As the calls for support for Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz continue to grow, noted sports consultant Carole Beckford, has added her voice to the effort and even went as far as to suggest ways in which seats can be filled for the upcoming local leg of the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying playoff against Canada.
Beckford, like Head coach Lorne Donaldson and Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President, Christopher Samuda, believes the Reggae Girlz are deserving of every bit of backing, and, as such, are urging Jamaicans to show out at the National Stadium on September 22.
This, as the second leg scheduled for September 26 at the close to 40,000-capacity BMO Field in Toronto, has already been sold out.
In fact, Beckford went further to recommend that schools such as Excelsior, Holy Childhood, Meadowbrook, Alpha, Holy Trinity, Camperdown and Dunoon, dismiss classes at 1:00 pm, to allow the girls time to get home and back to the game.
She said businesses that employ individuals with girls at those schools, could also release them early to possibly accompany their children and Corporate Offices with women as CEOs could buy tickets for their employees.
Additionally, she suggested that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JFC) could make adjustments for vehicular movements until match time, to allow one-way traffic up from Arthur Wint Drive.
According to Beckford, the show of support would be somewhat of a celebration for the 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz for their exploits at the Fifa Women’s World Cup where they held France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and secured their first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama.
In the process, they became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockouts of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
“This match could be a homecoming for the ladies, who were in the final 16 at the recently concluded World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. The Girlz deserve our support, let us all wear Jamaican colours next Friday. We will be up against the Reds,” Beckford urged.
Should the Girlz secure a victory and a draw against Canada, it would see them being the first Caribbean nation to qualify for women's football at the Olympic Games. It would also secure the Jamaicans the second automatic spot for the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, alongside United States.
The loser will drop into a women’s Gold Cup qualifying Group A, which includes Panama and Guatemala. They would play home and away games against these two teams starting October 25, with an away game in Panama.
Having had a successful run at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia, senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Lorne Donaldson says it comes as no surprise that a number of players recently landed contracts in top leagues, and hopes the experience gained so far will serve them well in their upcoming fixtures.
Donaldson, who maintained the majority of his World Cup squad for the two-leg Olympic Qualifying playoff fixtures against Canada on September 22 on home soil and September 26 in Toronto, pointed out that the aim is always to get players into contracts that not only benefit them, but also the women’s programme.
Subsequent to their history-making run to the Round of 16 at the global showpiece, standout defender Allyson Swaby, Trudi Carter, Tiernny Wiltshire, Konya Plummer and Deneisha Blackwood, all inked new deals.
Swaby, 26, signed with Italian club AC Milan until 2026, for what will be her second stint in the women’s Serie A, having previously represented AS Roma. Right-back Wiltshire signed with French Division one team Stade De Reims.
Carter, who also had a stint with AS Roma which was derailed by injury, joined Mexican club Atletico San Luis, while Blackwood and Plummer are also plying their trade in Mexico with Pumas Unam and Tigres Uanl, respectively.
“It’s a part of our objective to ensure that our players are playing in some of the best leagues around the world and it is important that the upcoming players see that Jamaicans can get contracts in top leagues, so we love to see that,” Donaldson told Sportsmax.tv.
“One of our main aims from we joined the programme is to get these Girlz in different parts of the world so they can make a living playing football and also help the programme and we have achieved that to an extent, so the coaching staff is very happy,” he added.
For the upcoming games, Donaldson have left out World Cup debutants Peyton McNamara and Kalyssa Van Zanten due to school obligations, while the experienced Havana Solaun is said to be unavailable.
As a result, Olufolasade Adamolekun, who has been in good knick in recent times and the versatile Sashana “Pete” Campbell, who was a World Cup alternate, comes in.
The 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz, who held France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and secured their first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockouts of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
Now they are on the hunt to rewrite the history books, as a victory and a draw against Canada would see the Jamaicans being the first Caribbean nation to qualify for women's football at the Olympic Games. It would also secure them the second automatic spot for the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, alongside United States.
