Blue Rose Cen is set to make her British bow in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on August 3.

Christopher Head’s French star completed a rare treble at Chantilly when strolling to victory in the Prix de Diane earlier this month, adding to victories in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and last year’s Marcel Boussac – a feat previously achieved by the likes of Zarkava, Divine Proportions and Allez France.

Blue Rose Cen, who has won seven of her nine outings, was stepping up to an extended 10 furlongs for the first time at Chantilly and Head is eager to stick at that trip as the Churchill filly takes on older rivals for the first on the Sussex Downs.

He told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “The main idea is to still keep up with the challenges. The owner has always been bold and daring in racing challenges and we have been talking about the next stage for Blue Rose Cen and he wants to go to the Nassau to do the same as Nashwa did with the Prix de Diane and Nassau double and we really have great faith in her with that programme.

“I don’t think we have got to the limit of that filly yet. I still want to encounter the older fillies without getting into a new distance, so we’ll keep with the distance we know she is best at right now and try to encounter a new panel of fillies to be able to know if she is capable of getting into the Vermeille and then we will pretty much know if she is an Arc or an Opera (horse).

“Even if she is not in the race, it is a possibility she can still be supplemented into the Arc. Leopoldo Fernández Pujals of Yeguada Centurion is a really a bold and daring individual, embracing challenges, so we’re trying to do our best to get the horses to those kind of challenges, and that’s why we’re happy to go to the Nassau.”

Head also trains Big Rock for the same owner, but he failed in his Classic mission when beaten three and a half lengths by Ace Impact in the Prix du Jockey Club.

That was his first attempt over further than nine furlongs and Head feels his future now lies over a mile.

He added: “He’s pretty much a mile horse or a 1800-metre horse and we learned that in the Jockey Club. We will put him onto another path which is the Jacques Le Marois and probably the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes too.”

Wales captain Ken Owens has been ruled out of their World Cup training squad due to injury.

The hooker has been released from the squad with a back injury along with Scarlets team-mate Josh Macleod who has a shoulder problem.

Cardiff’s Will Davies-King has also been ruled out with a foot injury, while Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb have all retired since the preliminary squad was released last month.

Ospreys hooker Sam Parry has been called up ahead of the World Cup, where Wales’ campaign gets under way against Fiji on September 10 followed by games against Australia and Georgia.

Head coach Warren Gatland said: “We’ve been really pleased with the players’ attitude and commitment throughout the first few weeks of our mini camps.

“The group has worked really hard and there have been a few curve balls from us in terms of testing them mentally and physically as people may have seen in some of our videos.

“Unfortunately we’re having to release Ken, Josh and Will due to injury which is really disappointing, but all three are hoping to be available later in the year should we need an injury replacement at any point.

“Ken has a niggle in his back which he needs some time out to sort. Josh got the injury on club duty – we were hoping to be able to manage it but specialist assessment showed that wasn’t possible.

“Will picked up the foot injury in training with us which we were managing but then he got re-injured so has been released.”

John Quinn has not ruled out running gutsy mare Highfield Princess in the July Cup at Newmarket, following her two placed efforts in Group One sprints at Royal Ascot last week.

A triple Group One winner last season, the six-year-old was beaten a length when runner-up to Bradsell in the King’s Stand last Tuesday and was narrowly denied again when third to Khaadem in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

“We’re as pleased as we could be. We’d like to have won one of them, but anyway, there we are,” said Quinn. “She has come out of Saturday’s race really well, which is the important thing. She’s a great mare.”

Highfield Princess’s fairytale rise through the ranks, from winning off a mark of 58 at Ayr in September 2020 to triple Group One scorer last term, has made her one of the most popular horses in training,

The North Yorkshire trainer says she will follow a similar path to last season, which included victories in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, Nunthorpe at York and Flying Five at the Curragh, before she finished a close-up fourth to Caravel in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

However, he is mulling over an additional run in Newmarket’s Group One feature on July 15, for which she is a general 5-1 chance.

