Liverpool great John Barnes is not convinced Trent Alexander-Arnold is at his creative best when used in the central role he adopted last season.
Having attracted criticism for a series of defensive mishaps as Liverpool failed to challenge Manchester City last term, Alexander-Arnold switched to a central role in the season's closing weeks.
Liverpool won seven of their last nine Premier League games to finish fifth, a run that started with Alexander-Arnold producing two assists in a 6-1 rout of Leeds United, drifting inside from his right-back position to a hybrid role.
Alexander-Arnold then played in midfield during England's wins over Malta and North Macedonia last month, but Barnes is not sure it will become his permanent position.
"It depends on the games, if you can dominate position," Barnes told Stats Perform. "Possibly when you're playing against City, you're not able to do that.
"Are we going to get a right-back and Trent plays in midfield, or [will he] move into midfield in possession?
"When he moves into midfield, if you lose the ball, is he able to get back to the right-back position? It really depends on what they want and how they see that.
"Trent probably produces more playing in the right-back position, in terms of the crosses he puts in for people to score. Playing in midfield, he still creates more from a right-back position.
"We may look at that situation and say we haven't got a midfield player who's going to produce that kind of pass, but we lose what he has at right-back in terms of his crossing."
With Liverpool bolstering their midfield with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Barnes believes there may no longer be a need for Alexander-Arnold to play centrally.
"I don't necessarily feel that Trent creates more goalscoring opportunities playing in that role. But once again, it really depends on necessity," he added.
"Now that we have the midfield players we have, I'd be surprised. We may still do it on the odd occasion, but I think that was more out of necessity than anything else."
Former Liverpool midfielders Lucas Leiva and Gary McAllister, however, believe Alexander-Arnold has the quality to be a good option in either position.
"I think Trent showed that he's got the quality to play in midfield," Lucas said. "As a full-back, you have a little more time on the ball because in midfield you're always under pressure.
"But Trent has the capacity to play in both positions, which is very good. That gives another option to Jurgen [Klopp], depending on the game and depending on the system.
"For sure, he is capable of doing that. I'm looking forward to it also because every year, Trent is improving and getting better and better. He's a world-class player but he's still very young and coming into midfield shows another improvement from him."
McAllister echoed Lucas' thoughts, adding: "He's got the ability and has got such an amazing range of passing, first and foremost.
"But I'm sure Jurgen is going be very careful not to take away his ability to get high and wide to deliver crosses for the forwards.
"Being able to adapt with Trent in two or three different positions is a massive bonus for Jurgen. I thought it was really exciting watching him come off the side.
"I thought he was outstanding and it did marry in with fact that Liverpool finished the season really well. He hit a dozen passes that nobody else in the league could hit."
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is “not too concerned” for now about Saudi Arabia’s ascendancy in football as he reasoned it takes time to become a dominant force.
Al Hilal submitted a world-record £259million offer for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 12 months left on his current deal and been given permission to speak to the Saudi club.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already joined the country’s Pro League while Liverpool have agreed a deal with Al-Ettifaq – managed by Steven Gerrard – to sell their captain Jordan Henderson.
“Something new is obviously happening,” Masters told BBC Sport. “The Saudi Pro League have stated they want to be a top 10 league by 2030.
“They are investing in players and managers to try to raise the profile of the league and clubs.
“It has taken us 30 years to get to the position that we have in terms of profile, competitiveness and the revenue streams that we have.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned at the moment but, obviously, Saudi Arabian clubs have as much right to purchase players as any other league does.
“In the end, the Premier League is a £6billion-a-year operation in terms of revenue and that money is spent reinvested into the pitch. All good competitions have to have revenue streams to back them up.”
Chas McCormick had a career-high six RBIs and Yainer Diaz singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Houston Astros cut into the Texas Rangers' American League West lead with a 10-9 victory on Monday.
McCormick's three-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the seventh inning tied the game at 9-9 and set up Diaz's later heroics as the Astros took the opener of this key three-game series. Houston's fifth win in six games also moved the reigning World Series champions within two games of the Rangers in the division standings.
Texas reliever Alex Speas walked Kyle Tucker and McCormick in the ninth before Diaz lined a one-out single to right field to send the Rangers to their third loss in four games following a 6-0 start after the All-Star break.
Alex Bregman had three hits and scored twice for Houston, while closer Ryan Pressly threw a scoreless top of the ninth to record the win.
