Adam Nicol is looking forward to next season with stable star Wise Eagle after deciding to draw stumps for the current campaign.

Bought out of Tom Clover’s yard for just 7,000 guineas three years ago, the six-year-old has proved a real money-spinner for his connections, winning a jumpers’ bumper and 10 races on the Flat.

He started off 2023 by beating subsequent Chester Cup hero Metier in the lucrative Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh before filling the runner-up spot behind the top-class Coltrane in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes.

An ambitious tilt at Gold Cup glory at the Royal meeting failed to pay off, with Wise Eagle losing a shoe and finishing last of the 12 runners, but Nicol remains confident there will be more big days in a horse who has already improved a staggering 40lb in the ratings.

“We’re going to pull the plug this season and get him ready for the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh, which he won this year in early April,” said the Northumberland-based trainer.

“We were going to keep him for an autumn campaign and run him either at Doncaster (Doncaster Cup) or maybe in the Cesarewitch, but we’re just going to look after him and bring him back in December time and aim for Musselburgh, where he’s won four times.”

Reflecting on his performance in the Gold Cup, Nicol added: “He pulled a hind shoe off and was very sore the next day. It’s like us ripping our big toe nail off as he took a bit of foot with it as well.

“I think that happened quite early on, so that didn’t help, but Danny (Tudhope) was never happy with him and said he was hanging left from the minute the gates opened, which is not like him at all.

“We sent him down to Newmarket for a full MOT at the equine hospital and we found that he was just a bit jarred up in his front end.

“He’s absolutely fine now and he’ll be back next season. You’ve got to look after every horse obviously – but for a small yard like ours, when you’ve got a horse running in those type of races, we’re not going to flog him.

“There was a reason for the poor run in the Gold Cup, his run in the Sagaro Stakes was very good and we’ve seen what Coltrane has gone and done. There’s not many horses that have made a race of it with Coltrane, so if we can get this lad back right, I think there’s more races to be won with him.”

While Nicol’s initial focus will be on major staying races on the Flat next year, he is not ruling out a future switch to the jumping game, with Wise Eagle having finished second on his only start over hurdles to date in 2020.

He said: “I was thinking if he was in good form we could maybe give him a run in a novice hurdle in the autumn before the ground gets too heavy as he is a very good jumper.

“He’s very quick and has been from day one. I remember one day I schooled him over some tyres and I was like ‘Jesus, you’d think he was a handicapper’.

“That’s something to think about down the line. Every now and again we school him over barrels to keep his eye in and if he reaches his limit on the Flat or goes a bit sour and needs a change of scenery, we could look to go hurdling. We’ll just see what happens.”

A trip to France for the Prix du Cadran is next on the agenda for Courage Mon Ami after coming off second best in his latest clash with Coltrane at York last week.

John and Thady Gosden’s son of Frankel raised the roof at Royal Ascot when providing jockey Frankie Dettori with his ninth victory in the Gold Cup, narrowly outpointing the Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane.

Courage Mon Ami lost his unbeaten record when only sixth in the Goodwood Cup, a race in which Coltrane finished third, and the trilogy took place in the Lonsdale Cup on the Knavesmire on Friday.

With the Gosden runner carrying a 3lb penalty for his Gold Cup win, he was beaten a length and a half by his old rival and connections are now eyeing one final outing this season on Arc weekend in Paris.

“I thought he probably ran right up to form, as John said afterwards carrying the 3lb penalty is tough over that trip,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan Racing.

“We were delighted with the run because it sort of showed that Ascot wasn’t a fluke. We hoped it wasn’t and Coltrane is a very good horse on his day – they’re the best stayers around really.

“Our horse was strong at the line, we know he gets two and a half miles obviously and I’d say that the Cadran will be his next target.

“Qatar sponsors the Arc meeting, so it’s important for those reasons as well, but that aside, the Cadran looks the obvious race for him and that’s exactly what Frankie said afterwards.”

Brown admitted the prospect of soft ground at ParisLongchamp is a slight concern, adding: “I would be a bit worried about a bit of soft ground. You never know really until you try it, I think he’ll be OK but you never know.

“After the Cadran that will be it for him this year as everything is geared around trying to win a second Gold Cup.”

