After a decline in performance at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships, St Andrew High School, once a dominant force in Jamaican high-school athletics, has appointed Mathue Tapper as their new head track and field coach. Tapper, determined to revive the school's athletic program, plans to bring back the glory days when athletes like Trishana McGowan, Toni-Ann Doyley, Arusha McKenzie, Megan Tapper, Anna-Kay Campbell, and Latoya McDermott consistently excelled.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Tapper stated, "I am looking to make history at St. Andrew High. Right now, we are starting from the ground level, but I am excited and eager to turn things around." Tapper, who currently runs the Top Track club for children at Maxfield Park in Kingston, recognizes the potential of St. Andrew High and aspires to restore its status as an athletics powerhouse.
To achieve this goal, Tapper believes it is crucial for St. Andrew High to attract emerging talent from prep and primary schools without compromising the school's prestigious academic standing. He said, "Right now, we are looking at recruiting, especially at the Class IV level, from the prep and primary schools. I plan to focus on developing a strong sprints and hurdles program over the next three years."
Having been a student at St Andrew Prep, Tapper expressed his disappointment at the decline of the school's athletic program. He shared, "I am really excited to get to work. St Andrews is a good school that is close to my heart. I grew up at St Andrew Prep, so it’s sad to see where the program had gotten to, but I plan to lift it once again."
Tapper's commitment to youth development extends beyond St. Andrew High. At his Top Track Academy, the first Kingston-based track academy, Tapper aims to provide training opportunities and foster a love for the sport among young athletes. Speaking about the academy, he said, "We provide an opportunity for kids to get training they don’t necessarily get anywhere. At this age, it is more important that it is fun so that the kids don’t get bored of the sport too soon. We have a high-level program, but we have to ensure that it is fun so that we can keep them when they are 17/18 and ready to make those big steps."
Tapper's efforts have garnered support from sponsors, including Jamaica's Ministry of Sports and AustroJam, managed by Martin Zsifkovics, a two-time Jamaica champion farmer. Zsifkovics emphasized the importance of healthy nutrition for the children involved in athletics and expressed his support for Tapper's initiative, stating, "It is very important for the children of Jamaica to eat healthy. We wouldn't have the best athletes in the world if they only eat chips."
With sponsors recognizing the value of Tapper's academy, Zsifkovics hopes that his venture could serve as a platform for similar projects across the island, empowering young athletes and fostering a brighter future for Jamaican athletics.
Golden Mind will be given the chance to replicate his half-brother Perfect Power and get on the Royal Ascot scoresheet when he lines up in the Chesham Stakes.
Richard Fahey trained Perfect Power to win the Norfolk Stakes in 2021 before returning to add the Commonwealth Cup 12 months ago, and it is the Musley Bank handler who is responsible for the talented Golden Mind, who opened his account at the second attempt at Leicester recently.
Third over five furlongs at Hamilton on debut, the son of Galileo Gold relished the move up to six furlongs at the east midlands track when running on strongly to down Richard Hannon’s Fusterlandia, and he is now poised for another rise in yardage to race over seven furlongs at the Royal meeting – something his handler believes will suit.
Fahey said: “He’s a good hardy horse and one who stays well – I do like him.
“We beat the second (Fusterlandia) the other day at Beverley (with Bombay Bazaar) funnily enough. I think he’ll improve again and the step up to seven will suit.
“He will definitely run in the Chesham, that has always been the plan. He’s a laid-back character and just needed a bit of racing and I think you will see a different horse down at Ascot.”
Fahey is busy finalising his running plans for the meeting with recent Beverley winners Midnight Affair and Bombay Bazaar possibles to make the trip south, while Carlisle scorer Emperor’s Son is another set to get the call up to the Malton-based handler’s squad and holds an entry for the Coventry Stakes.
He continued: “We’re pleased (with the horses) and we’ll have a sort out this week who will go. The ground will certainly play a part in our decision, but we look to have a good bunch. If you can get one winner down there it would be great, we were very lucky last year with two.
“We’ll see how they (Midnight Affair and Bombay Bazaar) are since Beverley and they are both entitled to be there. It’s quite a good bunch of two-year-olds so we’ll work a few this week and see which way we go.
“Emperor’s Son, he won up at Carlisle, he will go down and he’s a decent horse and there is a couple of fillies who we’ll sort out and see if they are good enough to go.”
My Prospero is set to spearhead William Haggas’ Royal Ascot team in a mouthwatering edition of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Despite the defection of Desert Crown, the likes of Luxembourg, Adayar and Bay Bridge still lie in wait for Haggas’ four-year-old.
