George Boughey will walk the track before deciding whether to let Via Sistina take her chance in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

The improving five-year-old broke her Group One duck last time out over 10 furlongs in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.

She is due to drop back down to a mile on the July course but Boughey says there must be enough ease in the ground to enable her to show her best.

“We will work as if she is running but she needs the rain for her to run,” he said.

“The Falmouth has always been a plan for her as she does look very good on a straight track, but softer ground is key to her.

“There are lots of times she could run where she will get soft ground and we are not going to do anything that is not in the best interests of the horse.

“If it did rain, she will be very competitive. We will walk the track and if it is the same as Ireland last time I imagine she will take her chance, but if it is any faster she won’t.

“For her pedigree, if she was to win a Falmouth she would be pretty sexy.”

Via Sistina is one of nine declared for the one-mile Group One that headlines Friday’s action, with a stellar cast lining up on the July course.

Defending champion Prosperous Voyage is one of two for Ralph Beckett and is joined by Royal Ascot runner-up Remarquee, with the Coronation Stakes second making her first outing for new owners Wathnan Racing.

John and Thady Gosden are also double-handed as they saddle not only last year’s Prix de Diane winner Nashwa, but also the Juddmonte-owned Coppice.

The Sandringham scorer was partnered by Frankie Dettori when triumphing at the Royal meeting, but with the Italian serving a ban picked up at the summer’s big week, Tom Marquand picks up a rare Clarehaven ride and deputises aboard the progressive three-year-old.

Ed Walker’s Random Harvest is another to bring smart Royal Ascot form to the table, while Roger Varian’s Ameynah was last seen finishing sixth in last year’s 1000 Guineas and returns from 439-days off the track.

Pam Sly’s Astral Beau and Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story complete the field.

Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw is perfecting the delicate balance between accepting her World Cup debutants’ underdog status and daring them to “outbelieve” they have what it takes to go deep.

The Girls in Green open their tournament on July 20 under perhaps the most difficult circumstances: facing co-hosts Australia in a match so popular advance ticket sales forced a venue change to Sydney’s 80,000-plus capacity – and now sold out – Stadium Australia.

To advance to the knockouts, Pauw’s side – ranked 22nd in the world – will need to finish second in a group that includes two top-10 teams in seventh-ranked Olympic champions Canada and the number-10 Matildas alongside Nigeria in 40th.

“Something proves only to be impossible the moment it shows to be impossible, and that is our slogan,” Pauw said at an open training session in front of Irish fans at Brisbane’s Meakin Park.

“We get everything out of ourselves, we prepare the best we can. We have a fantastic programme to prepare ourselves and we give our all. We give the best that we have at that moment.

“But in that we need to be realistic. It’s our first World Cup. We do not have as many players as others have, but we have a fantastic group with a heart for Ireland.

“That is immense. We stick together. We’re a team. We work for each other and we give ourselves for each other, and that is our biggest strength.”

The Dutch boss gave Republic fans an encouraging update, confirming her squad was fully fit including captain Katie McCabe, who gave supporters a scare when she tweaked her ankle in a friendly against France last week but has already fully participated in training.

The Arsenal player of the season and her team-mates have been adjusting to the significant time difference through regimented scheduling protocol, though they have avoided the light-altering sunglasses worn by England’s Lionesses.

Pauw said: “The doctor showed there is no evidence and we want to just keep things simple.

“We use the daylight as our guide, we go out of the hotel a lot, we have a lot of free time to be out and with our families and friends to get the sunshine in their eyes.

“This is why we are here, the jet-lag is part of it. You don’t have to be. You can be sitting at home with the feet on the couch watching a movie. Playing elite sport is a choice and that is comfortable at times and uncomfortable at times. We just need to get over it.”

Pauw was at all the World Cups from 1999-2015 as part of the technical study group, but reminded “now is the first time I’m along the sideline, so it’s  very special for all of us”.

The reality of a first World Cup is still in many ways still sinking in, but the support seems to be popping up at every turn since Pauw’s squad landed in Australia, where 80,927 Ireland-born people were recorded in the 2021 census and many more consider themselves to have Irish heritage.

Pauw added: “It feels especially real because we’ve met so many Irish people. The whole of Dublin was with our billboards and our slogan ‘outbelieve’.

“We do outbelieve. We do outbelieve we can do something. We know where we stand, we know that we are the underdogs, and it’s not playing but that is the case. We’re 22 in the world ranking list and we’re improving, but we know we have to be realistic and we will give our all.”

Anti-discrimination body Kick It Out received a 65.1 per cent rise in reports of discriminatory behaviour during the 2022-23 season – with reports of sexism and misogyny up 400 per cent.

