Wales centre Mason Grady has a tough family act to follow at his first Rugby World Cup.

To gain selection for rugby union’s global spectacular just five months after your 21st birthday is no mean feat.

But Grady’s brother Cory Allen holds World Cup bragging rights, given that he scored a hat-trick of tries on his tournament debut.

It was eight years ago in Cardiff that former centre Allen made a mark, scoring three tries in 21 minutes during Wales’ 54-9 World Cup victory over Uruguay.

Allen, who won six Test caps, played no further part in the tournament, though, after suffering a serious hamstring injury during the second half.

His team-mates that day included current Wales World Cup squad members Liam Williams, Gareth Davies, Tomas Francis and Dan Lydiate.

“He is averaging three tries a game at the World Cup, which is the best of any player at the tournament,” Grady said.

“I have got a lot of catching up to do there.

“Luckily, it was a home World Cup so I went to every game. He only played in the Uruguay game then did his hamstring, so I only watched him for about 55 minutes.

“It was crazy. He didn’t play in any of the warm-up games so we thought ‘unlucky, maybe the next World Cup’, but he then got selected and scored a hat-trick. It was nuts.

“Now he has retired he gives me a lot more advice after games. He will just ring me and tell me what I can do better and what I’ve done well.”

Grady’s family pedigree is an impressive one – and not just on the rugby pitch.

His mother Julie had a 20-year basketball career, representing Wales and the Rhondda Rebels club side, while brother Ashton is also a basketball international and Grady himself featured for Wales Under-16s in the sport.

But rugby soon took centre-stage, with Grady making his Cardiff debut at the age of 17, winning Wales Under-20 honours and then making his senior Wales bow against England during last season’s Guinness Six Nations.

World Cup selection followed as one of four centres alongside George North, Nick Tompkins and Johnny Williams, and at 6ft 5in and more than 17 stones, he offers a considerable physical presence in midfield or on the wing.

Grady added: “It is very surreal. To think I was playing under-20s rugby last year – it’s pretty nuts.

“I take it all in my stride and just take it game by game. We just look forward to what is ahead.

“During the Six Nations I was a bit nervous coming in (to the squad) and trying not to make any mistakes. I am a lot more confident now.”

The Wales players were due to leave Cardiff for France on Sunday and their pool-stage training base of Versailles.

Wales’ opening Pool C fixture is against Fiji in Bordeaux next Sunday. It will be a fifth-successive World Cup for the countries to meet.

Wales then face Portugal in Nice before heading to Lyon for an appointment with Australia. Their final group game sees them meeting Georgia in Nantes on October 7.

Nashwa is set to throw her hat into the ring for next weekend’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes following a pleasing workout in Newmarket on Saturday morning.

Having secured her third Group One victory with a dominant performance in the Falmouth at Newmarket in mid-July, John and Thady Gosden’s filly has since finished third in the Nassau at Goodwood and second in the Juddmonte International at York.

She now looks set to take on the boys once more at Leopardstown, with dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin and King Edward VII Stakes winner and King George third King Of Steel among her potential rivals.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Nashwa’s owner Imad Al Sagar, said: “We are positive, she did a nice little bit with Hollie solo on the Limekilns yesterday morning and everyone’s very happy.

“It seems the right spot to go for. She’s come out of York very well and Imad’s excited about going to Leopardstown next weekend.

“She’s in great shape and we’re looking forward to it.”

Ralph Beckett looks set to saddle Lezoo rather than stablemate Kinross in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The Kimpton Down handler has his string in excellent form at present, highlighted by his big-race treble last weekend courtesy of Kinross at York, Angel Bleu at Goodwood and Lezoo at Newmarket.

Lezoo notched her first victory since landing last season’s Cheveley Park in the Listed Hopeful Stakes on the July Course and is being readied for a return to Group One level on Merseyside.

The prolific Kinross also has the option of heading for Haydock following his City of York Stakes success, but Beckett expects conditions to be against him.

