Kevin Philippart De Foy is uncertain how Inquisitively will handle slower ground as he switches up to Group Two company in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
The colt was last seen easing to a two-length victory in the Listed Roses Stakes at York, making light work of his rivals on good to firm ground under William Buick.
That performance was his first for new connections having previously been trained to a third-placed finish in the Windsor Castle by Ollie Sangster.
Each of his three runs have been on quick ground, however, and Philippart De Foy is therefore hoping that the turf on Town Moor does not become any softer ahead of this Group Two event.
“The horse won well at York and I think the course will suit him. It’s a very flat, straight course and very straightforward,” he said.
“The ground would be a question mark, he won on fast ground at York and so there is a question mark over soft conditions.
“I am hoping it doesn’t rain any more at Doncaster before the race or it will suit other horses more than Inquisitively.
“He has been in good form since his race at York, I think he took a step forward from that race.
“He’s very straightforward and professional, I don’t think anything will be an issue other than the question over the ground.”
Mick Appleby is also hoping no further rain falls over Doncaster as Big Evs bids to bounce back now returned to juvenile company.
The colt has been an endearing success story so far this term, landing both the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood in vastly differing ground conditions.
He then took on older horses in the Nunthorpe at York and while he was well beaten, Appleby feels his Goodwood exertions on soft ground had taken more of a toll than originally thought.
After a wet start to the week, Appleby is now hoping it will stay dry to produce suitable conditions for his star juvenile.
“He seems in good order at the moment, the only concern really is the ground,” he said.
“If it went really soft we wouldn’t run, but we’re hoping it dries up to good ground.
“We’d run on good to soft, obviously he won on soft ground at Goodwood but it wasn’t ideal.
“Other than that he is in very good order and he should run a big race, he’s going there with a very good chance.”
Karl Burke’s Kylian reverts to five furlongs after a beaten effort over six at York last time out.
He contested the Gimcrack Stakes and finished sixth of 10 after going off as the favourite, though Burke has concluded the York track may not be to his liking after he was beaten there on debut too.
He has fared well in all of his other starts, winning the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown and finishing third to Big Evs in the Molecomb – where he encountered soft ground after a summer deluge.
Burke said: “I’m just not sure he likes York, he’s been there twice and disappointed twice. We took him there on his debut and thought he was a certainty and he got beaten.
“Maybe the confirmation of the ground just doesn’t suit him there, it’s a sandy base, and I’m not sure six furlongs is his bag either at this stage of his career, so the drop back to five will suit.
“I know he got beaten on very soft ground at Goodwood, but I think it was the draw as much as the ground that beat him there, so I’m not that worried about the ground.
“He’s in great form and hopefully he can put up a good performance.”
Elsewhere is Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, winner of the Alice Keppel at Goodwood, with Richard Fahey represented by Norfolk Stakes runner-up Malc.
George Boughey runs Deauville Listed winner Graceful Thunder, while Heather Main’s Zoulu Chief comes into the race in winning form having taken his last two races.
Michael O’Callaghan’s Francis Meynell travels over from Ireland for the race, as does Adrian Murray’s Norfolk winner Valiant Force.
Brian Meehan’s Toca Madera, Richard Spencer’s Fool’s Gold and Roger Teal’s Rosario complete the field of 12.
Room Service drifted from one side of the track to the other but still had enough in hand to beat 16 rivals in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster.
Kevin Ryan’s youngster had finished third in a valuable nursery at York last time out behind Flying Childers-bound Zoulu Chief and was sent off 10-1 against the two big guns, Dragon Leader and Johannes Brahms.
Ridden by Tom Eaves, Room Service could be spotted still travelling well two furlongs out as William Buick tried to kick for home on Dragon Leader but whereas at York he sprinted clear of the field, the softer ground on this occasion blunted his finishing kick.
Room Service, a son of Kodi Bear, handled it fine, though, and despite hanging markedly from the far side of the track right over to the stands, he had enough momentum to fend off all challengers.
Eventual third Johannes Brahms briefly threatened but his run eventually petered out allowing Dragon Leader to get back up for second, beaten a comprehensive two and a quarter lengths.
Ryan said: “We thought the trip would suit and we were very hopeful he would go on the ground.
“He’s been maturing all year, we’ve been sort of taking it steady with him and it’s paying off now.
“Whether we run him again this year I don’t know, I’ll have to speak to connections. I’d say he’ll get a mile well next year.”
