Holger Rune upset world number one Novak Djokovic to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open.

The 20-year-old Dane came through 6-2 4-6 6-2 against the defending champion in a rain-hit encounter in Rome.

Seventh seed Rune raced through the opening set in 39 minutes before Djokovic was seen to by the physio early in the second and given some medication before the weather forced play to be suspended.

Top seed Djokovic – who beat Britain’s Cameron Norrie in a feisty fourth-round match – levelled the match soon after the resumption, but it was Rune who pulled clear in the decider.

Rune, making his tournament debut, opened a 4-0 lead after a double break before closing out the match for successive victories in his matches against the Serbian.

“It’s really a big win for me,” Rune said in his on-court interview.

“Obviously I did it last year in Paris as well, but every match is a huge challenge for me when I play against Novak.

“He is one of the greatest that’s ever played the game. I knew I had to be at my best and I said it yesterday, and I was today.

“I am super proud of myself and I enjoyed every moment out there, but I stay humble of course. I have a lot to achieve.”

Impressive Wood Ditton scorer Passenger is entrusted with upholding Sir Michael Stoute’s fine record in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.

Stoute has won the premier Betfred Derby trial seven times throughout his illustrious career and last year sent out Desert Crown to triumph on the Knavesmire before subsequently marching on to Epsom glory.

Now it is the turn of Passenger to stake his Classic claims, and having seen the rain scupper his intended outing at Chester last week, the Ulysses colt was supplemented into this Group Two event at a cost of £14,000.

“Passenger was a non-runner at Chester because of soft ground, but should have the perfect ground for him in the Dante,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for owner the Niarchos family.

“It will be a big step up from the Wood Ditton, with the Dante being just his second start, and we will learn a bit more about him for the experience.

“It’s a stepping stone and we’ll see how he takes it, and Sir Michael will then make a plan afterwards. The hope is he is confirms the potential of the Wood Ditton and we can take it from there.”

John Gosden has won this three times in the past 10 years – including with Epsom hero Golden Horn – and alongside son Thady, will put Epictetus’ Derby credentials to the test following his success in the Blue Riband Trial last month.

“He won over a mile and a quarter in the Blue Riband on his last start and he steps up in trip this time. Hopefully the track and trip will suit him,” said Thady Gosden.

“He’s come out of Epsom really well and fingers crossed he will run a nice race again.”

James Ferguson’s Canberra Legend also has a victory in a key trial to his name, having taken the Feilden Stakes in fine style and the Kremlin Cottage handler is hoping this will give an indication as to how high he should aim the unbeaten son of Australia.

“He was impressive enough in the Feilden and has done everything right so far. He’s ticked all the boxes and his last piece of work was exactly what we wanted,” said Ferguson.

“We’re going there full of confidence, but with the understanding that it is another massive step up. It’s one of the top Derby trials and we’re up against some very good horses.

“Winning a Feilden at Newmarket gives us the confidence we have a good horse on our hands and this is about finding out about how good if everything goes right – whether it is Epsom, Ascot or France.”

Another heading to the Knavesmire with a perfect record is Aidan’s O’Brien’s Continuous, who won a Group Three in France on his final start at two and will bid to give his handler a fifth Dante as he reappears in the hands of Ryan Moore.

“This looks the most significant Derby trial so far in terms of depth,” Moore told Betfair.

“You can obviously make a case for a few given their unexposed profiles and I suppose none more so than Passenger, who impressed me when winning the Wood Ditton and comes here after being taken out of the Dee Stakes last week because of the ground.

“My colt Continuous is also unbeaten, as is the Feilden winner Canberra Legend, and he comes here in good shape, having showed a lot of ability and a very willing attitude when winning both of his races at two.

“He wouldn’t have the stamina-laden pedigree of some, but the way he won his Group Three in France over a mile in testing ground suggests this trip is well worth trying. I think he is decent, but we shall see. Ideally, he would prefer a bit of dig but good ground on a flat track like York should be fine.”