“Lezoo will go to Haydock for the Sprint Cup as it doesn’t matter what the ground is. I don’t know who will ride her yet and we will find that out in the coming days,” said the trainer.

“It depends on the weather for Kinross as he won’t run unless it is good or softer. I’m not going to run him over six furlongs on quick ground at Haydock Park as that won’t play to his strengths.

“My best guess is that he won’t run, but we will probably leave him in on Monday.”

Reflecting on Lezoo’s recent return to winning ways, Beckett added: “It was nice to see because when they dance as many dances as she did last year, it is tough to get them to do it again. 

“Things then didn’t go well in the spring and mid-summer. Timeform thought she ran to a mark of 110 and that is good whatever way you look at it. To make her a Stakes winner at three was good as well. 

“I don’t know how it will pan out now but having won a Listed race, it makes sense to go back to a Group One on a track that will play to the strengths of her, and we will go from there.

“She has never been a good work filly. She has never won a gallop. She has never gone through and worked really well, so you are going through all the time having to second guess her. 

“If we get beat, we get beat, but it is more that this is the right race for her. If she was to go and finish in the first four, that would be great as well.”

Sir Mo Farah bade farewell to racing in London after finishing fourth in his penultimate race at the Big Half on Sunday.

Farah’s last results saw him finish eighth in the Great Manchester Run 10K in May and ninth in the London Marathon the previous month.

The Big Half was Farah’s last race in London, with the final race of his career taking place at the Great North Run on Tyneside next weekend.

Jack Rowe came first in the elite men’s race with a time of 01:01:08, narrowly edging out fellow Briton Mahamed Mahamed who finished in 01:01:16.

Andrew Butchart was next to cross the line before Farah finished with a time of 01:02:43.

Calli Thackery finished first in the women’s elite race, with David Weir earning the top spot in the wheelchair race.

Issy Wong has been backed to return to her best with the help of England bowling coach Matt Mason after struggling on her first international appearance of the summer.

Wong was recalled by England skipper Heather Knight for Saturday’s second T20 in the three-match series with Sri Lanka at Chelmsford and while she contributed towards a 33-run partnership with Charlie Dean, she experienced difficulties with the ball.

Three no-balls were sent down during Wong’s first over and she finished with figures of nought for 24 off two overs with Sri Lanka chasing down a target of 105 with 40 deliveries to spare.

Knight, after facing several questions post-match about the selection of the 21-year-old, said: “Matt Mason is working pretty closely with Issy around getting her back to where we know she can be.

“We wanted to get a bit of context around where she is at and Issy wanted some context around where she is at in terms of us playing her.

“She had a couple of really good training sessions and felt in a really good place but she is learning. She has obviously struggled for rhythm this summer and my role is to keep backing her.

“We know what sort of cricketer she can be, which is why we have backed her when she has been struggling.

“Yeah, a tough day and sometimes when you are exposed to it in that pressure situation it can make it tough, but she is a pretty resilient character. She is a positive person so I don’t think it will affect her too much.”

Wong has been conspicuous by her absence all summer throughout an enthralling Women’s Ashes where she sat out all seven matches of the multi-format series.

She initially burst onto the international scene last summer following an exciting 12 months where she caught the eye in the 2021 edition of The Hundred before starring in the Women’s Big Bash later that year.

It led to key roles in England’s unsuccessful pursuit of gold at the home Commonwealth Games along with appearances in all formats for her country during 2022, but despite taking a hat-trick in the inaugural Women’s Premier League in India, she has largely carried the drinks in recent months.

Wong was even used sparingly by Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred in August and her showing at Chelmsford highlighted her struggles after she overstepped three times during a 10-ball first over while a surprise return into the attack later resulted in a second over littered with poor deliveries.

Knight, who hinted at Wong receiving unhelpful advice on the domestic scene, revealed England’s plan of action for the fast bowler following Saturday’s humbling defeat in Essex.

