Chad Ziadie and Aliana McMaster were crowned Jamaica’s national sporting clays champions on following an exhilarating day of shooting action at the Tru-Juice Estate in Bog Walk, St Catherine.
More than 100 of Jamaica’s best shooters had assembled to vie for the title of national champion. In the end, the pinpoint accuracy of Ziadie and the teen Phenom, McMaster, put them above the rest.
Ziadie advanced to the Super Six round after scoring 174 and was followed by Nicholas Chen (170), Christian Sasso (167), Craig Simpson (167) JJ Ralston (167) and Shaun Barnes (163).
The round consists of a 25-bird target over three rounds of intense shooting to determine the overall winner.
After the three rounds, Ziadie and Chen were tied on 185 forcing another round of eight targets. Both were still tied on 191, which meant that a fifth round shoot-off became necessary.
Ziadie shot first and picked off seven of the eight targets, forcing Chen to hit all eight targets for the win. He hit six thus handing Ziadie his very first national title.
"It feel great. I have been runner-up twice, last year and two years ago, so it feels good to be finally on top,” said the newly minted champion, who revealed how nerve-racking it was during the shoot off.
“You have to keep your mental going until the very end and also just zone out everybody else and just focus on yourself,” he said.
“He (Chen) pushed me to the end and I am glad I came out on top."
Junior shooter JJ Ralston was declared the A Class champion after scoring 167 along with Craig Simpson -167 and Christian Sasso - 167.
All three shooters competed in the Super Six shoot-off. Their placements are a direct result of their scores at the end of the shoot-off which were 183, 182 and 180 respectively.
McMaster had a relatively easier time of it, scoring 149. Her mother Wendy McMaster shot a score of 140 while Jolie Chin (115) was third.
Aliana, who was also second in the B Class behind Ramon Pitter (167), was thought she could have shot better during the tournament.
"I am not entirely satisfied with my performance over the weekend however I am still grateful that I was still able to come out on top," she said.
The top three shooters in the various classes were:
A Class: JJ Ralston - 167, Craig Simpson - 167 and Christian Sasso - 167.
B Class: Ramon Pitter - 161, Aliana McMaster - 149 and Najeeb Haber - 137.
C Class: Gordon Bucknor - 145, Dominic Simpson - 143 and Wendy McMaster 140 (L/R).
D Class: Craig Hendrickson - 156, Justin Samuda - 149 and Anthony Desnoes 141.
E Class: Max Williams - 127, Seymour Essor - 124 and Chris Clarke - 121.
Ladies Class: Aliana McMaster - 149, Wendy McMaster -140 and Joelie Chin - 115.
The Juniors: JJ Ralston - 167, Roman Tavares-Finson - 161, Mark Desnoes – 159.
Hunters or Beginners: Andrew Clarke - 132, Kevin Chin Shue - 126 and Nick Dawson - 125.
Stay Alert looks set to head to France in a bid to gain some form of compensation for her unfortunate runner-up effort in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
The Group One contest produced a somewhat messy conclusion as the George Boughey-trained winner Via Sistina drifted across the track in the final furlong, impeding the placed horses in winning by two lengths under Jamie Spencer, who was suspended for six days.
Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, who own Hughie Morrison’s second-placed Stay Alert, appealed against the decision not to revise the placings, but to no avail.
Though Stay Alert holds an entry in the Yorkshire Oaks on August 24, Morrison is favouring a trip to the Group One Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville four days earlier.
He said: “Ideally, I would go to France for the Romanet, over a mile and a quarter.
“The Yorkshire Oaks is afterwards and we can go there if we were not happy with something going to France. The Yorkshire Oaks is Plan B.”
One For Bobby is another talented filly at the Summerdown yard and she landed her biggest career success to date in the Group Three Grand Prix de Vichy on Wednesday evening.
Formerly trained by Johnny Murtagh, One For Bobby defeated Bolthole by three-quarters of a length in the 10-furlong contest.
