For all the experience that Rebecca Spencer possesses in what has been a fairly successful career, she has never been to a global tournament before, so this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, would be her crowning moment.
The England-born goalkeeper, who started her career in the youth system at Watford before moving to Arsenal, also spent time at Nottingham Forest and Gillingham on loan, after which she travelled to France where she had a stint with ASJ Soyaux.
Spencer later returned to England and had spells at Birmingham City, Chelsea and West Ham United, but later found the right fit with her current employers Tottenham Hotspurs.
Along the way, she was capped by England at Under-19 and Under-20 levels and also received a call-up to the senior England squad in 2016.
However, in June 2021, Spencer, who qualifies to represent Jamaica through her grandparents, made her senior international debut with the senior Reggae Girlz and was instrumental in the team’s second-consecutive World Cup qualification, as she paraded her goalkeeping skills with much gusto, particularly, at the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Mexico.
At 32 years old, the vastly experienced Spencer has no qualms in admitting that she is at a ripe age in her career, especially in an era when bright young prospects are unearthed at an increasingly earlier age, which is why she is intent on making the most of this opportunity.
In fact, she is currently facing stiff competition from 23-year-old Sydney Schneider to decide who will be the Reggae Girlz number one shot-stopper at the showpiece, with 18-year-old Liya Brooks as their understudy.
The Lorne Donaldson-coached Girlz are currently engaged in a local camp after which the tactician and his assistant Xavier Gilbert will decide on the final 23-player squad for the July 20 to August 20 World Cup.
"Personally, I want to have the best competition of my life, obviously I'm 32, so I'm not getting any younger. But you know, nothing really phases me in any situation, I kind of have a lot of experience obviously playing in England so long, so I hope I can bring that experience to the World Cup and help the team," Spencer said.
"So, I am look forward to it and hopefully I can just do my Job and be there for the team and the rest of the team will put their best foot forward as well. Like coach said our team is probably the best we have ever had so I am really confident in what we can do when we get to the World Cup. We could surprise everyone that's there," she added.
Having joked about her age declaring that some days she is reflective, it is left to be seen if Spencer will push her career to possibly make another World Cup appearance in 2027, but until then she is living in the moment and, as such, is firmly focused on steadily building towards the upcoming tournament.
"Obviously it would be a very proud moment, but I haven't thought that far ahead as yet, we still have a lot more preparation time to go that I've not let that part of it sink in as yet," Spencer said.
"I'm just focusing on camp-to-camp and at the moment my mind is fully here not the World Cup as yet. I want to get this training week out of the way and obviously, if selected, when we get to Amsterdam, it's going to give a feel of how things are going to be when we get to Melbourne. Once we get to Amsterdam, then its go time for us," she reasoned.
Many may not be aware, but Spencer, like many before her, initially started out as a striker, before finding comfort in goalkeeping, a complex position that requires physicality, strong mentality, and a highly unique set of skills.
While every good goalkeeper must be able to produce a range of different saves, there’s a lot more to it than just technical ability. Spencer would tell you that a top goalkeeper needs to be brave, an excellent communicator, focused, determined, and, more importantly, willing to endure the criticisms and disappointments that come with the job.
"Playing football at the highest level is challenging in every moment, there are plenty of ups and downs but it's also very rewarding because I measure success through personal growth. So yes, there are disappointments but if I set certain goals for each season or a tournament and I achieve them, that's certainly a success for me," she shared.
Finally, Spencer, who pointed out that if it wasn't football, she would have enjoyed working in health care, because she enjoys taking care of people in need, welcomed the initiative by FIFA which guarantees all players at the World Cup at least US$30,000 in prize money.
"Obviously it's excellent, it's a big incentive for players and we are going to be geared up to get out of the group stages which means it could be more, but for us as players, we don't normally think about that, we normally focus on the football, but FIFA has done a great thing by doing that," she ended.
Rovman Powell smashed a 55-ball 105 as the West Indies secured a 114-run over the UAE in their second warm-up match ahead of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
The Windies posted a mammoth 374-9 off their 50 overs after winning the toss and batting first at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare.
Vice-captain Powell hit eight fours and eight sixes in his knock while Nicholas Pooran and Keemo Paul got brisk half-centuries in support.
