Platinum Racing

DESPITE A GROUP OF MISFITS protesting outside the gates at Sandown today - both the Grand National Hurdle and Steeples, as well as the Jim Houlahan Hurdle were great races, providing great racing theatre and unearthing a couple of new jumping stars.

The win of Big Noise in the Jim Houlahan Hurdle was a great story. Trained by Matthew Leek and ridden by comeback jockey Jason Evans, Big Noise led throughout to win, despite being hindered throughout the race by Sirrocean Storm. which lost rider Brent Scott early in the race.

For Evans the win was a triumph. The brother of former freak jumping rider, Jamie, Evans nearly lost his life after a horrendous fall at Sandown two years back.

Jamie, who along with Nick Harnett, I believe was one of the two best jumps riders I have ever seen, was on hand to see his brother land today's win and was on his feet in the stands before the last and he would have enjoyed the win as much as Jason.

The Grand National Hurdle was yet another triumph for champion jumps trainer Robbie Laing when he won the feature race with Desert Master ridden by Adam Trinder. The grey hurdler led throughout to win and was the best backed runner in the race, but his jumping inexperience showed at several times throughout the race as he jumped out at a lot of his fences.

But to his credit, he dug deep in the battle when any one of four horses could win at the 200 metres mark. It was a stunning race.

In the Grand National Steeple, Fran Houlahan and her partner Brian Johnston continued the great run they have had with superstar chaser Pentiffic, who started a prohibitive odds on favourite and scoredd effortlessly with Trent Wells on board.

The crowd at Sandown appreciated the great jumping races today and hopefully the idiots who were outside the gate protesting now go and look for someone else to annoy and some other people's lives to interfere with.

ACE FRENCH JOCKEY Christophe Soumillon has been sacked as the stable jockey for the powerful team of owner The Aga Khan and trainer Adre Fabre following some derrogatory comments he made in the media about Fabre recently. The Aga Khan moved swiftly to replace Soumillon with another champion rider, Christophe Lemaire.

Lemaire, who is enjoying one of his best seasons ever having won three of the four French classics this year, all for ytrainer Jean-Claude Rouget, will still remain as stable rider for the Niarchos family but from 2011 he will be the stable jockey for Fabre and the leader of the French Muslim population.

PLATINUM TRAINERS ARE absolutely flying with David Payne currently having one of the hottest runs in Sydney. David and Gary Portelli both had winners ayt Rosehill yesterday with Emperor Bonaparte and Absent Friends respectively and today at Nowra Moruyta trainer Colbey Hill won with Zazzy Girl and Kembla trainer Kerry Parker won with Falvelon Diva.

For Colbey the win of Zazzy Girl was not without an ordeal with the severe bushfires down in the Eorbodalla Shire causing trainers from Moruya to either scratch, or travel the long way around to get to Nowra. It might be a long trip home for her, but she won't notice the extra miles tonight.

COWRA JOCKEY Matthew Cahill landed a winning double at the Mauritius meeting at Champs Del Mar yesterday. Mayy won on Little Dalham and Dock ON Time, both trained by H. Maigrot, whom Matthew is stable jockey for.

Victorian jockey Luke Currie also landed a winner at the meeting scoring on Fabragar.

AUSSIE JOCKEY BRENT STANLEY had a winning double at yesterday's meeting in Macau at the Taipa Racecourse. Bret won won Blue Canyon and Fastest Time. Victorian rider Matty Gatt landed his first winner in Macau when he won on Blue Pagan.

TRAINER SAEED BIN SUROOR AND GODOLPHIN had a mixed day in the sluch on the dirt track at Saratoga in the USA yesterday when they were first past the post in two Grade One races, only to lose on on protest.

Striking grey filly Music Note, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, scored a good win in the Gr 1 Ballerina Stakes over 7 furlongs. Just 30 minutes later Bin Suroor saddled up Vineyard Haven with Alan Garcia up in the Gr 1 King's Bishop. Fresh up from failing dismally at Nad Al Sheba over the Dubai carnival, Vineyard Haven staged a stirring battle with Candyman Can ridden by Javier Castellano.

Bin Suroor and Godolphin have not had the best of seasons this year, but yesterday they had a great day both sides of the Atlantic. Apart from the results in the US Campanologist scored his first win for over a year when he won the G 3 Windsor Hill at Windsor with Frankie Dettori on board. Earlier Frankie had also won on stable representative at Goodwood.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't have a bady day in the Antipodes either with Denman winning the $1m Gr 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

Vineyard Haven got there narrowly only to lose in the second round in the steward's room.

DESPITE ALL THE RAIN the Penang Champion Sprint and Magic Millions meeting went ahead in Malaysia today, but heavy rain forced stewards to abandon the last three races on the card.

However both the features worth a million ringgit were run and the Magic Millions Classic for three and four year olds was won by Captain Obvious for Singapore-based Malaysian jockey Benny Woodworth. Captain Obvious was too good for Lucky Superstar ridden by Mark Gallagher and trained in Singapore by Aussie Brian Dean.

Michael Freedman sent two runners from Singapore for the race also, Lucky Jester and Excelify and both finished among the tailenders.

The Champion Sprint was won by local galloper Triple Luck, ridden by apprentice K. Eirwan. Michael Freedman's representative Cheyenne Dancer, fared better in the sprint, finishing third with Benny Woodworth up.

CHAMPION SINGAPORE JOCKEY SAIMEE JUMAAT had to be content with only four winners on this afternoon's card at Kranji in Singapore. Not quite the seven timer he landed a few weeks back, but still a great day at the office. Aussie jockeys Ric McMahon and Vlad Duric landed winners at the meeting.