Stuart Broad kickstarted England’s resurgence as a Australia backed themselves into a corner on day two of the final Ashes Test.
The tourists produced a thoroughly passive batting performance, attempting to grind their opponents down but coming unstuck as they coughed up five wickets in the afternoon session.
At tea they had lurched to 186 for seven, a colourless innings that gave England the upper hand and struck a stark contrast to the hosts’ thrill-a-minute 283 on the first day.
At the break, the Baggy Greens were 97 behind with Steve Smith unbeaten on 40 and carrying the bulk of his side’s hopes.
While England burned out in less than 55 overs and scored at a rampant rate of 5.17, Australia slammed the brakes on as they eked out their runs at 2.48.
With the scoreboard moving at glacial pace in the morning, Australia scoring 54 in two hours of stoic defence, Broad grabbed the initiative after lunch as he removed Usman Khawaja and Travis Head in successive overs.
England kept charging in and chipped away at a side who have retained the urn but lost their mojo. James Anderson claimed his first breakthrough of the match when Mitch Marsh dragged down his stumps, an out-of-sorts Alex Carey lobbed Joe Root to short cover and Mark Wood bounced out Mitchell Starc.
Root, who was only pressed into bowling action due to first-choice spinner Moeen Ali’s groin injury, had earlier got England on the board with a super reaction catch at first slip.
After almost 90 minutes of blocking in difficult batting conditions the ultra-defensive Marnus Labuschagne, who scraped together nine runs off 82 deliveries, eventually nicked Wood for what should have been a regulation caught behind.
But Jonny Bairstow failed to make a move a move and the ball would have raced away for four had Root not flung himself into action, diving to his left to pull off a remarkable one-handed grab.
Australia still appeared to be in control at the interval, going in at 115 for two as Khawaja produced a watchful opener’s knock, but the limited ambition came home to roost in the middle session.
They added just 71 between lunch and tea as they lost control of the narrative. Broad was the primary reason for the change in tone.
He found a way through Khawaja’s well-rehearsed defences after nearly five hours of occupation, angling in from round the wicket and hitting him in front of leg stump for 47.
He then followed by making short work of the dangerous Travis Head, the man most likely to energise a quiet day.
Head got off the mark with a boundary but that was the start and the end of his scoring, as he felt for contact in the channel and nicked through to Bairstow.
Broad had two in six balls, the crowd’s pulses had raised and Australia had seen their hard work come undone.
Conor Benn is free to resume his boxing career after he was cleared by a UK Anti-Doping investigation into the two failed drugs tests that forced the cancellation of his fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
Benn was formally charged by UKAD in April after twice testing positive for the female fertility drug clomifene in the build-up to October’s domestic catchweight showdown.
But the 26-year-old, son of British great Nigel Benn, revealed on social media that the charge has been dismissed by the doping agency.
“Today marks the end of a gruelling 10-month process, during which the WBC had already decided I was innocent of any wrongdoing,” Benn said in a statement released on Twitter.
“After a hearing with the National-Doping Agency Panel and UKAD, I have now been vindicated for the second time.
“Hopefully, the public and various members of the media can now understand why I have maintained my innocence so strongly all the way through.
“The UKAD process has now formally ended and I remain free to fight.”
The PA news agency has contacted UKAD for comment.
Lauren James’ first-half strike ensured England made it two wins from two at the World Cup with a 1-0 win against Denmark.
Although the Lionesses are currently top of Group D, there is still plenty to play for in the group after a dramatic second half saw China beat Haiti 1-0 in the late kick-off.
Elsewhere Argentina salvaged a draw against South Africa with two late goals in Group G.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at today’s World Cup action.
Two in two for England
James’ stunning sixth-minute strike gave the Lionesses a vital three points to maintain their 100 per cent record in Group D, but victory was overshadowed by an injury to Keira Walsh.
She was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after sustaining an apparent knee injury, immediately flagging to the bench that she needed to be taken off.
The severity of Walsh’s injury is a major worry for the rest of England’s campaign, with Sarina Wiegman’s side due to face China in the final group match.
When asked about the extent of Walsh’s injury post-match, the Lionesses boss said: “Of course I’m concerned because she couldn’t walk off the pitch.