“She is in the July Cup in three weeks’ time and we’ll consider that, but if we don’t, we’ll just wait for a little bit,” said Quinn.

“I do think she’s a Breeders’ Cup horse. We’ll go down the same route. All being well, we’ll run her in the Coolmore Nunthorpe, the Flying Five and see how we go.

“The July Cup is a question mark, though possibly Goodwood for her, possibly. That would give her a nice break.”

Quinn had two other runners at the Royal meeting, with Breege beaten a length second to Coppice in the 29-runner Sandringham and Mr Wagu downed by two and three-quarter lengths when seventh to Saint Lawrence in the 27-runner Wokingham.

“It was a fantastic meeting. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We don’t cry,” said Quinn. “We ran four horses, three of them were placed and Mr Wagyu was just out of the money, beaten a short head out of sixth place in the Wokingham, so they have all run really well.”

He added: “We will have a think about where we go with Breege. Mr Wagyu might go back to Ireland for the race he won there last year (Paddy Power Scurry Handicap, Curragh, July 22) then onto the Stewards’ Cup (Goodwood, August 5) – that’s the way we are thinking with them.”

Andy Murray will warm up for Wimbledon with a match against rising star Holger Rune at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at Hurlingham on Wednesday.

The two-time former Wimbledon champion has opted for some extra match play following his first-round exit to Alex De Minaur at Queen’s Club last week.

World number six Rune, 20, reached the semi-finals of the cinch Championships before also losing to De Minaur and should provide strong opposition for Murray at the exhibition event.

Hurlingham frequently attracts the world’s best players and will also host world number one Carlos Alcaraz, top British player Cameron Norrie and defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.

The Serbian, who will bid to equal Roger Federer’s tally of eight titles at the All England Club, faces exciting American star Frances Tiafoe on Thursday.

England have been left with a mountain to climb to regain the Women’s Ashes after Australia seized the upper hand in the multi-format series by triumphing in the lone Test.

Resuming on 116 for five in pursuit of 268 on a final day where Trent Bridge threw open its gates free of charge, England subsided to 178 all out inside 90 minutes despite a defiant 54 from Danni Wyatt.

Wily off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner’s eight for 66 saw her walk away with a 12-wicket match haul as Australia claimed an 89-run victory to collect four all-important points ahead of the ODIs and T20s.

If England are to retrieve the urn for the first time since 2015 they will have to prevail in five of the six white-ball contests against the ODI and T20 world champions, with two points per win on offer.

Celtic are continuing to pursue targets in Asia following the departure of Ange Postecoglou but a move for South Korean midfielder Yang Hyun-jun appears to be in the balance.

Yang has been quoted in the South Korean media as saying that he wants to sign for Celtic this summer but his club, Gangwon, would rather wait until the end of their season, which finishes in October.

Gangwon sit 11th in the 12-team K-League 1 and would face a relegation play-off if they remain there.

The player’s representatives earlier claimed Yang had been promised he would get the chance to move if a European club came in for him and was frustrated at the club’s stance.

Celtic have achieved success over the past two seasons by recruiting in Asia, with Kyogo Furuhashi named PFA Scotland and Scottish Football Writers’ player of the year last term.

The striker was joined by several Japanese colleagues including Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Tomoki Iwata after Postecoglou arrived from Yokahama F Marinos two years ago. Celtic also signed South Korea striker Oh Hyeon-gyu in January.

New manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to continue the successful recruitment tactic along with the club’s head of scouting and recruitment, Mark Lawwell.

Quoted in several newspapers, Rodgers said: “Over the course of our discussions I’ve seen the market we’re in and how well the recruitment has gone.

“Mark Lawwell has this pipeline of players that are available and I think what he’s done since he’s come in has been really impressive – and the markets he’s been able to tap into. That will continue. That’s where the club is at.

“In terms of recruitment I am the one that knows how I want the team to play and I have to be involved in those discussions. And I will be. Some of those markets haven’t been as readily available to some clubs, that’s something Mark has brought with him in his roles.