When asked whether he could be a 2000 Guineas contender, the trainer added: “He’s done nothing but improve all year, mentally and physically, and with improvement over the winter, who knows?
“He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do this year really. He ran really well at York and after that we really felt coming here that the extra half-furlong would definitely suit him.
“We’re delighted with him and it’s was a great prize to win with him today.”
Clive Cox said of the runner-up: “I was very pleased, he’s had a wonderful campaign so far.
“He was not comfortable on the ground, which was apparent at halfway when William pulled his stick through, but he showed a great deal of courage in spite of the ground. He did actually drop back to fourth and then found again towards the line, which was very pleasing. I’m full of admiration for him.
“I think that was the hardest race he’s had so far and we’ll see how he comes back from here before we conclude that (whether he’ll run again this year).
“I’m so proud and pleased with the season he’s had so far and I look forward to seeing him back on a drier surface.”
Alan King expects Trueshan to improve for his comeback run in the Betfred Doncaster Cup.
The seven-year-old has been a fantastic servant to his connections, with three editions of the Long Distance Cup at Ascot, a Goodwood Cup and the Prix du Cadran featuring on his big-race CV.
His well-documented preference for an ease in the ground meant that for the third year in succession he missed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and King subsequently opted to give his star stayer a wind operation and a midsummer break in the hope he could bounce back to his best in the autumn.
Friday’s Group Two feature will be Trueshan’s first outing since finishing fourth in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes in May behind a familiar foe in Coltrane, who also beat him in this race 12 months ago and is again in opposition.
“We’ve got to get him started, he’s been off a long time,” said King.
“We gave him a break after Ascot and he’s ready to start back. I think whatever he does he’s going to come on plenty for it, but I just felt with the rain coming it was worth getting a run into him.
“It’s his first run for a while and his first run since a wind op and sometimes they just need a couple of runs to give them their confidence back.
“I’m happy with him at home and I just want to see him run well.”
Trueshan again holds an entry in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on October 21, while a return to Paris for the Prix du Cadran at the end of this month could also be on his agenda.
An intriguing switch to hurdles has also been mooted by King, but the Barbury Castle handler is keen to get his return out of the way before committing to future plans.
He added: “That (Cadran) is the plan, but let’s see how we go on Friday first.”
Andrew Balding expects the ultra-consistent Coltrane to run his usual solid race.
He said: “Coltrane is a real yard favourite and he has had a great season already. He won the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, he was then second in the Ascot Gold Cup, he ran very well at Goodwood and obviously won the Lonsdale Cup at York last time out.
“The great thing about him is he seems to be effective on any ground and in any sort of style of race, which is a big help for these stayers.
“He obviously won the race last year, but he does carry a penalty this year which makes life a lot tougher.
“If Trueshan is anywhere near his best he will be a very tough opponent and Sweet William is an improving horse as well. It is not a straightforward task, but the horse is really well and he seems to thrive on his racing.”
Sweet William completed a hat-trick of wins earlier in the season for John and Thady Gosden before filling the runner-up spot behind Absurde when favourite for the Ebor last month.
Robert Havlin has been ever present in the saddle during Sweet William’s seven-race career to date and is looking forward to seeing him step up in class for this Qipco British Champions Series contest.
He said: “Sweet William is probably my best horse this year as he’s won three times and never been out of the first two. We think there’s more improvement to come and we think he might make up into an Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup type of horse next year.
“Since we put blinkers on he’s been ultra consistent. It was obviously another great run in the Ebor, but I was gutted when Frankie (Dettori, on Absurde) got back up after I’d headed him.
“He’s won over two miles and the Ebor was obviously a drop back in trip. He gets the trip well so there are a lot of positives, especially after all the rain.
“He doesn’t need soft ground, but he handles it very well.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Broome and the Ian Williams-trained The Grand Visir complete the five-strong field.
Despite a heroic 157 not out from Jordan Johnson, the West Indies U19s lost by seven wickets to Sri Lanka U19 in the second Youth Test at Dambulla on Thursday.
Trainer Luke Comer has been handed a three-year ban and faces costs in excess of €755,000 following an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board hearing.
The handler was found to have breached two rules in relation to 12 of his horses testing positive for methandienone and methyltestosterone, steroids that are classified as Prohibited At All Times (PAAT) substances.