“But we don’t know yet, so we can’t take any assumptions. Let’s just wait until we really have a diagnosis and then we can tell you.”
China comeback
China go into the final game with everything to play for after staging an incredible comeback to beat Haiti.
The Steel Roses were reduced to 10 in the first half when Zhang Rui was sent off for a dangerous knee-high challenge on Sherly Jeudy.
Haiti were unable to capitalise on their player advantage, and it proved costly when China were awarded a penalty which Wang Shuang tucked home.
The result means Group D is still wide open going into the final round of fixtures, with Haiti up against Denmark in their last match.
Argentina keep their World Cup alive
Late goals also kept Argentina’s faint World Cup hopes alive with a draw against South Africa in Group G.
Linda Motlhalo put South Africa ahead and Thembi Kgatlana doubled their lead in the second half.
However, Argentina mounted a dramatic comeback to salvage a point with Sophia Braun’s stunning shot pulling one back before Romina Nunez equalised with a header.
Both sides are tied on one point each after two games, while either Italy or Sweden could reach the knock-outs on Saturday with a win against each other.
Up next
Group G: Sweden v Italy (8:30am, Wellington)
Group F: France v Brazil (11am, Brisbane)
Group F: Panama v Jamaica (1:30pm, Perth)
All times BST.
Dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin is one of four runners for Aidan O’Brien as the master of Ballydoyle goes in search of a fifth victory in Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes.
It is 22 years since the great Galileo supplemented his Derby triumphs at Epsom and the Curragh with victory in Ascot’s midsummer highlight, comfortably accounting for top-class older horse Fantastic Light.
Dylan Thomas and Duke Of Marmalade provided O’Brien with back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008 before Highland Reel struck gold for the County Tipperary maestro in 2016 – and in Auguste Rodin he has unearthed another potential middle-distance star.
Disappointing when favourite for the 2000 Guineas in May, the son of Japanese ace Deep Impact has since proved his worth with successive Classic wins over the King George distance of a mile and a half.
Both of those triumphs did come on fast ground, though, and with an easier surface forecast for this weekend, O’Brien is hoping underfoot conditions do not deteriorate further.
He said: “We’re very happy with Auguste Rodin and everything has gone very well since the last day.
“The better the ground, the better it will suit him. We wouldn’t want it getting any worse. We’ll definitely walk the track, obviously.
“He’s a beautiful mover, he doesn’t raise his feet much.”
Auguste Rodin is joined by a trio of stablemates in Luxembourg, Point Lonsdale and Bolshoi Ballet.
While the latter pair are three-figure prices with some bookmakers, it would be dangerous to dismiss Luxembourg, who has won an Irish Champion Stakes and a Tattersalls Gold Cup at Group One level over a mile and a quarter and was second to Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
He finished seventh in last season’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his only previous outing over a mile and a half and O’Brien does not view the longer trip as an issue.
“Luxembourg is very straightforward. He’ll love a mile and a half and will get the trip very well. He’s very fit and everything has gone really well since the last day,” he added.
“It’s a race we were always looking at with him and we thought it was going to suit. He’s solid, has had his two runs and he’s ready.
“It’s a great race and that’s what everyone wants all the time, the best horses all together and then let it happen. That’s what we all want to see win, lose or draw.”
Ryan Moore has a couple of King George wins on his illustrious CV courtesy of Conduit (2009) and Highland Reel and of the O’Brien quartet has unsurprisingly sided with Auguste Rodin.
However, he feels all four are worthy of their place in a stellar renewal and is certainly taking nothing for granted.
“This is clearly as deep a King George as we have seen in a fair while, even with the absence of Desert Crown and three others from the five-day stage, and it is no exaggeration to say that they all have a chance of winning,” the jockey told Betfair.
“Obviously, some a lot more than others, as the betting tells you, but you couldn’t totally dismiss any of these, as the likely outsiders Bolshoi Ballet and Point Lonsdale are Grade One and Group Two winners respectively.
“We’d like to think Auguste Rodin is towards the top of the list of the most likely winners though, and he comes into the race on the back of his two Derby wins. Some crabbed the manner of his win at the Curragh last time but I’ll take a Classic success however it lands – and he did it comfortably enough anyway, from a very good horse (Adelaide River).
