Big Evs bounced back to his very best with a devastating display in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
Mick Appleby’s speedster has struck big-race gold at both Royal Ascot and the Goodwood Festival when claiming the Molecomb Stakes, but having been tasked with taking on his elders in the Nunthorpe last time, was unable to get involved and was ultimately one of the disappointments in York’s premier sprint.
Back to racing against his own age group, the son of Blue Point put his rivals to the sword from the very start to add this Group Two prize to his growing CV and having been fast away from the stalls in the hands of Tom Marquand, the 9-4 favourite scorched his way up Town Moor as his rivals chased the pacey youngster’s tail in vain.
The two-and-three-quarter-length winner now appears to have booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup in November.
Appleby said: “After he jumped out of the stalls there wasn’t really a doubt. Once he got three or four lengths on them they weren’t going to catch him. You’ve got to be up the front on this ground.
“It’s not the ideal ground for him but he’s got the job done well. He’s won a Molecomb and the Flying Childers on soft ground now.
“We just had to put a line through the Nunthorpe. I think he just had an exceptionally hard race at Goodwood, I think that just took its toll.
“I think it will be the Breeders’ Cup next for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, straight there. It’s five furlongs at Santa Anita which should be ideal. If he can get the rail he could be difficult to peg back.
“He’s been an amazing horse, the owners have turned down some big bids and there’ll be more now, but luckily he’s not for sale.
“Coming into this, I was thinking that one race didn’t make him a bad horse. If he’d disappointed again then we’d have been scratching our heads but he’s got the job done well today.
“Tom rode him today as Jason (Hart) was at Chester for his boss (John Quinn). If Highfield Princess goes to the Breeders’ Cup that means Jason will be, so he’ll be there and all being well he’ll be riding him again. Tom was a great replacement today.”
In a groundbreaking move, Sportsmax Limited, the leading sports broadcasting channel in the Caribbean, has launched a state-of-the-art studio and production facility at its parent company Digicel Headquarters, located at 14 Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston. This multi-million-dollar investment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of sports broadcasting in the region.
For the past 13 years, Sportsmax had been broadcasting from its previous location at 22 Chalmers Avenue in Kingston, where it further established itself as the premier sports channel in the Caribbean, reaching millions of viewers across 26 countries.
At the launch event, Digicel Group CEO Oliver Coughlan emphasized the substantial investment made to upgrade the facilities to accommodate this move to downtown Kingston. He underlined the broader strategy behind Digicel's involvement in the sports media landscape, saying, "Over 10 years ago, Digicel made a strategic decision to get involved, purchase, and become a partner of Sports Max. We did it because our core competency is mobile, but we wanted to be a total entertainment provider."
Coughlan continued, "We want to have the best content across the Caribbean, and I think it's only fitting that this studio is in Jamaica because as an Irish person when I came here first, you know, we all know your track and field gods and goddesses. We watch them from across the world. When we come here and we see the religion that track and field is, it's just amazing to watch."
Regarding the upgraded studio's capabilities and offerings, Coughlan elaborated, "We see this as just another stepping stone in that amazing development of Sports Max within the digital family. This is state-of-the-art. It was an investment that I must thank Gyorgy for. When I came here about three years ago now, Gyorgy came up with a business plan and to invest a large sum of money, and that very first meeting we had has now resulted in this state-of-the-art complex."
Gyorgy Zsembery, Group Chief Executive Officer, Home and Entertainment at Digicel, shared insights into the goals and plans for the new facility, stating, "So my thoughts are very simple, you know. Sports Max started as a sports channel, but this is a media company with a lot of capabilities how to produce anything as it is now. It's not just sports channels what we produce, and also we do live productions, events, productions all the way to advertising."
Zsembery further emphasized the regional impact of this investment, saying, "We want to develop this business that others also use it, but at the same time we know that for our products, we have the best technical infrastructure. And you know it can be used for apps, it can be used for anything which is related to media or entertainment. So definitely not just moving something existing into this, but how to develop further for any companies in the region."
