Royal Scotsman has a major Goodwood target in his sights but could head to Royal Ascot before that if he recovers from sore feet which caused his lacklustre run when favourite for the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh
The Paul and Oliver Cole-trained colt was a well-supported 6-4 chance after finishing a fine third to Chaldean in the Newmarket version.
However, he never looked on good terms with himself under Jamie Spencer and post-race tests showed the Fitri Hay-owned son of Gleneagles had an excuse.
Oliver Cole said: “He came back from Ireland and his front feet were a bit sore.
“Going down to post, he never picked the bridle up and coming up the straight, when racing, he never picked the bridle up. Clearly, it wasn’t his day. We will put a line through it. It was just one of those things.”
Twice a winner at Goodwood last term, including when breaking the six-furlong track record, connections are confident he can still make his mark over a mile, although he has the option of dropping back to seven furlongs for the Jersey Stakes as well as staying in top-class company for the St James’s Palace Stakes.
“Either we go for the Jersey Stakes, the Group Three, or the St James’s Palace Stakes, we’ll play it by ear,” added Cole.
“I suppose if you take the softer option, there’s more chance of winning. He has got plenty of speed – he broke the track record over six (furlongs, Richmond Stakes at Goodwood) – and is in the July Cup.
“I think you have got to say he is potentially a very good miler. We have just got to hope that everything falls into place.
“The Sussex Stakes is the plan. It is whether we go Jersey or St James’s Palace, then Sussex, or he could even go straight to Goodwood. We will see what he is like. It is just getting over the setback – he was just sore on the soles of his feet.
“It was amazing, because before the race I had so much confidence. He is such a consistent horse, so to do that… but it’s horse racing.”
Jack Channon is in no rush to determine the next move for Caernarfon following her Epsom endeavours on Friday.
The 1000 Guineas fourth was trying a mile and a half for the first time and produced a huge display to finish third, hitting the front in the hands of Connor Beasley at the two-furlong pole and battling to the line gamely to finish just two lengths adrift of winner Soul Sister and only a head away from Savethelastdance in second.
Sent off at 40-1, it was the second Classic in a row the daughter of Cityscape has outrun her odds and having tired in the closing stages, the obvious next port of call would appear the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on June 18.
However, Channon will not hurry to cross the Channel with Caernarfon and will allow her time to get over her Oaks exertions before firming up future running plans.
He said: “She’s come out of it really well, she had a pick of grass on the lawn and her legs are good.
“It would take a proper recovery this week for her to be considered for the French Oaks which is two weeks away.
“She would need to be really bouncing to go to Chantilly and there are other options down the line, including the Nassau.
“When she quickened and went nearly a length clear it looked possible, but Frankie’s (Dettori) horse went past and then Ryan’s (Moore) filly came back and just outstayed us.
“It was a great run from our filly, with the first three finishing clear. I’m immensely proud of her, but as Connor said she didn’t quite get home.”
England started this eagerly-anticipated Ashes summer with a 10-wicket victory over Ireland in three days at Lord’s.
Ollie Pope’s 205 and a second Test century for Ben Duckett saw England declare on 524 for four and despite a spirited third-day display with the bat by Ireland, they were all out for 362 to set an easy target of 11 following their below-par 172 on day one.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how much we learned from this one-off Test.
Josh gets Tongues wagging
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Josh Tongue passed his Ashes audition with five for 66 in Ireland’s second innings to put his name on the honours board and leave an impression on his captain. Ben Stokes revealed ahead of the four-day fixture that Tongue was selected due to his extra pace and he hit 91mph during an impressive first spell. Tongue, who came close to retiring from cricket during a 15-month absence from the game due to a nerve problem in his shoulder, eased between an enforcer role and pitching it up as England’s third seamer. With 11 County Championship wickets to his name, including a certain Steve Smith, he is now a genuine option for the Ashes after being included in the squad for the first two Tests.
Duckett set for a bucket full?