Pooran hit five fours and five sixes on his way to a 67-ball 74 while Paul hit four fours and four sixes to make 54 off 50 balls.
Kyle Mayer (33) and Johnson Charles (30) also got meaningful contributions against Muhammad Jawadullah’s 3-50 from eight overs and Karthik Meiyappan’s 2-51 off six overs.
Yannic Cariah and Jason Holder then led the way with the ball as the UAE finished their 50 overs 260-9.
Basil Hameed tried his best with an unbeaten 122 while Vriitya Aravind made 54 but it wasn’t enough as Cariah claimed his second straight four-wicket haul of the warm-ups with 4-55 from his 10 overs.
Holder provided good support with 2-26 from seven overs.
The West Indies will open their account in the World Cup Qualifiers against the USA on Sunday.
The final squad list for the St. Kitts and Nevis Senior Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup prelims has been released today by the SKNFA on the eve the Sugar Boyz crucial encounter versus Curacao.
The team comprises: Goalkeepers: Julani Archibald, Jamal Jeffers, Xander Parke, Defenders: Andre Burley, Raheem Hanley, Ezrick Nicholls, Malique Roberts, Gerard Williams, Jameel Ible, Dijhron Simmonds, Midfielders: Romaine Sawyers, Yohannes Mitchum, Mervin Lewis, Raheem Somersall, Tyquan Terrell, Ronaldo Belgrove, Forwards: Tiquanny Williams, Carlos Bertie, Rowan Liburd, Jacob Hazel, Omari Sterling-James
In new developments that will have some impact for St. Kitts and Nevis, Concacaf confirmed the expulsion of Nicaragua from the Gold Cup and that Trinidad and Tobago will replace them in Group A of the competition.
Nicaragua was found to have used an ineligible player in several matches, thus leading to their expulsion.
That means, should St. Kitts and Nevis qualify for the Gold Cup, they will face the USA, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in Group A of the competition.
For the Sugar Boyz to qualify for the Gold Cup, they will need to defeat Curacao on Friday night and the winner of French Guiana and Dutch St. Maarten.
The match against Curacao will be at 9pm at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Sam Freedman is confident Australian raider Artorius can go two places better than last year’s third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes when he returns to Royal Ascot on Saturday week.
The son of Flying Artie was somewhat unfortunate in the six-furlong Group One 12 months ago, running on strongly from a position at the rear of the field to be beaten less than a length despite seeing his progress hampered throughout the contest.
He went on to place in the July Cup before also running with credit at Deauville in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and Freedman – who trains in partnership with his father, Anthony – believes he has the four-year-old in great order ahead of his second appearance at the summer showpiece.
He said: “Artorius travelled over well. He only lost 4kg on the flight, whereas last year he lost 9kg, and he has put on 6kg or 7kg since he arrived in Newmarket last Thursday night – he is thriving. He had a little blow on the watered gallop on Tuesday morning, not a lot, just quickening up a furlong, and tomorrow morning he will do his main bit of work at Ascot.
“He is definitely stronger than last year and has come back a better horse. He was probably not going as well last year on the back of the carnivals.”
Artorius arrives in the UK having scooped Group One honours at Randwick in March and then went on to finish a close-up fourth to the all-conquering Anamoe on his next start – two performances which give his training team confidence about unlocking that little extra required to find the Ascot scoresheet.
“We stretched him out over seven and a half furlongs when he met Anamoe last time and he was beaten only three-quarters of a length,” continued Freedman.
“Previous to that, he had won a Group One over six and a half furlongs and what you will see, hopefully, in his run is a little more practical speed.
“I am not suggesting that he is going to be up near the pace or anything like that but, hopefully, if he can be three or four lengths closer than 12 months ago, it will help. That is what we have been trying to work on for the past 12 months.
“We knew we needed to work on his speed from the gate before last year, but we thought it was a real balancing act to get him to relax and in his comfort zone.
“Since that run, we have done a lot of work with him to see if he could still finish off riding him a lot closer and he did that when winning a Group One two starts back.
“It is something we have consciously been working on and, at the level we are going to be racing at in this race, being the best sprint race in Europe, you can’t afford to be giving 12 lengths with a couple of furlongs to go – you are probably not going to pick them up.”
