STEVE Cauthen made the headlines in England again last week - talking about Hongkong.
The former British champion jockey returned to Newmarket from Kentucky and expects to be at racing headquarters for about two weeks, tidying up his affairs after more than a decade in the UK.
With all newspapers having written him off and into retirement, Cauthen said simply: ''Only an offer from Hongkong will keep me in the saddle.'' And he means it, too.
Speaking from Kentucky last week, he said: ''I am absolutely serious about it. I will ride in Hongkong next season if the right offer comes along. Other than that, I will be retiring definitely from the saddle.'' With Mick Kinane having guaranteed Hongkong racing a week of sensational publicity all over Europe and Cauthen chipping in, the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club need look no further for PR people.
Now, of course, all it requires is a retainer for Cauthen.
CHIEF Stipendiary Steward Bernard Hargreaves will be absent from the hot seat next week and again next month . . . for rather different reasons.
He's off to Manila and the Asian Racing Conference as part of the RHKJC delegation which could be a pleasant enough way of spending a few days, particularly as all he will miss is an equitrack meeting.