John Murphy’s Ballysax scorer White Birch is another making the trip from Ireland, having seen his Leopardstown form upheld by the runner-up at the Dublin track recently.

“He’s in super form. We couldn’t be happier with him and we’re looking forward to it,” said George Murphy, assistant to his father.

“This is a bigger test again and it will be good to see what White Birch can now do. It looks a very hot race on paper and everyone is going there thinking they have the winner. Hopefully he is good enough, but he is in good shape and we think he will run a big race.”

Charlie Appleby won the Dante with Hurricane Lane in 2021 and having seen Military Order fly to the top of the Derby betting when scoring at Lingfield on Saturday, now looks to add a second string to his Epsom bow with Flying Honours, who ended a fine juvenile campaign by winning the Zetland Stakes in October.

“Flying Honours was meant to run at Sandown last month, but the meeting was abandoned, so we took him for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket instead,” the Moulton Paddocks handler told godolphin.com.

“We were very pleased with how that went and he goes into this in great order.

“We know that he gets this trip, having won the Zetland on his final two-year-old start, and feel that he has the scope to improve again as we step him up over further. It looks a competitive renewal of the Dante and whoever wins will be a leading player for the Derby.”

Andrew Balding’s The Foxes accounted for Flying Honours when claiming the Royal Lodge at two and made an encouraging return when second in the Craven Stakes last month. The Churchill colt could be suited by the step up to 10 furlongs, as could Roger Teal’s consistent Dancing Magic, who was a place behind in third at Newmarket.

A mile and a quarter could also play to the strengths of the King Of Steel, who created a taking impression on debut at Nottingham last year and was then been deemed good enough to take his chance in a Doncaster Group One shortly after.

He has since joined Roger Varian ahead of his Classic season and the Carlburg Stables handler believes he is giving all the right signals in his work at home.

He said. “He was impressive on his first start last year then he ran in the Group One at Doncaster.

“He has trained like a good horse all spring and we’re looking forward to running him.

“He’s a big horse but light on his feet and we’ll see how he measures up in the Dante, which will give us some direction whether he is an Epsom horse or a horse for one of those races at Royal Ascot.”

Burradon Stakes scorer Dear My Friend and Feilden third Killybegs Warrior both represent Charlie Johnston, while Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane completes the line-up, having chased home Waipiro at Newmarket.

There could be plenty of pace on show in York’s British EBF 40th Anniversary Westow Stakes where Rocket Rodney attempts to return to winning ways on reappearance.

Trained by George Scott, the speedy son of Dandy Man was an ultra-consistent performer last term, with the only blot on his copybook coming in his final outing of the year when making a raiding mission to France.

A Listed winner in the Dragon Stakes at Sandown last season, he also placed in a whole host of high-class five-furlong events, including when beaten a neck by Little Big Bear in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and runner-up in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.

Scott reports his charge to have strengthened up from two to three and is eager to see if he retains all the sprinting attributes which made him so successful as a juvenile.

“He was a very capable two-year-old throughout last year and his final run didn’t reflect his season in any way, so we have got to put a line through that,” he said.

“I’ve been pleased with his work in the spring. He’s done very well physically from two to three, he hasn’t grown a huge amount but he’s definitely matured.

“I think there’s always a question mark over precocious two-year-olds that have had a relatively busy season as to how they train on, and you don’t know until they get to the track. But he’s ready to get started and I have a plan for him this season, and this is very much day one.

“It’s a track he has run well at and it looks a very sensible starting point for him. I would expect him to come on for the run, but he’s more than ready to do himself justice.”

David Loughnane’s Walbank was a place behind Rocket Rodney in third when the pair locked horns in the Molecomb last July, with the talented son of Kodiac finishing no worse than third in four outings during 2022 – a CV which also includes a silver medal in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His Goodwood outing was the final time he was sighted at two and the Amo Racing-owned colt returns following 295 days off the track at the scene of arguably his finest hour, on the course and distance over which he shed his maiden tag in fine style.

