Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami was given the nod over stable companion and fellow Royal Ascot winner Gregory due to the likelihood of soft ground in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
Both horses are owned by Wathnan Racing and connections had considered taking advantage of the three-year-old weight allowance with Gregory, rather than running the four-year-old Courage Mon Ami.
However, the recent wet weather caused a rethink and it is Courage Mon Ami of the John and Thady Gosden-trained duo who will aim to maintain his unbeaten record.
“John was keen to train both him and Gregory for the race and soft ground or probable soft ground swayed the decision towards running Courage Mon Ami, while Gregory will now take a different route, with his main aim being the St Leger,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser to the owners.
“Frankie (Dettori) will ride and he’s drawn five. He’s back in trip but he won there impressively before the Gold Cup and we know he handles the track. I don’t think it will be a problem coming back to two miles, it was always the question before Ascot if he would he stay two and a half.
“The horse is in good form and he did his last piece of work on Friday and both John and Thady were delighted with him.”
One horse who will certainly not be inconvenienced by any further rain is Aidan O’Brien’s Emily Dickinson.
Only fourth in the Gold Cup, she subsequently won the Curragh Cup over 14 furlongs.
“Emily Dickinson came out of the Curragh very well. Ryan (Moore) was happy with her and felt she won very easily. She is a filly we really fancied for the Gold Cup. She ran a good race and came out of it well,” said O’Brien.
“She loved the ease in the ground at the Curragh. She comes out of races on fast ground perfectly, which suggests it does not bother her, but she appears much better with an ease in the ground. It hinders other horses, whereas she appears to grow another leg on soft ground.
“Since the Goodwood Cup has been upgraded to a Group One, it has been brilliant. It is a very prestigious race and a unique race because two miles on the Goodwood track is very different. It is a difficult race to win, but we always try to have a horse that is good enough to win it.”
O’Brien also runs Broome, the mount of William Buick.
One who bypassed Ascot in preference for this is Marco Botti’s Giavellotto, the Yorkshire Cup winner.
“He won well at York and it has always been the plan to skip the Gold Cup at Ascot and go to Goodwood for the Goodwood Cup,” said Botti.
“He is well and his prep has gone to plan, we think he is fit and he looks in good order. We know he stays and we’re looking forward to it.
“Two miles is not an issue but we felt the Ascot Gold Cup may have stretched him a little bit. He settles well and he looks a stronger horse than last year.
“I just worry about the ground, I hope it will be nice ground for everyone and not extremes. Good to soft would be what he wants.
“Goodwood is a track he has never run at before, but hopefully he handles the undulations. You have to respect the opposition because it’s a competitive field and a strong race, but we are going there with the horse in really good nick and we can only hope for a good run.”
Andrew Balding’s Coltrane was beaten three-quarters of a length when second in the Gold Cup and Oisin Murphy is another who feels the return to two miles will be in his favour.
“I was obviously gutted to get beat on Coltrane in the Gold Cup and he has come out of Ascot very well,” said Murphy, ahead of another leg in the British Champions Series.
“He’s a very good horse and I hope he’s as good here as he was at Ascot. All the signs at home are positive and I think this two miles will suit him better than the two and a half at Ascot.
“I don’t think the quick ground was a problem in the Gold Cup as he obviously let himself down on it, but we know from his past form that he enjoys some dig in the ground, so that’s a plus for him.”
Last year’s St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov, Quickthorn and Tashkhan are also running.
Stars of the future have invariably cut their teeth in the Nicholson Gin Vintage Stakes and Haatem will be out to justify Richard Hannon’s faith in a strong renewal at Goodwood on Tuesday.
A close-up fifth to River Tiber in the Coventry at Royal Ascot, he then bumped into another smart Aidan O’Brien colt when stepped up to seven furlongs in the Superlative at Newmarket.
City Of Troy catapulted to the head of next season’s 2000 Guineas market following that six-and-a-half-length success over Haatem.
Hannon feels the easier surface he is expected to face at Goodwood could play to the strengths of the Phoenix Of Spain colt in the Group Two contest.
He said: “He keeps bumping into those O’Brien horses and I think he has a very good chance.