Courage Mon Ami was one of four horses to perform well in defeat at the Ebor Festival for the Qatari ownership group, with leading St Leger hope Gregory third in the Great Voltigeur, Ballymount Boy second in the Acomb and Isaac Shelby fourth in the City of York Stakes.

Brown admits the team left the track with mixed emotions.

He said: “Of course you want to win, that’s what it’s all about, but we had two seconds, a third and a fourth and if one of those had turned into a win, it would have been a hell of a week.

“We came away a little frustrated, but at the same time they’ve all run to a very high level.”

Ballymount Boy was snapped up by Wathnan Racing after finishing second to subsequent Prix Morny hero Vandeek in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood – and while he again had to make do with the runner-up spot at York behind Indian Run, Brown is optimistic he will have his day in the future.

He said: “He ran well, possibly he’d prefer soft ground and also he was a breeze-up horse who has had some quick runs, so we’ll give him a break now.

“I was actually delighted. He obviously bumped into one at Goodwood and I’d say there’s a fair chance he’s just bumped into another good one at York.

“We’re going to give him a bit of a rest and give him just one more run this year, I would say.

“He’s shown he’s a Group level colt and I think he’ll only be better next year as well as he’s still relatively unfurnished.”

Brian Meehan’s Isaac Shelby faced his elders on the fourth and final day of the meeting and while far from disgraced behind Kinross, who he had pushed to a neck in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood at the start of the month, Brown feels he slightly underperformed.

“It’s the quickest we’ve run him back and I wonder if he was a touch flat,” he added.

“Kinross is a brilliant horse and we were a bit further behind him than we were at Goodwood, which I suppose makes you think he was just a touch flat.

“We haven’t made any plans for him. Myself, Brian and Olly Tait will sit down and do that in a couple of weeks, but I’d imagine we’ll give him a six-week break now and give him one more run somewhere.

“He’s learning to settle as he gets older. He’s a tall, narrow horse and I think he’s going to be a better four-year-old.”

Bajan winger Thierry Gale has joined Austrian club SK Rapid Wien on a four-year deal from Georgian side FC Dila Gori.

The 21-year-old will wear the number 16 jersey for the Austrian side and is now the most expensive Barbadian footballer ever after Rapid Wien paid BDS 1.7 million for his services.

“I am coming from a rather atypical footballing country and have always had to work hard for everything in the past. I’m all the happier that the performances I showed didn’t go unnoticed by the club officials at SK Rapid,” Gale said.

“Rapid is a big club that has an international reputation and is also known far beyond national borders due to its incredible following. It’s the biggest transfer of my young career so far and I’ll do my best from day one to repay the trust placed in me with good performances,” he added.

Gale started his professional career in 2020 for Hungarian club Budapest Honved before moving to Dila Gori in 2022.

The winger scored 12 goals in 35 appearances for FC Dila Gori over the last two seasons.

Gale made his debut for Barbados in 2018 and has two goals in nine games.

The ever-popular Sir Busker could return to action in the Superior Mile at Haydock in early September.

Trained by William Knight in Newmarket, the gelding is an admirable campaigner who reached new heights this time last year when winning the York Stakes and then running a massive race at the same track to come home third in the Juddmonte International.

He then went to ply his trade in the Middle East as spring approached this term, but an eye infection turned a brief stay into a longer one as he required surgery to save his vision.

The procedure was a success and he returned to work earlier in the campaign, just missing out on his aim of returning to the Ebor meeting again to contest the Strensall Stakes.

An alternative target has been pencilled into his diary by owner Kennet Valley Syndicates, however, with the Group Three Superior Mile on the agenda for the seven-year-old.

Sam Hoskins, racing manager to the group, said: “He’s great, he had a bad eye infection out in Dubai and that’s why we haven’t seen him this summer.

“He nearly got to the Strensall at York last week, but he just blew up in a piece of work a week before and William Knight just said he didn’t want to rush him to get there.

“He is nearly ready to go, he could run in the Superior Mile which is the Group Three at Haydock on Sprint Cup Day – September 9.

“I’m sure he’d probably come on for the run a bit, but it’ll be great to see him back on the course.

“He owes us absolutely nothing, we’ll have to see how we get on this autumn, but he’s been showing his usual zest for life. Hopefully he can run a nice race there and we can start to make plans for the future.”

