Paul Townend is looking forward to being reunited with the “exceptional” State Man in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Since falling on his Irish debut over two years ago, the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old has won nine of his 10 starts, his only defeat coming at the hands of Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival.
On his most recent outing, he readily accounted for a high-class stablemate in Impaire Et Passe when winning his second successive Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
Townend guided the latter, who is set to be in opposition again this weekend, to four successive victories last season, but he insists the decision to side with State Man was straightforward.
“I love him, he’s been very, very good to me. Bar the one day we fell in a maiden hurdle in Leopardstown, he’s been exceptional,” said the Irish champion jockey.
“I just found it very hard to desert State Man (at Christmas) – I thought it would be a lot worse standing in the number two spot looking at State Man winning than standing in the number two spot looking at Impaire Et Passe.
“He duly obliged and he’s just such a straightforward horse and a class horse to be involved with.
“Bar Constitution Hill, he’s the best around, I think.”
State Man will be long odds-on to bag his second Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival, having dethroned Honeysuckle with an all-the-way victory 12 months ago.
As well as Impaire Et Passe, Mullins could saddle Matheson Hurdle third Echoes In Rain, while Henry de Bromhead will be hoping Bob Olinger can continue his resurgence following an impressive display in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Gordon Elliott’s Fils D’oudairies, last of four in the Matheson Hurdle, completes the potential field.
Javane Bryan is in the middle of his debut season in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League at 27 years old.
Admittedly, he has joined the party late, compared to the many others who are now plying their trade in the top league of Jamaican football and that is exactly why the Waterhouse FC striker believes that he has something to prove.
“It took me so long to get here, now I’m here and making a statement and showing the reason I belong here,” said the striker who is now the leading scorer in the league at the end of match week 15.
Bryan does not lack in confidence and credits his journey to the Wray & Nephew Premier League with the instant success he has been enjoying in front of goal.
“Even though it’s my first time playing in the Premier League, other leagues that I played in I used to execute in them just as well, so I bring it forth into the Premier League. I have taken my chances when I have gotten them and made use of them,” he insisted.
The former Tivoli Gardens High School player who had his final season in schoolboy football, was stymied by a position change just when he was hoping for his breakthrough.
“I went to Tivoli Gardens High school and played Pepsi (U-14) and Colts (U-16). I didn’t get to play outfield in Manning Cup because I had to take the responsibility in goal when the goalkeeper got a red card in the first game.
“So from there on, I was in the goal until he got back into the squad and then I was on the bench. After that I stopped keeping and went back outfield,” he explained.
After leaving high school Bryan returned to his preferred position where he again started to thrive.
“My first senior season was with Rae Town playing in the Super League where I started playing centre forward and then I moved on to Vere United and won the Super League with them. From Vere I went to Falmouth FC and then to Meadforest, before moving to Waterhouse in the premier league this season.”
Bryan is currently half-way towards his season’s target with just over half of the season played.
“I am looking forward to about 20 goals. I just have to work hard. Every chance I get, I just have to make use of it,” he reasoned.
He opened his goal-scoring account in the premier league with a brace against Montego Bay United in the second match of the season and hit double figures when the teams played out a 2-2 draw in the return leg on Monday night when he scored the opening goal of the contest.
Waterhouse sits just outside the playoff positions in seventh place on 20 points, but Bryan has total confidence is his team going all the way this season.
“With the group of players I am playing with, I think we have the squad that can do it. I believe in my team, and I believe in myself and the coaching staff and the management staff that this Waterhouse team can win this title,” he proclaimed.
After separating himself from Tivoli Gardens striker Justin Dunn who has nine goals, Bryan will be hoping to push on in the race for the Golden Boot which would certainly be a highlight in his premier league debut season.
Javane Bryan celebrates one of his goals against Montego Bay United at the Stadium East Field in mid-October.
Bucanero Fuerte is likely to begin his three-year-old campaign in the 2000 Guineas after a juvenile season that saw only City Of Troy top him on ratings.