Morrison will try to keep his two talented fillies apart and has not completely ruled out heading to Munich for the Group One Bayerisches Zuchtrennen, over a similar distance, on Sunday week.
“If we can keep them apart we will,” said Morrison. “One goes better on softer ground and one is better on faster ground, but they both go on good ground.
“I will talk to the owners and try to keep them apart.
“Actually, One For Bobby is in a Group One in Munich on Sunday week, because we were keeping our options open.
“If it was in three weeks after that (run), I would probably be going to Munich.
“I haven’t had a long chat to the owner yet, but prior to having won a Group race, (we felt) a Group One place would be at least as good as a Group Two win, so be brave and aim high.
“I think she won in conditions where you’d think she might be better in softer ground. She could win a weak Group One.
“She had been Group Two-placed last year and she is rated 104, so if they take the form at face value, she will go up to 109. The runner-up was rated 111.
“I think Munich is unlikely, but we’ll keep options open. You could go for the Prix Vermeille (at ParisLongchamp in September) and it might suit her, a mile and a half in France, we’ll see.”
Meanwhile, crack stayer Quickthorn, who bounced back to form when making most of the running to beat subsequent Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes scorer Israr in a Listed race at York last month, remains on course for the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup.
Morrison was primed to send the Lady Blyth-owned six-year-old to ParisLongchamp in a bid to win the Group Two Prix Maurice de Nieuil for a second successive season.
However, connections instead favoured a trip to the Sussex Downs for the two-mile Group One contest, for which he is a 10-1 shot with Coral.
“We were going to go to France, but the owners want to have a go at the Goodwood Cup, so that’s where we’re going,” said Morrison. “He’s in good form and that York form worked out pretty well didn’t it?”
Truthful will continue her education in Listed company at Newmarket on Saturday with William Haggas content to take things gently with a filly whom he likes “a lot”.
Owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, the three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars will take on 13 rivals in the Ric And Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies’ Stakes over a mile and a half, bidding to remain unbeaten.
She made a belated debut in May when scoring by a head from Mantoog in a 10-furlong novice at Salisbury, before impressively beating previous winner Shagpyle by two and three-quarter lengths when stepped up in an extended one-mile-three-furlong fillies’ novice at Haydock.
With Tom Marquand, who has been on board for both her victories, required for duty at Newbury, where he rides Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes favourite Relief Rally for the Somerville Lodge yard, Cieren Fallon takes over on Truthful.
Haggas said: “She is a work in progress and this is sort of the logical next step for her, and we will see whether she is up to it.
“We like her a lot, we think she’s a good stayer and I hope she will run a good race.”
However, plans are fluid thereafter and while she holds entries in both the Group Two Lillie Langtry at Goodwood and the top-class Yorkshire Oaks, the master conditioner is in no rush to pigeon-hole bigger targets for her.
“There are not really any long-term targets,” he added. “When you are training a filly like that for Highclere, we will go nice and gently and see where we are with her. She can go anywhere if she is up to the task.”
Truthful’s rivals include the highly-tried Novakai from Karl Burke’s yard and the four-year-olds Time Lock and Sound Angela.
Sean Woods could step Savvy Victory up in class for next week’s Sky Bet York Stakes.
The four-year-old came from last to first under Tom Marquand to take the Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown earlier this month and may now test the water at Group Two level in the feature event on the final day of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival.
Savvy Victory’s clear-cut Sandown success was just compensation for a luckless run at Royal Ascot when badly hampered at a crucial stage in the Hampton Court.
Woods is now scouring the programme book after his charge was hiked 6lb in the weights, with an appearance on the Knavesmire at the forefront of the Newmarket handler’s mind.
He said: “He has taken his run at Sandown very well and is back cantering. We are just waiting to see what options we have. We don’t have many options being rated 111 now.
