SURELY it's time that the Race Planning Department at the British Horseracing Board realised where the North of England is situated.

Since September 1, until today, there have been only 16 National Hunt fixtures north of Market Rasen.

In the same period south of Market Rasen there have been 26 fixtures.

It is time that the BHB realised the high cost of transporting horses around the country and the cost of jockeys travelling.

More fixtures must be given to the north and spaced out properly so that meetings are not all in the same week. This will give jockeys and valets a chance to make a living.

The issue of poor prize money still goes on. The rewards in England are pathetic compared to Ireland.

This week I was talking to Michael Hourigan, trainer of Dorans Pride. He was telling me that the lowest value race in Ireland is £7,000 compared to £2,000 here.

He had a horse which finished fourth in a bumper last week receiving £800 prize money. If the same horse had won a bumper in England that's all it would have received. What hope have we got?

POPULAR Scottish trainer Linda Perratt and top National Hunt Jockey Richard Johnson were both taken to hospital this week with fractures to their legs following falls.

Perratt was thrown while riding on the home gallops, while Johnson had a nasty fall at Exeter and will be out of action for the next three months. This just shows how dangerous this sport is. We wish them both speedy recoveries.

TOP class hurdler Dato Star dropped dead on the gallops at Malton this week.

He was only doing a routine canter when he is thought to have had a heart attack.

Trainer Malcolm Jefferson was devastated at the loss of his popular hurdler, who he sent out to win ten races, including the Cheltenham Festival bumper in 1995.

It's a hard game but Dato Star has left Malcolm with a lot of fond memories.

IT'S the Breeders' Cup in America tonight. It's great to see racing carrying on despite the turmoil caused by the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The Europeans have as strong a hand as they've had for years and our derby winner Galileo is fully expected to prove that he is one of the all time greats.

I'll be there to witness it, so I'll tell you all about it next week.

*New York policemen and firefighters will take part in the opening ceremony for the Breeders' Cup meeting, as Belmont Park pays tribute to the heroes of the attack on the World Trade Centre.

Each of the jockeys riding at the World Throughbred Championships will be introduced to the crowd and raise his country's national flag before handing it to a member of the New York police or fire department.

The jockeys will then unfold a large US flag together, before pipers from the police department play 'Amazing Grace'.

Finally policeman Carl Dickson will sing the American national anthem