The colt is by Wootton Bassett and out of a mare called Frida La Blonde, making him a full-brother to 2020 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Wooded.
Trained in Westmeath by Adrian Murray and owned by Amo Racing, the bay made a winning debut at the Curragh last March and then took aim at Royal Ascot.
In the Coventry Stakes, a six-furlong Group Two, he was third at 16-1 when beaten only a length with River Tiber and Army Ethos.
That run led him to the Railway Stakes at the Curragh, where he prevailed ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s Unquestionable before returning to the same track to land the Group One Phoenix Stakes by four lengths.
His final run as a juvenile was again at the Curragh, where he contested the National Stakes and was third behind Henry Longfellow in a run Murray considers to have been one too many.
Bucanero Fuerte has since been listed as the second-highest rated two-year-old of 2023, gaining a mark of 120 as City Of Troy topped the list on 125 and Henry Longfellow and Vandeek shared third place on 119.
Naturally there will be high hopes for them all and the Amo runner will look to live up to the expectations that come with his reputation in his three-year-old season.
The Guineas is the likely starting point for the horse, who will be entered in both the English and Irish renewals of the race, though the former is favoured by his trainer.
“He’s great, he’s been back cantering for two months now and I’m very happy with him,” said Murray.
“He’s got big and strong over the winter, I couldn’t be happier with him – he’s turned into a fine horse.”
Of Bucanero Fuerte’s place in the two-year-old rankings and his next steps, Murray added: “It’s hard to believe it but it’s brilliant really, we’re aiming to go to the Guineas with him.
“We probably wouldn’t go for a prep run and he’ll be entered in both, my preference would be the English I think.”
Murray and Amo Racing have another nice prospect in Elegant Man, an American-bred colt by Arrogate who won his debut at Dundalk in October.
He then stepped up to Listed level in the Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton in December, where he was second to a good yardstick in the Group One-winning Rebel’s Romance.
He began his four-year-old campaign at Dundalk last week, prevailing by three and a half lengths from Tyson Fury in an encouraging performance.
The colt has been put forward for the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March and that race is the immediate target ahead of the start of the domestic season.
“It was a lovely run, he’s come out of the race well,” Murray said of the Dundalk performance.
“There’s a lot more improvement in him too, we’re very happy with him.
“He’s nominated now to go to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup, he might not get in but that’s the plan at the minute.
“He’s still quite green, he’s learning, there’s more to come from him once he gets a little bit more experience.
“We’ll target the turf over the summer but we haven’t any plans after Dubai, so we’ll go there if we get in.”
While pleased with aspects of their team’s display in the first warm-up contest, Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-20 Men’s Head coach Brian Haynes and his Jamaican counterpart John Wall are optimistic of a more efficient display from their respective units when the two teams meet again on Thursday.
The young Soca Warriors edged the young Reggae Boyz 3-2 in the first contest at the University of TT, O'Meara Campus recently, with Lindell Sween, Levi Jones and Michael Chaves on target for the hosts, while Jahmani Bell and Demarion Harris, pulled things back for Jamaica.
That contest, both coaches believe, not only provided the impetus needed to finalize selection of their respective squads for next month’s Caribbean phase of the Concacaf Under-20 Men’s Championships, as they only had a few training sessions prior, which doesn’t necessarily assist in highlighting the true competitive nature and, by extension, cohesiveness of the teams.
Haynes expressed satisfaction with the progress of his players, especially as he explored different combinations.
"As far as I am concerned the exercise was good. Nobody's hurt, thank God. The guys worked hard and the main group, the group that started, they did what we wanted them to do, and I thought the guys that came in did a good job as well,” Haynes said.
"I commend the Jamaica team for coming down and giving us a good game, because this is what we need and this is what they need and hopefully this propels us to keep playing at the level I know we can,” he added.
Still, no performance is ever perfect, and as such, Haynes said the objective remains to strengthen their flaws in all areas to ensure that the young Soca Warriors not only prove more formidable in the next game, but also against their more illustrious opponents in future fixtures.
