Harriet Graham has confirmed Aye Right an intended runner in Saturday’s rearranged Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase Final at Warwick but is a little disheartened the prize-money has been reduced.
The original race was due to be run for £100,000 at Sandown last weekend, when it would have been the feature race, but that meeting was abandoned through waterlogging.
This Saturday, the race will take place at Warwick, like Sandown owned by Jockey Club Racecourses, but the total prize fund is down to £75,000.
“He’s still in and the plan is to go, hopefully the weather doesn’t intervene again,” said Graham, who trains Aye Right in partnership with Gary Rutherford.
“I’m a little bit put off that they’ve managed to knock £25,000 off the prize fund. This race will probably have 14 runners and nearly every horse will have a story behind it. We’ve all run in races to get there.
“I know it is really hard to reschedule races and I know everybody at the BHA works really hard to do it, but it just seems a wee bit cheap. That’s just my feelings, it maybe doesn’t matter to the big trainers and owners.
“It’s a bit like Premierisation, it’s awful for small trainers and awful for small racecourses. They are taking the money from the poor to give to the rich. It’s Robin Hood the wrong way round.
“I know the Jockey Club have two Premier meetings on Saturday, with Kempton and Warwick with really decent prize-money, but to me it just seems a bit cheap to take money off what is a Final.
“These horses have provided entertainment for the last six or seven years, a little recognition would have been the right thing to do.
“I am pleased it’s on, we plan to go and hopefully the weather doesn’t spoil it again.”
Aye Right is once more likely to meet Good Boy Bobby, the two fought out the finish to the 2021 Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and the seventh leg of the Veterans’ Series in October at Chepstow, securing a narrow success apiece.
Thomas Darby, Two For Gold, Sam Brown, Mill Green, Ramses de Teillee and Lord Du Mesnil are among 16 entries.
The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to former Wales and British and Irish Lions full-back JPR Williams.
William, patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, posted a personal post – denoted with a W at the end of his message – in honour of Williams, who has died at the age of 74.
The prince said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “There was no one quite like him on the rugby field. A true @WelshRugbyUnion great, my thoughts are with JPR Williams’ family and friends. W.”
Williams, a fearless player known for his aggressive and attacking style, won 55 Wales caps and started all eight Tests on victorious Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa three years later.
He was revered among fellow Wales greats like Sir Gareth Edwards, Barry John, Phil Bennett and Gerald Davies and regarded as one of rugby union’s finest players.
A star performer during Welsh rugby’s 1970s golden era, he also captained his country on five occasions.
And Williams shone for the Barbarians in their unforgettable 23-11 victory over New Zealand in 1973, touching down in a game chiefly remembered for Edwards’ spectacular touchdown that completed a breathtaking length-of-the-field move.
Welsh Rugby Union president Terry Cobner, who played alongside Williams for Wales during two Five Nations Grand Slam-winning campaigns, saluted his contribution to the sport.
“Welsh rugby will remember him as one of our greatest players of all-time – those 55 caps, three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns prove that,” Cobner said, on the WRU’s official website.
“He also played in all eight Tests in New Zealand and South Africa on arguably the two greatest tours undertaken by the Lions in 1971 and 1974.
“It was his drop-goal from near halfway that enabled the 1971 Lions to draw the fourth Test and win the series 2-1 against the mighty All Blacks – the only series victory by the Lions on New Zealand soil.
“A star in the making from his early school days at Bridgend Grammar, then at Millfield, he went on to thrill crowds at both London Welsh and Bridgend on the club scene. He was ‘box office’ wherever he went.
“This is a terrible loss for our game, but obviously an even worse loss for his wife, Scilla, and their three four children.
“The thoughts of the whole Welsh rugby family are with them at this difficult time.”
There were also tributes on social media from Wales’ Six Nations rivals Scotland and Ireland.
“JPR, the three most famous letters in sport if you lived in the 1970s,” Scottish Rugby said on X.
