Racing: Mellon's legacy to racing

PAUL MELLON, the billionaire racehorse owner who died last week at he age of 91, has left a handsome bequest to British racing. The American, whose Mill Reef won the 1971 Derby, has left more than pounds 1.5m to the Apprentice School Charitable Trust of the British Racing School, pounds 600,000 to the Royal Veterinary College and pounds 303,000 to the Animal Health Trust.

Mellon also remembered his retired horses. In his will he asked his executors to "attempt to find suitable homes" for his "pensioned horses" and "to destroy humanely any for which homes cannot be found".

n Jumps racing looks ready to resume at Bangor and Newbury today. Frost has put paid to all turf cards for three days but temperatures are forecast to rise. However, Catterick's meeting tomorrow is under threat and will be inspected at 4pm.

n Frankie Dettori, having his first ride of 1999, finished second on Playacting to the Richard Hills-ridden Altibr at Nad Al Sheba yesterday. Altibr was the first leg of a four-timer for Hills.