In Pictures: 2025 Perth Festival sees punters turn out in force
Thousands turned out as the 2025 Perth Festival opened at Perth Racecourse on Wednesday.
The event featured an eight-race card with two Listed contests—the £40,000 British EBF Gold Castle Novices' Hurdle, won by Willie Mullins' 'Kiss Will' and the £32,500 Quilter Cheviot Fair Maid Of Perth Mares' Chase, also won by Mullins' 'Fun Fun Fun'.
The day also featured top jockeys Sean Bowen, Harry Cobden, and Brian Hughes.
Kim Cessford was there to capture all the action for The Courier.
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The Courier
2 hours ago
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Inside bitter row that has rocked Dundee music venue
A Dundee music venue is seeking a new home after a bitter row between landlord and tenant. Church has moved out of its Ward Road home of eight years after being evicted by the building's owner, Hunter Hamilton Group. The venue has become one of the most popular in the city, hosting gigs by major acts as well as local performers and club nights. But now, the name Church will no longer be synonymous with the former 19th-century Methodist church site it occupied. At the centre of the row are two men: Jeff Chan, owner of Church, and Mark Miller, director of the building's landlord, Hunter Hamilton. The pair were married between 2018 and 2023. Since their divorce, the two men and the companies they run have been embroiled in a feud that has ultimately led to Church being told it needs to find a new home. Jeff said: 'This situation has taken a huge toll. I didn't want this to become public, it's deeply personal and incredibly difficult.' But Mark insisted: 'Personal matters are separate from business.' Last week, workers visited the Ward Road building and were seen throwing items –including a Church sign – into the back of a rubbish truck, as Hamilton Hunter prepares to rebrand the site as Music Hall Dundee from next month. Meanwhile, Church is set to run events from the nearby Beat Generator on North Lindsay Street until it secures a permanent home elsewhere. This is the inside story of what has led to one of the city's best-established venues facing an uncertain future. As hints of a feud emerged on social media, The Courier sought answers from those involved. Church owner Jeff claims the eviction stems from him falling behind on two weeks' rent in January 2024, which he says he eventually caught up with. He told The Courier: 'At the time, Mark was actually in arrears to me by 18 weeks' worth of payments from our personal financial settlement, with over £15,300 overdue and a total of just over £46,000 still outstanding. 'While I don't dispute that falling behind on rent was a failure on my part, the context matters.' Mark says this allegation is untrue. He said: 'Despite multiple claims from Jeff attempting to avoid his agreed business obligations, my lawyer repeatedly requested proof throughout 2023 and 2024 to review these claims. 'To date, no evidence has been provided. It was clearly communicated that if Jeff believed these claims were valid, he or his lawyer should present proof or take legal action. 'Nothing has materialised. 'These claims have not resurfaced in the past year.' Mark says the current balance sits at just below £10,000, from an initial balance of £53,000, with 'payments ongoing'. Jeff claims that 'escalating costs' imposed by Mark and Hamilton Hunter have also hampered his ability to keep up with other payments. He said: 'Rather than support recovery, he (Mark) used his position to make things significantly worse, imposing late fees and cutting off direct communication, forcing everything through solicitors. 'Under the lease, I was liable for legal costs on both sides, which only deepened the financial pressure.' Asked to respond to this claim, Mark said: 'Correct. This was explicitly stated in the lease terms, which Jeff agreed to.' The Courier has seen an email where Mark tells Jeff to only speak to him through his lawyer. Jeff and Mark founded Church in 2017 before realising their dreams of putting on big acts locally. They fulfilled their ambitions as artists including Snow Patrol, Texas, Kyle Falconer and Sex Pistols singer John Lydon all appeared at the venue. However, things turned sour, with many other claims of each party owing the other one money. Jeff, the Church owner, says he was being charged for the 'full cost of the building's insurance while no other tenant (Captain's Cabin, which occupies the other half of the building)was contributing'. He says when he raised this, landlord Mark admitted Church was being overcharged. Jeff claims this remains unresolved. Mark says that Church was liable for 50% of the insurance and utilities costs of the building. He claims Church would pay the money, then bill Captain's Cabin for its share. Mark continued: 'This changed in October 2024 when Captain's Cabin vacated and (new club venue) Hidden became responsible for 50%. 'This changed again in January due to the tenant (failing in) another of their obligations in paying the utility companies, where the landlord took over the services and rebilled the tenant for 50%, which has never been paid to date.' Every inquiry made by The Courier about the fallout prompted another claim and counter-claim, which we have attempted to investigate thoroughly. Among these is Jeff's claim that he was sent utilities bills by Mark that were well over what he should have been required to pay. Mark, however, claims this is down to Jeff not paying towards these utilities between February and May this year. Mark further claims that since taking over the building, following Church's eviction, other sums 'remain outstanding'. Another major issue raised by Jeff in his correspondence with The Courier was a roof leak at the building in May 2024. 'The roof has always been an issue in this building over the years, and it started again, which I reported,' he said. 'Later, the water was then leaking directly into an electrical fuse box, something I flagged as a serious concern. 