“I’m thinking of the Japanese market, the Korean market, Australia and out into Asia. These were players that were untapped and you’re now seeing other clubs trying to tap into that.”

Frankie Dettori will extend his farewell tour to encompass the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November.

The rider will retire at the end of the year and after a fine Royal Ascot meeting that saw him win four races including the Gold Cup, Dettori has confirmed his intention to compete at Flemington in the autumn.

On what will be the 30th anniversary of his Melbourne Cup debut aboard Drum Taps, Dettori plans to be in action at Flemington on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day (November 7), Kennedy Oaks day (November 9) and TAB Champions Stakes day (November 11).

Dettori has come close to Melbourne Cup glory in the past, finishing second aboard Central Park in 1999 and Max Dynamite in 2015, with Master Of Reality coming home second in 2019 before being demoted to fourth.

He said: “I have achieved all there is to achieve in horse racing and have had a fantastic career, but the Melbourne Cup has always been one race that I would love to win.

“I am looking forward to returning to Melbourne to ride at the carnival for one final time and hopefully I can finish my career with a Melbourne Cup win.”

Victoria Racing Club (VRC) chief executive officer Steve Rosich is delighted Dettori will make one last trip to Australia for the spring racing highlight.

“Frankie Dettori is one of the best jockeys and personalities the sport has ever seen and the VRC look forward to giving him a fitting farewell at Flemington at the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” Rosich said.

“The Melbourne Cup is a race that jockeys across Australia and the world want to win, and this year will be no different. Preparations for this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival are well underway and racegoers can look forward to another week of world-class racing, hospitality and entertainment.”

Luka Modric has extended his contract with Real Madrid for another year.

The LaLiga club announced on Monday that Croatia playmaker Modric, 37, would remain with the Spanish giants until at least the end of June 2024.

Modric – who joined Real from Tottenham in 2012 and has gone on to win the Champions League five times as well as three LaLiga titles – would have been out of contract this summer and so could have left on a free transfer.

A statement from Real Madrid read: “Real Madrid and Luka Modric have agreed to extend the player’s contract, which remains linked to the club until June 30 2024.”

Modric – who helped Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final and won the Ballon d’Or that year – had been linked with following former team-mate Karim Benzema in making a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

Following the announcement of his new contract at Real Madrid, Modric wrote on Twitter: “Home Sweet Home. #Modric2024”.

Billy Vunipola has undergone a minor operation on his injured knee but expects to be fit for the Rugby World Cup.

The England forward remains with a 36-player squad named by head coach Steve Borthwick for their third World Cup training camp at The Lensbury Resort in south-west London.

“The medical team are positive about my prospects and I understand exactly what needs to be done over the next few weeks,” said Vunipola.

The line-up is the same as last week’s camp with the exception of Will Joseph and Beno Obano, who both miss out. Players from Gallagher Premiership finalists Sale and Saracens have not been included.

“I’m pleased with the progress that’s been made over the last two weeks and we look forward to another productive training camp at the Lensbury,” said Borthwick.

“There’s still a long way to go until we are ready for a World Cup but each day we take another step forward.”

Ollie Chessum, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ollie Lawrence and Jack Walker all remain with their team-mates as they continue their rehabilitation from injury.

England will take on Wales in Cardiff on August 5, with Borthwick due to name his 33-strong squad for the World Cup in France two days later.

Training squad:

Backs – H Arundell (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), F Dingwall (Northampton), T Freeman (Northampton), J Marchant (Harlequins), J May (Gloucester), A Mitchell (Northampton), C Murley (Harlequins), G Porter (Leicester), H Slade (Exeter), F Smith (Northampton), M Smith (Harlequins), F Steward (Leicester), J Van Poortvliet (Leicester), A Watson (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester).

Forwards – J Blamire (Newcastle), D Cole (Leicester), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), T Dunn (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), E Genge (Bristol), J Heyes (Leicester), T Hill (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), L Ludlam (Northampton), J Marler (Harlequins), G Martin (Leicester), Z Mercer (Montpellier), T Pearson (London Irish), V Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester), D Ribbans (Northampton), K Sinckler (Bristol), W Stuart (Bath), S Underhill (Bath).

