The great racehorse Ouija Board is the latest inspiration for a unique collection of Sarah Fabergé eggs.

The collection — of which only 50 will be made — has been launched to raise money for Racing Welfare, which gives assistance to staff who work or who have worked in the Thoroughbred industry.

Each egg contains a model “surprise”, and the first of the collection has a mini Ouija Board and carries the colours of her owner, Lord Derby.

Orders are being taken for other eggs in the collection — known as “The Winner’s Egg” — which can be modelled on different horses and owners’ colours. Each one costs £10,000, of which “a major percentage” will go to Racing Welfare.

The Fabergé family has been creating eggs since the 19th century, when the Imperial family of Russia gave them as Easter gifts. Sarah Fabergé is great-granddaughter of Carl Fabergé, jeweller to the family.

For details call Claudia Fisher at Racing Welfare (tel: 07900 432191).

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Ouija Board bows out

Ouija Board, one of the greatest racemares of the modern era, retired last Saturday prior to what had been billed as her final race, due to lameness in her near fore. The announcement came 24hr before the five-year-old was expected to run in the Group One Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin, a contest she won 12 months ago. The mare, who ranks second only to Singspiel in terms of prize-money won by a British racehorse, aggravated an old splint injury when working before the race.

During a dazzling career, Lord Derby’s mare won seven Group or Grade One races. She was emphatic when taking the 2004 Oaks by seven lengths and in the same season gained the first of two wins in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Perhaps her most memorable appearance came at Royal Ascot back in June when she proved too good for a field of top-notch colts in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. After the race, connections described it as the greatest performance of her career.

Jockeys guilty in race-fixing scam

Jockeys Brian Reilly and Dean Williams were banned from racing for a period of 18 months on Monday, after being found guilty of taking part in a race-fixing scam. Bookmaker and former racehorse owner Owen Churchill, who was behind the scam, has been disqualified by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority for eight years and fined £2,000. Churchill netted £56,000 by laying 10 horses to lose races during the winter of 2004-2005. Reilly and Williams were “groomed” for the deception by Churchill, according to the HRA, and will be allowed to continue to ride until their appeal is heard.

Ascot to get £10m revamp

Work to correct Ascot’s viewing problems is due to start next week and is expected to cost a staggering £10m. Racegoers complained about restricted viewing when the track reopened earlier this year following its multi-million pound redevelopment. The improvements will concentrate on ensuring that all visitors have a better view of the track. Other developments include an increase in the size of the Royal Enclosure, changes to the viewing areas of the Silver ring and measures to make the General Admission enclosure more comfortable and attractive.

Trainer turns thriller writer

Former trainer turned racing thriller writer Graeme Roe has been signed up by publishers Constable & Robinson. Roe published his first two novels A Touch of Vengeance and Odds On Death himself. His third novel Dangerous Outsider is to be published in the spring. With the backing of a successful publishing house Roe is expected to join the likes of Dick Francis, John Francome and Jenny Pitman in the bestseller lists.

Top jockey behind bars

A leading flat jockey spent three days in custody last week after pleading guilty to several charges, including possessing an unlicensed shotgun. John Egan, 38, pleaded guilty to harassing his estranged wife and being drunk in possession of a vehicle when he appeared before Bury St Edmunds magistrates court on 4 December. The jockey enjoyed a great season this year with two Group One wins and a host of other victories. At a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on 7 December, Mr Egan was granted bail, on the condition that he does not contact his wife. He will be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court at a later date.

British Racing School awarded Beacon Status

The British Racing School was awarded Beacon status by the Quality Improvement Agency at a ceremony in London last month. Beacon status honours excellence and innovation in education establishments. The British Racing School was the only training provider within the land-based sector to be recognised as “outstanding” in Ofsted reports this year.

“The award is a testament to the outstanding team here who are acutely aware of the need to constantly improve what we do and strive daily to better the excellent standards already achieved,” said Rory MacDonald, Chief Executive of the British Racing School.