'Despite multiple follow-ups, it took around eight months for this to be addressed. 'Given that health and safety concerns have since been used by the landlord to justify the termination of the lease, I find it frustrating that such a significant risk was not prioritised or resolved sooner. 'It's difficult to accept criticism on safety grounds when critical issues raised by us went unresolved for so long.' Mark insists as soon as the issue was flagged to Hamilton Hunter, he 'promptly requested detailed information, including photographs, to pass to our surveyor and contractors'. He continued: 'The tenant (Jeff) ignored repeated requests for this information, which delayed repairs. 'After our lawyer contacted the tenant's lawyer and the required information was finally provided, repairs were carried out promptly. 'Without access or co-operation, no inspection or repair was possible earlier. 'The tenant claimed the leak affected their trade, but photographic evidence shows the venue was still fully operational during this period.' Mark alleges other health and safety issues that were the responsibility of Church remained unresolved until its eviction. The row has had an impact on staff, too. Jeff claims that five days before Christmas in 2023, he was issued with an eviction notice, saying he had 'breached the premises licence'. The Church owner claims this was 'later confirmed not to be true by the licensing board and police'. He continued: 'It forced me to frantically search for legal help at the last minute before the holidays. 'At the same time, Mark was contacting staff at Church directly, telling them they should look for new jobs. 'The timing and tone made it clear this was about intimidation, not resolution.' Eight staff members employed by Church are now being offered shifts at Beat Generator. In response, Mark said: 'I am unsure about this claim. 'However, the tenant was served multiple pre-irritancy notices due to repeated failures to meet financial and other lease obligations. 'In the past, these issues were resolved promptly after notices were served. 'This (most recent) time, the tenant failed to remedy the outstanding matters, resulting in a lawful eviction. 'This was entirely due to their breach of agreed terms.' Another claim made by Jeff is that, after the couple separated in 2022, he took on Church and signed a lease that he has 'since been advised was heavily biased in the landlord's favour'. He said: 'Mark agreed to buy me out of our other ventures and has remained in arrears to me since, with payments still ongoing.' Responding to that claim, Mark said: 'That is correct. 'Jeff requested a 25-year lease for the building at Ward Road, which was agreed upon, drafted, and sent to him for review and obtain legal advice prior to agreement. 'He signed the agreement as part of the overall settlement.' Jeff admits the 'truth' of this saga is 'more complicated than just missed rent'. He said: 'Mark and I were previously married and business partners, we started Church together in 2017. 'This situation has taken a huge toll. I didn't want this to become public, it's deeply personal and incredibly difficult. 'But I also can't allow a misleading narrative to stand unchallenged. 'I remain committed to Church and the community it serves.' Asked whether the breakdown of their marriage was to blame for the issues that have followed, Mark said: 'Absolutely not. 'Personal matters are separate from business. 'The eviction resulted solely from Jeff's prolonged failure to meet his lease obligations. 'Unfortunately, this has had financial consequences for many local staff, contractors, suppliers, and artists involved.' The Courier has spoken to one artist, who claimed they had not been paid in full for a gig at Church around 18 months ago. Jeff claims he had struggled to contact them to sort the outstanding amount, but has vowed to reach out again to the artist in question. Despite the huge fallout, both Jeff and Mark, and the companies they run, are now looking to push ahead with separate plans for new-look music venues in Dundee. A statement on Church's social media pages says Beat Generator has taken on its staff and events for the moment. It also says it believes a new permanent home may have been found. The statement added: 'We're currently working through the final details and will share more news as soon as we can.' Meanwhile, Hamilton Hunter says its rebrand to Music Hall Dundee from July 1 will mark a 'bold new chapter'. It says all venue hires at the building formerly known as Church will be honoured during the transition. Both have also sought the support of the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a charity that aims to protect and improve independent venues. Stina Tweeddale, Scotland co-ordinator at the MVT, said: 'We have supported Church through our emergency response service as they navigated a dispute with their landlord. 'Hamilton Hunter Group's venue Hidden is also a member of the MVT. 'We will continue to support Church as they transition to new premises. 'We also welcome the opening of Music Hall Dundee as an exciting new chapter for live music in the city. 'Our core aim remains unchanged, that Dundee has access to live music and the community that thrives around it.'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
My ‘one-of-a-kind' jockey dad died in a fall just days before I was born – now I'm riding winners for Willie Mullins
