Reggae Girlz midfielder Kiki Van Zanten will get to showcase her talent in this season’s NWSL after being selected by the Houston Dash 21st overall at the NWSL College Draft on Saturday.
Houston traded $120,000 in allocation money to Utah Royals FC in exchange for the No. 21 overall pick and selected Van Zanten.
The midfielder scored 27 goals and tallied nine assists in 95 appearances for the Fighting Irish.
She helped Notre Dame reach the NCAA tournament four times and reached the semifinals of the ACC Women’s Soccer Tournament in 2022.
Internationally, Van Zanten made her debut for the Reggae Girlz against Bermuda in a CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifier in February 2022.
Van Zanten was also a member of Jamaica’s history-making squad at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In total, she has one goal in nine appearances for Jamaica.
Last year’s Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers has been retired from racing.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, he improved from winning a handicap at York in October 2022 to be beaten only by the Japanese winner Ushba Tesoro just six months later in one of the richest races in the world.
The Shamardal gelding excelled on dirt, winning two rounds of the Maktoum Challenge before his World Cup effort.
Just touched off in a Grade Three at Woodbine on his only outing since, he had been thought to be all set for another Dubai Carnival.
But in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Simon Crisford said: “Unfortunately, Algiers is not showing the same sparkle in his work and we have decided to retire him.
“He was a very consistent horse who loved Meydan. He showed his brilliance in Rounds 1 and 2 of the Maktoum Challenge before running a close second in the Dubai World Cup.
“He will now enjoy a happy retirement and I would like to thank his owners Sultan Ali and Hamdan bin Sultan Ali Alsabousi for their support.”
Junior Sinclair won the Lasco Food Drink Emerging Player award at the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, but he made his T20 debut in 2022. He had to wait for his second game for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, against the Barbados Royals. to claim his first wicket. A muted celebration followed his claiming of the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall. It was when he dismissed Kyle Mayers that we saw Sinclair celebrate with a remarkably athletic flip.
“That started back home,” Sinclair says. “Growing up in the countryside, in Berbice, we were always playing cricket in the streets, backyard cricket. It was a very competitive home with my brothers and family. When there was no school and you had free time, it was cricket. And so, we would go on the ball field to play cricket and when you finish you get tired, there is a lake nearby we would go and swim and you practice those flips there. And I thought why not try it in the CPL.”
A tall off-spinner, Sinclair is 22 and has performed well enough to make it into the West Indies Emerging team that took on Ireland in 50 over games recently, and he relished the chance to represent the region.
“I always wanted to put on that maroon. It was good, definitely a learning experience for me. I learned a lot, the coaching was very helpful. I was trying to get as much as I can while I was over there working with the coaches on all aspects of my game.”
Sinclair was just 12 years old when the first CPL match took place, and he has always wanted to be part of the Amazon Warriors setup, so getting to represent his home franchise is a dream come true.
“Growing up I was wanting to be a part of the Warriors team. I always want to be here, my style of game, and also the format. It is great that I could actually be a part of such a franchise and the CPL setup. The CPL gave me a call for the West Indies Emerging team earlier this month, so it has played a significant part.”
Having been a Warriors fan for so many years, Sinclair describes being part of the team that won the title in 2023 as “surreal.”
“Prior to me getting into this squad I was always looking forward to that championship moment for the Warriors. From the inception in 2013, Guyana was regarded as one of the most consistent franchises but never place hands on that trophy. To actually be a part of that team that won it for the first time, that was a dream come true. When I get home after the tournament, reflecting back on it, it was like “wow”, it's such a beautiful thing to actually be a part of that team.
“It is a very, very, friendly environment. Everybody is so loving and camaraderie between everybody. So, you know, it's very good. I enjoy every moment, every second of it.”
Sinclair is full of praise for everyone involved in the triumphant Warriors team, but he picks out the captain, Imran Tahir, as someone who has played a big part in this year’s success and in terms of helping him with his career.
“Imran Tahir is someone you can approach. We had a lot of talks and he asked me questions and he tried to pick my brain and see where I'm at and stuff like that. He has a very outgoing personality which I love. You could go up to him, he is like a father figure. He makes it so easy to chat to him. He's willing to share his knowledge and makes you feel welcome.”
Sinclair has been part of the Amazon Warriors squad as a Lasco Emerging Player and won the award for the best youngster at the 2023 tournament. He says the Emerging Player programme at the CPL is important to young cricketers like him. This ensures that there is a minimum of 30 appearances across the tournament for the 12 Emerging Players.