 

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“She has been given five balls at a time in The Hundred and hasn’t had a chance to come back from spells. I guess that’s probably put a lot of pressure on her starting and how she starts,” Knight pointed out.

“As a captain, I am always someone that wants to back players and bring them in. We played her to get some context over where she is at and I wanted to bowl her again.

“I think she has been struggling a little bit for rhythm all summer and then she’s been trying a few things, listening to a lot of different voices, which has probably led to her run-up issues because she didn’t really have those earlier in the summer.

“Issy does have a clear plan over the next month about what she will do with Matt Mason, who is an outstanding bowling coach. They will work very closely to try get Issy to a place where she needs to be.”

Ange Postecoglou believes Brennan Johnson can take a step up after completing a £45million move to Tottenham before Friday’s transfer deadline.

Spurs have reinvested some of the money received from Bayern Munich for Harry Kane on the 22-year-old Wales international, who scored eight goals and provided three assists to help Nottingham Forest avoid relegation last season.

Johnson was not registered in time to feature in Saturday’s 5-2 thrashing of Burnley at Turf Moor, but his arrival should add another dimension to a Tottenham side who were inspired by Son Heung-min’s hat-trick and could have scored even more in an exciting attacking display.

“He’s just another exciting young player. He’s a real threat in the front third, he’s different from what we’ve already got, he’s young and ambitious,” Postecoglou said. “It’s no secret that’s the model for me.

“It’s just as much about the person as well as the footballer, and looking at him he’s going to fit in really well with this group. He’s ambitious and hungry and wants to take his game to the next level.

“The technical and the physical attributes he has, he should fit in really well.”

Johnson was the ninth signing of a busy window for Tottenham, who spent more than £200million to reshape the squad in Postecoglou’s style.

But the Australian said it was just the start and that there is more work that he wants to do in the market in future windows.

“When you look at the team we have now, we virtually changed half the starting line up, the way we train, the way we coach,” he said. “The rebuild was never going to be one window.”

Spurs had fallen behind to an early Lyle Foster strike at Burnley but Son levelled in the 16th minute and they ruthlessly punished defensive mistakes from the hosts as Cristian Romero got a second in first-half stoppage time and James Maddison added a third early in the second half.

Son then scored twice in four minutes just after the hour to complete his hat-trick before Spurs took their foot off the pedal, with Josh Brownhill getting a stoppage-time consolation for the Clarets.

The defeat means Burnley have suffered three consecutive home defeats to begin life back in the top flight, conceding 11 goals in losses to Manchester City, Aston Villa and Spurs.

Vincent Kompany will now use the international break to pick the bones out of what has gone wrong for his side, but remains bullish that their methods will come good.

“During my career I’ve not just been a good leader or captain because of the good times,” the four-time Premier League winner said.

“It is easy to be a good captain or leader then, it is at these times I feel most confident in what you need to do to get better. You need to analyse what needs to get better and decide what the next step is.

“We will do everything we can to avoid defeat but it is at these moments you learn most about your team’s character.”

Eddie Howe admits defeat at Brighton is a warning Newcastle cannot allow their Champions League adventure to distract from the “ruthless” Premier League.

The Magpies are back in the group stage of European football’s premier competition for the first time in 20 years and travelled to the Amex Stadium having been drawn to face heavyweights AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Borussia Dortmund.

But anticipation of those upcoming fixtures was swiftly tempered by a third successive top-flight loss as a hat-trick from 18-year-old Evan Ferguson earned the Seagulls a 3-1 success.

Manager Howe, whose side were beaten 2-1 at home by 10-man Liverpool last weekend following a 1-0 defeat at Manchester City, accepts responsibility for the mini slump but insists he will not over-react.

“It’s never been lost on me how difficult the Premier League is,” he said.

“I know how tough a league it is, it’s ruthless, so if you get your focus swayed, you’re going to have big problems – I don’t think our focus has been.

