RACING:JEREMY NOSEDA has secured the services of Johnny Murtagh to ride leading fancy Captain Brilliance in the ultra-competitive Abu Dhabi International Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Twice a winner in 2007, the four-year-old returned from almost two years on the sidelines to make a winning comeback in June.

He had to make do with a narrow second on his latest visit to the July course when finishing fast and late under Murtagh in the Bunbury Cup.

“He is in good order and I am happy with him,” the trainer said.

“I hope that the ground is good or faster and that the luck is with us regarding the draw and pace bias of the race.

“Johnny Murtagh will take the ride.”

Captain Brilliance is a best-priced 5 to 1 favourite with bet365 and William Hill for Saturday’s handicap.

Benbaun could bid for a fourth success in the Flying Five Stakes, and an eighth course win in all, at the Curragh next month.

The talented eight-year-old won the Group Three sprint between 2005-07 when trained by Mark Wallace, but did not travel over for the race last season. He is now in the care of Kevin Ryan, and opened his account for the Malton-based handler when lifting the Group Three Sapphire Stakes last month at the Curragh.

- Benbaun has the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York as an alternative target in August, while the Prix de l’Abbaye, which he won in 2007, will a big objective later in the year.

“He’ll probably go back for the Flying Five. If he goes for that he won’t go for the Nunthorpe,” said trainer Kevin Ryan. “A lot would depend on the ground. I would imagine if the ground is there for him at the Curragh he’d probably take up that option rather than the Nunthorpe. We’ll decide closer the time. Obviously the Prix de l’Abbaye is a target for him later as well.”

- Party Politics, winner of the Grand National in 1992, has died at the age of 25.

The popular chaser was put down due to the infirmities of old age. Trained by Nick Gaselee and ridden by Carl Llewellyn, Party Politics enjoyed his finest hour at Aintree when beating Romany King by two and a half lengths.

He had a good record in the world’s most famous steeplechase, going ominously well in the void race 12 months later before finishing second to Royal Athlete in 1995.

He also fell at the third fence in 1996 in what was to be his final race. The gelding was retired shortly afterwards to owner Patricia Thompson’s Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket, where he spent the rest of his days. Party Politics won eight races and over €289,408 in prize-money.

- Weather more associated with the depths of winter tried to blight the inaugural Flat meeting at the new Welsh track Ffos Las – but the fixture still received a universal thumbs-up from jockeys and trainers. Although a crowd of 3,500 failed to come close to a sell-out 10,000 at the first jumps fixture last month, the grandstand was packed for the opening six-furlong maiden.

Despite the course having been drenched by 51 millimetres of rain last Thursday night – a further 14mm fell in the 12 hours before racing – the going was no worse than good by the time the stalls opened.