“It's very good, it gives us as youngsters a good platform to rub shoulders with senior guys in the region and international guys. You could pick their brain and try to implement stuff from their game into your game. As a youngster it is all about development and I saw that as a big step, a big part of my development, so I think it's very good inclusion. In my view it as a great opportunity. I saw it as an opportunity for me to showcase my talent.”
Maughreen – a mare out of a half-sister to the brilliant 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen – made a most impressive racecourse debut at Punchestown.
Trained like Faugheen by Willie Mullins, the five-year-old was sent off the 1-2 favourite in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race and the result was never in any doubt.
Kept wide throughout by Patrick Mullins, it was not until the field straightened up for home that Maughreen gave an inkling of what she could do.
The moment she was asked she immediately picked up and without any real effort from the saddle, she had shot 11 lengths clear of Harrys Annie.
Maughreen was swiftly cut in the Champion Bumper market by Paddy Power to 10-1 from 20s.
Patrick Mullins said: “She was very impressive. She was very professional, settled great and quickened up lovely. She handled the ground well.
“Her work was good, but that is probably even better than what she was doing at home. With that pedigree the owners are entitled to get more than a bit excited.
“We’ll go for black-type bumpers and everything is on the table. The DRF (Dublin Racing Festival) might come a bit soon and there is Fairyhouse, Punchestown and Aintree. I think she is entitled to take her chance.”
Maughreen completed a double on the day for the champion trainer, who also took the opening Bet Victor Proud To Support Irish Racing Maiden Hurdle with Highwind.
The juvenile effectively had to win the race twice, as with the race seemingly in the bag he made a hash of the final flight.
It was to his credit that when Sean O’Keeffe asked him again he still had plenty left and the 6-4 favourite beat Pigeon House by two and three-quarter lengths.
The winner was cut to 16-1 from 25s for the Triumph Hurdle by Betfair.
“It wasn’t without a scare, but he has a nice engine and a bit of class. He did it nicely at the finish,” said O’Keeffe.
“He knuckled at the back of the second-last and the same at the last. He went and won his race before doing that at the last but once they came to him, he picked up well again.
“He’s a laid-back horse and stays well. He’s a horse with a nice future and there will be plenty of improvement in him.”
Owner Andy Edwards feels the intermediate distance of Sunday’s Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield is perfect for the returning L’Homme Presse.
Venetia Williams’ 2022 Brown Advisory winner has not been seen since parting company with Charlie Deutsch at the final fence in that year’s King George VI Chase when booked for second.
Injury has kept him off the course for over a year, but he is one of nine entries in the £165,000 contest over two miles and six furlongs on the final day of the track’s Winter Million weekend.
Edwards, who owns L’Homme Presse in partnership with Peter Pink, said: “I think they are very confident of Sunday being on.
“He’s obviously been off a long time and it’s not as if we picked this race out months ago, we were trying to get him out before Christmas but without panic because we never thought Kempton (King George) was going to be the best place for him. So then we felt we may as well wait for this race.
“He has been given lots and lots of time and 99 per cent of them come back fine, but we’ll just have to wait and see. It’s exciting to be back after 13 months of concerns and waiting. There’s been lots of effort put in to get him back.
“I think this is the perfect comeback trip and it looks the perfect preparation race for any three-miler, I think, that intermediate distance.
“You’ve got to remember after he won the Scilly Isles a few years ago it looked as if he was going for the Turners and not the Brown Advisory, but it was me that pushed towards the three-mile race.”
Dan Skelton’s Protektorat, December Gold Cup winner Fugitif and Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit look like providing the main opposition, along with Gavin Cromwell’s Limerick Lace.
Cromwell has plenty of entries over the Winter Million weekend and Limerick Lace has finished second in the Troytown and won a Doncaster Listed race easily in her last two outings.
Cromwell’s Only By Night could clash with Nicky Henderson’s Pawapuri and the improving Manimole in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, while Master Chewy, First Flow and Triple Trade are among 14 in the Godstone Handicap Chase.
Saturday’s all-weather Flat card at Lingfield features the £100,000 BetMGM Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap.
George Boughey’s progressive Storymaker, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Twirling and stablemate Oh So Grand are among 10 possibles.
Colonel Harry has options at Sandown and Warwick for his next outing, with Jamie Snowden weighing up the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and the Kingmaker.
While he clearly handled the step up to two and a half miles in winning the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby on Saturday, Snowden would not be put off dropping back down in trip if the ground is soft.
He will have entries for the Arkle and the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, and how he fares in his next run will go a long way to deciding which race he goes for at the big meeting in March.