Artorius was ridden by Jamie Spencer when picking up the bronze medal in 2022, but he will be partnered by crack Australian pilot James McDonald for the first time on this occasion.
Freedman added: “James McDonald has done a bit of work with him at home and knows the horse pretty well. He has been keen to get on the horse for a while.
“We offered the ride to Zac Purton but he is trying to break the record in Hong Kong and next port of call was always going to be J-Mac. That is not to say that Jamie Spencer didn’t ride him correctly last year – he rode to instructions and rode him very well.”
Charlie Appleby’s 2021 Derby and King George hero Adayar will face a maximum of seven rivals in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
The son of Frankel was brilliant in winning at Epsom and Ascot respectively a couple of years ago, but endured an interrupted four-year-old campaign last season, making it to the track on only two occasions.
Adayar readily dispatched of a couple of rivals on his Doncaster comeback before finishing second in the Champion Stakes – and proved his ability remains very much intact when beating subsequent Group One winner Anmaat in last month’s Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.
The five-year-old disputes favouritism for the Group One feature on day two of the Royal meeting with Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg.
The Camelot colt is following a tried-and-tested route, having won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent outing, his third win at Group One level.
He looks set to renew rivalry with Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge, who beat Adayar in the Champion Stakes in October and was only half a length behind Luxembourg in Ireland a few weeks ago.
O’Brien’s apparent second string Bolshoi Ballet, the William Haggas-trained pair of Dubai Honour and My Prospero, John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf and Kenny McPeek’s American raider Classic Causeway complete the potential field.
The seven-race card gets under way with the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes, which has attracted 33 speedy juvenile fillies. Leading contenders include Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Born To Rock, Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond and Crimson Advocate, a trans-Atlantic challenger for George Weaver.
Joseph O’Brien appears to have a particularly strong hand in the other Group Two on the card – the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.
The Owning Hill handler is responsible for three of the 15 fillies still in contention, with ante-post favourite Jumbly joined by Goldana and Honey Girl.
John Gosden is hoping Laurel can show her true colours in the one-mile contest after disappointing against the boys in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
“I think she somewhat over-raced and was too fresh (in the Lockinge),” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“The Shadwell horse (Mutasaabeq) went a blistering gallop, she didn’t think that was fast enough and started taking Frankie on and naturally paid the price between the two and the one.
“I think having got that behind her now – that exuberance and that freshness – I hope she will run more of a race where she builds a rhythm and finishes strongly.
“She was a filly who was really immature as a two-year-old and only came to herself really late on. She’s a filly who I think has improved again between three and four and I’m hopeful of a big run.”
A total of 33 entries have been made for the Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap, while 61 have horses have stood their ground for the Royal Hunt Cup, with Migration heading the weights and the King’s Saga also in the mix.
Arrest, a Derby disappointment for the Gosdens, heads 22 contenders for the Queen’s Vase and 46 go forward for the concluding Windsor Castle Stakes.
Charlie Appleby’s 2021 Derby and King George hero Adayar will face a maximum of seven rivals in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday.
The son of Frankel was brilliant in winning at Epsom and Ascot respectively a couple of years ago, but endured an interrupted four-year-old campaign last season, making it to the track on only two occasions.
Adayar readily dispatched of a couple of rivals on his Doncaster comeback before finishing second in the Champion Stakes – and proved his ability remains very much intact when beating subsequent Group One winner Anmaat in last month’s Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket.
The five-year-old disputes favouritism for the Group One feature on day two of the Royal meeting with Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg.
The Camelot colt is following a tried-and-tested route, having won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent outing, his third win at Group One level.
He looks set to renew rivalry with Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge, who beat Adayar in the Champion Stakes in October and was only half a length behind Luxembourg in Ireland a few weeks ago.
O’Brien’s apparent second string Bolshoi Ballet, the William Haggas-trained pair of Dubai Honour and My Prospero, John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf and Kenny McPeek’s American raider Classic Causeway complete the potential field.
The seven-race card gets under way with the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes, which has attracted 33 speedy juvenile fillies. Leading contenders include Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Born To Rock, Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond and Crimson Advocate, a trans-Atlantic challenger for George Weaver.
Joseph O’Brien appears to have a particularly strong hand in the other Group Two on the card – the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.