“We’ve tried to very much concentrate on our next match, that will always be our focus and we’re determined to be successful in the league this year and win as many games as possible.

“But we know the demands placed upon us are going to be extreme so this is a warning, I think, that we can’t be swayed and the Premier League is a very tough division.

“We’ve lost three in a row and we have to take responsibility for that. It’s important that I don’t over-react.”

Newcastle had the better of the early chances on the south coast but fell behind to Ferguson’s 27th-minute opener following defensive errors.

The Republic of Ireland striker doubled his tally with a stunning long-range effort before becoming only the fourth teenager to register a Premier League treble thanks to an effort which deflected in off Fabian Schar.

Howe, who revealed sidelined midfielder Joe Willock will be out for a further six weeks after his hamstring issue was compounded by a fresh Achilles problem, is itching for a swift return to action going into a two-week international break.

“I’d like a game pretty quickly, if I could,” said Howe, whose team host Brentford on September 17.

“We have some great games to come and we’re looking forward to that challenge.

“I think the challenge to me is to lift everybody and keep our confidence levels because we are a very good team and we have to always have that in the back of our minds as we go into the next two weeks.

“The lads are very disappointed. Collectively we’ve got an outstanding group of individuals, great mentalities and we know what we’ve got to do.”

Ferguson’s first senior hat-trick, which was followed by Callum Wilson’s consolation, was the third in the Premier League on Saturday after trebles for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Tottenham forward Son Heung-min.

“It’s a good day,” he told Brighton’s website. “It’s an unbelievable feeling.

“It’s not bad company to be in; Haaland’s record last season (52 City goals in all competitions) and Son’s been doing it for a number of years, so it’s good company to be in.”

Ahead of kick-off, the Seagulls paraded 20-year Spain forward Ansu Fati following his deadline-day loan switch from Barcelona.

“He’s going to be great for the squad, especially as competition,” said Ferguson.

“It’s tough up that area of the pitch and he’s going to be another one chucked in there and I reckon he’ll be very good for it.”

Andre Agassi retired from tennis after being knocked out of the US Open by Benjamin Becker, on this day in 2006.

It brought a career which lasted two decades and yielded eight grand-slam titles to an end – but only after an applause which reduced the American to tears on multiple occasions.

The two-time winner at Flushing Meadows had announced the tournament in New York would be his last following his Wimbledon exit in June, with extreme back pain causing the former world number one intense discomfort whenever he was on the court.

Agassi managed to make it through to the third round after gruelling victories over Andrei Pavel and Marcos Baghdatis before big-serving Becker brought his career to an end with a 7-5 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-5 win.

What followed from the spectators inside Arthur Ashe Stadium was a lengthy standing ovation for the home favourite before he wiped away the tears to deliver an emotional retirement speech.

“The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what I found,” Agassi said in his on-court interview to the crowd.

“Over the last 21 years I have found loyalty. You have pulled me through on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration, you have willed me to exceed and sometimes in my lowest moments.

“And I have found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams – dreams I could have never reached without you.

“Over the last 21 years I have found you and I will thank you and take the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.”

Agassi bowed out of the sport 10 years after he claimed Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996, another honour on his CV along with his eight major titles.

The first occurred at Wimbledon in 1992, two years after he had started to fulfil his potential with success at the end-of-season Masters Cup, before a maiden US Open title followed in 1994.

Agassi sealed the first of four Australian Open triumphs in 1995 and clinched a career Grand Slam when he completed a remarkable comeback to win at Roland Garros in 1999, having dropped to 141 in the rankings 18 months earlier due to factors including a failed drugs test and a problematic ankle injury.

Following his retirement, Agassi has raised money for children in Southern Nevada through his foundation, while residing in the state with wife Steffi Graf – who won 22 grand slams – and their children Jaden and Jaz.

Orlando Arcia drilled a three-run homer in the 10th inning and the Atlanta Braves won their sixth straight game, 4-1 over the Los Angeles Dodgers in a matchup of the National League’s best teams.