While he was no doubt helped by Kim Bailey’s Trelawne hanging badly right-handed at Wetherby, it was nevertheless a pretty smooth performance and backed up his second to Le Patron in the Henry VIII at Sandown.
“I thought the step up in trip really seemed to suit him and he did it nicely,” said Snowden.
“The Scilly Isles would definitely have to come into consideration now.
“He’s not short of speed by any means, it depends on the ground at the time because there is still the Kingmaker as an option at Warwick the following week.
“I think we’ll be looking at those two races. He does love it soft and depending on the ground I would not be averse to dropping him back to two miles at Warwick, but the Scilly Isles does look the obvious race.
“The Cheltenham entries close tomorrow (Tuesday) and I’ll put him in both the Arkle and the Turners and we’ll just have to see how he gets on in his next race, whether it be Warwick or Sandown, and that will determine where he goes for the rest of the season.”
The same GD Partnership silks were carried to victory in the Coral Gold Cup in November by Datsalrightgino, and Snowden has now decided where his next outing will be.
“He’s on target for the Cotswold at Cheltenham at the end of this month,” said Snowden.
“He wouldn’t want the ground too deep so we’ll just have to bear that in mind when it comes to that race.
“If it came up soft or heavy at Cheltenham then we might reroute for the Denman at Newbury, but as things stand he’s on target for the Cotswold all being well.”
Snowden’s Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well has a couple of options this weekend and is in at Lingfield on Friday and Ascot Saturday. But with question marks over both meetings, no plans have been made.
“The ideal race for her was the one at Sandown a couple of weeks back, but they didn’t reschedule it so we’ll have to go for something which is perhaps less ideal now. We’ll just see what happens with the frost before we make a plan, she’s got the options anyway,” said Snowden.
Charlie Longsdon’s promising hurdler Rare Edition has a step up in trip booked after a comfortable Kempton success.
The seven-year-old had some respectable point-to-point form and won on his sole bumper start before embarking on a novice hurdling career last season.
He won his first three starts – with no rival able to get within seven lengths of him – after which he finished second in the Listed Sidney Banks before seeming to lose his way when pulled up in the Supreme and well beaten in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
This year he returned to action at Doncaster to make his handicap debut in a competitive race, finishing third by only three-quarters of a length when the final three hurdles were omitted due to the low sun.
At Kempton on Saturday he lined up again for handicap duty under top-weight and made light work of it when prevailing under Harry Cobden as the 11-8 favourite.
The performance has confirmed suspicions the gelding will be well suited by an extended trip, a step he is now set to take after his victory replaced a prior plan to head to Lingfield for the Winter Million fixture.
“Initially our plan was to go to Lingfield on Friday, but with the forecast we thought we’d take our chances and go to Kempton,” said Longsdon.
“He’s won round there before, he was giving a lot of weight and he won comfortably enough.
“What we definitely learned is that he needs to step up in trip. We will see what the handicapper does but he won’t be running over two miles again.
“All he was doing that day at Doncaster was staying on and that’s all he did at Kempton as well.”
Both Longsdon and Cobden are agreed the bay is a chaser in the making but before that stage of his career, he is likely to finish off the season in good quality two-and-a-half-mile hurdles.
“Harry Cobden rode him and gave us some interesting feedback, it was very much that when he’s a year older and with a step up in trip he will end up being a three-mile chaser, but it’ll be two and a half (miles) over hurdles for the rest of the season,” the trainer said.
“There’s a race at Ascot on the Reynoldstown day, a race at Kempton on the old Racing Post Chase (Coral Trophy Handicap Chase) day – there’s a two-and-a-half-mile hurdle on both of those tracks.
“I’d love to look at a Coral Cup or Martin Pipe but it strikes me that Aintree might suit him better, we’ll see.
“It’s just nice to see him back to his form after his form tailed off last season.”
Constitution Hill will not line up at Cheltenham’s Trials day at the end of the month after returning an unsatisfactory scope.
The reigning champion hurdler made a successful reappearance in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, when he extended his unbeaten run to eight with the minimum of fuss.
Trainer Nicky Henderson had raised the prospect of a second outing before his Cheltenham Festival date in March, with the Unibet International Hurdle – rescheduled from the December meeting to Trials day on January 27 – an option.
However, a minor issue has put paid to that possibility, with the Seven Barrows trainer now plotting a direct course to his Champion Hurdle defence on March 12, for which he is the long odds-on favourite.
In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “We have reluctantly decided that Constitution Hill won’t be able to run in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham at the end of next week.
“A routine scope last week wasn’t entirely satisfactory and a follow up this morning shows the issue hasn’t resolved and therefore there would not be time to get him ready for next week.