An England bucket hat featured regularly throughout this Test but fittingly it was Duckett who plugged the new must-buy item of the summer on England’s official Twitter account. Duckett wore the hat after his masterful 182 that saw him set a new record for the quickest Test 150 at Lord’s, beating Don Bradman’s effort in the 1930 Ashes series. Since his December recall, Duckett has scored 50 or more six times in six Tests. He cut, drove and flicked off his pads for boundaries all around the wicket to back up the 177 he hit for Nottinghamshire at Lord’s in April. After finally being given the chance to play his natural red-ball game in international cricket, the 28-year-old looks set for a key Ashes role.
Has Bazball peaked?
England rattled along at six runs an over on their way to 524 before they declared after tea on day two. Duckett and Pope scored 174 in the morning, but that was bettered in the afternoon with 178 runs plundered before captain Stokes ended the run-fest after 82.4 overs. If Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow and the England skipper himself had batted for a significant amount of time, who knows what records could have fallen? While it was another excellent batting display for England, the asterisk on it will be Ireland’s one-paced attack. There is no doubt England’s achievement of scoring 500 on day one in Rawalpindi was a better feat and Pat Cummins and co will not provide so many freebies come June 16 at Edgbaston.
Under-cooked? That’s old skool!
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Stokes acknowledged after England’s 10-wicket victory that he knew when he declared after tea on day two that he would face questions over failing to let Brook, Bairstow and himself get time in the middle before the Ashes opener. It felt justified, especially for someone like Yorkshire batter Brook who enjoyed a phenomenal winter and even hit a maiden century in the Indian Premier League in April, only to be dropped after a string of ducks. But Stokes does not prescribe to that opinion and laughed off the “old skool” view his players need “game practice” given the volume of cricket they play. Maybe a fair point!
Prestige a Little lost
Josh Little’s name dominated the build-up from an Ireland perspective after the seamer was “rested” ahead of his nation’s 50-over World Cup qualification tournament later this month following his IPL exploits. Among a catalogue of reasons behind the decision, Cricket Ireland’s Richard Holdsworth worryingly admitted the Lord’s Test was a “special occasion but not a pinnacle event.” The rewards for Ireland qualifying for the World Cup are great but Little’s absence hurt a bowling attack lacking variation. With his stock high in franchise circles, Little may never play Test cricket.
Andy Robinson returned to the cauldron of Test rugby after being appointed Scotland head coach on this day in 2009.
Two and a half years after his dismal reign as England boss came to an end, the former Bath flanker took over a Scottish side that had managed only one victory in each of the previous Six Nations.
Robinson said he was the right man to induce a revival and described himself as a “better coach, a better leader and a better manager” after presiding over just nine victories in 22 Tests during his Twickenham stewardship.
He signed a three-year deal after being prised away from Edinburgh, where he impressed during two seasons in charge.
“One of the key things for me is developing that winning mindset, not necessarily at times how we play. It’s about winning and understanding how to win,” Robinson said.
Scotland’s outlook failed to improve under Robinson and after only two wins in 15 matches, he resigned in 2012 following a 21-15 home defeat by Tonga.
Michael van Gerwen clinched his second US Darts Masters title with a victory over North American Champion Jeff Smith at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday.
The Dutchman and three-time World Champion beat Smith 8-0 in the final only hours after the Canadian knocked out two-time world champion Peter Wright in the first round and won the North American Championship event during the afternoon session.
Van Gerwen scooped the £20,000 top prize and secured a record-extending 18th World Series of Darts title by demolishing Smith.
Smith spurned three darts at double to level in leg two and he paid a heavy price, with Van Gerwen converting clinical 89 and 80 combination finishes to stretch his lead to 5-0.
The Canadian veteran was unable to open his account in leg six and was denied another dart at double, before Van Gerwen sank a two-dart 76 kill in leg eight to complete the whitewash.
Saturday’s victory was fresh off the back of Van Gerwen winning a record seventh Premier League title in London last week.
Smith had earlier defeated 2019 champion Nathan Aspinall after landing a brace of ton-plus finishes and pinned six of his seven attempts at double to triumph.
Canadian veteran Jim Long had earlier caused a huge upset during the quarter-finals on the opening night with victory over world champion Michael Smith.
Earlier during Saturday’s afternoon session at The Theater, Canadian Smith won the North American Championship for a second time after edging out World Cup partner Matt Campbell 6-5 in a last-leg decider.
