Steve Evans hit out at the “shambolic” defending which cost Stevenage victory in their 2-2 draw with Carlisle.

Jamie Reid’s double looked set to give Boro three points, but Joe Garner’s last-gasp header rescued a point for the Cumbrians, for whom goalkeeper Jokull Andresson was in inspired form.

The result was enough to take Evans’ newly-promoted side a point clear at the summit, albeit having played a game more than the majority of the division, but the Boro boss was not in the mood to revel in the lofty position.

“I’ve got no interest in being top of League One,” he said. “We played really well, but we’ve given away two of the worst goals a team can concede and a team deserving of nothing get a share of the spoils.

“That dressing room is flat and they will stay flat because we need to learn. Individuals have to take responsibility when we praise them and also when we criticise because it’s two shambolic bits of defending.”

Reid gave the hosts the a 15th-minute lead, firing home after Carl Piergianni flicked on Dan Butler’s free-kick.

Parity was restored four minutes later when Sean Maguire tucked the ball home via a deflection and in the aftermath, Stevenage assistant Paul Raynor was booked for dissent.

Andresson produced fine saves from Jordan Roberts, Charlie McNeill and Reid before the break and the first chance of the second half saw Piergianni hit the bar.

Reid doubled his tally with 16 minutes to go before being denied a hat-trick by the Icelandic goalkeeper, whose saves proved vital as Garner struck at the death.

“Jamie Reid will take the plaudits because he’s scored two, but he could have had five or six,” Evans said. “That’s not the standards you need at this level to win the game.

“There will be no plaudits from me about being top of the league when people around us have games in hand, that means nothing to me that nonsense.”

Carlisle came up alongside Stevenage in League Two last season and United boss Paul Simpson hailed goalkeeper Andresson for his part in earning his side a hard-fought point.

“Jokull is outstanding,” he said. “He’s made some excellent saves and that’s why we’ve brought him in because he’s a shot-stopper.

“He hasn’t got the height of Tomas Holy and his kicking might not be as good, but the players have got confidence in him.

“When he makes saves like that, they have more confidence in him and you need to be confident in your goalkeeper.

“It’s important to have a group who are ready and prepared to do the ugly stuff. I think if we do the ugly stuff throughout the game, then we could be taking away three points.”

Rory McIlroy overcame a broken club and more drama on the 16th hole to surge into contention for a second Horizon Irish Open title at The K Club.

Eight shots behind at the halfway stage, McIlroy took full advantage of a stuttering display from the leaders to post a third round of 66 to reach 11 under par, two shots behind Germany’s Hurly Long.

Long, who is ranked 252nd in the world and without a top-25 finish this season, recorded a 70 to end the day 13 under, a shot ahead of England’s Jordan Smith.

The final group of Smith, Shubhankar Sharma and Ross Fisher were a combined nine over par for the front nine and six over par at the finish, Sharma and Fisher dropping into a six-way tie for fourth on 10 under.

McIlroy was already five under for the day when he stood over his second shot to the par-five 16th, where he holed out from 116 yards for an eagle on Friday and which he birdied in 2016 to kickstart his victory push.

It was a completely different story on Saturday, however, the four-time major winner pushing his second shot into the water and seeing his fourth from the drop zone hit a rock on the edge of the hazard but luckily bounce on to the putting surface.

McIlroy narrowly missed the long par attempt but responded superbly with birdies on the 17th and 18th, the latter courtesy of a 346-yard drive and nine-iron approach to the 548-yard par-five.

“To bounce back with the two birdies on 17 and 18 after putting the ball in the water on 16 was huge, so overall a great day’s play,” McIlroy said.

“I didn’t feel like I did anything very special, but it added up to a great score and I’ve gotten myself a lot closer to the lead when last night (Friday) I thought I was maybe a little bit too far behind and out of it.

“It’s hard to try to win your national Open and try to get over the line. I’m excited to have another opportunity.

“I was fortunate enough to do it a few years ago here and having those memories is going to be nice, and also having the support of the crowd out there as well is going to be incredibly helpful.”

Asked about the 16th, McIlroy added: “It’s one of those holes – just because of the design of it and with my length being able to go for it, it provides a lot of drama.

“I was frustrated that I made bogey and then walking off the green I thought I should be pretty grateful after the fourth shot from the drop zone.

“I didn’t play for as much wind as I should have and got incredibly fortunate hitting the rock and going on the green.”