Regarding the new broadcast studio, Zsembery emphasized that it is comparable to the very best in the world.
“This is real like ESPN, Sky, CNN, the same level because I think when you do something you always have to do the best, which is in this moment the latest (technology). So we decided that we're investing into the best.”
Nicolas Matthews, CEO of Sportsmax Limited, highlighted the channel's rich history and its commitment to delivering exceptional content, saying, "We have been broadcasting and producing several sporting content for over 21 years. "
Matthews also shared exciting news about future programming, stating, "In addition to this extensive list of content, we will also provide the most anticipated event on the sporting calendar. Do you know what this is? All right, but this is the 2024 Paris Olympics next year. And guess what? We will be there and we'll be showing you Shericka Jackson breaking the 200-meter world record and we'll also be putting the cap on Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's retirement from track and field because she'll be performing at the Olympics in 2024."
In emphasizing the studio's capabilities and future potential, Matthews stated, "We haven't simply rebranded or relocated. We have reimagined the metaphorical ladder into an escalator which has now enabled us to not only meet our viewers' needs but has driven us to become the go-to business enterprise in media. We are now more equipped to efficiently handle all facets of production both in studio and outside broadcasts and you can look forward to this new state-of-the-art facility that our team has been expertly trained to operate and ensuring that we give you the best meter solutions available in the Caribbean. And I tell you when you see this, there's nothing else like this in the Caribbean."
Matthews and Zsembery cut the ribbon to unveil the new studio, which drew immediate praise from the awestruck guests that included Tessanne Chin, the winner of the 2013 edition of the Voice, who performed for the historic occasion.
With its new state-of-the-art facility, Sportsmax Limited is poised to continue its legacy of delivering top-quality sports content to the Caribbean and beyond, cementing its position as a premier sports broadcasting channel in the region.
Roger Teal could have a smart operator on his hands after Dancing Gemini stormed to victory in the Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.
The Lambourn-based trainer won this Listed event with Tip Two Win in 2017 and his latest scorer arrived on Town Moor on an upwards curve having won well at Newbury last month.
Always travelling smartly in the hands of Lewis Edmunds, the son of Camelot moved purposely to the front a furlong from home and galloped on powerfully to the line to make a real statement, registering a commanding four-and-a-quarter-length victor over Andrew Balding’s Gushing Gold.
Tip Two Win would go on to finish second to Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas and it appears Teal is already dreaming of next year’s Classics with his impressive youngster.
Before that though, he could return to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy next month and both Paddy Power and Betfair go 20-1 from 66s for that end-of-season Group One event.
Teal said: “That was really impressive. We’ve held him in high regard all year. He did a piece of work last week that was breathtaking and I knew we had him in good shape heading into today.
“I said to Lewis, ‘if we can back up that bit of work, you’ll be going past the lollipop in front’ and he did. It was a very nice performance.
“We won this with Tip Two Win and I think he could possibly be as good, he’s got a similar profile because he’s got speed, with a good turn of foot and a good cruising gear.
“He’s in the big one here at the end of the season, but we’ll play it by ear and see how he comes out of today. If all is well and the owner is happy, we might take a punt, if not we’ll wait for next year when we’ll go for a trial before the Guineas.
“Lewis is a very underused jockey – I shouldn’t say that because more people will start using him. Fair play to the owner because Rossa Ryan was supposed to ride him last time but got claimed by a bigger stable, but Lewis did a great job at Newbury and he has again today.
“He handles the soft, when I watched the first I thought it was a little softer than they thought as they were well strung out, so I said to Lewis, ‘don’t sit too far off the pace and give him every chance’.
“We really fancied him on his debut but he was slowly away before passing everything bar the winner but he’s come on bundles, he’s improving with every race. He’ll get a mile no problem.”
Spycatcher will try to take advantage of conditions at Doncaster when he lines up in the Betfred Park Stakes on Saturday.
