With Camelot looming tomorrow, and six fillies in the Investec Oaks today, Aidan O'Brien and his patrons at Coolmore have every chance of making it four wins from four British Classics this season.

Outlook Talking of shareholder revolts, William Hill, became the latest victim yesterday.

The barometer may be set fair for its most venerable prize, given a spectacular vote of confidence from the sponsors of the Derby yesterday, but otherwise the Turf seemed to lie in a soggy, midwinter time-warp. The steeplechases scheduled at Punchestown were abandoned, and the remaining hurdle and bumper races run in conditions bordering on the farcical. An inspection will be required this morning to pass the course for a card that features the outstanding mare, Quevega.

The Indy's annual top 10 of stocks to pick have shown a 33 per cent return so far. James Moore, chief tipster, reflects on the gambles that seem to be paying off

A retired tax inspector has been jailed for life for murdering her husband who disappeared without trace 11 years ago.

The leisure and gaming industries were spitting tax yesterday as they faced a hit of up to £50m from the new Machine Games Duty which will affect all fixed-odds betting terminals as well as fruit machines and other gaming terminals.

The National Lottery operator Camelot is threatening the Gambling Commission with a judicial review within days unless it shuts down upstart competitor The Health Lottery, run by the Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond.

Gambling charges against 40 elderly women, including a 98-year-old, who held weekly poker-and-bridge parties in Cyprus, were dropped yesterday by the country's Attorney General.

The ROH's latest 'everyday' tale revolves around a lottery, its star and composer tell Jessica Duchen

US Outlook: There are no Puritans in a recession.

William Hill is planning a major expansion both in mobile phone betting and internationally "as more governments open up their regulated gambling markets," according to its chief executive, Ralph Topping.

American cardstacker Bryan Berg completed a giant model of the Houses of Parliament yesterday, after a week's modelling.

Originally devised to keep the racing and betting industries on the move during exactly this kind of freeze, the all-weather has since evolved into a surface for all seasons. Many trainers nowadays like to start off well-bred young horses on the polytrack rather than on firm, heavy or unevenly watered turf.

Research has suggested that sports betting is likely to benefit from the London Olympics, along with other unexpected areas of growth in the UK sports and leisure industry.