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica will lock horns in the second warm-up encounter on Thursday at Larry Gomes Stadium at 4:00 pm.
For the upcoming tournament, Haynes’s side will host Group D which includes Canada, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines with only the group winner set to progress.
"There are things we have to work on, but right now I am really happy with the result for the boys,” Haynes noted.
Wall echoed similar sentiments, even as the young Reggae Boyz held Police FC’s youth team to a goalless stalemate in another encounter.
"The whole idea of these games is to create relationships and a common understanding on our game model. So, there are instances where we are kind of pleased with what we saw and for me it’s the bigger picture of getting ourselves ready and competitive for the tournament,” Wall shared.
"One of the core non-negotiables that we have is that no matter what, we don’t give up because we are playing for our nation which is a big responsibility. So, there are areas we need to improve on with regards to our pressing, counter-pressing and some other technical things in that region,” he reasoned.
Wall’s side will contest Group F with Bermuda, Grenada and Martinique in St Kitts and Nevis in the upcoming tournament.
After round-robin play in the Concacaf qualifying opening round between February 23 and March 2, the group winners will progress to the Championship round to join the six pre-seeded nations – United States, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic –ranked in that order.
Mistergif continued Willie Mullins’ successful January as well as the hot run of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede with an impressive success on his Irish debut at Limerick.
Although banking plenty of experience in France, he arrived at Closutton a maiden, but nevertheless was sent off the 8-13 favourite for the Follow Limerick Racecourse On Twitter (C & G) Maiden Hurdle over two miles on testing ground.
The result was a formality as the five-year-old made all and cruised to an impressive 18-length success in the hands of Kieran Callaghan to give Mullins his fourth straight success in the race and also follow in the footsteps of State Man who was victorious in the 2022 renewal before marching to County Hurdle glory at the Cheltenham Festival.
Mistergif holds entries for both the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park and although connections may want to see more before he gets his ticket stamped for March, he brought up Mullins’ 40th winner for the month while adding to the recent victories of Zarak The Brave, Jasmin De Vaux and Anotherway in the ‘double green’ colours.
“He’s a horse by a stallion we like in Zarak,” said Anthony Bromley, racing manager to the owners, who will have the likes of El Fabiolo in action at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend.
“He jumped very smoothly today, that was impressive the way he jumped. The horse in second was only rated 106, so we must not get too carried away.
“I think he will have to have another run to see where we are and in terms of if he’s a Festival horse or not. But he’s a really exciting prospect and it comes hot on the heels of Anotherway yesterday and the bumper horse on Sunday, so they are just hitting their stride at the right time.
“I don’t think there is any necessarily big targets for him, but we will have to run again and see where we are.”
Winning rider Callaghan added: “It was very straightforward. He had experience around Auteuil and loads of runs on the Flat as well as a younger horse.
“I was just worried that he was doing a bit too much early, but he was very good the way he picked up from the back of the second-last.
“He hit the line hard and I was at the first hurdle down the back pulling him up so it’s definitely a good sign on that ground.
“He couldn’t have done it much easier, and he has a chance of being a nice horse.”
No Flies On Him will head to Punchestown to continue his hurdling education next month after connections elected to miss the Dublin Racing Festival with the top novice prospect.
Trained by Edward O’Grady and owned by JP McManus, the five-year-old beat Nicky Henderson’s Grade One scorer Jango Baie in the pointing field before impressing on his rules debut at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
He looked to be in line for a return to the Irish capital for the Grade One Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle on Sunday, but his name was missing from the list of acceptors at Tuesday’s confirmation stage.
Instead O’Grady will point his talented charge towards Kildare next month, where he will step up to Listed level in the Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle.
“The horse is absolutely fine and in excellent shape, but we have decided to wait for Punchestown on February 18,” said O’Grady.
“We were pleased with what he did (on debut). I don’t know (if he’s improved) but we will find out.”
No Flies On Him holds an entries for both the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle – for which he is as short as 12-1 – and the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
When asked if a positive display at Punchestown could tee up a trip to Prestbury Park in March, O’Grady said: “I hope so, yes.”