“If it is soft ground, I think he’ll like it. He showed he can handle good to soft at Newmarket. I like his chance at Goodwood.
“He ran well behind in the Superlative and he ran well in the Coventry, and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him, so it would be good to see him produce what we think he’s capable of tomorrow.”
Hannon is double-handed in the race with Son and added: “He ran all right in the Superlative (fifth), but this looks a tougher spot for him and you wouldn’t be too confident in such a competitive race.”
Haatem, who will be ridden by Sean Levey, is the most experienced of the nine runners in the seven-furlong juvenile contest with five runs already under his belt.
Iberian and Witness Stand are the least experienced having won on their respective debuts for Charlie Hills and Tom Clover.
Iberian looked potentially smart when he scored with ease – beating a couple of subsequent winners – over an extended six furlongs in a Newbury novice.
Richard Ryan, racing manager for Teme Valley, who co-own the Lope De Vega colt with Ballylinch Stud, said: “It’s a considerably large step up in class. We’re hopeful we have a nice horse and this race will answer a lot of questions.
“The form (of his Newbury win) I suppose is a mixed bag from those behind, but you can only beat what’s with you and he sort of put them to bed quite convincingly. He seems to have thrived since and we are hopeful.
“He is an impressive horse at home and Charlie is having a great season with his two-year-olds. He looks to have a number of promising horses, so we are in the slightly excited camp until proven otherwise.”
Iberian missed the Superlative at Newmarket when withdrawn because of soft ground.
Ryan added: “It was a tough decision. The ground was quite chewed and it was getting loose and wet and a bit used at the time.
“Although it is probably going to be wet at Goodwood, it’s unwatered and well maintained for this meeting, and probably with it being the first day, it won’t have the same issues the July Course had at the time with conditions in the pouring rain.”
Frankie Dettori, riding at his last Goodwood Festival, will partner the Richard Fahey-trained Golden Mind, winner of a Leicester six-furlong maiden in May, before going down by three-quarters of a length in the Chesham at Royal Ascot.
The Musley Bank handler feels Dettori’s experience could help the colt’s development.
He said: “He’s a horse that is improving the whole time, he’s a bit of a laid-back character and with racing he’s going to get better.
“He’s a slow-learning horse who will improve with racing and he’s getting stronger as well.
“He’s in good order and I would love Frankie to ride me a winner before he retires, he’s a legend. It would be fantastic if he could and it would be great if it could be this one.”
A Norfolk Stakes fifth on his penultimate start, Amo Racing’s Thunder Blue was subsequently back up to six furlongs at Newmarket, where he was fourth to Jasour in the Group Two July Stakes.
His sole success in four starts came on his second run, when landing a novice at the Sussex Downs track.
“He is a Goodwood winner over six furlongs and although he has plenty of tactical speed, we just feel he would be better suited by stepping up to seven,” said trainer Dominic Ffrench Davis.
“He will be able to get a tow into the race.
“He jumped a bit sharp at Ascot and he probably got racing a bit early at Newmarket also, so hopefully at Goodwood he can get a lead and then produce a turn of foot at the end of the race.
“He was very good when he won there and it turned out to be not a bad race. The runner-up got the job done well enough next time and I think it was a strong enough contest. We’ve always thought he was very good and I think seven furlongs may just play to his strengths.
“We wouldn’t want too much rain as that might make it too much of a test of stamina, but I think if it is good to soft it would be perfect for him.”
Kinross returns to his optimum trip with connections confident he can reclaim his World Pool Lennox Stakes crown at Goodwood on Tuesday.
Few trainers head to the Sussex Downs with their team in better form than Ralph Beckett, who has been operating at a 30 per cent strike-rate in recent weeks.
And Kinross lines up against seven rivals in the seven-furlong Group Two contest, a race he won two years ago and finished a neck second to Sandrine last year, with a favourite’s chance.
He has won his last three over the trip, including the Prix de la Foret, and is a dual top-level winner following last term’s British Champions Sprint success.
The consistent Kingman gelding, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, went close to making it a hat-trick of Group One victories with a close-up third to Shaquille in the July Cup at Newmarket last time.
“He is a year older now, but he was unlucky not to win it last year and he did win it the year before, so it looks a great spot to get back to winning ways,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for owner Marc Chan.