A hair sample taken from He Knows No Fear – a 300-1 winner in 2020 – after finishing fourth in the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown in October 2021 returned a positive result, with out of competition hair testing taking place on that horse and 11 others the following month.
They all returned positive results, with a nine-day hearing subsequently taking place in May this year.
While Comer “acknowledged the presence of the prohibited substances” on the first day of the hearing, he “categorically denies that either he or any of his staff were involved in doping the animals”, according to the IHRB report into the case.
Comer suggested “environmental contamination” could be to blame, pointing to the possibility of contaminated hay, but the Committee found evidence on that idea “difficult” to evaluate while the handler also conceded “an employee could have accidently caused contamination” or a “disgruntled employee could have interfered with the horses”, although there was no evidence to support either theory.
The Referrals Committee underlined Comer had not been charged in breach of Rule 273 (i) which concerns “any person who administers or attempts to administer or connives at the administration to a horse of any prohibited substance” and added Comer had spent an “enormous sum of money” in an attempt to establish the source of the drugs.
However, it said that “after considering a great deal of evidence” it was “unable to say, on the balance of probability, how the horses came to test positive for the PAAT substances”.
The Committee described the case as “quite unprecedented”, concluding it warranted a three-year suspension of Comer’s licence, beginning on January 1.
The handler was fined €5,000 in relation to He Knows No Fear’s positive test and a further €5,000 in respect of each of the 11 horses.
Comer, who “maintains he is not guilty of any misconduct”, was also found to have acted in “a manner which is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good regulation of horseracing”, for which he was fined €20,000 based on the large number of horses which tested positive and the “reputational damage” to the sport.
He was also ordered to pay 80 per cent of costs incurred by the IHRB in prosecuting the matter – a figure estimated to be in the region of €755,000.
Kieran Shoemark says it is a “privilege not pressure” to team up with Gregory in Saturday’s Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
Shoemark was called upon by John and Thady Gosden for the ride aboard Soul Sister in the Grand Prix de Paris earlier in the season and will again be aboard a horse usually piloted by Frankie Dettori, with the retiring Italian picking his Derby mount Arrest over the Queen’s Vase winner for his final ride in a British Classic.
It is arguably the biggest ride of Shoemark’s career as he steps out on Town Moor aboard one of the leading fancies for the final Classic of the season, but he is relishing the prospect of linking up with the Royal Ascot scorer, who has an obvious chance of handing him a first victory in one of racing’s crown jewel events.
Shoemark said: “I’m very happy with my mount in the race and wouldn’t swap him. As soon as Frankie made up his mind I found out.
“He’s a high-profile horse in a high-profile race. He’s one of the market leaders and to be riding a favourite in a British Classic is hugely exciting.”
When asked if the ride aboard Gregory would represent the biggest moment in his career, Shoemark added: “I’ve never ridden a favourite in a Classic, so you could potentially say that. I’ve certainly felt more pressure going into other races, but if I were to win the race it would be my biggest career win for sure.
“It’s where I want to be, so it’s a privilege not pressure and I look forward to it.”
Gregory will head into the race having suffered his first career defeat when third under a penalty in the Great Voltigeur at York, but Shoemark believes a return to further for the Wathnan Racing-owned colt will be in his favour.
He continued: “It was well documented the strong tempo throughout the race in the Great Voltigeur and all credit to Gregory for maintaining that and still finishing his race.
“He was only beaten four lengths and the other two that were taking him on the whole way finished tailed off. I thought it was a massive run and we know he will benefit for the step up in trip, so it is all systems go.”
Unsurprisingly, owners Juddmonte are delighted Dettori has sided with their colt.
Racing manager Barry Mahon said: “John called this morning to say that Frankie had thought about it, and with the rain he was happy to ride Arrest and I suppose when you sit down and go through the different variables, he knows Arrest handles that type of ground which is a big thing.
“I think it will be a hot race and in fairness, I don’t think it was an easy choice to make for Frankie and I’m not sure I would be able to make it.
“Ultimately I’m sure the rain is what swayed him and if you look back to this day last week, when I spoke to John we both said it looks like we won’t be running. The forecast was giving very little rain at the start of the week but the last I read they were up to 30 millimetres, so it’s been a rollercoaster of a week and the more rain that falls the better.
“We know he handles soft ground well and I’m not sure there is a whole lot more coming between now and Saturday, but if there is, then an odd shower won’t do it any harm.”