Figures released by the organisation show 1,007 reports were made during the campaign from the grassroots and professional games and across social media, which Kick It Out puts down in part to an “increased awareness” of reporting procedures and fans becoming “less tolerant” of discriminatory behaviour.

Reports of online abuse rose by 279 per cent, with the organisation receiving 207 more reports related to online forums and social media than in the previous 12 months.

Racism was the most common form of discrimination, accounting for just under half (49.3 per cent) of all reports, while reports related to sexism and misogyny represented the largest rise in a specific discrimination type – up from 16 to 80.

Faith-based discrimination fell slightly due to a 29.5 per cent drop in the number of reports received of an antisemitic nature, but Islamophobia (300 per cent) and sectarian chanting in the professional game (15.8 per cent) were both up.

Discrimination reports in the professional game rose by 27.4 per cent to 484, which represents those received from the Premier League, English Football League and National League, domestic cups, European and international competition, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship.

A statement from Kick It Out referred to the rise in reports as a “significant leap” that “highlights that discrimination is still a serious issue within the game”.

It added: “The record figures could also be attributed to an increased awareness of reporting procedures and fans becoming less tolerant of discriminatory behaviour.”

Racism continued to account for more than half of grassroots reports (50.8 per cent) and 43.4 per cent of overall grassroots incidents received were from under-18s or younger age-group games.

“Research conducted by Kick It Out suggests these numbers are the tip of the iceberg with many incidents still not reported,” the statement added.

Social media abuse comprised a much larger proportion of overall reports compared to previous years, making up 28 per cent of all reports received, up from 12.1 per cent last year.

Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett said: “The significant increase in reports across the game is alarming and strengthens our resolve to tackle discrimination in all areas of football.

“Behind each of these statistics is somebody who has sadly experienced discrimination, and supporting the victims of abuse remains Kick It Out’s utmost priority.

“While we continue to work tirelessly to Kick It Out, we call upon fans, clubs, leagues and governing bodies to help us with this cause, and we are encouraged that the number of reports per incident continues to increase, suggesting that people are becoming less tolerant of discriminatory behaviour and more likely to report abuse when they see it.

“Our figures provide a snapshot of what is happening across the game, but we still don’t know the full picture because clubs, leagues and governing bodies aren’t currently mandated to share their reporting data.

“This underscores why football urgently needs a centralised reporting mechanism to collate and monitor reports. Only once that happens can we understand the full extent of the problem within football and tackle it with the full force of the sport.”

German 1000 Guineas runner-up Stenton Glider could be on her travels again later this year as Hugo Palmer plots a course for America with the talented filly.

The three-year-old has thrice finished runner-up in four starts this term, taking the silver medal in the Fred Darling at Newbury and again in Dusseldorf, before achieving another second-place effort when collared late on by Mystic Pearl in Saturday’s Coral Distaff at Sandown.

She was also unplaced behind Mawj in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on her second start this term.

Palmer felt Andrea Atzeni’s mount was a little unfortunate not to add to her Chester novice win as a two-year-old on her latest run in the Listed mile contest.

He said: “She was unlucky in some regards. She fended the other two off, they softened her up, Bridestones (third) and Magical Sunset (seventh), but she is rated 10lb higher than Bridestones.

“She is a very genuine filly, she’s tough and she tries, but she is also one of those that just does enough.

“I think she was content in herself that she was just doing enough and William’s (Haggas) filly has just come wide and late, and done her without any chance to respond.

“It was difficult from that draw (10), as I don’t think Andrea could have done anything else, as if she’d had a tow into the race and been able to quicken off the heels of something, she might have gone on and been a little bit clear of them.”

Palmer has plenty of faith that the best is yet to come from the strapping daughter of Dandy Man, who will be handed entries at Ascot and Haydock.

“We will probably make an entry in the Valiant at Ascot (July 29), but we’d be more likely to go to the Dick Hern (Haydock, August 12). She is a very big filly and still filling her frame. I think she’ll be, with luck and a fair wind, a really nice four-year-old. She didn’t run until the back end last year and she is just growing and changing all the time.”

Palmer saddled Hawksmoor to finish third in the Grade One Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in 2016 and thinks a return to the Kentucky track could be a good long-term fit for Stenton Glider.

“The priority will be to make her a stakes winner this year,” added the Cheshire handler. “I’ve always had it in the back of my mind if she could be good enough to go and warrant the trip, I’d love to take her to the QEII at Keeneland in October. I think American racing there would suit her really well.

“The priority is to make her a stakes winner now she is Listed, Group Two and Group Three placed.