Karl Burke’s five-year-old thrives when the mud flies and following a week of rain on Town Moor, he appears to have the perfect opportunity to continue his stellar 2023 campaign.
He is yet to finish outside the money in five starts this term and having made a successful trip to Deauville to claim the Prix de Ris-Orangis on his penultimate start, returned to the Normandy coast to run a career best when second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Seven furlongs presents a different challenge for the son of Vadamos, but the Spigot Lodge handler is keen to strike while the iron is hot.
Burke said: “We wanted to really keep him at six and he is in the Renaissance Stakes the following week at the Curragh, but this doesn’t look the strongest Group Two in the world and the ground is in his favour.
“He seems in great form so I think we’ll let him take his chance. At this time of year the ground can change and you’d hate to miss Doncaster and then it turns up decent ground at the Curragh.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Audience claimed the Criterion Stakes on reappearance and then left a disappointing showing at Goodwood behind him when second to Kinross at York last month.
However, his below-par performance on the Sussex Downs came with ease in the ground and Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, once again has slight reservations about conditions.
He said: “He came out of York really well but my only concern would be the ground I suppose, because all of his best efforts have been on good ground. He ran poorly at Goodwood on softish ground, so hopefully we get a drying scenario.
“It’s a trappy race and obviously Karl Burke’s horses are flying. But we deserve to be in there and John has been happy with him.
“If he had been allowed to race on his own at York rather than in a group, then he might have gone a bit closer, but he definitely has the ability as we saw.”
The son of Iffraaj somewhat lost his way at three, but has been revitalised since being gelded and connections are delighted he has now started to give a glimpse of his true ability this season.
Richardson added: “I think gelding him has made all the difference. We always knew the ability was there, it was just a question of making him concentrate on what he needed to do rather than other things.
“It wouldn’t normally have been our plan to geld a horse of this quality, but he just made it a challenge last year. It’s nice he’s back on track now and fulfilling his potential.”
Andrew Balding’s Sandrine was not far behind Audience when third in the City Of York Stakes and excels over this distance, while Bunbury Cup scorer Biggles represents last year’s winning stable in his first outing in stakes company.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s Jumby and Charlie Hills’ Pogo complete the select field of six.
The Saint Lucia Kings confirmed their place in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Playoffs following a comfortable seven wicket victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bat first and it was a decision that was to backfire as the innings never really got going until the final five overs. Despite some late power hitting the Amazon Warriors could only post 167-5 which appeared subpar at first glance.
That proved to be correct as the Saint Lucia Kings confirmed that by chasing down the 168 to win with 15 balls remaining.
Earlier the Amazon Warriors suffered a slow start as Matthew Nandu was run out for three inside the PowerPlay and that setback contributed to the Warriors only reaching 35-1 at the end of the initial six overs.
That sedate start was difficult for the home side to overcome as the CPL’s top run scorer, Saim Ayub, fell for 16 in the ninth over with the score on 50-2.
However, Shai Hope and Azam Khan then Khan and Shimron Hetmyer helped rebuild the innings before late fireworks from Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd ensured 72 runs were added in the final five overs to set the Kings 168 to win.
That 168 proved to be well under par as the Kings made easy work of the chase.
Although Johnson Charles fell for one in the second over that was to be as good as it got for the Amazon Warriors as Colin Munro and Bhanuka Rajapaksa put on a devastating partnership of 132 runs from 82 balls.
Rajapaksa holed out for 86 to deep mid-wicket and Munro followed shortly after for 55, but the job was done. It allowed Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza to see the chase home with three overs remaining.
The win ensures the Kings qualify for the playoffs with one game to spare.
Scores: Saint Lucia Kings 170-3 (Rajapaksa 86, Munro 55; Shepherd 1-15, Tahir 1-34) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 167-5 (Khan 40, Hope 38; Joseph 2-31, Raza 1-14) by seven wickets.
Owen Burrows is considering options at home and abroad for Alflaila after taking plenty of positives from his performance in last weekend’s Irish Champion Stakes.
