Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man bids to build on a Cheltenham near-miss as he lines up for the Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
The gelding, who is owned by Harry Redknapp, won his first two starts over hurdles and was then third at Grade One level in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury at the end of last year.
He was subsequently somewhat overlooked at 18-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but outran those odds when going agonisingly close, as he was beaten just a head by Stellar Story.
The Jukebox Man now returns at the same level in Liverpool, having proven in defeat that he is well able to mix it with the best.
“He’s come out of Cheltenham in good form and we’re really looking forward to seeing him run again,” said Pauling.
“Watching the race back, we felt we could have done a few things differently, but all in all he showed us he is a Grade One performer for the future, which is very exciting in itself.
“He’s not a flamboyant horse at home, he just does what he has to do, but he seems in good order with himself, so we’re looking forward to rolling the dice again.”
Nicky Henderson’s Shanagh Bob looks to demonstrate his promise again in the race and preserve his unbeaten record.
The six-year-old has run twice under rules, taking a Plumpton novice on debut and then stepping sharply up in grade to land the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.
He was due to return to the same track to contest the Albert Bartlett, but like many Henderson runners, he was withdrawn as the stable was suspected to be in ill health.
“I don’t really know how good he could be, he’s a horse that could fool you a little bit,” said Henderson.
“It probably tells you a little bit that we started at Plumpton first time out.
“It’s not the normal nursery ground we use, it’s a great track, don’t get me wrong, but you wouldn’t expect to see the Albert Bartlett favourite at that time of year.
“He was good and we moved straight into Cheltenham, when he was really impressive.
“He’s a lovely horse, he’ll jump a fence and I’d love him to come through this because if he does, we go novice chasing with a top-class horse on our hands.”
Gordon Elliott has a single runner in Croke Park, while Willie Mullins fields Naas Grade One winner Readin Tommy Wrong and Dancing City.
Readin Tommy Wrong was the favourite for the Albert Bartlett but was pulled up on an off day that Mullins’ son and assistant Patrick thinks he can be forgiven for.
“Paul (Townend) chose Readin Tommy Wrong in Cheltenham, he’s the horse with the touch of class in a staying race,” he told Sporting Life.
“He came from behind in a two-and-a-half-mile race in the Lawlor’s, he should be ideal for a staying race because he settles and a horse that settles is worth 10lb in one of these races.
“Nothing really came to light after Cheltenham, I think he just had an off day and you can draw a line through that. You can always forgive a horse one bad run.
“It’s obviously not ideal coming off the back of that but for me I’d still back him to get back to his Naas form. I just think he has that little bit of class that separates the real stayers from the other horses.”
Dancing City also contested the Albert Bartlett and was third, though the margin was wide and the younger Mullins feels he had luck on his side that day.
“Dancing City is more of a galloper, more dour,” he said.
“He ran really well at Cheltenham, but I think a lot went right for him and he was still well beaten, so I’m not sure where I’m going to see the improvement from him, but I could see him running a solid race.”
Relief was the overriding emotion for Nicky Henderson after Sir Gino got the Seven Barrows handler back in the big-race winner’s enclosure with victory in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
The trainer endured a torrid time at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, with the disappointing performances of several horses leading him to withdraw a number of others, unbeaten juvenile Sir Gino being one.
The Triumph Hurdle absentee proved his worth on Merseyside, though, tracking the Cheltenham runner-up Kargese into the home straight in the hands of Nico de Boinville.
The 11-10 favourite was far from foot perfect at the next couple of obstacles, but picked up well after a good leap at the final flight to prevail by three and a quarter lengths.
Henderson said: “We knew what we were walking into and while it is a relief, one swallow doesn’t make a summer as they say.
“He galloped right through the line in what was a messy race, it was awfully stop-start. His jumping was untidy up the straight but you could see from the speed on the screen, it got slowed up dramatically, the second was pulling hard as well but he’s done what he had to do.
“He is a very good horse but he’s got a long way to go. He is in Punchestown but that was in case of protestors or bomb scares or something stupid, but I wouldn’t have thought that was high on the agenda.
“I always had the feeling he was going to pick up the second but you could get a tidier race than that.