“He was a very good two-year-old,” said Loughnane. “He had a slight setback which took a bit of time and we’ve given him every chance. He’s come back a bigger horse and I’m pleased with him.

“He’s in good order and wears a tongue-tie first time, and obviously he’s going back to where he won his maiden and hopefully we get a similar result.

“He was just outside the time of the last five Nunthorpe winners – he was very impressive that day and the track definitely suits him. He’s a nice horse and one to look forward to.”

Kevin Ryan’s Silent Words went down by a head to the well-regarded Tajalla at Musselburgh earlier this month and is one of two for owners Clipper Logistics, alongside Karl Burke’s Pillow Talk, who won the Marygate Stakes over track and trip at this meeting 12 months ago.

Burke trained the one-two in this last year and is also represented by Looking For Lynda, with Richard Fahey’s hat-trick-seeking Great State and Declan Carroll’s unbeaten Changeofmind adding to the Yorkshire-trained challenge.

Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien will bid to land a blow for Ireland with Hispanic. The son of No Nay Never won only one of his four starts last term, but showed plenty of class when doing so, romping to an eight-length victory at the Curragh.

“I haven’t sat on him in a race, but he stepped up well when fitted with blinkers at the back-end, winning by a wide margin at the Curragh and running OK in Listed company at Doncaster,” jockey Ryan Moore told Betfair.

“Hopefully he can progress this season and be suited by the better ground he will encounter here. He likes to get on with it and he can go a bit judged on his Curragh win.”

Rogue Spirit (Tom Clover), Katey Kontent (Clive Cox) and Michaela’s Boy (Mick Appleby) are the others engaged in the five-furlong contest.

Frankie Dettori’s farewell season continues to provide big-race winners and the Italian could have found himself the perfect partner for the Betfred Oaks as Soul Sister romped to Tattersalls Musidora Stakes victory at York.

A winner on debut at Doncaster at two, the John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of Frankel was never involved in the Fred Darling when making her return to the track at Newbury last month.

However, she thrived for the step up to 10 furlongs in this renowned Epsom trial and having been ridden patiently as the main protagonists of Infinite Cosmos, Gather Ye Rosebuds and Novakai were all prominent in the early stages, no filly was travelling better as the runners straightened for home.

Still to ask his mount for maximum effort as the rest of the field came under a drive, Dettori soon pushed the button and the response was immediate with the 18-1 winner storming clear of her rivals to record a clear-cut four-length success.

The Gosdens and Dettori combined to win this with Emily Upjohn 12 months ago before being narrowly denied at Epsom and Soul Sister is now a 5-1 chance with Coral and 4-1 with both Betfair and Paddy Power to hit the target in the fillies’ Classic on June 2.

Coventry boss Mark Robins has agreed a new four-year deal with the club.

The 53-year-old is set to sign a contract which will keep him at the Coventry Building Society Arena until 2027 later this week.

Robins joined the Sky Blues for his second spell in March 2017 and the new deal could therefore see him reach a decade of service with the Sky Bet Championship side.

He has achieved much with Coventry having won the Checkatrade Trophy in 2017 before guiding the club out of League Two via the play-offs in 2018. He earned another promotion in 2019-20 from League One into the Championship, finishing top of the table to win the title.

Robins will be hoping to toast more success with Coventry when they host Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.

Should they come through their play-off second leg – the tie is poised at 0-0 after a stalemate at Boro – they will get the opportunity to face Luton in the final at Wembley on May 27, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.

Robins told Coventry’s official website: “I am delighted to agree terms of a new contract with Coventry.

“While our focus is on tonight’s game, the journey that we have been on together as a club has been amazing so far.

“I look forward to continuing that work in the next four years and the improvement on and off the pitch of this great football club.

“This was an easy decision to make and I thank the club for their continued support.”

Ashley Barnes will join Norwich on a two-year deal after leaving Burnley.

