Gimcrack dinner

Opening the batting for the after-dinner speeches at York's 254th annual Gimcrack Dinner was the man of the hour, the winning owner of the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, Martin Tedham. If Lord Allen's later address led the odd guest to refill their port glass in need of fortification, Tedham, owner of the Declan Carroll-trained colt Lifeplan (Kodi Bear), had them rolling in the aisles. The Scottish Borders native said that his trainer had been supremely confident of the colt's chances in the Gimcrack but Tedham had not realised...

In one of his first public appearances since becoming chair of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in September, Lord Allen admitted that there is no "single silver bullet" to ease the significant challenges facing the sport. In a question-and-answer session with broadcaster Lydia Hislop following the 254th Gimcrack Dinner at York racecourse, Lord Allen, whose appointment to the BHA was announced in November 2024, spoke of his desire for the BHA to be a "world-leading authority". Addressing a gathering of around 200 guests on Tuesday evening, he said, "I used...