The loser will drop into a women’s Gold Cup qualifying Group A, which includes Panama and Guatemala. They would play home and away games against these two teams starting October 25, with an away game in Panama.
“I’m sure the players are going to come in confident that they have a chance to get a result, so it is for us now to just come in and see what everybody looks like fitness wise and then we go from there. We expect the players to come in with some enthusiasm, it’s not the World Cup, so it’s a different approach to ensure we give it our best to get a result,” Donaldson shared.
“Once I get the best out of the Girlz then I would be happy and proud and if qualification comes with it then even better, but I am not too concerned about the historic aspect of it. We just want to keep moving forward towards building a strong and sustainable women’s football programme. It makes no sense we talk about history if the necessary support isn’t behind it,” the tactician noted.
That said, Donaldson expressed optimism that the Girlz will get a good turnout to start what should be two tough assignments against the reigning Olympic Champions who are out to prove a point after their early World Cup exit.
“They (Canada) are the defending champion so we expect them to be competitive as they will want to defend their crown. They didn’t perform so well at the World Cup, so this will be there shot at redemption, and they will have a point to prove. As you can see the game in Canada is already sold out, so everybody is behind them and they have a lot of support,” Donaldson assessed.
“People in Jamaica aren’t necessarily behind football, but they like to talk football. At the World Cup we got the support from the Australian crowd but in Jamaica you can’t even get a percentage of that.
“I’m sure the players are hopeful that the fans show up because when they get to Canada it’s going to be a full stadium of over 40,000, so hopefully we can get some people in the stands and get some support that the Girlz deserve,” he ended.
Donaldson and his team will assemble in Jamaica on September 19.
Tickets for all the games came be purchased at www.caribtix.com or www.jff.football.
Squad: Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Liya Brooks, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire, Tiffany Cameron, Vyan Sampson, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Solai Washington, Kameron Simmonds, Trudi Carter, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Cheyna Matthews, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Kayla McKenna, Sashana Campbell
Military could be set for bigger and better things having made a winning debut at Naas on Thursday.
Aidan O’Brien’s son of Siyouni cost 375,000 guineas as a yearling and although making a belated racecourse bow, holds plenty of entries for high-class events later this autumn.
Sent off 2-7 favourite for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C & G) Maiden, Military went some way to booking his ticket for those contests with an impressive display in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Having travelled through the race like a classy operator, he overcame greenness a furlong from home, before kicking the best part of three lengths clear of his nearest pursuer in the closing stages.
O’Brien is now considering an immediate step up in class for the colt’s next outing, with Newmarket’s Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (September 30) and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Arc day (October 1) both on the radar.
He said: “He was working like a lovely colt. We knew that was probably plenty short for him but it was to get him out and get him started. He will come forward lovely from that.
“You’d be very happy with him. He could maybe go to the Middle Park or the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
“We knew he was a six or seven-furlong type horse and he will be probably be a miler next year. We just needed to get him started.
“Dylan said he was very green but he would have learned a lot there today.”
However, there was disappointment for the Ballydoyle stable later on the card when the highly-touted Gallantly could finish only seventh as the 8-11 favourite in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The seven-furlong contest was won by Jessica Harrington’s Bluedrum (6-1), who ran out a cosy two-and-a-half-length victor.
As members of Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men's team head back to their respective clubs, they do so with the words of captain Aubrey David etched in their minds as they eye a quarter-final berth in the Concacaf Nations League.
David, who was named captain after the sudden retirement of Kevin Molino earlier this month, reminded the Soca Warriors that while they continue to revel in what was a massive achievement taking three points off El Salvador, the job to bring their Copa America vision to fruition is far from finish.
Trinidad and Tobago ended the recent window atop Group A in League A on maximum six points, following a 1-0 win over Curacao and an impressive come-from-behind 3-2 win over El Salvador in hostile territory. Panama (four points), Guatemala (four points) and Martinique (three points) are next, while Curacao and El Salvador are pointless in the six-team group.
Two more positive results against Guatemala and Curacao in October, would secure the twin island republic a top two finish, as well as a spot in the quarterfinals, from where they could secure qualification for next year’s Copa America tournament in the United States.