“There is no doubt this is his best distance. He likes the course and he’s justifiably the favourite, even though that doesn’t mean he will win the race.”
This will be the first opportunity for three-year-old Isaac Shelby to take on his elders.
The Brian Meehan-trained Night Of Thunder colt, who is in receipt of 6lb from Kinross and 9lb from Al Suhail, won the Superlative last season and the Greenham on his first run this term over the same distance.
Upped to a mile, he was beaten a short neck in the French 2000 Guineas, before being a little too keen on quicker ground when a well-held fourth to Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“He’s back to seven (furlongs) and hopefully that will see him in his best light,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.
“It’s a tight, competitive race and Kinross will be tough to beat. But the horse is in great form and we’re looking forward to it.
“He got lit up and things didn’t really go to plan at Ascot. I’m not trying to use an excuse and saying he would have won there, but back in trip and back in grade here, he should be thereabouts.”
Connections of top weight Al Suhail will keep a close eye on the weather before deciding whether he will run.
A five-time winner over the trip, he was third in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night before a creditable sixth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Charlie Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “Al Suhail has come out of Ascot well, although he has a penalty here for his win in the Al Fahidi Fort.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him back over seven, which is probably his best trip, and the course at Goodwood might suit.
“We will be keeping an eye on the weather as his participation would be in doubt if there was significant rain.”
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Audience has won twice since being gelded and followed up a Leicester success in October with a two-length win in the Group Three Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket on his seasonal bow.
Chris Richardson, managing director of owner Cheveley Park Stud, said: “This race is the natural progression really and he came out of the Newmarket race well.
“He has not been straightforward, but gelding seems to have worked and we are now seeing what we were seeing on the gallops, but not on the racecourse.
“He was just not performing on the track as we thought he would and should have been. It was just one of those rather frustrating things, but it was lovely to see him bounce back and follow up the previous win with such an emphatic success.”
National Hunt racing is to return to Windsor, the venue’s owner Arena Racing Company has announced.
The track staged jump racing until as recently as 1998 and even stepped in to host a number of fixtures when Ascot was being redeveloped in 2005 and 2006.
It is hoped the first meetings will take place during the 2024-25 season with December 15, 2024 earmarked for the first action.
Windsor will not see an increase in its number of net fixtures, however, with the new jump cards switched from traditional Flat meetings in April and October.
To facilitate the return of National Hunt racing, the track will be reconfigured to utilise previous dormant areas of the site, with the jumps course a continuous left-handed circuit rather than the current figure of eight.
“We have long held a desire to bring jump racing back to Royal Windsor racecourse, and we are really pleased to confirm this plan well ahead of the planned first fixture in December 2024,” said Mark Spincer, managing director of ARC’s racing division.
“Whilst the racecourse hasn’t hosted regularly scheduled jumps fixtures since 1998, we believe that the plans that we have put together with the British Horseracing Authority will mean that the small number of fixtures that we would like to host will sit well alongside the long established, popular summer Flat programme.
“A significant amount of work has gone into considering the optimal layout for jump racing at Royal Windsor, which will see the course configured differently to how it was previously, but we believe that it is an excellent proposal to offer jump racing fans the chance to come back to Royal Windsor, whilst not impacting on the Flat programme, which is an important consideration.
“The proximity to the River Thames gives the track excellent drainage, and our records show that the racecourse very rarely ran jumps fixtures on heavy ground, with the majority of abandonments coming due to frost.
“Happily, turf management techniques have developed significantly since that time, so we are confident of providing excellent jumping ground for the fixtures that we would like to host in 2024 and 2025 and beyond.”
The Juddmonte International and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe remain on the agenda for Pyledriver after finishing fifth in defence of his King George crown at Ascot on Saturday.
Following a successful return from 11 months on the sidelines in the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting in June, hopes were high ahead of William Muir and Chris Grassick’s stable star’s bid for back-to-back wins in a spectacular renewal of the track’s midsummer highlight.
Pyledriver ultimately came up short, beaten just under nine lengths into fifth place as Hukum denied Westover in a thrilling finish, but Muir is far from downbeat.
