Racing: Mick Fitzgerald is refusing to be drawn on speculation he will carry on riding beyond the end of this season but admitted he is keeping his options open.
The Gold Cup and Grand National-winning jockey announced in September that this was to be his final season in the saddle and that he would take up a position of director of racing for Club ISM.
However, rumours on the racecourse have persisted that Fitzgerald is riding so well this season — he landed another big-race double for his boss Nicky Henderson at Haydock at the weekend — that he will find it hard to walk away.
"It's flattering that people keep suggesting it," said Fitzgerald. "I've had a great run so far this season with my boss Nicky Henderson's horses and once again we had a great weekend with Afsoun and Amaretto Rose up at Haydock.
"This season we have no established stable stars with Fondmort, Trabolgan and The Market Man all getting injured, but we seem to have an abundance of young talent coming through and they are making it all very tempting (to keep going).
"It's a long way between now and the National and who knows what might happen? There is no pressure on myself and I am riding with a lot of confidence at the moment and this game is all about confidence."