Free point-to-point map in H&H

This week’s Horse & Hound is celebrating the early start of the point-to-point season with it’s special issue focusing on the sport, including the popular free pull-out map of 2007 point-to-point fixtures. The magazine includes reports of the first December meetings, interviews with veteran jockeys who refuse to hang up their boots, features on last year’s leading horse Cape Stormer and Cheltenham winner Latzod’alm, 12 pointers to follow this season and the best and worse of everything at point-to-point courses. Don’t miss out, it’s on sale at leading newsagents now. To find your nearest stockist try our “Find my nearest copy of…” service on the right of your screen.

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American jockey Russell Baze has made it into the history books as the rider to have won the most races ever. The 48-year-old from Vancouver in Canada rode his 9,531st winner at Bay Meadows in Northern California last week.

Baze has been racing for 32 years, mainly on the middle-tier racing circuit in California, with few prestigious wins to bring him to the world’s attention. He has only ridden twice in the Kentucky Derby and three-times in the Breeders’ Cup, but quantity over quality appears to have finally paid off for the American.

Baze took the record over from the retired Laffit Pincay Jnr, who had held the all-time record for six years, having passed Bill Shoemaker’s mark in December 1999.

Ouija Board prepares for final race

Ouija Board’s fans are preparing to say a final farewell to the outstanding filly on Sunday when she aims to produce back-to-back victories in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin. The current Cartier Horse of the Year will be retiring to stud after the race. Frankie Dettori has described the filly as feeling “awesome” after riding her final piece of work on the track.

Celestial Gold and Impek miss King George

Kauto Star looks like the favourite for the King George VI Chase following the news that both Impek and Celestial Gold will miss the big race on Boxing Day. Impek is currently suffering from a lameness that will keep him away from the race track until the spring, while heat has been found in one of Celestial Gold’s legs, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Connections are hopeful Celestial Gold will be back in action for the 2007-8 season.

Iris’s Gift retires

The popular hurdler Iris’s Gift has been retired from racing after breaking down on the gallops on Wednesday morning, as the winner of the 2004 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival seriously damaged his suspensory ligament. Iris’s Gift won 25 races and £340,000 in win and place money during his career.

Reluctant dad sires first winner

Connections of one of racing’s most unenthusiastic sires finally have something to celebrate. War Emblem, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes during his racing career, had previously proved extremely unsucessful as a father of champions since retiring to stud.

He finally had his first winner last week in Clan Emblem, who won by eight lengths in a race in Tokyo, but remains extremely choosey about his mates. He has sired only four foals to date and despite being offered more than 100 mares this season, covered only one, who was later found not to be in foal.

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Guineas trophies stolen

The original 1,000 and 2,000 guineas trophies have been taken from the Newmarket home of former senior steward Lord Fairhaven. Yesterday police warned members of the Newmarket community to be on guard as the incident is one of a spate of robberies in the area. In August Frankie Dettori’s Newmarket home was broken into and there have been a number of similar incidents in which silverware has been taken.

According to Lord Fairhaven the trophies were originals and once belonged to his father.

Anybody with information should contact Cambridgeshire Police on 0845 4564564.

Ouija Board on track for Japan Cup

Jockey Frankie Dettori and trainer Ed Dunlop have high hopes for Ouija Board this weekend. The dual Breeders’ Cup winner will take on Deep Impact and Heart’s Cry at the Japan Cup in Tokyo on Sunday – a race that could well be her penultimate before retirement.

Kelly stands up against charges

Shane Kelly is adamant he is innocent of three charges of corruption by the Horse Regulatory Authority. The 27-year-old jockey is being charged for “providing inside information for reward”, “aiding and abetting a corrupt practice” and “misleading” investigators levelled against him by the HRA.

Missed That dies

Dual Grade 1 novice chase winner Missed that has been put down following a training injury. The seven-year-old severed an artery when suffering a fractured pelvis on Willie Mullins’ gallops at Closutton, County Carlow on Thursday.

Missed That, who won the Grade 1 Weatherby’s Champion Bumper at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival last year, was due to start his season in the next couple of weeks.