“He’ll have to stick to hurdles next season but I’m not going to think about that now. I know where one person (Constitution Hill) is going, so we’ll have to see if there’s an alternative route.”
The most high-profile absentee from Henderson’s Cheltenham squad was, of course, last season’s Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill, who has since been in hospital after suffering from colic.
Henderson added: “All trainers know what a spell like we’ve had is like, the problem we had was the timing, unfortunately it was more public than was probably necessary because we literally bumped into Cheltenham.
“We were sat at home watching the Triumph Hurdle. At least we’ve got through a little bit but we’ve got to do it all again now, the yard will be relieved though.
“Constitution Hill is fine now, thankfully. I’m not sure if he was watching but he’s a two-mile hurdler and that is what this is, they might get to know each other.”
Willie Mullins said of the runner-up Kargese: “It was a very good run, the winner is a tremendous horse and it’s great to see Nicky’s horses back in form. I’m delighted for him and Joe and Marie Donnelly (owners).
“Our filly is probably her own worst enemy, she has to learn to race, as she’s too keen. She will mature I hope and make it easier for Paul (Townend) to ride her.
“She looks a very good filly for next season but I think she’ll go to Punchestown first. It’s only up the road from us and she won’t need any galloping between now and then. We’ll freshen her up and bring her back for Punchestown all being well.”
Gerri Colombe battled to victory to take the William Hill Bowl Chase at Aintree.
Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up was sent off the 9-4 favourite and travelled competitively throughout under Jack Kennedy.
He was ridden rounding the home turn but as stamina came to the fore up the run in, he locked horns with Ahoy Senor.
While Lucinda Russell’s charge did his best to fight back up the inside, Gerri Colombe was just too strong and came home half a length in front.
Corbetts Cross finished a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.
Sir Gino preserved his flawless record with a neat victory in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
Nicky Henderson’s gelding missed the Cheltenham Festival as the stable was under a cloud and looked to claim his first Grade One in Liverpool instead.
Under Nico de Boinville, he did so with little fuss, winning comfortably as the 11-10 favourite after a good jump at the last.
Il Etait Temps cruised to success in the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase as the Grand National meeting got underway at Aintree.
Willie Mullins’ grey was ridden by Paul Townend and travelled patiently at the rear of the field of five.
He was always in touch, however, and was able to pick off each of his rivals to take up the lead ahead of the last fence and went on to prevail comfortably at 3-1.
Barbados maintained their stranglehold of the Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Netball Championships, as the island's Under-16 netballers secured a third-consecutive hold on the title after bettering Grenada in the finals at the Beausejour Indoor Facility in St Lucia, on Wednesday.
The young Gems, led by goalshooter and tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Keanna Harte, outclassed their opponents 27-19 to again end the tournament with an unbeaten record intact.
Harte netted 19 of her 21 attempts, as goal-attack Tyesha Trotman scored seven of her 10 attempts, while Tyra Griffith had a solitary goal from three attempts. Grenada's effort was led by Keisha Mathurine who scored 17 goals from 22 attempts and goal-attack Reshonna Francis, who had two goals from three attempts.
Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and hosts St Lucia were the other participating countries.
To stamp their dominance, the Baby Gems also took home the majority of awards on offer. They won prizes for best uniform, most disciplined team, best spirited team, best goal average and best defending team, and placed second in the shooting competition.
Harte along with Deeya Forde-Haynes, Chelsea Best, Trotman and Griffith were also named in the top 16 players of the tournament.
President of the Barbados Netball Association, Dr Carmeta Douglin was full of praise for the team. She said the impressive showing by the Cameron Greenidge-coached team was as a result of hard work and dedication by the juniors.
“A big congratulations to our Baby Bajan Gems who have done extremely well once again at the Jean Pierre Caribbean Netball tournament. They have dominated this tournament for the last three years winning every game that they played and this year in St Lucia they were victorious in every game in the preliminary round, in the knockout and now they are the champions once again, so congratulations to the entire team," she told Barbados TODAY
“They usually start very slow in the first and second quarters, but they built the momentum and by the third quarter they really outplayed everyone. They also captured a number of different awards, and we would like to congratulate every player,” Douglin added.
