Expose Goes Down The Pan

Aug 3 2008 Joe Punter

RACING holds its breath, warned a headline in the Racing Post on the eve of Panorama's latest expose on Wednesday.

It's now clear the sport can exhale in comfort after another exercise in smoke and mirrors from Paul Daniels, sorry Kenyon, and his buddies at the BBC.

The usual suspects and the same targets, including jockey Fergal Lynch who was cleared of corruption in an Old Bailey trial in December, were trotted out.

Everyone with a brain cell in his head knows racing has its fair share of villains.

The trouble is that, as with any attempt to expose the bad boys in a sport, you have to have cast-iron proof of chicanery before you start whistle blowing. And Panorama merely presented us with a mish-mash of their original programme after trumpeting claims of sensational new evidence.

Kenyon was as sensational as a jammaking contest at the WRI and if this is the best he can come up with his bosses at the Beeb should re-assign him to something more productive - such as making tea.

GLORIOUS Goodwood was, as ever, a feast of top-class racing that had me on the edge of the Lazyboy for five wonderful days.

But much as I admire Johnny Murtagh he nearly made me fall off my perch when Henry the navigator edged a thriller with Ravens Pass for the Sussex Stakes.

After Henry had triumphed by a head in a titanic battle, Murtagh said: "He is a great horse and won very easily at the line."

He even said it with a straight face but if Jimmy Fortune had not had to switch round the field to deliver his challenge his quote would've been tested to the very limit.

GOT a racing query? Write to Joe Punter, Sports Desk, Sunday Mail, One Central Quay, Glasgow G3 8DA or email joepunter@sundaymail.co.uk