If you've been following the blog you'll know the interest we have in Paul Hanagan winning the jockeys' championship (bets at 40/1 outright and 12/1 on a handicap list). I was beginning to think this was going to be easy. He's on 80 winners eight clear of his nearest rival. We are nearly half way through the season. However he was kicked in the face at Ayr yesterday and consequently missed some of his rides. Thankfully it's not serious and he resumes riding today. This situation was (nearly) a mirror of what happened at Ayr in August 2005 when Robert Winston had a horriffic fall when leading the jockeys' championship on 98 winners. His strategy was the same as Paul's - riding predominately at the northern tracks whilst the other contenders fight it out in the south. I was on Robert for the championship that year (at a big price too) but the fall mean't he was out for the season.

If Paul is fortunate enough to stay injury free from now on we have a major chance.

Latest betting (best prices) on the championship this morning is: RL Moore 8/15 P Hanagan 11/4 R Hughes10/1 and 25/1 bar these three.