Frankie Dettori’s last ever ride in the Betfred Oaks was a winning one as Soul Sister soared to victory at Epsom.
John and Thady Gosden’s filly was the backmarker for a good while, but as the race progressed she did too and in the home straight she was travelling much the best.
Winner of the Musidora Stakes, she accelerated past Aidan O’Brien’s Savethelastdance, the 5-6 favourite, and cantered over the line to prevail at 11-4.
There was mixed fortunes for the winning yard, however, as stablemate Running Lion did not start after breaking out of the stalls and unseating Oisin Murphy.
Emily Upjohn cruised to victory under Frankie Dettori in the Dahlbury Coronation Cup.
Agonisingly beaten a short head in the Oaks on her last visit to Epsom 12 months ago – when her cause was compromised by a stumble on leaving the stalls – this time the filly was peerless as she left a quality field behind her.
An 11-4 chance for John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Sea The Stars was biding her time in the early stages and only threw down a challenge in the home straight.
She then displayed a fantastic turn of foot to sweep past her rivals, and while Westover closed towards home Emily Upjohn had a comfortable length and three-quarters in hand at the line.
Olivia Maralda hit the target with a neat success in the Nyetimber Surrey Stakes at Epsom.
The filly, who is trained by Roger Varian and part-owned by footballer Philippe Coutinho with Amo Racing, was last seen finishing seventh in the 1000 Guineas and was a 3-1 chance dropped in grade and trip.
Those factors seemed to suit her perfectly and she provided jockey Kevin Stott with double on the day as she sauntered to a two-and-a-quarter-length win over 7-4 favourite Holguin.
“She was good, she ran well in the Guineas. She loved the fast ground and seven is probably her trip,” said Varian
“I thought they would go quick and I actually didn’t think they went very quick, there was a few keen in behind. But we know she has a good turn of foot and I quite like that slightly outer draw round this track to get a clear run.
“I think bar the second race the winners have been coming from just off the pace so it was always the plan to give her a chance early and let her class come through.
“She’s very balanced and we always thought she would be comfortable on the track.
“I would like to continue the Jersey (Stakes). Seven is her trip, fast pace and if we get fast ground she could be a danger.”
Bobsleigh flew to an impressive success in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Woodcote Stakes.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s two-year-old came into the race with quite a taking Brighton maiden win to his name and was a 5-1 chance in this 12-runner affair.
He did not feature prominently in the early stages and was patiently ridden by an ice-cool Charlie Bishop until the final bend, when he was manoeuvred around the field to challenge.
Having taken a wide line he battled past each of his rivals, including the 9-4 favourite Haatem, who missed the break completely and did extremely well to finish third, and long-time leader and eventual runner-up Balon d’Or.
Johnson Houghton said: “I think we’ve got a Royal Ascot two-year-old on our hands, he’s pretty exciting and it went exactly as we planned.
“We thought they’d go really fast, so I said to Charlie to get him balanced and wait until he comes to you. I knew he had a good turn of foot, but it was whether he could make up that much ground – I thought he was pretty impressive.
“I don’t know which race at Ascot. He’s got plenty of boot so we could drop back to five and the Coventry over six is obviously going to be the hottest race.
“This syndicate is great, it’s a fantastic day out for them. Anthony Bromley and I did a pretty good job picking him up for not much money (€17,000) and they are having the time of their lives.
“Hopefully we can have a good season as they usually sell them at the end of their first year. He was small when we bought him, but he thrived since he’s been gelded.
“The name comes from the dam, Lady Rosebud. Rosebud was a sledger.”
Bishop added: “Eve does a fantastic job of buying these horses for the syndicate. The team were very bullish, I’ve barely sat on him apart from riding him at Brighton so a lot of credit goes to everyone at home and the trainer – she doesn’t do a bad job, does she?
“The Windsor Castle is back at five and it is probably a more winnable race than the Coventry Stakes. We will see how he comes out of this and if he improves again and we think it is worth a go at the Coventry then maybe we might go for that, but I would say the Windsor Castle might be more up his street.
“Obviously these connections have had luck in the Windsor Castle before with Chipotle. It would be great to get him to Royal Ascot in one piece and whatever race she decides to run him in I’m sure she won’t be wrong.”
Cadillac cruised to a comfortable win in the Betfred Handicap for Stott and George Boughey.
