The Philadelphia 76ers' wantaway guard James Harden is just "looking to find happiness" after requesting a trade and engaging in a bitter war of words with Sixers president Daryl Morey.

That is the view of Chicago Bulls center and former Sixer Andre Drummond, who hopes Harden joins a team where he feels wanted. 

Former MVP Harden requested a trade after exercising his player option for the 2023-24 season in June, the third time he has asked for a move since leaving the Houston Rockets in January 2021.

Having grown frustrated with Morey's handling of his contract situation during the offseason, Harden labelled the Sixers president a "liar" in August, declaring: "I will never be a part of an organization that he's a part of".

Harden reportedly expected to be offered a long-term deal after Philadelphia were beaten by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. 

He has since skipped practice on two occasions as the Sixers work towards their NBA season opener, which comes on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

While some have criticised Harden's conduct, Drummond, who joined the Brooklyn Nets as part of the trade which took Harden to Philadelphia last year, has sympathy for his position.

"I don't really get into the whole gossip aspect of the NBA," Drummond told Stats Perform. "I mean, with James, it's not his first time doing this.

"I think he's just going to try to find a way to make sure that he's happy and he goes into the best situation. I don't really have much else I can say on that.

"He's just looking to find happiness, so hopefully he gets to go where he wants to."

The Sixers' hopes for 2023-24 will be carried by reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who recently announced his intention to represent the United States at next year's Olympic Games in France. 

Embiid averaged a career-high 33.1 points to lead the NBA last season, but the 29-year-old is yet to win a championship.

Drummond, who played alongside Embiid while with the Sixers in 2021-22, believes Philadelphia need to give the center a championship-winning team sooner rather than later.

Asked about Philadelphia's title hopes, Drummond said: "I think for Joel, they have to do it now. Now's the time.

"They've waited a long time, a lot of pieces have been added to their team that maybe aren't working out. 

"I hope he does it. I hope he doesn't win against us, but I hope for the best for him. I really want him to win. I've got to play alongside him for a year and he deserves it. He works really hard."

Captain Rob du Preez’s individual try allowed Sale Sharks to make it back-to-back wins in the Gallagher Premiership as they defeated Leicester Tigers 24-17 at Welford Road.

The Sharks controlled the majority of proceedings, only to be pegged back by Ollie Hassell-Collins’ excellent finish in what was an entertaining encounter between two of last season’s top-four teams.

Ultimately, however, Alex Sanderson’s side ensured a repeat of the outcome of their semi-final against the Tigers back in May, and made it two straight defeats for their hosts at the start of the new campaign.

Sale were forced into a late change at full-back, with Tom O’Flaherty coming in for Joe Carpenter and the visitors were further rocked by conceding the game’s opening try after eight minutes.

From a ruck, Tom Whiteley fed Jamie Shillcock, whose quick pass allowed Mike Brown, denied by an excellent Du Preez tackle not long before, to finish from a few metres out.

Shillcock failed to convert and the Sharks responded immediately when Gus Warr’s off-load found a galloping Ernst van Rhyn and the back rower timed his pass to send Tom Roebuck under the posts, making Du Preez’s conversion a formality.

The fly-half sent a penalty from 40 metres wide soon after and Sale then had a ‘try’ from O’Flaherty ruled out for a knock-on at the breakdown by Nick Schonert in the build-up.

But the visitors were able to make the most of a sustained spell of pressure when Van Rhyn was adjudged to have touched down after a TMO check, Du Preez adding the extras.

It was then the Tigers’ turn to hit back quickly when captain Hanro Liebenberg barged his way over from close range, with Shillcock’s conversion reducing the gap to 14-12 at half-time.

A simple penalty from Du Preez took Sale’s lead back out to five points early in the second half, a gap that remained after Hassell-Collins knocked on in-goal having got to Shillcock’s kick down the left wing first.

However, Hassell-Collins was able to score just after the hour mark, shrugging off O’Flaherty’s tackle to level the match after he had been put into space by Joe Powell, Shillcock pushing his conversion wide.