“It is probably fair to say his defeat of King Of Steel at Epsom reads a lot better, as the runner-up showed how good that form was when winning at Royal Ascot. That was a strong Derby, and we expect him to be very competitive here.”
Moore has steered Luxembourg to all three of his top-level wins and views him as a major danger, adding: “Luxembourg is also a proper Group One horse, just rated 1lb inferior to Auguste Rodin, and he has unfinished business at this trip after an inconclusive run in very deep ground in the Arc.
“A win for him wouldn’t surprise me at all, as I don’t think a mile and a half is an issue for him, but the same goes for the likes of Hukum and Emily Upjohn to name just two, a Classic winner in Westover and last year’s winner Pyledriver.
“This race is as good as it gets in recent years, certainly in terms of depth, but luck in running will play its part with 11 runners, and Luxembourg is drawn one and Auguste Rodin in 11, which may have their challenges – but you play the hand you are dealt.
“I’d be most wary of Emily Upjohn, who I probably think has the best form coming into the race after her second to Paddington in the Eclipse.”
Mark Cavendish wants to make mental health problems more relatable after opening up on his struggles with depression in a new documentary.
In ‘Mark Cavendish: Never Enough’, which launches on Netflix on August 2, the Manxman describes his battle with the Epstein-Barr virus and how a diagnosis of clinical depression left doctors worried about the prospect of self harm.
Cavendish insisted he did not want anybody to feel pity but he hopes the film will reach people suffering with their own issues.
“I’m conscious there’s people in a lot worse situations than me,” Cavendish said. “I don’t want to sit here saying I feel sorry for myself…I’m privileged to have the life I’ve had. What we want the film to show is that depression can affect anybody in the world no matter who you are.”
Cavendish, who has remained silent on speculation he might defer retirement for another year after a broken collarbone prematurely ended his bid to win a record-breaking 35th career Tour de France stage, attended a private screening of the film with family and friends in central London on Thursday.
Afterwards, rather than the usual conversations he might have with people about bike rides, the Manxman heard from those who had experienced problems of their own.
“Everyone is human,” Cavendish added. “It doesn’t matter where you are in life, what your background is or what you do. We’re all humans and it’s relatable…
“The irony is that you feel so alone if you suffer when in fact everyone is probably there thinking they’re alone. If you talk you’d be surprised how much you’ve got in common.”
Cavendish has built a career on making split-second decisions at breakneck speeds in the often chaotic world of sprinting. But when discussing depression, he considers each question carefully before answering.
“It’s an understanding that there’s a ladder in the middle of that spiral down and you can get on that ladder and climb up,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at. It’s keeping that hope and good people around you.”
The film chronicles the road to one of the great sporting comebacks as Cavendish won four stages of the 2021 Tour, his first victories there since 2016, to match Eddy Merckx’s record of 34.
In 2017 Cavendish was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause chronic fatigue. He was cleared to return faster than he should have been, and then struggled to understand his loss of form, leading to depression.
The film is a story of physical recovery but also a process of self-discovery.
A man whose identity was built on winning bike races felt lost when success stopped, describing a “sense of worthlessness”, but the 38-year-old found a way back with the help of wife Peta, their children and his closest friends.
“Absolutely you learn what is important, 100 per cent,” he said. “(Cycling) is my job. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I know I’m incredibly fortunate to do what is my passion for my job but my purpose is to be a husband and a father more than anything else.
“You don’t want situations like what’s in the film but you see the positives at the end of the day. I tend to look at a lot more positives in things and understand what’s fundamentally important. It’s actually quite a nice head space to be in.”
That change of perspective extends to racing too. Cavendish used to relish proving doubters wrong, and there is plenty of scope for that in a film which uses clips from Lance Armstrong’s podcast showing the disgraced former rider frequently writing him off. But Cavendish can shut out such noise now.
“At one point that was a driving factor of what I did,” he said of criticism. “Now it’s not.”
Cavendish was also better equipped to handle the crushing disappointment of his race-ending crash on stage eight of this year’s Tour, a day after he was denied victory in Bordeaux by a skipping gear.
“I watched the Tour every day (after the crash) which I couldn’t have done previously,” the Astana-Qazaqstan rider said. “It is what it is. I was in good form. I had a race-winning sprint the day before.