Andy Murray revealed he has a plan for how he would like to retire from tennis but reassured fans it will not be for a while yet.

The two-time Wimbledon champion turned 36 in May and is continuing to defy expectations of what can be achieved with a metal hip.

While Novak Djokovic is as dominant as ever, Murray has seen one of his other big rivals, Roger Federer, bow out, and Rafael Nadal announced his intention to call it a day after a final tilt next year.

Murray had a taste of retirement during his battle to recover from his hip problems, and he told the PA news agency: “That’s an experience I went through where I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play again.

“So I certainly don’t want to put myself in that position – I want to finish my career on the tennis court. It’s something I have an idea about when it is I would like to stop and a plan for that – certainly nothing immediate.”

Murray does not see himself playing a farewell tour like Nadal intends to do and admired the way Federer bowed out in emotional scenes at the Laver Cup last autumn.

“It was a great way for him to finish,” said the Scot. “I don’t think there’s a special or particular way or right way of doing it, just so long as the individual’s happy with that, and hopefully you get the chance to do that on the tennis court rather than it being through an injury or anything else.”

Murray still has ambitions on the court, including what he hopes can be another strong run at Wimbledon.

He looks set to fall just short of his aim of being seeded at the All England Club so will be keeping his fingers crossed for a kind draw.

With Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper injured, Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans are the only other direct British entrants into the main singles draws this year, although 10 players have been given wild cards.

Negative headlines around the absence of British women at the French Open have been mitigated to an extent by success on the grass, with Katie Boulter winning the WTA title in Nottingham to return to the top 100.

“Is it disappointing? It’s always a difficult one to know what British tennis should be expecting, or what should be considered success,” Murray said.

“Because, in the last 10 years, I’ve won some grand slams and Emma Raducanu obviously won a grand slam on the women’s side.

“That hadn’t been the case for, I don’t know, 70 years on the men’s side, and I think it was 40 years on the women’s side – so that’s a big improvement.

“People will want more – more players competing at the top of the game. I would obviously like to see more but hopefully that will change in the next few years.”

Murray returns as an American Express ambassador this summer to help tennis fans make unforgettable memories at the Amex Fan Experience onsite at The Championships, Wimbledon. To find out more, visit wimbledon.com/americanexpress

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have expanded their sporting portfolio by investing in Formula One team Alpine Racing.

The Hollywood stars and co-owners of Wrexham are part of a 200million dollar (approximately £157million) investment, representing a 24 per cent stake in the team, who sit fifth in the constructors’ championship.

Reynolds’ Maximum Effort production company has teamed up with Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners, with fellow actor Michael B. Jordan also among the investors.

Reynolds and McElhenney have earned widespread praise for their approach to Wrexham, frequently attending games and promoting the whole town.

The news was announced by Alpine’s parent company Renault, and James Toney, co-founder of Maximum Effort Investments with Reynolds, said on renaultgroup.com: “Maximum Effort Investments focuses on unlocking value through the power of storytelling, and we believe there is tremendous untapped potential in Alpine Racing.

“We are eager to help shine a light on this incredible team. We’re thankful to our partners at Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners and look forward to diving in with them, as well as our co-investors Michael B. Jordan and Rob McElhenney.”

Since the Renault team was rebranded as Alpine in 2021, they have managed one victory and three podium finishes, with Esteban Ocon coming third in Monaco this season.

Ocon currently sits ninth in the drivers’ championship, with his team-mate Pierre Gasly one place further back.

Is British women’s tennis in the doldrums or on the up?

The doom and gloom surrounding the complete absence of British players from the women’s singles draw at the French Open has given way to a raft of positive results on grass.

Katie Boulter defeated Jodie Burrage to win her first WTA title in Nottingham in the first all-British tour final since the 1970s while there have also been encouraging performances from Harriet Dart, Heather Watson and Katie Swan.