With the initial runner at second, Alex Vesia got the first two outs of the 10th but walked Sean Murphy before Arcia sent a first-pitch fastball over the left-centre field wall for his 17th home run and a 4-1 lead.

Max Muncy had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th, but Raisel Iglesias struck out Amed Rosario with a runner on for his 28th save.

Major league-leading Atlanta has won the first three games of this much-anticipated series, becoming the first team to reach 90 victories.

The Braves are cruising to their sixth straight NL East title with a 16-game lead over Philadelphia.

Ronald Acuna Jr. opened the scoring in the third inning with his third home run of this series and 32nd of the season.

The Dodgers got the run back in the bottom half when Austin Barnes doubled, moved to third on two walks and scored on a double-play grounder.

Bryce Elder pitched six innings for the Braves and allowed one run and five hits.

Joe Jimenez, A.J. Minter and Michael Tonkin each pitched one hitless inning before Iglesias took over in the 10th.

 

Reds rally to walk-off Cubs again

Elly De La Cruz delivered a tying single and newcomer Hunter Renfroe beat out a double-play ball as the Cincinnati Reds rallied for their second straight walk-off win, 2-1 over the Chicago Cubs.

Chicago took a 1-0 lead to the ninth after a brilliant eight-inning performance from Javier Assad but Cincinnati scored twice in the ninth to win.

Jake Fraley opened the inning with a double off Mark Leiter Jr. and pinch-runner Harrison Bader stole third. After TJ Friedl walked and Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch, De Le Cruz’s hit tied it.

Nick Martini flied out to keep the bases loaded and Renfroe – claimed off waivers from the Angels earlier this week – hit a grounder to short and barely beat the throw to first, allowing the winning run to score.

 

Guardians score 2 in 11th to rally past Rays

Steven Kwan had a sacrifice fly and after a key hit by rookie Jose Tena and the Cleveland Guardians rallied for their fourth straight win, 7-6 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brandon Lowe gave the Rays a one-run lead in the top of the 11th with a sacrifice fly, but Chris Devenski was unable to protect it in his first appearance with the team.

With one out, Myles Straw stole third and Bo Naylor walked to put runners at the corners. Tena’s single to right tied the game and moved Naylor to third before Kwan’s fly ball to shallow right-centre scored the winning run.

The loss dropped the Rays 2 ½ games behind AL East-leading Baltimore, while the Guardians remained five games in back of Minnesota in the Central.

Thomas Frank credited his “fantastic” Brentford side after Bryan Mbeumo’s late equaliser against Bournemouth earned a 2-2 draw in the Premier League.

Mbeumo’s fourth of the season cancelled out goals from Dominic Solanke and David Brooks after Mathias Jensen took the lead for Brentford in the first half.

And Frank praised his team’s second-half display which saw them extend their unbeaten start to the season.

“First half we were good but second half we were fantastic,” Frank said. “I think we ran over Bournemouth in the second half and we created chance after chance.

“I would love to have 10 points (Brentford have six) and I think we could easily say we deserve to have more, but it’s up to others to discuss if we should have eight or 10.

“I think we had a chance to win all three draws at home (Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth), the Tottenham and Crystal Palace games were tight but it was clear we should have won them and we have to keep going.”

Cherries boss Andoni Iraola admitted Brentford’s late goal hurt as his side searched for their first win of the season.

And the Spaniard revealed his side rued a series of mistakes which led to Mbeumo’s goal.

“The worst thing for us is the way we concede the goal,” Iraola added.

“It comes from our own goal-kick and we made two or three mistakes because we were probably not at our best but we have have to know how to finish the games because we had run a lot and (played) good stretches of football.

“To lose it in this way hurts.

“In set-pieces they have very good players and we needed maximum help in the duels and the crosses we received in the last minutes but it didn’t work as we conceded the second goal.