The five-year-old was a 12-1 chance and eased along the middle of the track to gain momentum on the approach to the line, passing the tiring front runners and prevailing by a length and three quarters.
“I thought he was a bit too far back but he had to ride him for luck as he wasn’t drawn perfectly,” Boughey said.
“He didn’t run well first time out this season when I thought he would as he was back into a handicap for the first time so that was satisfying today.
“He’s a very honest horse but I think left-handed is a big key to him. I’m delighted for the owner as he’s a big supporter of the yard and he’s a fun horse to have. I suppose we’ll have to look at Ascot but that is right-handed.”
Bobsleigh flew to an impressive success in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Woodcote Stakes at Epsom, as the 2023 Derby Festival got under way.
Eve Johnson Houghton’s two-year-old came into the race with quite a taking Brighton maiden win to his name and was a 5-1 chance in this 12-runner affair.
He did not feature prominently in the early stages and was patiently ridden by an ice-cool Charlie Bishop until the final bend, when he was manoeuvred around the field to challenge.
Having taken a wide line he battled past each of his rivals, including the 9-4 favourite Haatem, who missed the break completely and did extremely well to finish third, and long-time leader and eventual runner-up Balon d’Or.
Aidan O’Brien puts forward a Betfred Derby trio at Epsom on Saturday headed by the eagerly-awaited Classic comeback bid of Auguste Rodin.
The Ballydoyle trainer has always spoken extremely highly of the colt – a horse he describes as a “collector’s item” as he is out of the top mare Rhododendron and by the late sire Deep Impact.
His two-year-old campaign matched his pedigree as he won a maiden by two lengths before taking the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
As a result he was well-fancied for the 2000 Guineas after a Triple Crown bid was mentioned in early spring dispatches, but at Newmarket the three-year-old was denied an ounce of luck and trailed home in 12th after his race was scuppered early on.
That defeat did little to dissuade O’Brien of his ability, however, and the Derby was immediately lined up as a next outing after the Guineas run was dismissed.
“There were a lot of factors at Newmarket that we couldn’t control, but they happened and that was it, but we didn’t see anything to suggest we shouldn’t adhere to our original plan,” he said.
“That was always going to be the way, when we were running him over that shorter trip things had to happen. Every single beat had to go his way and obviously it was the complete opposite, every single beat went the opposite way. We were delighted he came out of the race so well, really.
“He’s a real beautiful moving horse, so the soft ground was always going to be a worry, and the trip was always going to be plenty short for him. He did need a clear run and when Little Big Bear got galloped into, he wiped out Ryan (Moore) and then Ryan ended up getting stuck in a pocket and there was no pace in the race.
“There’s so many things that went wrong, and we were going to fly out and that all changed, we couldn’t go two days out and we had to go the morning of (the race). All of those factors, either one of them could have been detrimental by themselves but it seemed they all landed on him on the day.
“He’s always been very special from day one, his movement and everything about him. Nothing has changed our minds about him, the Guineas went wrong and we put it down to a non-event for him. We’re just looking forward to seeing how we’re going to run like everybody else.”
The step up in trip to a mile and a half is expected to be of benefit to Auguste Rodin, as is the good ground that will be a contrast from Newmarket’s soft going on Guineas weekend.
O’Brien said: “Auguste Rodin was never going to run again over a mile anyway. He was always going to step up, he very much has a middle-distance pedigree.
“He’s a beautiful moving horse and good ground will be what he’d always prefer.
“He’s a very athletic horse, he’s close coupled, a very good mover – he wouldn’t break glass, the way he moves. We’re very happy with him physically, he’s in good form. He’s nice and fresh and we think he’s fit, that’s all you could hope for really.”
Of the horse’s exceptional pedigree, with his parents having won 14 Group races between them, O’Brien added: “Auguste Rodin is a collector’s item. He’s out of Rhododendron, probably one of the best Galileo mares ever, and by Deep Impact, one of the greatest Japanese stallions ever.
“He’s very unique and rare. When you get a horse that’s bred like that, looks like that, moves like that and has the ability he has is very rare, very unusual.”
Auguste Rodin will be joined in the race by two stablemates – Chester Vase runner-up Adelaide River and Dee Stakes winner San Antonio.