“All the noise that is going on outside we blocked it out and we believed in each other here. Maybe only us and our families believed in us and we made them proud and we made ourselves proud. It’s a big, big accomplishment and it has been a longtime coming,” David said after the win in Central America.
“Feel good about yourselves yes because it’s a big achievement, but when we go back to our clubs, let us take care of ourselves because we still have more to go,” he added.
David, 32, who plays professionally in Costa Rica and has over 70 international caps, pointed to the significance of not only building on the momentum from this window, but also guarding against complacency, especially with Panama and Guatemala both within striking distance.
"So, whether you are going to an international club or locally, let us take care of ourselves because we still have a good way to go. It is just a small hurdle we crossed (with the win against El Salvador) so feel good about it, but when you go back to your club, keep putting in the work because we have a job to finish,” he said in a heartfelt post-match team talk.
“It is only up from here and what it does is give us that confidence and belief that we belong. Again, I know some of you were getting your foot wet at this level, but you have a good base and experience to build on and when you come here and get this kind of victory, you don’t just go back and stay on the same level, you try to raise your game,” he reasoned.
Auguste Rodin is likely to head straight for the Breeders’ Cup after his impressive return to form in the Irish Champion Stakes.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt put a disappointing King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes run behind him when sent off the 11-4 favourite at Leopardstown under Ryan Moore last Saturday.
The English and Irish Derby winner showed his ability in a quality field to come home half a length ahead of stablemate Luxembourg.
The Breeders’ Cup now beckons at Santa Anita in early November, with the Deep Impact colt likely to set sail for America without another run.
“He’s very good. I was speaking to the boss on the way up and it’s very possible he’ll go straight to America,” O’Brien said.
“He came out of it great and I couldn’t have been happier with him.
“He loves pace and follows pace very easy. When he gets there he doesn’t do much, but that’s the way he’s always been.
“All he wants is a good pace on in front of him and in America you usually get that on fast ground.”
O’Brien was also pleased to see Kyprios return to action on Sunday at the Curragh, where the chestnut returned from nearly a year off the track to finish second in the Irish St Leger.
It was a heartening effort after such a long absence and Champions Day at Ascot in late October is now under consideration for the top-class stayer.
“He came out of the race very good and I’m very happy with him, I’m delighted with him really,” added O’Brien.
“He came out of it brilliant and he’s nearly moving better now than he was before the race, even though we were very happy with his action. He’s definitely gone the right way.
“You’d probably think about Ascot now because you’d give him time to go back, Arc weekend may be too quick.
“At least he could be there now for next year, which is great.”
Former sprinter Daniel Bailey could very well be Antigua & Barbuda’s greatest when it comes to the sport of Track & Field.
The 37-year-old currently holds the country’s national record in the 100m with 9.91 done all the way back in 2009. That year also saw Bailey have his best finish at a major outdoor championship, finishing fourth in the 100m final at the Berlin World Championships, the same race which saw Usain Bolt set the current world record 9.58.
A year later, Bailey took bronze in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Doha with 6.57. He also holds the Antiguan national record in this event with 6.54 done in 2009.
Today, Bailey is looking to give back to the next generation of Track & Field stars through the formation of his new Tigers Track Club in his home country.
Bailey explained that after his retirement from the sport in 2021, he needed to find a way to stay close to it because of the love he still had for it and this club is his way of doing that.
“That was one of my goals after retirement, knowing the love that I have for the sport. I just passed 20 years being a professional. Even after I retired, I felt the love still so the only way I felt I could stay close to the sport is through either becoming an agent or coach,” Bailey told Sportsmax.TV.
Bailey spent his professional career training in Jamaica under the tutelage of legendary coach, Glen Mills, at the Racers Track Club. He says Mills, as well as his former high school coach, Carl Casey, were two of the people he reached out to about starting his own club back home.