“Scottish Rugby extends its sincere condolences to family and friends of JPR Williams – and the rugby community in Wales – after the death of the former Wales and Lions full-back was announced yesterday.”
And Irish Rugby said on X: “A joy to watch on the field and a gentleman off it. Rest in peace JPR Williams.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.”
Such was Williams’ natural fitness that he continued playing into his early 50s for village club Tondu, often in the back-row, before finally hanging up his boots in 2003.
“We are devastated to share the news our club patron JPR Williams has passed away,” Tondu Rugby Club said on X.
“John was one of our game’s greatest players and will be missed by all at Tondu RFC. Our thoughts and prayers are with John’s family and close friends at this incredibly sad time.”
Tom Cannon is optimistic the step up in trip will help Edwardstone return to winning ways in Saturday’s Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.
In two outings this season over two miles, Alan King’s charge has been no match for Jonbon but he did get appreciably closer to him in the Tingle Creek than on his seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase.
Saturday will be the 10-year-old’s first run over two and a half miles since a hurdles effort back in April 2021, but Cannon feels it is the right move.
“I think it is a logical move, as Edwardstone is not getting younger and now is as good a time as ever to step him up in trip,” he said.
“Although he has not run over this distance over fences, he ran well over two and a half miles over hurdles when he was third at Aintree (in 2021).
“We are going back to slightly calmer waters having run in the Tingle Creek last time, but there are still some good horses in this race.
“It is still a competitive race, so he will have to be at his best to win.
“All his best runs have been around Sandown and he definitely improved for the run at Cheltenham in the Tingle Creek.
“I was more than happy with his run. It was as good a run as he had put in for a long time.”
Cannon went on: “He felt back to his best and, fingers crossed, he can continue that form going forwards.
“He has not been over-raced and he has been well managed throughout his career, which has been a big help.
“He had a jump last Thursday at home and he jumped very well, so there is no problem in that department. He seemed fresh and very well, so I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco has Sandown and Cheltenham options after pulling up in the Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The seven-year-old claimed his first win over fences at Aintree in November and then chased home Paul Nicholls’ useful Stay Away Fay in the Grade Two Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown next time out.
He was subsequently entered in the Kauto Star, a Grade One run over the same trip of three miles, but under Stephen Mulqueen he never seemed to hit his stride and was eventually pulled up as Il Est Francais went on to win impressively.
There was less than three weeks between the gelding’s last two runs, a time-span Russell suspects may have been too short with hindsight.
The Scilly Isles at Sandown and the Festival Trials Day card at Cheltenham could now appear on Giovinco’s agenda, both of which would involve a step down to the near two-and-a-half-mile trip he was successful over twice as a hurdler.
“He might go to Sandown, we’ve got a couple of options with him,” said Russell.
“We might even go to Cheltenham and go over two miles four (furlongs) there.
“He was quite tired after Kempton and we felt, in hindsight, we’d gone to the well just a bit too quickly with him.
“He seems well now, he had a quiet time over the New Year and he’s back to being his usual self again.”
A sponsor of Yorkshire says the words and actions of Colin Graves will have a “strong bearing” on whether it continues to engage with the club, should he return.
Graves is understood to be close to completing a return to the financially-stricken club, where he first served as chair between 2012 and 2015 before performing the same role at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The 75-year-old’s previous Yorkshire tenure covered part of a period where the club have since admitted charges of failing to address the systemic use of racist or discriminatory language.
For his part Graves denies knowledge of any racist behaviour during his time at the club but controversially suggested there was “a lot of banter”.
Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq said in a column for The Observer at the weekend that sponsors should question their continued involvement in the club, and one of them, tiling company Al Murad, has now indicated that it is closely assessing the situation in light of the news concerning Graves.
A spokesperson for Al Murad told the PA news agency: “We are reviewing the situation at Yorkshire Cricket very carefully.