Jack Tudor is keen to repay Christian Williams’ faith after the well-fancied Kitty’s Light snuck into the final line-up for the 2024 Randox Grand National.
Bidding to be the first Welsh-trained winner of the race since 1905, connections faced an anxious wait after Kitty’s Light was one of a trio of National candidates sweating after Monday’s confirmation stage.
Eklat De Rire, Chambard and Kitty’s Light were among a plethora of runners allotted a rating of 146 for the big race but with that trio seeing their official handicap mark dropped to a figure of 145 since the weights were unveiled in February, a random ballot would have been required to determine which two of the three would take their chance in the world’s most famous steeplechase.
However, the Melling Chase-bound Conflated came out of the race as expected on Thursday, meaning no ballot is required and all three will face the starter on Saturday afternoon.
“You hear rumours and different things and we were quite confident, but in the end it ended up being tighter than we thought it might have been,” said Tudor.
“In the end, we’re in and we’re really looking forward to it now and excited for Saturday.”
Kitty’s Light has been a star performer in Tudor’s short career in the saddle, with the 21-year-old aboard the gelding when he won the Eider, Scottish Grand National and Sandown’s season-ending bet365 Gold Cup in succession last year.
Despite being installed as David Pipe’s Pond House number one following the retirement of Tom Scudamore, Tudor has continued to link up with Williams when arrangements allow, with it somewhat fitting the Ogmore-By-Sea handler provides him with the chance to dream of Grand National glory.
“I suppose in racing you get the odd freak and Kitty’s Light is one of them. He’s not really bred to be doing what he’s doing but he’s just a freak,” continued Tudor.
“It’s a great race to be involved in and I can’t thank Christian enough for his support and what he has done for me and putting me in the position where I’m able to ride horses like Kitty’s Light in the biggest races.
“A lot of where I have got to is down to Christian and it’s great to be riding in the race for him.
“First and foremost, we hope the horse gets round safe but if he could run a massive race, then it will be a brilliant day. All of Christian’s family will be there to enjoy it on Saturday and hopefully a dream can come true.”
Conflated was the only absentee from the previous top 34 in the race, meaning 2022 winner Noble Yeats will carry top weight in Saturday’s race, with Gary Moore’s Welsh Grand National winner Nassalam next in, as he provides a first ride in the race for leading conditional Caoilin Quinn.
Defending champion Corach Rambler heads the betting as Lucinda Russell and jockey Derek Fox both seek a third win in the Aintree showpiece and the Cheltenham Gold Cup third bids to join the likes of Red Rum and Tiger Roll as a back-to-back Grand National winner.
Last year’s runner-up Vanillier is one of two in the race for Gavin Cromwell, who will also saddle Cheltenham Festival scorer Limerick Lace, the chosen mount of JP McManus’ retained rider Mark Walsh.
The Irish challenge is boosted by Willie Mullins’ eight contenders, with McManus-owned pair I Am Maximus and Meetingofthewaters both high up in the betting and bringing strong form claims.
Capodanno is another Closutton contender wearing green and gold, with Mr Incredible also among the market leaders for the perennial Irish champion trainer.
Panda Boy has the chance to give Martin Brassil a second victory in the race, while John McConnell will saddle his first National contender in Coral Gold Cup second Mahler Mission.
Delta Work – third in 2022 – is the leading name amongst Gordon Elliott’s eight runners, with Henry de Bromhead’s Gold Cup winner Minella Indo set to be Rachael Blackmore’s mount.
As well as the previously mentioned Eklat De Rire, De Bromhead will also be represented by Ain’t That A Shame, the mount of amateur David Maxwell.
Former French champion jockey James Reveley will return to the Aintree fold aboard James Griffin’s Roi Mage, who was seventh in the race 12 months ago.
Dan Skelton’s game mare Galia Des Liteaux forms part of the small British challenge and is one of those towards the bottom of the weights with strong form on testing ground to her name.
Skelton also oversaw the preparations of Latenightpass on behalf of good friend Tom Ellis this season, with the 11-year-old set to be Ellis’ first runner as a licensed trainer after hastily joining the professional ranks for the chance to saddle his Aintree specialist.
Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard) and Mac Tottie (Peter Bowen) are the other British-trained contenders.
As LSU sophomore sprinter Brianna Lyston continues to achieve remarkable success on the track, Head Track Coach Dennis Shaver remains focused on keeping her grounded amidst the rising excitement and expectations surrounding her performances.
Lyston's recent accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary. She kicked off her indoor season by clinching the SEC 60m title and followed it up with a stunning victory at the NCAA National Indoor Championships, where she clocked a personal best of 7.03 seconds in the 60m dash. This impressive time not only secured her the national title but also placed her as the second-fastest woman in collegiate history and the fifth-fastest Jamaican woman ever over this distance, trailing only legends like Merlene Ottey, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Veronica Campbell-Brown.
Transitioning to the outdoor season, Lyston made headlines once again at the recent Battle of the Bayou meet, where she blazed through the 100m in a wind-aided time of 10.87 seconds, finishing second behind Favor Ofili. This time ranks as the fastest opening race ever recorded by a collegiate woman under any conditions, highlighting Lyston's exceptional talent.
In light of Lyston's rapid rise to prominence, Coach Shaver emphasizes the importance of staying grounded amid the noise and expectations that come with such early success. "There's going to be a lot of noise," Coach Shaver acknowledges. "People talking, 'oh, you're running too much, or, oh, you're not this and that and everything else.'"
Coach Shaver underscores the significance of maintaining focus and perspective in the face of external pressures, especially in today's age of social media. "Social media has made it really difficult for these young women," he remarks, recognizing both its potential as a support platform and its pitfalls as a distraction.
To keep Lyston grounded, Coach Shaver encourages her to appreciate the journey ahead and understand that her current achievements are just the beginning. "This is the beginning of a long journey for her," he emphasizes. "You need to enjoy it, but you also need to understand that the consistency about how you go about your daily living and preparing yourself to be the best student-athlete you can be here at LSU is a real job."
Furthermore, Coach Shaver points out the valuable resources within LSU's track program, with former standout athletes like Favor Ofili, Aleia Hobbs, and Micaiah Brisco serving as mentors for Lyston. Their experiences provide a guiding light for Lyston to navigate the demands of collegiate athletics and maintain a balanced perspective on her accomplishments.
Despite the high expectations, Coach Shaver maintains a realistic outlook on Lyston's progress. Reflecting on her impressive performance at the Battle of the Bayou, he acknowledges the strong competition she faced and emphasizes the need for consistent dedication and communication to sustain her success.
As Brianna Lyston continues to make waves in collegiate track and field, Coach Dennis Shaver remains steadfast in his commitment to nurturing her talent, ensuring that she not only excels on the track but also thrives in the broader journey of student-athlete development at LSU.
Lyston runs the 200m at the Tom Jones Invitational this weekend.
Christian Williams’ anxious wait is over after his well-fancied Kitty’s Light snuck into the final line-up for the 2024 Randox Grand National.
Bidding to be the first Welsh-trained winner of the race since 1905, Kitty’s Light was one of a trio of National candidates left sweating after Monday’s confirmation stage.
Eklat De Rire, Chambard and Kitty’s Light were amongst a plethora of runners allotted a rating of 146 for the big race but with that trio seeing their official handicap mark dropped to a figure of 145 since the weights were unveiled in February, a random ballot would have been required to determine which two of the three would take their chance in the world’s most famous steeplechase.
However, as envisaged earlier in the week, the Melling Chase-bound Conflated came out of the race on Thursday meaning no ballot is required and all three of Eklat De Rire, Chambard and Kitty’s Light will face the starter on Saturday afternoon.
Conflated is the only absentee from the previous top 34, meaning 2022 winner Noble Yeats will carry the burden of top weight, with Gary Moore’s Welsh Grand National winner Nassalam next in, as he provides a first ride in the race for leading conditional Caoilin Quinn.
Defending champion Corach Rambler heads the betting as Lucinda Russell and jockey Derek Fox both seek a third win in the Aintree showpiece and the Cheltenham Gold Cup third bids to join the likes of Red Rum and Tiger Roll as a back-to-back Grand National winner.