“I made the decision to call my former high school coach and told him I want to start a track club and asked him what he thought. He said it’s a great idea and opportunity for me. I also called coach Mills and told him this is what I’m going to do. He’s the one that’s been teaching me a lot when it comes to Track & Field, not just on the track but off the track as well,” he said.
“I finally said to myself let me just open a track club and see what the future holds. I’m confident that I’ll do well. I’m not going to guarantee that I’ll produce world beaters and world champions but that is my goal. I want to be different,” he added.
Bailey said he got the inspiration to start a track club when he started coaching a young athlete two years ago.
“Two years ago, I started training an athlete, River Robinson. I met him and we started training and sometimes I would call coach just to clarify certain things and then after a while, COVID hit and we could not do certain things or go certain places. We actually came back in to Antigua for a little bit. He was in school and had everything on point academically but he needed performance to get into a good school because the times that he was running could not get him anywhere so I said I’m going to start doing some work with him,” Bailey said.
“After all this, we started training during COVID and we spent most of the time training on the grass with no gym work or no offseason work. After a little bit, I realized they started to lift the COVID restrictions so we could travel. There were a couple of meets in Jacksonville and after three months of training, we wanted to see where he ranged up. We did that and got him ready. Before that, his fastest time was 11.44 and that can’t get you anywhere but when I saw him run, I saw the talent. With the three months work of me getting him stronger and more technically correct, we went to Jacksonville to compete in three meets. He missed the first one and ran 10.5 in the second one, a big personal best. That’s when schools started to call him. After that I said to myself, ‘I think I can do this.' I think there’s just an art around it and anything I don’t understand I can just ask questions. I always have a guide where coach Mills is concerned,” Bailey added.
The former sprinter then went more in depth about his relationship with his former coach, discussing the things he learned from Mills that he would like to implement at his own club.
“I trained with coach Mills for 15-16 years. I left from Antigua at a young age to join the club but when I got to Jamaica, I realized the difference with what I was doing here in Antigua. The whole gym regimen and training was different. What got my attention was when I got back to Antigua after so many years in Jamaica, that a lot of the young athletes here are doing the stuff that I used to do when I was a little kid. We can get better for these athletes. They have the talent but there’s a lack of pedigree,” he said.
“Don’t get me wrong, we do have young athletes going through the system but I know they can run a lot faster so my aim is to try to transfer what I’ve learnt in Jamaica to my athletes. Not just what I’ve learnt on the track but off the track as well. I want them to be well rounded,” he added.
While he recognizes that his club is in the grassroots stage, Bailey believes that, in the future, Tigers Track Club will be able to attract talent from all over the world. In fact, he says some athletes from across the globe have already started reaching out to him.
“I also want to invite athletes from overseas to join my club. I’m already getting athletes that live overseas calling me to join the club but I’m not at that stage as yet,” he said.
“Right now, I’m just focusing on local athletes. I have nine athletes right now that I’m getting ready for CARIFTA next year and whatever branches off from that, we’ll take and move forward,” Bailey added.
Sumo Sam backed up her Goodwood stroll with a gutsy display in the Betfred Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster.
The three-year-old made virtually all as a 25-1 chance in the Lillie Langtry Stakes last month, thriving on very testing conditions to come home an eight-and-a-half-length winner.
The bookmakers made her the 4-1 joint-favourite on Town Moor and Rossa Ryan was not allowed anywhere near as much rope as Tom Marquand was permitted at Goodwood.
She did hold a three-length advantage turning into the straight but looked a sitting duck as eventual third Lmay and runner-up One Evening put down strong challenges.
They could not quite get by Sumo Sam, though, as she prevailed by a length and a half in the colours carried to victory by Snurge in the 1990 St Leger for the Paul Cole stable, who now shares his licence with his son, Oliver.
Betfair trimmed the winner to 10-1 from 16s for the Fillies & Mares race at Ascot on Champions Day.
Oliver Cole said: “She got a bit lonely out in front and then dug deep. She’s a very classy filly and very, very tough and very, very game.
“It was seriously impressive, wasn’t it? Two furlongs out you thought she might fall in a hole, but she was ultra-fit and in very good form and very fresh.
