Winston fails in his appeal, the folly of taking rides of other agents, the joys of charity work ... Blog is now available.......

Robert Winston failed in his appeal to overturn his 22-day ban on Thursday and the only surprise to me was that some thought it was a unjust. Why? Regardless of whether Winston felt three were for corrective measures, it was his still second offence in two months.

No other jockey has been banned twice for hitting a horse so many times over the limit, to do it within 60 days shows is stupidity of the highest order. The rules do need to be looked at (Will Kennendy's ban being the case-in-point) and they are to be discussed at the BHA on Friday.

But when jockeys, aware of the penalities, blatently ignore them and then cry foul you can't just blame the BHA and accept no responsibility yourself.

Three things that worry me most are using a toilet when the previous occupant comes out without a newspaper, when somebody phones and says "You don't rememeber me, do you?" And when another agent calls and states I have a winner for you.

In the 14 years I have been an agent I can honestly say I have never been 'placed' on a winner. I remember one got overtaken by the ambulance, another turned the lights out and one has still to finish.

It's strange then that there has never been a call saying there is a spare ride going on a wife or girlfriend. Not that Kieren would.........Ok, please don't make up your own answers.

A request from Sarah Oliver, president of the Amateur Jockeys' Association, for Kieren to donate some signed breeches for a charity event, reminded me of an incident a few years ago

Frankie Dettori and Jason Weaver came to run in a charity race at Walthamstow Greyhound stadium for a meeting in aid of the Injured Jockeys' Fund. Lorna Vincent, myself and a local journalist were also taking part.

Lorna, one of the first lady riders to break through, was quite a curvy lady. Her pre-race routine was to drink a pint of cider and eat a plate of fish and chips.

Lorna had a 100 yard start over me and the journo with another 50 back to the two jockeys. The idea was that Lorna, decked out in a borrowed yellow tracksuit that made her look like an inflatable banana, was to slow down on the run in and to make it a virtual dead- heat.

In reality, she went sprinting off, to which Weaver said "Fuck me, she's keen," but on the run-in her tracksuit started to slip down, ended up round her ankles and she fell flat on her face yards after the line.

It transpired afterwards that the fox, who lived in the water features in the middle of the track, had obvious spied what he thought was dinner and started to chase her. Lorna had feared she was going to get bitten.

Btw following on from the piece on Darren Owen yesterday about being placed on the commentators' probation list, the Welsh wizard pointed out another reason could be that he is also fat. Happy to put the record straight Darren.