“It was a great race and I’m not going to change my opinion, he’s going to go for the same races we had targeted for him before Saturday,” he said.
“Don’t take anything away from the winner and the second because they ran great races. PJ (McDonald, jockey) said if he had a perfect run he could have been a little bit closer, but that was all.
“I said before the race the worst thing that can happen is we get beat and we’ll go on and go forwards.
“The best sportsmen in the world have been beaten before now and they come back again. He’s fine, he’s in good shape and took his race lovely, so that is all we need.
“It’s the same plan as it was – he’ll go for the Juddmonte International or the September Stakes, but I would think probably the Juddmonte, then the Arc.”
In a breathtaking display of determination and skill, Navasky Anderson etched his name in the history books as he set a new national record and met the World Athletics Championships qualifying standard for the 800m event on deadline day, Sunday.
With mere hours remaining to secure a spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest next month, Anderson rose to the occasion and delivered a historic run at the DC Track Championships, held at the Thomas O. Berg Track in Washington DC.
Just a week after running a commendable season's best of 1:45.70 at the Under Armour Sunset Tour meeting in Los Angeles, Anderson shaved off a full second from his time. Crossing the finish line in a remarkable 1:44.70, he not only shattered his own national record of 1:45.02 set during the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships on June 10, 2022, but he also became the first Jamaican man to break the 1:45.00 barrier for the 800m.
The DC Track Championships proved to be a thrilling contest, with Anderson finishing second in the race behind Edose Ibadin, who clocked an impressive 1:44.65. Despite the intense competition, Anderson's remarkable performance secured him a coveted spot on Jamaica's team to Budapest.
Throughout the race, Anderson showcased his speed and endurance, running the first 400m in 50.43 before closing the final lap in 54.27.
The performance was the result of his unwavering dedication and perseverance which allowed him to overcome the challenges of battling through injuries for much of the season.
Just a week prior to this outstanding achievement, Anderson had expressed his struggles with injuries during the past collegiate season, which affected his performance at the NCAA Division Championships. However, his faith and determination never wavered, and he continued to work tirelessly towards his goals.
“All glory to God, 1:45.70,” he posted after his season best last week.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say it’s been a rough season, tempted with injuries I felt like I was just failing at everything but through it all I survived and still had faith.”
That faith paid off on Sunday.
Paddington will bid to register a fourth Group One in a row when he takes on Inspiral in Wednesday’s Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington began the season in handicap company but has progressed to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.
His most recent victory came over 10 furlongs but he will drop back down to a mile this week to take on John and Thady Gosden’s three-time Group One winner.
Inspiral was beaten by Triple Time on her only outing to date this season in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, but will be looking to give Frankie Dettori another big win in his final season.
A field of six has been declared with William Haggas’ Aldaary, Richard Hannon’s Chindit, Roger Varian’s Charyn and the French challenger Facteur Cheval completing the line-up.
Royal Ascot winner Big Evs faces off against Karl Burke’s speedy Kylian in a fascinating clash in the Jaeger-LeCoultre Molecomb Stakes.
Big Evs, trained by Mick Appleby, was a surprise winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes but there did not appear to be any fluke about his three-length success, while Kylian has won his last two races by an aggregate of 10 lengths after two short priced defeats earlier in the season.
Hannon’s Baheer and Clive Cox’s Shagraan are also among a field of eight.
Sixteen fillies and mares have been declared for the Group Three Whispering Angel Oak Tree Stakes.
Leading contenders include the Karl Burke-trained Fast Response and Jumbly from Joseph O’Brien’s yard.
Northumberland Plate hero Calling The Wind will head to the Sussex Downs on Friday for the £75,000 Coral Goodwood Handicap ahead of a potential Ebor tilt.
Richard Hughes has identified Goodwood’s two-and-a-half-mile contest – which he won two years ago – as a springboard to York as he bids to follow up success in the Pitmen’s Derby.
Calling The Wind gained just reward at Newcastle following near-misses in the Cesarewitch, Queen Alexandra (twice) and the Ascot Stakes, handing the former jockey his biggest success to date as a trainer.
Hughes was not present at Gosforth Park to see Neil Callan produce a superbly-timed ride on the all-too-often luckless seven-year-old, but watched on from home with delight.