A post shared by Katie Boulter (@katiecboulter)

Boulter’s title has lifted her back into the top 100, which also doubles as the rough cut-off for entry into grand slams, but the 26-year-old believes a bigger-picture view is needed.

“I think we put a lot of emphasis on being ranked inside 100 and I’m not entirely sure if I personally agree with it,” she said.

“I think we need to continually look at the amount of players we have coming through and stay positive. Because, if we go down the negative route, we can always find something.

“Each and every one of these girls can be inside 100. I think we should be asking questions if we don’t have anyone who can be.

“These girls are getting wins against top-100 players but everyone’s individual and they have to work on what they need to do. I’ve got a lot of work to do inside or outside the top 100.”

It has been 40 years since Britain had anything approaching strength in depth, and the sport is far more global now than it was then.

While the men appear to be doing better – with four players in the top 100 and consistent performers in Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans – there are actually six British women in the top 150 compared to five men.

And four of the top five women are aged 26 or under, whereas that is only the case for one man – 21-year-old Jack Draper, who will miss Wimbledon with the latest in a series of injuries.

The British women have mostly been rivals since their junior days and the hope, along with a strong return from injury for Emma Raducanu, must be that they can push each other up the rankings.

Boulter certainly sees it that way, saying: “It means everything for all of us. I think that’s why we’re such a good group of girls because we keep pushing each other on. I hope we can continually do that. I think there’s a lot more to come for all of us.”

Dart looked to have broken clear of her peers last year when she moved into the top 100 but this year had been a struggle prior to the grass season, with the 26-year-old plummeting down the rankings.

She has found form and confidence at home, reaching the quarter-finals in Nottingham – where tension at the net after she lost to Boulter took the headlines – and Birmingham.

Asked about the rivalry between the British women, Dart said: “We’re all on our different journeys. I’ve had a bit of a dip in form. Last year was a good year for me. I’m trying to regain that form.

“I don’t see myself in competition with anyone else, just myself. It definitely shows me that my level is there. I’ve just got to, week in, week out, keep putting it out there. The grass season is so short and the most important thing is the whole year.”

Dart is right not to focus too much on grass-court results because, while clay probably gives an overly negative impression of the state of the British game, the reverse is true for grass, which a lot of players from other countries are inexperienced and uncomfortable on.

The 26-year-old, meanwhile, revealed that she is still searching for a permanent coach after a trial with Frenchman Morgan Bourbon did not work out.

A post shared by Harriet Dart (@harriet_dart)

Dart, who split from Nigel Sears last year, is working with Colin Beecher on the grass while his regular charge Kyle Edmund continues to recover from a wrist injury.

Edmund’s dreadful luck unfortunately shows no sign of improving, with the 28-year-old finally back on court after years of knee trouble only to suffer a separate problem just before the French Open.

Dart said: “I’ve been really fortunate that Colin has been able to have the time to do this grass-court season with me. It’s been really tough on Kyle with his injuries but I’m really grateful that he allowed him to come and work with me.

“I’m back to square one. For sure I’m looking for someone long term so I can get that consistency. It’s very challenging, to say the least.

“There’s not that many people out there, a lot of people are taken and are in long-term partnerships. But I’ll keep looking and you never know, sometimes post-Wimbledon people can become available.”

This year’s Wimbledon Championships marks the 50th anniversary of a dispute which saw 81 male players boycott the tournament and changed tennis forever.

Top stars including defending champion Stan Smith, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe and Ken Rosewall stunned the sporting world by turning their backs on the most gilded event in tennis.

The build-up to the Championships was dominated by the ‘will they, won’t they’ saga, but the pervading opinion of the authorities was that there was no chance the players would sacrifice playing at Wimbledon. They were wrong.

“It was huge, huge,” recalls tennis historian Richard Evans. “It was the front-page lead in every newspaper in Britain for five days. The game would never be the same again.”

As with many more notable and bloodier conflicts in living memory, this one was sparked by a relatively minor dispute in eastern Europe.