“In the meantime he will continue with light exercise, be rescoped in a fortnight’s time and then start his preparation for March.
“Both Michael (Buckley, owner) and I and all the team had very much hoped for a better result this morning so that we could run on Saturday week but in the horse’s and indeed everyone’s interests, it would be foolish to do so and this does not affect any future plans.”
Paul Nicholls has high hopes for his two recent winning juveniles Kalif Du Berlais and Kabral Du Mathan.
Both had won previously in France which meant the pair had to carry penalties on their British debuts, but they proved a cut above their respective opposition.
Kabral Du Mathan won the Chatteris Fen at Huntingdon on Friday, while Kalif Du Berlais lived up to his lofty reputation at Kempton on Saturday.
“They both won well and both were carrying penalties in two different types of races,” Nicholls told his Betfair Ditcheat Diary.
“They are two totally different horses. Kabral Du Mathan is more a hurdling type at the moment, he was impressive at Huntingdon and he will probably go to Musselburgh or more than likely the Victor Ludorum at Haydock, which is a race we’ve had good success in. I dare say he will have an entry in the Boodles.
“Kalif, nothing is set in stone yet. I will give him an entry in the Triumph because you want to be in, but I’d say he’s possibly unlikely to run in that.
“I’d say he’s not that type, he’s a chaser, but he’s a good horse and he may well go for the Adonis at Kempton and I assume that will be his next run.
“They are two nice horses, as is Tutti Quanti who was second at Taunton, so we do have some nice juveniles coming along, but headed up by those two.”
The big two of El Fabiolo and Jonbon have scared off potential opposition in Saturday’s BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot, with only two others entered for the Grade One showpiece.
Currently the best two-miler chasers in training, El Fabiolo and Jonbon finished first and second in the Arkle last March, with Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo coming out on top.
When the pair met over hurdles at Aintree two seasons ago it was Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon that narrowly prevailed, and ever since it was first mooted the pair could meet again this weekend the third clash has been eagerly anticipated.
Given Jonbon has a rating of 170 and El Fabiolo 172, it perhaps should come as no surprise not many are keen to take the top-class pair on.
Joe Tizzard has entered the admirable Elixir De Nutz. Terry Warner’s 10-year-old is a dual winner already this year and finished third to Editeur Du Gite in the Desert Orchid over Christmas, but with a rating of 156 it shows the task he faces.
The only other entry is Dan Skelton’s 141-rated Unexpected Party, who is also engaged in the bet365 Handicap Chase.
The BetMGM Mares’ Hurdle has seen Henderson enter Marie’s Rock, Tweed Skirt and Theatre Glory.
Other notables include You Wear It Well for Jamie Snowden and West Balboa for Skelton.
Whether the meeting goes ahead due to the current cold snap, is still up in the air, however.
The track has been completely covered with fleece before the first of a forecast prolonged spell of freezing weather.
Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said on Monday morning: “It’s difficult to say what the prospects are at the moment.
“We are currently raceable, we covered the track on Friday and we are frost-free under the covers. We got down to minus 1.75C overnight.
“The forecast does indicate it is going to be quite cold through this week, with temperatures down to minus three or minus four on some occasions, but there are conflicting forecasts for Saturday.
“Some are suggesting it will still be sub-zero into Saturday morning while others are saying it will be a bit milder than that. It’s difficult to call at this stage, we just need to see how it develops as the week goes on.”
Michael O’Sullivan is eagerly awaiting Marine Nationale’s next appearance in the Goffs Irish Arkle at Leopardstown on February 3.
Barry Connell’s seven-year-old is unbeaten in six races under rules and made a perfect start over the bigger obstacles when winning at the Foxrock track over Christmas.
Having won last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, he is already a red-hot favourite to add this year’s Arkle back at the showpiece meeting in March.
“It was brilliant (at Leopardstown) – I suppose relief more than anything. (There was) a lot of pressure on his first run over fences, but for it to have gone so well was fantastic,” O’Sullivan told Leopardstown.
“He’s such an intelligent horse, you can see him looking at all his fences but I suppose until they go and do it on the track, there is still that doubt. He was very, very good.
“He really enjoyed it and he has come out of the race well.
“It was nice to show people that he is a versatile horse, a straightforward horse. For him to bowl along out in front, it was a lovely performance and, hopefully, he can build on that.
“I suppose last year as Barry said, we were under the radar a small bit but this year all eyes are on us. You could definitely feel that in Leopardstown. A Supreme winner on his first run over fences, there was a lot of attention.
“Obviously, we were all nervous, but we were happy with his work. He took a lot more work this year and I’d say he will come on from it a lot.