“We are in communication – and we expect to be communicated to – as the process of securing long-term funding is brought to a conclusion that will trigger constitutional and governance arrangements to deliver financial stability going forward.
“On the strength of that information and communication, we will review how intrinsic is equity, equality, representation and inclusiveness at Yorkshire Cricket if Mr Graves does take the helm.
“The deep changes required that Lord Kamlesh Patel subsequently brought about, and future commitment to go above and beyond, will have a strong bearing on how we view any future engagement. Of course the ECB and possibly other actors will have a bearing on the final outcome.”
Yorkshire-based Al Murad came on board as a community partner of the club in 2022 in a three-year deal, following the appointment of Lord Kamlesh Patel as chair after the racism scandal under the club’s previous leadership led to a number of sponsors walking away.
Al Murad’s support features on the county age group team kits and the company’s partnership and investment with the club focuses on improving access to the pathway structure and seeks to remove socio-economic barriers to entry as well as coaching bias.
Graves said his sole reason for wanting to return to Yorkshire was to help save the club.
He told talkSPORT: “The ball is in the Yorkshire board’s court to make a decision, but my interest is real, it’s absolute, and that’s for one reason and one reason only, and it’s to save Yorkshire County Cricket Club. None of us wants to see that institution disappear.
“It’s not in a good place so from my point of view that’s the reason I’m doing this. I’m passionate about the place and I want to make sure that Yorkshire County Cricket Club survives and prospers.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo insisted the Milwaukee Bucks must take criticism from fans on the chin after they lost for a fourth time in the space of five games.
The Bucks went down 132-116 to the Utah Jazz on Monday, as their January slump continued.
Milwaukee fans were far from happy with their team's display, as boos and jeers rang out following the defeat.
Despite finishing with a triple-double of 25 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, Antetokounmpo was unimpressed with his performance.
"I think we have great fans, but around the league, if you don't play hard and don't give everything for the team, there are times where you might get booed," he said.
"S***, I'd boo myself tonight too."
The only way forward for the Bucks now is to be unified, Antetokounmpo added.
He said: "You've got to stay together, that's it.
"If you try to go your way or do it yourself, it's not going to work.
"We've been in this position before. It's OK to be in this position, but then again, at the end of the day, we have to get better.
"We have to realise that we have to keep on doing the little things."
The Jazz ran away at the start of the fourth quarter, opening up a 15-point lead that the Bucks were unable to overturn despite a late rally.
"We flipped it a little bit as far as our energy and effort, and we made it a ballgame, but in the NBA you just can't dig yourself in a hole like that," Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said.
"And then you've got to play extremely hard and exert a lot of energy just to try to get back into the game."
Emma Raducanu’s exhibition match ahead of her return to grand slam action at the Australian Open has been cancelled.
The 21-year-old Briton had initially been due to play her fellow former US Open champion Naomi Osaka in a charity match inside Rod Laver Arena as part of her preparations for the first major of the year.
Japan’s Osaka, who herself recently returned to action for the first time since giving birth to daughter Shai last summer, then withdrew from the match and was replaced by world number 25 Donna Vekic.
Australian Open officials later announced the match was off, with Raducanu reported to have pulled out due to feeling “sore” following practice on Monday.
The former British number one is due to make her comeback at a major tournament in Melbourne after being sidelined for eight months following wrist and ankle operations.
Raducanu, who won at Flushing Meadows in 2021, reached the second round of the ASB Classic in Auckland last week before losing to Elina Svitolina.
Adam Silver's intervention prevented Draymond Green stepping away from basketball for good, the Golden State Warriors star has revealed.
Green is about to return from a suspension that has been in place since December 12, after he hit the Phoenix Suns' Jusuf Nurkic in the face.
That was the second suspension Green has had this season, following an altercation with Rudy Gobert in November.
And on an episode of The Draymond Green Show, the 33-year-old revealed that only a conversation with NBA commissioner Silver stopped him from retiring following his latest ban.