McIlroy also revealed he had broken his 3-wood after hitting a poor tee shot on the sixth, admitting: “I went to hit the top of that tee-marker and I caught the corner with the bottom of the shaft.

“It was just a flick. I’ve done it a couple of times before this week and everything went okay, but that one didn’t.”

Wales centre George North will join an elite Rugby World Cup club when he runs out against opening opponents Fiji on Sunday.

It will be North’s fourth tournament, a feat achieved by only four other Welshmen in Gethin Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones, Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones.

And, at 31, he is showing no sign of slowing down, remaining a pivotal figure in head coach Warren Gatland’s plans.

With 114 caps, North is the most experienced Wales player on show at France 2023, underlining his consistency, durability and quality.

“I hoped that I would get to one (World Cup), for sure. To represent your country is huge, but to play at a World Cup is wicked,” he said.

“I am still fighting and competing, and find myself at number four.

“I guess it’s just a kudos to myself and shows all the work you put in is worth it to get to a fourth. I am still enjoying it.”

North is enthused by Wales’ current World Cup crop, with the squad featuring 16 tournament debutants, including co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.

He also has three other cap centurions for company in Dan Biggar, Taulupe Faletau and Leigh Halfpenny as Wales look to make an impact in France.

It will be Gatland’s fourth World Cup at the Wales helm, having previously masterminded two semi-final appearances, and North has been there every step of the way.

He also believes Gatland has firmly put his stamp on the squad, nine months back into his second stint as Wales boss and following a difficult Six Nations campaign last season.

“The vibe has been really good,” North added. “For a lot of the boys it is their first World Cup, so they are going into the unknown and they are excited.

“I think everyone has just bought into it straight off, and I think that comes from ‘Gats’ when he set the tone with his last message from the Six Nations to the first day in World Cup camp – ‘this is how we are going to do it, this is how I want to do it. You either want to be in, or you don’t’.

“Some of the (training) sessions in Switzerland were brutal, probably some of the hardest I have ever done. The same in Turkey.

“We came off the paddock and we had knocked lumps out of each other for 40-odd minutes in 46 degrees. It’s all about his way of building that resilience, building that robustness into the squad.

“He pretty much said to us after we played France in the last round of the Six Nations that the World Cup was going to be the hardest thing you will ever do. He was not lying.”

Wales find themselves in a World Cup pool alongside three of their opponents from Japan four years ago – Fiji, Australia and Georgia – with North underlining the importance of a strong start.

“We need to start with a win on Sunday, pure and simple,” he said.

“The squad is in a really good place. Everyone understands where we are, everyone is well drilled on how we want to go about our work.

“The training camps we have been on have been brutal, absolutely brutal. The default setting is never give in, keep moving, keep going, keep going, keep going.”

Liam Livingstone is eyeing “genuine all-rounder” status and does not have to look far for inspiration after admitting he feels galvanised by Andrew Flintoff linking up with England.

Flintoff, whose displays with bat and ball in the seminal 2005 Ashes triumph saw him become a national treasure, was back in the public eye on Friday for the first time since being hospitalised with facial injuries and broken ribs after his Top Gear crash last December.

He has unofficially joined England’s backroom team in an unpaid capacity for four ODIs against New Zealand this month, conducting fielding drills ahead of the Black Caps’ eight-wicket win in Cardiff.

The 45-year-old was also seen on the home dressing room balcony wearing a bucket hat popularised by England’s Test side during this summer’s Ashes, and his sheer presences greatly enthuses Livingstone.

The pair played together in two T20s for Lancashire’s Second XI during Flintoff’s short-lived comeback in 2014 and the wisdom he can pass on is something Livingstone wants to tap into in the next week.

“It’s incredible to have him,” Livingstone said. “He’s obviously been one of my heroes growing up. To have someone of his experience lingering around the dressing room is great for all the lads.

“When you see someone like Fred around, it’s always good to chat. Especially while you’re batting: there’s three and a half hours to pick the brains of someone who’s been there and done it.

“He’s probably a national hero, everybody loves that Fred’s joining us and I’m sure he’ll enjoy it as much himself. Over the next week or so, I’m sure he’ll have plenty of laughs inside there.”

Flintoff is not expected to continue with England beyond a series which is a dress rehearsal for the defence of their World Cup crown, with the teams kicking off the tournament in Ahmedabad on October 5.