Last year’s runner-up Vanillier is one of two in the race for Gavin Cromwell, who will also saddle Cheltenham Festival scorer Limerick Lace, the chosen mount of JP McManus’ retained rider Mark Walsh.
The Irish challenge is boosted by Willie Mullins’ eight contenders, with McManus-owned pair I Am Maximus and Meetingofthewaters both high up in the betting and bringing strong form claims.
Capodanno is another Closutton contender wearing green and gold, with Mr Incredible also among the market leaders for the perennial Irish champion trainer.
Panda Boy has the chance to give Martin Brassil a second victory in the race, while John McConnell will saddle his first-ever National contender in Coral Gold Cup second Mahler Mission.
Delta Work – third in 2022 – is the leading name amongst Gordon Elliott’s eight runners, with Henry de Bromhead’s Gold Cup winner Minella Indo set to be Rachael Blackmore’s mount and adds a touch of class to the contest.
As well as the previously mentioned Eklat De Rire, De Bromhead will also be represented by Ain’t That A Shame, the mount of amateur David Maxwell.
Former French champion jockey James Reveley will return to the Aintree fold aboard James Griffin’s Roi Mage, who was seventh in the race 12 months ago.
Dan Skelton’s game mare Galia Des Liteaux forms part of the small British challenge and is one of those towards the bottom of the weights with strong form on testing ground to her name.
Skelton also oversaw the preparations of Latenightpass on behalf of good friend Tom Ellis this season, with the 11-year-old set to be Ellis’ first ever runner as a licensed trainer after hastily joining the professional ranks for the chance to saddle his Aintree specialist on Saturday afternoon.
Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard) and Mac Tottie (Peter Bowen) are the other British-trained contenders.
The latest round of matches in the 2024 West Indies Championships kicked off with a flurry of runs on Wednesday, with impressive batting displays across multiple venues.
At the Sir Frank Worrell Ground in St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force dominated proceedings against Combined Colleges and Campuses, amassing a formidable 374-4 by stumps. Jason Mohammed led the charge with a magnificent 157, laced with 22 boundaries, before departing late in the day. Amir Jangoo provided solid support with an unbeaten 151, guiding Trinidad and Tobago towards a commanding position. Opener Kjorn Ottley's contribution of 47 earlier in the innings set the tone for the Red Force's batting onslaught.
Initially, Amari Goodridge posed a threat for Combined Colleges and Campuses, claiming key wickets including Ottley and Vikash Mohan early on. However, Mohammed and Jangoo's partnership proved unyielding, frustrating the opposition bowlers and propelling their team to a dominant position at the close of play. Goodridge finished the day with commendable figures of 3-37.
Over at the Queen’s Park Oval, Barbados Pride batters also shone brightly against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, posting a respectable 248-3 at stumps. Kraigg Brathwaite anchored the innings with an unbeaten 117 off 275 deliveries, while Zachary McCaskie notched his maiden List A century with an aggressive 101 from 148 balls. Their opening partnership laid a solid foundation until Justin Greaves broke through by dismissing McCaskie.
Despite Rahkeem Cornwall's efforts for Leeward Islands, picking up crucial wickets including Raymon Reifer and Johnathan Drakes, Barbados remained in control by day's end. Cornwall finished with figures of 2-70, while Greaves contributed with 1-32.
Meanwhile, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, the match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and West Indies Academy was impacted by rain. The Volcanoes were dismissed for 162, with Shamar Springer top-scoring with 31 runs. Joshua Bishop was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies Academy, claiming four wickets for 24 runs.
In response, West Indies Academy struggled at 99-5 before rain interrupted play. Kadeem Alleyne was the top-scorer with 35 runs. Gilon Tyson made inroads with the ball for the Volcanoes, picking up 2 wickets for 30 runs.
In a bid to clear his name and restore his reputation, Jamaica's national squash champion, Julian Morrison, is challenging the provisional suspension imposed by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) after testing positive for trace amounts of Boldenone, a banned anabolic agent.
The suspension came following an out-of-competition test conducted on January 18th, 2024, where Morrison's results showed the presence of Boldenone in his system. However, Morrison and his representatives strongly assert that the substance entered his body inadvertently, likely through contamination.