“Neil gave him a good ride. I was watching him on my phone and he got to the furlong pole and I thought, ‘he’s run great again, but he’s always placed and never wins’,” said the three-times champion jockey.
“You need to ride him to get beat – and he put it in at the death.”
Six wins and eight runner-up finishes in 35 races have contributed to earnings of £262,000 for owner Jo Wakefield, and Hughes is keen to target the £300,000 to the winner Sky Bet Ebor next month, where victory would earn automatic entry to the Melbourne Cup.
“He is going to end up in the Ebor, but we are going to go to Goodwood if the ground is good,” added Hughes.
“He has 9st 5lb in the Ebor and if he won at Goodwood, he’d get a small penalty. We can’t give up Goodwood then the ground be fast at York.
“There’s plenty of money up for grabs and the timing between Goodwood and York is great. It’s perfect.
“He is in great form and it looks like the ground will be in his favour.”
Trinidad and Tobago suffered a discouraging loss 34-74 to Uganda on Sunday at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.
Despite a valiant effort from Afeisha Noel, who scored 29 goals, the Calypso Girls were no match for the She Cranes, who used their trademark physicality to dominate at both ends of the court.
Goalkeeper Muhameed Haniisha proved especially troublesome for the Trinidad & Tobago shooters for Noel and Joelisa Cooper, who only scored three times. After establishing a three goal lead at the end of the first quarter, Ugangda tightened their hold on game as Mary Cholhok and Irene Eyaru seemingly scored at will as their team extended their lead to 33-18 at the half-time break.
If the Trinidadians were hoping for a let-up from their opponents in the third quarter, those hopes were quickly dashed as Uganda upped the pressure even as the Calypso Girls tried to rally. The final quarter was a mere formality and Trinidad were unable to get a foothold in the game as they headed towards their second defeat in three games.
Meanwhile, Barbados suffered their third consecutive loss of the tournament when they went down 48-84 to Malawi.
The Gems were outplayed in every phase of the game but produced a sterling effort led by Kadeen Corbin, who scored 32 goals. Latonia Blackman scored 14.
However, their efforts were never going to be enough against the outstanding Suncorp Super League player Mwai Kumwenda who sunk 42 goals and Joyce Mvula, who scored 37.
Jamaica's Sunshine Girls continued their triumphant run at the 2023 Netball World Cup, securing their third consecutive win and handing South Africa's Proteas their first defeat in a thrilling showdown on Sunday.
With a resounding scoreline of 67-49, the Caribbean team displayed their dominance on the court, leaving a sold-out crowd at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in awe, even if disappointed at the outcome.
Led by star players Jhanielle Fowler, who scored 39 goals and Shanice Beckford, who had 19, Jamaica asserted their authority from the outset, taking the lead in all quarters and establishing a 32-26 advantage by half-time. Despite the spirited support of the home crowd, South Africa struggled to close the gap against the Commonwealth Games silver medalists.
Goal shooter Lenize Potgieter, who was making her first appearance at the World Cup after recovering from a mild niggle, put on an impressive performance, scoring flawlessly with 17 goals. However, the Sunshine Girls were unstoppable, maintaining possession and extending their lead in the third quarter with an impressive 18-3 scoreline, putting them ahead at 51-29.
As the game reached its climax, South Africa made a valiant effort to bounce back, but Jamaica's precision and determination were unmatched. The final score of 67-49 firmly established Jamaica's supremacy, signaling their dominance in Pool C.
While Nichole Taljaard and Ine-Marí Venter tried their best, making 11 out of 14 shots and 8 of 9 shots respectively, it wasn't enough to halt Jamaica's relentless assault.
The victory places Jamaica at the top of Pool C, securing their spot as the pool leaders, while South Africa takes the second position. The Sunshine Girls' impeccable performance and consecutive wins have boosted their confidence as they advance in the Netball World Cup, further fueling hopes of a first World Cup title.
Trinidad and Tobago's National Athletics Championships kicked off Saturday with intense competition as athletes vied for spots to represent their country in the upcoming World Athletics Championships in August. The opening day saw several standout performances, including a spectacular display by two-time Olympic medalist Keshorn Walcott.