Of those two, O’Brien said: “Adelaide River, he’s a straightforward horse. He ran in Chester, the ground got soft and we don’t think he’s a soft ground horse.
“He’s an Australia out of a War Front mare and that would all suggest better ground. We think he does stay, he’d be happy to go forward and be ridden handy. He’s experienced and we’ve been happy with him.
“The other horse, San Antonio, he won his first race this year in Dundalk and then he went to Chester on soft ground. He’s never run this far but it will be interesting as well, his dam was second in the Irish Oaks and he’s by Dubawi so he’s a straightforward, honest horse too.”
Passenger will attempt to give the Niarchos family the victory every owner-breeder craves when he lines up in the Betfred Derby on Saturday.
They have twice gone close in the Epsom showpiece, with Main Sequence finishing runner-up in 2012 and, delving deeper into the archives, the Vincent O’Brien-trained Law Society finding only a magnificent Slip Anchor too good on the day in 1985.
Law Society would go on to get his Classic redemption by winning the Irish Derby later that summer, but it is Epsom that matters most for Passenger and his connections as the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt seeks to become the first horse unraced at two to win the showpiece middle-distance event since Ruler Of The World 10 years ago.
“The Derby is a race I think every owner and breeder would like to win as it is the biggest test of a three-year-old colt,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager for the family.
“I think Passenger has a nice draw in the middle of the field in seven and I guess we will know more at (around) 1.35pm on Saturday. Sir Michael is happy with his horse.”
If Passenger is to prove successful in his quest for Derby glory, he will justify the decision to spend £85,000 to supplement the son of Ulysses following his luckless run in the Dante at York.
He would become just the third supplemented horse to prevail in the premier Classic following Kris Kin and Golden Horn, but it is somewhat fitting that the first of those was also trained by Stoute. And while only third on the Knavesmire, Passenger follows the Freemason Lodge handler’s well-trodden route to Epsom.
Cooper continued: “It was a good education for him at York, it was only his second run and he will have learnt a little more about racing. Hopefully that will stand him in good stead on Saturday.
“The trip is the unknown as he has never been that far before, but he’s given us every indication he can do. We will not know for certain until he tries.”
If Military Order can replicate brother Adayar and storm to Derby glory for Charlie Appleby it will be the first time in over a hundred years that full siblings have landed the three-year-old event.
Persimmon (1896) and Triple Crown winner Diamond Jubilee (2000) were the last to achieve that remarkable feat, but it would be no shock if history is repeated with the Frankel colt advertising his Epsom credentials to great effect when pulling away from the reopposing Waipiro to claim the Lingfield Derby Trial.
“We’ve done nothing extra with him since his win at Lingfield and he has just been going through his usual routine,” said Appleby.
“We have been pleased with his preparation and he has ticked every box. He is going into the race looking great.
“We know he will stay the trip and hopefully he should handle the track, but we all know in any of these races we need a bit of Lady Luck with us then we have half a chance.”
On following in Adayar’s footsteps he added: “He is always going to be going there with the tag as being a Derby winner’s full-brother so everyone is going to ask the questions of is he as good and where does he stand compared to him.
“At the end of the day one has been there and done it and one has to go and do it. All I can say is that we are very pleased with him.
“He looks as though he is physically potentially more there and mentally more there than Adayar at this stage of his career, but regardless of that Adayar went and won a Derby and this lad has got to go and do it now.”
Another with two Derby victories to his name is John Gosden, who now trains out of Clarehaven alongside son Thady.
It is eight years since he legged up Frankie Dettori to steer home Golden Horn and he will now provide the Italian with his final mount in the premier Classic when Chester Vase scorer Arrest looks to give both trainer and jockey Derby number three.
“He’s got the stamina, to do what he did at Chester in ground like that shows he’s got the stamina, no problem,” said Gosden.
“Stamina is a requirement in this race, the same for the Kentucky Derby going a mile and a quarter for the Americans, they see it as a marathon.
“Stamina-wise you never really know until you go the mile and a half, you really don’t. Everybody thinks this is a downhill track, but it’s uphill, it rises 150 feet before you start going downhill, then you have a last section which climbs before the finish and it can catch a lot out on stamina.”
Despite saddling both Khalifa Sat (2020) and Hoo Ya Mal (2022) to finish second, Andrew Balding is still searching for his first Derby and will look to break his duck with The Foxes who arrives on the back of winning the Dante.