"I told him, 'Adam this is too much for me. This is too much. It's all becoming too much for me, and I'm going to retire'," Green said.
"And Adam said, 'You're making a very rash decision and I won't let you do that.'
"We had a long, great conversation; very helpful to me. Very thankful to play in a league with a commissioner like Adam who's more about helping you than hurting you; helping you than punishing you. He's more about the players."
Suns star Kevin Durant said at the time Green was handed the ban that the power forward needed to "get the help he needs".
On Monday, Durant explained he meant no ill will with his comments.
"You got to look at it from my perspective like before I had made those comments, [people were] saying Draymond's going to therapy and s***," Durant said.
"Like what am I supposed to think? They say somebody going to therapy, I'm hoping he gets better from that, and hope he learned from whatever he feels like he needs to learn from going to therapy.
"I'm glad he's back. I'm glad he can move past that. Draymond is an incredible teammate. He's got his times where he loses his temper, but everybody has those times and I'm sure they all [are] happy to have him back.
"But I didn't mean no ill will by what I said. I know some people look at me as this malicious snake. I know how people feel about me sometimes, so when I say s***, I don't mean no harm by nobody. I don't mean to disrespect him or his family if he felt that way. I'm just glad he's back on the court."
Erik ten Hag has not ruled out using the transfer market to strengthen his squad as injuries and illness continue to hit Manchester United hard.
The number of absentees reached double figures for Monday’s 2-0 FA Cup win away to League Two Wigan, with Christian Eriksen out due to illness and Antony injured.
Although Ten Hag is optimistic a number of players could return in time for Sunday’s Premier League match at home to Tottenham, a United bench made up almost entirely of youngsters at the DW Stadium pointed to the stretched resources.
“We consider everything,” Ten Hag said when asked about the January window. “So what is in the best interests of the players and also the best interests for us, the team, for Manchester United. So we’ll see how we progress during the window.”
Ten Hag admitted it has been frustrating to lose so many players in recent weeks, but the Dutchman did not want that to be an excuse for some poor results last month, when United lost six of their nine games.
“I don’t want to be frustrated because I can do nothing for it, it will not help to support the team,” he said. “So we have to get the best performance and best results with the players available and that’s what we’re trying to do…
“I think there will be some players that are hopeful they can be back for the weekend.”
Ten Hag said he expected Eriksen to return in time for the Spurs match, while Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire could also be available.
The victory at Wigan sets up a fourth round tie away to either League Two Newport or non-league Eastleigh, and a clear opportunity to progress further.
With United out of Europe and eighth in the Premier League, a competition in which United reached the final last season remains their only opportunity of silverware this term.
“I don’t think (the focus on the FA Cup) would change if you are still in Europe,” Ten Hag said. “It is a massive competition. Everyone wants to win this competition. So every game we take seriously.”
United beat Wigan with goals in either half from Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes, the second a penalty, but should have won more convincingly given they had 33 attempts on goal.
Fourteen of those were on target, but United were the latest side to find out why Wigan’s 21-year-old goalkeeper Sam Tickle is a man in-demand given his recent form.
Tickle has taken the starting role at Wigan ahead of former United stopper Ben Amos, and the England under-21 goalkeeper has recently been linked with Premier League clubs including Everton.
“He is a brilliant shot-stopper,” Wigan boss Shaun Maloney said of Tickle. “When I first came in, I realised we had something special…
“He was brilliant (against United) and it’s been like that all season. I understand the attention now. It is amazing for our club to have a goalkeeper in the England Under 21 team. Long may it continue. I think it will.”
What the papers say
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, 21, has found himself under the scope of Spanish giants Real Madrid, the Daily Mail reports. The England Under-21 international has played 17 games for the Toffees in the Premier League this season.
The Evening Standard says West Ham could make a move for 26-year-old Ajax and Netherlands forward Steven Bergwijn. The former Tottenham player has scored eight goals in all competitions this year for Ajax.