Paul O’Neill banned

Jockey Paul O’Neill, who received a one-day ban for headbutting a horse in July, has been given a 16 day ban for failing to dismount from a lame horse at Taunton two weeks ago. The Horse Racing Authority delivered the punishment after the incident was referred by the Taunton stewards.

O’Neill admitted breaching rule 153 (111) and instruction H18 in not pulling up the Langer at Taunton on 9 November, even though the six-year old had gone lame before the last in a novice hurdle.

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Ouija Board claimed her place in the record books last night when she became the first horse to win the prestigious Cartier Horse of the Year title for a second time.

The five-year-old mare reclaimed the title that she won in 2004 following a hat trick of Group 1 wins this season. Ed Dunlop successfully produced Ouija Board to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, the Vodaphone Nassau Stakes and most recently the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Ouija Board won the Cartier Older Horse award on her way to the overall title and fought off competition from other award-winning horses including George Washington, winner of the three-year-old colt title.

Extremely popular with the public during her career, Ouija Board retires to stud at the end of the year with a record four Cartier awards to her credit.

2006 Cartier award winners

Horse of the Year: Ouija Board

Older horse: Ouija Board

Three-year-old colt: George Washington

Three-year-old filly: Mandesha

Two-year-old colt: Teofilo

Two-year-old filly: Finsceal Beo

Stayer: Yeats

Sprinter: Reverence

Award of Merit: Peter Willett

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Jockey Richard Johnson remains without a ride for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree (8 April). However, it is possible that his search will soon come to an end, thanks to champion owner David Johnson.

Most of the other top riders have already been linked with mounts for this year’s race but when Philip Hobbs’ decided to withdraw Monkerhostin a few weeks ago, Johnson was left without a ride. Johnson has already attempted the National nine times but is yet to score a win. His closest effort was in 2002, when he was runner up in What’s Up Boys.

David Johnson’s horses are trained by Martin Pipe and he is set to be represented at the National by both Therealbandit and last year’s fourth It Takes Time, on whom Johnson finished fourth in the Becher Chase in November.

UK racecourses unite to help suffering horses

Equine welfare charity The Brooke has launched a Courses for Horses Racecourse Club, and invited all 59 UK racecourses to join. The initiative forms part of the Brooke’s 2006 Courses for Horses fundraising campaign to help horses suffering most in the world. Racecourses joining the club will be pledging to raise a minimum of £1,000 each throughout the year for the Brooke.

More than three-quarters of Britain’s racecourses have signed up — Bangor-on-Dee agreed within days of hearing of the initiative. Scottish Racing, Arena Leisure, Northern Racing and Racecourse Holdings Trust racecourses quickly followed suit. In addition, so far, 14 independents have also joined the Courses for Horses Racecourse Club.

“So far we’ve had an overwhelming response from racecourses,” says Mike Baker, chief executive of the Brooke. “Last year Courses for Horses raised more than £134,000, which helped us reach some 26,000 horses that support the livelihoods of more than 150,000 people overseas. We urge all racecourses to sign up to this important campaign, and do what they can to help suffering horses overseas. If every racecourse signs up that would generate a minimum of £59,000, which Betfair will double.”

In a new partnership deal Betfair — the Brooke’s headline Courses for Horses sponsor — has pledged to match each pound generated by racecourses. By the end of the year, Betfair hopes to raise a total of £250,000 for the Brooke from this and other fundraising activities.

The Brooke helps half a million horses, donkeys and mules tirelessly working for some of the poorest communities in the world. From Afghanistan to Jordan, Kenya to Guatemala, the Brooke’s teams of mobile veterinary units reach the most vulnerable equine animals providing help where it is most needed.

Ouija Board to go international

Ouija Board is likely to have her whole five-year old campaign geared to international events, according to trainer Ed Dunlop. The filly has only raced twice in Britain since winning the 2004 Oaks .

The star mare finished fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday with Kieron Fallon. Dunlop deemed the outcome unsatisfactory and there is speculation as to whether Fallon with retain the ride.