“So, he will have an entry at York and will have an entry at Haydock (Betfred Rose Of Lancaster Stakes, August 12). Depending on the ground and opposition, we will make out minds up after that.”
Woods added: “We’ll put him in the York Stakes over 10 furlongs, but that ground can be a bit iffy sometimes.
“He likes cut in the ground and the weather is messing up everything at the moment. I had 11 entries for Saturday and I run one!
“If either one isn’t good, there is a Group Three at Windsor (Winter Hill Stakes, August 26), but he will be stepped up, rather than running again in a Listed race. He will be stepped up to a Group Two or Group Three.
“It’s a nice problem to have, so I’m happy.”
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal all scored half-centuries as India reached 288-4 at stumps on day one of the second Test against the West Indies on Thursday.
The hosts won the toss and decided to bowl first at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Based on proceedings on day one, that seemed like the wrong choice as India started the day with a 139-run opening partnership between first Test centurions Jaiswal and Sharma.
Jaiswal, who hit a magnificent 171 on debut in Dominica, made a 74-ball 57 while Sharma, India’s Captain who hit 103 in the last Test, fell for 80 off 143 balls with the score on 155 in the 39th over.
Jaiswal’s knock included nine fours and a six while Sharma hit nine fours and two sixes.
Shubman Gill (10) and Ajinkya Rahane (8) were the other Indian batsmen to fall before the end of play.
Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja will be at the crease when play continues tomorrow.
Kohli, who hit 76 in the first Test, will resume on 87* searching for his 29th Test hundred while Jadeja will resume on 36*. Kohli has, so far, faced 161 balls and hit eight fours.
Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel, Jomel Warrican and Jason Holder have each taken a wicket for the West Indies.
Oisin Murphy made a triumphant return from his spell on the sidelines when guiding Ed Dunlop’s No Surrender to victory at Leicester.
Murphy was last seen in the saddle when partnering Chaldean at Deauville on July 9, with the rider subsequently serving an eight-day suspension for a whip offence at Royal Ascot – a ban which saw him miss out on Shaquille’s July Cup success at Newmarket last week.
The three-times champion jockey was out of luck in a photo in the opener, but was not for passing aboard the appropriately named No Surrender, who was sent off at 6-1 in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds EBF Novice Stakes.
Having sent his mount straight to the front, the son of Gleneagles had plenty in reserve to hold off the odds-on favourite Spectacular Style for three-quarter-length success.
“I was second in the first, beaten a head and I was delighted Ed Dunlop entrusted me with this guy,” said Murphy.
“He was very straightforward and enjoyed the trip and improved from his first start.”
Explaining the ride, Murphy added: “I wanted to get out from stall one, I didn’t want to be trapped down the rail going steady, so I got him out and he enjoyed himself out in front.
“I had a horse that pricked his ears and filled himself up. I got going early enough, but he was always looking round and saving energy.
“Hopefully he will improve and you would like him as a type. He was beaten a long way on debut, but he was very raw and he’s clearly took a big step forward.”
Rossa Ryan was one of the main beneficiaries of Murphy’s absence, coming in for the spare ride aboard Shaquille to record his first Group One and having notched a double at Catterick on Wednesday, he was again amongst the winners with a treble.
He was immediately on the scoreboard in the opening William Hill Epic Value Nursery Handicap aboard Mick Appleby’s recent Beverley winner Eminny (2-1 favourite), before again linking up with the local handler to take the William Hill Epic Boost Classified Stakes with Boarhunt (6-1).
The treble was secured later in the afternoon when he steered Alan King’s Mount Olympus (11-2 joint-favourite) to a clear two-and-a-quarter-length success in the William Hill Extra Place Races Daily Handicap.
Ryan said: “Obviously with this, the win on Saturday and the double yesterday, it’s turned out to be a good week so far and if we could pick up a couple more towards the end of the week and the weekend, that would be great.
“The Group One winner has helped me a lot, but I’ve also had winners on horses I’ve been riding all year and they have just popped up at the right time. The timing has just been right.