One player who could be making the opposite journey from England to the Netherlands is Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri, who has been linked with a loan move to PSV Eindhoven – and LA Galaxy – according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, cited by Teamtalk.
Social media round-up
Real Madrid ‘to turn to Erling Haaland if they fail in Mbappe transfer but will only have to pay HALF his release fee’https://t.co/1JoTm4tiE4https://t.co/1JoTm4tiE4
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) January 8, 2024
Players to watch
Hugo Ekitike: Wolves are reportedly interested in signing the 21-year-old Paris St Germain forward, according to French outlet L’Equipe.
Jonathan David: The 23-year-old Canada forward, currently at Lille in France, has attracted interest from Manchester United and Aston Villa, Football Transfers reports.
The Indiana Pacers overcame a double-digit deficit and an injury to star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to rally for a thrilling 133-131 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Monday.
Indiana earned its seventh win in eight games despite trailing by 11 points in the third quarter and playing the entire second half without Haliburton, the team's top scorer who had to be carried off the court after slipping and straining his left hamstring late in the second quarter.
Bennedict Mathurin helped offset Haliburton's absence with 26 points off the bench, while Buddy Hield scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Pacers also withstand a season-high 40 points from Boston's Jaylen Brown.
Brown finished 17 of 26 from the field on a night the Celtics played without leading scorer Jayson Tatum due to a sore left ankle. Boston lost for only the second time in its last 10 games and was coming off a 118-101 home win over the Pacers on Saturday.
The Celtics did hold a 74-63 lead early in the third quarter before Indiana put forth a 17-6 run to tie the game and later take a slim 103-101 edge into the fourth.
The game remained tight up until the very end, when Mathurin was fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a 3-point try with 0.6 seconds on the clock. He made the first two free throws before deliberately missing the third and leaving the Celtics with not enough time to get a good shot off.
Fast start helps Jazz extend Bucks' slump
The Pacers closed the gap on first-place Milwaukee in the Central Division after the struggling Bucks were handed a 132-116 defeat by the visiting Utah Jazz.
Five Jazz players had at least 19 points and Utah led from nearly start-to-finish to deal Milwaukee a fourth loss in five games. The Bucks' lead over Indiana and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central is now down to 3 1/2 games.
Utah hit 11 3-pointers in the first quarter to take a 41-23 lead after 12 minutes, then shot 54.2 per cent in the second to build a commanding 77-46 half-time advantage. John Collins and Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 12 first-half points.
Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen each finished with 21 points for Utah, which had its lead reduced to seven points midway through the fourth quarter before pulling away again late.
Collins, Collin Sexton and Keyonte George all had 19 points in the Jazz's eighth win in 10 games, while Kris Dunn dished out 13 assists.
Milwaukee did get a 25-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double from Giannis Antetokounmpo on a night in which it played without fellow star Damian Lillard, who was away from the team due to a personal matter.
Elias Petersson and Nils Hoglander each had two goals to support 39 saves from Thatcher Demko as the Vancouver Canucks rolled to a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers in a clash of division leaders on Monday.
Petersson added assists on two of three Vancouver first-period goals as the NHL's highest scoring team put on another strong offensive display.
Brock Boeser contributed a goal and two assists in the Pacific Division-leading Canucks' third win in four games. Vancouver has put up six goals in each of those victories.
After Vincent Trocheck scored the first of his two goals to give the Rangers a quick lead just 3:38 in, J.T. Miller, Hoglander and Boeser all beat New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin before the end of the first period to stake Vancouver to a 3-1 lead.
Artemi Panarin got the Rangers closer 8:19 into the second with his 26th goal of the season, but Petersson and Hogland scored 1:14 apart late in the period to extend the Canucks' advantage to 5-2.
Trocheck got a rising shot past Demko 3:36 into the third period, but the Canucks later killed off a New York power play before Pettersson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:31 remaining.
Shesterkin stopped just 20 of 25 shots as the Metropolitan-leading Rangers lost consecutive games for just the second time this season.