Josh Jung had a two-run homer and Josh Smith added a solo shot for Texas. Rangers starter Jon Gray struck out six in five innings, but walked three and allowed a season high-tying six runs.
Brewers score in ninth to win opener of key series with Reds
Christian Yelich singled in the deciding run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers came through with a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of an important three-game series between the National League Central's top two teams.
Yelich's hit off All-Star closer Alexis Diaz halted Cincinnati's five-game winning streak and extended Milwaukee's lead over the second-place Reds in the division to 1 1/2 games.
It also continued the Brewers' dominance of Cincinnati this season. Milwaukee has now won nine of 11 meetings between the NL Central rivals and is 6-1 against the Reds in July.
Diaz failed to record an out after entering with the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, as he walked Blake Perkins on four pitches and surrendered a single to pinch-hitter Jesse Winker before Yelich sent a ground ball through the right side of the infield to score Perkins from second.
The Brewers trailed 2-1 before Sal Frelick took Reds starter Graham Ashcraft's pitch over the right-field wall in the sixth inning for his first major league home run.
Elly De La Cruz accounted for all the Reds' scoring with a two-run homer in the third.
Aschcraft struck out eight while allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings, while Brewers starter Colin Rea yielded two runs over six innings.
Orioles edge Phillies to stay hot
Colton Cowser delivered late at the plate and in the field as the Baltimore Orioles edged the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Monday to earn their 13th win in 16 games.
Cowser, who entered the game in the third inning to replace the injured Aaron Hicks, put the Orioles up in the ninth inning with an RBI double off Philadelphia closer Craig Kimbrel, driving in Gunnar Henderson.
Cowser’s clutch hit came after he collected an outfield assist in the eighth inning with a cutoff throw to shortstop Jorge Mateo, who threw out Bryce Harper at home to keep the game tied 2-2.
Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg hit solo home runs for the Orioles (62-38), who extended their AL East lead over the idle Tampa Bay Rays to 2 1/2 games.
Dean Kremer allowed one run and three hits in seven innings’ work to outduel Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez, who allowed two runs while also pitching seven innings.
The Phillies (53-47) have lost five of six but remain just a half-game back of an NL wild card spot.
The Seattle Seahawks have locked up a key defender just before the start of training camp by agreeing to a three-year extension with edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu through the 2026 season.
Nwosu's agency, Rosenhaus Sports, told multiple outlets Monday the new deal is worth up to $59 million and contains $32 million guaranteed.
Signed to a two-year, $19 million contract by Seattle in March 2022, Nwosu had a breakout first season with the Seahawks in which the five-year veteran set career highs with 9.5 sacks and 67 tackles while starting all 17 regular-season games. The Seahawks were 7-0 in games in which he recorded at least a half-sack.
Nwosu spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft. After being used mainly as a backup and special-teams player his first three years, the 26-year-old started 15 games in 2021 and compiled 40 tackles, five sacks and one interception.
In 79 career games, Nwosu has registered 182 total tackles, 24.5 sacks and six forced fumbles while making 42 starts.
The Los Angeles native returns to a Seattle defence that made two notable additions this offseason, signing former Denver Broncos tackle Dre'Mont Jones to a three-year, $51 milliion contract and bringing back six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner on a one-year deal.
Wagner spent his first 10 NFL seasons with the Seahawks before playing for the NFC West-rival Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Erik ten Hag says Manchester United are making progress in their pursuit of a new striker.
Already light of a frontman in his first season at Old Trafford, the acrimonious exit of Cristiano Ronaldo and January loan move for Wout Weghorst underlined the need for an attacking acquisition.
United have signed midfielder Mason Mount and goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer but work continues to sign a striker, with up-and-coming Atalanta talent Rasmus Hojlund targeted.
The Old Trafford giants are only believed to be willing to go up to £60million for the Denmark international, while Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani is an alternative.
“We make progress, yeah” Ten Hag said when asked about United’s pursuit of a striker.
“But you know how it works – when we have him, we will tell you directly.
“The only thing I can say is we do everything that’s in our power to get that done.
“If it was up to me, yeah, as soon as possible. The earlier the better because we have to integrate him in the team, the way of play.
“In an ideal situation, he was already here but you do not always get ideal situations as a manager and you have to deal with the situation.”
While United look for a forward with potential, talk of a move for Tottenham sharpshooter Harry Kane persists.