Barnes, 33, will move to Carrow Road from July 1 having helped the Clarets win promotion back to the Premier League as they secured the Sky Bet Championship title.

The veteran forward joined Burnley from Brighton in 2014 and went on to make 293 appearances, scoring 55 goals.

After his Burnley contract was not renewed, Barnes will continue his career in Norfolk as David Wagner’s squad look to mount their own successful promotion campaign having faded to finish 13th this season.

“I think the ambition to get back into the Premier League was the main thing,” Barnes said on the Norwich club website.

“The conversations I had (with sporting director Stuart Webber and David Wagner) were brilliant.

“They showed me how they wanted me to play and how they want me to fit in to the group and I’m happy to totally push us forward and try to get us promoted next season.”

Canaries head coach Wagner believes Barnes’ experience can help galvanise the squad, with several players having departed at the end of the season including forward Teemu Pukki.

“Ashley is a player I have come across on a number of occasions and he knows exactly what it takes to be successful in this league,” said Wagner, who took over in January following the departure of Dean Smith.

“It was very clear from our conversations that he has a real hunger and desire to continue to perform at the highest level.

“It was a feeling that we both have, the determination to do whatever it takes to win football games.”

Lewis Hamilton said the right decision has been taken to cancel this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix amid severe flooding in the region.

Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali took the decision to call off the sixth round of the season in northern Italy following an emergency meeting with local authorities and race officials on Wednesday.

Domenicali’s swift move arrived on the day F1 personnel were under instruction not to travel to the circuit in Imola. The paddock was also evacuated on Tuesday because of the risk of flooding.

Although the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari is not yet under water, surrounding areas are struggling to cope with the extreme weather, and there were grave concerns over the safety of transporting 300,000 spectators to and from the event over the course of three days, and diverting emergency services from troubled spots.

The Emilia Romagna region has been badly affected by torrential rain this month, killing two people and forcing hundreds to be evacuated from their homes.

It is the second F1 race to be cancelled on the eve of the event after the 2020 Australian Grand Prix was called off when a McLaren mechanic contracted coronavirus.

“Hoping everyone in Emilia Romagna is able to stay safe and look out for each other right now,” said Hamilton, who was deeply critical of F1’s decision to travel to Melbourne amid the outbreak of the global pandemic three years ago.

“Thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy and the amazing emergency services working on the ground.

“We were getting ramped up for the weekend and excited to get going but this is definitely the right decision.

“We wish we could be racing. But I know we all understand that safety comes first. I can’t wait to see you all at the next race.”

The race in Imola had been due to kick off F1’s first triple header of the season, with rounds to follow on consecutive weekends in Monaco and Spain.

Due to complexities of the sport’s packed schedule, at this stage it is not thought it will be possible to reschedule the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for later in the year, dropping the number of rounds from 23 to 22.

It is understood that F1’s American owners’ Liberty Media will not charge Imola their hosting fee, thought to be around 20 million USD (£16m), and could add an additional year to their current deal which is up for renewal in 2025.

Fans attending the grand prix are likely to have the cost of their tickets reimbursed or rolled over for another season.

A statement from F1 read: “The decision has been taken because it is not possible to safely hold the event for our fans, the teams and our personnel and it is the right and responsible thing to do given the situation faced by the towns and cities in the region.

“It would not be right to put further pressure on the local authorities and emergency services at this difficult time.”

Domenicali informed the grid’s 10 team principals of his decision in a virtual call on Wednesday. It is believed they all supported the Italian’s verdict.

“It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected,” said Domenicali.

“I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud on them.

“The decision that has been taken is the right one for everyone in the local communities and the F1 family as we need to ensure safety and not create extra burden for the authorities while they deal with this very awful situation.”

Azure Blue outbattled defending champion Highfield Princess to claim her fourth straight victory in a thrilling edition of the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes at York.