Connections of Lossiemouth are content to stick to the process and head to the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after dazzling in her Trials day return to action.
Last year’s Triumph Hurdle scorer had not been seen since adding to her Grade One haul at the Punchestown Festival, with trainer Willie Mullins electing to tread a different path with his juvenile graduates this season and keep them under wraps until turning five at the turn of the year.
Sent to the Unibet Hurdle for her seasonal bow – on the same day stablemate and regular adversary Gala Marceau headed to Doncaster – she delivered a breathtaking display to dominate her elders and firmly dispatch Love Envoi, who was left trailing the best part of 10 lengths behind in second.
The manner of victory opened up the tantalising prospect of Lossiemouth taking on the likes of Constitution Hill and State Man in the Champion Hurdle.
However, Plan A has always been to head to the Mares’ Hurdle 40 minutes later on the opening day of the Festival, where as a best price of 4-5 favourite, she would have a fine chance of following in the footsteps of Vroum Vroum Mag (2016) and Benie Des Dieux (2018) by winning the Grade One contest for owners Rich and Susannah Ricci.
“The team were pretty happy she was in great form beforehand and she clearly was, but I think the manner of the victory surprised all of us,” said the owners’ racing manager Joe Chambers.
“That was great to see and hopefully the patient approach we have taken with her will reward us as well as the season goes on.
“That (Mares’ Hurdle) has been the plan all along and continues to be the plan today. Things can change, but I think we will be leaning towards the Mares’ unless a number of things occurred to change our mind. She’s odds-on for one and 8-1 for the other.”
Meanwhile, there was a positive bulletin on Monkfish, who also sports the famous pink and green silks and made a winning return from 272 days off the track in the Galmoy Hurdle.
A Cheltenham Festival winner in both the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, injury has meant he has not visited Prestbury Park since he was victorious in 2021.
He holds entries for both the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup this time around and although connections are set to make a late call on which race gets the nod, a return to fencing for a crack at the blue riband is a real possibility for the 10-year-old.
“It was magic to see (him win the Galmoy) and he did well on his return,” continued Chambers.
“Touch wood he has been sound since and we will try to keep him sound between now and March.
“Our inclination has always been to go back over fences, but let’s see how things shape up and the respective races shape up between now and March. A lot could change, but if we can keep him in one piece we look forward to running him wherever that may be.
“It could be (the Gold Cup) and that’s what we would like to do, but we are still six and a half weeks out from that and we will probably leave that decision to the week of Cheltenham.”
Galopin Des Champs and State Man will both face a maximum of four rivals in their respective bids for back-to-back victories at this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown.
Having bounced back to winning ways with a dominant display in the Savills Chase over the Christmas period, Galopin Des Champs will be a warm order to successfully defend his crown in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup before aiming to do the same in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
His biggest threat on Saturday appears to be a familiar rival in Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow, who took his measure in last season’s Punchestown Gold Cup and the John Durkan at Punchestown in December before sidestepping the Savills on account of the prevailing testing conditions.
As well as Galopin Des Champs, Willie Mullins could saddle I Am Maximus, while the potential field is completed by Gordon Elliott’s 2022 Irish Gold Cup hero Conflated and his stablemate Coko Beach.
Mullins is responsible for six of the nine horses still in contention for the first of eight Grade Ones over the course of the two days – the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle – with Predators Gold and Loughglynn the two at the top of the market.
The Closutton handler also dominates the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, with runaway Punchestown winner Storm Heart and French recruit Salvator Mundi – second to last weekend’s brilliant Cheltenham winner Sir Gino on his only start in France – two of eight Mullins entries in a field of 13.
The only Grade One favourite not under the tutelage of the champion trainer is Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale, who will put his unbeaten record on the line in the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase.
Mullins has left in Facile Vega, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah, although all four also retain the option of running in the the longer Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday.
Gaelic Warrior and Sharjah both carry the familiar colours of Rich and Susannah Ricci, and their racing manager Joe Chambers has hinted the former could avoid a clash with Marine Nationale at this stage.