“It’s been great, I’ve developed a great partnership with Mick (Appleby), Alan (King) and lot of others and hopefully it can keep going.”
John Butler’s consistent Measured Moments (9-2) bettered her third-placed effort here earlier this month to claim the William Hill Pick Your Places Fillies’ Handicap, while there was also a treble for Appleby with the Oakham handler winning the concluding William Hill In Play Racing Handicap with Twilight Jazz (7-1).
Appleby was in Cornwall celebrating his secretary’s 60th birthday, but said of the three-timer: “It was good to get the treble there at our local track.
“The two-year-old Eminny I think is a really nice horse. Hopefully she will keep on improving.
“Rossa gave his two great rides and it’s been a good day. Unfortunately I wasn’t there.”
Ado McGuiness is preparing to send a squad of as many as 20 runners to the seven-day Galway Festival.
His team will be led by course specialist Current Option, who is searching for a fourth consecutive win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ahonoora” Handicap on the final day of the meeting.
The seven-year-old has quality form to his name having won the Concorde Stakes and the Listed Platinum Stakes previously and has registered six victories for connections.
McGuinness said: “This is a Group Three horse, and a Listed winner as well, who’s running in a handicap.
“If you drop a Group Three horse back into a handicap, he’s usually the best horse in the race and usually when you have the best horse in the race they win.
“You very often find Group Three horses running in premier handicaps off top weight and they often win them.
“I’m privileged that I have horses like Current Option who can run in premier handicaps.”
As in previous years, Current Option will once again warm up for his favoured Galway race by running in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap on the Tuesday beforehand.
“Current Option will run in the big mile race on the Tuesday as well as the race on the Sunday. He was placed in the mile race last year and I’ll take either. I don’t mind which one of them he wins!” McGuinness said.
“He’s quite a fresh and highly-strung horse, so if you just left him for one race he could be very fresh. Usually we target the two races with him.
“We ride him out in a hood most of the time at home. Ruby Walsh was up here a few weeks ago and he couldn’t believe he still rides out in a hood given his age but he is still as enthusiastic as ever.
“He’s in cracking form and my biggest problem I have is to try to hold his form for next two weeks. We’re looking forward to him running and just look at the form he has over there, he just loves the place.”
Saltonstall, Casanova, Sirjack Thomas, No More Porter, Hightimeyouwon, Laugh A Minute, Star Harbour, Half Nutz and Exquisite Acclaim are all pencilled in for the meeting, a fixture both McGuinness and his owners look forward to every season.
“Galway is a place where an ordinary fella can get results,” he explained. “You can have a nice, well-handicapped, horse who can do very well at Galway. An ordinary fella can make a name for himself there.
“The amount of recognition you get when you have a winner during race week at Galway is unbelievable, it’s better than three or four winners at one of the ordinary country tracks. It’s a place where you can make a name for yourself.
“I will have between 15 and 20 for the week, I’d say. You can only win the Lotto with one ticket, but the more tickets you have, the better chance you have of winning. That’s the way I look at it.”
Charlie Hills could send smart prospect Iberian to Ascot next weekend as he builds towards “bigger and better things”.
The Lope De Vega juvenile produced a sparkling debut win at Newbury, where he travelled strongly in an extended six-furlong novice and led easily with two furlongs to run.
He just had to be shaken up to score by Rossa Ryan and shot to the top of the pecking order at a yard brimming with smart youngsters.
Iberian was due to have his second start in the Group Two Superlative Stakes, won by City Of Troy, who is now favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas.
However, the rain-softened ground saw the Teme Valley and Ballylinch Stud-owned colt withdrawn.
Hills is now eyeing the Listed Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes over seven furlongs on the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth II Stakes card.
“We pulled him out at Newmarket because of the rain,” said Hills.
“I’m not sure where we will go, but we might look at Ascot – the Pat Eddery, what used to be known as the Winkfield Stakes.
