Tattenham Corner

Cecil loses Wellbeing

Henry Cecil, who suffered a moderate campaign last season by his own high standards, has been dealt a blow in the first week of the new year with the news that Wellbeing, probably the best older horse in his Newmarket yard, is to be transferred to Pascal Bary's stable in France at the end of this month . Owners Plantation Stud have decided that the Sadler's Wells horse is likely to have more opportunities to race on easier going across the Channel. The move follows the loss of another star, Beat Hollow, to America last season.

Jockey Club have a cheek

One-time Derby hope Mersey Sound has failed to fulfil the promise of his debut run behind the top-class Nayef as a two-year-old and it was only on Thursday that he got off the mark in a maiden on the all-weather at Lingfield. The horse's career has been chequered since his early runs. He had ringworm before he ran last year and then split a pastern. This week in victory he was sporting sheepskin cheek-pieces for the first time. These are strips that attach to the bridle and are meant to help a horse concentrate in much the same way as blinkers. They have been in use in this country for more than three years, yet do not have to be declared at the overnight stage unlike blinkers, a visor or a tongue-strap. The Jockey Club cites lack of funding as the main reason for this omission. Spokesman John Maxse said last May: 'The question of whether cheek-pieces should be declared has been considered by the Disciplinary Committee but it would cost several thousand pounds to get the computers to be able to take on new knowledge and there is already a long queue of projects.' Frank Jordan appears to be the first trainer to have employed the aid after seeing them used in France and the 'sideburns' are also popular with Gary Moore, David Arbuthnot, Graham McCourt and Norman Mason. A mini-campaign for the overnight declaration of tongue-straps bore fruit in April 2000 but other aids to punters such as electric and sectional timing are in use only sporadically. Cheekpieces are acknowledged have an effect on horses' performances, so the wool should not be pulled over the eyes of the betting public much longer.

Wolverhampton gets go-ahead

The all-weather meeting at Wolverhampton tomorrow looks likely to beat the freeze. The track's fixture last Monday was abandoned after temperatures dropped on Sunday leaving frozen lumps on the course. Then, because of the continued effects of the cold snap, yesterday's fixture was transferred to Southwell. Officials at Wolverhampton were considering moving tomorrow's card to Lingfield if it failed an inspection, but Ian Renton, director of racing at Arena Leisure, which owns the three all-weather tracks, said yesterday: 'We have held the inspection and are fairly confident of racing.' Renton said there will be a precautionary inspection at 8am today, but added: 'Virtually all the frost is out of the ground. It's just that we have had to move a lot of the Fibresand around and it's a case of reinstating it. By the time we inspect we are pretty confident that will be done.' Jump racing is likely to resume at Fontwell tomorrow. Clerk of the course David McHarg said: 'The course is raceable and the going is good. There are no plans to hold an inspection.' Tomorrow's other jump meeting at Fakenham hinges on an inspection at 9am today.

Bookies leaning on Pisa

The row between bookmakers and the British Horseracing Board over payment for race data, effectively the right to show racing from the 49 tracks signed up to the media rights deal, shows no sign of abating. In view of the fact that as from May the bookmakers may only be able to show racing from the 10 courses signed up with rivals gg.com along with any non-British racing products they can obtain, they have been busy buying up rights to dog and foreign racing, while at the same time claiming they can do without what the BHB wants to offer if they feel the price is too high. Last Monday when all British racing was off we received a glimpse of what the High Street betting shop would offer in such circumstances. Racing from Pisa in Italy, four dog meetings (two morning, two afternoon) and 22 lottery-style number draws consisting of two '49s', three Hat-Tricks and 17 Rapidos.

The name game

The first race at Pisa last Friday was won by Miss Cicciolina, presumably named after the famous porn star who, after campaigning topless, won election to the Italian parliament in 1987 and is the former wife of artist Jeff Koons. His most infamous show, Made In Heaven , included him and Cicciolina having sex in improbable positions. Cicciolina translates as 'little pot of flesh'.