Beaten just a neck in the St James’s Palace Stakes last year, he went on to win a Group Two in France over 10 furlongs before once again being narrowly denied in the Champion Stakes behind Bay Bridge.
He reappeared back over a mile in the Lockinge when running on into fourth, but Haggas expects the step back up to a mile and a quarter to be much more up his street.
“He’s very well and I think it will be a great race,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing.
“Newbury was a bit short for him and he was a bit fresh, but he stayed on nicely at the end and I’m sure he will enjoy the step up in trip.
“He ran very well in the St James’s Palace and ran very well in the Champion Stakes having been off for a bit, I think it was a couple of months after his previous run.
“At the moment I couldn’t have him better and we’re looking forward to it. I think there’s a lot of horses similar to him in that they might not have an electric turn of foot but they have good staying ability and I should think they’ll kick on from three out.
“I think he’s a lovely, big horse and it was probably an error running in the Lockinge, but it didn’t do much harm and he stayed on well having been outpaced. I think he’s come forward for that and I think this is going to be his year.”
Another returning to Ascot following a good run 12 months ago is the mare Sacred, beaten just a length into fifth in the six-furlong Platinum Jubilee Stakes.
This year Haggas has given her a run prior to Ascot, over her preferred distance of seven furlongs at Lingfield where she won with ease.
“She’s a very good filly. One day at Newbury she was excellent and she was pretty good at Lingfield the other day,” he said.
“She’s a very smart filly with a pretty good turn of foot but the problem is she’s a specialist over seven, so we either go over a mile or six. The only seven-furlong Group One is the Foret and that is invariably on soft ground, so there’s nothing for her.
“We’re plumping for six again, she’s had a run this year which she hadn’t last year when she ran well. It’s a competitive race but I’m not sure there’s a standout. The Australian horse (Artorius) might be, while the Hong Kong horse (Wellington) is a proven top sprinter but she should run a good race.”
Khanjar had been a leading fancy for the Wokingham but was surprisingly beaten at Hamilton recently leaving Haggas to reassess his claims.
“I was pretty disappointed (with his Hamilton run). In his first run at York he was too enthusiastic, so me and Jim were keen for him to have another, but we probably overdid it a bit and let the winner get away,” he said.
“I thought he’d win but he’s going to run in the Wokingham. I think he likes small fields and if they split up, that might suit him.”
Stable stalwart Hamish appears unlikely to get his favoured soft ground for he Hardwicke Stakes at this stage.
Haggas said: “He wants soft ground so we need to debate whether to leave him in. We’ll see what the forecast is but I think there’s every likelihood he won’t be running. There’s a Group Three at York he might go for, but it all depends on the ground. Chester last time was very good, arguably his best bar his Irish Leger second.”
One horse definitely not running is Maljoom, but Haggas did offer encouragement that he would be back in action soon after being forced to rule him out of the Queen Anne.
“It’s a shame, he’s a lovely horse but he has soundness issues. We were getting well down the road to run at Ascot then he met with a problem,” said Haggas.
“I’m so grateful he’s got a patient owner and he will be more frustrated than we are, but we’re getting there and there’s still a long season ahead. He’ll get entries in everything and with a straightforward run, hopefully he’ll get to the Summer Mile (Ascot, July 15).”
Truthful looks set to have her sights raised later this summer after maintaining her unbeaten record in the Jewson Wigan EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Haydock.
A field of five runners went to post for the £40,000 contest, with the William Haggas-trained Truthful opposed by another debut winner in William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Shagpyle.
Truthful, a 120,000 guineas purchase for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, was the 10-11 favourite to supplement a narrow introductory success at Salisbury, with Ascot scorer Shagpyle – a half-sister to her Coronation Cup and King George-winning stablemate Pyledriver – rated the biggest threat at 2-1.
Montevideo took the quartet along for much of the mile-and-a-half journey, but Sea The Stars filly Truthful picked up well for Tom Marquand once in the clear and had almost three lengths in hand over the staying-on Shagpyle at the line.
Highclere’s managing director, Harry Herbert, said: “She was quite impressive, wasn’t she?
“She’s a classic William Haggas, big filly who was too immature to run as a two-year-old – she was a bit of a goose who suddenly turned into a swan. The trainer got more and more positive about her and said ‘I think we might have one’!
“What was lovely today is that with one slap she quickened really well and put the race to bed. She’s extended, hit the line with her ears pricked and galloped out strong.