Zach Whitecloud snapped a third-period tie and Adin Hill made a highlight-reel save for one of his 33 stops to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Whitecloud’s long-range goal with just over 13 minutes left put Vegas ahead 3-2, and captain Mark Stone extended the lead with 6:19 remaining with a goal that was reviewed for a high stick and confirmed. Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore also scored for the Golden Knights, who rallied for their ninth comeback win this postseason.
The Panthers got goals from Eric Staal and Anthony Duclair as their eight-game road winning streak was snapped.
Hill came up with arguably the save of the playoffs in the second period with Vegas holding a 2-1 lead. He reached across the crease with his stick to make a desperation save on Nick Cousins on what would have been a sure goal.
The Golden Knights are in the final for the second time in its six years of existence after making it in the inaugural 2017-18 season.
Florida also has reached the final for the second time but first since it was swept by Colorado in 1996.
Game 2 is Monday in Las Vegas.
THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS HAVE TAKEN A 1-0 LEAD IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL!!!!!!! #UKnightTheRealm pic.twitter.com/Hk9ImREfdb
— z - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 4, 2023
Rory McIlroy has moved to the lead in the Memorial despite going five holes without hitting a green, finishing the third day tied in first place with Si Woo Kim and David Lipsky at Muirfield Village on Saturday.
McIlroy did what he had to do while players around him struggled, finishing the day with two under par with four birdies and two bogeys.
“That’s what happens when conditions are like this,” McIlroy said after the day’s play. “You just have to hang on.
“I was really happy with how I scored out there, and how I just sort of hung in there for most of the day.”
The birdies came in good time for McIlroy, picking up three on the last seven holes, and finishing the day with a par, unlike he did on day one, when he hit a triple bogey on the 18th hole.
“It would mean a ton to me to win this tournament, I’ve played pretty well here over the years without really having a realistic chance to win,” McIlroy said.
“So to be able to walk up that hill from 18 and get that handshake from Jack (Nicklaus) would be pretty nice.”
McIlroy, now on six under par, will need to maintain his form into the last day with a log-jam of talent at the top of the leaderboard, with thirteen players separated by just two shots and nine others within three shots.
Friday’s leader and former Memorial winner, Hideki Matsuyama dropped dramatically in consistency, putting him in tied ninth place.
Matsuyama had five bogeys during the day and a triple bogey on the 12th hole.
Englishmen Danny Willet and Matt Fitzpatrick both had solid days with 69 and 70 respectively, finishing tied in 23rd place on two under par.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are expected to name Mike Babcock their next head coach, according to multiple reports.
The deal is expected to become official on June 30, when Babcock’s eight-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs expires. He hasn’t coached in the NHL since Toronto fired him 23 games into the 2019-20 season, ending a near five-year tenure with the team.
Babcock began his NHL coaching career with the Anaheim Ducks in 2002-03 before moving on to the Detroit Red Wings for 10 seasons, starting in 2005-06. He led the Red Wings to the 2007-08 Stanley Cup championship and won two conference titles with Detroit (2008, 2009) and one with Anaheim (2003).
The Maple Leafs reached the playoffs in three straight seasons under Babcock but were eliminated in the first round each time.
After he was fired by Toronto on November 20, 2019, Babcock faced multiple accusations of player mistreatment. Former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore has criticized Babcock for his coaching style, and former Red Wings forward Johan Franzen accused him of verbally abusing him.
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said Babcock’s tactics were not “appropriate or acceptable,” given how times had changed in the NHL.
He will take over a Columbus team that fired Brad Larsen, who went 62-85-16 in two seasons behind the bench, after finishing with an Eastern Conference-worst 59 points this season. The Blue Jackets have won just two playoff rounds in their 22-year history.
Babcock ranks 13th all-time with 700 wins and his .608 points percentage is the fourth best among NHL coaches with at least 1,000 games.
Coco Gauff fought off the challenge of 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva to reach the fourth round of the French Open.
Gauff came back from a set down to defeat the Russian 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-1 while Iga Swiatek hammered Wang Xinyu 6-0 6-0, but Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw because of illness.
