Racing: Osborne keeps record intact

JAMIE OSBORNE maintained an unblemished record at Musselburgh in the last five years as he secured a double with his only two rides at the course yesterday.

The Lambourn-based jockey made it five wins from his last five rides over five years at the Firth of Forth track with victories on the Paul Webber-trained pair Running Man and Torn Silk. "I'd better not come back here in case I spoil my record," Osborne said.

Venetia Williams's fine season continued at Folkestone yesterday as she reached 33 for the campaign - just 12 behind her total for the 1997/98 season.

The trainer's Careysville, making his first appearance of the season, made all the running to take the William Hill Handicap Chase, beating Scavo by a distance.

Williams has now sent out nine winners from her 14 starters over the last two weeks and was only just deprived of a double when Goodwood Cavalier, like Careysville ridden by Norman Williamson, was pipped by Amoroso in the opener.

n Mandys Mantino misses today's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot after his trainer Josh Gifford detected "something niggling somewhere" with the nine-year-old yesterday. Should the Grade Two race be lost to the weather and re-run on Friday, Mandys Mantino will still be absent, a recovery notwithstanding, at the behest of his owner John Plackett.

Gifford reported of his gelding, who holds an entry in the Queen Mother Champion Chase: "He is just too good to take a chance with."