“We’ll take it one step at a time, but she’s in such good hands with William. She could be anything.”
The winner will not take up her entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, but will be stepped up in class on her next start.
“She’s very much a work in progress still, so it was right not to go to Royal Ascot for the Ribblesdale – that was considered,” Herbert added.
“She’s a beautiful filly with a lovely pedigree as a full-sister to a filly of William’s (Sea On Time) who won three races and was about to step up into Listed and Group company and sadly went wrong.
“This filly is much bigger than her sister and still a work in progress, but a very exciting one.
“If she can stay in one piece, hopefully she’s going to take her owners to some wonderful places.”
Truthful’s win is a tasty appetiser for the Highclere team ahead of Royal Ascot next week, with leading Albany Stakes hope Soprano set to be part of a strong squad on the penultimate day of the meeting.
Herbert said: “It looks like we might have a big day on Friday. Obviously Soprano goes for the Albany, Believing will go for the Commonwealth Cup and in the Sandringham we have Pastiche and Eximious, who are both very nice fillies.
“Believing is a very fast filly who blew the start the other day in France, but she’s very useful and we’re going to give her a roll in Group One company.
“It’s always a very big time of year, we look forward to it every year and this year’s it’s just rather weird that all our runners could be on the same day.”
The British Horseracing Authority refuses to be “coerced into any activity by threats of protests” ahead of Royal Ascot, which gets under way next week.
Activist group Animal Rising reportedly stated at a press conference on Wednesday that it would not disrupt the Royal meeting if leaders from racing took part in a televised debate.
Despite claiming they would not attempt to enter the racetrack at Epsom once the Derby was under way, one member did so and was remanded in custody until July 6 after pleading not guilty to a public nuisance charge.
This followed on from disruption to the Grand National and attempts to delay the Scottish National, with 19 protesters accused of trying to stop the Ayr race due to stand trial in September.
BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: “At a press conference today, Animal Rising said they will cease their protest activity this summer if British racing agrees to take part in a public debate about ‘the morals of horseracing’. We will never allow British horseracing to be coerced into any activity by threats of protests.
“Animal Rising have shown by their reckless actions at the Epsom Derby that their public promises cannot be trusted. They have demonstrated they are prepared to commit reckless and potentially unlawful acts and to directly threaten the safety of horses and people to generate publicity around their wider aims. These aims include the end of all use of animals by human beings.
“Spokespeople for the sport have already taken part in well over an hour of televised debate since April. Throughout those debates the message was clear – that British racing is a sport which is proud of its welfare record, which provides an unparalleled quality of life for the 20,000 horses that compete each year, and which constantly works to minimise the levels of avoidable risk.
“Once again I call on Animal Rising to end their reckless acts against a sport legally enjoyed by millions of people every year.”
Epsom had secured an injunction prior to the Derby Festival after it said protesters from the group had made it “explicitly clear” they intended to breach security, but last week officials at Ascot said they would not be following suit “at this time”.
Brilliant miler Modern Games, popular sprinter Highfield Princess and 2000 Guineas heroes Chaldean and Paddington are just some of the stars set to be in action on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
As usual the five-day extravaganza starts with a bang, with the Queen Anne Stakes the traditional curtain-raiser.
The Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games, a dual Breeders’ Cup winner and successful on his reappearance in the Lockinge at Newbury last month, is the marginal favourite for the Queen Anne over John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Inspiral, who is set to make her belated reappearance.
Appleby has a second string to his bow in the form of Native Trail, while Richard Hannon’s Chindit will renew rivalry with Modern Games after finishing best of the rest at Newbury.
David Simcock’s pair of Cash and Light Infantry and Mutasaabeq from Charlie Hills’ yard also feature among 13 confirmations.
The second Group One on Tuesday afternoon is the King’s Stand Stakes, for which John Quinn’s mare Highfield Princess heads the market.
The six-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2023, completing a hat-trick of wins at the top level, and she can be expected to improve from her comeback second at York last month.
Karl Burke’s Dramatised and John Ryan’s Manaccan are other contenders for the home team, as is the Archie Watson-trained Bradsell who has been supplemented for the race.
A strong international challenge includes a pair of Australian runners in Coolangatta and Cannonball, both of whom were put through their paces at Ascot on Wednesday morning.
James McDonald was one of the leading riders at Royal Ascot last year with three winners, headlined by Nature Strip’s dominant display in the King’s Stand, and the New Zealand-born rider is confident Coolangatta has what it takes to get him back in the famous winner’s circle.