“That (soft) ground seems to be important to her. It’s not as soft as it was at Goodwood, but nothing much is.
“She’s potentially a Cup horse for the future. A couple of furlongs out you thought she was beaten and she pulled it out – it’s pretty incredible what she’s done. I’m taken aback really for words.”
Regarding the future, he added: “She could potentially (go to Ascot), or there’s the Prix de Royallieu in France. She’s entered in that and you normally get soft ground, so that’s a definite possibility.”
Karl Burke strengthened his grip on the juvenile fillies’ division when Darnation ran out a ready winner of the Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
Fallen Angel had already stated her case to be the leading two-year-old filly when impressing in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland last weekend.
Now it appears one of her biggest rivals for top honours may be based in the same Leyburn yard in North Yorkshire after Darnation’s price for next year’s 1000 Guineas was halved from 20s to 10-1 by Coral.
Impressive in soft ground last time out in a Group Three at Goodwood, she had less questions to answer than most and when one of her market rivals, Ollie Sangster’s Romanova, got wound up going to post and ran keen in the early stages, there was one less to worry about.
See The Fire did follow Darnation through and looked a danger, but Clifford Lee was able to keep a bit up his sleeve and the 11-10 favourite bounded three lengths clear.
“They didn’t go quick and when I asked her, she quickened up really well for a few strides and then galloped on towards the line,” said Lee.
“She’s very good and I’d like to see her next year when she’s physically and mentally stronger.
“She handles that soft ground, she does stay very well and she does have a bit of boot about her as well, so we’ll see next year how we get on.”
Burke was not on track, but said: “She’s a classy filly, on that ground she’s very good. We’ll have to see how she is on quicker ground but she’s tough, she stays and she’s just very good.
“She’s not in the Fillies’ Mile but she is in the Prix Marcel Boussac. I haven’t spoken to the owners but she’d be more likely to get her ground in France.
“Who knows about next year? She’s not the biggest in the world, but she should strengthen up even if she doesn’t grow much and if she bumps into soft ground she could be anything.
“On fast ground Fallen Angel would be in front of her, but ground is the key to this filly.
“I was all set to come today but I had a busy morning and decided not to. They don’t run any faster for me being there!”
Kevin Philippart De Foy is uncertain how Inquisitively will handle slower ground as he switches up to Group Two company in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
The colt was last seen easing to a two-length victory in the Listed Roses Stakes at York, making light work of his rivals on good to firm ground under William Buick.
That performance was his first for new connections having previously been trained to a third-placed finish in the Windsor Castle by Ollie Sangster.
Each of his three runs have been on quick ground, however, and Philippart De Foy is therefore hoping that the turf on Town Moor does not become any softer ahead of this Group Two event.
“The horse won well at York and I think the course will suit him. It’s a very flat, straight course and very straightforward,” he said.
“The ground would be a question mark, he won on fast ground at York and so there is a question mark over soft conditions.
“I am hoping it doesn’t rain any more at Doncaster before the race or it will suit other horses more than Inquisitively.
“He has been in good form since his race at York, I think he took a step forward from that race.
“He’s very straightforward and professional, I don’t think anything will be an issue other than the question over the ground.”
Mick Appleby is also hoping no further rain falls over Doncaster as Big Evs bids to bounce back now returned to juvenile company.
The colt has been an endearing success story so far this term, landing both the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood in vastly differing ground conditions.
He then took on older horses in the Nunthorpe at York and while he was well beaten, Appleby feels his Goodwood exertions on soft ground had taken more of a toll than originally thought.
After a wet start to the week, Appleby is now hoping it will stay dry to produce suitable conditions for his star juvenile.
“He seems in good order at the moment, the only concern really is the ground,” he said.
“If it went really soft we wouldn’t run, but we’re hoping it dries up to good ground.
“We’d run on good to soft, obviously he won on soft ground at Goodwood but it wasn’t ideal.
“Other than that he is in very good order and he should run a big race, he’s going there with a very good chance.”