Alongside Gregory and Arrest, the Clarehaven stable also has a fine third string in the supplemented Middle Earth (Oisin Murphy), a hugely impressive winner of the Melrose at York’s Ebor meeting.
The King and Queen have a live chance of tasting success in a British Classic with the William Haggas-trained Desert Hero, himself a Royal Ascot winner, albeit in handicap company in the King George V Stakes.
He subsequently won the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, narrowly beating Simon and Ed Crisford’s Chesspiece and the two will lock horns again.
Aidan O’Brien runs four in Great Voltigeur winner Continuous, Alexandroupolis, Denmark and Tower Of London meaning there were no withdrawals at the 48-hour stage.
In a thrilling encounter at Providence, Guyana Amazon Warriors continued their unbeaten streak in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by defeating the Jamaica Tallawahs by seven wickets, securing a spot in Qualifier 1.
Winning the toss and opting to field first, the Warriors were resolute in their approach. Despite a fiery start by Brandon King, the Jamaica Tallawahs found it challenging to maintain their momentum, concluding their innings at 152-5 after 20 overs.
The home team's chase began with a dream opening partnership as Saim Ayub and Matthew Nandu combined forces to construct an impressive 112-run stand, firmly establishing the Warriors' dominance. Ayub showcased his brilliance, amassing a remarkable 85 runs to steer the Guyana Amazon Warriors towards a comfortable victory.
Although the Jamaica Tallawahs suffered an early setback with the dismissal of Alex Hales, courtesy of Romario Shepherd's bowling, Brandon King showcased his prowess, crafting exquisite shots on his way to a half-century off just 29 balls.
However, the Guyana Amazon Warriors retaliated when Gudakesh Motie dismissed King, causing a slowdown in the Tallawahs' scoring rate. Over a span of six middle overs, the Tallawahs struggled to find the boundary consistently, thanks in large part to the contributions of South African duo Dwaine Pretorius and Imran Tahir.
As the innings drew to a close, the Jamaica Tallawahs managed to reach a total of 152-5 after their allotted 20 overs.
Guyana Amazon Warriors introduced CPL debutant Matthew Nandu, who, alongside Saim Ayub, formed an opening partnership that firmly tilted the game in the Warriors' favor.
Ayub reached his half-century from 34 balls, marking his third consecutive CPL fifty. In the 13th over, Chris Green managed to dismiss Matthew Nandu, but Ayub continued to dazzle, accumulating 85 runs and guiding his side to the brink of victory before eventually losing his wicket. Shai Hope and Odean Smith sealed the deal for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
With this convincing win, the Guyana Amazon Warriors advance to Qualifier 1, setting the stage for more thrilling CPL action. Their next challenge awaits them as they square off against the Saint Lucia Kings on Thursday evening.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors: 155-3 (Ayub 85, Nandu 37; Springer 1-23, Irshad 1-27)
Jamaica Tallawahs: 152-5 (King 52, Allen 21; Pretorius 2-33, Shepherd 1-19, Tahir 1-19)
Result: Guyana Amazon Warriors win by 7 wickets.
The Jamaica Squash Association's annual general meeting (AGM) is set to take place on Thursday at 6:00 pm at its home base at the Liguanea Club in Kingston.
The primary decision on the agenda is the resolution to change the name to Jamaica Squash Limited, a charitable entity trading as Jamaica Squash. Amendments to the constitution are also expected to be discussed and approved.
The AGM will also see the the election of officers. The current executive committee members are Karen Anderson - president, Joey Levy - vice president, Gill Binnie - secretary, Deanne Pryce - treasurer, and committee members Douglas Beckford, Nathlee Boreland, Tahjia Lumley, Julian Morrison, Bruce Burrowes, and Stephen Dear.
Morrison, Burrowes, and Dear indicated that they would not be returning to the committee after the AGM.
Frankie Dettori has chosen to ride Arrest rather than Royal Ascot winner Gregory in Saturday’s Betfred St Leger at Doncaster – his final ride in a British Classic.
Dettori had looked sure to partner the John and Thady Gosden-trained Gregory given the way he won the Queen’s Vase in June over the St Leger trip – but Kieran Shoemark will now step into the breach.
Gregory only lost his unbeaten record last time out when dropping down to a mile and a half in the Great Voltigeur at York behind the re-opposing Continuous.