“Royal Ascot is one of the greatest weeks in racing. I definitely circle it every year and, if I am lucky enough to come here, then I am on the plane straight away,” said the jockey.
“With the racing and the whole atmosphere, it is one of the best carnivals in the world. It is hard to get rides at Royal Ascot but I should have maybe 11 or 12 rides over the week.”
Reflecting on Coolangatta’s workout, McDonald added: “She handled the track beautifully. She ticked a lot of boxes and I was delighted the way she stretched and extended.
“I let her breeze through the line and she pulled up extremely well. She is a strong five-furlong horse and an extremely talented filly.
“She is a dual Group One winner and the quality she beat that day in the Lightning was simply sensational – any of those sprinters could travel anywhere around the world and be competitive.
“Nature Strip was a champion racehorse but Coolangatta is getting there and I have no doubt she will run well on Tuesday. This morning has given me a lot of confidence.”
Wesley Ward’s American challenger Twilight Gleaming is also on the list of 20 still in contention.
Perhaps the most mouthwatering of the three Group One races up for grabs on day one is the St James’s Palace Stakes, which is set to stage a clash between Classic victors Chaldean and Paddington.
Andrew Balding’s Chaldean provided Frankie Dettori with victory in his final 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, while Paddington won the Irish equivalent for Aidan O’Brien.
French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby (Brian Meehan) adds further intrigue, as does the presence of Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien), not seen since winning last season’s National Stakes, as well as progressive colts Cicero’s Gift (Charlie Hills) and Mostabshir (John and Thady Gosden).
A total of 32 juveniles have been entered for the Group Two Coventry Stakes, with George Boughey’s Asadna, O’Brien’s River Tiber and Ward’s Fandom three of the leading contenders.
The 43 entries for the two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Stakes include last year’s runner-up Bring On The Night, whose trainer Willie Mullins also has top-class hurdler Vauban as one of 56 entered for the Copper Horse Handicap, with Ryan Moore booked to ride both.
Sandwiching those two races is the Listed Wolferton Stakes, which has attracted 23 possibles.
Karl Burke is confident Elite Status will take some stopping when he puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.
A 325,000 guineas purchase at the Book 2 sale at Tattersalls in October, the juvenile has so far lived up to his hefty price tag with two facile victories.
A son of Havana Grey, who won six times for Burke including a Group One success in the Flying Five Stakes in Ireland, Elite Status followed up a Doncaster debut success by emulating his sire with a stunning display in the National Stakes at Sandown.
The Spigot Lodge handler has been delighted with the youngster since and is relishing the prospect of stepping up to Group Two level in the opening race on day three of the Royal meeting – one which will see Burke’s runner clash with Wesley Ward’s exciting American Rascal, among others.
“Elite Status came out of the National stakes well,” Burke told Tattersalls.
“We were confident going to Doncaster first time out and he improved again going into the National Stakes. It obviously looked a very hot race on paper and, if I’m honest I didn’t expect him to do it the way he did, but it didn’t surprise me he won.
“He has a great attitude; he’s always had that great walk to him, as Havana Grey himself had.
“This colt has more scope than his sire and is a bigger model. He does his work, walks home, eats, sleeps, and that’s all you want in a racehorse.”
Burke saddled juveniles Dramatised and Holloway Boy to win at Royal Ascot last year and looks set to send another strong squad of two-year-olds on the journey south.
None have made a bigger impression than Elite Status, though, who appears the stable’s biggest hope.
“I want to get him there in the best shape I can. If I do, I think he’s the one they’ve got to beat,” Burke added.
“You need everything to go right on the day. I’m confident he’ll stay six furlongs and the way progeny of Havana Grey are training on from two to three-year-olds, I see him getting further as well.
“I see him as a six-furlong horse this year and who knows, we may be trying the 2000 Guineas next year with a bit of luck.”
Australian raiders Coolangatta and Cannonball warmed up for Tuesday’s King’s Stand Stakes with separate workouts on Ascot’s straight track on Wednesday morning.
Coolangatta will be looking to enhance the formidable record of Lightning Stakes winners at Royal Ascot, with Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast, Black Caviar and Nature Strip all winning the five-furlong highlight prior to the the summer showpiece meeting.
With co-trainer Ciaron Maher in attendance, Coolangatta and big-race jockey James McDonald worked over just shy of five furlongs and the duo were comfortably clear of lead horse So Chic at the finish.