New Zealand laid down an early marker in the Welsh capital but England decided not to risk Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood because of varying niggles while Moeen Ali and Sam Curran were rested.

Compounding matters was premier leg-spinner Adil Rashid struggling with cramp after bowling three overs, which allowed unbeaten centurions Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell to settle into their stride.

Rashid’s absence increased the workload of Livingstone, who followed up a cameo 52 off 40 balls by conceding just 13 runs from four overs before seeing a tough chance off Mitchell go down in his fifth.

Livingstone finished with unflattering figures of 7.4-0-47-0 but is seeking more involvement with the ball, having recently decided to make a technical tweak to his mix-and-match spin.

“I feel like I work on my bowling to become a genuine all-rounder,” the 30-year-old said. “It doesn’t come as naturally to me as batting does but it was nice that the first few overs came out really well.

“I’ve changed a few things with my bowling, it sounds weird but I’m in more of a development phase. I only made the change about three weeks ago so hopefully I’ll keep getting better and better.

“It’s a technical thing I’ve been working on to try and get a bit more shape on the ball, to ultimately try and get more wickets and become a bigger threat.”

Having greater prominence with the ball as well as bat enhances his hopes of a starting berth at the World Cup, as well as staving off the threat of Harry Brook, looking to gatecrash the provisional squad.

Livingstone felt his outing on Friday was a “big stepping stone” after a diet of T20s and The Hundred matches since a long ankle injury lay-off last winter although he was spotted holding his back, which puts his involvement in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Sunday in doubt.

“I don’t know what it is, to be honest,” Livingstone added. “I was worried that it was my side at first, but I wouldn’t have been able to bowl again if it was.

“I’ve tried to play as much cricket as I can – I’ve not always been at full fitness – and I feel like I’m finally getting back to my best, and hopefully these games will help me get closer to that.

“I’m just enjoying being back playing. Whatever happens in India happens in India and to wake up every morning and to be able to put an England shirt on is pretty special. It would be stupid of me to look past that.”

Flight Plan provided Danny Tudhope with another winner on Irish Champions Festival weekend when making all the running in the Dullingham Park Stakes.

Tudhope had won what used to be run as the Boomerang Stakes in 2017 on David O’Meara’s Suedois and prior to that in 2015 on Custom Cut. This time he teamed up with Karl Burke.

Flight Plan (15-2) ran in the Guineas earlier in the season and had been set some stiff tasks, but he dominated throughout in the Group Two and had the race won over a furlong out, easily keeping 2-1 favourite Buckaroo at bay by a length and a quarter.

Tudhope said: “We have finally found the way to ride him.

“We have always loved this horse and it has just taken us a bit of time to figure him out, that’s the way to do it on him.

“I was surprised at that actually (getting a relatively easy lead), I had to get a good start as he didn’t break very well the last day in York. That was my main aim today, just get out and get on with it.

“He’s got a beautiful action on him and he strides out, and he’s a lovely horse with a big engine.”

Adelaide River enjoyed his day in the sun, as Ryan Moore shone from the front in the Paddy Power Stakes.

Second in the Irish Derby to stablemate Auguste Rodin and in the Grand Prix de Paris to Feed The Flame, he was the 11-8 favourite for the Group Three event.

As proved the case all day, being in the front rank was the place to be and Moore dictated it to a nicety.

In contrast, Jim Crowley had to come from the back on Al Aasy and while he made relentless ground in the final furlong, he went down by half a length.

“I’m delighted. Ryan said if he had a choice of 10 or 14 (furlongs) he’d definitely go 10 on him because he relaxes but he does quicken,” said winning trainer Aidan O’Brien.

“He’s a lovely big horse and we’ve always viewed him as a ‘next-year horse’.

“We always thought he was kind of like Duke Of Marmalade, as he’s after competing in big ones and getting very close in them but he’s such a big horse that he’s definitely going to have to be a way better horse next year.”

Or whether he could be a horse for Australia’ he added: “It might be a bit soon for him this year, he could go next year. He’s a big horse and if we had the choice we’d probably wait until next year.

“He’s after having a few tough races in second so it was nice for him to come here, and Ryan was able to dictate his own pace on him.

“He said he did quicken very well but just got a bit lonely in the last half a furlong. He was very happy.”

Kitty Rose (3-1) emerged as a possible contender for next year’s 1000 Guineas with a striking performance in the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes for Natalia Lupini.

Billy Lee’s mount took over early in the straight and won by two and a half lengths from the favourite Content.