A JOCKEY whose dad died in a tragic fall just days before he was born is rocketing up the ranks - banging in winners for Willie Mullins. Sean Cleary-Farrell has three winners from just four rides for the all-conquering Irish trainer this year. 2 He notched his first career double aboard Mullins ' odds-on hotshots Spanish Harlem and Keep Up at Punchestown on Sunday. Mullins' right-hand man David Casey was full of praise for Cleary-Farrell after. And he hinted he could get the leg up in some big-money races aboard Spanish Harlem - who was fourth in the bet365 Gold Cup - when the new season gets going properly. He said: "Sean is in Willie's full-time and is a good rider and works hard. "He took a couple weeks off and rode a winner on the Flat in France. "These days are for lads like him. He's getting his chance and he's taking it with both hands. "Sean gave Spanish Harlem a good ride and he kept galloping well. "I'd say nicer ground suits him and obviously those extended trips. He ran a real good race at Sandown. "I'd say he'll be looking at races like the Kerry National and Munster National." Cleary-Farrell's rapid success is doubly impressive given the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding his father's death aged just 22. Sean Cleary was one of Ireland's 'leading young riders' and described as a 'one-of-a-kind' talent when he was killed in a race at Galway in October 2003. Tragically, Sean Jnr was born just two months after his father passed as a result of severe head injuries suffered in the spill. Describing his father, Cleary-Farrell said on The Irish Field: "My late father Sean died tragically following a fall at Galway, a couple of months before I was born. "Unfortunately, there are very few videos or DVDs of his rides but photos of his winners still adorn the walls of my grandparents' house. "Growing up I was always aware of who he was and what an accomplished jockey he had been during his short career." Mullins took Cleary-Farrell under his wing at Closutton and the conditional jockey says he loves it there. The Irish handler has also started giving more rides to the hugely promising Anna McGuinness, who had another winner under the Mullins banner last weekend. Given the superstars they ride out at Mullins' HQ every day, it's no surprise they're finding it relatively easy work on the racecourse proper. Speaking after his latest win, Cleary-Farrell said: "I can't describe how I feel, it will take me a while to come down off this cloud. "A big thank you to Willie for giving me the opportunity to ride these horses, he's looking after me." Sounds like they'll be looking out for each other in the winner's enclosure for many months, and hopefully years, to come. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
South Wales Guardian
19 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Uriah Rennie remembered as ‘epitome of a role model' after death at 65
Rennie was born in Jamaica before moving to Sheffield aged six with his family and went on to oversee more than 300 games between 1997 and 2008, including 175 in the English top flight. Once described as the 'fittest' match official in world football, Rennie recently revealed he was learning to walk again after a rare neurological condition left him paralysed from the waist down. After his death was announced on Sunday, Howard Webb, the Professional Game Match Officials Board Limited (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer, paid tribute to his former colleague. Webb said in a statement: 'Uri was not only a trailblazer who paved the way for many others after becoming the first black referee in the Premier League, he was a great person and a great referee who cared deeply about his community and helping people fulfil their potential. 'He was a strong influence on our refereeing group too, offering a calming presence and we shared many good times together. 'An epitome of a role model, Uri was a valued member of the football family who has been taken from us too soon. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. He will be sorely missed by us all but his legacy will live on.' We are deeply saddened to hear the heartbreaking news about Uriah Rennie. A trailblazer in every sense, he will always be a Premier League legend by becoming its first Black referee, providing leadership, talent and visibility that proved inspirational to many. Uriah played a… — Kick It Out (@kickitout) June 9, 2025 Rennie started refereeing locally in 1979 before making history in 1997 when taking charge of his first Premier League match between Derby and Wimbledon, which he had to abandon because of a floodlight failure at Pride Park. The Premier League said on X: 'Uriah was a pioneering trailblazer whose legacy will live on, continuing to inspire future generations.' Rennie became a FIFA-listed referee in 2000 and joined the select group of professionals one year later before retiring in 2008. Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out said on X: 'We are deeply saddened to hear the heartbreaking news about Uriah Rennie. The Premier League is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Uriah Rennie. As the first black referee in the Premier League, Uriah was a pioneering trailblazer whose legacy will live on, continuing to inspire future generations. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. — Premier League (@premierleague) June 9, 2025 'A trailblazer in every sense, he will always be a Premier League legend by becoming its first black referee, providing leadership, talent and visibility that proved inspirational to many. 'Uriah played a massive role in shaping the game as we know it today. Football should always be grateful to him.' In November 2023 martial arts expert Rennie was awarded an honorary doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for his distinguished contributions to sport and his work with South Yorkshire communities. He was last month installed as the chancellor of the university and was labelled by former Premier League referee Chris Foy as a 'real community hero in that part of the world'. In an emotional interview with talkSPORT, Foy said: 'He was a gentleman, a gentle giant. He was a friend to me, a mentor to me, he was just a special person who put everybody first before himself. 'He was a real presence on the field and he was a real presence off the field, a true gentleman. If it was difficult for him, he never showed it because he was always grounded. He loved refereeing.' Another former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, told Sky Sports: 'As a person he was humble, he was quiet, he was unassuming. But most importantly, he was kind.'