Maher said: “The idea was to bring Coolangatta here and have a look at the whole surrounds. We did a bit of paddock schooling and then had a nice look at the track.
“She stretched nicely to the line and James said she took quite a while to pull up. He was beaming about the work and it was everything I wanted to see.
“She has really thrived since being here – she is in the very quiet surrounds of Lambourn – and she was in need of a nice hit out to keep a lid on her.”
Coolangatta’s compatriot Cannonball, who represents the training partnership of Peter and Paul Snowden, was last seen finishing third in the Group One Galaxy Handicap at Rosehill in March.
The Capitalist colt also enjoyed an Ascot blowout over just short of five furlongs, after which Peter Snowden expressed his satisfaction.
“Cannonball did a routine piece of work. He is quite a gross colt and he needed that,” he said.
“He arrived here on Friday and had a few easy days, which he had taken the benefit of. The gallop today will bring him back up to the mark somewhat. He will do a bit more on Saturday morning and then he will be ready to go.
“My expectations are always exceeded. He is an inexperienced horse but, in his two starts for me, he has shown that he is well above average.
“He won the Maurice McCarten in a very fast time and backed up a week later in a Group One, when he probably could have won. He is climbing up the ladder pretty quickly.”
For some, owning a football club is a statement that you are at a certain level as a businessman. But for Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s owner Peter Gould, it is not just about status.
In fact, Gould would readily tell you that he cares little what others think about his financial status and more about fulfilling his heart’s desire –to change the landscape and, by extension, help shape the legacy of Jamaica’s football through his academy.
“We had a couple of setbacks, you know the Covid-19 pandemic was a big setback obviously, but we are gaining back our strength and momentum and I think we should be in a better place by September. So, we are pretty excited, we have put a lot of work into the academy and the platform is well and truly set to accomplish all that we want to,” Gould declared.
“It will take a few years to build a complete institution, but we have people willing to come along and help us to move to another level, so we firmly believe we will be able to get there and put Jamaica’s football on the map the real way,” he added.
The Englishman established the academy in 2016 after he travelled to Jamaica and fell in love with the Mount Pleasant community in St Ann. Two years later, Gould opened a state-of-the-art football facility, which he said was designed to properly develop and nurture the talent of some of country’s young football prospects.
Incidentally, 2018 was also the same year that Mount Pleasant’s senior team, formerly known as “Stush in the Bush”, earned promotion to the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), and five years later, they are crowned kings of top-flight football.
The team, boasting one of its academy products, Devonte Campbell, defeated Cavalier 2-1 in Sunday’s final at Sabina Park, courtesy of a Sue-Lae McCalla brace. Collin Anderson got Cavalier’s goal.
“This is our first Premier League success, so it feels good, this was one of our objectives and it is great that we achieved it. I am happy, the fans are happy, and I also believe the community is widening in terms of people supporting our movement. So, obviously we are doing something right and I firmly believe that they only way to build is from the community,” Gould noted, as they continue to celebrate the parish’s first national title.
While it is unlikely that the entire Mount Pleasant setup, including the academy is yielding much return on investment for Gould and his wife Amanda, he said it is imperative that they maintain their standards to continue impacting the lives of the young charges, in particular.
Through the innovative project at the academy, the young men benefit from a high school education, as directed by the Ministry of Education, along with a structured football training programme.
The Mount Pleasant Football Academy has already sent Under-13 and Under-15 teams overseas to compete, with the latter currently representing St Ann in a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) youth tournament.
“Listen the investment, I don’t even count it, the investment is about changing people’s lives, it is about the kids and exposing them. The ambition is to develop talent for the future, but more than that, they are getting an education and that I believe is the way of getting quality football…educating your players and then you get that discipline on and off the field," Gould opined.
He continued: “This is what we have coming through the vine and as we keep expanding you will have more kids coming to Jamaica to do their English and Mathematics and to play football. Many parents are making plans for their kids in the coming period, so they can go into officiating or coaching and analytics, so it is looking quite lovely.
“So, we are absolutely in it for the long haul, we are still building and putting in plans as we go along, it is just to get it done faster but it has been non-stop movements.”
Though admitting that there were times when he was infuriated by the Premier League team’s substandard performances, Gould reiterated that his approach is one of heart over head as he is well aware that in football, success comes at a high price. As such, he pointed out that the thought of backing out never once surfaced.
“I can’t say I was never disappointed especially when we were losing against 10 men, I was like what the hell, but still I was planning for the next match. So, we had some bad days on the road but no, never felt like backing out. We are here for the cause, we started something, and we intend to see it through. We know it won’t all happen one time, but we are managing to stay on the horse and get down the course,” the benefactor shared.