“Crashing is part of cycling. You don’t want it for yourself and you don’t want it for anybody else, but with success comes those risks.
“You’ve just got to get on with it. It was a freak accident and you’ve just got to stay pragmatic. My job is to try and get fit as quickly as possible and race my bike again.”
William Muir is confident Pyledriver will not give up his crown without a fight in a mouthwatering renewal of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes.
The six-year-old produced one of the most popular results of last season when downing several supposed bigger guns in Ascot’s midsummer highlight, his second Group One win after the 2021 Coronation Cup.
Niggling injuries meant he missed the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and plans for subsequent foreign jaunts to Japan, Hong Kong and Dubai were shelved – but he proved he has lost none of his talent after 11 months on the sidelines by adding the Hardwicke Stakes to his big-race tally at Royal Ascot last month.
Despite the positives, the defending champion is only fifth in the betting for his return to Berkshire. Muir, though, feels anyone who underestimates Pyledriver does so at their peril.
“It’s a very good race and it’s great to be part of it. Everything has been great since the Hardwicke and we’re looking forward to it,” said Muir.
“We’re not worried about the ground and this is what we all live for, to have horses going for these type of races at these type of places.
“They’ve all got great credentials, they’re all horses that have been out and proved themselves this year. They’re all there to go and have a go.
“We’ll go there and run our race and see how good everyone else is.”
Another older horse with excellent credentials is the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum.
Like Pyledriver, the Shadwell-owned entire has returned from injury this season – beating last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
Having since sidestepped a clash with Pyledriver in the Hardwicke due to unsuitable ground, connections are thrilled rain has arrived and are hoping for a bold showing on Saturday.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said: “It looks a fabulous race, let’s hope it lives up to its billing.
“As far as I know, touch wood, Hukum is in good shape and the ground has come right for him. Now it’s just a question of getting luck in running and whether he’s good enough.
“We’ve obviously won the King George before with Taghrooda (2014) and Nashwan (1989) and it’s always been a huge race. It was the most important race of the summer when I was growing up and people of my generation still consider it a very important race, so it’s lovely to have a horse in with a chance.”
The two three-year-olds in the field are Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel, who were split by only half a length when first and second in the Derby at Epsom last month.
Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin has since become a dual Derby winner at the Curragh, while Roger Varian’s King Of Steel outclassed his rivals in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Varian is looking forward to the rematch, saying: “We’re excited. He’s training nicely and looks great, he’s ready to go.
“I hope that’s he adaptable (ground-wise), we’ll find out on Saturday.”
John Gosden has saddled five winners of the King George, with the triumphs of Nathaniel (2011) and Taghrooda (2014) following by three victories for the remarkable Enable in 2017, plus 2019 and 2020.
This year the Clarehaven handler and his son and training partner Thady are represented by another top-class filly in Emily Upjohn, winner of the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month before being touched off by Paddington in an Eclipse thriller at Sandown three weeks ago.
“She came out of the Eclipse well and she’s going back up in trip to a mile and a half. She won over the course and distance on Champions Day last year, albeit against fillies, whereas this is probably the race of the season, so it’s a different ballgame,” said Thady Gosden.
“It’s a particularly strong and deep field – pretty much everyone has turned up. It’s a shame the Derby winner from last year (Desert Crown) isn’t in the race, but nevertheless for the racing purists it’s going to be a fascinating watch.
“We’ve got options from where we’re drawn (eight) and we just hope we get a good trip round.”
Westover, winner of last season’s Irish Derby, got back in the Group One winner’s circle after landing the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this month and takes on Emily Upjohn again after finishing second to her in the Coronation Cup.
The home team is completed by James Ferguson’s Deauville Legend, fourth in last year’s Melbourne Cup and on his Hardwicke Stakes comeback last month, and the William Haggas-trained Hamish, who bagged a fifth Group Three win in the Silver Cup at York two weeks ago.
The latter’s participation is ground dependent, however.
“Hamish will only run if it rains properly, otherwise he won’t,” said Haggas.
“He’s not going to run on good to soft, but there’s rain around and who knows? If it came up proper soft, that’s what he wants and in this company he needs it really soft or heavy, not only for him but also to maybe blunt some of the others’ ability.”
