Racing: Irish rider Jamie Spencer will this season call on a private plane to help him in his bid to defend his champion jockey's crown.
Spencer will fly to the majority of meetings in 2006 after buying himself a twin-engine six-seater Cessna in January.
The Irish rider feels it will boost his chances of landing a second jockeys' title and extend the amount of years he will be able to spend in the saddle.
"Pat Eddery always said to me that having an aeroplane prolonged his career. He didn't get tired," he explained.
"Last year, I was very fortunate as I flew quite a lot with Darryll Holland in his plane. He was very kind.
"I've got my own plane now and obviously that's helpful. I bought it in January and had actually been looking for one since last September. It is second-hand, but it had never been on grass up to now, so it hasn't had its bones rattled!
"There are so many positives to it. We went to Musselburgh last Sunday and it was just an hour and a half home. I used to train it from there and it would take four and a half hours.
"There's so much traffic on the roads. You are spending three hours going to the race and three hours back. And that's just going to courses that aren't too far away.
"Now I can be riding in a race at 5 o'clock and I'm back home at five past six. So it takes a lot of the strain out. It's going to be a big help."