Abi Tierney has been appointed the first female chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union.
Tierney will join the WRU before the end of 2023 after serving notice at the Home Office, where she is the director general for customer services and ethics advisor and chair of their people committee.
Her appointment comes nearly seven months after Steve Phillips resigned as WRU chief executive amid allegations of a “toxic culture” at the organisation.
“Abi’s appointment is a major coup for Welsh rugby,” said Richard Collier-Keywood, who succeeded former Wales wing Ieuan Evans as WRU chair last month.
“She has worked successfully across the private and public sectors in delivering commercial value and improving the culture of some complex organisations.
“The role of the WRU is to support and serve Welsh rugby across our elite teams to our 270 community clubs.
“Her mantra of ‘putting customers at the heart of everything we do’ bodes well for the many fans of rugby in Wales.
“I believe Abi will make a major contribution to our enjoyment of all aspects of the game in Wales. I am delighted she has decided to join us.”
Welsh rugby was rocked in January by a BBC documentary which aired allegations of racism, misogyny, sexism and homophobia at the WRU.
A committee of Senedd members noted in June that the WRU was responsible for a “serious failure of governance” and missed opportunities to act on concerning behaviour within the organisation.
Tierney will take over from interim chief executive Nigel Walker, the former Olympic hurdler and Wales international who will now become the WRU’s first director of rugby.
Tierney said: “The opportunity to lead the Welsh Rugby Union is an immense privilege and I relish the chance to make a lasting positive difference at such a critical time.
“My passion and commitment for this role is unquestionable and I feel a huge sense of pride having grown up in a family where my dad is from Barry and where rugby has been a constant and positive force in our lives.
“Rugby has the ability to enable life chances and develop people on and off the pitch. In this role, I intend to take that heritage and the skills and learning I have gathered in my career to deliver the significant cultural advancement Welsh rugby deserves. I have a track record in positively shaping an organisation’s culture.
“I am an inclusive leader and I will do my utmost to promote belonging, trust, understanding and mutual support at all levels in Welsh rugby.
“Alongside Richard as chair, Nigel in his new and vitally important role as director of rugby and my colleagues on the board, and the rest of the executive staff, we will realise the full potential of Welsh rugby in the years ahead and I look forward to the challenge.”
Tierney will join a revamped board which already includes new independent non-executive director Alison Thorne, with Chris Morgan standing down to allow the move.
The WRU says its stated – and member approved – ambition to ensure that at least 40 per cent of its 12-person board should be women remains on course.
Recruitment is ongoing for a further INED appointment, as well as a board member with specific responsibility for the women’s game and further elections for new council members are taking place this summer.
An integral part of the Frankel story, Ian Mongan enjoyed a day in the sun he will never forget when winning the 2011 Juddmonte International.
The Glasgow-born jockey was a 32-year-old whose riding career was nearer its end than its start when teaming up with the late great Sir Henry Cecil in the mid-noughties, but became a vital cog in the Warren Place wheel.
While opportunities to showcase his talent at the top level were relatively infrequent, Mongan proved he was more than capable of getting the job done on the Knavesmire when breaking his Group One duck aboard the popular Twice Over.
“I’ve always thought a lot of him,” Cecil said in the immediate aftermath.
“He’s my second jockey and is very underrated. If he got better rides he’d be right in the top flight.”
Twice Over was already dual Champion Stakes hero and a Coral-Eclipse winner when returning to York 12 years ago, having been narrowly denied by Rip Van Winkle in the 2010 International – and yet he lined up as the apparent second string.
The stable’s chief hope was the brilliant racemare Midday, a six-time Group One winner and the pick of Cecil’s number one rider Tom Queally.
Both horses carried the colours of Khalid Abdullah, who at that stage was still chasing an elusive first victory in a race he had sponsored since 1988.
Mongan, keen to grasp the moment with both hands, was optimistic. He said: “Obviously Tom was on Midday because he’d done very well on her, but going into the race I felt I actually had the best chance.
“Twice Over was such a lovely horse, such a gentleman and such an easy ride as well, so I was full of confidence beforehand.”
Only five runners went to post, with Midday and Twice Over second and third in the betting behind Aidan O’Brien’s dominant Hardwicke Stakes scorer Await The Dawn.
Midday and Await The Dawn locked horns inside the final quarter-mile, but it was Twice Over who finished best to beat his stablemate to top spot by three-quarters of a length.
“Things went to plan,” Mongan recalled.
“I was getting there almost too easily actually and I remember as I passed Daryll Holland (riding Zafisio, finished fourth) he shouted ‘Go Mongy go’!
“I went for Twice Over, then I waited and then I went for him again. Midday had maybe gone a bit soon, but he stayed on really well.
“He was probably one of the easiest winners I’ve ridden and for it to be in a Group One was fantastic.”