The Owning Hill handler is responsible for three of the 15 fillies still in contention, with ante-post favourite Jumbly joined by Goldana and Honey Girl.
John Gosden is hoping Laurel can show her true colours in the one-mile contest after disappointing against the boys in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
“I think she somewhat over-raced and was too fresh (in the Lockinge),” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“The Shadwell horse (Mutasaabeq) went a blistering gallop, she didn’t think that was fast enough and started taking Frankie on and naturally paid the price between the two and the one.
“I think having got that behind her now – that exuberance and that freshness – I hope she will run more of a race where she builds a rhythm and finishes strongly.
“She was a filly who was really immature as a two-year-old and only came to herself really late on. She’s a filly who I think has improved again between three and four and I’m hopeful of a big run.”
A total of 33 entries have been made for the Kensington Palace Fillies’ Handicap, while 61 have horses have stood their ground for the Royal Hunt Cup, with Migration heading the weights and the King’s Saga also in the mix.
Arrest, a Derby disappointment for the Gosdens, heads 22 contenders for the Queen’s Vase and 46 go forward for the concluding Windsor Castle Stakes.
John Gosden is pleased with Running Lion ahead of her tilt at the Prix de Diane, with 15 fillies heading to post at Chantilly on Sunday.
The daughter of Roaring Lion was withdrawn from the Betfred Oaks at Epsom after getting upset in the stalls and having watched stablemate Soul Sister storm to big-race glory on the Surrey Downs, she will now get another chance to secure her own Classic honours in the French edition this weekend.
Last year Nashwa exited stall two when winning the Diane for the Gosden team, but this time Running Lion will have to navigate a wide position in stall 12 as Oisin Murphy’s mount looks to replicate an impressive showing in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket earlier in the season.
However, Gosden – who trains in partnership with son Thady – is full of praise for the consistent filly who is the 11-4 favourite with Coral to land the spoils.
“She’s in great form and we’re really happy with her and her work has been great this year,” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“She’s a tough filly and she needs to be from stall 12. We’re very pleased with her going into the race.
“She’s very business-like, both in the mornings and her races and has shown nothing but a great mental attitude to her racing and has been very consistent.”
There is further UK representation in the form of Karl Burke’s Novakai, who was last seen finishing second to Soul Sister in the Musidora, while Aidan O’Brien and his son Joseph are represented by Never Ending Story and Caroline Street respectively.
Christopher Head’s impressive French Guineas winner Blue Rose Cen is the shortest-priced contender from the home contingent and will be joined in the line-up by likely pacemaker and stablemate Wise Girl.
Prix Saint-Alary winner Jannah Rose and the supplemented runner-up Elusive Princess, along with Andre Fabre’s unbeaten Pensee Du Jour are others from the home team with leading claims.
Canberra Legend and Deauville Legend look set to lead trainer James Ferguson’s small but select team into battle at Royal Ascot next week.
The Newmarket handler had Classic aspirations for Canberra Legend following his victory in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April, but a disappointing run in last month’s Dante at York led to connections deciding against a tilt at Derby glory.
The Australia colt has instead been kept fresh for the Royal meeting, with the King Edward VII Stakes viewed as his most likely target.
“Canberra Legend showed his class in the Feilden and showed that the further he was going, the better he was going,” Ferguson told Sky Sports Racing.
“We’ve put a line through the Dante at York. He showed his inexperience, it was a big occasion, hopefully he’s grown up and learned from it.
“From the minute he went down to the start, I think we knew it was not going to be his day and we move on. We’ve taken him for an away-day at Chelmsford and he’s shown me all the right signs at home that we’ve got him back to where we were with the Feilden.
“He’ll be entered in the King Edward and the Hampton Court. We’re probably lining him up for the mile-and-a-half option to be honest and I’d say he’s going there with a real live chance.”
Deauville Legend was narrowly denied in the King George V Stakes at last year’s big meeting, after which he went on to win the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket and the Great Voltigeur at York before rounding off his campaign by finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup.
The son of Sea The Stars is set to make his four-year-old debut in what looks a strong renewal of the Hardwicke Stakes, but Ferguson is pleased with his condition.
He added: “He’s in great order and we’re really looking forward to getting him back out.