“I thought he was really good in the Dante,” said Balding. “I thought he travelled like the best horse in the race and he finished off strong. He is not a horse that is going to win by large margins, but he is tough in the finish.
“The way he settled at York and the way he travelled and the way he finished his race gives us hope that he will stay a mile and a half.
“Epsom this year could be different to other years if we are led to believe what we read that there might be disruptions going on, but I think he is going to be less bothered about what is going on than other horses we have run in the race in the past.”
Some would class Ralph Beckett as unfortunate not to have a Derby to his name after Westover was an unlucky loser behind Desert Crown 12 months ago, but he will attempt to correct the record with the unbeaten Artistic Star, who runs in the colours of owner Jeff Smith.
“Artistic Star is a grand, straightforward horse,” said the Kimpton Downs handler.
“He was quite a late foal and he’s going to carry on developing through the year, but I sincerely hope and suspect that he’ll cope with the whole jamboree, as he’s a very hardy horse.
“Whether he’s good enough I don’t know, but Jeff likes his trainers to be on the front foot and he ran to a good figure at Sandown last time. He’s not a big horse and he’s well balanced, so he should go round Epsom all right. It looks quite open so I’m looking forward to it.”
Jessica Harrington has won Classics on home soil and a Cheltenham Gold Cup, but never a Derby and she hopes to change that with Sprewell – the impressive winner of Leopardstown’s Derby Trial.
The man in the saddle on that occasion was Shane Foley and he is confident son of Churchill can make his presence felt.
He said: “He was very impressive in Leopardstown and has been pleasing us at home. The dream is definitely alive.
“Anything he did as a two-year-old was going to be a bonus and we were lucky to get a couple of runs into him.
“He has really developed into a proper staying three-year-old and is a good horse.
“If there is anyone that can have them primed and ready for the day, it’s Jessie. The trip should be fine for him – I think he’ll get a mile and a half no problem. To get a horse like him is what all the early mornings are about.
“It looks one of the most open Derbys in a long time and it’s great to have one in the mix.”
Another jockey looking forward to the biggest ride of his career is Derby debutant Danny Muscutt who will continue his association with the staying-on Guineas fifth Dubai Mile having landed the first Group One of his career aboard Charlie Johnston’s colt at Saint-Cloud in October.
“We were happy with him going into the Guineas and he ran a stormer,” said Muscutt.
Some people say the Guineas is the best Derby trial of the lot and it probably fitted in slightly better than the Dante where he would have had a penalty.
“I was pleased with how he stuck on up the rising ground and he galloped out really good.
“The dip at Newmarket can catch some horses out, but he has handled it great both times so he ticks the boxes regarding being able to handle the undulations and downhill run to Tattenham Corner.”
Mahmudul Hasan Joy scored the only century by any batsman for the series and it could not have been more timely as Bangladesh ‘A’ resisted West Indies ‘A’ to earn a draw in the third and final unofficial Test at Syhlet International Stadium on Friday.
Chasing an unlikely victory target of 461 and resuming from their overnight score of 47-0, Bangladesh batted through the final day to close on 306-4.
Hasan Joy, who was on 28 overnight shared in an opening stand of 93 with Sakib Hasan. The partnership was broken when Hasan, 14 overnight, was dismissed by Kevin Sinclair for 43. Sinclair dismissed Monimul Haque for just five shortly thereafter but Hasan Joy continued to resist, sharing in a third-wicket partnership of 53 with Saif Hasan, who was eventually dismissed by Akeem Jordan for 38.
Yasir Ali joined Hasan Joy at the crease and together they made the West Indies ‘A’ bowlers toil for just over 29 overs during which they added 117 runs for the fourth-wicket and effectively ensured a draw. Sinclair picked up his third wicket of the innings when he dismissed Ali for 67.
Hasan Joy continued on to 114 not out as he and Shahadat Hossain, who was unbeaten on 20 at the end, took the score past 300 and take the hosts to safety.
Sinclair ended with figures of 3-94. Jordan took 1-37 in the stalemate.
Scores: West Indies 'A' 445 and 220-5 declared; Bangladesh 'A' 205 and 306-4. Match drawn.
Veteran players Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine are among six players retained by the four-time CPL champions, Trinbago Knight Riders ahead of the 2023 season scheduled to begin in August.