“He is absolutely fine. He’s done well since his debut and he looks a nice horse to me.
“We will see how we go, take it one step at a time and hope he goes on to bigger and better things.”
My Prospero could seek a confidence-boosting success in the Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday week.
Trained by William Haggas, the four-year-old was unlucky not to bag at least one Group One contest last term.
He was beaten a neck when third to Coroebus in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and returned to the Berkshire track to run Bay Bridge to half a length when third in the Champion Stakes.
Things have not gone according to plan so far this term with a fourth-placed effort in the Lockinge over a mile on his return at Newbury in May, before filling the same position when beaten over six lengths by Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
A drop back to Group Two company over 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire could now be an appealing option for My Prospero, for a race which is the highlight of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival on its final day.
Haggas said: “We are looking at York next Saturday. He has run in two Group Ones (this season) and we just want to get his confidence, get him back winning if we can.
“It will be a tough race, but he’s a pretty nice horse and he looks and seems well, so hopefully he will run a good race.
“He is a good horse. He hasn’t done badly, he’s been fourth – but I was a little disappointed with him at Ascot. We have freshened him up a bit and hopefully he will run well.”
Meanwhile, Desert Hero has been pencilled in for the Group Three Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on August 3.
A son of Sea The Stars, the three-year-old earned a third success in five career starts when recording a famous victory under Tom Marquand in the King George V Stakes.
His head verdict over Valiant King gave the King and Queen their first success at Royal Ascot.
Haggas said: “It is looking like he will go for Gordon Stakes.
“It was the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton or the Gordon, but Sir Michael (Stoute) is running another of the King’s in the Glasgow Stakes (Circle Of Fire) and we are going for the Gordon.”
Olivia Grange, Jamaica's Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, has expressed her deep sadness at the sudden death of former national footballer, Bancroft Gordon, who had been visiting the island from the United States. He was 66.
Reports indicate that the Excelsior High School alum died suddenly on Tuesday night, 48 hours after attending an event in Porus, Manchester.
“So sad that Bancroft, who was one of the guests at the Porus Football Festival in Manchester on Sunday and actually played in the exhibition football match, died two days later,” Minister Grange said.
During the early 1970s, ‘Banky’ as he was affectionately known, represented Excelsior High School in several sports including basketball, hockey, cricket, and track and field. Later in life, he developed a passion for golf. His talents in academics and athletics won him a football scholarship to Howard University in Washington, DC where he thrived both on and off the field as an All-American in football and Phi Beta honours in academics.
After graduation with a degree in Economics and with the dissolution of the North American Soccer League, Bancroft would gain admission to Harvard University Law School and went on to have a successful career during which time he was also a mentor to several Jamaican student-athletes.
“He was so talented that he represented his alma mater, Excelsior High School, in five sports before settling on football as his final focus and went to represent Jamaica from 1976-79. He also played professional soccer in the US for two years,” Minister Grange said.
“Bancroft also distinguished himself as a lawyer and was employed by the Fortune 500 corporation, Marriott International Inc. as its vice president, assistant general counsel and corporate secretary and was also a board member of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
“What has proved to be his last visit to his homeland along with his continued assistance to the national team as well as to various club teams, showed that his love for football in Jamaica remained strong to the end.
“My condolences to Bancroft’s family members, associates and to the football fraternity.”
A collection of Frankie Dettori’s awards and riding gear has sold at auction for tens of thousands of pounds after the weighing room great had a clear-out.
The 52-year-old jockey, who plans to retire at the end of the year, put 126 items up for sale as he plans to “scale down” the family home in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Among them was Dettori’s trophy from his Oaks win aboard Soul Sister last month, which sold for £5,000 to a UK buyer at an online auction run by Cheffins in Cambridge, which concluded this week.