In the men’s event, Casper Ruud and Holger Rune are on track for a quarter-final meeting, while Alexander Zverev defeated Frances Tiafoe in the night match.
Picture of the dayStat of the dayShot of the dayJunior progress
Cameron Norrie’s third-round exit completed a miserable French Open for Britain’s senior singles players but, after several years of very little junior presence, there are six British competitors in the main draws of the boys’ and girls’ singles, including 14-year-old qualifier Hannah Klugman.
Fallen seeds
Men: Taylor Fritz (9), Frances Tiafoe (12), Borna Coric (15)
Women: Elena Rybakina (4), Ekaterina Alexandrova (23)
Who’s up next?
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Novak Djokovic will hope to have a more comfortable afternoon than against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina when he takes on Juan Pablo Varillas in the fourth round.
Carlos Alcaraz meets Lorenzo Musetti while the first women’s night session of the year sees Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka meet former finalist Sloane Stephens.
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will bid to keep his strong form going against Sebastian Ofner while Elina Svitolina meets Russian Daria Kasatkina.
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle Friday and is expected to recover in time to participate in training camp before next season.
The team announced the successful operation Saturday on Twitter.
Voted a member of the All-NBA Third Team this season, Randle was hindered down the stretch after spraining his ankle during a March 29 game against the Miami Heat and re-injuring it in the playoffs.
Randle missed the Knicks’ final five regular season games. He returned to play through the injury in 10 of New York’s 11 postseason games but averaged 16.6 points on 37.4-percent shooting from the field.
Before spraining his ankle, Randle played the first 77 games of the 2022-23 season, averaging a career-high 25.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists while being voted to his second career All-Star Game.
This season, Randle and offseason addition Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a 47-35 record, a No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first-round series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Randle visibly hobbled, the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in six games in the East semifinals.
Randle, 29, has two years and $58.5 million remaining on his deal, plus a $32.4 million player option in 2025-26.
The overall performances may not have been polished as Michael Reid would have liked, but the Jamaican gymnast did achieve a significant milestone at the recently concluded Pan American (PanAm) Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which he hopes will serve as another catalyst to promote the sports growth locally.
Reid’s original skill performed on the pommel horse at the event in Medellin, Colombia, was accepted in the FIG Code of Points and saw him joining Caleb Faulk –who achieved the feat last year on the high bar –as Jamaicans to have etched their names in the annals of gymnastics scoring history.
But while the American-born Reid, who has been representing Jamaica since 2016 welcomed the historic achievement, he was more delighted about the attention it will bring to the island and, by extension, the efforts of the Jamaica Gymnastics Association (JAGA).
Reid only took on the pommel horse and parallel bars where he scored 11.933 and 12.467 for a total 24.400.
“It wasn't the overall result I wanted, but it provides indications of what I need to work on in training for the rest of the season. That said, I am extremely happy and proud of my new skill, it has always been my dream to have a skill in the code, but I think doing it for Jamaica makes it even more important,” Reid declared.
“President Nicole [Grant], the JAGA board and all of the senior team members, old and new, have been working hard to build Jamaican gymnastics from the foundation up.
“They have been showing local kids that they can shine and be great in the sport, especially on the biggest stages and have paved the way for them to have even greater successes. So, as happy as I am for myself, I am even happier for Jamaica’s gymnastics,” he added.
For Reid, getting the skill, a travelling backward hop over both pommels, into the FIG Code of Points, somewhat signals a changing of the tide where the dominance of the more illustrious countries is concerned.
“The Gymnastics Code book is full of skills named after Europeans, Asians and American athletes, but there were zero Jamaican skill creators until Caleb created the "Faulk" (a high bar dismount) and we have a second skill the "Reid" on pommel horse.
“So now among the Bretschneiders and Li Ningd, there is also Faulk and Reid. Even after Caleb and I retire, our skills will be in the gymnastics Code of Points forever claiming space for Jamaican athletes. I am proud of the effort and sacrifices that went into making it happen,” Reid noted.
The 30-year-old was not shy to admit that it took grit and stubborn determination to attain his current successes, as he reflected on the 2022 season which was lined with highs and lows.
Reid explained that he had to perform the great balancing act of coaching NCAA gymnastics at the US Naval Academy with his commitment to representing Jamaica.