Iraola highlighted that Bournemouth suffered out of possession in the lead up to the final goal.

He said: “The game was a little bit territorial and the advantage was very important because we were suffering when they were playing in our half and they had set-pieces like corners, free-kicks.

“Whenever the game was in their half I think we were playing better, we were more in control of the situation and so at the end they had nothing to lose and put more bodies up front and closed with three defenders.

“We tried to defend the long balls, crosses and throw ins better because sometimes you have to suffer to win the games and be compact.”

Jack Draper is the last Brit standing at the US Open after reaching the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time.

The 21-year-old, an impressive 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 winner against tricky American Michael Mmoh, will face eighth seed Andriy Rublev in the last 16.

But Cameron Norrie bowed out along with Dan Evans – who gave Carlos Alcaraz a serious work-out before losing in four sets – and Katie Boulter.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at day 6 at the US Open

Pic of the dayShot of the day

Probably shot of the tournament. Any tournament.

Match of the day

Evans’ showdown with Alcaraz inside Arthur Ashe Stadium took a little time to warm up, but once it got going it was a joy to watch. The defending champion had to dip into his armoury of explosive winners to finally see off the British number two 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Brit watch

Draper laid a few ghosts to rest with his win in the Grandstand Stadium.

It was the same court upon which, a year earlier, Draper suffered a hamstring injury which forced him to retire from his match with Karen Khachanov.

He said: “I was thinking that on the court today it’s like Groundhog Day out there. I think it was exactly one year on.

“To come here a year on, despite maybe my ranking having dropped a fair bit because of the injuries and not being able to be on the same confidence level that I was last year, you know, I’m incredibly proud of that and hopefully I can keep going this week.”

Boulter was beaten 6-4 6-3 by 21-year-old American Peyton Stearns and Norrie lost a disappointing match in three sets to Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

Quote of the dayFallen seeds

Women: Liudmila Samsonova (14), Elina Svitolina (26), Marie Bouzkova (31)
Men: Cameron Norrie (16), Grigor Dimitrov (19), Nicolas Jarry (23), Dan Evans (26).

Who’s up next?

The fourth round gets under way with a tasty tie between teenager Coco Gauff and 33-year-old mother of two Caroline Wozniacki. Iga Swiatek faces Jelena Ostapenko and Novak Djokovic takes on Croatian quailfier Borna Gojo.

British number one Katie Boulter’s run at the US Open was ended in the third round by Peyton Stearns.

The 27-year-old from Leicester picked up two fine wins in her opening two matches, but American world number 59 Stearns proved too strong on a breezy Court 17.

Boulter was gunning for revenge having lost to Stearns across three tie-breaks and three-and-half hours in Texas in February.

But this was never as close a match despite Boulter clawing back an early break in the first set.

Holding serve was becoming an arduous task and Stearns duly struck again to pinch the opener.

A solitary break in the second was enough to send Boulter packing as 21-year-old Stearns ran out a 6-4 6-3 winner.

Boulter can be proud of her efforts in New York, however, with a place in the world’s top 50 on the cards for the first time in her career.

Outsider Essential Quality burst the bubbles of her more favoured rivals, as she turned the third running of the Winston “Fanna” Griffiths Classic into a procession at Caymanas Park on Saturday.

Another levelheaded ride by jockey Raddesh Roman saw the Oral Hayden-owned and trained chestnut filly, proving the class of the three-year-old Graded Stakes contest in a gate-to-wire performance over 9-1/2 furlongs (1,900m) at long odds of 30-1.

With not much pace present in the race, the indication was that Fitzroy Glispie’s overwhelming 4-5 favourite Money Miser (Shamaree Muir) or stablemate Princess Sharon (Paul Francis) would have dictated terms on the headline, but the connections of Essential Quality had other ideas.

From the one draw in the nine-horse field, the Sensational Slam-Texas Missy progeny, was sent straight to the lead by Roman, with Princess Sharon and Burlap (Javaniel Patterson) in tow, as the flashed past the clubhouse turn and hit the backstretch.