The four-year-old was a 7-1 chance for the Group One feature at Leopardstown, his second run of the season after returning from a lay-off to land the Group Two York Stakes in July.
But with a slow start putting the Shadwell-owned colt on the back foot from flag-fall, Alflaila was last of all turning for home before making significant inroads on the leaders to finish fifth, in the end beaten just over three lengths by the winner Auguste Rodin.
While disappointed the race did not go as planned, Burrows was not discouraged by the performance and is hoping for strong end to his campaign.
“He’s grand, he’s come out of Ireland well. It just didn’t really go to plan as such but he seems fine,” the trainer said.
“It wasn’t quite the plan to be that far back, but he can jump a bit slow and round there it was always going to be difficult if he did that.
“Considering he was 10 or 12 lengths down turning in and he got beaten by just over three, I think that’s still a pretty promising performance for his first time in the Group One.
“On a different track and a different day I don’t think he’s going to be too far off, so there were plenty of positives to take from it.”
On future plans, Burrows added: “We’re just weighing up our options as to where we go next now.
“That was only his second run this year, he’s in the Champion Stakes, he’s in the Prix Dollar on the Saturday of the Arc weekend which possibly, with the way French races run, might not suit him.
“Then he might be on his travels again though the winter. He’s only had two runs so he can have a busy end to the year.”
With their preparations marred by financial constraints, Trinidad and Tobago’s senior women’s Head coach Richard Hood is bracing for the daunting task of trying to secure a spot in next year’s Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup.
Hood and his Soca ladies will begin their hunt for qualification on September 26 away to Mexico, and the performance there is expected to set the tone for the remainder of the busy period.
Aside from the financial woes which has limited their preparations, Hood is also faced with the issue of some senior players being reluctant to represent the twin island republic, which means he will have to rely on his young charges to make the most of the campaign.
“I would say we are in a difficult position. We always knew that we were going to be in a difficult position because there are certain constraints where the TTFA is concerned, financially that is, and we will never get the kind of preparation that we really need in order to excel. But as a staff, we accept that and we will try to do the best we can do with the limited resources available to us,” Hood said in a recent interview with Guardian Media Sports.
“We are going to put our best foot forward, we are going to prepare the team to the best of our abilities, and hopefully on game day, we get the players to come out and execute the plan and we get the results we are hoping for,” he added.
Despite being a mere six weeks into camp, Hood has identified some positives in terms of player quality that he believes can be used to good effect.
“Based on what I have seen so far; we have two maybe three players who can definitely be added to our roster. The problem we always encounter though, is whether the university players would be released from their colleges. We have communicated with the players and most of them, who we are interested in, have indicated that they will be available, so for the most part, we ought to get the players that we want,” he shared.
Trinidad and Tobago are in Group A of League A alongside Mexico and Puerto Rico. After opening on the road, the Soca ladies will host the return leg against the Mexicans on October 27, before visiting Puerto Rico on December 1 and again on December 5, at home.
After group play, the three League A group winners will qualify for the 2024 Women’s Gold Cup Group Stage. The three second-place finishers of the League A groups and the three League B group winners, will advance to the Women’s Gold Cup Preliminaries.
“The encouraging thing for me is that there is some talent that we could work with. There are some players I would have liked to be part of it who, for one reason or the other, will not be part of it, some locally and some foreign-based players as well. But we will work with what we have and do the best with what we have,” Hood ended.
League A Group B comprises Panama and Guatemala with the loser of the Olympic playoff between Jamaica and Canada to join them.
Meanwhile, Group C is made up of Costa Rica, Haiti and St Kitts and Nevis.
As the calls for support for Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz continue to grow, noted sports consultant Carole Beckford, has added her voice to the effort and even went as far as to suggest ways in which seats can be filled for the upcoming local leg of the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying playoff against Canada.
Beckford, like Head coach Lorne Donaldson and Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President, Christopher Samuda, believes the Reggae Girlz are deserving of every bit of backing, and, as such, are urging Jamaicans to show out at the National Stadium on September 22.