Sale almost regained the lead four minutes later when Sam James gathered Sam Bedlow’s pass, only to be held up by a posse of Leicester forwards.

But there was no denying Du Preez in the 69th minute as he took Raffi Quirke’s pass before dummying and going clear to score a try he converted himself under the posts.

Arron Reed almost made the game safe when he knocked on after being tackled by Dan Kelly, but Sale held out for what was a deserved victory.

Bookmakers left Qipco British Champions Day smiling despite Frankie Dettori threatening to inflict one last telling blow on their satchels with a big-race double.

The Italian had an enviable book of mounts for his final day riding in Britain and with accumulators on the weighing-room great proving popular prior to racing, the layers would have been fearing the worst when the 52-year-old struck in his first ride of the day aboard Godolphin’s Trawlerman.

Memories of Dettori’s famous ‘Magnificent Seven’ at Ascot must have come flooding back, especially when 5-4 favourite Kinross hit the front in the following Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.

However, the layers earnt a reprieve as Tim Easterby’s 40-1 outsider Art Power fought back gamely to down the Dettori multiples.

A further shock victory for 22-1 shot Poptronic in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes was followed by the defeat of hot favourite Paddington in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the bookmakers were well on top by the time Dettori brought the house down with a thrilling victory in the day’s feature Qipco Champion Stakes aboard 3-1 favourite King Of Steel.

“The Frankie accas proved predictably popular, and so Trawlerman’s win in the opener was not the result we wanted to see, but fortunately for us Art Power collared Kinross in the final yards of the Sprint, a result which meant we were able to relax,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“Poptronic and Big Rock were two further results in our favour, and although Frankie delivered the perfect ending to this stage of his career when bringing King Of Steel home in front in the Champion Stakes to the joy of his many fans, it wasn’t enough to spoil our day.”

Officials at Ascot were also heading home smiling after the star attraction delivered in style at the course’s end-of-season showpiece.

“We’ve had a great day, what a fantastic farewell for Frankie and a wonderful Champion Stakes,” said clerk of the course Chris Stickels.

“We had a bit of rain and we were very glad we changed tracks, it’s been a positive day. It’s been wonderful.

“It was great racing. There’s always a really good racing crowd on Champions Day but there was a particularly fantastic atmosphere this afternoon. It was quite unique, I’ve never know it like that before.”

Should we have ever doubted him? Given the year – and career – Frankie Dettori has had, he was always going to produce something special at Ascot on his farewell to British racing.

But to ride off into the American sunshine by winning the Qipco Champion Stakes on King Of Steel? Even he could not quite believe it.

The day started with an incredible ride from the 52-year-old Italian on Trawlerman in the Long Distance Cup, chasing a pacemaker, hitting the front only to be passed before regaining the lead close home.

That sent the crowd into a frenzy and there was a Cheltenham-like roar when Dettori galvanised his mount – and he almost made the bookies run for cover as Kinross hit the front in the Champions Sprint that followed only for Art Power to battle back and deny him a repeat victory.

The well-fancied Free Wind was well beaten in the Fillies & Mares race and when Chaldean was tailed off in the QEII, it all came down to King Of Steel in the final Group One of the day.

Second in the Derby and a Royal Ascot winner, his claims were clear but trainer Roger Varian had worries about the testing ground for his giant grey.

Last in the early stages and not looking comfortable, Dettori somehow conjured up a stirring finish to beat the filly Via Sistina, with the 3-1 favourite getting home by three-quarters of a length.

With the Ascot crowd chanting, ‘oh, Frankie Dettori’, the Italian returned to the winner’s enclosure for a final flying dismount to rapturous celebrations.

He said: “It’s emotional really, I don’t know what to say. I cannot believe it, the crowd have been sublime.

“It’s a fairytale ending to me, Ascot is my home. I’m pretty emotional to be honest, but happy tears!