Dunlops maintains that the mare will now be aimed for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in Hong Kong next month or the Singapore Airlines International Cup in May.

Seven of Ouija Boards most recent races have been outside the UK and last year her campaign finished with a win in the Hong Kong Vase, which she won under Fallon.

No National run for Fondmort

Fortmont will not be running in the Grand National (8 April). Instead the Cheltenham winner can be seen in action in either the Betfair Bowl or the Meeling Chase during the Aintree meeting. Doubts over the gelding’s stamina have led owner Bill Brown and trainer Nicky Henderson to make the decision. It is likely that the gelding will run in another Cheltenham fixture later in April – the £50,000 Faucets for Mira Showers Silver Trophy Chase.

Lord Coe to turn on Kempton’s lights

Lord Sebastian Coe will turn on the lights at Kempton’s floodlit meeting on 21 April. The former MP and Olympic athlete is the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. Kempton is promoting itself as London’s first floodlit racecourse.

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Britain’s most highly-rated representative at the 22nd Breeders’ Cup meeting, Ouija Board, produced a good performance in the Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday, but was unable to reproduce last year’s outstanding win, and finished second behind Intercontinental.

Her connections were pleased with her performance, which follows a difficult season beset with problems at home. She is expected to remain in training for the rest of this season and travel to either Japan or Hong Kong for her next race, before retiring to stud at some point in the future.

The only European horse to win a race at the meeting was Shirocco. The French horse carried all before him to take the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The Turf was the only race in which the European raiders truly shined, as France and Ireland shared the first four places between them.

The highest-placed British horse after Ouija Board was Stellar Jayne, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for the Godolphin stable.

Carberry chosen for Best Mate

The uncertainly surrounding who will ride Best Mate (pictured) in his return to the track has come to an end. Paul Carberry has been chosen to ride the public’s favourite as his campaign to claim a fourth Cheltenham Gold Cup gets underway at Exeter tomorrow. It will be the famous gelding’s first run since missing the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the soft ground is unlikely to be in his favour.

Irish Turf Club hit by fire

A fire destroyed the registry office of the Irish Turf Club on Saturday night. The building was completely gutted by the flames. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation but arson has not been ruled out. It is hoped that most of the records kept in the office will have survived the blaze in their fireproof cabinets.

Former jockey awarded damages

A former jockey, who was seriously injured in an accident with a car while crossing a road at the head of a string of 60 racehorses in Lambourn, has been awarded £115,000 damages. Terry Sturrock suffered multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung as well as psychological trauma in the accident, which resulted in the death of the horse he was riding. The injuries were so severe that Sturrock was unable to return to his job as a senior work rider.

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Eswarah retires: Set back for Ouija Board

Winner of the 2005 Oaks, Eswarah, has been retired to stud following a knee injury. The filly’s trainer Michael Jarvis believes that repeated running on hard ground may have resulted in the injury and has joined calls for improvements in the management of the going at tracks around the country.

Fans of the outstanding Ouija Board have had their hopes of seeing the filly back in action on the track this weekend dashed following the news that she has suffered a minor set back in her race preparations. Ouija Board is now expected to return to action, after suffering an injury at Royal Ascot at York, at the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday 11 September.

Race Tech staff snub job offers

Hopes that the ongoing stall handlers’ dispute could be resolved by Race Tech staff being found work on the all-weather this winter are very thin, according to a Race Tech spokesman.

Arena Leisure’s racing director Ian Renton has stressed that a letter offering RaceTech handlers winter jobs was not simply a goodwill gesture and that he had always intended to take on RaceTech staff.

Jockeys boycotted last Monday’s Wolverhampton fixture, at which Arena’s in-house team of handlers had operated for the first time because of safety concerns. The Jockey Club has confirmed that the new handlers have received accreditation and meet the same standards as RaceTech members.

Rather than waiting to be offered new jobs, RaceTech handlers have resigned themselves to imminent redundancy and some are reported to be looking forward to a career change.