“We are looking forward to Leopardstown again the next day.”
Monday’s meetings at both Hereford and Punchestown will go ahead as planned after the tracks passed morning inspections.
Officials at Hereford declared the venue fit for action following an 8am precautionary check, with the ground reported to be good, good to soft in places for a seven-race card.
Punchestown’s 7.30am inspection also had a favourable outcome, with a seven-race fixture on soft going.
Brendan Sheridan, IHRB clerk of the course at Punchestown said: “The track is fit for racing and the fixture today will go ahead.
“There is currently a grass frost here at present but Met Éireann have said this morning that temperatures will rise to three degrees during the day with some sunny spells.
“The ground remains soft and we will once again be using the inside hurdle straight for the first circuit and finishing on the main straight for all races.”
Reigning National high jump champion Romaine Beckford was victorious in his first meet as an Arkansas Razorback.
The former South Plains College and University of South Florida standout was locked in a tense battle with teammate Kason O’Riley before eventually winning the event with a 2.19m clearance on a short, four-step approach.
Beckford trailed teammate Kason O’Riley when both cleared 2.16m, as O’Riley navigated the previous height of 2.11m on a first attempt while Beckford needed three tries before clearing.
A third attempt clearance at 2.19m earned Beckford the victory as three missed attempts at 2.22m followed.
Beckford then saluted the encouraging crowd of 1,418 with his signature backflip on the high jump mat.
Following the 1-2 Arkansas finish in the high jump, Razorback Tomas Ferrari placed fifth with a 6-7 (2.01) clearance.
Beckford won last year’s NCAA Outdoor title with a 2.27m clearance while competing for USF.
He then won the National title with 2.23m and the NACAC U-23 title with 2.21m.
The 21-year-old also competed at the World Championships in Budapest, finishing 11th in his qualifying group with a best clearance of 2.22m.
Haydock and Lingfield are mobilising in an effort to protect their weekend meetings as Britain braces for the upcoming cold snap.
Lingfield is set to host its annual three-day Winter Million meeting from Friday to Sunday, so-called because of the £1million in prize-money offered across the mixed Flat and jumps cards.
The fixture has coincided with challenging weather conditions before and will do so again, with minus temperatures expected throughout the week – as low as minus 5C.
The Flat card, scheduled for the Saturday, is held on the all-weather but is sandwiched on either side by two National Hunt days that include the Grade Two Lightning Novices Chase and the valuable Fleur De Lys Chase.
In light of the forecast the whole turf track has been covered, requiring 42 hands on deck and taking nearly 10 hours to give the course the best chance of repelling the impending freeze.
“We’re currently good to soft on the turf track, we put the fleece covers down yesterday,” said clerk of the course Stephanie Wethered on Sunday.
“We’ve got minus temperatures forecast so that’s why we got the covers down, to give us the best chance possible of getting the meeting on.
“We’ve tried to do everything possible ahead of the frost coming in and we’re hopeful we’ve given ourselves a fighting chance.”
Haydock has a seven-race fixture scheduled for Saturday, with the Grade Two Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle the feature.
The forecast in Merseyside is subject to a yellow weather warning, with snow expected to fall in the early part of the week and freezing temperatures set to last until Thursday.
Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright, clerk of the course at Haydock, said: “We’d be in a good place to race today but we’ve got a week of frost, the lowest temperatures are minus 4C and minus 5C, and I think under those circumstances we will be right to the wall.
“We’ve covered, for what it’s worth, all the back straight and the take-offs and landings, but I’d be doubtful of that being enough.
“I would say I’m not optimistic, but we’ll take it as we come. There’s no need to be taking any decisions now, we’ll give it every chance and see how we get on.”
The weekend’s other major meeting is at Ascot, where frost covers and fleece were deployed on Friday. The headline event at the Berkshire track is the Clarence House Chase, in which the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo and Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon are due to clash.
Monday’s meeting at Hereford and Tuesday’s fixture at Plumpton are both subject to morning inspections as racecourses across Britain brace themselves for freezing temperatures this week.
An 8am precautionary inspection has been called ahead of Hereford’s Monday jumps card, but clerk of the course John Holliday is “optimistic” racing will go ahead.
Tuesday’s meeting at Plumpton is subject to an 8.30am inspection on raceday morning.
The course has been frost free since Friday, but the mercury is forecast to dip below freezing on Monday morning and temperatures could get as low as minus 3C on Monday night.
In Ireland, Punchestown will inspect at 7.30am on Monday morning as minus temperatures are expected to strike across the Irish Sea too.
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