United sources have downplayed such talk and suggestions they are targeting Kylian Mbappe, who is subject of a world record bid from Al Ahli after Paris St Germain decided to sell him.
Asked about a move for Mbappe, even on loan, Ten Hag said: “We never speak about players who are under contract in other clubs.”
United need a striker to bolster a goal-shy side, whose return of 58 was comfortably the lowest in the Premier League top-six. Marcus Rashford scored a career-high 30 club goals, but Ten Hag wants more from the rest of the team.
“We are underperforming there, and we are aware of it so others have to contribute also in that area but therefore we are looking for scoring abilities,” said Ten Hag, who has given the green light for forward Anthony Elanga to join Nottingham Forest.
“I think with Mason Mount already we have a player extra who is capable of not only scoring goals but also to create, and to put play players like Rashford into position to score more goals.
“But as a whole team we have to score more.”
A fully fit Anthony Martial would certainly aid that cause next season. The France international impressed during the last pre-season tour, only to score nine goals in 29 appearances during an injury-hit campaign that was ended by a hamstring issue.
“Today he was in the team training, so that is really hopeful,” Ten Hag said after Monday’s session in San Diego.
“Of course, when you have a player in your squad you expect that he is available and players have to take responsibility to be available.
“But when he is not, I have to deal with the situation and we show we can be successful without that striker.
“But it’s easier when you have that striker in the team because I think every club who wins big trophies has scoring abilities in that team.
“We need a good squad and Anthony Martial is a brilliant football player so he will help us, he scores goals.
“Also in other areas of football like pressing, in possession, combinations, he’s a great player, so let’s hope he will be fit and he stays fit.”
United are in the USA as Ten Hag’s men continue to gear up for the 2023-24 season. The Under-21s – supplemented by some senior players, including Jonny Evans – face Wrexham in San Diego on Tuesday before the first-team play Real Madrid in Houston the following day.
“I didn’t watch the Wrexham documentary, but I know them, we played them last year,” Ten Hag added.
“I know they got promoted. Of course I’ve seen the actuality, the way we play, I know the players.
“We brought the Under-21s in but we will strengthen them with some players who are on the tour with the first squad.”
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from July 24.
Football
Tributes flooded in for Trevor Francis.
James Maddison hit the target!
Wilfried Zaha said goodbye to Crystal Palace.
Harvey Barnes made his Newcastle debut without having a training session with his new club.
United released their new away kit.
Shrewsbury were thwarted.
England defender Esme Morgan reveals all to Jill Scott.
Jude Bellingham enjoyed his first outing as a Real Madrid player.
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Cricket
Australia hit back.
Isa Guha continued the lookalike banter.
Formula One
Lando Norris was still celebrating his second-successive runners-up finish.
Max Verstappen salvaged his broken winner’s trophy.
Valtteri Bottas was already looking towards this weekend’s race at Spa.
Ary Borges stole the headlines on day five of the Women’s World Cup as her hat-trick helped Brazil thrash tournament debutants Panama 4-0 in Adelaide.
There were also plenty of goals in Melbourne where Germany brushed aside Morocco 6-0, with captain Alexandra Popp bagging a brace, while Italy left it late to beat Argentina 1-0.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at all of Monday’s action.
Borges powers Brazil
Brazil’s opening match of the tournament was all about Borges, who scored the tournament’s first hat-trick and set up Bia Zaneratto for the other in a one-sided match in Group F.
The winger had a first-half brace, both headers from Debinha’s crosses, before her neat backheel laid on the third of the match for Zaneratto just three minutes into the second half.
Borges then headed in Brazil’s fourth 20 minutes from time to put her side in a strong position in the group after France’s draw with Jamaica.
Germany lay down a marker
Germany, the world’s number two side, immediately set out their stall in Melbourne with a dominant performance against Morocco.
Captain Popp, who missed the Euro 2022 final against England with an injury picked up in the warm-up, found the net with two clinical headers inside the opening 45 minutes.
Klara Buhl then added a third early in the second half before Morocco crumbled, both Hanane Ait el Haj and Yasmin Mrabet putting through their own net.
Substitute Lea Schuller then added a sixth late on after Germany had struck the frame of the goal twice and had another ruled out for offside.
Italy snatch late victory
Cristiana Girelli came off the bench to make the difference for Italy as her 87th-minute goal secured a 1-0 win over Argentina.