“When I hit the front I’m thinking ‘this must be a dream, it can’t be right’ but then I realised it did happen and I just went numb.

“The first race was mad, but this was another level to be honest with you. It was incredible, everyone was cheering for me.

“They souped it up that it was my last race so everyone was up for it. It was amazing.”

It had to be Ascot, of course. The scene of so many of his great victories and his famous ‘Magnificent Seven’.

On that day in 1996, Ascot looked very different – before its multi-million pound redevelopment – and Dettori’s life was about to change forever.

While he was not an unknown by any stretch of the imagination, after riding all seven winners on the card, on the equivalent afternoon of what is now known as British Champions Day, he became a household name.

Casual racegoers would just back him in every race, expecting him to repeat the feat without quite realising just what he had achieved.

That popularity remained until the end, so much so that one punter was spotted writing out his betting slip at Ascot and instead of writing the horses names, he just wrote “Frankie” next to his four selected races.

Perhaps only Lester Piggott has surpassed him in terms of the indelible mark he leaves on the sport.

Dettori is now heading off to ride at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, the Melbourne Cup, Hong Kong’s international races in December and then the next stage of his life – a full-time move to California, where he rode with such success last winter.

While he is a popular figure in the States, he knows himself he will miss the adulation of the British crowds, his adopted homeland.

“It was special after the race, they were chanting, ‘oh, Frankie Dettori’ – that’s one thing I’m going to miss. I can’t take that to America with me because I’m fairly new over there,” he said.

“It’s been memorable from the beginning of the season. I wanted to finish at the top and it doesn’t get any better than this.

“I need to regroup now, go to the States (for the Breeders’ Cup) and then before Christmas we move there for good.

“I don’t know if King Of Steel is going to the Breeders’ Cup, Kia (Joorabchian, owner) has said to keep the option open. I got him over the line today so my job is done!

“I’m focussing on my American adventure at the moment, I’m not thinking about next summer, I’m going to be there every day, I’ve no plans to come back here.

“My first ride is on December 26, Boxing Day.”

Other jockeys have ridden more winners than Dettori, but none have dominated the sport like he has.

If we will get to see him ride in the UK again remains up for debate, but he was sticking by the line that this perfect farewell is his intended finale.

Given his final ride is the winner of the Champion Stakes, he might just be a longer price now to return. Quite simply, how do you top that?

As dream endings go, Champions Day at Ascot proved to be right up there, even by Frankie Dettori’s exalted standards. Here we look at his final day in the saddle in Britain:

Steve Cauthen believes Frankie Dettori is “odds-on” to be back at Royal Ascot last year, despite him officially closing the book on his European chapter on a memorable Qipco British Champions Day.

Dettori has always been pure box office and he made sure of a Hollywood ending as he bookended the card with two fine demonstrations of his prowess in the saddle, conjuring an extra finishing flourish aboard Trawlerman in the Long Distance Cup before a power-packed drive on King Of Steel for a last-gasp Champion Stakes success.

He will now prepare for engagements at the Breeders’ Cup, Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong International meeting before a permanent switch to America, where he will be based in California as he enters the twilight of his exceptional career.

Cauthen – the only man to win the Derby and Kentucky Derby – was at Ascot to be inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame, and he lauded Dettori’s achievements across the world.

He said: “Frankie and I go back such a long way and have so many great memories. He’s been a huge asset to our sport, unfurling his flag throughout the spectrum of world racing with unparalleled success. It’s a pleasure to be able to be with him on this special day at the scene of his ‘Magnificent Seven’.”

With Dettori already having reversed his decision on total retirement, Cauthen was asked by ITV Racing if he thinks Dettori will be seen riding at next year’s Royal Ascot and he simply replied: “Odds-on.”

Dettori’s wife Catherine was on hand to savour the Ascot farewell, but she offered a more cautionary note on the possibility of a British return.

She said: “Who knows, I would hate to say and I think he will have to make that decision.”

