![]()
TURF TALK: Hughes in whip ruling protest
7:00am Saturday 15th October 2011
TOP jockey Richard Hughes will be missing from today’s British Champions Day meeting and says he will relinquish his licence until the new whip rules are looked at again.
After picking up a five-day ban on Monday, Hughes, stable jockey of Wiltshire’s Richard Hannon, received a further 10-day ban at Kempton on Thursday evening and will miss the ride on Dick Turpin in this afternoon’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
he said: “I am officially giving up my licence, I can’t justify doing my job properly for paying owners.
“I can’t ride horses knowing that I’m not doing myself and the owners who pay £100 a time justice.
“I will only consider starting again if there is a review of the rules, I’d rather sweep the roads than do half a job.”
Hughes had been given a total ban of 15 days for twice hitting a horse six times inside the final furlong, one more than the new rules set out by the British Horseracing Authority.
the jockey added: “This is strictly my own decision, I’m not a whip jockey and they are taking the art of race-riding away from me. It’s like telling (Lionel) Messi not to use his left foot anymore.”
Earlier in the week, champion jump jockey Tony McCoy said that the new whip rules were unworkable and called for a rethink, while top flat jockey William Buick, who was banned for five days at Kempton in midweek, added: “We ride on instinct and the feel of a race, and it’s difficult to count when you’re riding a finish.”
Many punters have also called for a rethink after their selections were beaten into second place, when a further tap could have got their horse’s nose in front.
- BATH Racecourse stages its final meeting of the season tomorrow and an entertaining afternoon is on offer for racegoers.
As well as seven competitive races, the course will be holding its first ever wife-carrying race during the afternoon, which is over half a furlong.
the winners will receive their combined weight in Bath Ales beer in the winners’ enclosure after the race.
Entrants must be over 17 but do not need to be married, or even in a relationship.
different carrying styles include piggyback, fireman’s lift or Estonian, and in the latter the female hangs upside down with her legs around the male’s shoulders.
the Oktoberfest Raceday meeting gets underway at 2pm with the toteplace Handicap over five-and-a-half furlongs, that could be won by the Milton Bradley-trained Avon Light, the mount of Richard Kingscote.
Later in the afternoon, Ogbourn trainer Peter Makin could go close with Rode Two Destiny ridden by Steve Drowne, while jockey Richard Kingscote could chalk up a double on Gin Twist.
- WONDER horse Frankel will be odds on to keep his unbeaten record in the feature race at Ascot this afternoon.
the BBC cameras will screen the first five races on the card at Champions Day including the mile-long Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Trainer Sir Henry Cecil believes the race is no formality for his three-year-old colt, but at the same time he says it does not matter what tactics are deployed.
Cecil said he was not keen for his charge to make the running as he did when winning the 2,000 Guineas, revealing: “That was quite an ordeal at Newmarket and I think for the horse, now he is relaxed and settled it would be hard on him.
“I don’t think it’s fair on him or the best thing for him. he could do one of three things, make the running, drop out last or race handy, but I don’t think it matters.
“What we don’t want to do is crawl and turn it into a sprint, it’s a question of whether I try to out sprint them or outstay them. I will make my mind up on the day.
“If the race looks likely to be a farce, maybe stable companion Bullet Train will make it a truer-run race, he’s there if I need him.”
Waiting in the wings is the French-trained filly Immortal Verse, who gained an impressive victory over Goldikova in August and the Marco Botti-trained Excelebration.
Wiltshire trainer Richard Hannon runs Dick Turpin in the race, but it would be a huge surprise if he could rob Frankel of another big payday.
the meeting opens with the group three Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, run over two miles, that has attracted some top-class performers including the Ballydoyle-trained Fame and Glory.
however, this column’s selection is for the John Dunlop-trained Times Up to get backers off to a good start.
the following race, the group two Champions Sprint Stakes, would look to be a competitive affair with local interest provided by the Beckhampton-trained Genki and Libranno, representing the Richard Hannon yard.
but favourite for the race and this column’s selection is the James Fanshawe-trained Deacon Blues, ridden by Johnnie Murtagh.
the group two Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes will have backers scratching their heads, with most of the runners in with a shout, a tentative selection being the Roger Varian-trained Ferdoos, the mount of Neil Callan.
the group one Qipco Champion Stakes features the Sir Henry Cecil duo of Midday, the mount of Tom Queally and twice Over, ridden by Ian Mongan. both look set to figure in the finish with Midday perhaps having the edge.
the star-studded afternoon finishes with the Qipco Future Stars Apprentice Handicap, run over seven furlongs, where Harry Bentley could have an each-way chance on Valencha.
Other flat meetings are scheduled for Catterick where the best bet on the card could be Feel the Difference, and at Wolverhampton under lights, where hi Dancer could be the one to go with.
Jumping fans are catered for at Cheltenham and Kelso, while on Sunday Bath stages its final flat race of the season.
Read these Sport stories
![]()
I have a Combi Boiler that takes water direct from mains (no water tank).
I want to put a shower over my bath by changing existing bath taps to shower bath mixer taps. my questions:
1) is my water pressure likely to be same from both hot and cold taps for the new mixer taps?
2) will a bath shower mixer tap work without having to have the thermostatic control (re water pressure and temperature)?