Dr. Emir Crowne and Mr. Matthew Gayle, legal representatives for Morrison, are steadfast in their support of his innocence. They emphasize that Boldenone's presence was unintentional and stress Morrison's commitment to upholding the integrity of the sport.
Speaking on behalf of Morrison, Dr. Crowne stated, "As best as can be determined at this time, the banned substance unknowingly entered Mr. Morrison's system through contamination." Morrison remains determined to expedite the process of vindication and is actively engaging with authorities to clear his name.
Boldenone, often associated with bodybuilding due to its anabolic properties, is prohibited in competitive sports. However, Morrison's case highlights the complexities of anti-doping regulations and the challenges faced by athletes when dealing with inadvertent exposure to banned substances.
Despite the setback, Morrison remains resolute and hopeful for a positive resolution. His representatives have expressed confidence in the ongoing efforts to overturn the suspension and restore Morrison's eligibility to compete.
The fixtures for the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have been confirmed with the tournament set to run from Thursday 29 August to Sunday 6 October. For the first time since 2019 the event will visit six host countries with matches set to take place in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.
There will be 34 matches in total with each of the six teams playing 10 group matches. The knockout stages will take place in Guyana with the home team, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, looking to defend the title they won in 2023.
(See full fixture schedule below)
The tournament gets underway with the newest CPL franchise, the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, hosting their nearest rivals the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. The tournament will have two legs running concurrently with all six teams hosting home matches.
Michael Hall, Tournament Operations Director for the Republic Bank CPL, said: “We are looking forward to getting underway in Antigua & Barbuda with matches back in the country for the first time in 10 years. It is also very pleasing to be back having home matches for all six teams with the Biggest Party in Sport set to have an even wider footprint in 2024.”
Men’s Caribbean Premier League 2024 Fixtures:
Thurs 29 August, 7pm: Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
Fri 30 August, 7pm: Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
Sat 31 August, 7pm: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Warner Park Sporting Complex, St Kitts.
Sun 1 September, 10am: Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs Barbados Royals, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
Sun 1 September, 7pm: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Saint Lucia Kings, Warner Park Sporting Complex, St Kitts.
Tues 3 September, 7pm: Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs Saint Lucia Kings, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
Wed 4 September, 7pm: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Warner Park Sporting Complex, St Kitts.
Thurs 5 September, 7pm: Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
Fri 6 September, 7pm: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Barbados Royals, Warner Park Sporting Complex, St Kitts.
Sat 7 September,7pm: Saint Lucia Kings vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia.
Sun 8 September,10am: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Warner Park Sporting Complex, St Kitts.
Tues 10 September, 7pm: Saint Lucia Kings vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia.
Wed 11 September, 7pm: Barbados Royals vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Thurs 12 September, 7pm: Saint Lucia Kings vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia.
Fri 13 September, 7pm: Barbados Royals vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Sat 14 September, 7pm: Barbados Royals vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Sun 15 September, 7pm: Saint Lucia Kings vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia.
Tues 17 September, 7pm: Barbados Royals vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Wed 18 September, 7pm: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.
Thurs 19 September, 7pm: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.
Friday 20 September, 7pm: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sat 21 September, 10am: Saint Lucia Kings vs Barbados Royals, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sat 21 September, 7pm: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sun 22 September, 10am: Barbados Royals vs Saint Lucia Kings, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sun 22 September, 7pm: Trinbago Knight Riders vs St Kitt & Nevis Patriots, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad.
Tues 24 September, 10am: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Saint Lucia Kings, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad.
Wed 25 September, 7pm: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Royals, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Fri 27 September, 7pm: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad.
Sat 28 September, 10am: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Saint Lucia Kings, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sun 29 September, 7pm: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Tues 1 October, 7pm: Eliminator – 3rd place vs 4th place, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Wed 2 October, 7pm: Qualifier 1 – 1st place vs 2nd place, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Fri 4 October 7pm: Qualifier 2 – Winner of Eliminator vs Loser Qualifier 1, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Sun 6 October, 7pm: Final – Winner Qualifier 1 vs Winner Qualifier 2, Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League and Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League created a total economic impact of US$55,258,616 for Trinidad & Tobago during the 2023 tournament. This is a 15 per cent increase from the total generated in 2022.
