Flat meetings dominate today with four fixtures in the UK at Redcar, Yarmouth, Chepstow and Newcastle (twilight aw) and Galway racing in Ireland.
Jamie Spencer, who was narrowly denied a Grade 1 at Woodbine in Canada on Sunday when the Mark Johnston-trained Walk In Marrakesh was beaten a nose in the Natalma Stakes, takes five rides at Yarmouth where he has a fine record.
His best hope could be Universal Order in the 1m3½f handicap (for three-year-olds) at 3.10pm. The David Simcock-trained son of Universal found York’s Melrose Handicap (1m6f) a bridge too far in August, but looks sure to give favourite El Misk a race in this less competitive affair in which only three runners go to post.
Gibbons jailed
Graham Gibbons, a well-known member of the northern jockey fraternity, has been sentenced to four months in prison after being convicted of drink-driving for the fourth time.
The 37-year-old was also disqualified from driving for 60 months and fined £150.
Gibbons has not ridden competitively since the end of 2016, after being handed a two-and- half year ban for failing a drugs test and then swapping urine samples with another rider.
He had reapplied for his licence following the end of his disqualification in the hope of adding to his more than 1,000 career winners.
More Mischief
Leading North American stallion Into Mischief has had his stud fee increased by $25,000 to $175,000 after a stellar season for his offspring on the track.
So far this year, his progeny have earned a table-topping $12.8 million – $1m more than second-placed sire Tapit – with Mia Mischief and Covfefe earning Grade 1s to follow previous top-level scorers Audible and Practical Joke.
Into Mischief is a son of Harlan’s Holiday out of US broodmare sensation Leslie’s Lady, dam of 11-time Grade 1 winner Beholder and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf victor Mendelssohn.
Leslie’s Lady’s latest offspring to go through the ring, a yearling daughter of US Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, sold for a record $8.2m at Keeneland on September 11.
Any breeders hoping to book their mare in to the 14-year-old Spendthrift Farm stallion are out of luck. Into Mischief is fully booked in 2020.