The four-year-old had won three of her last four outings last term and following a reappearance victory in the the Kilvington Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, she extended her winning streak on the Knavesmire to lead home a fantastic one-three for Darlington-based handler Michael Dods.

There was plenty of pace on show in this six-furlong affair and as the runners entered the business end, it looked like John Quinn’s Highfield Princess was about to pick up from where she left off last term.

However, Paul Mulrennan aboard Azure Blue was always lurking dangerously in her shadow and having drawn alongside in the final furlong, the duo edged their way to the front as the winning post loomed.

Half a length separated the pair at the finish, with Azure Blue returned the 12-1 winner and stablemate Commanche Falls a further length and a quarter adrift in third.

Roberto De Zerbi says Robert Sanchez is not currently part of Brighton’s first-team plans because the goalkeeper “wanted it this way”.

Sanchez was a surprise absentee from Albion’s matchday squad for Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League win at Arsenal and will not be involved in Thursday’s game at Newcastle.

The 25-year-old Spain international lost his starting role to Jason Steele in early March, with his future at the Amex Stadium now shrouded in uncertainty.

“With Robert, we spoke before the Arsenal game and we decided together the best solution was to stay home,” said Seagulls head coach De Zerbi.

“He decides everything. Robert decides and at the moment it’s like this. He wanted it this way, not me, not the club.”

Sanchez has been restricted to FA Cup appearances during the past three months, aside from playing in the 2-1 victory at Chelsea on April 15 when Steele was injured.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi confirmed Brighton are on the verge of completing a free transfer deal for 27-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud, who is out of contract in the summer.

“I know very well Dahoud but he’s not official at the moment,” said the Italian.

“He’s not official yet and we will speak about him later, in the next press conference.”

After a reporter said “it sounds like he’s coming”, De Zerbi replied: “Yes, because we have no secret and I like him and I would like to work with him.”

De Zerbi is eager to bolster his squad as he braces himself for some big-name departures.

Yet he is not completely resigned to losing the likes of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, contrary to reports following the weekend win at Emirates Stadium.

“I didn’t say it like this,” he said. “I said it can be the possibility to lose some big players, like Caicedo maybe, Mac Allister, (Kaoru) Mitoma, I don’t know.

“But we are Brighton and I know the policy of my club and we have to be ready to bring in other good players with the right characteristics.”

Sixth-placed Albion require just two more wins from their remaining four fixtures to secure Europa League qualification following the stunning success over Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

De Zerbi is balancing injury problems ahead of the long trip to St James’ Park.

He admits selection issues are causing him to lose sleep, with Joel Veltman, Adam Webster, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana, Jakub Moder and Jeremy Sarmiento remaining on the lengthy injury list.

“We can’t lose any more players for the last four games,” he said.

“We can’t take any risks and we start (with the intention) to win the game tomorrow but we have to think we have four games in 12 days.

“I’m losing sleep to decide the best first XI.”

The Seagulls received widespread plaudits for their weekend performance in north London as they emphatically bounced back from being thrashed 5-1 by relegation-threatened Everton.

De Zerbi urged his players to set aside the elation of that result and focus on future challenges and the chance to make history by claiming a European spot.

“We have to be ready to forget the last game and start with a clean head,” he said.

“We are fighting for a historic target and if we want to reach the historic target we have to make historic results.

“This year we won two times against Chelsea, we won 3-0 against Liverpool, we won 3-0 in Emirates Stadium.

“We are winning incredible games but to reach the incredible target you have to win incredible games.

“We can decide our destiny and our future but we know the way is still difficult.”

James Anderson is ready to sit out England’s first Test of the summer against Ireland but is confident a groin strain picked up on county duty will not hold him back from next month’s Ashes opener.

The country’s record wicket-taker pulled up sore during day one of Lancashire’s LV= County Championship clash against Somerset last week and sat out the remainder of the clash.

His absence brought back memories of the 2019 series against Australia, when he battled back from a torn calf only to break down again on the first morning of the first Test and bring an early end to his summer.