This, as the second leg scheduled for September 26 at the close to 40,000-capacity BMO Field in Toronto, has already been sold out.
In fact, Beckford went further to recommend that schools such as Excelsior, Holy Childhood, Meadowbrook, Alpha, Holy Trinity, Camperdown and Dunoon, dismiss classes at 1:00 pm, to allow the girls time to get home and back to the game.
She said businesses that employ individuals with girls at those schools, could also release them early to possibly accompany their children and Corporate Offices with women as CEOs could buy tickets for their employees.
Additionally, she suggested that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JFC) could make adjustments for vehicular movements until match time, to allow one-way traffic up from Arthur Wint Drive.
According to Beckford, the show of support would be somewhat of a celebration for the 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz for their exploits at the Fifa Women’s World Cup where they held France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and secured their first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama.
In the process, they became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockouts of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
“This match could be a homecoming for the ladies, who were in the final 16 at the recently concluded World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. The Girlz deserve our support, let us all wear Jamaican colours next Friday. We will be up against the Reds,” Beckford urged.
Should the Girlz secure a victory and a draw against Canada, it would see them being the first Caribbean nation to qualify for women's football at the Olympic Games. It would also secure the Jamaicans the second automatic spot for the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, alongside United States.
The loser will drop into a women’s Gold Cup qualifying Group A, which includes Panama and Guatemala. They would play home and away games against these two teams starting October 25, with an away game in Panama.
Having had a successful run at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia, senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Lorne Donaldson says it comes as no surprise that a number of players recently landed contracts in top leagues, and hopes the experience gained so far will serve them well in their upcoming fixtures.
Donaldson, who maintained the majority of his World Cup squad for the two-leg Olympic Qualifying playoff fixtures against Canada on September 22 on home soil and September 26 in Toronto, pointed out that the aim is always to get players into contracts that not only benefit them, but also the women’s programme.
Subsequent to their history-making run to the Round of 16 at the global showpiece, standout defender Allyson Swaby, Trudi Carter, Tiernny Wiltshire, Konya Plummer and Deneisha Blackwood, all inked new deals.
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. Right-back Wiltshire signed with French Division one team Stade De Reims.
Carter, who also had a stint with AS Roma which was derailed by injury, joined Mexican club Atletico San Luis, while Blackwood and Plummer are also plying their trade in Mexico with Pumas Unam and Tigres Uanl, respectively.
“It’s a part of our objective to ensure that our players are playing in some of the best leagues around the world and it is important that the upcoming players see that Jamaicans can get contracts in top leagues, so we love to see that,” Donaldson told Sportsmax.tv.
“One of our main aims from we joined the programme is to get these Girlz in different parts of the world so they can make a living playing football and also help the programme and we have achieved that to an extent, so the coaching staff is very happy,” he added.
For the upcoming games, Donaldson have left out World Cup debutants Peyton McNamara and Kalyssa Van Zanten due to school obligations, while the experienced Havana Solaun is said to be unavailable.
As a result, Olufolasade Adamolekun, who has been in good knick in recent times and the versatile Sashana “Pete” Campbell, who was a World Cup alternate, comes in.
The 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz, who held France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and secured their first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockouts of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
Now they are on the hunt to rewrite the history books, as a victory and a draw against Canada 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.
The loser will drop into a women’s Gold Cup qualifying Group A, which includes Panama and Guatemala. They would play home and away games against these two teams starting October 25, with an away game in Panama.
“I’m sure the players are going to come in confident that they have a chance to get a result, so it is for us now to just come in and see what everybody looks like fitness wise and then we go from there. We expect the players to come in with some enthusiasm, it’s not the World Cup, so it’s a different approach to ensure we give it our best to get a result,” Donaldson shared.
“Once I get the best out of the Girlz then I would be happy and proud and if qualification comes with it then even better, but I am not too concerned about the historic aspect of it. We just want to keep moving forward towards building a strong and sustainable women’s football programme. It makes no sense we talk about history if the necessary support isn’t behind it,” the tactician noted.
