the RSPCA must act.
D Rimmer, England
Why do the British Horse Racing Board not, with the aid of lottery funding, build a state of the art track in Scotland with equine facilities and training facilities for young ambitious jockeys?
Frank Higgins, Scotland
After seeing Eddie Ahern kicking his mount (Beauchamp Ribbon), I was left totally disgusted by this so-called 'professional's' attitude to a horse, who for the most part, was just being a horse. He kicked the filly in the stomach, with some venom and with woman and children about to witness it! Four days for a ban is WHOLLY unacceptable.
The RSPCA should be given footage of the incident and Eddie Ahern charged with cruelty to animals. The Jockey Club should also take a much firmer line with this jockey and ban him for the rest of the season. His actions were despicable, calculated and totally unacceptable. This is 2003 Eddie Ahern and not 1903.
Times are a changing and in the modern world this kind of behaviour to an animal in front of so many witnesses MUST be dealt with in the most severe way possible towards the culprit. People were sickened by what they saw and his actions have done nothing but damage the already faltering reputation of racing in England.
BAN him and stamp out this cruelty. How would he like it if I kicked him in the stomach every time he played up or annoyed someone?
S Adams, England
Eddie Ahern's antics at Bath were an absolute disgrace. Ahern is one of the country's most talented jockeys but this will not endear him to many or any owner in the future I would expect. Would you want your horse kicked by your jockey before a race, it was disgraceful.
Alex, Scotland
I don't understand what all the fuss is about regarding the amended result in the Arlington Million. By the rules of racing in America, the horse who has caused the interference must be placed behind the horse they have interfered with, which clearly gives the race to Sulamani.
The reaction of the race-goers in Chicago was absolutely disgusting and totally uncalled for. If I was Sheikh Mohammad, I would boycott America with the Godolphin runners. If they are going to be subjected to treatment like that every time they win with a horse over there, they should just stay here and clean up the good races in Europe.
It would certainly be a loss for American horse-racing but that is exactly what they deserve. It certainly has never happened over here and I hope it never will.
Jerome Zarathustra, Ireland
Storming Home's sudden jerk right at the end of the Arlington Million is disappointing. He would have still crossed the line first.
Tom Halsey, England
MMIX
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