Scans allayed the worst of those fears and even allowed the 40-year-old to appear in a 15-man squad for the one-off Lord’s Test against Ireland on June 1, but England may ultimately be happier to wrap their lead seamer in cotton wool ahead of the Ashes opener at Edgbaston two weeks later.

“I think I will be fit for the Ireland game. Whether I play or not is probably another matter really. I definitely don’t want to risk it,” he said, at an appearance for new England sponsors Radox.

“I am desperate to be fit for the first Ashes Test. If that means missing the Ireland Test, so be it.

“I feel good. I had a scan on the second day of that game – it was a little groin strain. It’s a 10-day recovery period, and I’m rehabbing already, running next week.

“It was the best result of a bad situation. That situation (in 2019) was a different injury, a more serious injury. I ripped my calf earlier that summer, and it was a real push to try to get fit for that first Test. I don’t feel like this is anywhere near that severity.”

Anderson was making his fourth appearance of the county season when he went down at Emirates Old Trafford, tuning up nicely with 16 wickets, and realised instantly he needed to withdraw.

“I was disappointed to have to pull out of a game but, with what’s to come in the summer, it was actually a pretty good result,” he said.

“It was weird how it worked out. The last ball of my spell I felt something not quite right. I came straight off, and then we came pretty much straight off for rain after that. I pulled up the next day and it wasn’t right. I went for a scan that night and it showed a strain, so there was no point risking it.”

Anderson’s likely absence against Ireland creates opportunities elsewhere, with the returning pace pair of Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts eager for action as they seek to force their way back in.

:: Anderson was speaking at a partnership launch announcing Radox as an official partner of England Cricket. Radox will be keeping cricketers and fans feeling refreshed this summer.

Hayley Turner teamed up with Andrew Balding to win the first race at York in 2023 on Scampi.

The five-year-old had finished fifth in a recent pipe-opener at Epsom and stripped much fitter for the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.

Carrying the colours of microshare ownership group RaceShare, Scampi was sent off at 16-1, but those who took that price were never unduly worried as Turner smuggled him into the race travelling extremely well with two furlongs to run.

Having hit the front a long way out, Scampi was kept up to his task and had plenty in hand in beating Sam Cooke by half a length, with favourite Real Dream another half a length away in third.

Anna Lisa Balding, the trainer’s wife, said: “It’s always difficult in these high-quality handicaps, but he is in really good form and has done nothing wrong at home.

“Hayley has given him a beautiful ride and he really deserves this, it’s fantastic and we are thrilled.

“It’s so great to see people (owners) who are so passionate. I’m getting lots of beeps (messages) from all our staff saying ‘I’m a winning owner’, so they’ve obviously invested as well!

“He’s travelled so well stepping back up in trip. Like all these handicappers, everything has got to be right on the day and today was his day. The trainer has done quite a good job!”

Former RAF firefighter Darren Young is determined to play through the pain and help Great Britain’s sitting volleyball squad book a place at next year’s Paris Paralympics for the first time in more than a decade.

The 53-year-old, who was medically discharged after suffering serious back and neck injuries in an accident, must take off his morphine patch three days before each competition to comply with anti-doping regulations.

It means that each time Young takes to the court, including for this weekend’s ParaVolley Silver Nation League tournament in Nottingham – the first international sitting volleyball event staged in the UK since London – he does so in agonising pain.

But Young is determined to give everything back to a sport he candidly admits helped save him from suicide during the difficult years following his accident.

“For each competition I have to go five or six days without the medication that helps me function as a normal person, day to day,” said Young, from Gillingham, Kent.

“I did a competition last year and it was the first time I’d been off morphine for four years. It was like going cold turkey. It was horrendous at times. But I’m willing to accept it, because at the moment when I’m out playing the enjoyment and adrenaline overtakes the pain.”

Young discovered sitting volleyball through the Invictus Games, having been sparked into researching potential Paralympic sports after working as a security guard for the VIP section of London’s O2 Arena during the 2012 Games.