In the men's javelin event, Walcott demonstrated his prowess and easily retained his crown with a throw of 80.41 meters. The accomplished athlete, who is no stranger to success on the international stage, threw 79.93 meters on his first attempt, followed by 79.76 meters on his second. However, it was his event-winning throw on the third attempt that truly impressed the crowd.
Point Fortin New Jets' Devin Augustine stole the spotlight in the men's 100m, proving his mettle against an experienced field of sprinters. Augustine's early intent was evident during the preliminaries, where he clocked the second-fastest qualifying time of 10.39 seconds. He further improved in the final, blazing to victory in an impressive 10.26 seconds. Abilene Wildcats' Jerod Elcock was a close silver medalist, finishing just behind Augustine in 10.27 seconds, having been the fastest qualifier with 10.35 seconds earlier on. Concorde's Revell Webster held on to third place in the speedy final with a time of 10.36 seconds.
Meanwhile, in the women's 100m, Michelle Lee Ahye displayed her dominance, making up for her absence from last year's event by clinching victory in 11.31 seconds. Abilene's Reyare Thomas secured the silver medal in 11.43 seconds, closely followed by Concorde's Akilah Lewis, who won the bronze in 11.52 seconds.
Excitement continued to build in the 400m events. In the men's final, Abilene Wildcats secured a 1-2 finish, with Asa Guevara taking the top spot in 46.52 seconds, followed by Shakeem McKay in 46.65 seconds.
Zenith Athletic's Renny Quow completed the top three with a time of 46.78 seconds. The women's 400 meters featured a triumph for Guyana, with Andrea Foster finishing first in 55.08 seconds. Phoenix Athletics' Camille Lewis secured silver in 56.63 seconds, while IG Fastlane's Jenna Thomas earned the bronze in 57.25 seconds.
Owen Burrows feels he has a lot to thank Hukum for as he prepares to send his King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes champion straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The six-year-old has won 11 of his 17 career starts and it was somewhat fitting that having provided the Lambourn-based handler with both his first Royal Ascot and Group One winner, Hukum was front and centre once again as Burrows enjoyed his finest hour in the training ranks.
Having downed last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown on his comeback from a career-threatening injury sustained when winning the 2022 Coronation Cup, Baaeed’s brother was at the peak of his powers in the hands of Jim Crowley in Ascot’s midsummer showpiece to tee up a trip to Paris on the first Sunday in October.
As short as 6-1 for the Arc, Burrows is determined to enjoy Hukum while he can as he begins to dream of victory in Europe’s richest middle-distance contest.
He said: “I owe him a lot. He’s been around for a while, he was my first Royal Ascot winner and my first Group One winner.
“We travelled him to Dubai after the sad passing of Sheikh Hamdan and that was a big thing for him to win over there on Super Saturday as well.
“He’s been a tremendous horse in my career and he’ll be very hard to replace, but we’ll enjoy him while we can.”
He went on: “He’s all well this morning. He ate up and he’s been out and had a lead out and a nice pick of grass and trotted up sound, so touch wood all good.
“The Arc is something like eight weeks today and that is the obvious plan now. The plan has always been King George in the summer and then trying to get him to France in the beginning of October and now we can start dreaming.”
All of Hukum’s victories have come on ground no quicker than good and having proven very effective with a little cut in the ground, there are plenty of positive signs ahead of Hukum’s autumn visit to the French capital for a race often run in testing conditions.
Burrows added: “He would go on faster ground and it was pretty quick in the Sheema Classic when he was only beaten a length and three-quarters.
“But he’s obviously had a hard enough race there yesterday and knowing we can get him cherry ripe following a layoff, I don’t think we need to be giving him a prep run.
“I would love to get him to the Arc and I think we would be talking about soft ground. Yesterday Jim (Crowley) felt it was a little bit dead ground, there wasn’t a lot of life in it. He handles most ground, but he obviously handles soft ground very well and we can dream.”
Hukum’s victory came just 25 minutes after another of Burrows’ Farncombe Down string, Aflaila, landed the Group Two York Stakes to give the handler a fantastic cross-card Group-race double.
He has been inundated with congratulatory messages since and admits it did take some time for the achievement to sink in.