He said: “There isn’t any other options for him this side of Cheltenham and we will see what he is like going left-handed (over fences), whether that be two miles or over two-miles-five. It’ll be interesting to see how that pans out, especially down the back straight.
“He won over two miles there last year, albeit in a handicap hurdle, but Marine Nationale is a class act and I don’t see why we would want to take him on until we have to.
“With that being said, there are only eight left in the Irish Arkle, of which he and Sharjah are two. We will see and there is a long time until Saturday.”
Saturday’s action concludes with the Grade Two Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race, in which last year’s winner A Dream To Share is the star attraction among 13 confirmations.
On Sunday, State Man will be cramped odds to win his second Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle, with his stablemate Impaire Et Passe set to be in opposition again after chasing him home in the Matheson Hurdle last month.
Mullins could also run Echoes In Rain, while a resurgent Bob Olinger would be an intriguing challenger for Henry de Bromhead. Elliott’s Fils D’oudairies will be a huge outsider.
Joining Facile Vega, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase is another Mullins ace in Fact To File, who is priced up as favourite at this stage.
Ballyburn is a short price for the champion trainer in the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle, with Elliott’s Royal Bond victor Farren Glory clear second best in the market.
Following the abandonment of the original Clarence House Chase at Ascot, El Fabiolo will be widely expected to land the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on his way to the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Mullins could also run Dinoblue, last year’s winner Gentleman De Mee and Saint Roi, De Bromhead has Captain Guinness and Brassil has left in Fastorslow as a back-up option to the Irish Gold Cup.
The Mullins theme continues in the concluding Coolmore N.H. Sires Hurricane Lane Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race, with Aurora Vega and Baby Kate two of his major hopes.
Ruth Jefferson has pencilled in a February comeback at Haydock for Sounds Russian as she looks to get her stable star back on a racecourse for the first time since last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The nine-year-old enjoyed a fine campaign over fences last term, winning at Kelso before finishing fourth in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree and filling the runner-up spot in both the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby and the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
Jefferson’s charge was a 50-1 shot for the blue riband last March, but was still in contention when he was brought down by the fall of fellow northern challenger Ahoy Senor and subsequently had to undergo surgery to repair a knee injury.
After coming through a pleasing workout with Saturday’s Grade Two-winning stablemate Kerryhill last week, Sounds Russian is closing in on a competitive outing.
“We were very happy with his first piece of work the other day, but he hasn’t schooled yet, I think that will happen next week,” said Jefferson.
“There isn’t a lot for him really, he’ll probably have to go to Haydock on February 17. I think there’s three races he can run in that day and apart from that there’s not much.
“He’s still a novice over hurdles or he could run in a handicap or there’s the Rendlesham Hurdle, which is obviously a Grade Two.
“His next run will be over hurdles. He’s about ready to run, whether he’ll be fully fit I don’t know and you’re obviously taking on fit horses at this time of year.”
While cautiously optimistic about the chances of Sounds Russian returning to the racecourse in the coming weeks, she is certainly not counting her chickens before they hatch.
She added: “He won’t be getting any entries over fences for the time being as it’s all about seeing how his knee holds up. At the moment he’s fine, but he might school and not be fine.
“Nothing’s guaranteed with him, he might run once and that might be it, you just don’t know. It’s a really funny situation to be in with him.
“We’ll just see, but I think all being well Haydock on February 17 will be where he’ll start – so it better be on!”
Emma Lavelle’s “extraordinary” Paisley Park is heading straight back to Cheltenham after another valiant run in defeat in the Cleeve Hurdle at the weekend.
The 12-year-old has been pipped to the post in all three starts so far this season, finishing second in the Long Distance Hurdle, the Long Walk Hurdle and then the Cleeve when never beaten by more than head.
The latter run was an epic battle with former Grand National winner Noble Yeats, after which Paisley Park was given a hero’s reception as he returned to the paddock.