TKR have also confirmed the retention of Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein and Jayden Seales.
The Knight Riders have also secured the services of Dwayne Bravo who will be returning to the franchise from the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. They will also have Mark Deyal as part of their setup in 2023 with the batter joining the Knight Riders from the Saint Lucia Kings.
The decision to retain the aforementioned players is good news for Head Coach Phil Simmons.
“We are very happy to be able to retain most of the Caribbean players from last year’s TKR squad. The experience of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Nicholas Pooran coupled with Dwayne Bravo’s return gives our squad a very strong core,” the former West Indies head coach declared.
“In youngsters like Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, and Mark Deyal, we have some of the best young talent from Trinidad representing TKR.
“We’re looking forward to the remaining international signings, and I am excited by the player draft coming up soon to complete the roster and put together a strong squad for CPL 2023.”
The overseas players and draft picks will be announced during the Republic Bank CPL draft show which will be broadcast at the end of June.
The tournament gets underway on 16 August with the final taking place on 24 September. There will be matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.
Nobody knows how good the unbeaten Artistic Star could be, but connections are excited to find out when he takes his place in the Betfred Derby at Epsom.
Owned by long-time supporter of racing Jeff Smith, he created a taking impression at Nottingham in his sole appearance at two and confirmed the promise of that performance when upped to 10 furlongs for his three-year-old bow at Sandown.
He readily got the better of useful opposition on both occasions and although available at odds as big as 40-1, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt will head to the premier Classic attempting to go two places better than Kimpton Downs stablemate Westover who made the Derby podium last year.
“He is an exciting colt and has done nothing wrong so far,” said Smith’s racing manager, David Bowe.
“His Nottingham win was very good, he came on for that and he ran very well at Sandown.
“We’re very happy with him, Ralph is happy with him, he’s unbeaten and why not! He’s got the profile of a Derby horse and the pedigree. The trip won’t be a problem for him and he’s a nice light-framed horse, so we don’t see Epsom being an issue.
“Equally it’s unknown territory, but it’s not often you have a horse with a Derby profile, so why not? Jeff is in the game for racing horses and there is no point keeping them at home.”
Artistic Star is by the mighty Galileo, who as well as thriving around the undulations of the Surrey Downs when landing the Derby himself in 2001, has gone on to prove he is the king of Epsom in the stallion ranks by siring five Derby winners.
Artistic Star is Galileo’s sole progeny in the Derby line-up this time around and although it is still to be discovered if he can follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father, there is little doubt he is is bristling with untapped potential.
“This horse has got a very nice back pedigree and is a good-looking individual,” continued Bowe.
“He has done nothing wrong so far, he’s unbeaten, so we don’t know how good he is. Whether the Derby will be his defining moment we don’t know, but I’m sure we will have a very nice colt on our hands whatever happens come Saturday.”
Although Smith’s colours have been carried to success in many big races over the years by the likes of Chief Singer, Lochsong, Persian Punch and most recently Alcohol Free, so far a British Classic has eluded him.
Now Artistic Star will attempt to correct that record and will be Smith’s fourth runner in the Derby – 20 years on from Norse Dancer being the Littleton Stud owner’s first representative in the race when finishing fourth to Kris Kin.
“I think having a runner in the Derby in the first place is exciting in itself and we are going to find an awful lot out Saturday,” added Bowe.
“Whether Saturday is his day or not, nobody knows. We would love to see him run well and come home safe and whatever happens on Saturday, I think he’ll have a bright future.
“Again it’s such a fantastic race and for Jeff is to have a runner in it is what we do it for. Jeff is in the game as a purist and you can’t get more pure than the Derby.”
Phil Neville has been sacked as manager of MLS side Inter Miami.
The 46-year-old has paid the price for a poor run of form, with the 1-0 defeat to New York Red Bulls proving the final straw.
Neville, who was appointed in January 2021 after his resignation as England Women boss, leaves the club bottom of the Eastern Conference following four successive defeats.
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Co-owner David Beckham, who is Neville’s ex-Manchester United and England team-mate and friend, said it was the right time to make the change.
“When we appointed Phil we knew he would give Inter Miami his all and I have watched him work incredibly hard and with real commitment towards the ambitions we set out for the club,” he said on the club’s official website.