“We will announce some plans in a few weeks that I think really will engage the audience and will hopefully help the transformation of football and the youths. So, we have some experienced people coming on board because obviously it is not a two-person job me and my wife, we have other people wanting to join the train,” Gould disclosed.
Like every sporting team, Mount Pleasant also have their fair share of behind-the-scenes flaws, but Gould praised the efforts of Head coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore and his assistant Davion Ferguson, as well as manager Paul Christie in ensuring that whatever issues arise, are dealt with in a professional manner.
“To be quite honest I don’t really get involved in the day-to-day happenings. We have a management in place and Paul Christie is that lieutenant, he manages to take that control of leading with Tappa and Fergie. We have a meeting once a week when I’m in the country, but he [Christie] has put in tremendous work since he joined, Tappa has been so easy to work with, Fergie as well, so it has been a good team effort.
“They have a good team there, doctors and physios, again I don’t want to get involved in the players’ day-to-day, so yes we have issues, but we have people there that manage it as best as we can,” Gould explained.
Finally, the businessman said they will continue to aim high with Mount Pleasant Football Academy which he believes boasts a bright future.
“The plan is just to keep engaging the kids in Jamaica, we will be taking more kids on, and we will be doing a few projects in the summer,” he said.
“The future is looking bright, and we want to make Mount Pleasant a household name in Jamaica and so we will carry on with pride. I am not saying we will win the title every year, but we want to continue raising the bar,” Gould ended.
Yannic Cariah claimed four wickets while captain, Shai Hope, and Romario Shepherd both hit fifties as the West Indies defeated Scotland by 91 runs on Tuesday in their first warm-up game before the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
The Scots won the toss and put the West Indians in to bat at the Harare Sports Club.
Hope top scored with a 65-ball 57 while Shepherd provided some valuable lower-order hitting with a brisk 34-ball 53 as the Windies posted 264 in 48.4 overs.
Hope’s knock contained six fours while Shepherd hit five fours and three sixes.
Chris Sole took 4-50 from his 10 overs while Jack Jarvis and Chris Greaves each claimed three wickets for Scotland.
The West Indies then successfully defended the total, needing only 33.5 overs to bowl the Scots out for 173.
Cariah produced an excellent spell of bowling to claim 4-46 in nine overs while Roston Chase took 3-43 from 5.5 overs.
Brandon McMullen and Matthew Cross were the chief scorers for Scotland with 38 and 35, respectively.
The West Indies next warm-up match will take place at the same venue on Thursday against the UAE.
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Saint Lucia Kings have partnered with the Saint Lucian Ministry of Youth Development and Sports to create a new Under 19s schools T20 cricket tournament that will take place from Monday 26 June to Friday 7 July 2023.
The Under-19s Schools T20 X-plosion will see the best cricketing talent from across Saint Lucia compete in T20 matches at the Gros Islet and La Ressource playing fields. The tournament will provide an invaluable opportunity for the young people of Saint Lucia to play competitive cricket in a friendly yet professional environment.
There will be eight teams, each one representing one of the educational districts across the country. The teams will be picked via draft from a list of players provided by PE teachers and coaches with each squad having 15 players.
The eight teams will be split into two groups of four with the top two teams from each group reaching the knockout stages.
The Honorable Kenson Casimir, Minister for Youth Development and Sports, said: “I am very happy as the Minister for Youth Development and Sports for Saint Lucia that CPL has seen it fit to have a T20 cricket competition amongst our schools in Saint Lucia. I am very elated that Saint Lucia will be the first Caribbean island to host this competition. I think it will auger well for the development of the sport. The Ministry continues to provide support through coaching and equipment to our schools. So, I am looking forward to a very exciting tournament right here in Saint Lucia.”
Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Saint Lucia Kings and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports to put on this fantastic tournament. There is so much cricketing talent across the Caribbean and it is vital that all stakeholders play their part in developing these young players and in doing so create a lifelong love of our wonderful sport. We wish all the young cricketers taking part all the best.”
Satish Menon, CEO of the Saint Lucia Kings, said: “It's our privilege to partner with the CPL and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports for this tournament. We at the Saint Lucia Kings are excited to provide a platform for the incredible cricket talent here. Hopefully, this will provide a springboard for the young cricketers to take it to the next level.”
John Gosden is confident Emily Upjohn’s turn of foot can prove a “potent weapon” when she drops back in distance for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown next month.
