Racing Diary

Horseracing in Britain may be far from trendy, but in America it's becoming ultra cool. For next weekend's Kentucky Derby, Louisville racecourse persuaded Tony Bennett, the King of Easy Listening, to leave his heart in San Francisco again and take his creative side interstate to oversee all the art work for race cards and commemorative posters marking Saturday's big race. Expect British racing to hit back with its own secret musical weapon in time for the Epsom Derby. That's Swedish import Benny Andersson, racehorse owner and breeder, and better known as one of the Bs that made up ABBA.

Plenty of punters will be crying into their beer next weekend after backing losers over Newmarket's three-day meeting. But a special sincere vote of sympathy should go out to those who are used to being entertained by Sagitta, the company which sponsors the fixture. In a show of solidarity to farmers hit by foot-and-mouth, Sagitta reportedly cancelled its exclusive racecourse lunches that celebrate its promotion and instead made a six-figure donation to countryside causes. So it's a bottle of stout then in the racecourse's notorious Dive - by name and nature - bar, instead for the guest list of about 100 elite who usually include at least a few of that most deserving bunch - politicians.

It's hard enough picking winners of this weekend's main attractions, Newmarket's 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas, without having also to grasp the turf's idea of sound maths. So for anyone planning their first trip to the track, a guinea - named because the gold used to mint them back in 1663 came from the then named Guinea, in Africa - is worth £1.05. So you'd imagine prize money for the 1000 and 2000 Guineas is £1,050 and £2,100, respectively. Except prize money is £300,000 for each race.

More sensible advice to racegoers from racecourses, following on from Doncaster's warning that broken glass is "dangerous". Newbury advises that "announcements concerning health and safety are made for the comfort and safety of customers". That's a surprise!

Who'd be a jumps jockey? Their season ended on Saturday, with Sandown's Whitbread Gold Cup meeting. So, now for a well-earned break from those crashing falls? No chance. They begin again today, after just a 24-hour close season, at the likes of Plumpton - hardly one of the world's most sought-after holiday destinations. At least they don't usually start work until the afternoon.