“He and his family embraced Miami and he has devoted himself to the drive to bring success to the city and to our fans. Phil has made a real contribution to the culture of our club with his qualities as a leader and knowledge as a coach.
“Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change. I want to personally thank Phil for his hard work, his passion for our club and for his integrity as a person.”
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Neville attracted attention recently after he swore at a reporter during a press conference, having been interrupted during an answer.
He said: “I would like to thank the Inter Miami CF ownership group for their trust and making me a part of this project; the players and staff for their impressive commitment, dedication and hard work; and the fans for their unwavering support for the club since day one.
“I’m grateful to have played a part in the growth of this club and wish Inter Miami CF all the best in the future.”
Expectations are high that Jamaica’s four-member male squash team will secure qualification to the Pan American (PanAm) Games in Chile later this year, when they engage the PanAm Qualifiers in Cartagena, Colombia.
The team of reigning national champion Julian Morrison, Tahjia Lumley, Bruce Burrowes and Dane Schwier, is set to depart the island on Friday, for what is expected to be a highly competitive qualification tournament.
However, Morrison said the small team was ready to put their best foot forward.
“You can expect that we will be giving a hundred percent. We have put in a lot of work for the last two months to really prep ourselves for this.
“Initially we thought it would be an elevated court but finding out that it is very flat, so we are not necessarily at a disadvantage due to the altitude. It is hot over there, but we are coming from Jamaica, especially in this summer, we will be able to weather that storm,” Morrison said.
Burrowes concurred.
“We are going up against very, very big countries like America, Peru, these really big juggernauts of the western hemisphere. But we really think that we can take them on because ‘we little but we tallawah," Burrowes declared.
First-timer Lumley also believes the team is mentally and physically prepared to give a good account of themselves.
“We have been doing a lot of doubles training together. We have also started training as a team on the physical side in the gym with our trainer, so we have been doing a lot of team bonding which is really good for us, something new but it’s also something that we hope to continue in the future,” said Lumley.
“A lot of work has been done on the mental side as well. Hopefully we can all put it together on each day that we go out there with our flag on our back and make sure that we make Jamaica proud,” he added.
Meanwhile, Karen Anderson, president of the Jamaica Squash Association, is hopeful that the team will do well.
"It is going to be a very tough competition. Its fourteen teams vying for six spots and the main competitors, or the strongest contenders are from Mexico, USA, Canada, Colombia and Argentina,” Anderson said.
“Colombia, however, has already qualified along with Chile. But it is going to be extremely hard, but we feel that we have a chance, and the reality is, if you don't go, you don't get a chance to actually compete to qualify, so we made the decision to send our team and we are looking forward to seeing how they manage,” she noted.
Coach Rene Denis will meet up with the team in Colombia.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Thursday announced the members of the coaching and support staff for the West Indies Men’s red ball and white ball teams.
Former West Indies captains Carl Hooper and Floyd Reifer have been named as Assistant Coaches in the white ball teams to work alongside new Head Coach Daren Sammy. James Franklin, the former New Zealand allrounder is the third Assistant Coach. They have joined the team ahead of the start of the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Speaking on the appointments, Sammy said, “Cricket is a team sport. Therefore, having the right set of people around you, who share your vision, is extremely important. This is a group of hard-working, passionate men, who have no egos. Our collective desire is to have a positive impact on the players and West Indies cricket.”
Hooper is one of the most successful allrounders in West Indies history – the only player to score over 5,000 runs and take over 100 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. He worked previously at various levels coaching in the Caribbean and Australia. Reifer also has experience across various levels from regional up to internationals.
The former allrounder from Guyana expressed his desire to see West Indies cricket move forward. Hooper stated, “When I was initially approached by Daren about the potential opportunity, I immediately confirmed my interest, as I really want to help with the challenge and make a meaningful impact. I firmly believe that it is time for West Indies Cricket to ascend, and I am confident in my ability, knowledge, and experience to aid in this endeavor.”
For the Test Team, former West Indies players Kenny Benjamin and Stuart Williams; as well as Rayon Griffith will be the Assistant Coaches, working alongside Head Coach, Andre Coley. Benjamin and Griffith were part of the coaching staff for the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa earlier this year, while Williams has previously worked as an Assistant Coach on various tours.