Karl Burke’s Kylian reverts to five furlongs after a beaten effort over six at York last time out.
He contested the Gimcrack Stakes and finished sixth of 10 after going off as the favourite, though Burke has concluded the York track may not be to his liking after he was beaten there on debut too.
He has fared well in all of his other starts, winning the Listed Dragon Stakes at Sandown and finishing third to Big Evs in the Molecomb – where he encountered soft ground after a summer deluge.
Burke said: “I’m just not sure he likes York, he’s been there twice and disappointed twice. We took him there on his debut and thought he was a certainty and he got beaten.
“Maybe the confirmation of the ground just doesn’t suit him there, it’s a sandy base, and I’m not sure six furlongs is his bag either at this stage of his career, so the drop back to five will suit.
“I know he got beaten on very soft ground at Goodwood, but I think it was the draw as much as the ground that beat him there, so I’m not that worried about the ground.
“He’s in great form and hopefully he can put up a good performance.”
Elsewhere is Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, winner of the Alice Keppel at Goodwood, with Richard Fahey represented by Norfolk Stakes runner-up Malc.
George Boughey runs Deauville Listed winner Graceful Thunder, while Heather Main’s Zoulu Chief comes into the race in winning form having taken his last two races.
Michael O’Callaghan’s Francis Meynell travels over from Ireland for the race, as does Adrian Murray’s Norfolk winner Valiant Force.
Brian Meehan’s Toca Madera, Richard Spencer’s Fool’s Gold and Roger Teal’s Rosario complete the field of 12.
Room Service drifted from one side of the track to the other but still had enough in hand to beat 16 rivals in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster.
Kevin Ryan’s youngster had finished third in a valuable nursery at York last time out behind Flying Childers-bound Zoulu Chief and was sent off 10-1 against the two big guns, Dragon Leader and Johannes Brahms.
Ridden by Tom Eaves, Room Service could be spotted still travelling well two furlongs out as William Buick tried to kick for home on Dragon Leader but whereas at York he sprinted clear of the field, the softer ground on this occasion blunted his finishing kick.
Room Service, a son of Kodi Bear, handled it fine, though, and despite hanging markedly from the far side of the track right over to the stands, he had enough momentum to fend off all challengers.
Eventual third Johannes Brahms briefly threatened but his run eventually petered out allowing Dragon Leader to get back up for second, beaten a comprehensive two and a quarter lengths.
Ryan said: “We thought the trip would suit and we were very hopeful he would go on the ground.
“He’s been maturing all year, we’ve been sort of taking it steady with him and it’s paying off now.
“Whether we run him again this year I don’t know, I’ll have to speak to connections. I’d say he’ll get a mile well next year.”
When asked whether he could be a 2000 Guineas contender, the trainer added: “He’s done nothing but improve all year, mentally and physically, and with improvement over the winter, who knows?
“He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do this year really. He ran really well at York and after that we really felt coming here that the extra half-furlong would definitely suit him.
“We’re delighted with him and it’s was a great prize to win with him today.”
Clive Cox said of the runner-up: “I was very pleased, he’s had a wonderful campaign so far.
“He was not comfortable on the ground, which was apparent at halfway when William pulled his stick through, but he showed a great deal of courage in spite of the ground. He did actually drop back to fourth and then found again towards the line, which was very pleasing. I’m full of admiration for him.
“I think that was the hardest race he’s had so far and we’ll see how he comes back from here before we conclude that (whether he’ll run again this year).
“I’m so proud and pleased with the season he’s had so far and I look forward to seeing him back on a drier surface.”
Alan King expects Trueshan to improve for his comeback run in the Betfred Doncaster Cup.
The seven-year-old has been a fantastic servant to his connections, with three editions of the Long Distance Cup at Ascot, a Goodwood Cup and the Prix du Cadran featuring on his big-race CV.
His well-documented preference for an ease in the ground meant that for the third year in succession he missed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June and King subsequently opted to give his star stayer a wind operation and a midsummer break in the hope he could bounce back to his best in the autumn.
