Racing week: Carberry faces jail sentence

Carberry faces jail sentence

Paul Carberry was sentenced to two months in prison on Wednesday for setting fire to a newspaper on a flight from Spain. The 32-year-old jockey has now been released on bail pending an appeal. The incident took place on board an Aer Lingus flight from Malaga to Dublin on 1 October 2005 when Carberry is alleged to have set fire to a friend’s newspaper with a cigarette lighter while returning from a holiday.

Judge Patrick Brady, sitting in Swords District Court in County Dublin, imposed the prison sentence, and a €500 fine. Carberry did not speak in court, but Judge Brady listened to a plea in mitigation of sentence from Carberry’s counsel before imposing the penalties.

After paying €1,000 bail, Carberry was allowed to walk free from court pending an appeal to the Circuit Court, which will deal with the case at a date to be notified.

Carberry, who was champion jump jockey in Ireland in 2001-2002, achieved his biggest win when landing the 1999 Grand National on Bobbyjo. He has been out of action with an ankle injury since the first day of the Punchestown Festival last month but expects to resume riding later this week.

Ascot set for dummy-run

Just 608 days after its multi-million pound face-lift began; Ascot is all set to open its doors to the public. An invited crowd will visit tomorrow in time for a dummy race day, designed to test-run the new improved venue.

The official re-opening will take place on 20 June and the Ascot executive is keen to point out that tomorrow is merely a ‘dry run’.

First run for Hurricane Run

Hurricane Run is fit and ready to handle the ground at The Curragh on Sunday, in what will be his first appearance of 2006. France’s champion trainer Andre Fabre has high hopes for Hurricane Run in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Sunday’s race will be Hurricane Run’s first start since in won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October. It will also be his first race over an extended mile and a quarter since he suffered the only defeat of his career in last year’s Prix du Jockey-Club. Kieren Fallon, who rode the colt to victory at Longchamp, will be in the saddle again for Sunday’s contest. Hurricane Run is currently 4-9 favourite with Cashmans and has also been installed at 11-4 to repeat his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win by Ladbrokes.

No Derby for Dettori

Frankie Dettori does not think he is in with a chance of winning his first Derby at Epsom on Saturday week. The champion jockey believes that Ballydoyle’s Septimus is the number one contender.

The closest Dettori has ever come to a Derby win was 11 years ago aboard Tamue, when he was runner-up. This year Dettori is set to ride 33-1 outsider Winged Cupid.

Happy Birthday Amberleigh House!

Amberleigh House, the 2004 Grand National winner, celebrated his 14th Birthday this week. The stallion who is at the National Stud until September, was presented with an apple, carrot and polo brochette.

Racing camels

Professional jockeys exchanged horses for humped-back camels last week to raise awareness and money for overseas animal welfare charity, the Brooke. The jockeys took part in the nail biting 7.40 ‘Brooke Courses for Horses Camel Race’.

Musselburgh was one of the first racecourses in the UK to sign up for the Brooke’s Courses for Horses Racecourse Club, whereby all 59 UK racecourses have been invited to raise money to help end the suffering of millions of horses worldwide.

The charity’s sponsor, Betfair, has generously pledged to match every pound generated by each of the racecourses for the Brooke campaign, including Musselburgh.

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