Grateful for any advice – thank you.
Bath shower mixers work fine with combis. Thermostatic mixers are expensive to buy and install and need regular maintenance in hard waster areas. I would choose a tap based mixer every time. The adjustment to get the right temperature is easy to do and you do the usual number of turns automatically after a while.
No problem at all.
It will work well with a standard mixer, but obviously it will be far more controllable with a thermostatic unit.
You can get a thermostatically controlled bath/shower mixer that is easy to fit, and provides a very powerful shower at very nearly mains pressure.
Im not a plumber – but I have a combi boiler – no water tank – and have mixer taps on my shower.
I used to have an electric shower with temp controls that required a pump for water pressure – but this new showers not using a pump or anything else and works fine.
**ed** actually, yeah mines hard to balance too – its quite fiddlely to get the right temp on it..
i have a combi boiler and mixer taps to a shower, but it isnt a thermostatic one and is really hard to balance. the hot pressure is low so that may be the problem. my main shower is electric, so no issues there.
We are having a party and are getting rootbeer in a keg. We have never dealt with kegs before and I need help.
1. how much is a keg? I know there are 1/2 kegs and 1/4 kegs but how many ounces do they hold?
2. What's the deal with the tap? I know we have to give a deposit for the tap but what is it for? how does it work? What do we do with it?
3. Is it pre- carbonated? Or is that what the tap does????
4. how do we keep the root beer cold? I'm assuming it doesn't come insulated, is there a way to keep it cold in this hot, hot, weather?
5. Is there anything else I need to know? Do I have a certain time to return to tap and keg back by (like rentals)?
Any help would be appreciated!
1. I'm unsure as to the price of kegs filled with root-beer. Normally, they hold several gallons.
2. The tap is the means to extract the beer from the keg and into one's cup. Typically, you screw it on and pump it up to maintain pressure. There is a button on top to allow the beer to flow.
3. Yes. no.
4. In a plastic tub, filled with ice. they should have them where you're getting the keg.
5. Usually, there is a specific time. Besides, the faster you get it back, the quicker you get your deposit back.
Hope this helps.
I've never bought root beer in a keg, so it may not be the same as beer…
1) 16 gallons per keg..you do the math
2) The tap is how you get it out of the keg. It's pretty easy nowdays to tap a keg. You take out a paper keeping the valve clean, insert the tap into the valve. Screw down the collar so that the tap is inserted further into the valve and is locked down and airtight. The tap has a hose with a dispensing valve on it and that's where the product comes out. Brilliant !
3) if it's kegged, I would assume it is. otherwise, you'd be getting a cannister of syrup and a bottle of CO2.
4) You put in inside something and put ice around it. Garbage can works.
5) Usually, the vendor will tell you the keg has to be back by a certain date. Talk with your vendor…they can probably answer these questions with a little demo , too.
cheers,
Sometimes pre mixed carbonated sodas come in whats called a cornilious keg holding 5 gal. You can rent taps for these at a home brew store. Simple ones use air to push it out but use it in a day or it will go flat.
1) A full keg is a 31 US gallon barrel, but due to the unavailability of full kegs a half-keg is what most people commonly consider a keg. A keg in most contexts has a volume of 15 US gallons.
2) it a spout where the beer will come out of.
3) The keg is already pressureized, the tap will release the beer carbonated for you.
4) You need to keep the whole keg on ice. Get a big round cooler and fill it will ice. Continue to do so throughout the day.
5. Nope. they will tell you when you have to return it by to get back your deposit.
1 I forget – a 1/4 barrel should be more than enough for a party of 30 or so. it equates to a certain number of pitchers.
2 The tap is how you get the root beer out. it pressurizes the keg so the fluid will come out – too much pressure and the rootbeer will get really fizzy.
3 Yes, the root beer should be pre-carbonated. Sprecher rootbeer – the only rootbeer I know to come in kegs – has a low carbonation.
4 an Ice bath is the best way to keep it cold – get a keg tub or keep it in a bath tub full of ice.
5 Check with your supplier for return times.
hope that helps! 
Ask the vendor.
Ninety hundred ninety nine thousand, nine hundred ninety nine beers on the wall. etc, etc.
generally, you get beer in a keg.
1) never the less, it has about 15.5 gallons in it.
2) screw the tap into the top of the keg. you will not need to pump it much when it's full. but as it runs out, it will take more pumps. if you over pump it, there is a button on the side of the tap that lets you release the air. you'll know if it's over pumped cuz the drinks will just be full of foam.
3) the come ready to drink
4)generally you can rent a bucket from the vendor, or put the keg in a garbage can and put ice in there. a few bags are needed
5) you return it as soon as you want your depost back…that's why they take one…because if you don't bring it back it's yours.
It is already carbanated. take the tap, put in on that top part of them keg as if screwing it on, turn it 1/2 turn, and push the handle down. you are ready to go. go to walmart or Kmart or even Home depot, and get a large enough bucket, put the keg in it, and put ice around the whole keg. oh yea…you are probably getting one of those crappy taps that you get at partie (sorry…use to work at a bar). you are going to have to pump the tap. just like a well when you were younger, and push the little nozel, and there you go. have fun!!!!!