However, recent rain at Doncaster has turned the ground soft meaning Dettori will have a second chance at Classic glory on the Gosdens’ Arrest, who was sent off favourite for the Derby but could finish only tenth on good to firm ground.
He also disappointed on quick ground at Royal Ascot but was impressive back on a soft surface at Newbury against older horses in the Geoffrey Freer last time out.
The Clarehaven stable also has a fine third string in the supplemented Middle Earth (Oisin Murphy), a hugely impressive winner of the Melrose at York’s Ebor meeting.
The King and Queen have a real live chance of tasting success in a British Classic with the William Haggas-trained Desert Hero, himself a Royal Ascot winner, albeit in handicap company in the King George V Stakes.
He subsequently won the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, narrowly beating Simon and Ed Crisford’s Chesspiece and the two will lock horns again.
Aidan O’Brien runs four, Great Voltigeur winner Continuous, Alexandroupolis, Denmark and Tower Of London meaning there were no withdrawals at the 48-hour stage.
There is something about the power of crowds, particularly when it comes to sporting events. Not only does spectator support at sports events impacts performance and enjoyment, but it also creates an atmosphere where a mutual sense of pride is felt by both players and supporters.
Crowd support provides a boost of confidence which can help players to make better decisions and even motivate them to play their best game.
If you don’t believe it, ask Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and captain Andre Blake about the significance of spectator support at their two Concacaf Nations League games at the National Stadium.
Though the venue was nowhere close to being filled at capacity, the sizeable crowd that turned out was vocal enough to provide a much-needed impetus which saw the Boyz to a 1-0 win over Honduras on Friday, followed by a come-from-behind 2-2 stalemate with Haiti on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I mean, I did an interview earlier where I think we were talking about how important the fans are, you know, them being loud and supporting us, you know, give us that extra energy that extra motivation that we're always going to need. It also makes the away team uncomfortable, and they stayed with us the entire time and that kind of showed that, we were playing well, and we were giving them something to cheer for definitely because we have to do our job,” Blake told journalists in a post-game interview.
“So, we did our job, you know, they stayed with us. Unfortunately, we weren't able to give them three points tonight (Tuesday). But the point is always better none and again to really fight back from two-zero down, you have to give the guys some credit, and thanks to the fans for coming out and being loud tonight,” the Philadelphia Union shot stopper added.
Iceland-born tactician Hallgrimsson echoed similar sentiments.
“If I might add to that end, to have the support of the people, I know you're opinionated and even though we were two-zero down, we really felt the support from the people and we appreciate that. It was lovely for a foreigner to be here and feel the support from the people,” he said.
While the Boyz home fixtures are now done and dusted, the assertion of both Blake and Hallgrimsson has swung the door open on debates about whether or not the history-making Reggae Girlz will get a similar or even greater support when they engage Canada in their Olympic qualifying playoff fixture at the National Stadium on September 22.
In fact, the second-leg of the qualifying playoff scheduled for September 26 in Toronto, Canada, has already been sold out, prompting a rally cry from Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president Christopher Samuda for Jamaicans to make their presence felt.
Samuda pointed out that the now 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz, deserve every bit of support, as they seek to add to 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.
Though they lost their Round of 16 contest to Colombia, merely progressing to that stage was an overachievement by the Jamaicans, as they 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.
With that in mind, Samuda urged spectators to turn out in their droves at the National Stadium and provide that feeling of over-stimulation and ripples of noise and colour to fuel the Girlz quest.
“History is at the feet of our Reggae Girlz in these Olympic Games qualifiers and we must give them every support and empower them to write another pioneering chapter in the sport,” Samuda told Sportsmax.tv.
“On the 22nd Jamaican massive must turn out to the National Stadium in our black, green and gold and make a statement that will electrify the Girlz to conquer and give them that confidence and inspiration to seal the deal in Toronto on the second leg.
“Already the second leg in Toronto is sold out, so the Kingston game must sell off in sending off the Girlz in royal style. Jamaica, let us grasp this moment in our nation’s life and live it to the fullest. Our Girlz are deserving and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, awaits their arrival,” he added.
Ireland sealed victory in the Racing League on a dramatic final night at Southwell.
Wales & The West went into the last of six fixtures with a two-point lead, but a treble for Ireland on Wednesday night saw the team snatch the crown from the defending champions.
Tosen Wish (6-1) opened Ireland’s account in the 38th race of the William Hill-backed competition, with Danny Sheehy doing the steering on Ado McGuinness’ charge.