Italy had been grown frustrated against a stubborn display from their opponents, with goals from Arianna Caruso and Valentina Giacinti ruled out for offside.
Girelli came on to replace 16-year-old midfielder Giulio Dragoni, who justified her selection with a composed display in midfield.
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Group H: Colombia v South Korea (3am Tuesday, Allianz Stadium, Sydney)
Group A: New Zealand v Philippines (630am Tuesday, Wellington Regional Stadium)
Group A: Switzerland v Norway (9am Tuesday, FMG Stadium Waikato)
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James Anderson is as fit as ever and could play professional cricket until he is 50, according to England and Lancashire team-mate Saqib Mahmood.
Veteran Anderson, who celebrates his 41st birthday on Sunday, has been included in his country’s unchanged 14-man squad for this week’s Ashes finale against Australia.
Amid speculation it may be his Test swansong, all eyes will be on how much of a role he plays at the Kia Oval after England’s hopes of reclaiming the urn were wiped out by wet weather in the fourth match.
Sidelined Mahmood, who on Tuesday will undergo a scan on the recurrence of a stress fracture in his back, believes Anderson is far from finished, despite struggling for wickets in the current series, which Australia lead 2-1.
“I’d like to think he’s going to keep playing on after this,” Mahmood told the PA news agency, speaking at the launch of KP Snacks’ community cricket pitches initiative which will fund 100 new pitches over the next three years.
“He’s been so consistent, he’s just had a little blip over the last few weeks and I am sure he will come good.
“You don’t get that many wickets without blips in your career, so I don’t think that is any biggie.
“In a few years’ time after he retires or whenever that may be – he’ll probably play until he’s 50 now – is when you’ll realise I was around a very special cricketer and he’ll go down as one of the best in the game.”
Asked if Anderson is capable of continuing for another decade, Mahmood replied: “Probably. Because he’s as fit as ever. He just seems to keep playing and keep getting better.
“His record over the last 12, 18 months is as good as anyone’s, I would imagine.”
While Anderson’s international future is once again a topic for debate, fellow seamers Mahmood and Reece Topley are on the comeback trail with eyes on this autumn’s ICC Cricket World Cup in India.
Topley, whose career has been littered with injuries, expects to make his return from a dislocated shoulder next week when Northern Superchargers take on Birmingham Phoenix at Headingley in their opening fixture of this season’s Hundred.
The 29-year-old left-armer believes fast bowlers across the sport will be seeking the advice of Anderson when he eventually does retire.
“He’s almost like a unicorn in the sense that it’s unheard of,” Topley said of the longevity of Anderson, who has taken a remarkable 689 wickets in 182 Test appearances – both England records.
“There’s no magic pill or anything like that, it’s just hard work.
“He’s a master of his craft, he’s worked at his craft and that mindset has surely translated into looking after his body as well.
“I’m sure every fast bowler is going to have him on speed dial, if he does hang them up, to tap into some of his secrets.
“I know he’s had a relatively quiet series but he’s obviously got the class and it wasn’t that long ago that we were all singing his praises so I’m sure he’s not far off a hatful of wickets, no matter if it is his last Test.”
:: KP Snacks are funding 100 new community cricket pitches over the next three years. To find out more and search for a pitch visit: .everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder
Hearts have completed the signing of centre-back Frankie Kent from Peterborough after fending off an attempt to hijack the deal by a cinch Premiership rival.
The 27-year-old former Arsenal youth player has signed a three-year contract after Peterborough received an undisclosed fee.
Hearts say they saw off some “stiff, late opposition” to sign the former Colchester player, who joined Posh in 2019 and made 170 appearances, helping the club to promotion to the Championship in 2021 and the League One play-offs last season.
Sporting director Joe Savage told the Hearts website: “We’ve said all along that we’ll be patient to make sure we get the right players in and Frankie certainly fits the bill.
“It’s also pleasing that he remained committed to joining us despite another Scottish club trying to get involved late on and I suppose we should take it as a compliment that our recruitment strategy is being mimicked elsewhere.”
Technical director Steven Naismith added: “We identified Frankie as a player who could come in and improve the team so we’re delighted to get him in.
“He was a big part of Peterborough’s recent success in winning promotion and we believe that he can make himself a success at Tynecastle Park.
“He is an aggressive centre-half in the way that he defends and starts phases of play and his leadership skills stand out.
