Racing: Gifford and Hide seek new partners

JOSH GIFFORD yesterday announced that Philip Hide will not be his stable jockey next season. The jockey has been number one at the Findon stables since Declan Murphy's serious injury in May, 1994.

"We have had a bad season and when you have a bad season people tend to blame the jockey," Gifford said. "It will do us both good to have a change and it will do more for him as he is a talented jockey."

Hide gained his first big win on Gifford's Bradbury Star in the 1994 Mackeson Gold Cup and returned to that course to land the Sun Alliance Chase on Brief Gale later that season.

His absence will increase opportunities for the yard's conditional jockey, Leighton Aspell, whose future was brightened by the recent decision not to bring any charges after his arrest following "race-fixing" allegations.

l Walter Swinburn opened his Group One account for the season on Luca Cumani's Zomaradah in the Oaks d'Italia in Milan yesterday.

l Francois and Thierry Doumen combined to win the Grand Steeplechase de Paris at Auteuil yesterday with First Gold.