Unfortunate to be beaten a head in the Oaks at Epsom last season, the daughter of Sea The Stars made a triumphant return to the Surrey Downs with a brilliant victory in the Coronation Cup.
That win doubled the four-year-old’s Group One tally, having rounded off 2022 with victory on Champions Day at Ascot, and she is now being readied to take on the colts again at Sandown on July 8.
Emily Upjohn is 9-4 with the sponsors for the Eclipse, a race Gosden has previously won with Nathaniel (2012), Golden Horn (2015), Roaring Lion (2018) and Enable (2019).
“The Eclipse is the plan. That is what we said right after the Coronation Cup, that we would go for the Eclipse. We are very happy with her,” said the Clarehaven handler.
“She took the Coronation Cup in her stride and we will now head to the Eclipse. For a big girl she has a tremendous turn of foot, which is a potent weapon.
“She had quite a time off from October before her run at Epsom and she didn’t run a lot last year after it all went a bit strange in the King George, but she seems in great order now.
“Coming back in trip will be alright for her and 10 furlongs at Sandown should suit her fine. We will then hopefully look towards going back over a mile and a half again.”
Gosden said he was surprised by the manner of her performance at Epsom, adding: “She had been working well before the Coronation Cup, but we don’t try to do what she did on the track at home.
“You can travel well in your work on the bridle at home, but I didn’t let her come off the bridle.
“I knew those that rode her felt there was plenty there, but you don’t go asking for it at home and to that extent we were very pleased with the way she quickened at Epsom.
“It looks like it will be a good Eclipse with a good combination of horses coming, but we are very happy with her.”
William Buick has been booked to ride a pair of George Boughey’s top two-year-olds at Royal Ascot next week.
The Newmarket handler is “delighted” the champion jockey will partner Asadna in the Coventry Stakes and Soprano in the Albany Stakes, both of whom are at the forefront of the market for the respective races.
Both worked nicely on the watered Rowley Mile gallop on Tuesday, as the Classic-winning trainer put the finishing touches to his preparations for the five-day meeting, where he is expected to have approximately 20 runners.
“The two-year-olds will probably be leading the charge,” said Boughey. “They are the shortest prices, so I’m not telling anyone anything new.”
Asadna is vying for favouritism with River Tiber for Tuesday’s Coventry Stakes on the back of a scintillating 12-length debut success at Ripon under Buick.
He worked well in a recent racecourse gallop and appears to have thrived since.
“Asadna was very good at Chelmsford in a piece of work the other day. Oisin Murphy rode him there and William rode him this morning and was very happy,” said Boughey.
“He looked very good this morning. He has a super attitude. I think we will watch him walk round the paddock ahead of the Coventry like he is here in the paddock. He would go there with a good chance.”
He went on: “He has just got an amazing temperament. He doesn’t sweat, he doesn’t do anything wrong. He’s a very sound horse. He just loves his work. He is not ‘showy’ in the morning, but when he went to Chelmsford the other day, he worked like a good horse.”
Buick added: “He did it nicely. It was nice ground on the watered gallop and I was very happy with him.
“He did everything I asked of him and his prep for Ascot has gone very well. Today was a good bit of work for him, but he seemed pretty smooth and he was his usual self. He was very impressive when he won and he has very good credentials. I’m looking forward to him.”
Highclere-owned filly Soprano landed a hot five-furlong maiden at Newmarket and had that form franked when runner-up Midnight Affair took the Hilary Needler at Beverley on Saturday.
Partnered by Connor Planas, she worked upsides Asadna and looked on good terms with herself ahead of Friday week’s Albany bid, for which she is currently a general 4-1 second-favourite behind Jabaara.
“They worked well. It was good work together,” said Boughey.
“Soprano was very good at Newmarket. She goes there with a good chance.
“William will ride Asadna as it doesn’t look like Charlie (Appleby) has got anything for the race. William will also ride Soprano in the Albany, which we are delighted about. He has won on both of them.
“William has ridden most of ours for a while now. It is great to have him on the big day, because usually he has to get off, so we are lucky to have him.”
Graceful Thunder, who took a five-furlong Sandown novice on debut, will head to the Queen Mary, following a decent piece of work under Kevin Stott, while Boughey’s juvenile team is completed by Muqtahem, who showed promise on debut before scoring at the second attempt at Pontefract. He breezed nicely under Pat Cosgrave and heads to the Windsor Castle.
“The two-year-olds are still learning,” added Boughey. “We worked six, four of them who will go to Ascot.
