Sound Man retains twin options

The trainer Edward O'Grady is keeping his options open over Sound Man. The gelding was yesterday one of eight acceptors for the pounds 30,000 Castleford Chase at Wetherby next Friday. He also still holds the entry for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

O'Grady has indicated that Sound Man is set to miss Kempton and Wetherby is also unlikely. But he stressed that there was a still a chance Sound Man could go to Kempton. "If something untoward was to happen to One Man, we might change our minds," he said.

Richard Dunwoody's decision to desert Sound Man for One Man was cited by his part-owner David Lloyd as the main reason why the Irish horse was a probable Kempton absentee.

The trainer John White has been fined pounds 1,000 by the Jockey Club disciplinary committee for "failing to exercise reasonable care" of Flying Eagle, one of his horses. White had been called to answer charges concerning the gelding's condition on leaving his yard last April and his alleged failure to inform the owner of a tendon injury the gelding suffered.