Racing: Dunwoody joins forces with Pipe

Richard Dunwoody is to team up again with Martin Pipe in an attempt to win tomorrow's Tote Silver Trophy. Dunwoody, who has ridden for the champion trainer only once since he left Pipe to turn freelance at the start of last season, has been booked by his former boss to partner Silver Shred in the valuable Chepstow hurdle.

Pipe has been without a stable jockey since Dunwoody's successor at Pond House, David Bridgwater, resigned this summer and the trainer has been employing the best available.

That has often been Tony McCoy, but the reigning champion jockey is to partner Dr Leunt for Philip Hobbs at Chepstow. Dr Leunt and Silver Shred are now second and third favourites for the contest with the sponsors at 6-1 and 7-1 respectively, behind the 9-4 favourite, Castle Sweep.

n Merry Gale has been eased to 33-1 from 25-1 by Ladbrokes for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after finishing down the field in a chase at Clonmel yesterday. Ferdie Murphy's Edelweiss Du Moulin has been backed down to 20-1, from 40-1, for the Champion Hurdle.