Solicitor gallops ahead of crowdA London solicitor is leading full-time racehorse trainers by a short head in the gallop to be the country's top trainer over the flat this winter.Andrew Reid, senior partner of Mayfair firm Reid Minty and also a deputy High Court costs judge, is the only racehorse trainer in London - and leads the trainers table for all-weather courses, as his horses have won 72,131 in prize money.Of the 107 races his horses have run on all-weather courses this winter (since 6 November), he has had 15 winners, eight second places and 12 third places.

Last week, his horse Tapage won at Lingfield.Mr Reid was among the country's 20 most successful trainers last year over all courses.

During 2000, 16 of his yard's 31 runners won 31 races.

The biggest stables have around 200 horses.His stables are in Mill Hill, north London, and this is his second year of training.

Mr Reid told the Gazette this week that he is out on the gallops early in the morning before heading off for a full day's work in practice or sitting.

As most trainers are full-time, his success 'must be a bit worrying' for them, he said.Many of the horses are syndicated, some to Reid Minty clients, and Mr Reid also breeds his own horses.

Three of the four he has bred which ran last year won.Meanwhile, Addleshaw Booth & Co may not only be sponsoring next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester; one of its lawyers may even be competing.Ann Danson, a solicitor in the firm's tax and trusts team in Manchester, won the long jump at last weekend's AAA National Indoor championships.

Her personal best is 8cm beyond the 6.3 metres qualifying distance for the British team.Ms Danson, a member of Sale Harriers, has represented England on ten occasions and Great Britain three times.

She says she is 'reasonably confident' of making the team when the trials are held next year.As a private client lawyer, Ms Danson is able to fit her training around work.

When she does need to take time off, such as to travel abroad to compete, the firm has always been accommodating, she said.Addleshaws is 'official lawyer' to the games, and last year began an innovative 1 million fees-for-sponsorship deal with the organisers.Neil Rose