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Sheik Fahad Al Thani, the Qatari behind the involvement of sponsors Qipco in British racing, clearly takes much more than a superficial interest in the sport as a recent story shows. The Sheik has installed new trainer Olly Stevens at the stable he owns in Surrey. Stevens is not a private trainer but reports suggest that when School Fees – a horse not owned by the Sheik - gave him his third winner of the season at Doncaster last weekend it was in a Class 5 handicap that the Sheik had identified himself from the programme book. The careful analysis makes taking Sheik Fahad's (above) assessment of four of his two-year-olds to follow this season worthy of respect. The quartet feature in his list of eight horses to follow entered a competition which will raise money for the Racing Welfare charity. The inclusion of Hydrogen, his £2.5million purchase in training with Peter Chapple-Hyam, may be no surprise but there are three others stationed with Stevens. Extortionist is a £30,000 son of Dandy Man who is entered at Nottingham next week. There is also Hoku, a £14,000 daughter of Holy Roman Emperor who also boasts imminent entries. The final juvenile pinpointed is The Beastunleashed, a 120,000 euro grey son of Mastercraftsman. Anyone wanting to take on the Sheik with their own list should go to www.qatarracingltd.com Entry fee is £10 and a first prize of £5,000 is up for grabs. Gymnast and double Olympic medallist Max Whitlock (above) showed himself to be the rising star of the sport in this country when collecting an all-round silver medal in the European championships in Moscow this week – a medal he may be able to show off at Sandown next week. The Hertfordshire gymnast is one of the star sportsmen and women who will present awards to the champions of the 2012-3 Jumps season at Sandown next Saturday. A equine parade of champions is also scheduled to include Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth and Sprinter Sacre, who will be fresh from his run at the opening day of the Punchestown Festival on Tuesday. Interactive demonstrations will also include a chance to meet and chat with jump jockey Christian Fellow trainer Mick Channon has expressed a hope that his old friend and colleague Richard Hannon can finally win the Derby with Thursday's Craven Stakes winner Toronado but with a firm tongue-in-the-cheek twist. Hannon, who turns 68 three days before the Epsom Classic in June, has threatened to retire and hand the reigns over to son Richard jnr if Toronado can do it and he'll be encouraged by former England soccer star Channon. He tweeted: 'I hope Hannon wins the Derby. Not through goodwill, I want the bastard to retire.' Ibn Arab, the promising two-year-old trained by Charlie Hills, has picked up a leg infection. It means the Sheik Hamdan-owned colt will miss the 2,000 Guineas and the Dante Stakes at York next month may well turn out to be his next target.