He is an enduring fan favourite as he continues to shine in his eighth season, with the 11 victories on his CV including the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
That race is again on the agenda, and the hugely-popular Andrew Gemmell-owned bay would undoubtedly raise the roof with the backing of an appreciative Cheltenham crowd in March.
Lavelle said: “He’s come out of the race really well, he gets all of the applause so he thinks he’s won the race regardless of whether he has!
“Based on how he’s come out of the race the plan would be to take him to the Stayers’ and just see what happens.”
Of his three incredibly near misses this season, the Wiltshire-based trainer added: “It’s not for a lack of trying from the racegoers that we haven’t been winning these races!
“They are just amazing with the support they have, they are just willing him to get over the line first.
“People are very emotional about him, he’s an extraordinary horse – how lucky are we to have him?”
Betfair’s ‘Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund’ is closing in on its target as it aims to provide £250,000 for two worthy charities.
The initiative was kick-started by a £100,000 donation from Betfair, with £5,000 added for every Blackmore winner ridden between Betfair Chase Day in November last year and the Grand National at Aintree in April.
The target sum is £250,000 and with several weeks still to go there is already £155,000 in the pot before the upcoming festivals at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree.
The funds raised will benefit the Injured Jockeys Fund and the Irish Injured Jockeys, both charities that support current and former riders on either side of the Irish Sea.
Blackmore, an ambassador for Betfair, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see all the amazing work the Injured Jockeys Fund does to support jockeys at facilities like Oaksey House (in Lambourn).
“This is a very generous initiative from Betfair, one that will benefit the Irish Injured Jockeys too, and will go a long way to creating more support facilities, in both UK and Ireland.“
To illustrate the need for the backing of such valuable work, Betfair sent tipster Daryl Carter to Oaksey House in Lambourn for a special edition of their ‘Coaching Carter’ series, where he met the recipients of the charity’s ongoing support to the industry.
Among them was former jockey Wayne Burton, who suffered serious head and spinal injuries in 2008 and lives at Oaksey House after being left paralysed from the chest down.
Burton is training to complete the London Marathon in his wheelchair in April, and said of the role the IJF has played in his recovery: “I did lose my speech, my understanding of what things were and where I was – that was a really hard battle for me at the time.
“Without the IJF I wouldn’t be here today, this place was built a year after my accident so as soon as this was open I was one of the first jockeys to come here.”
Carter also spoke with George Baker, another former jockey who won the St Leger aboard Harbour Law in 2016 before suffering severe injuries in a fall on the ‘White Turf’ at St Moritz.
Baker had a bleed on the brain and spent a significant amount of time in hospital before being rehabilitated at Oaksey House, where he now works alongside being a trustee for the charity.
“I am a trustee for the Injured Jockeys Fund and I work here three or four days a week in my role as a jockey coach,” he said.
“The Injured Jockeys Fund were a massive help to me, I had a bad accident in 2017 in Switzerland, at St Moritz on the White Turf.
“I was hospital in London for three or four months, I think it was a harder journey for my family more than anything and the next phase of my rehab was coming here.
“They helped rebuild me, really. I had to learn to walk again. They were instrumental in getting me back to work, they asked me to be a trustee and I’m very, very happy to facilitate that because the Injured Jockeys Fund is so close to my heart.”
Batsman Kevlon Anderson will captain the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the upcoming West Indies Championship.
The 23-year-old has scored 529 runs in seven First Class games at an average of 44.08.
On Saturday, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) named a strong unit led by the former West Indies Under-19 batsman, consisting of a few familiar faces and a new crop of players.
Leg-pinner Steven Sankar is among the new faces in the squad, following a breakthrough year with the ball at the domestic level.
Opener Raymond Perez, following his immaculate batting form, which rolled over from 2023, will get his chance to play at the senior level.
All-rounder Ronaldo Alimohamed, returns to the squad after being an injury replacement in 2020 and having played 50-over cricket for Guyana at the senior level.
According to a release from the Guyana Cricket Board, Alimohamed, Perez and Sankar will likely make their debut.