Mongan remembders the return to the winner’s enclosure with great fondness, adding: “It was a great day, especially for Henry to finish first and second. I’ll always remember Aidan O’Brien coming over to congratulate him and Henry gave him a pat on the backside!
“I’ve never ridden a horse like Twice Over as he not only needed a lead horse on the gallops, but he also needed one to get him there as he was so lazy. It was quite funny actually.
“But as soon as he turned onto the gallops and went, he covered so much ground it was amazing.”
Another Cecil inmate Mongan remembers fondly, albeit for different reasons, is Bullet Train, who was perhaps the most famous pacemaker of modern times.
While well fancied for the Derby in 2010 and a smart horse in his own right, the son of Sadler’s Wells is best known as the galloping and racing companion for his illustrious half-brother Frankel.
In all Bullet Train made the running for his unbeaten sibling in six Group One races, with Mongan the man on his back on five of those occasions.
“It was an easy job because Bullet Train was brilliant – he knew his job, he’d ping the gates and lead Frankel, as he did at home as well,” said Mongan.
“Myself and Henry and Tom had a chat about it and it was all about treating the races almost like a piece of work.
“I think Frankel’s most devastating performance was when he won the Queen Anne (in 2012) and I just went a good gallop without going silly and I tried to pick up from the four pole to the two to get the race going. Frankel would normally take over two out and go and do his thing.
“It worked for us because Bullet Train was such a good horse. I think he could have won a Group One at one point, but he had a job to do and he did it great.
“With him being Frankel’s half-brother it was such a great story and I was really lucky to be part of it all. They were such good times and I miss it.”
Frankel, of course, retired unbeaten at the end of 2012, with that year’s Juddmonte International one of the standout performances in his remarkable 14-race career.
The following year the sport mourned the lost of his legendary trainer and Mongan retired from the saddle at the end of that season.
He said: “When Henry passed I think I rode the first winner for Jane (widow) at Yarmouth and at the end of that season I handed my licence in.
“Henry got me going as I was struggling for a long time to get good rides and struggling with my weight, but getting out of bed each morning to ride Henry’s horses was so enjoyable.
“After Henry passed I was going to go back to riding at Wolverhampton and Brighton, but I didn’t have the hunger for it so I called it a day and personally felt I ended on a high.”
These days Mongan acts as assistant trainer to his wife Laura, who memorably secured Classic glory with Harbour Law in the 2016 St Leger at Doncaster.
Mongan admits times are tougher seven years on, but the appetite for success remains fervent.
He said: “Laura is the only lady to ever train the Leger winner, so that was fantastic.
“We’re still training now. We haven’t got the calibre of horses we did, but we’ll keep trying.”
Odds-on favourite Paddington is all set to bid for a fifth successive Group One win this season in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International at York.
Aidan O’Brien’s new superstar will step back up in trip to an extended 10 furlongs having won the Eclipse at Sandown over a similar distance.
He proved his versatility last time out by dropping down to a mile for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood where he made all the running.
From a humble beginning this season in a Naas handicap, he is now the best of his generation by some distance.
“He’s an amazing horse really and is progressing from run to run, that’s all he has done all year,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.
“We thought he was a very good two-year-old, he went to Ascot first time out but he got stage fright and just never performed so we gave him a good break. He went to the Curragh after that and won very easily.
“Because of that we left him alone. He was trained for the Classics in the spring but we started as low as we could because we had a lot of horses to get out.
“Ryan (Moore) was very impressed with him, as you know Ryan doesn’t say much but he was very impressed with him in the Sussex. He would have preferred a lead but there was nobody else prepared to so that was why he went on.
“John (Magnier) always felt on pedigree he would get a mile and a half. He went to the Eclipse for his first run over a mile and a quarter so this is a little bit further on a flatter track. It will be interesting to see and we’ll take it race by race with him at the moment.”
Paddington, Mostahdaf and Desert Crown all feature among eight confirmations for what promises to be a blockbuster contest.
Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf heads the opposition for John and Thady Gosden.
The five-year-old was a four-length winner at Royal Ascot and he is set to be partnered for the first time by Frankie Dettori, as regular rider Jim Crowley serves a 20-day whip suspension.
Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was forced to sidestep the Prince of Wales’s due to a late setback, but he is in the mix following a satisfactory piece on work on Wednesday morning.
He could be joined by fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner Bay Bridge, who finished fifth behind Mostahdaf at Ascot.
The Gosden have a second contender in Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes and third in the Nassau last time out, while the Mostahdaf colours of Shadwell are also represented by Alflaila, although it is unlikely both their horses will run.
O’Brien also has Point Lonsdale in contention while the prospective field is completed by The Foxes, who finished second in the Belmont Derby for Andrew Balding last time out.