“We’ve been very patient with him. We decided to give him a bit of a break after his international travel for the Melbourne Cup, where he ran very well on ground which went very soft and he probably didn’t stay the two miles with the weight he was given.
“He lost nothing in defeat and the way he won the Voltigeur shows that from the older horse category over a mile and a half, he’s one of the best around.
“He’ll be going to the Hardwicke, which is a hard place to start your campaign if Hukum and Pyledriver go there, but I certainly think he’s capable of competing at that grade.
“I’m fairly confident we’ve got him fit enough to go the races, but whatever we see from him, he will come on for the run I’m sure.”
The trainer’s Ascot squad also includes impressive Doncaster handicap winner Wonder Legend, who will bid to go one better than Deauville Legend in the King George V Stakes.
“He showed his true class over further (at Doncaster), so we’re going in off 94 and stepping up to a mile and a half,” said Ferguson.
“You’ve got to have a Group horse to win these handicaps and I feel we’re going in with one. I’d like to think he’s better than his mark and can go on to bigger and better things after this race.”
Land Legend also has the King George option, but is more likely to step up in distance and class for the Queen’s Vase, while Ferguson considers his Greenham Stakes fourth Zoology as a serious contender for the Jersey Stakes.
He added: “I think Land Legend is crying out for a mile and six furlongs. The Queen’s Vase is going to be a very competitive race and he’s probably on a low enough mark where he could be competitive in a handicap, but I do think the extra two furlongs will bring out a lot more in him.
“Zoology ran very well in the Greenham and he’s a super horse. I really like him, he’s genuine and he’s honest and I really don’t think we’ve got to the bottom of him.
“He ran well in the Greenham on ground that was fairly unsuitable for him. I’d like to think on a flat track and a good surface we’ll see a massive improvement from him.
“I’d be very hopeful he can go and run a big race.”
In an exclusive interview with University of Texas Head Coach Eldrick Floreal, it has been revealed that two-time NCAA 100m champion Julien Alfred is expected to announce her decision to turn professional next week. Coach Floreal, who has played a pivotal role in Alfred's development, also shared insights into how he helped her overcome challenges, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to become arguably the best female sprinter in NCAA history.
While the 22-year-old Alfred has not finalized any professional contracts yet, the plan is for her to remain in Austin and continue training under Coach Floreal's guidance. "Yeah, I mean that's the plan right now,” Floreal told Sportsmax.TV Wednesday.
“I mean obviously select agents and shoe company and all this stuff. But right now the plan first remains in Austin, to continue training this year, next year and beyond."
Coach Floreal further mentioned that Alfred has been meeting with various agents and shoe companies, indicating significant interest in her success. He expressed confidence that Alfred would make an official announcement next week after finalizing an agent and securing a contract.
Alfred enjoyed a spectacular season for the University of Texas indoors and outdoors, capped by her triple-gold medal performance at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas on Saturday.
Running on her home field for the last time as a student athlete, the St Lucian sprint queen ran a slightly wind-aided 10.72 (2.3m/s) to win the 100m and 21.73 (w2.5m/s) to take 200m gold barely an hour apart to lead Texas’ women to the national title for the first time in 18 years. It was the first time in NCAA history that an athlete was running the two fastest times in all conditions on the same day of a national championships.
Earlier Saturday, Alfred ran the lead-off leg of the Longhorns’ 4x100m relay team that won in a fast 41.60. Only the NCAA national, meet and facility record of 41.55 they ran 48 hours earlier, is faster.
However, once an athlete goes the professional route, there are several factors that are critical to achieving success.
Reflecting on Alfred's potential and talent, Coach Floreal acknowledged the shift that comes with transitioning to the professional level. He emphasized the importance of mindset and the ability to manage oneself as an individual athlete, as opposed to representing a university or group. Coach Floreal highlighted the need for athletes to handle the business side of the sport and likened their careers to running a corporation.
“Right now the corporation is called Julien Alfred Incorporated and I am the CEO but when they go pro the corporation is called Julien Alfred Incorporated, they become the CEO. I'm no longer responsible for all this stuff. So they have to make that adjustment," Coach Floreal explained. He emphasized that success at the professional level hinges on an athlete's ability to manage their own corporation and handle the outside pressures that come with it.