One to watch…

The Martin Pipe–trained Say What You See is set to make a belated US debut tonight after the tail winds of Hurricane Katrina forced the post-ponement of the jumps race at Saratoga on Wednesday. The five-year-old will have his final run for Pipe in the rescheduled Grade 1 New York Turf Writers’ Steeplechase this evening.

A good week for…

Natalia Gemelova rode her first winner in six months on the first day she was able to draw an allowance again. From Thursday, jockeys who failed to ride out their claims are entitled to a weight reduction proportionate to the number of winners they have ridden up to a career total of 95.

Gemelova became the first rider to take full advantage of this right when taking the opening nursery on 33-1 chance Dasheena at Carlisle yesterday. But by the end of the day Gemelova’s boyfriend David Allan had done one better than his girlfriend having ridden two winners.

A bad week for…

Sam Hitchcott was taken to Frenchay Hospital following a horrific fall at Chepstow on Monday. His mount Tetcott shattered both forelegs in the mile handicap, bringing down Jimmy Fortune aboard the chasing Cool Temper.

Medical staff were on track for 35min stabilising the unconscious Hitchcott before taking him to hospital. On Monday evening he had precautionary x-rays on his chest and collarbone. Jimmy Fortune and Cool Temper were able to walk away from the fall, albeit badly shaken, but sadly Tetcott had to be destroyed.

Twenty-two year old Hitchcott has ridden 18 winners this year and partnered a winner at the Dubai International Racing Carnival.

Fun at the seaside

Nina Carberry had a fantastic day at Laytown beach meeting, partnering four-year old Rockazar to victory in the seven-furlon Hibernia Steel Amateur Riders’ Handicap yesterday.

Carberry’s first winner at the beach meeting was won by such a small margin that it has meant that Andrew Coonan, who came out of semi retirement to partner runner-up Moon At Midnight, will have keep going if he is to ride his 55th winner and finally lose his 3lb claim.

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Ouija Board was named Horse of the Year 2004 at the Carter Racing Awards on Wednesday night.

The three-year-old filly, who is a daughter of Cape Cross, beat Arc de Triomphe winner Bago, Falmouth Stakes winner Soviet Song, Coronation Stakes winner Attraction and Prix Morny winner Divine Proportions to become Horse of the Year.

The winner was picked by evaluating the points earned in Pattern races together with the opinion of a panel of racing journalists and votes from Daily Telegraph readers.

The award crowns a magnificent season for Ouija Board, who also claimed the Three-Year-Old Filly Award at the Cartier ceremony.

She first delighted owner Lord Derby and trainer Ed Dunlop by winning the Vodafone English Oaks at Epsom in June by an amazing seven-length, and later became the 10th filly to achieve the Oaks double when she saw Punctilious off by one-length to bag the Darley Irish Oaks at Curragh in July.

Third at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Ouija Board bested stiff competition to land the Breeders’ Cup V05 Filly & Mare Turf at the Lone Star Park track in Texas last month, where she finished a length and a half ahead of Film Maker.

“She is an incredible filly and we have had an amazing season,” says Lord Derby. “This is the ultimate accolade, although I had a moment of sadness because there were two spectacular fillies — Ouija Board and Attraction — but at the end of the day only one could win.”

Ouija Board will remain in training next year. “We think she is even better now, so we have exciting prospects ahead,” says Lord Derby.

Although he didn’t make it to the top prize, Bago — who was the only colt in the Horse of the Year shortlist — was named best three-year-old colt for 2004.

Another contender for the Horse of the Year prize, James Fanshawe’s Soviet Song was picked as best older horse while French-trained Divine Proportions was crowned two-year-old filly of the year.

Shamardal, who was trained by mark Johnston and is now with Godolphin, was the best juvenile colt, Elie Lellouche’s Westerner grabbed the Stayer award and Tim Easterby’s Somnus was best sprinter.

The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit, which honours people who have done the most for European racing, went to David and Patricia Thompson of Cheveley Horse Stud in Newmarket. The stud, which is managed by Chris Richardson, has won a string of impressive victories lately with Russian Rhythm, Iceman and Chorist.

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