Ben Curtis then secured a double aboard the David O’Meara-trained Gulliver and Thunder Moor for George Boughey in the Ireland silks, with Half Nutz and Faster Bee further bolstering their position with seconds on the card.
Ireland went into the final contest with a 48-point advantage, but Wales & The West manager Jamie Osborne opted to play his joker card, which doubled any points won.
Valsad, ridden by Osborne’s daughter Saffie and trained by Harry and Roger Charlton, duly obliged as the 4-1 favourite, but Star Harbour finished fourth for Ireland to give them a hard-fought victory, with seven points splitting the teams after 42 races.
Ireland team manager Kevin Blake was delighted to secure top honours, with his sides having previously failed to figure in the shake up, although he admitted he felt victory was unlikely three meetings in.
He said: “I think we were down 120 points at the halfway mark and two out of the first three weeks didn’t go well, but in fairness to the lads, they really started to get behind us.
“I just can’t believe it, but it is set up to be competitive and I genuinely feel for Jamie because he really thinks about this and is a genuinely one of the really good managers. It’s sweet to beat one of the good fellas.
“You could be Sir Alex Ferguson, but you are going to finish last if you don’t have trainers entering horses and running them, so we just lacked that in the first two years.
“Those first two years were hard, I’m competitive and it’s not easy turning up every week and getting a hiding, so this has turned out particularly sweet.
“I’m a difficult fella to get excited, but I’ve been jibby about this for the last couple of weeks and I’ve put a lot of hours into it.”
Jim Goldie and Paul Mulrennan made sure Scotland finished the competition in style, recording a double with Yaaser (5-1) and Sir Chauvelin (22-1).
Mulrennan said: “This is a really good competition and we’re racing around for really good money and every race is ultra-competitive. You can see the crowd that is here tonight, everyone is enjoying it.”
The Richard Hannon-trained Commander Crouch landed the opening contest for the London & The South team, with Sean Levey steering the 5-1 shot to a neck success.
“It was impressive, but I thought he could have done a little bit better,” said Levey, with the winning team having deployed a joker card to good effect.
“He’s still inexperienced and through greenness he hung all the way up the straight there and I was touch or go whether he was going to give it away, but he kept his head in-front.
“We were happy to come here today because albeit we had good weather last week, the ground has been coming up all ways. At the moment it is coming up more soft when he’s wanting it good and this is the first time he has got a consistent surface.
“We’re good with two-year-olds and hopefully he will keep improving”
Saffie Osborne was once again crowned queen of the Racing League, successfully defending the leading rider award she won 12 months ago.
The 21-year-old stole the show on the final night of action in 2022, registering a phenomenal Newcastle treble as her father Jamie’s West & The Wales region snatched the top spot and Osborne stormed to the top of the jockeys’ standings.
However, things have been much more straightforward this time around and the ante-post favourite’s charge to the title began in the very first race of the competition as she lit up the opening night at Yarmouth with a fabulous three-timer.
She was on the mark in the final race of the competition aboard Valsad at Southwell, with her total of 342 points seeing her finish 121 points clear of her nearest pursuer Dylan Browne McMonagle to once again bag the £20,000 prize.
“It’s been a good Racing League for me this year, I’ve been lucky to get some good rides,” said the jockey.
“Dad has done a phenomenal job of organising everyone and keeping everyone enthused and on top of that keeping everyone in the team happy.
“Obviously you have a lot of trainers who want to run their horses and getting to the last night and still having everyone relatively happy about the whole thing is a hard task, but he’s done a brilliant job of it.
“Of course I’m also grateful for all the owners who put their horses in and they are obviously not in their own colours.”
Osborne has been at the top of the charts since the very first race and it has been very much one-way traffic in the standings ever since and the momentum gained on that first week at Yarmouth is something she has fed off throughout the contest.
“I’ve been lucky that it came round at the right time. I made a good start at Yarmouth and have had a good run since then,” Osborne added.
“I think the two years before I had an awful first evening, so it was great to get a treble on the first evening and the ball has kept rolling really.
“It’s been brilliant and gets a lot of coverage and it’s been great for me to ride for other trainers.”
Frankie Dettori will make a late decision on whether Gregory or Arrest will be his final ride in Saturday’s Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
Both horses are trained by John and Thady Gosden, with Dettori having partnered ante-post favourite Gregory to win the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and finish third under a penalty in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last time.