“She is gorgeous and I think she will keep getting better. If she could win either the Dick Hern or the Valiant, then the Atalanta at Sandown (September 2) would be another possibility for her.”

Meanwhile Hackman, who was runner-up to the impressive Kylian in Friday’s Listed Dragon Stakes, will head to Goodwood.

Winner of a five-furlong Listed race at Chester in May, the Mehmas juvenile had little chance with the winner but has taken the race well.

Palmer said: “He is in really good order. He toughed it out to be second, but James (Doyle) has ridden him to be Listed-placed twice over that track at Sandown this year and he just said he feels like it’s a long way on him.

“So he is going to go to the Molecomb and hopefully maybe that very sharp five will play to his strengths.

“He’s not a superstar, but he is a well-above-average horse and can definitely win stakes races.”

Goodwood is also a possibility for Brad The Brief, who seems poised to miss the Group One Pertemps Network July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday in favour of the Listed Raymond & Kathleen Corbett Memorial City Plate at Chester.

“When I left him in, it looked likely there was going to be more rain, so I would say Brad The Brief is an unlikely runner in the July Cup,” said Palmer.

“But we got pretty wet up here, so I would say he’s pretty likely to run in the seven-furlong Listed race at Chester on Saturday.

“While he has never won over seven, he has always shaped like he could and if that went well, then the (Group Two) Lennox could easily be on his radar as well at Goodwood.”

West Brom have announced The Jeff Astle Foundation as their official charity partner for the 2023-24 season.

The Jeff Astle Foundation was launched to serve as a lasting legacy for former Baggies forward Astle, who died in 2002 aged 59 with early-onset dementia and had his verdict of death later recorded as being by industrial disease, owing to the repeated heading of a ball.

Set up by Astle’s family, The Jeff Astle Foundation continues to campaign for greater research into the impact of repetitive heading for footballers, raising awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport and offering much-needed support to those affected.

Astle scored 174 goals in 361 appearances for West Brom and netted the winner in their FA Cup triumph over Everton in 1968. A donation will be made to The Jeff Astle Foundation for every home shirt sold.

Albion managing director Mark Miles said: “We are delighted to be supporting The Jeff Astle Foundation for the coming season.

“The profile of the charity and its achievements to date are a direct consequence of one family’s dedicated quest to ensure the safety of everyone who plays the beautiful game.

“We wholeheartedly support the charity’s aim to raise awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport, including football, and hope the partnership helps further build the profile of their incredible work.”

Charity director Dawn Astle said: “We are honoured and overwhelmed to be named the club’s official charity partner for the 2023-24 season.

“Dad loved this club and its supporters and to have next season’s home kit dedicated to him and the charity instils our family with a pride that is difficult to comprehend.

“We are so, so thankful to the club for providing us with this opportunity to continue to celebrate dad’s legacy, raising awareness and funds for the charity in the process.

“As a family we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in the kit’s design and we are confident the club’s supporters will love it as much as we do.

“It’s a special kit for a really important cause, and every shirt sold will help us to continue our work with those affected by brain injuries in sport.”

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk has signed a new three-year contract with the Premier League club.

Academy graduate Dunk went past the 400-appearance mark during the 2022-23 season and helped the Seagulls qualify for the Europa League with an excellent sixth-placed finish.

Dunk’s previous terms with Brighton were due to expire in two years’ time, but he has flourished under Roberto De Zerbi and will now be contracted to the club until 2026.

De Zerbi said: “Long live the captain!

“I’m really happy he has signed this new contract. It’s good news for Lewis and the club.”

Centre-back Dunk repeatedly received praise from his manager for his commitment during the final weeks of the last season, after playing through the pain to help Brighton qualify for Europe.

It subsequently meant the defender had to pull out of the England squad for their June qualifiers.

Dunk made his debut for Brighton in 2010 and has been a key figure in their journey from Sky Bet League One through to the Championship and eventually the Premier League.

The 31-year-old signed a five-year deal with the club in 2025, but these fresh terms will continue his association with his boyhood club.

He has previously stated his desire to finish his career as a one-club man.

England claimed a dramatic draw in the first Ashes Test against Australia on this day in 2009 after James Anderson and Monty Panesar staged a dogged last-wicket stand in Cardiff.

The tailenders survived the final 69 deliveries in a tense rearguard action at Sophia Gardens to deny the tourists first blood and spark wild celebrations in the stands.

England had resumed on day five at 20 for two, 219 runs behind after Australia had overhauled their first innings total of 435 and established a platform for victory with a mammoth 674 for six declared in which Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting, Marcus North and Brad Haddin had all reached three figures.