Friday’s Group Two feature will be Trueshan’s first outing since finishing fourth in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes in May behind a familiar foe in Coltrane, who also beat him in this race 12 months ago and is again in opposition.
“We’ve got to get him started, he’s been off a long time,” said King.
“We gave him a break after Ascot and he’s ready to start back. I think whatever he does he’s going to come on plenty for it, but I just felt with the rain coming it was worth getting a run into him.
“It’s his first run for a while and his first run since a wind op and sometimes they just need a couple of runs to give them their confidence back.
“I’m happy with him at home and I just want to see him run well.”
Trueshan again holds an entry in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on October 21, while a return to Paris for the Prix du Cadran at the end of this month could also be on his agenda.
An intriguing switch to hurdles has also been mooted by King, but the Barbury Castle handler is keen to get his return out of the way before committing to future plans.
He added: “That (Cadran) is the plan, but let’s see how we go on Friday first.”
Andrew Balding expects the ultra-consistent Coltrane to run his usual solid race.
He said: “Coltrane is a real yard favourite and he has had a great season already. He won the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot, he was then second in the Ascot Gold Cup, he ran very well at Goodwood and obviously won the Lonsdale Cup at York last time out.
“The great thing about him is he seems to be effective on any ground and in any sort of style of race, which is a big help for these stayers.
“He obviously won the race last year, but he does carry a penalty this year which makes life a lot tougher.
“If Trueshan is anywhere near his best he will be a very tough opponent and Sweet William is an improving horse as well. It is not a straightforward task, but the horse is really well and he seems to thrive on his racing.”
Sweet William completed a hat-trick of wins earlier in the season for John and Thady Gosden before filling the runner-up spot behind Absurde when favourite for the Ebor last month.
Robert Havlin has been ever present in the saddle during Sweet William’s seven-race career to date and is looking forward to seeing him step up in class for this Qipco British Champions Series contest.
He said: “Sweet William is probably my best horse this year as he’s won three times and never been out of the first two. We think there’s more improvement to come and we think he might make up into an Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup type of horse next year.
“Since we put blinkers on he’s been ultra consistent. It was obviously another great run in the Ebor, but I was gutted when Frankie (Dettori, on Absurde) got back up after I’d headed him.
“He’s won over two miles and the Ebor was obviously a drop back in trip. He gets the trip well so there are a lot of positives, especially after all the rain.
“He doesn’t need soft ground, but he handles it very well.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Broome and the Ian Williams-trained The Grand Visir complete the five-strong field.
Despite a heroic 157 not out from Jordan Johnson, the West Indies U19s lost by seven wickets to Sri Lanka U19 in the second Youth Test at Dambulla on Thursday.
Trainer Luke Comer has been handed a three-year ban and faces costs in excess of €755,000 following an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board hearing.
The handler was found to have breached two rules in relation to 12 of his horses testing positive for methandienone and methyltestosterone, steroids that are classified as Prohibited At All Times (PAAT) substances.
A hair sample taken from He Knows No Fear – a 300-1 winner in 2020 – after finishing fourth in the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown in October 2021 returned a positive result, with out of competition hair testing taking place on that horse and 11 others the following month.
They all returned positive results, with a nine-day hearing subsequently taking place in May this year.
While Comer “acknowledged the presence of the prohibited substances” on the first day of the hearing, he “categorically denies that either he or any of his staff were involved in doping the animals”, according to the IHRB report into the case.
Comer suggested “environmental contamination” could be to blame, pointing to the possibility of contaminated hay, but the Committee found evidence on that idea “difficult” to evaluate while the handler also conceded “an employee could have accidently caused contamination” or a “disgruntled employee could have interfered with the horses”, although there was no evidence to support either theory.
The Referrals Committee underlined Comer had not been charged in breach of Rule 273 (i) which concerns “any person who administers or attempts to administer or connives at the administration to a horse of any prohibited substance” and added Comer had spent an “enormous sum of money” in an attempt to establish the source of the drugs.