A bronze statue of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger lifting the Premier League trophy has been unveiled outside the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger won three top-flight titles and the FA Cup on seven occasions while in charge of the Gunners between October 1996 and May 2018.
The Frenchman managed 1,235 matches during his time in north London and helped the club go unbeaten in the league during their 2004 title success.
Arsenal also spent 20 successive seasons in the Champions League under Wenger, including reaching the 2006 final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona.
The 3.5-metre statue of the 73-year-old, created by award-winning sculptor Jim Guy, was fixed into position outside the North Bank Stand on Friday morning.
Arsenal executive vice-chairman Tim Lewis told the Gunners’ website: “We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate Arsene Wenger’s outstanding leadership and career at Arsenal Football Club.
“Arsene’s contribution to, and achievements with, the club mark him out as the club’s greatest manager.
“He treated the club and its supporters to many trophies and fantastic memories and brought a revolution in the running of the club, an unbeaten season and the move to Emirates Stadium.
“It is fitting, therefore, that as a mark of the club’s enduring respect and gratitude a magnificent statue of Arsene now stands outside Emirates Stadium.”
Wenger will be the club’s guest of honour for the Emirates Cup match against Monaco on Wednesday and is due to visit the statue in the coming days.
His statue joins five others – featuring Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Herbert Chapman, Ken Friar and Thierry Henry – on the podium around the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who was signed by Wenger in 2011, said: “It’s such a great tribute that the club has done something special for Arsene that he fully deserves and merits.
“With a statue now at the stadium, Arsene can have that recognition and be here at our club forever.
“He chose me to be one of his players and selected me to be the captain of the club and that’s something I will never forget.”
The Seattle Orcas became the first finalists in Major League Cricket history after a dominant nine-wicket win over the Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 1 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Thursday.
The Super Kings managed to post just 126-9 in their 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.
Daniel Sams hit 26* while Devon Conway and Cody Chetty each hit 24. Those were the only Super Kings batsmen to reach double figures as Andrew Tye took 3-32 and Imad Wasim grabbed 2-23 for the Orcas.
Quinton De Kock then led the successful chase for the Orcas with an unbeaten 50-ball 88 including 10 fours and four sixes.
He was well supported by Shehan Jayasuriya who hit 31* as Seattle needed just 15 overs to reach 127-1 and secure a spot in the final.
Their opponents will be determined when the Super Kings face MI New York, who beat the Washington Freedom by 16 runs in the Eliminator on the same day, on Friday.
MI New York made 141-7 off their 20 overs after being put in to bat by the Freedom.
Dewald Brevis, who played because of an injury sustained by Captain, Kieron Pollard, in their last game, led the way with 57 off 41 balls including four fours and three sixes.
Saurabh Netravalkar took 2-25 for the Freedom.
Washington were then restricted to 125-9 from their 20 overs despite 28 from Marco Jansen and 24 from Andries Gous.
Trent Boult led the charge with 4-20 while Nosthush Kenjige took 2-19 for MI New York.
Nine horse remain in contention for the Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday, where there is the prospect of a fascinating clash between French star Blue Rose Cen and multiple top-level winner Nashwa.
The meeting of the last two winners of the Prix de Diane is the highlight on another stellar day’s racing on the Sussex Downs.
Trainer Christopher Head’s dual Classic winner Blue Rose Cen has been aimed at the 10-furlong event since producing another eye-catching display – a seventh victory in nine starts – at Chantilly last month.
Nashwa has taken time to come to hand this term, but she will bid to defend her Nassau crown on the back of a scintillating performance over a mile in the Falmouth at Newmarket.
John and Thady Gosden could be double-handed with Running Lion joining her.
The Roger Varian-trained Al Husn, who defeated Nashwa in a Group Three on the all-weather at Newcastle, could take her on again, while Aidan O’Brien is bidding for a fifth win in the race and has three possible runners, headed by Ribblesdale winner Warm Heart.
Oaks-placed Caernarfon, trained by Jack Channon, is also among those remaining along with Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve.
There are 26 entries for the Group Two Markel Richmond Stakes, including the classy Jasour, who took the July Stakes at Newmarket in fine style on his third start for Clive Cox.
