Racing diary

Veteran stallion Supreme Leader, aged 20, and the late Pistolet Bleu must be respected for their efforts in 2001.

If there is going to be a clamp down by local police on London's graffiti artists in the early weeks of this year, jockey Darryll Holland shouldn't be surprised if he finds himself on any list of suspect sprayers. Recently tagged to the start of a street sign for Holland Road, W14, is a simple 'D'.

Leopardstown racecourse will host the 2002 World Cross Country Championships in March. About 800 athletes are expected to contest the event over two days which the track's racing manager Tom Burke reckons "will help to put Leopardstown on the map". Burke is also confident that the runners won't damage the stretch of racecourse turf down which the field will run.
As your average international cross country runner tips the scales at well under 100 kg and your average racehorse weighs in at around five times that, he can rest easy enough in the coming months.

Virgin olive oil, finely chopped onion, mushrooms and walnuts, grated nutmeg, cloves, half a glass of white wine, vegetable stock, arborio rice, salt and parsley, then double cream and heaps of parmesan cheese.
Pavarotti's pre-concert snack? No, eight stone, seven pound Frankie Dettori's favourite risotto dish. So where exactly does the jockey put it all?