The hosts looked to be heading for an innings defeat as Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior went by the time the score had reached 70, although Paul Collingwood’s resolute 74 steadied the ship with support from spinner Graeme Swann, who made 31.

However, the Durham all-rounder’s stubborn resistance ended after a 245-ball, 344-minute stay at the crease when he edged Peter Siddle to Michael Hussey at gully.

England had been reduced to 233 for nine and the writing was on the wall.

As Panesar walked out to join Anderson in the middle with his side still six runs behind, a minimum of 11.3 overs remained and few gave two men hardly renowned for their expertise with the bat any real chance of resisting.

But to huge popular acclaim resist they did, at times uncertain over whether to take runs when they presented themselves, but growing in confidence once successive Anderson boundaries had ensured the Australians would have to bat again.

Anderson ended up finishing unbeaten on 21 while Panesar contributed seven runs to a total of 252 for nine to secure a draw, the significance of which only became apparent as the summer progressed.

England went on to win at Lord’s and the Oval either side of a draw at Edgbaston and an Australian victory at Headingley, taking the series 2-1 and in the process regaining the Ashes they had surrendered so tamely Down Under during the winter of 2006-07.

Elias Diaz belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the National League snapped a nine-game losing streak to the American League with a 3-2 win in the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday.  

With the National League trailing 2-1, Nick Castellanos led off the eighth with a walk against Felix Bautista and moved to second on a wild pitch before Diaz deposited a 2-2 offering over the wall in left field.

It was the first All-Star at-bat for Diaz, the Colorado Rockies catcher who was named MVP.

The NL won the All-Star Game for the first time since an 8-0 victory in 2012.

Yandy Diaz opened the scoring for the AL with a second-inning home run off Mitch Keller and the NL tied it in the fourth on Luis Arraez’s RBI single.

Bo Bichette’s sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Salvador Perez and put the AL back on top.

Craig Kimbrel walked two in the ninth but struck out Jose Ramirez to end it.

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano left in the seventh inning due to back tightness.

The remaining singles quarter-finals are completed on Wednesday as Wimbledon continues to take shape.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz will again look to outline his title credentials against fellow youngster Holger Rune while there is a rematch of last year’s women’s final between Ons Jabeur and Elena Rybakina.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at day 10.

Match of the Day

Fans on Centre Court will watch a match that is fit for a final as Elena Rybakina takes on Ons Jabeur.

It is a rematch of last year’s final which saw Rybakina claim her first grand slam title in a three-set win that left Jabeur heartbroken.

Both women are again looking the real deal having got to this stage without any trouble at all.

Jabeur says she has learned from last year’s final defeat and she is gunning for revenge.

King Carlos to reign?

Questions were asked of Carlos Alcaraz’s ability on the grass ahead of this Wimbledon campaign but he has resoundingly answered them.

During his first four matches he has proved he is very much at home here and is a real contender to win the title.

Standing in the way of a first Wimbledon semi-final appearance is Holger Rune in a clash of the new kids on the block.

At 20, Rune is also a future star and is looking for a first grand slam semi-final, but has his work cut out.

British pair chasing more history

Naiktha Bains and Maia Lumsden became the first all-British pair to reach the quarter-finals of the Wimbledon women’s doubles in 40 years and now they have a last-four spot in their sights.

Not since Jo Durie and Anne Hobbs in 1983 have a home team got this far and Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens now stand in their way.

If they were to win on Court Two, they would equal Durie and Hobbs’ achievement, which is not a bad effort considering Lumsden thought her career would be over after a bout of long Covid.

Jonny O’Mara and Olivia Nicholls are flying the flag in the mixed doubles as they are through to the semi-finals, where they will face Lyudmyla Kichenok and Mate Pavic on Court Three.

Jamie Murray and Neal Skupsi are also in action in the men’s doubles quarter-finals with their respective partners Michael Venus and Wesley Koolhof.

Order of play

Centre Court
Ons Jabeur v Elena Rybakina
Carlos Alcaraz v Holger Rune

Court One
Madison Keys v Aryna Sabalenka
Daniil Medvedev v Chris Eubanks

Weather

Warm with sunny intervals

Rangers defender Leon King could miss the start of next season after suffering an ankle injury in training.

The club have announced the 19-year-old will be sidelined for a “significant period of time” after sustaining a blow during a pre-season camp in Germany.

Rangers begin their cinch Premiership campaign away at Kilmarnock on August 5.

A club statement read: “Rangers FC can confirm defender Leon King suffered a contact injury to his ankle at the club’s pre-season training camp in Germany on Monday which will rule him out for a significant period of time.