But tensions between the warring factions – the players who had turned professional five years earlier, and the still amateur tennis federations administrating them – had been simmering for some time.

Those tensions boiled over when Yugoslavian player Nikki Pilic was banned by his country’s tennis federation – of which his uncle, General Dusan Kovac, was the president – for refusing to play in a Davis Cup match.

The recently formed players’ union, the ATP, duly threatened to boycott Wimbledon in support of one of its members, unless the ban was lifted.

“He came along at just the appropriate moment,” Evans said. “It was the classic situation of an amateur federation president demanding a player play Davis Cup when that player, who was a professional, had already signed a contract to appear in a doubles tournament in Montreal.

“His uncle got so angry he banned him for nine months. Then the International Lawn Tennis Federation (now the ITF) banned him for six weeks, knowing full well it would take him right into the middle of Wimbledon.”

The ATP board, comprising Smith, Ashe and fellow American player Jim McManus, Britons Mark Cox and John Barrett, chief executive Jack Kramer and president Cliff Drysdale, met in the basement of the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair to vote on whether to boycott, the day before the Wimbledon draw was due to be made.

Drysdale had canvassed the opinions of players at the recent tournaments in Rome and Paris – and to his surprise, found the mood to be mutinous.

“The media were sitting on the hotel steps, about 12 of us, waiting for the decision,” Evans said. “By then Cliff had been to Westminster to talk to the minister of sport and there had also been an injunction. It was all happening.

“But eventually they came down on the Thursday night to break off. Then they slept on it. The Wimbledon draw was being made on the Friday morning and the players were there practising.”

Cox and Barrett – staying loyal to Wimbledon – and Smith voted not to boycott but Ashe, McManus and Kramer voted for.

Drysdale therefore had the casting vote and he abstained.

“Jack said afterwards ‘I nearly fell off my chair, what a politician the guy is’,” added Evans. “Because Cliff was in a terrible situation. He knew if he voted to boycott it would all be on him and if he voted not to boycott it would be the end of the association.

“John Newcombe had phoned Jack in the middle of the night and said ‘if you don’t boycott, I’m out’. It would have started a whole run and people would have left the association.

“But by abstaining the vote remained 3-3 and (under ATP rules) the motion was carried. The decision to boycott was phoned through to referee Captain Mike Gibson, who had just done the draw and had to rip it up because 81 players had quit on him.”

The rebel players were branded ‘money grabbers’ by the press, but there was far more to it than that.

“The media got it wrong,” said Evans. “The sports editors were faced with ‘who’s the bad guy, who’s the good guy?’. And the bad guy couldn’t be Wimbledon.

“Therefore the players had to be the bad guys, which was very difficult because Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe, John Newcombe, they were hugely popular sporting stars.

“So they settled on poor old Jack Kramer and made him the bad guy. He was supposedly leading the players.

“But it wasn’t about money. It was about detaching themselves from the stranglehold of the LTA and the ILTF, as it was then. The players finally said ‘we are not going to put up with amateurs telling us, professionals, how to run our lives’.”

Wimbledon had to hastily put together a new field comprising mainly eastern Europeans, whose federations did not allow them to be ATP members, and young players – including a 17-year-old Bjorn Borg – who were not yet contracted.

Three ATP members broke ranks; British number one Roger Taylor, Romanian Ilie Nastase (a divisive figure at the best of times and who claimed his federation made him play), and Australian Ray Kelbie, because he said he could not afford not to play.

“Roger Taylor was in a terrible position, because he was the number one, the big man in British tennis,” Evans said.

“But his father was a Sheffield steelworker and union man. And he was telling his son ‘you can’t be a scab’. But the media and the public were saying ‘Roger, you’ve got to play’.

“Eventually he played, lost in the semi-finals and wasn’t very popular in the locker room for a long time.”

As a footnote to an extraordinary episode in world sport, the name that graces the champions’ wall inside Centre Court – and pub quizzes to this day – is Czech Jan Kodes, who beat Russia’s Alex Metreveli in three sets for the title.