Regional is set to be stepped up in trip for the Betfair Sprint Cup after running with credit in the Nunthorpe at York last week.

Having won a handicap on the Knavesmire in May before successfully stepping up in class in the Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock the following month, the five-year-old was kept fresh for a tilt at Group One glory by trainer Ed Bethell.

He was beaten only two and a half lengths into fifth place, and Bethell is now keen to bid for another top-level prize over an extra furlong.

He said: “He ran a really good race. I was really happy with how he got on and he wasn’t beaten far.

“The complexion of the race changed when the winner went off like a scalded cat and fair play to the winner, he kept going and it was a fair performance.

“We’re pretty quick and we jumped well, but we just weren’t as quick as the winner into our stride. If you took him out of it, the complexion of the race would probably have changed dramatically, but it’s a horse race, he set a relentless gallop and won fair and square.

“It looked as if we need to step up to six furlongs maybe at that level. He just got run off his feet the whole way, but on the whole I’m delighted with how he ran and I think we’re possibly going to target the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

“Hopefully it stays dry and we’ll see how we get on.”

Wordsworth will be pointed towards the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket having recently joined David Pipe ahead of dual-purpose duties.

He finished second at Royal Ascot, third in the Irish Derby and also runner-up in the Grand Prix de Paris when at his peak as a three-year-old, with the son of Galileo also going close in the Sagaro Stakes and Curragh Cup when tried in staying contests by former trainer Aidan O’Brien last year.

Since leaving Ballydoyle, Wordsworth has appeared twice for Irish handler Josh Halley, finishing fourth in His Majesty’s Plate at Down Royal before rattling the crossbar when jumping hurdles for the first time at Ballinrobe.

He has now switched to Pond House with further endeavours over timber on the agenda for the winter, but before that he will line-up in the Newmarket marathon on October 14 for which he is a general 20-1 chance and where Pipe will bid to replicate his father, Martin, who won the race in both 2000 and 2002.

“He ran over hurdles the other day in Ireland and finished second and he’s only just recently arrived,” said the trainer.

“He has an entry in the Cesarewitch and that will be the plan.

“He is rated very highly and a nice addition to the team. He’ll be a dual-purpose horse for us and it’s nice to have him on board.”

Grand Prix de Paris hero Feed The Flame will target the Prix Niel as he prepares to set his sights on the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Pascal Bary-trained three-year-old has won three of his four runs since taking to the track for the first time in April.

He was an impressive five-and-a-half-length winner on debut at ParisLongchamp when running over a mile and two and half furlongs and stepped up incrementally later that month to strike again at the same track.

At Chantilly in early June he made the leap up to Group One company when contesting the Prix du Jockey Club and was far from disgraced on his first attempt at stakes level when finishing fourth of 11 runners.

That experience clearly served him well on his next start, as he then landed the Grand Prix de Paris back at Longchamp, a Group One over an extended mile and a half that he won by a length from Adelaide River and Oaks heroine Soul Sister.

That performance will pave to way to the Prix Niel at Longchamp in early September, which will in turn lead to the Arc as both races are run over the same course and distance.

Only Ace Impact and Hukum are in front of Feed The Flame in the Arc market, which is one of the few races to have so-far eluded his decorated handler.

“Tres bien, he is very well,” said Chantilly-based Bary.

“He’s to run on the 10th of September in the Prix Niel.

“He needs that (run over course and distance) before the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“He knows the course very well now, he has won there three times.”

While their recent rise in the Fifa Women's World rankings is all well and good, senior Reggae Girlz assistant coach Xavier Gilbert says the focus of the Lorne Donaldson-led staff is more on initiating the next phase of building the programme to not only ensure continued growth and development, but more importantly, success.

Gilbert, beamed about the fact that the Girlz showed mettle against two of the world's best teams –number-five ranked France and number nine-ranked Brazil –at the recently-concluded World Cup jointly hosted in Australia and New Zealand, and pointed to the significance of maintaining that historic momentum.

The now 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz, held France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and secured their first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama to progress from the group stage, before going down 0-1 to now 22nd-ranked Colombia in the Round of 16.