“We always thought we had a nice filly on our hands. Obviously, first time out you hope everything goes well, we were hoping for a nice run but she won impressively at Naas,” said Lupini.

“Today she was very impressive again, when she picks up she just keeps galloping and she’s very honest.

“The lads are looking at the Guineas with her, next year she’ll be a stronger filly. She won’t have any problems over a mile as well.

Leyton Orient came from behind to record a deserved 2-1 win at League One leaders Exeter, with Ruel Sotiriou firing home a stoppage-time winner.

Orient started well, with Omar Beckles striking the crossbar inside the first seven minutes and then Sotiriou side-footed wide from six yards when an Exeter clearance fell right at his feet.

Idris El Mizouni forced Grecians keeper Gary Woods into a smart save as Exeter, missing several players through injury and international duty, failed to assert themselves.

However, the home side broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion in the 49th minute when 16-year-old debutant Jake Richards lobbed the ball forwards and Demi Mitchell allowed it to bounce before lashing a stunning 20-yard half volley over the head of Sol Bryan which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Orient  levelled six minutes later, though, as Joe Pigott was allowed to chest down a cross and fire a shot into the bottom corner from 10 yards.

Os defender Brandon Cooper forced Woods into a flying save with a shot from 20 yards, while Mitchell headed a good chance wide for Exeter.

But, Orient won it two minutes into stoppage time when Sotiriou was afforded too much space 25 yards out and his low shot flew past Woods into the bottom corner.

Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny is targeting his best victory yet as he prepares for a must-win Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands.

The game in Dublin appears to be a make-or break affair for Ireland, who have collected just three points from their first four Group B fixtures and will effectively be out of the race for qualification if they lose to the Dutch.

Memories of a famous Irish victory over the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier in 2001 have inevitably come to the fore in recent days, but Kenny is reluctant to compare his team to the one in which Shay Given, Roy Keane, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane played.

Kenny said: “We’re not comparing ourselves to the team of 2001, they had some of the best players to ever play for Ireland.

“We’re an emerging team. We’ve shown a capacity to raise our game in front of our own support, our impassioned support and we’ve put in some very good performances at home there.

“It’s a game that will challenge us. Holland have players of the highest calibre, players with the top clubs.

“We’ve gone toe-to-toe with some of the best teams and we must raise our game and get our best victory yet as a team. That’s what we’d have to do and that’s the challenge for us.

“We’ll need the supporters to help us do that, we need that energy in the ground. We need that high-octane support to be really passionate and get behind the team and give the players energy.

“All their physical stats are very high after Paris in the heat, a tough game, so to go again, we’ll need everyone to really fire.”

Ireland finalised their preparations at a sunny Abbotstown on Saturday after recovering from Thursday night’s energy-sapping 2-0 defeat in France.

Defender Enda Stevens and forward Will Keane are out of the game through injury and strikers Sinclair Armstrong and Jonathan Afolabi have been drafted into the squad.

Whatever team Kenny picks, the players will know the stakes could hardly be higher with failure simply not an option.

Kenny said: “We know a victory is important for us, we know how important it is, that’s where it is. We’ll prepare well – as well as we can after just coming back on Thursday night – and make sure we’re ready.

“The players are clear on how we’re going to play and we’ll certainly be tested against this team. We’ll have to match them and we are capable of doing that and we have to show the belief and conviction to try to get the win that we need.”

Defender Shane Duffy, who made his first international appearance since June last year in the game at the Parc des Princes, is a veteran of the 1-0 Euro 2016 victory over Italy and knows he and his team-mates need to summon up a similar spirit to get what they need against the Dutch.

Duffy said: “It’s a huge game. Something we’ve to all thrive off and make it another special night as it’s more memories we can create.

“I think personally the games, they’re memories that I talk about to my children, big nights for your country. It’s another chance for us to make it another special night at the Aviva and make more memories.”

William Haggas heaped praise on stable jockey Tom Marquand after the pair combined to win both of the major handicaps on Betfair Sprint Cup day at Haydock.

The Newmarket handler is a rare visitor to the Merseyside venue, so the fact he decided to make the journey north for the biggest day of the track’s Flat season was noteworthy.

His representative in the first of two £100,000 contests on the card was the impeccably-bred Naqeeb (5-2), who produced a battling display in the Get Daily Rewards With Betfair Handicap.

