INGLIS DREVER, Durham's record equine goalscorer and the only hat-trick winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, is still set for a fourth challenge for the stayers' crown at the Cheltenham Festival next March.

Retirement still looms for Inglis Drever but Crook trainer Howard Johnson is still pressing ahead with his next targets.

He is likely to reappear in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on November 29, which he won for the third time last season.

Johnson says: "This will be his last season and he'll have a light campaign. He has come back in fine shape and he will start at Newbury. Ginni Wright, who rides him out everyday, thinks that he is better than ever. But if he is not enjoying it, we will retire him. I want him to go off on a good note."

Owner Graham Wylie and Johnson, who introduced another fine prospect at Perth this week when Nine Stories trotted up by eleven lengths on his hurdling debut, are already on the look-out for another Inglis Drever. Johnson says: "If Sir Mark Prescott thinks he has another one he should not be frightened to give me a ring."

Sir Mark Prescott jokes: "I used to wake up thinking of some gorgeous young lady. Now I wake up after dreaming of Graham Wylie and Howard Johnson."

AIDAN O'BRIEN, the ultimate perfectionist, found guilty of NOT giving his jockeys instructions, John Murtagh banned for seven days for actually WINNING a race - has the racing world gone bloody mad|?

If the manoeuvre of Red Rock Canyon was so blatantly terrible in the International, why didn't the amateur Newmarket stewards (and their professional advisers) take any action on the day? It was only Murtagh's press comments which sparked the whole furore.

"Nobody wins in this" said a quite clearly furious O'Brien at the hearing, which was open to eleven journalists.

It's a far cry from the days when hacks had to wait on the pavement outside Portman Square for the outcome of Jockey Club inquires. Dick Hern came out one day and I asked him if he was pleased with the hearing. "It will all be in the Racing Calendar" he said angrily and jumped into a waiting cab.

We have progressed from those dark days. But the deep scars of even a token £5,000 fine for O'Brien, who is enjoying a wonderful season with 20 Group 1 wins, will take a long, long time to heal.

TIMEFORM'S 2007-2008 jumping annual is worth every penny of £70. With essays on 10,000 horses and more than half a million words it's bigger and better than ever. It is a real must for connoisseurs.

But how can the Halifax boffins rate Denman (180) INFERIOR to Kauto Star (182)? They have the opinion that Kauto Star underperformed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I beg to differ. It looked like a seven length trouncing with no excuses and I agree with Harry Findlay, who boomed after the race: "Denman absolutely blew his head off."

Thankfully, Denman has been successfully treated for his irregular heartbeat and returned to Ditcheat yesterday. Denman's other part-owner Paul Barber says: "Kauto Star could not wait for Denman to get back home. He really seemed to be missing Denman." I bet he wasn't at the last fence at the Festival when trailing in second.

Both Denman and Kauto Star have a long way to catch up Timeform's top rated chasers - Arkle (212), Flyingbolt (210), Mill House (191), and Desert Orchid (187).

But it is really encouraging to see that Timeform fully backs the 48-hour declaration of horses, introduced on the flat, should spread to jumping. The sooner it happens the better - apologies to Middleham dinosaurs. It's called progress.

TWO lucky owners will each win a fabulous million euros at the Curragh tomorrow with the two Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Millions races for colts and fillies exclusively bought at last year's Goffs Million yearling sales. Goffs sold thirteen subsequent 2008 Group 1 winners, including both the English and Irish Derby scorers.