Additionally, middle-order batsman Akshaya Persaud makes a return to the Harpy Eagles unit.
Matthew Nandu will be Anderson’s deputy as “they lead a well-balanced side featuring a few veterans among the new faces.”
Lead spinner Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Adams, and West Indies’ latest Test player, Kevin Sinclair, will form a quality spin department.
Fast bowlers Ronsford Beaton, Nial Smith, and Alimohamed will make up the front-line seam unit, adding to their star-studded spin bowler batch.
Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Nandu, Sinclair, Perez, Anderson, and Persaud will look to carry the Eagle’s batting unit.
Kemol Savory will be the wicket-keeper for the first two rounds until Tevin Imlach returns from West Indies duties.
Savory is also expected to play a vital role in the batting department.
The Harpy Eagles Head Coach is Ryan Hercules with the Assistant Coach being Garvin Nedd. Ryerson Bhagoo is the Analyst, and Albert Clements is the Manager.
Meanwhile, this year’s Four-Day Championship will significantly increase prize money as the winning team will pocket US$250,000, while the runner-up will receive US$100,000.
Harpy Eagles open their campaign against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force when the Championship bowls off in St. Kitts on February 7.
SQUAD: Kevlon Anderson (C), Matthew Nandu (VC), Nial Smith, Veerasammy Permaul, Antony Adams, Kevin Sinclair, Ronsford Beaton, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Akshaya Persaud, Raymond Perez, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Steven Sankar and Kemol Savory.
Owner Robert Waley-Cohen has hailed the genius of Emmet Mullins after his Grand National hero Noble Yeats forced his way into the Stayers’ Hurdle mix when claiming a thrilling Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Making just his third appearance over the smaller obstacles, the nine-year-old was the recipient of significant support in the week leading up to the Grade Two event and was sent off the 3-1 second-favourite behind the evergreen market leader Paisley Park.
It was the two main betting protagonists that would ultimately fight out a brilliant conclusion to a contest that saw six of the seven involved in with a shout jumping the last, before Noble Yeats and Paisley Park’s staying power saw them come to the fore with the post approaching.
Only a head separated the two warriors at the finish, as Mullins pulled off another successful raid on one of the calendar’s big races.
“Emmet, as we all know, is unorthodox, but with brilliance, and what could be more thrilling than Saturday,” said Waley-Cohen.
“It was an unbelievable race and it was literally down to the last stride. You could have taken quite a big bet turning into the home straight that the three in front wouldn’t finish in the first three. I was sorry we spoiled Paisley Park’s party, but not very.
“It was only his third ever hurdle race and he wouldn’t be as quick and slick as some of those pros. However, he ran vigorously up the hill and I don’t think he quickened as much as Paisley Park, but interestingly, if you look at after the finish, he goes right away from Paisley Park.
“I don’t think he saw Paisley Park on the far side of the course. I think he thought he had the horses near him beaten and didn’t see the others because as soon as he crossed the line and they came close together he went on again.”
He went on: “He was getting 6lb on the day from Paisley Park and that perhaps made all the difference, but that’s where Emmet’s genius lies because traditionally you would go hurdles, regulation steeplechase fences and then occasionally the best go to the Grand National.
“No one does it the other way round. He’s won a Grand National, so then going for a Grade Two hurdle is not normal.”
Noble Yeats was campaigned aggressively following his Grand National triumph in 2022, treading a path that saw his Aintree defence sandwiched by tilts at both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris last season.
Connections have plumped for a more considered route to Merseyside this time around and having been kept under wraps until running at Limerick over the Christmas period, he will continue to ply his trade over timber with a crack at the Stayers’ Hurdle set to tee-up this year’s Grand National bid.
“It was a great thrill (to win the Cleeve) and he had a very hard season last year,” continued Waley-Cohen.
“He won a Listed race at Wexford, won the Many Clouds Chase, came third in the Cotswold Chase, fourth in the Gold Cup, fourth in the Grand National and picked up money in the Grand Steeple. That is one hell of a year and he needed a properly good break afterwards.