That said, Donaldson expressed optimism that the Girlz will get a good turnout to start what should be two tough assignments against the reigning Olympic Champions who are out to prove a point after their early World Cup exit.
“They (Canada) are the defending champion so we expect them to be competitive as they will want to defend their crown. They didn’t perform so well at the World Cup, so this will be there shot at redemption, and they will have a point to prove. As you can see the game in Canada is already sold out, so everybody is behind them and they have a lot of support,” Donaldson assessed.
“People in Jamaica aren’t necessarily behind football, but they like to talk football. At the World Cup we got the support from the Australian crowd but in Jamaica you can’t even get a percentage of that.
“I’m sure the players are hopeful that the fans show up because when they get to Canada it’s going to be a full stadium of over 40,000, so hopefully we can get some people in the stands and get some support that the Girlz deserve,” he ended.
Donaldson and his team will assemble in Jamaica on September 19.
Tickets for all the games came be purchased at www.caribtix.com or www.jff.football.
Squad: Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Liya Brooks, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire, Tiffany Cameron, Vyan Sampson, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Solai Washington, Kameron Simmonds, Trudi Carter, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Cheyna Matthews, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Kayla McKenna, Sashana Campbell
Military could be set for bigger and better things having made a winning debut at Naas on Thursday.
Aidan O’Brien’s son of Siyouni cost 375,000 guineas as a yearling and although making a belated racecourse bow, holds plenty of entries for high-class events later this autumn.
Sent off 2-7 favourite for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden, Military went some way to booking his ticket for those contests with an impressive display in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Having travelled through the race like a classy operator, he overcame greenness a furlong from home, before kicking the best part of three lengths clear of his nearest pursuer in the closing stages.
O’Brien is now considering an immediate step up in class for the colt’s next outing, with Newmarket’s Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (September 30) and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Arc day (October 1) both on the radar.
He said: “He was working like a lovely colt. We knew that was probably plenty short for him but it was to get him out and get him started. He will come forward lovely from that.
“You’d be very happy with him. He could maybe go to the Middle Park or the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
“We knew he was a six or seven-furlong type horse and he will be probably be a miler next year. We just needed to get him started.
“Dylan said he was very green but he would have learned a lot there today.”
However, there was disappointment for the Ballydoyle stable later on the card when the highly-touted Gallantly could finish only seventh as the 8-11 favourite in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The seven-furlong contest was won by Jessica Harrington’s Bluedrum (6-1), who ran out a cosy two-and-a-half-length victor.
As members of Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men's team head back to their respective clubs, they do so with the words of captain Aubrey David etched in their minds as they eye a quarter-final berth in the Concacaf Nations League.
David, who was named captain after the sudden retirement of Kevin Molino earlier this month, reminded the Soca Warriors that while they continue to revel in what was a massive achievement taking three points off El Salvador, the job to bring their Copa America vision to fruition is far from finish.
Trinidad and Tobago ended the recent window atop Group A in League A on maximum six points, following a 1-0 win over Curacao and an impressive come-from-behind 3-2 win over El Salvador in hostile territory. Panama (four points), Guatemala (four points) and Martinique (three points) are next, while Curacao and El Salvador are pointless in the six-team group.
Two more positive results against Guatemala and Curacao in October, would secure the twin island republic a top two finish, as well as a spot in the quarterfinals, from where they could secure qualification for next year’s Copa America tournament in the United States.
“All the noise that is going on outside we blocked it out and we believed in each other here. Maybe only us and our families believed in us and we made them proud and we made ourselves proud. It’s a big, big accomplishment and it has been a longtime coming,” David said after the win in Central America.
“Feel good about yourselves yes because it’s a big achievement, but when we go back to our clubs, let us take care of ourselves because we still have more to go,” he added.
David, 32, who plays professionally in Costa Rica and has over 70 international caps, pointed to the significance of not only building on the momentum from this window, but also guarding against complacency, especially with Panama and Guatemala both within striking distance.
