Racing: Dunwoody steps in as new Dawn rider

THE CHELTENHAM Gold Cup winner, Cool Dawn, is to have another change of jockey when he runs at Ascot on Saturday.

The gelding's regular partner, Andrew Thornton, and owner, Dido Harding, who rode the 10-year-old when he was pulled up on his reappearance at Wincanton last month, are both unavailable. So Robert Alner has turned to Richard Dunwoody for the gelding's run in the John Doyle Handicap Chase, a race he won last year.

"Andrew Thornton is going to Huntingdon to ride Super Tactics and Dido Harding is in Hong Kong and won't be back until 5am on Saturday," Alner said. "At the moment Richard Dunwoody is riding Cool Dawn. That is Plan A, unless it pours with rain. The only thing that would stop him running would be if it came up soft.

"The race will cut up because we have put most of them out of the handicap, but he is very well and we have got to run him somewhere.

Cool Dawn has been pulled up in each of his two starts since he won the Gold Cup in March. He fell in the paddock prior to his reappearance at Wincanton, in which he was pulled up before the ninth fence.

n Prize-money contributions from the Levy Board will increase by pounds 2m next year it was announced yesterday. The increase, one of 8.6%, from pounds 29.5m to pounds 31.5m, is higher than originally anticipated, mainly thanks to bookmakers' reports of higher turnover.

FIRST SHOW

Wincanton 3.20

Only the Tote are betting on today's Showcase race: 7-2 Fourth In Line, 5-1 Raqib, 6-1 Celtic Season, 13-2 Piper's Rock, 7-1 King Of Sparta, 8- 1 Freeline Fontaine, 9-1 My Warrior, 10-1 Reaganesque, 12-1 Noisy Miner, 20-1 Cipriani Queen, Seabrook Lad, 25-1 Belvento, Sir Galeforce, 33-1 Sense Of Value, 40-1 Ballybay