That could be his last win in a British Classic should he not win the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
Also sold were a pair of signed racing boots from a race in Saudi Arabia for £2,800, a signed racing saddle used by Dettori at Epsom for £1,400 and a set of the royal blue Godolphin silks which went for £4,600 to a buyer from Japan.
Dettori’s weighing scales, which were given to him by Steve Cauthen and which Dettori claims he has been “jumping on and off for over 30 years”, were sold for £550.
Speaking before the sale, Dettori said: “We’re scaling down and I’ve got so much stuff, we thought we might as well just auction it.
“I didn’t realise because they end up in drawers, in cupboards, in the cellar, I mean they’re all over the place.
“Now we’re clearing up a lot of stuff, we didn’t realise how much accumulated in so many years.”
He continued: “All my kids have branched out so it’s only myself and Catherine my wife left so we’re planning to rent the house, scale down and move towards London a bit.
“And I’d like to travel the world a bit.”
He said some of the proceeds of the auction will go to the charity Direct Aid For Africa (Dafa), and some will go to his five children, adding: “My daughter’s getting married next year but she hasn’t fixed a date yet.”
Harriet Lusty, deputy saleroom manager at Cheffins, said: “This auction brought buyers from the world over to Cheffins, with bidders online from Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Japan, the UK and throughout Europe.
“This really was a one-off opportunity for many of Frankie’s army of fans to buy a part of sporting history and own a piece of memorabilia from one of the greatest sports personalities worldwide.
“As Frankie is such a household name and easily the most famous person in the history of horse racing, we did expect to see a great deal of interest in this sale, however some of the prices achieved for the more important lots have been unprecedented.
“We were delighted to be able to assist the Dettori family in scaling down the numbers of trophies and memorabilia items kept at the house and would like to congratulate the lucky buyers who were successful during the sale.”
Savethelastdance is one of four runners for Aidan O’Brien in a field of eight declared for the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday.
The master of Ballydoyle has already won the fillies’ Classic on six occasions, a joint-record alongside Sir Michael Stoute.
O’Brien looks to have every chance of going out on his own this weekend, with 22-length Cheshire Oaks winner Savethelastdance the likely favourite on her first start since finishing best of the rest behind Soul Sister in the Oaks at Epsom last month.
Her biggest threat could prove to be her stablemate Warm Heart, who completed a hat-trick in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up Be Happy and Listed winner Library complete the quartet.
British hopes are carried by Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking, who was beaten a head by Warm Heart on her penultimate start at Newbury, but has almost four lengths to find with the same rival from their clash in the Ribblesdale just over four weeks ago.
Splitting the pair in second at the Royal meeting was the Joseph O’Brien-trained Lumiere Rock who adds further strength in depth to the Irish Oaks field.
Azazat, second in the Munster Oaks last time out for Dermot Weld, and Jim Bolger’s Irish 1,000 Guineas third Comhra are the other hopefuls.
Former England star Wayne Rooney called Arsenal one of Europe’s best sides and aired some frustrations after seeing his MLS All-Star team comprehensively beaten on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners ran out 5-0 victors in stifling conditions in Washington DC, where Gabriel Jesus’ fine opener was followed by a thumping Leandro Trossard strike.
Jorginho’s penalty, a fine Gabriel Martinelli effort and Kai Havertz’s first goal since joining Arsenal wrapped things up on a one-sided night for the Premier League runners-up.
Recent acquisitions Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber made their first appearances since joining the club and Manchester United great Rooney was impressed by the visitors.
“Obviously the result is what it is and Arsenal showed the quality they have,” the MLS All-Star boss said.
“I thought the All-Star lads looked a little nervous and hesitant, especially the first half when we got into some good areas, to get their shots off.
“I think you see a difference, of course you do. Arsenal are one of the best teams in Europe.
“I thought it was a bit stop-stop. The referee made the game a little bit about himself once again, so I think that’s something that needs improving in the MLS.
“I’ve said that all season so it’s a good opportunity for me to bring it up again.