Dettori’s victory on King Of Steel raised the Ascot roof and his wife, who was accompanied by their children, admitted it was a dream result.

She said: “I can’t believe it to be honest. We were just in with the winning connections and we screamed the house down. I do apologise to everybody else who was in there, but I had my whole troops with me apart from one who hasn’t made it. Amazing.

“I don’t want to give him a big head but I mean, what a special day.”

Trawlerman’s victory provided a perfect note upon which to end Dettori’s association with John Gosden, who now trains in partnership with his son Thady and has long been one of the rider’s greatest supporters – as well as a critic when required.

He said: “When he’s at this peak there’s no greater, he lets the crowd carry him, he operates very much on that.

“He’s enormous energy, a fabulous talent but Sir Alex Ferguson would have found him hard to manage sometimes as well.

“Without doubt he is the most phenomenal jockey I’ve ever put on a horse, pound for pound the greatest and I’ve been lucky enough to leg-up a lot of great jockeys over the years.”

Dettori’s career has encompassed rides for an inestimable amount of owners and all will surely have special memories of one of racing’s greats donning their colours on the track.

Highclere Racing supremo Harry Herbert is one such fan, with their relationship having expanded beyond purely the professional.

He said: “He rode our first ever winner at Haydock on Alcove in 1993. Rather remarkably he rode our first Royal Ascot winner, Heritage, trained by John Gosden.

“He’s ridden many winners for us and then when I had my time with Al Shaqab (for whom Dettori was retained rider until 2018), I had a wonderful association with him and we became close mates.

“What he has done for this sport is incalculable. You see the first race here today, the roar from the crowd but also the ride he gave Trawlerman was incredible. I think it is a retirement with a small ‘r’!

“I wish him all the best, he’s a superstar and for Highclere he has been sensational.”

William Haggas is under no illusions of the space Dettori’s departure will leave in British racing, with the trainer pointing to his closing victory as evidence of his exceptional ability in the saddle.

He said: “Only he could have done that. He rode a brilliant race in the first and then he’s come from last when you have needed to be on the speed today. He came from last in a fantastic race and what a way to finish.

“We owe him so much and we will miss him – and I mean we really will miss him.”

Charlie Johnston saddled a winner with his only runner on Qipco British Champions Day as The Gatekeeper ground out a deserved victory in the Balmoral Handicap.

Owned by Middleham Park Racing, the 25-1 shot was always in the ideal spot, up with the pace and on the far side of the Ascot straight.

Ascot specialist Ropey Guest and the Hayley Turner-ridden Docklands tried their hardest to reel in soft-ground loving The Gatekeeper, but Joe Fanning had a willing partner and he kept on stoutly for a one-length triumph in the ultra-competitive finale to Champions Day.

“We knew he would like the ground, I don’t know that it’s key to him but we knew he would handle it,” said Johnston’s father, Mark.

“I couldn’t help but note that front-runners have done particularly well today, so Mike Prince (of Middleham Park) said to Joe, ‘jump and bowl along’, which is what we tend to do anyway.

“I think that’s probably it (for the year), the owner is talking about the Lincoln for next year.”

Frankie Dettori treated his British fans to one last piece of magic as he steered King Of Steel to victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

The weighing-room legend teamed up with Roger Varian’s charge for the final ride of his British career, with Dettori now heading off on a series of international engagements before a move to America for the final leg of his exceptional career.

Ever the showman, Dettori ensured he brought the curtain down in style, guiding 3-1 favourite King Of Steel from last to first in the Ascot straight to grab a narrow verdict over Via Sistina.

With the Ascot crowd chanting, ‘oh, Frankie Dettori’, the Italian returned to the winner’s enclosure for a final flying dismount to rapturous celebrations.

He said: “It’s emotional really, I don’t know what to say. I cannot believe it, the crowd have been sublime. I was doing my best on top and the scream that I got was just incredible, thanks to all of you.

“What a feeling, the crowd! For the first race I thought the crowd were good but they took it to another level, it was honestly incredible.