Merely making the Round of 16 was an overachievement by the Jamaicans, as they became the first Caribbean nation –male or female –to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938 and that Gilbert believes attributed to their six-place jump on the world table.

By virtue of that, the Girlz also moved to fourth in Concacaf behind United States, who are now ranked at number three in the world, Canada who slipped to 10th and Mexico, who slipped to 36th. The Jamaicans overtook Costa Rica, who slipped to 43rd.

"It is important that we move up the ladder because a rise or fall in the ranking shows that you're either doing something right or failing to get to a particular standard to meet certain objectives. So, it is really good for us and of course we are happy because this move, is a testament of the work we have done over the years, to not only get to this point where we improve our rankings, but more importantly, improve our general performance," Gilbert told SportsMax.tv.

"So, it is important that this momentum isn’t lost, as we have always alluded to, we still have areas that we can improve in and our recent achievement just goes to show that the more we are together and the more continuity we have, the better we can become. We just have to build, we can be better, and we can go higher but the only way to do that, is to build," he added.

Gilbert's sentiments were a slight jab in the direction of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), as he argued that they failed to capitalise on the Fifa match windows ahead of the World Cup, which would have aided in more sustained preparations that might have yielded more positive results.

"We didn't maximise on games in the other windows ahead of the World Cup and I think that would have helped us move a little further," the tactician said.

"I think once we occupy the Fifa windows we will see some more growth and, by extension movements up the ladder and, of course, we would possibly get a lot more invitations to play more friendly games against some top teams to further build our competitive edge," Gilbert reasoned.

"So, again, the move up the ranking is a step in the right direction, it also augurs well for the Caribbean where the standing of women’s football is concerned and I am hoping we can benefit from it by getting more games, as we have to ensure that we utilise each and every Fifa window to build going forward," he continued.

Another positive spinoff from their World Cup exploit is the fact that a number of players, to include, standout defender Allyson Swaby and Trudi Carter, recently landed contracts in two top leagues.

Swaby, 26, signed with Italian club AC Milan until 2026, for what will be her second stint in the women’s Serie A, having previously represented AS Roma. Carter, 28, who also had a stint with AS Roma which was derailed by injury, Mexican club Atletico San Luis.

“Obviously, that again is a good look, this is what we expect, and it is what we want. We want to have our players plying their trade in some of the top leagues around the world as it not only helps to improve their craft, but also the programme because they will bring that experience and knowledge into the national team which will assist in how we perform against certain opponents,” Gilbert shared.

For the next Fifa match window in September, the Girlz will have an important Olympic qualifying playoff assignment against reigning Olympic champions Canada, where they will hope to secure more positive results and, by extension, rewrite the history books.

Victories in the September 22 and 26 fixtures at the National Stadium and Toronto respectively, would see the Jamaicans being the first Caribbean nation to qualify for women's football at the Olympic Games. It would also secure them the second automatic spot for the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, alongside United States.

Though cautiously optimistic about the outcome, Gilbert knows it will by no means be easy, especially with the Canadians wanting to make amends for their failed World Cup campaign. 

"Our performance at the World Cup was a testament in itself of the growth and hard work that has been done by our staff and players, but we remain grounded and so we are well aware of that challenge and know what is ahead," he noted.

Still, if the World Cup has proven anything, it's that the gap between the proverbial big wigs and perceived smaller nations, are rapidly closing.

"We certainly respect what they bring to the table, but we expect a lot of ourselves, and we are optimistic in terms of our ability and what we can do with the right level of preparation. I think with the caliber of players we have and the depth we have, we can prove tougher and more competitive than in the past and hopefully we can get favourable results," Gilbert ended.

The unwavering commitment to task, team spirit and the desire to stand out, were the unifying threads linking Guyana's tale of overachievement at the just-concluded Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championship at the North Sound Courts in the Cayman Islands.

Simply put, the Guyanese left nothing to chance and now they are reveling in the fact that they not only retained the overall championship but had a host of other accolades that sweetened the deal in what was a clear demonstration of the gulf in class –certainly on this occasion –between them and their regional counterparts. 