“It’s been quite busy and I’m literally sitting down trying to work through all the messages, but it is going to take me a while,” said Burrows.
“I’ll admit yesterday I was a bit shellshocked, but now it is finally sinking in and what a day, what a great day.
“I’ve not been at it too long (training), but it was well documented this horse (Hukum) was injured at Epsom last year and to get him back to this level is a huge team effort. From the guys at Shadwell who rehabbed him, to my guys here at Farncombe, it’s a big big team effort.”
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced their new West Indies Women’s Academy programme with the first High Performance camp scheduled to take place from 30 July to 13 August at the West Indies High Performance Centre at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua.
The West Indies Women’s Academy will feature an intake of 16 Women’s Rising Stars.
According to a statement from CWI, this marks a pivotal moment in the development of West Indies Women’s cricket in the region and a key step in the professional journey of the 16 players aspiring to becoming part of the next generation of West Indies Women’s senior players.
The squad of 16 players includes Asabi Callender, Jahzara Claxton, NaiJanni Cumberbatch, Earnisha Fontaine, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, KDJazz Mitchell, Ashmini Munisar, Samara Ramnath, Shalini Samaroo, Steffi Soogrim, Abini St Jean, Kate Wilmott.
The West Indies Women's Academy programme will provide a long-term development and coaching plan for these emerging players with the opportunity to learn and train alongside some of the best coaches and mentors in women's cricket. This first West Indies Women’s Academy camp will focus on refining their skills, enhancing their tactical acumen, and nurturing their mental resilience to prepare them for the challenges of international cricket.
“I feel very proud that the inaugural West Indies Women’s Academy has been launched with this first two-week camp in place to start the programme. It’s taken a lot of planning over the last 18 months, so to see it coming to fruition is a major step forward for the development of the next generation of West Indies Women’s cricketers. This first Academy camp is going to be different to previous High Performance camps, as it will be more holistic in developing players all-round game,” said CWI’s Talent Pathway Manager Steve Liburd.
“Most of the Academy intake are continuing from the West Indies Rising Stars Under 19s team that participated in the inaugural ICC Women’s Under19 Cricket World Cup earlier this year. This is a major investment and development to support their careers with the aim of becoming senior international cricketers. Our mandate at the West Indies Women’s Academy is aid their progress into the senior West Indies Women’s team and to equip them to become top international cricketers.”
The West Indies Women’s Academy is part of CWI’s long term strategic plan to invest in and develop women’s cricket across the region and a key stage in the West Indies Player Pathway. By providing a nurturing environment and pathway in which these young players can grow and flourish, CWI aims to create a sustainable pipeline of talent for the West Indies Women’s team.
The West Indies Men’s Academy was launched in 2022 and will continue in 2023
Few jockeys will ever have as much success at Goodwood as Michael Hills.
The Derby-winning rider knew almost every idiosyncrasy the undulating South Downs track could offer.
Among his many British Group One winners, he secured victories in both the Sussex Stakes and Nassau, though he cherishes the two Goodwood Cups gained by the hugely-popular Further Flight, trained by his father Barry, above all others.
In a 10-year career from October 1988 to October 1998, the magnificent grey ran 70 times and won 24 races – 22 of them partnered by Hills.
“Further Flight used to come at that time of year,” said Hills. “He won two in a row in 1991 and 1992. He was just amazing.
“He used to come from way back and was not the easiest ride. He got there early and then he’d stop. He only just got the two miles. We tried him in the Gold Cup and he didn’t stay.
“The Goodwood Cup was his first Group race win in ’91, after he’d won the Ebor. I have got the pictures and he gets lighter and lighter each year. When I last rode him, he was nearly white.”
Further Flight got better with age, being voted European Champion Older Horse at the Cartier Racing Awards in 1995 and landing the Group Two Jockey Club Cup every season from 1991 to 1995.
“What was remarkable was his durability. After the Ebor, he was right at the top and had to compete at the top all the time,” Hills added.
“He was unbelievable, winning two Lonsdale Cups and the Doncaster Cup as well.
“He was aggressive. He used to pull really hard when he was young, and we got him to settle and that is when he got to stay. He was gelded as a three-year-old and then handicapped. He went up the handicap route and then just got better and better.”