“It’s a fairytale ending to me, Ascot is my home. I’m pretty emotional to be honest, but happy tears!”

He had earlier got off to a perfect start, as Trawlerman battled back gamely for victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, the first race of the day.

Trawlerman (9-1) was left in front around half a mile from home in the two-mile affair, as pacesetting Maxident dropped away sharply.

Dettori looked a sitting duck as 11-10 favourite Kyprios reeled him in down the straight, passing him with two furlongs to run, but Dettori had saved something and showed all his skill in mounting another challenge.

Reining his mount back in, he switched to Kyprios’ outside and Trawlerman stuck his head out on the line to grab victory.

Dettori said: “I heard the roar of the crowd – oh my god it was special – especially when I was cutting him back, I couldn’t believe it.

“I’ve beaten one of my greatest rivals who I have tremendous respect for in Ryan Moore, on my final day. Sensational.

“He passed me comfortably and I thought he was going to go and win by 20 lengths, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought I maybe had a little bit left. In fairness to the horse he kept going.”

John Gosden, who trains Trawlerman with his son, Thady, said: “Imagine if he (Dettori) wins the next – it’ll take the roof off the place. Kinross likes this ground – he could be on for a double. We’ll never hear the end of it, will we?!”

But it was not to be two from two for Dettori, as this time it was his turn to be reeled in, with 40-1 chance Art Power fighting back to deny hot favourite Kinross in the British Champions Sprint.

Free Wind was next for Dettori in the Fillies & Mares Stakes, but while she flattered briefly the Gosden-trained mare could manage only fifth behind brave all-the-way winner Poptronic.

Then it was 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but he never got in a blow, finishing well adrift of a very impressive winner in Big Rock, trained in France by Christopher Head, before King Of Steel gave everyone the result they wanted.

King Of Steel provided Frankie Dettori with the perfect send-off as they combined for a fairytale success in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Roger Varian’s Derby runner-up was the Italian’s final mount on British soil before jetting off for his new venture in California and they proved a match made in heaven in the British Champions Day feature.

Dettori’s historic achievements at Ascot need no introduction, but it is also the scene of some of King Of Steel’s finest performances this term, including a victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Placed towards the rear of the field as a lit-up My Prospero took the field along, Dettori had to be at his very best as he steered the son of Wootton Bassett from last to first.

The duo still had plenty of ground to make up as the final furlong loomed, but the stamina reserves of the 3-1 favourite kicked into top gear when it mattered most, to ensure the Dettori swansong got its ultimate conclusion and the crowds burst into raptures chanting the Italian’s name.

King Of steel came home three-quarters of a length clear of George Boughey’s filly Via Sistina, with French raider Horizon Dore back in third.

There was yet another victory for France in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot as Big Rock delivered a devastating display on Qipco British Champions Day.

Often the bridesmaid when racing at the highest level this year, the son of Rock Of Gibraltar had finished second in the Prix du Jockey Club, Prix Jacques le Marois and Prix du Moulin in his last three starts.

However, Christopher Head’s brilliant colt finally got his moment in the spotlight, making every yard in the one-mile Group One feature.

Immediately taking his customary position at the head of proceedings, his rivals were left chasing shadows as big-race jockey Aurelien Lemaitre kept upping the tempo.

Having built up a healthy lead, it was Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra who decided to break cover from the pack first, with Chris Hayes setting the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine in pursuit.

But there was no catching Big Rock (5-1) who kept on galloping in the rain-softened ground to register an emphatic six-length success and also lead home a French one-two, as Jerome Reynier’s Facteur Cheval stayed on past a tiring Tahiyra in the dying strides to grab the silver medal.

Short-priced favourite Paddington beat only two home, one of those being 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean.

George Russell said he has banned himself from using social media and reading the news because it does not bring him any positivity.

The Mercedes driver has a combined following of nearly seven million on X and Instagram.