"So, whether you are going to an international club or locally, let us take care of ourselves because we still have a good way to go. It is just a small hurdle we crossed (with the win against El Salvador) so feel good about it, but when you go back to your club, keep putting in the work because we have a job to finish,” he said in a heartfelt post-match team talk.
“It is only up from here and what it does is give us that confidence and belief that we belong. Again, I know some of you were getting your foot wet at this level, but you have a good base and experience to build on and when you come here and get this kind of victory, you don’t just go back and stay on the same level, you try to raise your game,” he reasoned.
Auguste Rodin is likely to head straight for the Breeders’ Cup after his impressive return to form in the Irish Champion Stakes.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt put a disappointing King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes run behind him when sent off the 11-4 favourite at Leopardstown under Ryan Moore last Saturday.
The English and Irish Derby winner showed his ability in a quality field to come home half a length ahead of stablemate Luxembourg.
The Breeders’ Cup now beckons at Santa Anita in early November, with the Deep Impact colt likely to set sail for America without another run.
“He’s very good. I was speaking to the boss on the way up and it’s very possible he’ll go straight to America,” O’Brien said.
“He came out of it great and I couldn’t have been happier with him.
“He loves pace and follows pace very easy. When he gets there he doesn’t do much, but that’s the way he’s always been.
“All he wants is a good pace on in front of him and in America you usually get that on fast ground.”
O’Brien was also pleased to see Kyprios return to action on Sunday at the Curragh, where the chestnut returned from nearly a year off the track to finish second in the Irish St Leger.
It was a heartening effort after such a long absence and Champions Day at Ascot in late October is now under consideration for the top-class stayer.
“He came out of the race very good and I’m very happy with him, I’m delighted with him really,” added O’Brien.
“He came out of it brilliant and he’s nearly moving better now than he was before the race, even though we were very happy with his action. He’s definitely gone the right way.
“You’d probably think about Ascot now because you’d give him time to go back, Arc weekend may be too quick.
“At least he could be there now for next year, which is great.”
Former sprinter Daniel Bailey could very well be Antigua & Barbuda’s greatest when it comes to the sport of Track & Field.
The 37-year-old currently holds the country’s national record in the 100m with 9.91 done all the way back in 2009. That year also saw Bailey have his best finish at a major outdoor championship, finishing fourth in the 100m final at the Berlin World Championships, the same race which saw Usain Bolt set the current world record 9.58.
A year later, Bailey took bronze in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Doha with 6.57. He also holds the Antiguan national record in this event with 6.54 done in 2009.
Today, Bailey is looking to give back to the next generation of Track & Field stars through the formation of his new Tigers Track Club in his home country.
Bailey explained that after his retirement from the sport in 2021, he needed to find a way to stay close to it because of the love he still had for it and this club is his way of doing that.
“That was one of my goals after retirement, knowing the love that I have for the sport. I just passed 20 years being a professional. Even after I retired, I felt the love still so the only way I felt I could stay close to the sport is through either becoming an agent or coach,” Bailey told Sportsmax.TV.
Bailey spent his professional career training in Jamaica under the tutelage of legendary coach, Glen Mills, at the Racers Track Club. He says Mills, as well as his former high school coach, Carl Casey, were two of the people he reached out to about starting his own club back home.
“I made the decision to call my former high school coach and told him I want to start a track club and asked him what he thought. He said it’s a great idea and opportunity for me. I also called coach Mills and told him this is what I’m going to do. He’s the one that’s been teaching me a lot when it comes to Track & Field, not just on the track but off the track as well,” he said.
“I finally said to myself let me just open a track club and see what the future holds. I’m confident that I’ll do well. I’m not going to guarantee that I’ll produce world beaters and world champions but that is my goal. I want to be different,” he added.
Bailey said he got the inspiration to start a track club when he started coaching a young athlete two years ago.