The son of Nathaniel is a half-brother to the trainer’s former stable star Baaeed and the top-class middle-distance performer Hukum, last seen winning the King George at Ascot in July.

Naqeeb will have to go some to scale those heights, but having opened his account with a wide-margin novice win at Kempton last month, he dug deep on his first start over a mile and three-quarters to score by a length and a quarter from Blindedbythelights.

“I thought a mark of 100 was steep for him, but I think he’s improved a bit for going up in trip and I think he’ll be a good stayer next year,” said Haggas.

“He took a while to win. He got mugged by Middle Earth I thought at Newmarket and now look at Middle Earth, who looks to have a likely chance in the St Leger.

“He’s not as quick as Baaeed – I think he wants another mile! How far he’ll go I don’t know, but he’s a big, raw horse whose still got lots to learn and if he can can end up half as good as those two (Baaeed and Hukum) that’ll do me.”

Haggas and Marquand were soon on the mark again, with Post Impressionist (10-1) coming from the clouds to lift the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup.

Caius Chorister looked home for all money after moving smoothly to the lead, but Post Impressionist – who had hinted at a return to form when not beaten far in the Ebor at York last month – flew home from the rear to land the spoils.

Haggas added: “Tom said he didn’t want to go early and I was hoping if that was the case they’d go fast and they seemed to do just that. It’s a long way up the straight when they go hard and thankfully he managed to pick them off.

“The first race of any description he’s run properly this year was in the Ebor last time. There was just a glimpse there and we’re delighted he’s come good today.”

Of Marquand, he said: “I’m really sick of saying it, but he’s a top-class rider and a great fellow. He is really hungry, really keen and really strong.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t have six favourites a day like (William) Buick and (Oisin) Murphy have, but Tom will get there eventually – he’s a young guy.

“He rode his 1,000th winner (in Britain) the other day and all I can guarantee you is it won’t take him that long to ride another 1,000.”

The high-class Chindit (5-2) dominated his rivals in the Group Three Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile.

Runner-up to Modern Games in the Lockinge at Newbury, Richard Hannon’s charge was upstaged by stablemate The Witch Hunter when favourite for last month’s Hungerford Stakes but showed his true colours this time, passing the post just over two lengths ahead of Light Infantry.

“He didn’t run his race last time at Newbury and he was a bit disappointing, but he was right back to his best and he looked like the Group One horse that I think he is,” said Hannon.

“Mr Poonawalla purchased him to see his mares once he retires from racing and he has now won a Group race at two, three, four and five. He looks right back to his very best form.

“We will certainly look at some nice pots abroad now where there is fast ground. There are a couple of races in Australia and races around two bends over a mile in America and he might even be the sort of horse that gets an invite to Hong Kong.”

Chindit’s rider James Doyle doubled up aboard Mick Appleby’s 4-1 shot Raasel in the Betfair Be Friendly Handicap, while the Listed Betfair Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes went to the Roger Varian-trained Al Musmak.

Successful on his Ascot debut before finding only the exciting Rosallion too strong in a Listed contest on King George day, the 11-4 chance got back on the winning trail with a clear-cut victory over 6-4 favourite Macduff.

Winning jockey Ben Curtis said: “He relaxed lovely down the back and I was just keen not to give them too much rope as they can get away from you here.

“He travelled into it nice and when I gave him one flick he responded and went to the front and saw out the mile well, so I’m very pleased with him.

“He floated across the ground and hopefully he’ll take another step forward after that.”

Bowler Lauren Filer admits she is “grateful for every moment” after an impressive ODI debut in England’s seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

The 22-year-old starred alongside fellow debutants Mahika Gaur and Maia Bouchier as the hosts cruised to victory in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street.

Filer took three wickets, having last featured for England in their Ashes Test against Australia in June, and is enjoying being back among the team for the 50-over contests against Sri Lanka.

“I’m just taking it in my stride, everything’s happened quite quickly this year and I wasn’t expecting it to happen this year at all,” she told the post-match press conference.

“I’m just grateful for every moment I get on the pitch and, if I have to sit on the bench for a series, I don’t mind that at all, it means I’m part of the team.

“We’ve got a great group of players, so that does sometimes mean you have to sit on the bench, but you’ve just got to do your part for the team.”

All three of England’s debutants made their mark as the hosts dominated the first ODI, which took place just two days after they had lost the T20 leg of the series.

Gaur and Filer picked up three wickets each, as did Sarah Glenn, while Alice Capsey picked up the other as the visitors were all out for 106.

Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb put on a 61-run opening partnership on their return to the ODI squad before Bouchier hit the winning runs with a mammoth 32 overs to spare.

Reflecting on the game and her contributions, Filer said: “It was really good. I probably didn’t feel at my best, you have those days and you’ve just got to power through.

“It was great to pick up a few wickets and it was nice to get the win at the end.

“Mahika obviously bowled very, very well, she’s got skill and swing at the start of the innings then came back on and bowled a beauty to get them all out.

“Then Bouchier at the end was great, it’s nice for all three of us to contribute in some sort of way.”

Filer took her first ODI wicket when Hasini Perera feathered the ball through to Amy Jones behind the stumps.

Her debut got even better with two wickets in the 20th over. Kavisha Dilhari was caught behind, with Jones making a fine grab to her right, before Filer dismissed Nilakshi de Silva the very next ball in a similar fashion.

The crowd cheered the 22-year-old as Oshadi Ranasinghe eventually defended the hat-trick ball in an atmosphere that reminded Filer of the Test earlier this year.

“It kind of brought me back to the Test match a little bit. I know Emma Lamb said that on the pitch because there was a part in the Test where everyone was clapping,” she added.

“It was nice to have that and reminisce on that. It was probably in my head, ‘Just don’t bowl a wide’, but it was great and to have that opportunity was good.

“The third one was probably my favourite, just because you don’t expect to get one straight after you’ve got another one, so it was nice. Jonesy did also take a good catch for the second one so that was good.”

Michael Tabor was quick to lavish praise on Aidan O’Brien after the trainer masterminded another comeback of remarkable proportions from Auguste Rodin to win the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes.

Tabor owns the majority of O’Brien’s star-studded Ballydoyle string along with John Magnier and Derrick Smith, while George Westerberg, another of Auguste Rodin’s owners, is taking an increasingly prominent role.

Auguste Rodin’s season has really been a tale of all or nothing. Beaten out of sight in the 2000 Guineas, O’Brien got him back in top shape to win the Derby. He then followed up in the Irish equivalent, only to completely blow out in the King George at Ascot.

It would have been easy to think too many question marks surrounded him this time, but Tabor insisted O’Brien filled him with confidence.

“In the paddock Aidan was very confident and it surprised me how confident he was. As usual he’s full of praise for everyone else, but he’s the man. He’s produced the animal to perfection on the day,” said Tabor.

“It’s so difficult because when you see a horse run so poorly like that (at Ascot), and then you speak to Aidan afterwards and he’s still full of confidence and he seems to know the reasons why the horse perhaps ran badly.

“As you can see he just brings them back to their best and we all have off days.”

Tabor went on: “We always knew from Aidan that this horse had that special brilliance. He kept saying it and if he says it you have to believe it, and the horse has shown it.

“Everything is possible with him now. Obviously Derrick, John, George and myself will discuss it with Aidan going forward and the world is his oyster, so to speak.

“As John Magnier reminds me, we aren’t getting any younger so we want to enjoy the horses as much as anyone else.

“If the horse tells Aidan that he’s in good condition, as he has been today, I would think we’ll carry on.

“The Breeders’ Cup has always been very special to us and if the horse is right I see no reason why he wouldn’t go. Maybe Derrick, John and George will have a different view, but I’m hoping they’ll agree with yer man and myself!”

Trainer Ed Bethell was left fighting back the tears after Regional provided him with a first Group One success in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock.

It is less than three years since the Middleham Moor handler took over the licence from his father James, who trained for over four decades before handing over the reins.

Regional has proved a real flagbearer since being bought for the bargain basement price of 3,5000 guineas in the summer of 2021, rewarding his connections with three previous wins, two of which have been achieved at Haydock.

Having landed the Listed Achilles Stakes at the Merseyside venue in June, the five-year-old got his first crack at Group One glory in the Nunthorpe at York last month and was not disgraced in finishing fifth, encouraging Bethell to give it another go over an extra furlong.

A 10-1 shot in the hands of Callum Rodriguez, Regional was never too far off the speed and dug deep as the post loomed to see off 50-1 outsider Shouldvebeenaring by a neck.

“I’m just over the moon. I’m in an incredibly fortunate position, to take over from my father, and my parents have been big supporters of mine,” said a clearly emotional Bethell.