Further Flight was even placed in the 1997 Jockey Club Cup as an 11-year-old and won his last race the following year.
He was retired after his final race in October 1998 and went to live with Hills, his wife Chris and daughter Sam in Newmarket. Not that the jockey’s affection for Further Flight was reciprocated.
“He was a funny character, because when he retired, they gave him to me and I had him at home – he wouldn’t go near me and didn’t like me at all,” said Hills.
“He used to love my daughter and my wife. He would only go to her. He wouldn’t let me catch him.
“I don’t know why. He didn’t like men and Chris will say he was a good judge of character! He was a funny old boy.
“The only time I’d go near him was when he was in his box. In the paddock, he wouldn’t go near me.”
Hills, whose big-race victories included the Derby with Shaamit and King George with Pentire in 1996, retired in 2009 after three decades in the saddle.
He has remained a fixture on racecourses and the 60-year-old imparts his riding knowledge, teaching young jockeys as a British Horseracing Authority coach at the British Racing School in Newmarket.
“I love working with the apprentices,” added Hills. “It’s really great, when they listen to you and you see them doing it on the track, it gives me a good kick.
“Telling them about the draws and the different tracks. Goodwood is so tricky, where the draw is, where the pace is, it is so, so important.
“As soon as those gates open, you can win and lose the race there and then. Goodwood is a very awkward track. They had a few suspensions at Royal Ascot, and I think we will see a few more at Goodwood.”
Longevity and consistency made Further Flight one of the more popular horses in training and Hills could invariably be relied upon more often than not to deliver on the biggest days at the West Sussex track.
“I have some lovely memories of riding there,” he added: “The Sussex Stakes on First Island (1996) was really great, coming back from a mile and a quarter when winning the Prince of Wales’s at Ascot, to a mile. It was a great training performance from Geoff Wragg.
“I think I won two Schweppes Miles with Prince Rupert and Distant Relative, too.
“I was lucky at Goodwood. Dad and Geoff (Wragg) pinged it. There was the Richmond with First Trump and Superstar Leo for William Haggas in the Molecomb, which I won a few times (Hoh Magic 1994, Majestic Missile 2003 and Enticing 2006), and winning the Nassau on Ryafan (1997) was great.
“That was a very, very good filly. I said to John Gosden that day, she was the best filly I’d ever ridden.”
Ryafan had won the Prix Marcel Boussac as a juvenile and then went on to score in the Falmouth and Nassau to be crowned European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, before heading to the States to take three more top-level contests as a four-year-old, earning her an American Champion Female Turf Horse honour in 1997.
“She went to America and she was unbelievable out there,” added Hills. “She was up there with the best I’ve ridden.
“She never got any further than a mile and a quarter. I remember the one thing John asked me, ‘what do you think on the trip?’. I said in the last 50 yards I was on vapours. I was on the floor, but six (lengths) clear or something.
“I think she was possibly one of the best fillies John ever trained and she never got the credit she deserved over here.
“One of my great Goodwood days was Broadway Flyer, when he won the Gordon Stakes in 1994. That was for my brother John. That was great.
“Then there was First Island in the Sussex Stakes. He was a very good horse, but unfortunately he had to take on Bosra Sham a lot. I won the Hong Kong Cup on him, which was my first big international win. He was a terrific horse.”
Sadly, Further Flight died after suffering a paddock injury to his hind leg in July 2001. Though he won just two races at Nottingham, he is remembered there with a race named after him – the Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes – and will always be the horse Hills will be best associated with.
He was very much part of the family, so much so that they could not bare to part with his memory.
Chris Hills explained: “We had a headstone made for him when he was buried.
“When we sold the farm, we hoped the new owners would keep the grave in good order, but I went there one day and it was all overgrown.
“I was so upset and angry. I said to Michael, ‘I’m going to get his headstone’, so we basically spirited it away. It took a job to get it out of the ground.
“We had a wooden cross made as a replacement with his achievements on, so no-one is going to forget him.”
“He was by far my favourite horse,” Michael Hills added. “To win back-to-back Goodwood Cups and the same five Group races in as many years, no other horse as done that. He was fabulous.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