Having also been diagnosed with clinical depression, he knew he needed to find an outlet for the competitive spirit that had led him a promising junior football career, in which he was once briefly on the books of Middlesbrough’s academy, before being released due to an unrelated injury.

He said: “I did a competition last year and it was the first time I’d been off morphine for four years. It was like going cold turkey. It was horrendous at times. But I’m willing to accept it, because at the moment when I’m out playing the enjoyment and adrenaline overtakes the pain.

“I’d been having lots of suicidal thoughts, enduring lots of sleepless nights on the morphine patches, and I knew I needed something else,” added Young.

“I’d always been really competitive and sitting back watching sport on TV just didn’t tick the boxes. I didn’t know anything about sitting volleyball at the time but it’s one of those team sports that really changes you as an individual.

“I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for my family and my sport. I remember when I took all my patches out to commit suicide, and their vision came into my head and that’s what stopped me.

“I struggle every single day. I can be on the crest of a wave thinking about the next competition, and the next minute I can sit down for a coffee and it bites you on the backside. Depression is the worst feeling in the world.

“GB has given me a huge focus. I shouldn’t be representing my country in para-sport at the age of 53. But I’m here and I’m determined to help get the team to the Paras. We don’t want to be a laughing stock. We want to open eyes about what our sitting volleyball team can accomplish.”

Free Wind will bid to justify the decision to supplement her for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes when she lines up at York on Thursday.

It cost connections £11,200 to add the daughter of Galileo to the 10-furlong event and she now has the chance to scoop her third success at Group Two level.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden she was seen just once last season, when galloping to victory in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July, where a bump she received in running did enough to subsequently curtail her campaign.

She now drops back in trip on her return, attempting to enhance a fine record of five wins from just seven starts.

“She has shown good form over a mile and a half to a mile and six (furlongs), but York is a nice, galloping track and we feel it is a good place to start her off,” said Thady Gosden.

“She won up at Haydock, but during the race she got squeezed up on the rail and unfortunately it affected the rest of the season for her.

“But she has been good at home, she has won five out of six on the turf and she has enough speed to win over 10 furlongs. She has always had plenty of ability and this will tell us more where she goes afterwards.”

Richard Hannon’s Aristia is the only Group One winner in the line-up, having taken the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville last season. She also has a fine record here on the Knavesmire and finished second in this contest 12 months ago.

On that occasion Aristia had to play second fiddle to William Haggas’ Lilac Road and this time the Somerville Lodge handler is represented by Sea Silk Road, who has some smart form to her name including when finishing second in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last term.

One of the most intriguing runners in the field is Toskana Belle, last year’s German Oaks heroine, who now begins life in the care of Roger Varian.

As well as Classic success at Dusseldorf, the four-year-old also went down narrowly in the Grade Three Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct when trained by Andreas Wohler, and Varian is keen to see his new recruit step out onto the racecourse in the UK for the first time.

He said: “She’s a nice filly and has been working well. She has some strong three-year-old form from Germany and America last year, and we’re looking forward to getting her started.

“I think 10 furlongs on a track like York is a nice starting point for her and will give us a good direction moving forwards.”

Rogue Millennium caught the eye when a staying-on third in the Prix Allez France at ParisLongchamp and represents Tom Clover, while Ryan Moore gets the leg up aboard Ralph Beckett’s State Occasion, who was a track and trip scorer in a handicap here during last year’s Ebor Festival.

“She is the lowest-rated in here, but what she does have going for her is her best performance came over course and distance last season and she likes decent ground,” the jockey told Betfair.

“She also goes well when fresh, so if she is primed for this, perhaps more so than the others, then she is not without a chance. She does have a tough task on what we know, though.”

Beckett added: “She is ready for it and she likes the track and the trip. It will be tough, but she’s ready for it.”

Hughie Morrison’s Stay Alert and Karl Burke’s Poptronic complete the eight-strong field.