Regarding Alfred's talent, Coach Floreal acknowledged her remarkable achievements and consistent performance under pressure. He emphasized her ability to deliver exceptional performances when it matters most, distinguishing a great athlete from the rest.
While Coach Floreal acknowledged the time and maturity it took for Alfred to reach her current level, he attributed her progress to the development of her talent and her growing ability to handle the stresses of being a world-class athlete.
The conversation shifted towards Alfred's experiences during the pandemic, during which she faced anxiety due to being unable to return home. Coach Floreal played a crucial role in providing support and creating a safe space for Alfred. He shared, "So being available becomes important. I was just available, like I am for all the athletes that I coach, guiding them not just in training but also through personal challenges."
Coach Floreal emphasized the importance of building relationships and trust with his athletes, ensuring they have the confidence to overcome obstacles. He underscored his commitment to their success and the belief that he would never put their careers in jeopardy.
As Julien Alfred prepares to make her highly anticipated professional announcement, the track and field world eagerly awaits her next move. With the unwavering guidance and support of Coach Eldrick Floreal, Alfred is poised to make a significant impact in her professional career, continuing her journey to greatness.
Lionel Messi chose to join Inter Miami in part due to the desire for a quieter life.
That is the view of former Manchester City and Brazil midfielder Elano, who believes Messi made a "personal" not "professional" choice by electing to move to MLS.
Messi confirmed last week that he had decided to leave Europe for the United States, where he will join Miami, who are co-owned by David Beckham.
He is departing Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent after two years in the French capital. Barcelona wanted to re-sign the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, but Messi did not wish to wait for his former club to put together a package that might have resulted in other players having to be sold.
Asked by Stats Perform what he thought of Messi's impending MLS switch, Elano said: "Well, I'm not Messi's friend, I don't know him. It's an assumption from a distance.
"It seems more like a family matter to me. The guy wants to play football but wants to have a quieter life. To be closer to his kids.
"I'm not saying he doesn't want to be under pressure, because he is Messi and he will never stop being under pressure wherever he is. Because he will always be Messi, one of the greatest players of all time.
"I think it's a personal choice, a family choice, to go to a wonderful place and be able to live there with your family. To have a life project. I don't condemn it.
"He has always done well for football where he has been and it will be no different in the United States. He will do well for his club and for the league. I think it was a more personal choice than a professional one."
Messi is joining a Miami team that are sat bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Herons parted company with Phil Neville earlier in June.
Eldar Eldarov will be bidding for a second successive Royal Ascot success in next week’s Gold Cup following his narrow verdict in the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago.
Roger Varian’s four-year-old also claimed the St Leger in a fruitful season and returned to action in the Yorkshire Cup when narrowly failing to reel in Giavellotto, to whom he was conceding 5lb.
He will be running over a trip further than two miles for the first time in his career at Ascot, but that is the only question mark regarding a horse who has won on quick and slow ground and could potentially even improve for racing over further.
“He ran well at York and has done everything right since,” said Chris Wall, former trainer and now racing manager to owners KHK Racing.
“Obviously he is going into the unknown over that distance but he’s nothing but a competitor, he’s a tough horse, he likes the challenge and if he gets the trip I think he’s going to be a player.
“Roger is very happy with how everything is so it’s fingers crossed, really.
“Four-year-olds have a great record in the Gold Cup and while the trip is the unknown, he certainly gives the impression that he will stay those distances well.
“His work at home has been very satisfactory, he looks well, so we’ll just keep everything crossed that he puts up a good performance.
“We’re not too worried about the ground. I suppose like everybody we’d like a little bit of juice, so a few showers wouldn’t go amiss but he’s proved he’s effective on any ground, so we’re looking forward to it.”
The owners also hold leading claims in the Commonwealth Cup with Sakheer, the Mill Reef winner who finished seventh on soft ground in the 2000 Guineas.
“He must have a good chance. It was hard to tell whether he stayed a mile on that awful ground in the Guineas, but he acquitted himself well,” said Wall.
“He’s done nothing wrong in his preparation either, so we’ll go there and hope for the best and hope he goes and runs a good race.