Along with the overall title, Guyana also clinched the men’s and women’s team events, as well as the men’s and women’s vets’ titles. They also finished tops in the women’s doubles thanks to Ashely Khalil and Ashley de Groot, and in the men’s and women’s over 40 contest courtesy of Jeranzo Bell and Nicolette Fernandes respectively. 

"After a week of intense competition, we are incredibly proud that the blood, sweat and tears that went into putting Guyana back on that top podium once more, proved worthwhile," Guyana squash said in a social media post.

"Our successes become more meaningful when we have a massive community backing us every step of the way. Thanks to our coach Ramon [Chan-A-Sue] and the family and friends of Guyana squash for your endless support. Also, our sponsors without whom, none of this would be possible. Your contributions towards our team success would never go unrecognized," the post added.

In key team final matches, Guyana defeated hosts Cayman Islands 3-2 on their way to the men’s title, while their female counterparts, had a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Barbados for the women’s honours.

The Guyanese had earlier captured the women’s doubles gold through Khalil and de Groot, who bettered the host pair of Jade Pitcarin and Marlene West, but Fernandes and Khalil had to settle for silver and bronze in the women’s singles behind Barbadian Margot Prow.

Another Barbadian Khamal Cumberbatch topped the men's singles event, ahead of homeboy Cameron Stafford with another home player Julian Jervis, edging Guyana's Alex Arjoon for bronze.

Stafford and Jervis later teamed up to stop Cumberbatch and Shaw Simpson, in the men’s doubles final. Jamaica's Bruce Burrowes and Julian Morris took bronze.

Jamaica's duo of Tahjia Lumley and Jessica Davies, topped the mixed doubles contest, leaving Guyana's Jason-Ray Khalil and Fernandes to settle for silver. The Bajan pair of Darien Benn and Jada Smith-Padmore claimed bronze.

Connections of Gregory remain positive about his chances of victory in the Betfred St Leger, despite his short-priced defeat at York last week.

Having maintained his unbeaten record in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, John and Thady Gosden’s colt was a warm order to cement his Classic claims with Group Two success in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

But having cut out much of the running on the Knavesmire under Frankie Dettori, Gregory ultimately had to settle for third place, although he was staying on again at the line.

The son of Golden Horn remains at the head of ante-post lists for the Doncaster showpiece with some bookmakers and hopes remain high within his camp.

Richard Brown, racing adviser to Gregory’s owners Wathnan Racing, said: “We said after Ascot that his main target would be the Leger and that this (Great Voltigeur) was the obvious race to take en route.

“We’d love to have won it, but they went pretty hard up front – those early fractions were pretty fierce. We were initially disappointed, but then you see where the two horses that went with him finished and where he finished.

“Frankie looked after him when his winning chance had gone and actually when he stood up on him, the horse ran on again on his own.

“Back up to a mile and six (furlongs) in the Leger is going to be much more his game. I’ve been in racing long enough not to be overly optimistic as things go wrong and maybe he’s not good enough, but I think he’s going to go there with a big chance.”

Gregory is the 3-1 market leader for the Leger with Paddy Power, with his York conqueror Continuous a 4-1 shot and Desert Hero, who carries the colours of the King and Queen, next in line at 11-2.

Brown added: “He’s come out of the race in great shape, John and Thady are very happy with him, it’s all systems go and we’re looking forward to it.

“It looks like it could be a very good renewal and with the royal runner as well, it’s exciting for racing.”

Kevin Philippart De Foy has a French outing planned for the promising Shadwell filly Alshinfarah.

The two-year-old, who is owned and was bred by Sheikha Hissa’s thoroughbred operation, made a winning debut when taking a Doncaster maiden by half a length in July.

After that she headed to Haydock for a seven-furlong novice and won comfortably under a penalty when defeating William Haggas’ Remaadd by a length and a quarter.

That victory was then made to look even more impressive when the latter horse triumphed by a very taking four and a half lengths in a Goodwood maiden at the weekend.

Philippart De Foy now has a trip to France pencilled in for Alshinfarah, with the Prix d’Aumale at Longchamp the target should the ground be suitable.

The trainer said: “She is in very good form, William Haggas’ horse won at Goodwood and that was good to see.

“The filly is entered in France in the Prix d’Aumale at Longchamp next week, it’s a one-mile fillies’ Group Three.

“She is quite well related so the goal now is to try to get some black type.