“I never thought it would happen (winning a Group One). A huge ‘thank you’ has to go to Barbara Jones, who rides this horse every day – she doesn’t go on holiday because she wants to make sure he’s in tip-top form. She’s the important one here, along with the rest of my team at home. I’m just the lucky one to have my name on the ticket.

“We bought this horse just to win a race and he’s taken these guys (owners) on a tremendous ride. This meteoric rise is down to the team at home and we’ve just been incredibly fortunate.”

Bethell felt the step up in trip was key to Regional’s performance, adding: “He was able to travel in his comfort zone, which he wasn’t in the Nunthorpe. The whole complexion of the race changed at York with Live In The Dream going so quick and fair play to him, but we were rushed off our feet.

“Today we were so much more comfortable at this trip at this level. I thought maybe he’d gone too quick and he’d get swallowed up, but he was one of the last to come off the bridle. I can’t believe it really.”

The trainer is keen to let the dust settle before firming up plans for his stable star.

He said: “I’ll enjoy today and tonight and get back to it tomorrow morning.

“I don’t know where we’ll go next, the owners might want to go to America, but I’ll just see how the horse is first and make a decision.

“Genuinely, I don’t think words can describe how I’m feeling. I told myself if we finish in the first five we’ve done well.

“When we won a handicap over six furlongs here two years ago I couldn’t believe it. I thought ‘I’ve done my job now, he’s won a race, maybe the owners will stick with me’.

“Did I ever think he could go and do this? No. These sort of days I hope will go a long way to helping the yard achieve what I want it to.”

Rodriguez – also winning his first Group One – said: “It was an amazing performance by the horse and what a story it’s been with him this year, being picked up for 3,500 guineas. The journey he has taken his syndicate on is just amazing. It was very smooth as he hit the gates very well and was in a good rhythm all the way and every time I asked him he responded.”

The disappointment of the race was undoubtedly Julie Camacho’s Shaquille, who was the 11-10 favourite to complete a top-level hat-trick following wins in the Commonwealth Cup and the July Cup.

But while the three-year-old – who got upset beforehand – was much quicker away from the starting stalls than had been the case at Royal Ascot and Newmarket, he was a spent force with a couple of furlongs to run and ended up trailing home last of 16 runners.

“Everything was fine, he had a bit of a wobbler before the gates opened (but) it didn’t affect his start and he jumped very clean,” said jockey James Doyle.

“He travelled super, but between the three and the two I had no power and I was beat very quick.

“As we know that’s not him as one thing he does do is get through the line, so we’ll see. They’re not machines, are they?

“The season is not over yet, we’ve got Champions Day to come and other races and we’ll see what comes to light. We’ll just regroup at this stage.”

Johnny Sexton marked his long-awaited comeback with two of 12 tries as Ireland launched their Rugby World Cup campaign by blitzing Romania in the baking heat of Bordeaux.

Captain Sexton, playing his first competitive match in almost six months following injury and suspension, added to first-half scores from Jamison Gibson-Park, Hugo Keenan, Tahdg Beirne and Bundee Aki.

Peter O’Mahony’s double and further second-half finishes from Rob Herring, the returning skipper, Joe McCarthy, Aki and Beirne sealed a resounding 82-8 victory in a one-sided Pool B opener staged in temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius.

Andy Farrell’s men were given a jolt by Romania scrum-half Gabriel Rupanu crossing early on but emphatically avoided a major upset ahead of far stiffer tests against Tonga, South Africa and Scotland.

Fly-half Sexton also slotted seven of eight conversions before being withdrawn 16 minutes from time to a standing ovation and now sits just nine points shy of Ronan O’Gara’s national record tally of 1,083.

The 38-year-old was back from his lengthy absence to lead his country into his fourth World Cup, while Mack Hansen replaced Robbie Henshaw on the bench in a late change following his surprise initial omission from the matchday 23.

An expectant sea of green flooded the stands of Stade de Bordeaux in sweltering south-west France.

But it was Romania who made the blistering start.

Sexton’s poor grubber kick was pounced upon by Hinckley Vaovasa and he raced forward to give half-back partner Rupanu a simple third-minute finish.

Ireland swiftly recovered from the sloppy opening moments to assert their authority.

Gibson-Park benefited from slick interplay involving Sexton, Aki and Garry Ringrose to dive over before Keenan crossed under the posts and flanker Beirne touched down wide on the left.

Rupanu reduced the deficit with a penalty ahead of the first drinks break, but the fourth World Cup meeting between the nations rarely threatened to be truly competitive, epitomised by an early Mexican wave.