“He’s going to have to prove himself exceptional if he’s going to beat Little Big Bear I think, but we’ll see how we go.”
Wesley Ward has saddled 12 Royal Ascot winners since the beginning of his American invasion. But it is No Nay Never whose legacy is still felt 10 years after the colt rocketed to Norfolk Stakes success.
The American first announced himself at the Royal meeting in 2009 when Strike A Tiger’s Windsor Castle triumph was quickly followed by Jealous Again romping to Queen Mary victory in the opening race of the following day.
Although then a regular bringing his string across the Atlantic to challenge, he had to wait four years for his next success when No Nay Never blitzed his way to Norfolk glory, attracting the attention of a very famous Ascot regular in the process.
“That was a great day,” said Ward.
“We were second in the Queen Mary the day before, it was a 28-runner field and we came second. My buddy Gatewood Bell, all his buddies and himself owned the filly. We had a big night out that night, a great dinner and a little bit too much wine, so when I came in the next day I was nice and relaxed and the first race of the day was the Norfolk.
“Shortly after that I was invited up to sit with the Queen for about half an hour and it was a great experience.”
Ward’s meeting with the late Queen gave the 55-year-old as much pleasure as No Nay Never’s victory itself and he was left amazed by her boundless knowledge of the sport he plied his trade.
He continued: “What was great about it was she did most of the chatting!
“When you first get up there you are nervous and she just starts firing questions at you and it puts you so at ease. She was just picking my brain and asking all these questions about how I train, how I came here and asking about all the success I had.
“It was unbelievable how much knowledge she had, not just of racing but myself – I couldn’t believe the Queen of England even knew who a trainer like myself from a different country like America was and what I had accomplished.
“You would think she would just be coming to the races and focussed on English racing and everything else she had going on in her life. She was just a wonderful person.”
No Nay Never would go on to give Ward his first European Group One when winning the Prix Morny at Deauville, a race in which he would wear the famous Magnier silks closely associated with the Coolmore operation.
“That was a great day as well,” added Ward. “John Magnier and the whole Coolmore team were there as well and we got the picture in the winner’s enclosure.
“The sales were going on so Mr Magnier was there with all his team and it was a great day along with my great friend Paul Shanahan and he is why I’ve been involved with them, so I can’t thank him enough for getting me in there and I’ve been fortunate enough to have some success for them.”
Following his on-track career, No Nay Never would prove just as proficient in the breeding sheds and the son of Scat Daddy’s progeny continue to keep his name in the spotlight at the season’s showpiece fixture.
Alcohol Free is perhaps his biggest winner at Royal Ascot so far, with Andrew Balding’s star filly landing the Coronation Stakes on a wet afternoon in 2021, while he is beginning to become a force to be reckoned with for Coolmore, especially in the juvenile ranks.
Meditate and Little Big Bear both carried No Nay Never’s genes to two-year-old triumphs at Royal Ascot 12 months ago and both are likely to return 10 years on from one of their father’s finest hours, with Little Big Bear a red-hot favourite for the Commonwealth Cup.
“He’s gone on to be a great sire as well as a very good racehorse,” said Ward.
“He was always one of those horses you always thought would go on to be a sire when you have them in your barn.
“He had a great personality and he was very fast, but his mind was something that you know when you were around a horse like him – you could see how smart and intelligent he is.
“You would think with his ability and all of that combined, those are the ones that go on to be good sires.”
The senior Reggae Girlz may be far advanced in their preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup, but Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts welcomed Restaurants of Jamaica's (ROJ) $7 million sponsorship as a timely injection that will ensure the Lorne Donaldson-coached team breathe much easier heading Down Under.
Ricketts believes the Girlz have not been shown enough appreciation for their historic accomplishment of qualifying for a second-consecutive World Cup but says KFC's support represents a step in the right direction and another example which he hopes other corporate companies will follow.
The one-year partnership will see KFC pumping $6 million in cash and another $1 million in products to the Reggae Girlz, who are currently in camp putting the final pieces in place ahead of the July 20 to August 20 showpiece, in Australia and New Zealand.
"We need to show far more appreciation to our Girlz and when you think of the struggles some of these players went through, the sacrifice and commitment to get a country like ours to two global tournaments consecutively, it is no ordinary achievement," Ricketts said during a press conference at JFF’s St Lucia Avenue base on Wednesday.