“He came back to my place in Warwickshire and had a proper break and lots of TLC and we decided we needed a much more conservative plan this year and not run him at all until after Christmas.
“The race at Limerick didn’t suit him at all and he didn’t like the ground or the course, but Saturday just played into his hands.
“He’s entitled to take his chance (in the Stayers’), but whatever the outcome it will be great step to the National. It’s a better step for him than anything else and it sounds a bit bizarre to say a Grade One race is a prep, but it looks the suitable race.”
Noble Yeats is as short as 8-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle and although he produced a performance that warrants his place in the Festival’s day three main event, Waley-Cohen has considerable respect for the Gordon Elliott-trained duo that are currently heading the ante-post betting.
He added: “I suspect when we are back at level weights there will be a few young horses from Ireland coming over and you don’t have to be a genius to fathom out that Teahupoo and Irish Point are really nice horses on the upgrade.
“One great thing Harry (Cobden) did riding him on Saturday, was ride him into hurdles with absolute confidence and the horse absolutely revelled in coming up that hill, so who knows, we dream, we always do.
“But in terms of getting to the National in first-class order, it’s a very good option and the National is really the target.
“Many would just go to something like the Bobbyjo (Chase) which is a recognised route to the National, but being the man he is, Emmet thinks this is the better route – he is definitely unorthodox.”
Three-time winner Craig Simpson and four-time female winner Aliana McMaster finished tops at the Driftwood Gun Club Shoot at the 17-station Murphy Hill Course in St Ann recently.
Both competitors shot 95 out of 100 targets and dominated the packed field, which included a total of 157 of the best gunners on the island, such as nine-time national shotgun champion and president of the Jamaica Skeet Club Ian Banks; six-time national shotgun champion and defending champion Shaun Barnes; four-time and reigning national shotgun champion Christian Sasso; Chad Ziadie, the 2022 national shotgun champion; as well as five-time national female shotgun champion Wendy McMaster.
The young McMaster already created history by being the first female to make it to the A Class late last year and her score of 95 again etched her name in the history books, as it is the highest by any female locally. When her score was posted most people thought it very possible that she won, which would make her the first female to win any sporting clay event in Jamaica, but Simpson roared back with his high-scoring 95 to set up a tense shoot-off between them.
In the end, Simpson took down six of the eight targets, while McMaster struck only four.
“Winning is always an amazing feeling, it’s what keeps us going. I tell everybody that I don’t think I leave my house if I was not coming here to win. I am hungry for the win. Always hungry for the win. I am always excited about the competitive field, and as the years go by with the juniors emerging, the field only becomes more competitive, and it's an internal challenge to stay relevant. I have been able to do that over the years and I plan to continue to be there for as long as I can, but they are coming," Simpson said.
McMaster, on the other hand, was also happy with her performance.
“It’s honestly an amazing feeling. After you have a reputation or expectation from the people coming to the shoot it can get to you and really mess up your head. I feel it can play a big part in how that day goes, but I just had to approach it like any other shoot and just do my best, and frankly, winning four times in a row is honestly such a great feeling and I am absolutely grateful for it," she noted.
Meanwhile, the top three in the various classes were A Class: Christian Sasso (92) by way of shoot-off with William Zager (92) and Alex Cunningham (91); B Class: Gordon Bucknor (86), Robin Rickhi (84), and Zachary Harris (81); C Class: Brandon Laing (90), Adam Harris (85), and Wendy McMaster (85); D Class: Lori-Ann Harris (85) and Noah Vaughn (84); E Class: Seymour Essor (69), David Campbell (67), and Anthony Ayoub (67); Ladies: Aliana McMaster (95), Lori-Ann Harris (85), and Wendy McMaster (85); Hunters or Beginners: Philip Burgess (77), Cameron Lee (69), and Che Rowe (68); Juniors Aliana McMaster (95), David Wong (87), and Lori-Ann Harris (85); and Sub Juniors: Craig Powell Jr (55) and Levi Clarke (48).
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