The charity race at Cheltenham is supposed to be all about the taking part - except when serial winners Sir Alex Ferguson and multi-champion trainer Paul Nicholls are involved . Co-owner Fergie and Nicholls were so keen for the Ditcheat trainer ’ s head lad Clifford Baker to ride the winner that his fancied mount Rainy City , who cost £100,000 , had exploited the grey areas of eligibility for the last race on the Festival card yesterday . The regulations , confirmed by a Cheltenham spokeswoman , state that horses in the line-up should all have been given an average BHA rating to ensure a competitive race . Sir Alex Ferguson ( right ) and Paul Nicholls ( left ) were at Cheltenham to watch Rainy City finish fifth . Yet Rainy City , who is highly thought of in the Nicholls yard , had no BHA rating , and rival jockeys were concerned that Fergie ’ s horse was far superior to the rest of the field . The get-out clause buried in the fine print was that any horse without a rating could be handicapped by Cheltenham at their discretion . In the event , Rainy City finished an outpaced fifth , having led for most of the 1m 5f . Nicholls said : ‘ Of course we wanted to win . But it ’ s a charity race and we entered to give Clifford a ride. ’ Arena Racing Company , who own racecourses that stage 40 per cent of UK fixtures , still chose to hold their annual drinks party during Cheltenham , even though it is not one of their tracks . ARC are owned by the Reuben brothers , the billionaire property developers who have caused serious upset by closing down popular racecourse Hereford and moving its meetings to the over-raced Chepstow and Uttoxeter tracks . Hereford is now empty most of the time as part of a long-term property play between the local council and the Reuben brothers , who are never seen at the races . Arena Racing Company were among many companies hosting their annual drinks at Cheltenham . It doesn ’ t say much for the commitment to developing homegrown cricket talent that England selector Mike Newell , in his other role as Nottinghamshire ’ s director of cricket , has signed Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor as a Kolpak player . The 29-year-old has played 23 Tests and 166 ODIs . The move follows another England selector , Middlesex boss Angus Fraser , bringing in New Zealander James Franklin on an Irish passport . Minister for Sport Helen Grant is a guest of the British Horseracing Authority and Jockey Club at Cheltenham today . But Grant , a modest drinker , is unlikely to embrace the liquid Festival hospitality as heartily as one of her predecessors did last year . The former minister was barely able to walk through the car parks after the meeting . Minister for Sport Helen Grant , a modest drinker , is unlikely to end up like a predecessor at Cheltenham . LTA back in fat cat mode . LTA chief executive Michael Downey has yet to justify an annual salary and benefits package of £434,000 plus a massive one-off relocation payment of £190,000 . Nor did the Canadian do his image much good by wearing a GB tracksuit top during last weekend ’ s Davis Cup triumph over the USA in Glasgow — a cardinal sin for a sports administrator . LTA chairman David Gregson had said Downey would receive a £300,000 salary on his appointment but it seems the excesses of the Roger Draper regime are already in danger of being repeated . LTA chief executive Michael Downey was not his usual suited self in Glasgow - he wore a GB tracksuit top . There will be only five more racing days after Saturday before Clare Balding turns her back on presenting the sport following Royal Ascot . But the Balding effect has not boosted Channel 4 ’ s viewing figures — quite the reverse . The Cheltenham peak of 996,000 was down again on Wednesday , year on year , by 20,000 . And the last time Cheltenham enjoyed four consecutive days of 1m-plus ratings was pre-Balding in 2012 , when Highflyer produced the coverage and John McCririck , John Francome and Derek Thompson were all still on board . Clare Balding arrives at Cheltenham Festival , but her presence has not helped viewing figures . Only Cheltenham could consider £30,000 for two season tickets in the Cheltenham Club good value . However , 100 of the 300 memberships available for the grand top-floor facility in the new £45million grandstand , which are being sold on a minimum three-year basis , have already been bought . And that ’ s where AP McCoy will be found at Cheltenham next year , having been signed up as the Club ambassador . AP McCoy will be among those in the Cheltenham Club next year , having signed up to be its ambassador .
Sir Alex Ferguson and Paul Nicholls-owned exploited grey areas of eligility for Rainy City to ride in the charity race at Cheltenham . But Rainy City led most of the 1m 5f before finishing an outpaced fifth . the Cheltenham Club hold their annual drinks at Cheltenham despite it not being one of the 40 per cent of tracks they own in the country . England selector Mike Newell has signed Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor as a Kolpak player in his Nottinghamshire role . A former minister had trouble walking due to drink at Cheltenham last year . LTA chief Michael Downey committed a sports administrator cardinal sin . Clare Balding 's presence has not boosted Channel 4 ’ s viewing figures . A third of £30,000 memberships in Arena Racing Company have been sold .