Avalanche stay hot with shootout win over Bruins
Valeri Nichushkin scored the lone goal of the shootout to give the Colorado Avalanche a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins for their fifth win in six games.
Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves before stopping all three Boston skaters he faced in the shootout to help Colorado bounce back from Saturday's 8-4 home loss to the Florida Panthers.
Colorado got back on track despite two goals from Boston's Brad Marchand, the last of which tied the game at 3-3 in the third period.
Sam Malinski had given the Avs a 3-2 lead when he fired a shot past Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman with 2:04 left in the second period.
After Marchand and Colorado's Mikko Rantanen traded power-play goals in the first period, Logan O'Connor put the Avalanche ahead 2:23 into the second before Boston's John Beecher tied it midway through the period.
Swayman finished with 33 saves for the Bruins, who had won five of six coming in.
Stars blank Wild to keep Fleury at 551 wins
Matt Murray made 23 saves to record his first career shutout and outshine Marc-Andre Fleury as the Dallas Stars got back on track with a 4-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
Fleury entered the contest tied with Hall of Famer Patrick Roy for second place in NHL history with 551 wins as a goaltender, but made just 16 saves as Murray outperformed the 39-year-old in only his fourth career NHL start.
Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin supported the rookie with a goal and an assist each as Dallas ended a season-high three-game losing streak.
The Stars scored twice while short-handed, with the first coming midway through the first period when Seguin forced a turnover and an uncovered Hintz beat Fleury on the resulting pass.
Fleury kept it a 1-0 game until Seguin's wrist shot trickled past the veteran 1:28 into the third period. Radek Faksa later added another short-handed goal before Jason Robertson scored on a power play to give Dallas a commanding 4-0 lead.
The WIld lost for the fifth time in six games and were shut out for the second time this season.
Andrew Strauss was persuaded to return to limited-overs international action and captain England’s tour of the West Indies on this day in 2009.
The England and Wales Cricket Board took the decision to put Strauss in total charge following a week of turmoil, which saw predecessor Kevin Pietersen resign and coach Peter Moores sacked.
Strauss was not a member of the original party to stay on after the four-Test series, having fallen out of favour.
He had last played a one-day game for England in April 2007, against West Indies, in what was Duncan Fletcher’s last match in charge.
But the tumultuous events left the selection panel no straightforward alternative candidates.
The only three men from within the original squad established enough in the side were Pietersen and fellow former captains Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood – both of whom had issues of their own and relinquished the role.
“I am delighted to lead the team in the one-day internationals and Twenty20s,” said Strauss at the time.
“I know I haven’t played an ODI since the end of the World Cup in 2007 but I do feel that I have something to offer in that form of the game.
“Now this situation has been resolved we can now all unite and get about the business of winning cricket matches for England and winning them consistently.”
Strauss announced his retirement from cricket in August 2012 following 100 Test appearances.
He became the ECB’s director of cricket in 2015 – leaving the post after three-and-a-half years – and was knighted in 2019.
In April 2023, it was announced Strauss, who stood in as interim managing director of England men’s cricket between February and May 2022, would leave his roles as strategic adviser to the ECB and chair of the performance cricket committee the following May.
Ja Morant’s season is over after just nine games.
The Memphis Grizzlies announced Monday that their star point guard will require surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Morant injured his shoulder during a training session on Saturday, and an MRI was ordered Monday due to “ongoing soreness and instability,” the team said in a statement.
Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of this season after flashing a gun in an online video. After serving his suspension, Morant averaged 25.1 points and 8.1 assists.
The Grizzlies were 6-3 this season with Morant in the lineup and are 7-20 without him.
Morant was ruled out for Sunday’s win over the Phoenix Suns, but he sat on the bench with his right arm in a sling. After the game, Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant was a game-time decision before that game.
A former second overall draft pick, Morant was the 2020 Rookie of the Year and has been selected as an All-Star in each of the last two seasons.
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