Richard Hannon bids to land the six-furlong event for a third time, relying on eyecatching Newbury novice winner Baheer.
Karl Burke’s Kylian is on a hat-trick after Listed success at Sandown last time out, while O’Brien has five entries, including the Railway Stakes runner-up and third, Unquestionable and His Majesty.
Alice Haynes looks poised to run Asadna, who was third to Action Point when favourite for Newbury’s Listed Rose Bowl last weekend.
She said: “All good with Asadna – we have given him the Richmond entry today and all roads are leading there.
“Obviously I think the ground there will be testing next week either way, but everyone is in that same situation.
“Part of the problem is he needs faster ground. A faster pace will suit him, they went no pace at Newbury at all. Hollie (Doyle) got a lead and they all stacked up and sprinted. He will appreciate a fast pace to aim at.
“Long term, he’s in the Gimcrack and there are plenty of options for him going forward.”
A possible 10 three-year-olds will line up in the Group Three John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes.
They include Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Adelaide River and last season’s Criterium International second Espionage, who could both represent O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard.
Godolphin-owned duo Bold Act (Charlie Appleby) and Chesspiece (Simon and Ed Crisford), King Edward VII Stakes third Artistic Star (Ralph Beckett) and the King’s Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero, who won the King George V Stakes for trainer William Haggas, are other potential participants in the mile-and-a-half contest.
William Haggas expects My Prospero to take advantage of what he considers a “good opportunity” in Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes.
A Group Two winner in France last summer, the Iffraaj colt has since been campaigned exclusively at the highest level and has run three fine races in defeat.
He was beaten just half a length into third place in the Champion Stakes in October and so far this term has finished fourth in the Lockinge at Newbury and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
It is a measure of the regard in which My Prospero is held at Somerville Lodge that Haggas was underwhelmed by his most recent performance at Ascot and hopes he can make the most of having his sights lowered back in Group Two company on the Knavesmire.
“It’s a good opportunity for him. We think he’s in really good form so hopefully he’ll run a good race, I’m sure he’ll run well,” said the Newmarket handler.
“It’s one of those (trappy) races, but he’s very well and he should go well.
“I was a bit disappointed with his run at Ascot, he’s definitely better than that I think, but Saturday will tell us because he needs to be shaping up well here.”
My Prospero is a hot favourite to dispatch of four talented rivals in the hands of Tom Marquand.
Connections are looking forward to the belated return of the Owen Burrows-trained Alflaila, who won his final three starts of last season but has been sidelined since suffering an injury in Bahrain.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said: “It’s his first start since October, but he was a progressive horse last year.
“The funny thing with him is he’s by Dark Angel and out of an Oasis Dream mare and yet he stays a mile well and even a mile and a furlong.
“We’re going up again in trip to a mile and a quarter, but I don’t see that being a problem, it’s more a question of how rusty he is. He had quite an injury obviously, but he’s been sound and everything since he’s been back in training and we didn’t rush him and targeted this race.
“As long as he’s not too rusty, hopefully he’ll run a good race. It’s a trappy little contest and he’ll need to be at his best, but it will just be nice to get him back on the track.”
Royal Champion steps back up in grade after winning the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“It’s a small field but it looks a good race,” said his trainer Roger Varian.
“He’s coming into it off the back of a win in a strong renewal of the Wolferton and he won it well, so he deserves his place in a race like this.”
The small but select field is completed by Mashhoor, who has won his last three races in Ireland for Johnny Murtagh, and William Knight’s outsider Checkandchallenge.
The latter was just over five lengths behind Royal Champion when seventh in the Wolferton and Knight hopes the application of headgear will enable him to raise his game.
“I just felt in his last couple of races he was getting a bit behind the bridle, so we’re putting the visors on to help him concentrate. He worked in them last Saturday and they seemed to do the trick,” he said.
“He’s well capable of competing at this level. At Ascot we were drawn wide and just got too far back and I think the flat track at York and the smaller field will suit him much better.
“The bit of ease in the ground will definitely help and he’ll go there and run very well, I’m pretty confident of that.”
Yorkshire have been hit with points deductions in two formats and fined £400,000 over the racism scandal linked to their former player Azeem Rafiq.