However, it said that “after considering a great deal of evidence” it was “unable to say, on the balance of probability, how the horses came to test positive for the PAAT substances”.
The Committee described the case as “quite unprecedented”, concluding it warranted a three-year suspension of Comer’s licence, beginning on January 1.
The handler was fined €5,000 in relation to He Knows No Fear’s positive test and a further €5,000 in respect of each of the 11 horses.
Comer, who “maintains he is not guilty of any misconduct”, was also found to have acted in “a manner which is prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good regulation of horseracing”, for which he was fined €20,000 based on the large number of horses which tested positive and the “reputational damage” to the sport.
He was also ordered to pay 80 per cent of costs incurred by the IHRB in prosecuting the matter – a figure estimated to be in the region of €755,000.
Kieran Shoemark says it is a “privilege not pressure” to team up with Gregory in Saturday’s Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
Shoemark was called upon by John and Thady Gosden for the ride aboard Soul Sister in the Grand Prix de Paris earlier in the season and will again be aboard a horse usually piloted by Frankie Dettori, with the retiring Italian picking his Derby mount Arrest over the Queen’s Vase winner for his final ride in a British Classic.
It is arguably the biggest ride of Shoemark’s career as he steps out on Town Moor aboard one of the leading fancies for the final Classic of the season, but he is relishing the prospect of linking up with the Royal Ascot scorer, who has an obvious chance of handing him a first victory in one of racing’s crown jewel events.
Shoemark said: “I’m very happy with my mount in the race and wouldn’t swap him. As soon as Frankie made up his mind I found out.
“He’s a high-profile horse in a high-profile race. He’s one of the market leaders and to be riding a favourite in a British Classic is hugely exciting.”
When asked if the ride aboard Gregory would represent the biggest moment in his career, Shoemark added: “I’ve never ridden a favourite in a Classic, so you could potentially say that. I’ve certainly felt more pressure going into other races, but if I were to win the race it would be my biggest career win for sure.
“It’s where I want to be, so it’s a privilege not pressure and I look forward to it.”
Gregory will head into the race having suffered his first career defeat when third under a penalty in the Great Voltigeur at York, but Shoemark believes a return to further for the Wathnan Racing-owned colt will be in his favour.
He continued: “It was well documented the strong tempo throughout the race in the Great Voltigeur and all credit to Gregory for maintaining that and still finishing his race.
“He was only beaten four lengths and the other two that were taking him on the whole way finished tailed off. I thought it was a massive run and we know he will benefit for the step up in trip, so it is all systems go.”
Unsurprisingly, owners Juddmonte are delighted Dettori has sided with their colt.
Racing manager Barry Mahon said: “John called this morning to say that Frankie had thought about it, and with the rain he was happy to ride Arrest and I suppose when you sit down and go through the different variables, he knows Arrest handles that type of ground which is a big thing.
“I think it will be a hot race and in fairness, I don’t think it was an easy choice to make for Frankie and I’m not sure I would be able to make it.
“Ultimately I’m sure the rain is what swayed him and if you look back to this day last week, when I spoke to John we both said it looks like we won’t be running. The forecast was giving very little rain at the start of the week but the last I read they were up to 30 millimetres, so it’s been a rollercoaster of a week and the more rain that falls the better.
“We know he handles soft ground well and I’m not sure there is a whole lot more coming between now and Saturday, but if there is, then an odd shower won’t do it any harm.”
Alongside Gregory and Arrest, the Clarehaven stable also has a fine third string in the supplemented Middle Earth (Oisin Murphy), a hugely impressive winner of the Melrose at York’s Ebor meeting.
The King and Queen have a live chance of tasting success in a British Classic with the William Haggas-trained Desert Hero, himself a Royal Ascot winner, albeit in handicap company in the King George V Stakes.
He subsequently won the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, narrowly beating Simon and Ed Crisford’s Chesspiece and the two will lock horns again.
Aidan O’Brien runs four in Great Voltigeur winner Continuous, Alexandroupolis, Denmark and Tower Of London meaning there were no withdrawals at the 48-hour stage.
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