“It seems to be a good place to go, it’s the right timing and as long as there is decent ground we will be aiming there.

“She is very straightforward, Jim (Crowley) was pleased with her. It was the first time he’d sat on her and she gave him a great feel, it would be great if she could step up again and try to do something nice in a better race.”

Alshinfarah’s victories mark the beginning of a relatively new relationship between Shadwell and the Newmarket-based trainer, who is understandably pleased to have provided the major owner with some success already.

He said: “It’s good to start on a positive note, we are lucky to have those colours on the yard this year and hopefully there is more success to come.”

Philippart De Foy has another nice prospect in Inquisitively, a two-year-old who won the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes at York on the final day of the Ebor meeting.

The colt has new Hong Kong-based owners and will ultimately head east, but before then he has engagements closer to home and could run at Town Moor later in the term.

The trainer said: “Inquisitively will be entered at Doncaster in two and a half weeks, and providing the ground doesn’t go soft he will run there in the Flying Childers.”

Last year’s St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov will bid to add the Irish equivalent to his CV when he heads to the Curragh on day two of the Irish Champions Festival.

It promises to be a big weekend for Roger Varian, who is poised to saddle crack middle-distance colt King Of Steel in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9, while 24 hours later his star stayer will attempt to get back to winning ways and register his first success since his Doncaster Classic triumph 12 months ago in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.

The son of Dubawi was due to run at the Curragh in the Group Three Leger trial there earlier this month, but got worked up in the early stages of the journey to Ireland and was subsequently declared a non-runner.

Connections will now be hoping for a smoother trip when Eldar Eldarov heads to the Kildare track for his intended outing on September 10.

“He wasn’t travelling very well and we don’t know why because he’s never had that problem before,” explained Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing Ltd.

“He got upset travelling and they thought rather than carry on to Ireland they would bring him home. I think they had got into north Wales just beyond Chester.

“The worry was if you put him on the ferry and it deteriorated into something like colic then you are in the middle of the sea and you can’t do anything about it. He just got his knickers in a twist about something so they brought him home.

“The target for him is to go to the Irish St Leger and that is very much still on the cards at the moment. He’s grand and it’s all systems go for that.”

Wall also revealed that the KHK Racing-owned Sakheer is unlikely to take up his engagement in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup on September 9, but hopes to see the Zoffany colt back in action at Ascot in the Qipco British Champions Sprint on October 21.

Also trained by Varian, last year’s Mill Reef winner was not disgraced in the 2000 Guineas earlier this year, but having failed to truly stay the mile has been off the track since his first run back over sprinting distances in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

“He’s had a few niggly things after Ascot, but he’s back in work and we’re hoping to run him in something this autumn,” said Wall.

“I don’t think he’ll be ready for the Haydock race, that’s not far away now so he won’t make that. But we hope we might have him back for a run perhaps in the Champions Sprint and we’ll go from there.

“It’s been one of those years really where things haven’t quite gone his way, but we hope we can get him back on track and if not we’ll have to hope things go right for him next year instead.

“It’s a tough year at three and if you miss your slots early, which he did, then you haven’t much else and any obvious route back into things. It’s tough, but we haven’t given up on him yet.”

In form Barbadian jockey Antonio Whitehall piloted his 50th career stakes win in Canada when he landed Saturday night’s Speed to Spare Championship Stakes with the 3-1 bet Great Escape at Century Mile in Edmonton.

Held off the early pace, the four-year-old gelding, Great Escape, came flying down the homestretch with Whitehall and won by a length and three-quarters over the 45-1 outsider Itsmyday, ridden by Trinidad and Tobago’s reigning champion jockey Brian Boodramsing.

The 29-year-old Whitehall was not originally listed for the ride but grabbed the opportunity when Toronto-based Barbadian Rico Walcott could not fulfill the engagement.

“I wasn’t booked to ride, the horse became available and I made it count,” Whitehall told SportsMax.

Great Escape, who won the 2022 Canadian Derby at Century Mile with Walcott aboard, edged closer to the lead coming off the final bend and went in chase of backstretch leader Glava, the 7-1 bet with Jamaican jockey Dane Nelson aboard.

