“He has a house and a business up there, and Lord Transcend won there early on in his career, so it’s a good place to start.”Now comes the time for Royal Rosa, who, despite the name, is a four-year-old gelding, and now faces 14 opponents on his arrival in a new realm. “Graham asked me if we can run at Hexham, and I said ‘no problem’,” Johnson said yesterday. He is the co-founder of Sage, the computer software people, and after the company grew, some ventured he would never again have to work for a living. At the age of 43 recently Wylie agreed they were quite right. Leisure is now his conquest, racing his main beneficiary.A further recipient of his great success is the Co Durham trainer Howard Johnson, who supervises an operation at Crook. Johnson could have considered himself unlucky some time back when a cow kicked him on the head at his farm, a moment which left him with a permanent ringing in his ears. But now we have another foot and one which is not too pressing on the trainer judged by his relaxed manner at the races.Johnson has been characterised by a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he has saddled the Cambridgeshire winner, Chivalry, and Inglis Drever, both graduates of Newmarket’s Horses in Training Sales and winners on their hurdling debuts for Wylie.The story really began though with Lord Transcend, the winner of a Grade Two hurdle, the horse which fed a bug and created an epidemic.

If nothing else it is a local engagement for the miner’s son from Whitley Bay.Wylie did not make his money by being particularly proficient at the coalface. Graham Wylie is a prosperous and, you have to say, bold man. Not many other bridegrooms would allow their early wives to be serenaded by Ronan Keating at the wedding reception.
But then Wylie, reportedly a billionaire, had paid for Keating, just as he has paid for several of the most promising jumping horses that are beginning to appear around Britain’s racecourses.The most costly of them all, if you disregard the private deal for the Cheltenham Gold Cup aspirant Valley Henry, appears for the first time over obstacles today.The Ribchesters Chartered Accountants Novices’ Hurdle at Hexham – £2,343.60 to the winner – would ordinarily be a contest of much humility, but it is graced this afternoon by Royal Rosa, Wylie’s leading purchase, thus far, at 340,000 guineas. “This is the greatest win of my career and my parents will be as much elated as I am.”. “He knew he could win and began stepping forward to take the ball and playing well.”I didn’t think I was able to win after that, although I kept trying. My stomach problem just hasn’t cleared up and I still feel weak.

It’s a big disappointment but these things happen.”Nicol stumbled around, either retrieving desperately, or taking all sorts of energy-saving gambles with drops and volley drops. He led 6-4 in the decider, but then trailed 7-8 before Bianchetti played three good front-court winners to put the match out of reach. The upset opens up a great chance for David Palmer, who is in the same half of the draw.The defending champion and third seed shrugged off a thigh injury and stormed into the third round with an easy victory over Mohammad Azlan Iskander, of Malaysia, 15-8, 15-9, 15-11.Nicol’s woes will be compounded if the second seed, John White, reaches the third round. The Australian-raised Scottish international will then take over at the top from Nicol, who has been world No 1 for two unbroken years.Bianchetti next plays Gregory Gaultier, the world No 10 from France”Of course I am very pleased to have taken my chance, but I could see that Peter wasn’t right,” Bianchetti said. Peter Nicol’s hopes of regaining the World Open title ended in a shock second-round defeat to the Italian Davide Bianchetti yesterday.
Britain’s world No 1, troubled by a stomach bug he picked up last week in Dubai, did not want to make excuses for being beaten in 67 minutes in five games to the world No 35.”I knew in the third game I wasn’t going to win the match,” said the top seed after losing 11-15, 12-15, 15-7, 15-4, 15-10.