“He was very keen to come to Hearts and take the next step in his career, so it’s a great move all round.”
The severity of forecast rain on Wednesday and Thursday is set to play a key part in determining ground conditions for Saturday’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.
The 12-furlong Group One is one of the highlights of the summer and the feature event of the Berkshire track’s two-day meeting, which starts on Friday.
There are over 150 entries for Saturday’s eight-race card, with a stellar cast set to assemble for the King George itself, in which Derby one-two Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel could take on last year’s Epsom hero Desert Crown and the likes of defending champion Pyledriver.
“We’re delighted with how the whole card is shaping up and the entries are excellent,” said Chris Stickels, Ascot’s clerk of the course.
“The King George itself looks like it could be a fantastic renewal.”
Conditions are currently described as good to soft, soft in places following a drying day on Monday.
However, Stickels will be keeping a close eye on the band of rain set to pass through the area later in the week with anything between seven and 15 millimetres forecast to fall – something he believes could be the deciding factor on whether the meeting is held on good or soft ground.
Stickels said: “The going is currently described as good to soft, soft in places.
“That will probably change on Tuesday given we’ve only had 1mm so far on Monday.
“It’s been fairly breezy and will be drying a bit. There was only a little bit of soft first thing this morning in it, we were expecting a little bit more rain, so it’s quite good it has stayed dry.
“I imagine there will be a change in the going on Tuesday to reflect it drying a bit, unless we do get any further rain now.
“The forecast for Tuesday looks generally settled. There is rain again and showers on Wednesday night through Thursday which will soften things up again and then Friday and Saturday look generally dry and blustery, with a chance of a blustery shower.
“We don’t know what to expect because every forecast model is different, but we’re forecast between 7mm and 15mm. If we had 7 or 8mm it would be goodish ground, but if we had the top-end of that forecast it would be slower than that.
“There’s a front coming through late on Wednesday through Thursday and the volume of that will be the factor that will determine what the ground will be like over the weekend.”
Zak Crawley insists motivation will be no problem as England attempt to round off a memorable Ashes summer by levelling the series at the Kia Oval.
Without two days of rain at Emirates Old Trafford, this week’s clash was shaping up as an all-or-nothing shootout for the urn and would surely have been the most hyped Test match in this country since the touchstone summer of 2005.
The stakes are smaller for England now, but the prospect of securing a 2-2 draw and denying rivals Australia a first outright win on these shores since 2001 remains a prize to play for.
Crawley, whose outstanding 189 in Manchester became an instant Ashes classic as he flayed the Test world champions to all four corners of the ground on day two, admitted the soggy conclusion was frustrating but has no doubt about the hunger in the home dressing room.
“We’re massively up for it. Any game, you want to win,” said the opener, who sits as the top run-scorer in the series with 385.
“As Ben Stokes says, we’re building as a team, this isn’t the end just because it’s the end of the Ashes. Hopefully, it’s very much the start.
“I think 2-2 would be fair. They had the better of us at Lord’s, Edgbaston could have gone either way, we probably deserved this one and Headingley could have gone either way. So I think 2-2 would be right.
“It felt like we were getting on top of them for sure and if we’d won this game it would have been very interesting to see. They’ve got some very good players and would have bounced back but the momentum would have been with us for sure.”
England have named an unchanged 14-man squad for the fifth Test, leaving question marks over the make-up of their pace attack.
Record wicket-taker James Anderson, who turns 41 on day four of the match, is under the microscope after a disappointing series that has seen him take just four wickets at an average of 76.75.
He managed a single breakthrough in what was his farewell Ashes outing at his home ground last week and a familiar bout of speculation around his future follows him to south London.
Anderson has defied expectations around the longevity of fast bowlers for so long that it has become an almost annual tradition to wonder if he might be set for an emotional swansong.
His prospects of getting one more chance to make his mark on this series are improved by worries over Chris Woakes, who has been excellent for the past two games but complained off stiffness in the second innings at Old Trafford.
Woakes had not played Test cricket for 18 months before returning to the side at Headingley and three games in quick succession may be too much of an ask.
England also have the up-and-coming Josh Tongue at their disposal, as well as a fit-again Ollie Robinson, and may also ask to check on leading wicket-taker Stuart Broad, who will be eager for the challenge of playing a sixth consecutive game in little more than seven weeks.