Whitehall, who is based at Winnipeg’s Assiniboia Downs where he is currently the number-one rider, grabbed the lead with Great Escape approaching the eighth pole won over Itsmyday, who came from a long way off the pace for the runner-up spot. Glava held on for third. Great Escape clocked 2:04.00 for the 10-furlong Speed to Spare Championship win.

With less than a month remaining in the Assiniboia Downs season, Whitehall is poised for a third championship win at the Winnipeg racetrack, boasting 41 wins, 13 ahead of fellow Barbadian Damario Bynoe (29) with Mexican Jorge Carreno, the defending champion, lying third on 28 wins. Whitehall was Assiniboia Downs champion in 2018 and 2020.

In a historic and heartwarming gesture, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) announced today, Monday, August 28, that they will be rewarding the stellar achievements of Jamaica's netball players with JMD$1 million each (about USD$6000) for their triumphant performance at the Netball World Cup, where they clinched the bronze medal.

The JOA's rewarding initiative encompasses a comprehensive approach, aiming to not only honor the team's success but also contribute to their future financial stability. Each player from the bronze medal-winning team will receive JMD$1 million from a joint reward from Supreme Ventures Limited and Mayberry Investments.

The JMD$13 million in rewards will go towards funding investment accounts at Mayberry Investments for each medallist. The funds will be under management at Mayberry Investments for a period of three years or until the athlete's retirement from netball, whichever comes earlier.

The announcement, made at the JOA headquarters on Cunningham Avenue in Kingston on Monday, August 28, marks a momentous occasion as the JOA has never before rewarded a team and their coach for their exceptional performances. Following the Tokyo Olympics, the JOA had rewarded the track and field athletes a total of JMD$45 million.

This unprecedented decision is a testament to the remarkable journey and victories of the Jamaican netball team. Over the years, they have showcased their prowess, securing victories like the CAC gold, which ultimately culminated in their monumental success at the Netball World Cup.

Ryan Foster, General Secretary of the JOA, expressed the significance of this moment and the association's pride in the team's accomplishments:

"Today, the Jamaica Olympic Association celebrates and acknowledges your achievements on the court but we also want to reward them. We have watched with pride over the years of the success and progress made by our Sunshine Girls and are elated that we have been a part of that journey along with our partners SVL and Mayberry."

Foster recounted the dedication of the team and the vital role that the JOA, along with its partners, played in supporting the sport's resurgence after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic:

"I remember when President (Tricia) Robinson came to us seeking ways to restart the sport after COVID and the most important goal was to get the Elite League and the National League going, and the JOA along with SVL and Marathon have invested over JMD$9 million in the restart of the Netball leagues."

Highlighting the team's historic accomplishments, Mr. Foster emphasized that the bronze medal at the World Cup was the perfect culmination of their remarkable journey:

"Following upon the Commonwealth Games, Caribbean Games, and CAC, all historic performances, it was only fitting that the icing on the cake was the World Cup. The JOA and our partners salutes you and your contribution to Jamaican pride, sports prowess, and generally being great ambassadors of not only yourselves but also of the JOA and our partners."

Acknowledging the pivotal role of Coach Connie Francis, Mr. Foster announced a reward of JMD$2 million for her extraordinary leadership.

"For the signal work done by Coach Connie Francis, the JOA will reward the coach extraordinaire with an amount of $2 million," Foster said.

Recognizing the strength of their netball family, the JOA extended a helping hand to Latanya, contributing $1M towards her recovery. Wilson recently lost her home and all her personal belongings including her trophies and medals when arsonists set her home on fire.

"It is in times of distress and crisis that we see the heart of our family, and Latanya, you are family. With that said, the JOA will contribute JMD$1 million towards your road to recovery."

As the JOA, SVL, and Mayberry unite to celebrate the achievements of the Sunshine Girls, Foster assured that the journey is far from over, with the promise of continuous collaboration and support.

"Life is what you make it. Journeys are made to be explored and memories last a lifetime. Your memorable accomplishments have warmed our hearts, and similarly, when you were to restart the sport, we will continue the journey hand in hand, a marriage that won’t be broken."

Foster extended gratitude to SVL and Mayberry for their partnership and dedication to the athletes' success, foreshadowing further exciting announcements as the journey towards the Olympic year continues.

 

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