Coley, who took the team to Zimbabwe and South Africa earlier this year as head coach, is confident that some continuity will be beneficial to the players, stating “We are looking for as much continuity as possible in the preparation for our upcoming assignments. Kenny and Rayon will continue in their roles from the previous two tours, and Stuart Williams is currently with the ‘A’ team in Bangladesh. It is a hard-working group with some clear tasks outlined and we can effectively serve West Indies cricket as a unit for the upcoming series against India.”
The other members of the Team Management Unit who will work with the WI Men’s teams across all formats are: Rawl Lewis (Team Manager), Denis Byam (Physiotherapist), Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Avenash Seetaram (Analyst) and Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer).
The West Indies are presently in Sharjah for the series against UAE, which bowls off on Sunday 4 June at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The second match is on Tuesday 6 June and the third and final match is on Friday 9 June.
For the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, West Indies have been drawn in Group A, where they will face hosts Zimbabwe, United States, Netherlands, and Nepal in the preliminary round. The ten teams will be competing for the two remaining places at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, to be hosted in India later this year.
All new Assistant Coaches have been appointed on a short-term basis and will be reviewed after the India Series in August 2023.
WI Men White Ball Team Management Unit
Daren Sammy (Head Coach)
Carl Hooper (Assistant Coach)
Floyd Reifer (Assistant Coach)
James Franklin (Assistant Coach)
Rawl Lewis (Team Manager)
Denis Byam (Physiotherapist)
Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach)
Avenash Seetaram (Analyst)
Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer)
WI Men Test Team Management Unit
Andre Coley (Head Coach)
Kenny Benjamin (Assistant Coach)
Rayon Griffith (Assistant Coach)
Stuart Williams (Assistant Coach)
Rawl Lewis (Team Manager)
Denis Byam (Physiotherapist)
Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach)
Avenash Seetaram (Analyst)
Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer)
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) named a strong 50-man provisional squad for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup scheduled for June 24-July 16 in Canada and the United States.
The big names in the squad are regulars Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio as well as newcomer Demarai Gray.
Amari’i Bell, who helped Luton Town advance to the Premier League over the weekend, is also among the names in contention for the final 23-man squad.
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Amal Knight (Lexington SC), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Coniah Boyce-Clarke (Reading), Corey Addai (Crawley Town), Jahmali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC)
Defenders: Adrian Mariappa (Salford City), Alvas Powell (FC Cincinnati), Amari’i Bell (Luton Town), Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union), Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves), Dishon Bernard (Portsmouth FC), Ethan Pinnock (Brentford FC), Fitzroy Cummings (Vere United), Gregory Leigh (Ipswich Town), Ian Fray (Inter Miami), Javain Brown (Vancouver Whitecaps), Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea City), Kemar Lawrence (Minnesota United), Luke Badley-Morgan (Stoke City), Oshane Stape (Harbour View), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden), Richard King (IBV), Wesley Harding (Rotherham United)
Midfielders: Bobby Reid (Fulham), Daniel Johnson (Preston North End), Delano Splatt (Fulham), Demario Phillips (Mount Pleasant), Devon Williams (Colorado Switchback), Jonathan Russell (Barnsley), Kevon Lambert (Phoenix Rising), Lamar Walker (Portmore United), Michael Hector (Charlton Athletic), Omari Hutchinson (Chelsea), Ravel Morrison (DC United)
Attackers: Atapharoy Bygrave (Mount Pleasant), Collin Anderson (Cavalier SC), Cory Burke (NY Red Bulls), Daniel Green (Ho Chi Minh City), Demarai Gray (Everton), Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy), Jamal Lowe (Queens Park Rangers), Junior Flemmings (Toulouse), Kaheem Parris (Dynamo Kyiv), Kemar Roofe (Rangers), Leon Bailey (Aston Villa), Michail Antonio (West Ham United), Renaldo Cephas (KF Schkupi), Shamar Nicholson (Spartak Moscow), Trivante Stewart (Mount Pleasant)
Jamaican discus thrower Abigail Martin will get to display her skills on the NCAA circuit next season after committing to Texas A&M University, the school announced on Thursday.
“A good one for the throws squad,” the school posted on Instagram.
Martin, currently at St. Jago, has a personal best in the event of 55.87m done at the JAAA Budapest Quest meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 27.
The 19-year-old took discuss silver in the Class 1 Girls event at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March before, a week later, winning Under-20 gold at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas.
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