Ireland had won all of the past clashes – nine in total – and had the bonus point in the bag in the 34th minute when the rampaging Aki claimed a fine solo score shortly after Romania full-back Marius Simionescu was sin-binned for obstruction.

Sexton got in on the act in the final moments of the half, crossing under the posts before overcoming a bang suffered in the process to slot the extras and make it 33-8 at the interval.

Ireland players had spoken all week of wanting to begin with a bang by producing a statement victory.

Undeterred by the stifling conditions, the Six Nations Grand Slam champions stretched their advantage courtesy of hooker Herring and flanker O’Mahony dotting down amid prolonged pressure.

Sexton’s 17th Test try added further gloss to the scoreline before a first for 22-year-old lock McCarthy and a second of the afternoon for O’Mahony enhanced Romania’s punishment.

Aki, who was sent off against Samoa in his last World Cup outing, and Beirne became the third and fourth men in green to claim a brace.

Replacement number 10 Crowley successfully added the extras from his four conversions as Ireland ruthlessly dispatched the team ranked 19th in the world to stretch their record winning run to 14 matches and satisfy the bulk of the 41,170 crowd.

William Haggas heaped praise on stable jockey Tom Marquand after the pair combined to win both of the major handicaps on Betfair Sprint Cup day at Haydock.

The Newmarket handler is a rare visitor to the Merseyside venue, so the fact he decided to make the journey north for the biggest day of the track’s Flat season was noteworthy.

His representative in the first of two £100,000 contests on the card was the impeccably-bred Naqeeb (5-2), who produced a battling display in the Get Daily Rewards With Betfair Handicap.

The son of Nathaniel is a half-brother to the trainer’s former stable star Baaeed and the top-class middle-distance performer Hukum, last seen winning the King George at Ascot in July.

Naqeeb will have to go some to scale those heights, but having opened his account with a wide-margin novice win at Kempton last month, he dug deep on his first start over a mile and three-quarters to score by a length and a quarter from Blindedbythelights.

“I thought a mark of 100 was steep for him, but I think he’s improved a bit for going up in trip and I think he’ll be a good stayer next year,” said Haggas.

“He took a while to win. He got mugged by Middle Earth I thought at Newmarket and now look at Middle Earth, who looks to have a likely chance in the St Leger.

“He’s not as quick as Baaeed – I think he wants another mile! How far he’ll go I don’t know, but he’s a big, raw horse whose still got lots to learn and if he can can end up half as good as those two (Baaeed and Hukum) that’ll do me.”

Haggas and Marquand were soon on the mark again, with Post Impressionist (10-1) coming from the clouds to lift the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup.

Caius Chorister looked home for all money after moving smoothly to the lead, but Post Impressionist – who had hinted at a return to form when not beaten far in the Ebor at York last month – flew home from the rear to land the spoils.

Haggas added: “Tom said he didn’t want to go early and I was hoping if that was the case they’d go fast and they seemed to do just that. It’s a long way up the straight when they go hard and thankfully he managed to pick them off.

“The first race of any description he’s run properly this year was in the Ebor last time. There was just a glimpse there and we’re delighted he’s come good today.”

Of Marquand, he said: “I’m really sick of saying it, but he’s a top-class rider and a great fellow. He is really hungry, really keen and really strong.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t have six favourites a day like (William) Buick and (Oisin) Murphy have, but Tom will get there eventually – he’s a young guy.

“He rode his 1,000th winner (in Britain) the other day and all I can guarantee you is it won’t take him that long to ride another 1,000.”

The high-class Chindit (5-2) dominated his rivals in the Group Three Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile.

Runner-up to Modern Games in the Lockinge at Newbury, Richard Hannon’s charge was upstaged by stablemate The Witch Hunter when favourite for last month’s Hungerford Stakes but showed his true colours this time, passing the post just over two lengths ahead of Light Infantry.

“He didn’t run his race last time at Newbury and he was a bit disappointing, but he was right back to his best and he looked like the Group One horse that I think he is,” said Hannon.

“Mr Poonawalla purchased him to see his mares once he retires from racing and he has now won a Group race at two, three, four and five. He looks right back to his very best form.

“We will certainly look at some nice pots abroad now where there is fast ground. There are a couple of races in Australia and races around two bends over a mile in America and he might even be the sort of horse that gets an invite to Hong Kong.”