“But, yeah, it was a disappointing result but I think most importantly it’s a good event for the fans, especially the fans in DC, to come and see some really good players.”
Rooney praised the occasion and opponent in the post-match press conference at Audi Field, but he also laid bare some irritation with aspects of the event.
Asked what he took out of the game as an up-and-coming coach, the former England forward said with a smile: “Absolutely nothing.
“Listen, it’s difficult. On Monday the players all arrived and we did a small-sided game.
“On Tuesday, as a I suggested, I didn’t want them training at the National Mall but that’s where we trained and we can’t do anything.
“We did head tennis so literally had not time whatsoever to do any tactics whatsoever so you put the players out there and you hope they can figure things out and against a team like Arsenal that’s very difficult to do.”
Another matter that got under Rooney’s skin around the All-Star game revolved around broadcasters Apple, who he claims prevented some of his staff working as usual.
“I think everything around the game is great and it’s great publicity for the league moving forward,” he said.
“Obviously Apple coming into the league as well has been great – although they didn’t allow my staff to sit in their seats today.
“My staff got kicked out of their seats today by members of Apple.
“And I wouldn’t be doing my staff a service if I didn’t bring that up because if you’re getting asked to do the game with your staff, you expect your staff to have seats to sit in although I do think Apple will help the league moving forward.”
As for Arsenal counterpart Arteta, he was quick to allay concerns over Trossard after the Belgium international limped off early in the second half.
“Trossard got a knock and we don’t want to take any risks at this stage,” he said. “He had some pain. We’ll see how he is tomorrow but I don’t expect it to be anything big.”
It was a fine start to Arsenal’s pre-season tour, which continues onto New Jersey and Los Angeles to take on Manchester United and Barcelona.
“It was a great occasion, great atmosphere,” Arteta added. “Great to see so many Arsenal supporters fill the stadium.
“We had great moments in the game, moments especially in the first half that weren’t that great but we’re still very early in pre-season.
“It was great to see some debuts with Jurrien, with Auston (Trusty) and with Declan obviously. Really pleased with the result.”
After copping four gold medals in the singles age-group finals, Barbados added two more to their tally, as they won both the Boys’ and Girls’ doubles finals at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday.
Aidan Parris and Under-19 silver medallist Alex Stewart outlasted the Jamaican pair of Tobias Levy and Lukas Thomson in what was a strategic and tactical Boys’ showpiece, which could have gone either way. The Jamaicans won a closely contested opening set 11-9, but the Barbadian pair maintained their composure best for the next two sets which they won 11-5, 11-5 to secure the championship.
It was a similar situation on the Girls’ side of action, where the highly-rated Sumairaa Suleman, who won the Girls’ Under-19 final, partnered with Under-17 champion Eboni Atherley to defeat Jamaica’s Katherine Risden and Savannah Thomson and claim supremacy in the female category.
In fact, it was a first ever Girls’ championship doubles win for Barbados, and they claimed it in entertaining fashion. Though Suleman and Atherley won by two sets 11-9, 11-8, it was two closely contested affairs, which the Risden and Thomson could have prolonged, but they struggled to limit unforced errors throughout and that proved their undoing.
Meanwhile, the Jamaicans, who bounced back strongly from contrasting singles performances where they won one silver and two bronze medals, also challenged for the Mixed doubles title by way of Alex Chin and Under-17 girls silver medallist Sanjana Nallapati.
However, it was Guyana’s Under-19 pair of Nicolas Verwey and Kirsten Gomes, who won gold and silver in their respective age group finals, that came out victorious in a contest where the Jamaicans were again plagued by errors.
The Guyanese pair won 11-8, 11-7 to add a fourth gold to their tally. The defending overall champions have now won four gold, three silver and three bronze heading into the team competition, scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Las year's runners-up Barbados has six gold medals and a silver on their cards heading in, while the Jamaicans tally now stands at four silver and two bronze.
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