The name of the punter who staked 50 pence to win a million pounds has been revealed by William Hill. He is Fred Craggs. At one time, Craggs oversaw a haulage company. It needed considerable persuasion on the part of the William Hill staff and Craggs agreed finally to be interviewed. A photo was also taken when the cheque for a million pounds was presented.

“A million is not what it used to be,” said Fred Craggs. “I will continue to play. What I have won is not enough to retire on.”

The staff at the shop at Thirsk (Yorkshire) recalled some of Craggs’s utterances. “One day, I will win so much you won’t be able to pay me. One of these (bets) will click one day.”

There is other racing news from England. Jockey Joe Fanning clicked with Yes Mr President at Wolverhampton on Monday. It was a 7-length victory in a maiden race over 1800 metres. Fanning had been on the bench since August after suffering a compressed vertebra at the Glorious Goodwood meeting.

Robert Winston, another jockey, returns to action on Thursday at Kempton’s all weather racecourse. Winston has been one of England’s more prominent riders over the past four or five years. He has two rides on Thursday. Last February, Winston received a 12-month suspension for passing information for reward. It was a setback without which Robert Winston, a rising star at that time, would have gone on to greater heights.

Curlin will be in the fifth race at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday. The race will be run at 9.45 PM, Indian Standard Time. The Breeders’ Cup Classic champion faces five adversaries. It is a handicap and the name of the race is the Jaguar Trophy. The purse is $175,000. It is a 2000-metre race on dirt. Curlin carries 132 pounds. Robbie Albarado will ride. Trainer Steve Asmussen will be on hand. The race will be shown and wagers taken at several off-track locations around the world. There is no wagering in Dubai.

Curlin is being pointed to the Dubai World Cup. It is to be contested on March 29. The World Cup has the biggest purse in the world. It was six million dollars last year. Invasor won it and has since been retired.

Steve Asmussen has plotted Curlin’s 2008 itinerary with extraordinary care. He has also been spending a lot of time mapping out plans for the top three year-olds in his yard. Pyro, second to War Pass in the Breeders’ Cup last year, made his sophomore debut a winning one. In the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, Pyro went from last to first in the lane and stamped himself as a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby. It has been announced that Pyro’s next target is the Louisiana Derby on March 9. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan will be aboard.

Pyro will be joined in the Louisiana Derby by J Be K, a recent addition to the Asmussen stable. J Be K was a five-length winner in an allowance sprint and will test his mettle over the two-turn Louisiana Derby. Kent Desormeaux is engaged to ride J Be K.

Z Fortune was behind Pyro in the Risen Star Stakes and will head to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. The objective is the Rebel Stakes.

The Florida Derby, a Grade I test and a major stop in the road to the Derby, is coming up. It will be run at Gulfstream Park.