"So, I must recognize Mr. [Andrei] Roper and KFC for coming on board to partner with the JFF to ensure that we improve the quality of life for all these girls that constantly and consistently make us so very proud. This is something that we can gloat about and hopefully this really sends a strong signal to Jamaica as it relates to the positive and social impact that these two qualifications have on our little boys and girls," he added.
While most of their focus is currently on the World Cup, Ricketts said the Olympic Games Qualifiers against Canada in September, as well as the women's Nations League and Gold Cup, has not been lost on them, hence is call for more support.
But beyond that and despite the financial constraints, the president pointed out that his administration is intent on getting things right going forward, particularly where developing the country's football from the grassroots is concerned.
By virtue of the Girlz qualification, the JFF is assured of just over US$1.5 million from FIFA, but that figure could increase if the team goes beyond the group stage. The Girlz are drawn in Group F alongside France, Brazil and Panama.
"We are just intent on ensuring that the whole psyche of our little boys and girls are positively impacted. We struggle to meet our footballing demands when you think that we have 12 teams, six on either side of the gender, that we must take care of, it is challenging, but we are managing.
"So, I want to again mention our sponsors we had Courts last week and now KFC joining the Marley Foundation and others, but we need other corporate entities to come on board as we try to impact the social needs of the boys and girls that are interested in playing the sport," Ricketts shared.
"We must put programmes in place, and we are intent on getting a proper grassroots programme. We have a committee which is responsible for talent identification, grassroots and development, so this committee will be very active in identifying grassroots kids and having them properly harnessed and then get them in a formal setting so we can then make the transition from little kids to high school players and then inevitably, national players," the president noted.
Meanwhile, ROJ’s Brand Manager Andrei Roper explained that this partnership with the senior Reggae Girlz is an extension of that with captain and prolific goal scorer, Khadija "Bunny" Shaw.
The 26-year-old Manchester City striker, who is not in the current camp, is expected to join up with the final squad when they head to Amsterdam for a pre-tournament camp before heading to Australia.
"We really wanted to help to make the Reggae Girlz journey to the World Cup that much easier, theirs is a tremendous achievement and I don't think we fully appreciate as a nation what a huge achievement it is. They are true ambassadors for Jamaica, not just for women's sport but for brand Jamaica on a whole, so for us at KFC we pride ourselves on giving back... just supporting all those pillars of society that really represent everything positive about Jamaica," Roper affirmed.
"Women's football is an area where we did see an opportunity to really give a bit more as a brand. Last year, we started a partnership with Khadija Shaw as our big deal ambassador, so this is just a fitting extension of our relationship with Khadija, who is the face of women's football and so we are broadening our scope and partnership to the wider Reggae Girlz programme.
"So, we just want to say thanks and just to help make their preparations a bit easier because we know it’s going to be a tough group and so we want to just really make the last lap going Down Under that much easier. So great partnership for us and we are glad to be on board," he stated.
After failing to launch her season due to family commitments and injury, five-time world 100m champion is likely to open her 2023 season at Jamaica’s national championships next month.
The 36-year-old Fraser-Pryce pulled out of the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in April citing a family emergency. She would later pull out of the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya in May because of a knee injury that saw her fly out to Italy for treatment.
She subsequently returned to Jamaica where she returned to training just under a month ago but has not competed at any of the island’s All Comers meets put on by the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA), leaving fans speculating whether they would see her at all this season.
Having won the 100m title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in July last year, Fraser-Pryce has a bye to the championships set for Budapest in August.
However, in a post on social media on Wednesday, the three-time Olympic gold medallist gave her fans something to quell their concerns.
“Just a girl from Waterhouse who continues to dream and believe! See you at National Trials!” the 2022 Laureus Female Athlete of the Year posted on Facebook.
Those words would have eased the fears of her fan base who can now look forward to seeing ‘Mommy Rocket’ at the National Stadium in Kingston from July 6-9.
In 2022, Fraser-Pryce delivered what is considered by many the greatest season by a female sprinter. She ran a record seven times under 10.7 second and won a record fifth 100m title at the World Championships to become the first running athlete in history to win five titles in the same event since the championships began in 1983.
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