“Two years ago, I started training an athlete, River Robinson. I met him and we started training and sometimes I would call coach just to clarify certain things and then after a while, COVID hit and we could not do certain things or go certain places. We actually came back in to Antigua for a little bit. He was in school and had everything on point academically but he needed performance to get into a good school because the times that he was running could not get him anywhere so I said I’m going to start doing some work with him,” Bailey said.
“After all this, we started training during COVID and we spent most of the time training on the grass with no gym work or no offseason work. After a little bit, I realized they started to lift the COVID restrictions so we could travel. There were a couple of meets in Jacksonville and after three months of training, we wanted to see where he ranged up. We did that and got him ready. Before that, his fastest time was 11.44 and that can’t get you anywhere but when I saw him run, I saw the talent. With the three months work of me getting him stronger and more technically correct, we went to Jacksonville to compete in three meets. He missed the first one and ran 10.5 in the second one, a big personal best. That’s when schools started to call him. After that I said to myself, ‘I think I can do this.' I think there’s just an art around it and anything I don’t understand I can just ask questions. I always have a guide where coach Mills is concerned,” Bailey added.
The former sprinter then went more in depth about his relationship with his former coach, discussing the things he learned from Mills that he would like to implement at his own club.
“I trained with coach Mills for 15-16 years. I left from Antigua at a young age to join the club but when I got to Jamaica, I realized the difference with what I was doing here in Antigua. The whole gym regimen and training was different. What got my attention was when I got back to Antigua after so many years in Jamaica, that a lot of the young athletes here are doing the stuff that I used to do when I was a little kid. We can get better for these athletes. They have the talent but there’s a lack of pedigree,” he said.
“Don’t get me wrong, we do have young athletes going through the system but I know they can run a lot faster so my aim is to try to transfer what I’ve learnt in Jamaica to my athletes. Not just what I’ve learnt on the track but off the track as well. I want them to be well rounded,” he added.
While he recognizes that his club is in the grassroots stage, Bailey believes that, in the future, Tigers Track Club will be able to attract talent from all over the world. In fact, he says some athletes from across the globe have already started reaching out to him.
“I also want to invite athletes from overseas to join my club. I’m already getting athletes that live overseas calling me to join the club but I’m not at that stage as yet,” he said.
“Right now, I’m just focusing on local athletes. I have nine athletes right now that I’m getting ready for CARIFTA next year and whatever branches off from that, we’ll take and move forward,” Bailey added.
Sumo Sam backed up her Goodwood stroll with a gutsy display in the Betfred Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster.
The three-year-old made virtually all as a 25-1 chance in the Lillie Langtry Stakes last month, thriving on very testing conditions to come home an eight-and-a-half-length winner.
The bookmakers made her the 4-1 joint-favourite on Town Moor and Rossa Ryan was not allowed anywhere near as much rope as Tom Marquand was permitted at Goodwood.
She did hold a three-length advantage turning into the straight but looked a sitting duck as eventual third Lmay and runner-up One Evening put down strong challenges.
They could not quite get by Sumo Sam, though, as she prevailed by a length and a half in the colours carried to victory by Snurge in the 1990 St Leger for the Paul Cole stable, who now shares his licence with his son, Oliver.
Betfair trimmed the winner to 10-1 from 16s for the Fillies & Mares race at Ascot on Champions Day.
Oliver Cole said: “She got a bit lonely out in front and then dug deep. She’s a very classy filly and very, very tough and very, very game.
“It was seriously impressive, wasn’t it? Two furlongs out you thought she might fall in a hole, but she was ultra-fit and in very good form and very fresh.
“That (soft) ground seems to be important to her. It’s not as soft as it was at Goodwood, but nothing much is.
“She’s potentially a Cup horse for the future. A couple of furlongs out you thought she was beaten and she pulled it out – it’s pretty incredible what she’s done. I’m taken aback really for words.”
Regarding the future, he added: “She could potentially (go to Ascot), or there’s the Prix de Royallieu in France. She’s entered in that and you normally get soft ground, so that’s a definite possibility.”
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