Trainer Talk

He rode five winners in one day four times, at Kelso, Doncaster, Sedgefield and Ayr. He will be missed by his main stable of Mary Reveley, who herself admitted that she will never have another Peter Niven.

He has been a stalwart of the northern racing circuit, a credit to his profession and we wish him luck with his intention to train.

Reid, 46, has retired after 28 years in the saddle. One of the best jockeys in the last 30 years, he rode 48 Group One winners, including the 1988 Arc De Triomphe on Tony Bin and two King Georges on Ile De Bourbon and Swain, as well as many others.

He badly broke his leg in April, 1999, but dragged himself back to fitness after a long lay off to ride last season and again this season. He intends to pursue management in racing. Once again, a credit to racing, we wish him well.

SUNDAY racing is back again tomorrow, with large crowds expected. Recently figures were published informing us what a success Sunday racing is, but I wonder.

If Sunday racing is so successful, why does it require incentives to get trainers to run and the public to go racing?

Each runner receives £300 appearance money and the public receive offers of cut-price entrance tickets, two for one.

I think that the British Horseracing Board just doesn't want to admit that it's not as successful as they would like us to believe.

When Sunday racing can stand alongside other days racing without extra funding then I'll agree that it's successful.

I ENJOYED two days at Perth this week and was pleased with One Domino, who finished fourth, and Gone Too Far, who was second, both on their first outing. They can only improve.

l Martell Grand National winning team of owner-trainer Norman Mason and jockey Richard Guest finally struck at the Listowel Festival through Nosam yesterday.

Their five-horse raid at the six-day Irish meeting deservedly yielded a dividend as Nosam responded bravely to defy top-weight in the Southampton Goodwill Handicap Chase.

l Madame Boulangere ran her rivals ragged to win a first prize of more than £100,000 in the Watership Down Stud Sales Race at Ascot yesterday.

Richard Hannon has an unmatched record in sales events such as this, where the weight that each horse is set to carry is related to the purchase price paid for them at auction.

And Madame Boulangere, a 16-1 shot, was fast away from the stalls and led her 28 rivals a merry dance throughout under Dane O'Neill.

Lipstick, who looked a shade unlucky to finish second, was beaten by a length, with one and a half lengths back to Hiddendale in third.

Favourite Protectorate was never able to land a blow after racing towards the stands' side rail.

Hannon's son, Richard jnr, said: ''She has worked like a champion from day one but we have been trying to ride a race on her.

''This time we just let her bowl along and nothing has been able to get to her.

''I thought this filly hadn't achieved what I thought she would but if she never does another thing now, we'll still be happy.''

O'Neill was also celebrating, having landed his 50th and most-valuable success of the year.

After a three-month spell in Hong Kong at the end of last year, the young rider initially struggled to re-establish himself back on these shores.

But with the support of Hannon, who O'Neill has ridden for since he was an apprentice, he is enjoying another good year.

''I've been pleased with the way that things have gone,'' he said.

''I'll be staying here until the end of the season, it's important that I get my name on the board as much as possible, and then there are some options open for the winter.''

Lipstick may now be aimed at the Owen Brown Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket next month.

''We'll have a look at that and make a decision on how she has come out of this,'' said trainer Mick Channon.

''We always thought early on that she was a five-furlong horse but she's got the trip and I certainly wouldn't be worried about seven furlongs in the Rockfel."