RACING IN BRIEF

• Trainer Kevin Ryan was fined £800 and jockey Fergal Lynch suspended for five days over the running and riding of Cd Europe, who finished eighth, beaten five-and-three-quarter lengths by winner Strawberry Dawn in the Bet Direct Handicap at Southwell yesterday. Cd Europe, who was having his first run for Ryan, was banned from running for 30 days from February 22nd to March 22nd inclusive. The stewards concluded that Cd Europe had been "tenderly ridden in the early stages" and found Ryan in breach of Rule 155 (ii) governing horses running on their merits, while Lynch was in breach of Rule 158 which governs a jockey failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing. The rider said at the inquiry that his instructions had been to sit handily and see how the race developed, while Ryan stated that as the horse was having his first run for him he left his instructions to a minimum.
• Another blank day could be in prospect for jumping fans in Britain with today's surviving National Hunt card at Doncaster subject to an early inspection. Temperatures dipped sharply overnight on Town Moor and track manager Malcolm Taylor said: "We were down to minus four last night. Yesterday we were down to minus two-and-a-half and we could have raced yesterday. This morning we would have been a little doubtful about the possibility of racing. "The forecast for tonight is similar to Sunday night and getting up to plus four by lunchtime tomorrow. On the back of that we have called a precautionary inspection at 7.30 in the morning but we are ever hopeful. If the forecast is like it was for Sunday into Monday then we've every chance." Today's other scheduled jumps meeting at Ludlow was called off after an inspection yesterday.
• Saponi has been something of a late starter but is certainly making up for lost time now and there is more to come from him. He has been a backward individual, so much so that he did not make his racecourse debut until 10 weeks ago at the age of four. But he is getting the hang of the game and having opened his account on his second outing of the current term at Southwell two weeks ago, he doubled up with a convincing success over the same course and distance in the Bet Direct On Channel 4 Page 613 Handicap. His connections intend to keep running him through the turf season and he is likely to prove most effective when there is some cut in the ground.