“I didn’t find anything out, necessarily. They are just teaching each other as they go along. Asadna, Soprano, Muqtahem, Graceful Thunder, they are all going to their respective races and it was all pretty straightforward work, but they all pleased me.”
The 30-year-old struck twice at the Royal meeting last year, with Missed The Cut taking the Golden Gates Handicap and Inver Park scoring in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.
Boughey admits he faces higher expectations now. “I’d bite your hand off for winner at Royal Ascot,” he added.
“I never thought that I would be a Royal Ascot-winning trainer.
“Since we had two last year, now we have to try to find another one this year – and it is very, very hard.
“We have got a strong team going there, but no one realises quite how hard it is. You need the draw right, you need the ground right. It has been quick ground for the last three weeks and it might go and be soft ground, and all our quick ground horses are kaput and you only have two bullets to fire who want soft ground.
“There is a lot of water to go under the bridge, but I’m very happy with how they are at the moment.
“If one goes in, there will be a big party, anyway.”
Charlie Appleby took some of his stable stars to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile ahead of Royal Ascot next week, with Prince of Wales’s Stakes favourite Adayar the main attraction.
The son of Frankel comfortably beat subsequent Group One winner Anmaat in the Gordon Richards Stakes on his comeback this season and was partnered by William Buick in a gentle piece of work.
Second in the Champion Stakes last season, Appleby hopes the decision to keep the 2021 Derby winner in training at five is rewarded with a Group One win over 10 furlongs.
“It was a nice, pleasing piece of work. He is there now and we didn’t want to be doing anything too strong with him,” said Appleby.
“You could see his enthusiasm in dragging William to his lead horse there and he went through the line well and had his ears pricked. I think it is a great experience for these horses and we are lucky to be able to do it.
“A week out we just want them to come up and enjoy themselves.
“He goes into the Prince of Wales’s as near-favourite or joint-favourite and deservedly so on what we saw at the Guineas meeting. He has come forward for that first run.
“Hopefully we can get our rewards, more so for him, for staying in training.”
He added on the prospect of an unsettled weather forecast: “We all want decent ground, but the one thing he has up his sleeve is that he can handle soft ground. I wouldn’t say he is better on soft ground by any stretch of the imagination, but he handles it.
“Any of these Group One races are hard to win. If you think you are worried about just Luxembourg or Bay Bridge then more fool you. Whoever turns up you respect them all, but I’m just delighted with how our horse is going into the race.”
Appleby looks like fielding a very strong hand in the opening Queen Anne Stakes with Lockinge winner Modern Games and last year’s Irish Guineas hero Native Trail.
“I was pleased with Native Trail’s first run and he has definitely come forward for his run at Newmarket. As you know he has had wind surgery during the winter, but I was very pleased with that this morning,” said Appleby.
“Like any of those older horses they take a bit of work and you could see the improvement from that first run. He moved well today, he has always got that raspiness but that is him. It doesn’t stop him. I was pleased with the way he hit the line there.
“He will head to the Queen Anne now along with Modern Games, who is back at home as he doesn’t need to do any more himself.
“There is no doubt about it that it was all about Native Trail last season, but they don’t know what price they are. To be fair from our own point of view we don’t worry what price they are. They are two lovely horses to have around.
“One has already done it this year with Modern Games winning a Group One and I’m a strong believer Native Trail won’t be too far behind him in getting his Group One this year.”
Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir, another who went through his paces, is stepping up markedly in trip for the Gold Cup. But Appleby believes his running style gives him a chance of staying the trip.
He said: “Yibir is heading towards the Gold Cup. I’m pleased with him and he showed plenty of enthusiasm today. He has definitely come forward for his run at Newbury.
“We know it is an extra mile on top of his normal trip, but on the back of what we have seen with the likes of Broome and those good older mile-and-a-half horses they can do that.
“Talking to the guys that have ridden in the Gold Cup they will often get the two miles, it is when you go beyond two miles that are obviously extreme distances for Flat horses.
“I would be a bit bold to say he is going to get the two and a half miles, but he has got the right run style and if it is quick ground we know he enjoys that sounder surface.
“William will be able to ride him coming into the race and if he comes good when the bell rings then he will be there as a live player that is for sure.
“These older mile-and-a-half horses don’t get any quicker and the division he is in is a tough division now and we thought going this way might just open up some doors for him going the Gold Cup distance. It is an open division, but he is fit and well and I’m pleased with the way he is going into it.”
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