But Russell, 25, who was involved in a first-corner collision with team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the last round in Qatar, says he has stepped back from using the platforms.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Russell said: “I stopped using Twitter (‘X’) about six months ago.

“I work with a social team and everything that is posted is in my own words and is signed off through me. I want to stay connected with the fans. But I don’t use the app and I have started to do the same with Instagram.

“I respect that everyone has an opinion. But I don’t need to read the praise because that doesn’t bring me anything, and I don’t need to see the negative comments because that doesn’t bring me anything either.

“But when I stopped using Twitter (‘X’), whenever I was on my phone I was on Instagram, and when I stopped using Instagram, I thought I needed to look at something, so I started to read the news. But every headline was negative.

“Other than being informed about what is going on in the world, reading negative headlines one after another didn’t bring anything to me, so now I am totally off social media.”

Russell heads into the final five rounds of the campaign eighth in the standings, 62 points and five places adrift of Hamilton.

“It all stemmed after the summer break when I didn’t use my phone at all,” added Russell, who will line up from fifth on the grid for his 100th race in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

“During that period when I had my family and friends around me, I had an average screen time of 15 minutes. In a normal week I have an average screen time of three hours.

“I saw a post that said, ‘if you use your phone on average for four hours a day, by the time you die you will have spent 15 years looking at your phone’.

“And when I read that, I was like, ‘Jesus I could spend 15 years of my life on my phone.’ I can do something wiser than scrolling through Instagram memes.”

Sam James enjoyed his biggest day in the saddle, with Poptronic all heart to deliver a surprise victory in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

A winner of the Lancashire Oaks earlier in the season, Karl Burke’s four-year-old was sent off at an unfancied 22-1 after disappointing in Group One company the last twice.

However, she showed her quality on British Champions Day and having been to the fore throughout in the hands of James – who was striking at Group One level for the first time – she had plenty in the tank as those from a positions further back presented a stern challenge in the closing stages.

Both eventual second Bluestocking and the 3-1 favourite Jackie Oh in third stayed on stoutly to push Poptronic all the way inside the final half-furlong, but they could not get by the gutsy northern raider, who finished a neck clear at the winning post. Frankie Dettori had to settle for fifth place with Free Wind.

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and jockey Hayley Turner had lucky escapes as Storm Babet continued to wreak havoc in the UK.

Alexander-Arnold was involved in an accident after a 40ft electricity pylon smashed onto a car in front of the England international, according to The Sun.

The high voltage power line was pulled up by 70mph winds and landed in front of Alexander-Arnold’s black Range Rover near Knutsford, Cheshire, the newspaper reported.

Alexander-Arnold reportedly slammed on the brakes before colliding with a BMW X5. Cheshire police said nobody was injured in the incident.

The footballer’s agent was contacted by the PA news agency, but declined to comment on the story.

Turner made it safely to Ascot on Saturday after requiring a dramatic rescue from her flooded car the previous day.

She was expecting to ride in Redcar on Friday but never made it to the North East track after having to place an emergency call when her car was stranded nearby in a flood caused by Storm Babet.

Turner told ITV Racing: “My dream was nearly in place, but I had a bit of an incident yesterday. Basically my car is floating down the Great North Road somewhere on my way to Redcar.

“I had to call 999 and get the fireman to come and rescue me – I actually got a fireman’s lift out of my car window.

“The horse then won about 15 lengths so a very frustrating day. I’m car-less and win-less as well.”

The storm showed no signs of abating as downpours continued to batter the UK on Saturday, with three people dead and another red “danger to life” warning in place.

Ross County’s home match against St Mirren in the cinch Premiership became the latest fixture to be postponed north of the border.

After conversations with the SPFL and Police Scotland, the decision was taken to call the game off on Saturday morning with supporters’ safety in mind.

A club statement said a new date and kick-off time would be rearranged in due course.

Several others fell victim to the storm on Friday, including Aberdeen’s home game against Dundee and Motherwell’s trip to St Johnstone.