Dettori, who is planning to retire at the end of the year, was also aboard Arrest when he won the Chester Vase on his seasonal bow, with the Juddmonte-owned colt providing his last Derby ride when coming home a disappointing 10th at Epsom.
The pair then regained the winning thread when stepped up to just shy of the St Leger trip in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury on his latest run.
Conditions at Doncaster could be key to Dettori’s pick, with Arrest at his best with cut in the ground while Gregory has yet to run on any worse than good going.
The ground on Town Moor is currently described as soft, with Dettori planning to make his call in the morning ahead of final declarations at 10am.
He said: “I’m looking forward to it and it’s a race that has been good to me in the past, hopefully long may it continue.
“I’ll decide who I ride in the morning, let me sleep on it.”
Dettori will be bidding for a seventh St Leger success, having last struck aboard Logician in 2019.
Faced with the challenge of establishing a winning culture, Reggae Boyz Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson insists that he is trying to do so in ways large and small. Though his plans, where delivering according to expectations are yet to really take flight, the Icelandic coach remains adamant that his brand is becoming increasingly evident on the Boyz since he took the reins late last year.
For Hallgrimsson, the manner in which the Boyz have started their Concacaf Nations League campaign, is an extension of their Gold Cup semi-final run, and that, he believes represents a step in the right direction.
The 58th-ranked Boyz currently head Group B on four points in League A competition, as they registered a 1-0 win over Honduras last Friday, followed by a come-from-behind 2-2 stalemate with Haiti at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
“Everybody has their opinion, and I cannot control what people feel about the team. The only thing I can say is that we will continue to work, and we will try to improve. We all see football in a different way, with different eyes how we want football to be played, but we are trying to develop our game and that's the only thing we can do. We will continue to do what we have been trying to do,” Hallgrimsson declared.
Having stressed that his is a culture that is about improvement, Hallgrimsson expressed pleasure with the Boyz display against Haiti when compared to that against Honduras.
In that opener against Honduras, the Boyz looked scrappy when in possession, as their passing and, by extension, movements off the ball was woefully lacking and it took Demarai Gray’s solitary goal to spare their blushes.
While the Boyz looked much better in their attacking transition against Haiti, they were sloppy defensively and that resulted in the opponents taking and early two goal lead courtesy of Don Louicius, who struck in the 12th and 15th minutes. However, Hallgrimsson’s side rescued a point through a 51st-minute own-goal and Bobby Reid’s 81st minute penalty.
“If we compare these two performances, we did much better this game than against Honduras, so we need to be pleased that we are going at least in the right direction, even though we didn't win today (Tuesday). I thought we had a much better game, even though we won against Honduras,” Hallgrimsson shared during a post-game press conference.
He continued: “If we look at the results, I think it is good that we did not lose this game, and performance wise, I would say, even at two-zero, I felt that we were better team in that moment. So, it (falling behind) was kind of a slap in the face and if we take away those two, three mistakes, we didn't give them chances. I think we played a really a good game.
“But a coach is always most pleased with the character and togetherness that they showed to win this game. They fought until the end, we wanted to win…I think everybody saw that we wanted to win, we pushed for the win. So, I'm mostly pleased with the character in the team, we stood our ground and I like that we played in a high tempo like that as well and we should build on this performance in my opinion.”
That said, Hallgrimsson pointed out that with the core of his team now identified, the expectation is that the Boyz hustle and competitiveness will remain on the upgrade, especially as they hunt qualification for next year’s 48th edition of the prestigious Copa America to be staged in the United States.
Their next assignments will be away to Grenada on October 12, before visiting Haiti in the Dominican Republic on October 15.
To get to the Copa America, the Jamaicans are required to finish in the top six, as such, they will need to secure one of two spots from their group to progress to quarter-finals.
Should they do so and go on to win their quarter-finals fixture, the Boyz would automatically secure berth to Copa America. However, if not, then they would take the playoff route for a second shot at qualification.
“We're always looking to improve, I said it in the last press conference, we're happy with what we have, but we're always looking out for improvements in every area of our game for players but also how we play, or we work together etc.
“So, we just have to improve how we do things and do as much as we can. We try to analyze the opponent where the weakness is, and I felt we had a chance to punish them better than we did. But the only way you can improve your conversion rate is to train it day after day,” the tactician ended.
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