“Leon is being looked after by the club’s medical staff and a further update will follow in due course. Everyone at the club wishes Leon a speedy recovery.”

Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason Knight has completed a move to Bristol City from Derby.

Knight has penned a four-year deal at Ashton Gate for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of £2million.

The 22-year-old, who joined Derby as a 16-year-old, has 20 senior international appearances and was also linked with Sky Bet Championship newcomers Ipswich as well as Stoke.

“It’s been a long time coming behind-the-scenes trying to get it sorted, but I’m happy to be here and I’m looking forward to the season ahead,” Knight said on the Bristol City website.

“The club have shown a real eagerness to get me here, which is always nice as a footballer – to be wanted.

“I know (Bristol City manager) Nigel (Pearson) from his time at Derby and I’ve had a good number of chats with him. He sees me as a big part of the plans going forward.

“I’ll give everything every time I put on the shirt; for the fans, the club, and the boys I’m playing with – full of energy and full of emotion.”

Novak Djokovic had a message to the pretenders to his grand slam crown after beating Andrey Rublev to reach another Wimbledon semi-final – “It ain’t happening.”

The Serbian’s 4-6 6-1 6-4 6-3 victory on Centre Court sent him through to the last four at a major for the 46th time, equalling Roger Federer’s all time men’s record, and extended his winning run at Wimbledon to 33 matches.

Djokovic is now only two wins away from a 24th grand slam title and, although this performance was not quite perfect, it was another demonstration of what it will take to stop the 36-year-old lifting the trophy for an eighth time.

Asked how it felt to be the man always with a target on his back, Djokovic said: “I love it. Any tennis player wants to be in the position where everyone wants to win against you.

“Pressure is a privilege, as Billie Jean (King) said. It’s never going to go away. It awakens the most beautiful emotions in me and it motivates me beyond what I’ve ever dreamed of and inspires me to play my best tennis.

“I know they want to get a scalp, they want to win, but it ain’t happening.”

Rublev played a terrific match yet landed only a glancing blow on Djokovic, with the Russian now the first man in the open era to have lost his first eight slam quarter-finals.

He is one of the hardest hitters in the game, particularly off his forehand, while his intensity has made him a favourite of Djokovic’s five-year-old daughter Tara.

Rublev lost in straight sets to Djokovic at the same stage of the Australian Open and he knew the importance of hanging with the defending champion, which he did by saving three break points in the sixth game.

The pair were fighting fire with fire and Djokovic thrust his arm into the air after winning one particularly fierce exchange.

He dropped his level at the end of the opening set, though, and Rublev capitalised, clinching a break point to lead 5-4 and then serving it out.

It was the second set Djokovic had dropped in successive rounds after a wobble against Hubert Hurkacz but he responded in impressive fashion, racing into a 5-0 lead in the second set.

If Rublev struggles to get to sleep, it may well be because of the third set, where he certainly had his chances but could not take them.

Two break points came and went in the second game before Djokovic turned the dial to relentless in the fifth game and got the break.

Rublev did well to stay in it, saving more break points at 2-4, and it so nearly paid off with Djokovic serving at 5-4. Missing two set points seemed to set the second seed on edge and the game turned into a Wimbledon classic.

Djokovic saved one break point with a rare serve and volley only for Rublev to set up another in a brilliant net exchange.

Djokovic was wavering on second serve in particular but Rublev could not take advantage and, after saving three break points in total, he finally converted his fifth set point.

The Serbian gave a long look to his support camp before giving an extended clench of the fist towards the crowd, who had been strongly supporting his opponent – even against a Russian, Djokovic was still second favourite.

Playing here made Djokovic just the third player after Federer and Serena Williams to contest 400 slam singles matches, and he has won a remarkable 353 of them.

While Rublev continued to battle in the fourth set, another break of serve in the third game gave Djokovic the advantage and he pulled away to set up a semi-final clash with Jannik Sinner.

Rublev was left with mixed feelings, saying: “I think (it’s) my first quarter-final that I feel proud of myself. Then, of course, you wanted to win. I was doing everything to try to win this match.”

The 25-year-old was the first Russian player to make a statement against the invasion of Ukraine, writing ‘No war please’ on the camera lens after a match in Dubai last February.

He was hugely appreciative of the backing he received on his return to Wimbledon, saying: “I felt really great support during all these two weeks. To be from the country where I am, to have this support, it’s special.

“I feel sometimes I don’t deserve it or something like that. I’m really grateful for this.

“It’s not (feeling) guilty. It’s more just the situation is terrible. Of course, you don’t wish this to anyone.

“You want these terrible things to be able to finish as fast as possible for all the people in the world just to have a chance to have a good life.”