Other Saturday fixtures to be postponed included Mansfield’s home clash with Forest Green in Sky Bet League Two, and Altrincham’s match against Dorking in the Vanarama National League.

Chesterfield’s home fixture against Gateshead was also called off “on the recommendation of various external partner agencies”.

The Scottish Championship game between Arbroath and Raith Rovers – in the worst-hit area of Angus – was postponed, as was Greenock’s match against Inverness.

Cove Rangers against Montrose in League One was also postponed along with two games in League Two – Elgin versus Forfar and Stenhousemuir against Peterhead.

Saturday’s race card at Market Rasen was also postponed due to standing water on areas of the track.

An inspection was held on Friday but the race course confirmed after 50mm of rainfall in the area that the decision was made to abandon the meeting.

Rotherham’s Championship game with Ipswich, scheduled to be played on Friday night, was also postponed due to the stormy conditions.

The area was hit with torrential rain which caused the River Don, which runs behind the AESSEAL New York Stadium, to burst its banks which left areas around the stadium flooded.

Will Jordan would happily sacrifice his place in the history books if it means New Zealand lift the World Cup for an unprecedented fourth time.

Jordan claimed a hat-trick of tries in Friday’s 44-6 semi-final rampage against Argentina in Paris, making him the deadliest finisher at France 2023 on eight touch downs.

It also placed him in the company of all time-greats Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea, who jointly hold the record for highest number of tries scored at a single World Cup.

The 25-year-old has Saturday’s final against either England or South Africa to rise above that exalted trio, but he insists chasing individual glory is a peripheral concern.

“The World Cup win is what we all came over here to do. I will be perfectly happy to take a zero on the scoresheet if it means we get the job done,” Jordan said.

“It’s a team game and the group is really focused at the moment around what we want to do. Hopefully I can play my part in that.

“It is pretty humbling to be included alongside those guys. They were all huge legends of the game and, particularly in the position I play, really trail-blazed the way to play the game as a winger. So that’s pretty cool.

“It definitely wasn’t anything I set out to do or anything like that, but it’s nice to be able to do that in amongst the team going so well.”

It was almost the perfect night for New Zealand at the Stade de France as they swatted aside Argentina as if it was an exhibition match, rested legs by emptying the entire bench and finished without any cards or suspensions.

The Pumas, meanwhile, will play in the bronze final on Friday with assistant coach Juan Fernandez Lobbe adamant that it is a game with meaning.

“The disappointment is very, very big. We came to want to play in the final and we couldn’t,” former Argentina forward Lobbe said.

“The team is very clear – and they made it clear after the semi-final – that finishing with a medal is important.

“I finished in third place in 2007 and fourth in 2015 and they are not the same. So it’s a very important game.

“It means going on Friday with total determination, with our way, our weapons. It would be a very good closing of the World Cup for us.”

Art Power did it the hard way as he bravely denied Frankie Dettori and Kinross back-to-back victories in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

Making his fifth appearance in this contest, Tim Easterby’s gallant grey was away quickly in the hands of David Allan and soon blazing a trail on the front-end.

Having tracked the pace aboard Kinross, Dettori was nudging his mount into contention two furlongs from home, with a repeat of last year’s race victory looking likely as the stamina of Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old took him to the front inside the final furlong.

However, Art Power refused to lie down and he showed supreme guts to fight back and land a British Champions Day shock at 40-1 and also provide his pilot with a first Group One on British soil.

William Buick has conceded that despite retaining his champion jockey title, this season has been “different”.

Having claimed his first championship last year with a plethora of Group One victories, his main Charlie Appleby stable had a much quieter time of things this summer.

That did not stop Buick storming to another title, but it meant he spread his net far and wide in the search of winners as he cruised to victory over Oisin Murphy, with a strike-rate of over 20 per cent.

Buick said: “Retaining the championship has been a real highlight, but it has been a very different season, no season is the same, when you set the bar high the expectations are there. Even though the season has been different, my ambition was to retain the championship and work hard for it, which I have done.