“I had to learn to be very efficient in my workouts and with my recovery. The physical side of it wasn't a problem, but there were a lot of mental struggles with being in the gym 8-10 hours each day and still having to put out quality workouts,” the three-time NCAA All-American shared.
“So, it took a real mental shift to make it work and it also taught me that I need to focus more on enjoying the performance side of pommel and showing off the work that I have done. It took a whole year, and a dislocated finger to get it ready for competition, and everything is now falling into place which tells me that I still have more to give to this sport,” Reid stated.
And more Reid intends to give, as he has his sights set on the Paris World Cup with hopes of securing an historic podium finish.
“I do have another skill I want to present on Parallel Bars, but that is going to have to wait. My focus now is a medal for Jamaica. Paris is the next chance for that and beyond that, I would love to do anything I can to continue the growth of gymnastics in Jamaica,” Reid ended.
Rennes edged out Lille and Monaco to secure a top-four finish while Nantes' first league win since February saw them stay up at Auxerre's expense on a dramatic final day of Ligue 1 action.
Rennes clinched a 2-1 victory against Brest thanks to a Benjamin Bourigeaud brace, seizing on Lille's 1-1 draw with relegated Troyes and Monaco's 2-1 reverse against Toulouse to take fourth.
Bruno Genesio's side thus secured Europa League football for next season, while Paulo Fonseca's Lille must settle for a Europa Conference League spot and Monaco missed out entirely.
Champions Paris Saint-Germain squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Clermont, meaning they finished just one point clear of runners-up Lens, who ended the season with a 3-1 win at Auxerre.
That victory allowed Nantes to finalise a great escape in their final game, vaulting Auxerre to secure safety with a 1-0 win over relegated Angers.
Nantes therefore secured top-flight football for another year, evading the expanded four-team relegation zone by a single point ahead of the division being cut to 18 teams.
Auxerre, Ajaccio, Troyes and Angers will play in Ligue 2 next season, with Le Havre and either Metz or Bordeaux coming up from the second tier.
Lionel Messi ended his Paris St Germain career with a 3-2 defeat to Clermont.
The Argentinian World Cup winner will quit Paris this summer having already been linked with a return to Barcelona and Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season.
He will leave as a Ligue 1 champion with PSG having already secured the title before blowing a 2-0 lead to lose on the final day of the season.
Sergio Ramos, on his final appearance for the club, and Kylian Mbappe’s penalty gave the hosts control.
Johan Gastien pulled a goal back and Mehdi Zeffane levelled in first-half stoppage time. Grejohn Kyei gave the visitors the lead after 63 minutes and Clermont held out for victory.
At the bottom, Nantes beat the drop by a point on the final day as Auxerre were relegated.
A 1-0 win over rock-bottom Angers, thanks to Ignatius Ganago’s goal, gave Nantes the win they needed as Auxerre lost 3-1 at home to Lens.
Alexis Claude-Maurice’s double gave Lens a 2-0 lead before M’Baye Niang pulled a goal back. Lois Openda made it 3-1 with 12 minutes left to seal Auxerre’s fate.
Rennes won 2-1 at Brest as they clinched fourth ahead of Lille thanks to Benjamin Bourigeaud’s double, with Lille held 1-1 by relegated Troyes to go into the Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Monaco missed out on the top five after a 2-1 defeat at home to Toulouse.
Relegated Ajaccio beat third-placed Marseille 1-0, Lorient beat Strasbourg 2-1 and Nice beat Lyon 3-1 with mid-table Montpellier winning 3-1 at Reims, finishing a point behind their hosts.
In Germany, Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring as RB Leipzig beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in the German Cup final.
The striker broke the deadlock in the 71st minute before Dominik Szoboszlai doubled the lead with five minutes left.
In Italy, Lazio sealed second spot in Serie A after a 2-0 win at Empoli thanks to goals from Alessio Romagnoli and Luis Alberto.
It came after Marcelo Brozovic scored the winner as Inter Milan beat Torino 1-0 to briefly move ahead of them but Inter must now settle for third.
Already relegated Cremonese beat Salernitana 2-0 to finish their season on a high.
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