CAFRE open day

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Enniskillen will host an Equine Courses Open Day on Saturday, April 23rd at noon. Further information is available on the cafre.ac.uk website.

Goffs France man

Goffs has appointed Gavin Hernon as its new representative in France. Hernon has extensive experience of the French industry having been pupil assistant to trainers André Fabre and Nicolas Clement and he has worked with Jean Pierre Deroubaix of the French Bloodstock Agency.

Dinny Phipps dies

Leading USA owner and breeder Ogden Mills ‘Dinny’ Phipps died this week in a New York hospital, aged 75. Under his direction, Phipps Stable campaigned many winners of top races, including 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, which he owned in partnership with his cousin Stuart S. Janney III. Phipps was the great-grandson of Henry Phipps, the partner of the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie.

Reprieve for Best

British trainer Jim Best has been granted a stay of penalty pending an appeal against a four-year disqualification after having been found guilty of breaching the rules regarding the running and riding of two horses in December of last year. The fact that the chairman of the original hearing had previously provided services to the BHA influenced the decision to delay the penaltiy.