There were six men’s matches and four Women’s matches in Trinidad between 5 and 10 September with games taking place at the Queen’s Park Oval and the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, including the WCPL final.
The total event impact is calculated by world renowned research organization, YouGov Sport. The figure is based on organizer spend, visitor spend and media value for Trinidad & Tobago.
The tournament filled 13,961 hotel room nights in Trinidad, made up by CPL’s significant cohort which included players, coaches, administrators, TV and media crews, team owner groups, league and franchise event management teams, alongside overseas visitors who arrived to watch the games. A large part of the total economic impact figure stems from the money spent by these overseas visitors who spend time in Trinidad & Tobago during the event.
Trinidad & Tobago also benefited from the tournament being broadcast around the world with CPL’s audience reaching 853.5million total viewers in 2023. As always, the tournament worked closely with the local tourism authorities to create world class content which highlighted the unique sports tourism opportunities that Trinidad & Tobago had to offer. These exclusive features and vignettes were shown during the CPL matches, further promoting the tourism message.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “History was created in Trinidad & Tobago in 2023 when the Barbados Royals won an expanded WCPL in front of a sell-out crowd at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, and it was fantastic to once again be somewhere that is the beating heart of CPL cricket. ”
Also weighing in in on the League’s impact was Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, who said: “Once again, the Caribbean Premier League had demonstrated its remarkable impact on generating economic activity in Trinidad and Tobago. CPL’s statistics underscore the league’s pivotal role in advancing and developing our nation’s sport tourism portfolio. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Ministry of Sport and Community Development and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT), looks forward to the return of the CPL in 2024, as we remain committed to harnessing the power of sport to drive economic growth and fostering community development across the nation.”
Grey Dawning kicks off what could prove to be a crucial three days at Aintree for title-chasing Dan Skelton in the the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase on Thursday.
Following a fantastic four-timer at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, the Alcester handler heads former mentor Paul Nicholls by around £30,000 in the race to be crowned leading trainer, while perennial Irish champion Willie Mullins cannot be discounted despite being just over £685,000 further adrift.
Skelton is well aware the next three days on Merseyside are likely to have a major bearing on where the championship ultimately ends up, but he is doing his best to keep his feet on the ground.
“There’s a lot of water to go under that bridge, but having good chances at this meeting with the prize-money on offer there is obviously very important,” he said.
Grey Dawning was one of Skelton’s fab four at Cheltenham, reversing previous form with the Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny to secure Grade One honours in the Turners Novices’ Chase.
The pair will renew rivalry in the opening race of the Randox Grand National Festival, with Skelton hopeful Grey Dawning’s Cheltenham exploits have not left their mark.
He added: “I’m looking forward to it a lot, obviously. He showed at Cheltenham two-and-a-half (miles) in this ground is no issue at all. I wanted to go three miles with him, but when the ground was like this, it was a pretty easy decision to make.
“He’s in good form at home. I’ve no reason to think that he’s not in the same form as he was at Cheltenham, but historically horses have tried to do the two and some have and some haven’t, I just hope he’s in the have category! I have no reason to think he’s not, I’m very happy with him.”
Nicholls is similarly positive about Ginny’s Destiny’s wellbeing and is looking forward to the rematch with Grey Dawning in a race worth £120,000 in total.
“He’s made giant strides since joining us this season, winning three times at Cheltenham before another cracking run when second to Grey Dawning at the Festival,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“He will love the ground at Aintree and is in good shape.
“As with all of ours who ran at Cheltenham, no one can tell you for sure how they have come out of their races but they have had a nice, easy fortnight before we started tuning them up again. They did their last piece of work on Saturday and head to Aintree fresh and well.”
Mullins also has a significant contender in the form of Il Etait Temps, who steps up in trip after placing third behind stablemate Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle at Cheltenham.
Jamie Snowden’s Turners Novices’ Chase sixth Colonel Harry and Tom Lacey’s Blow Your Wad, the only horse in the field not to run at the Festival, are the other hopefuls.
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