It is understood that Anderson has given no indication at all that he is planning to hang up his boots, and the notion of a grand, emotional farewell in the vein of Sir Alastair Cook is unlikely to appeal.
Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, may find himself with a decision to make when the next batch of central contracts are awarded later this year but the three-day break between back-to-back Tests is hardly the time for such debates.
For once, Crawley’s continued selection faces no discussion whatsoever. His imperious century explained perfectly the faith he has enjoyed during leaner times and could act as a springboard for a new chapter.
“I feel I’m as good a player as I have ever been, I feel good about my game,” he said.
“Fast bowling suits my game and the Australian attack is a quick attack. I think a bit less when they’re faster.
“I’m pleased with how I’m playing, I’ve just got to build on it.
“I have a bit more experience now, things to fall back on in different conditions, so I feel I can kick on now. I’ll be keeping myself to myself and listen to close friends and family. They’re the only opinions I care about.”
The Buffalo Bills' Nyheim Hines will miss the 2023 NFL season after he injured his knee when he was struck by a jet ski.
Hines was sitting on an idle jet ski and was struck by another rider, sustaining a serious knee injury, according to a report from NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Monday.
His injury is non-life threatening but will require surgery.
It was not immediately reported when and where the accident occurred.
Acquired by the Bills in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts last November, the 26-yard-old Hines was expected to be the Bills' primary kick and punt returner and serve as their third-down running back this season.
In nine games for Buffalo in 2022, Hines returned 16 punts for an average of 9.6 yards and brought back 19 kicks for an average of 29.2 yards and two touchdowns - both against the New England Patriots in the emotional season finale in what was the Bills' first game since Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
A fourth-round pick by the Colts in 2018, Hines has 22 career touchdowns in 81 games - 10 TDs via rushing, eight from receiving and two each from punt and kick returns.
The three-time defending AFC East-champion Bills begin training camp on Wednesday and will open the regular season on Monday Night Football visiting the New York Jets on September 11.
Tim Easterby’s Art Power will aim to return to his favourite track after an impressive success in the Sapphire Stakes.
The popular grey is a constant in high-quality sprint contests and is an eight-time winner for owners King Power Racing.
Now six years old, the gelding is unbeaten at the Curragh in four runs having won the Renaissance Stakes twice, as well as the Greenlands Stakes earlier in the season.
Armed with that knowledge, he was well backed as the 6-5 favourite for the Group Two Sapphire Stakes over five furlongs at the track on Saturday.
Under David Allan, he did not disappoint and cruised to an unchallenged four-and-a-quarter-length success to maintain his flawless record at the Kildare venue.
Another trip to the Curragh is now on the horizon for the son of Dark Angel, who holds an entry for the Flying Five Stakes on September 10.
“He’s come home and he’s in great form, he’s come out of it really well,” said Easterby.
“He ran a super race, we were delighted with him and he’s come out of it in great form.
“He’ll probably go back there for the Flying Five in September. He loves it there and he liked that bit of cut in the ground too.
“He just seems to love it, it’s nice ground that often has a bit of cut in it.
“It’s a good, level track for him and he just seems to really enjoy it.”
The British Horseracing Authority has accepted Sean Levey took no prohibited substance following a “non-negative” saliva test at Sandown last year, which was later deemed negative by a laboratory.
Levey was stood down by the raceday stewards on September 14 when an instant saliva test produced a positive result for amphetamine.
The Group One-winning rider requested a urine test within 24 hours and when that returned negative, he was allowed to resume riding.
However, Levey was forced to miss the closing night of the Racing League, for which he was the leading rider ahead of the final meeting. He was subsequently caught by Saffie Osborne, who rode a treble to claim a £20,000 bonus.
In a statement, the BHA said: “The BHA would like to provide the following update on the oral fluid testing pilot, which was paused following a negative laboratory follow-up analysis requested after a point of care racecourse non-negative sample given by Sean Levey at Sandown on September 14, 2022.
“Following that negative laboratory follow-up analysis, the BHA has carried out extensive analysis to ascertain the circumstances behind the original non-negative, remaining in close communication with Mr Levey throughout. The BHA is grateful for his co-operation during this time.
“The BHA completely accepts that Mr Levey did not take amphetamine or any other prohibited substance and has not committed any offence under the rules of racing, with the cause of the non-negative appearing to have been a supplement that those administering the test were not aware of at the time.
“A further update regarding the resumption of the oral fluid testing pilot will follow in due course.”
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