“Last year I had lot of good winners including Classics and this year has been slightly different, but none the less this season has been a success.

“I have had lot of domestic and international rides, which are never an easy thing to balance when going for a championship, but like last year I have managed to get that right, and already we are looking forward to next year.”

In an interview with Great British Racing, Buick was asked what motivates him and he replied: “Being champion jockey drives me, no question about it.

“I also think that I am at a point in my career where I think why not keep doing it. I enjoy going racing, the winners, the support, and I enjoy being champion jockey.

“The big races, the Classics, the Derbys, the big Group Ones, the festivals and Royal Ascot are the pinnacle of the sport and that is how we showcase ourselves and the best horses.

“Being champion jockey is great and it should be on everyone’s list, but I have been privileged to race in the big meetings for a while as well and those are the moments that sell our sport.”

Buick was one of four jockeys to ride over a century of winners in the title race, which runs from May 6 to October 21, with Murphy, Rossa Ryan and Tom Marquand the others.

Hayley Turner made it safely to Ascot for Qipco British Champions Day after requiring a dramatic rescue from her flooded car on Friday.

The record-breaking rider is currently hunting down her 1,000th career victory and was hoping to arrive in Berkshire on 999 winners with a fancied ride on Docklands in the closing Balmoral Handicap.

Turner was expecting to ride Run Zarak Run at Redcar on Friday – but never made it to the north-east track after having to place an emergency call when her car was swamped in the midst of Storm Babet.

While Turner emerged unscathed, Run Zarak Run duly romped home under replacement PJ McDonald to add to her woes.

She told ITV Racing: “My dream was nearly in place, but I had a bit of an incident yesterday. Basically my car is floating down the Great North Road somewhere on my way to Redcar.

“I had to call 999 and get the fireman to come and rescue me – I actually got a fireman’s lift out of my car window!

“The horse then won about 15 lengths so a very frustrating day. I’m car-less and win-less as well.”

Frankie Dettori kicked off British Champions Day with a bang by steering Trawlerman to a thrilling victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.

On the day billed as his final day riding in Europe before heading overseas, the Italian rolled back the years to not only dazzle at Ascot once more, but also register yet another big-race victory in the royal blue silks of Godolphin.

The 52-year-old was eager throughout to not let the outsider Maxident have too much rope on the front end and was the only one to chase Dominic Ffrench Davis’ charge aboard the 9-1 chance, as Owen Lewis pushed the tempo heading downhill.

Having pursued Maxident and hit the front four furlongs from home, Trawlerman was passed by Aidan O’Brien’s staying star Kyprios rounding the home bend with Ryan Moore soon searching for the winning post.

However, Dettori switched his mount and asked for extra and he bravely battled back to haul in Kyprios and prevail by a neck.

It was a third straight victory for John and Thady Gosden’s stayer, who was third in this race 12 months ago, and for Dettori it was the perfect start to his goodbye to British racing.

Dettori said: “I heard the roar of the crowd – oh my god it was special – especially when I was cutting him back, I couldn’t believe it.

“I’ve beaten one of my greatest rivals who I have tremendous respect for in Ryan Moore, on my final day. Sensational.

“He passed me comfortably and I thought he was going to go and win by 20 lengths, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought I maybe had a little bit left. In fairness to the horse he kept going.”

Frankie Dettori’s farewell to Britain got off to a perfect start, as Trawlerman battled back gamely for victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

The Italian is enjoying his final afternoon in European action before moving to America – and the first of his five rides ensured racegoers could enjoy a famous flying dismount.

Trawlerman (9-1) was left in front around half a mile from home in the two-mile affair, as pacesetting Maxident dropped away sharply.

Dettori looked a sitting duck as 11-10 favourite Kyprios reeled him in down the straight, passing him with two furlongs to run, but Dettori had saved something and showed all his skill in mounting another challenge.

Reining his mount back in, he switched to Kyprios’ outside and Trawlerman stuck his head out on the line to grab victory.

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