At that point Money Miser, though more than five lengths behind, seemed fairly comfortable and poised to make a late strike when the leaders falter.

But that was not to be as Roman and Essential Quality quickened past the five-furlong mark and later opened up a gap on Burlap, who tried but failed to apply pressure on the leader leaving the half-mile.

From there, it was Essential Quality against the clock as the filly barely look winded when she straightened in the homestretch and even found when asked by Roman, who later eased up and stood tall in the saddle for the rest of the way.

She completed the distance in 2:03.0, after splits of 25.1, 49.4, 1:14.2 and 1:40.1.

Princess Sharon stayed on for second nine lengths behind, while Richie Rich (Reyan Lewis) and Money Miser (Shamaree Muir), both inevitably hit top stride but were a long way off the winner in third and fourth respectively.

The Ham Stables-bred Essential Quality in landing the lion’s share of the $3.75 million purse, registered her third career win in eight starts.

Meanwhile, trainer Peter-John Parsard and jockeys Tevin Foster, Phillip Parchment, and Reyan Lewis each had two winners on the 10-race card.

Parsard saddled Sunshine Cat (Oneil Mullings) in the seventh race and Rojorn Di Pilot (Omar Walker) in the 10th event.

Foster’s winners were the Michael Marlowe-conditioned Jack of Spades in the second race and Anthony Nunes’s Captain Calico in the fifth. Parchment won aboard Steven Todd’s Magical Mood in the third race and Traditional Boy for trainer Gordon Lewis in the sixth.

Lewis won the fourth race aboard Sensational Satin for trainer Byron Davis, and the eighth with Jason DaCosta’s Lion of Ekati.

Chris Eubank Jr stopped British rival Liam Smith in round 10 of their rematch to gain revenge for his defeat in January at the AO Arena in Manchester.

Smith, who beat Eubank in a fourth-round stoppage at the same venue in January, was twice knocked down before the referee stepped in to spare the Liverpudlian from further punishment.

Eubank produced a brilliant performance from the opening round, first sending Smith to the canvas in the fourth round and again in the 10th, as he secured the 34th win of his professional career.

“I had no other choice (but to beat Smith). There’s too many other big fights out there for me that the fans want to see, that I want to be involved in,” Eubank said in the ring after the bout.

“I had to beat Liam tonight. Liam is a warrior. I respect him, his team, his family and his brothers.

“They always come out and put it all on the line. He fought until the last second, so big up to Liam and his team.”

“I trained hard for that fight, I trained hard for this fight. The focus is always there. I dedicate my life to this sport.

“Now we’re onto bigger and better fights. There’s some big names out there. I see a few of these guys in the crowd. I’m coming for you.”

The rematch, twice rescheduled earlier this summer from June and then July, lived up to expectation, with Eubank overcoming a hostile reception having been booed when entering the arena.

Former two-time IBO super-middleweight champion Eubank began to take control in the second round, staying behind his jab.

He caught former WBO light-middleweight champion Smith in the third round and sent him to the floor for the first time with a fierce uppercut in the next.

Smith was controversially given an extended 30 seconds to recover after spitting out his mouthguard, but he came in for more punishment in the fifth as Eubank swarmed his man as he looked to settle the bout.

More head and body shots from Eubank in the seventh round hurt Smith, who was nursing an ankle issue, with replays suggesting he twisted it in the second round.

Eubank continued to fight with controlled aggression as the two fighters continually exchanged words at the end of rounds.

Smith was pushed backwards in the 10th and was sent sprawling to the canvas for the second time. He gamely continued, but was pinned against the ropes again and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Smith, sporting a deep cut above his right eye, said after the defeat: “Everything from start to finish (went wrong). I was just flat from the start.

“Chris was sharp. That’s all I can say about it really. I shout when I win, I take my defeats when I lose.”

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