St Leger hopes will be on the line in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Gosden-trained Gregory the key name following his Queen’s Vase verdict at Royal Ascot.
“We’re all looking forward to seeing him back,” said Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.
“He did it the hard way at Ascot – he was very game. The big aim for him has always been the St Leger, so the Voltigeur is an obvious stepping stone, but it’s a very prestigious race in its own right and it’s exciting to have a colt going there who we think will have a good chance.”
Godolphin rely on the Charlie Appleby-trained Castle Way after his narrow Bahrain Trophy success over Tower Of London.
That colt again features for O’Brien, who has five potential runners out of a list of 10, with Adelaide River and Continuous also confirmed.
Derby fourth Sprewell could represent Jessica Harrington, with Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, possibly crossing swords again.
Ireland back-rower Cian Prendergast will make his first Test start in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash with England in Dublin.
The Connacht player, who has won two caps as a replacement, has been selected at number eight, with the influential Caelan Doris providing back-up from the bench.
Andy Farrell has recalled 11 of the team which clinched Six Nations Grand Slam glory against Steve Borthwick’s men in March.
Centre Garry Ringrose and lock Tadhg Beirne, who were both injured for that 29-16 win, and fly-half Ross Byrne join Prendergast in coming in to a strong starting XV.
Munster wing Keith Earls is poised to win his 100th cap from the bench.
Prendergast came on in the first half of Ireland’s 33-17 win over Italy on August 5 in place of the injured Jack Conan.
With Conan still sidelined by a foot issue, the 23-year-old is given a major opportunity to provide competition for key man Doris, who was named man of the match following two tries against the Azzurri.
Head coach Farrell has named a completely different team to the experimental side which began that match.
Miaharris is looking to build on an impressive debut success when she steps up to Listed company for Owen Burrows in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury on Friday.
Having cost €60,000 as a yearling, her sales price rose sharply after an impressive breeze and was purchased for 210,000 guineas by Ted Durcan on behalf of owner Olly Harris.
The Zoustar filly could not have made a much more impressive start to life than the one she had at Sandown, winning by over three lengths, but Burrows is well aware this will be a much tougher ask.
“It was a very professional performance at Sandown, but obviously we are jumping up a little bit,” he said.
“We felt she put in such a nice performance that we weren’t afraid to try it. She obviously lacks experience but she’s a breeze-up filly so she does have that under her belt as such, so we’re looking forward to running her.
“She wasn’t stopping at Sandown so she could step up to six furlongs at some stage, but I just felt that timing-wise this was a nice race. The nice thing is I’m sure she will get six, so that obviously gives you more options whether this year or next year.
“We’ll see how she gets on in this and make a bit of a plan after that.”
The only other unbeaten filly in the race is the Alice Haynes-trained Majestic Beauty, who won at Catterick in May and returned following 88 days off to win at Hamilton last week.
“She’s obviously come out of the race last week well and it was a nice performance up there under a penalty,” said Tom Pennington, racing manager for owners Amo Racing.
“She’s a tough, straightforward filly and that is why we are going to Newbury, in the hope that she can pick up some black type.
“She had a break after her debut but it was just to give her time – we were in no real rush with her, just to help her mature and develop and it paid off at Musselburgh. Hopefully our patience will be rewarded with some black type.
“It is a quick five furlongs at Musselburgh, but I think she’d get six in time.”
Other notable runners include Eve Johnson Houghton’s Juniper Berries, William Haggas’ Indispensable and the Karl Burke-trained duo of Lady Pink Rose and Dorothy Lawrence.
Former Wimbledon junior champion Laura Robson does not think Henry Searle will come under the same pressure to succeed as she did after his win at SW19 this summer.
Searle won the boys’ title at the All England Club 15 years on from when Robson triumphed in the girls’ tournament and expectations are high for the 17-year-old from Wolverhampton.
Winning a home grand slam at such a young age can often be a burden and with British tennis still searching for its next star at the time Robson found herself under undue pressure to quickly transition into the women’s game.
She was making a good fist of it, reaching the fourth round at the US Open and Wimbledon, as well as winning Olympic silver in the mixed doubles in 2012, until injury ruined her career and forced an early retirement.
Searle’s Wimbledon victory was exciting, but with Andy Murray, Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans and Jack Draper all established on the main tour, Robson says there is no rush for him.
“I don’t think you can compare it to my title in any way because 2008 is such a long time ago,” she told the PA news agency.
“I think people were unnecessarily excited because British tennis wasn’t what it was today, there are so many top players in the men’s and women’s side.
“It wasn’t the same when I played. I just feel like he is going to have so many people to lean on, from Andy all the way to Jack Draper, who is not too far away from him age wise. If there is as little pressure as possible, then great.