A Cricket Discipline Commission panel said £300,000 of the fine imposed had been suspended for a period of two years.
The club have also immediately been docked 48 points from their County Championship total, and a further four from their tally in the T20 Blast.
Yorkshire, who had admitted four charges following the conclusion of an England and Wales Cricket Board investigation, released a statement confirming they accepted the sanctions.
England boss Sarina Wiegman remains “concerned” about injured Keira Walsh after the midfielder was stretchered off in the Lionesses’ 1-0 World Cup Group D victory over Denmark in Sydney.
Walsh, a 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona, started every game of England’s triumphant Euro 2022 campaign and could clearly be seen telling the team’s medical staff “I’ve done my knee” after sliding to collect the ball late in the first half.
The worrying scene dampened the elated atmosphere that followed Lauren James’ sixth-minute opener, a maiden World Cup goal for the 21-year-old Chelsea forward.
Wiegman said: “Of course I’m concerned because she couldn’t walk off the pitch, but we don’t know yet, so we can’t take any assumptions. Let’s just wait until we really have a diagnosis and then we can tell you.
“You saw what we did, (Georgia) Stanway dropped back and Laura (Coombs) came in. Yes, of course we had to find our feet a little bit.
“You saw different stages. We really dominated the first half. Then Keira went out and we had to adapt to the situation.
“In the second half, Denmark also had such a direct style of play. We also showed we can fight. The team showed real resilience. We kept it to 1-0 so it was really good and I’m really proud of the team.”
Walsh later appeared on crutches, with ex-England striker-turned-pundit Ellen White telling the BBC: “(At the 2022 Euros) Everything came through Keira. There wasn’t a plan B.
“I dreaded to think of the idea of us ever losing her because she was one of our best players. Beth Mead was scoring all the goals but all of our play came through Keira. She was the key cog, everything moved through her.
“I just don’t know who England are going to have now in that six (defensive midfield position), or even potential double six, role.”
Asked about White’s comments, Wiegman simply restated: “You saw the plan B. Georgia Stanway drops back and Laura Coombs comes in.”
An update on Walsh is not expected until Saturday at the earliest.
Wiegman fielded the same starting XI for every match of the Euros, but made two changes for the world number-four Lionesses’ second World Cup encounter against 13th-ranked Denmark.
James replaced Lauren Hemp on the left wing while Rachel Daly returned to the familiar left-back role she occupied for every match of the European Championship, and Alex Greenwood shifted to centre-back.
Wiegman’s decisions were almost instantly justified when Daly slipped the ball to James, who curled past Denmark goalkeeper Lene Christensen for what ultimately proved enough to settle the result after Amalie Vangsgaard’s header for a last-gasp equaliser clipped the post.
Wiegman likes to stress football is a full-squad endeavour, but did say of James, younger sister of fellow England international Reece James: “She has done really well but it is a team effort too and we were very careful with her.
“She is a very young, talented player. And yes, we were happy with the performance and she was ready today, so that was really good.
“Of course the approach of this game, we know that Denmark was dropping a little deeper, that they have a very tight, defensive block and we really thought we needed to play it in the pockets.
“That’s where she came a lot together also with Stanway and (Ella) Toone, and that worked really well. They really struggled with that, and yes, she made indeed a very nice goal.”
Denmark boss Lars Sondergaard extended his condolences to Walsh, and felt that while her absence perhaps led to a second-half surge from his side as England adjusted, the threat from players like James highlights how difficult it is to come up against the Lionesses.
He said: “After Keira Walsh, that’s always if you have to close one down, there’s another player. I think England has such a good team, they have always players that if you give too much notice on one player, other players will come up.”
Richard Fahey is “expecting a bit better” from Pretty Crystal as she lines up in a strong renewal of the Bateaux London Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot.
The Dubawi filly finished fifth in the Albany Stakes over the same course and six-furlong distance at last month’s Royal meeting, with that form already franked by runner-up Matrika and fourth-placed Persian Dreamer, who followed up their defeats by Porta Fortuna with their own Group Two successes.
Persian Dreamer’s stablemate Komat was sixth in the Albany and they take each other on again, with Fahey hopeful Pretty Crystal can gain a second win in three runs, following a smart debut success at Ripon.
“I do like her quite a bit and thought she ran OK at Ascot,” said Fahey. “She has improved, but she’ll need to.
“She’s in good form and I don’t see why she shouldn’t go on the likely easier ground.
“I’m expecting a bit better from her this time to be fair. She’s a nice filly.”
Komat tried six furlongs for the first time at the Royal meeting, bypassing the five-furlong Queen Mary, and was three-quarters of a length behind Pretty Crystal.
Trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis feels she will appreciate the easier surface than she encountered in the Albany.
He said: “She is a tough little filly, who won first time out at Redcar on soft ground. She hasn’t really had her ground since.
“She ran a very good race in France when third in a Listed race, then came back. The ground was a shade on the quick side for her at Ascot.
“She is probably not quite up to Albany standard, but she is a very nice filly and we are hoping she can get some large black type at some point. The recent rain can only help her cause.”
Symbology, a daughter of Havana Grey, produced an eyecatching win at York on debut two weeks ago and has a Group Two Lowther entry.
Clive Cox feels she will not be out of place in taking a class hike, and said: “She’s a nice filly. That was still a novice and this is a huge step forwards in comparison, but this is a filly we like very much and I’m pleased, all being well, she will line up on Saturday.
“We’ve been having a really pleasing run with the two-year-olds and that was another pleasing success in a week where we’d won the July Stakes and had a double at Doncaster as well, so it gave us a good feel.
“She is a really nice filly and a full sister to Katey Kontent, who was a very pleasing juvenile, so I’m very much hoping things go well on Saturday. She deserves a step up in class and she is in good order.”
Cry Fiction was also a winner on debut, and followed up her Windsor maiden success when chasing home the smart Star Of Mystery at Newmarket in the Listed Empress Fillies’ Stakes.
“She was meant to have had two runs before the Newmarket race but had a little setback, so she went into the race green and inexperienced which showed,” said trainer Jonathan Portman.
“She was also on the far side of the winner and she might have got closer to the winner had she been drawn the same side.
“She’s quite highly strung at home and she keeps us on our toes a bit, but some of those good fillies do.
“I think there will be some fillies in there that are very smart and it will be a tough race, but she has come on again from Newmarket which is the main thing.”
James Horton fields Lunar Shine, who scored by two lengths in a fillies’ novice over the same trip at Thirsk on debut.
“She did everything right at Thirsk and this was the obvious next step,” he said. “I don’t really know what to expect from her, because she didn’t show us a huge amount at home before went to Thirsk and did it very well.
“She looks as though she has sharpened up a bit and we know she goes on the ground, so we’re hoping for a big run.”
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz topped a rain-hit practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix.
With persistent rain falling at Spa-Francorchamps, not one driver completed more than eight laps.
Sainz headed the timing charts, half-a-second clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with team-mate Lando Norris third.
Max Verstappen, who is set to serve a five-place grid penalty following a gearbox change, was among five of the 20-strong field who did not complete a timed lap.
Qualifying is due to take place at 5pm local time (4pm BST), but the running is under threat given the bad weather and poor visibility generated by the spray in the Ardennes.
Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, said their priority is to ensure qualifying for Sunday’s main event takes place with other sessions throughout the weekend – including Saturday’s sprint schedule – likely to be sacrificed.
Heavy rain is expected to continue on Friday, and into Saturday with conditions forecast to improve on Sunday. One option is to move qualifying to Sunday morning, as the FIA did in Japan in 2019 when Typhoon Hagibis struck.
If qualifying can not take place, the FIA confirmed the grid for Sunday’s main event will be set by championship order.
Conditions worsened through Friday’s one-hour session with Logan Sargeant crashing out at the midway stage.
The Williams rookie lost control of his car under braking for Les Combes, heading straight into the barrier. The American was unharmed in the accident but the red flags were deployed to recover his stricken machine.
Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu also grazed the barrier after he ran through the gravel.
The FIA’s decision whether or not to run in the wet conditions will be heightened following the death of 18-year-old Dilano Van ‘t Hoff at Spa-Francorchamps earlier this month.
The Dutch teenager was killed after a crash in a rain-hit Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) race on July 1.
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