“He just seems like he has got such a good head on his shoulders. It is a really special moment for him, I just hope he soaks it up and continues to improve.
“He needs to keep as much joy as possible because that is what is most important as you try and transition from juniors to seniors because it is very tough but it seems like he has got such a good head on his shoulders.
“The more you can keep it the same and keep doing the same sort of training and effort into every session the better he is going to do. It seems like his team knows what they are doing.”
It could be easy for Robson to be bitter about having her career taken away from her by injury.
Just months after reaching her career high ranking of 27 she suffered a wrist problem in early 2014 and was never properly fully fit again for a sustained length of time. Hip surgery in 2018 proved too difficult to overcome and after several years out, she officially retired in 2022.
She has not dwelled on her bad luck, though, forging a career in television and also has taken her first steps into tennis administration, working as a player liaison at Wimbledon and being the tournament director of the WTA event at Nottingham.
View this post on Instagram“I will always miss it but I have a different appreciation for it now,” Robson said. “It definitely took me some time but I knew for a good amount of time before I officially retired that I knew I wasn’t going to be playing so I had that whole journey before having to tell anyone, which makes it a lot nicer.
“I was at home, I was chilling with the dog and getting used to not picking up a racket every day and not going to the gym and rehab and just to have that couple of months to myself made it a lot easier.
“To announce it officially got rid of a lot of the emotions because people were always asking if I was going to play again. Since announcing I have been totally fine with it and I have been very, very busy, which always helps.”
The 29-year-old also held a coaching clinic at Wimbledon for players who did not make it to the finals of the Play Your Way To Wimbledon – a national competition with regional and county rounds.
View this post on InstagramThis year’s competition included categories for adults’ doubles pathway, visually impaired, wheelchair and learning disability tennis, which Robson believes is important for Wimbledon.
“It has been really fun, just to see the excitement on all of their faces at playing at Wimbledon for the first time,” Robson said.
“They were just enjoying themselves. To see so many different age groups and categories now, I feel like the more we can open Wimbledon up to people who think it is a little bit inaccessible or is a bit stiff, the better.”
:: Play Your Way to Wimbledon, powered by Vodafone, is the UK’s largest individual mass participation tennis competition and is delivered by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and The All England Lawn Tennis Club, forming part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to support grassroots tennis in the UK, whilst encouraging more people to pick up a racket.
Dickie Bird has paid tribute to his “dearest friend” Sir Michael Parkinson following the chat show host’s death after a brief illness, aged 88.
The pair became friends when they opened the batting together for Barnsley Cricket Club as youngsters and they spoke on the phone earlier this week, just a few days before Parkinson’s death.
“I am stunned, I am really stunned. I only spoke to him on the other morning,” former Yorkshire batter and umpire Bird, himself 90, told the PA news agency.
“I could tell his voice was very, very weak. We said our goodbyes. His son had rung me a few days ago and he said it was a matter of time.
“We were so, so close. His friendship meant more to me than anything else. It meant so much to me. Our friendship, if I wanted any advice I would ring Parky up. He helped me in so many, many ways. Our friendship was so close.
“We were friends since we were youngsters, his father and my father worked down the mines together in Barnsley and we have been friends all of our lives. We opened the innings for Barnsley Cricket Club together before I went on to play for Yorkshire. Our fathers used to come and watch and argue about who was the best.
“I shall miss him, I’ll tell you that. Not only was he a friend but he was a dear friend and I just don’t know how I will cope, I will miss him so much. There will never be another Parky.”
While Bird enjoyed the limelight through his cricketing exploits, Parkinson become one of the most recognisable faces in the country as a chat show host, interviewing some of the biggest names in the world.
Bird said that Parkinson was the best there will ever be and that fame did not change him.
“There will never be a chat show host like Michael Parkinson. He was the best,” a tearful Bird added. “There will never be anyone better than him in your lifetime, my lifetime or anyone else’s lifetime.
“He was the very best, like Garfield Sobers in cricket. He will go down as a legend, the best chat show there has ever been.
“In my book he never changed. We kept our friendship all of the time, we kept seeing each other. Our friendship will always stand. To me he will always be my closest friend and my dearest friend.”
Former England batter Sir Geoffrey Boycott also played at Barnsley alongside Parkinson and Bird and described Sir Michael as “the soul of Yorkshire”.
He told GB News: “He was the best chat show host because he listened to people. He not only asked questions but he listened to them and he actually liked them.
“In fact, he didn’t want them on his show unless he wanted to have them.
“He never lost his Yorkshire roots. Michael was Yorkshire in every way and he was the soul of Yorkshire. He understood how we think, how we talk and that’s why he was able to write about Yorkshire people like me.”
Sir Geoffrey recalled having dinner with Sir Michael and his wife Mary after a Lords Test match on a Saturday, adding: “Sunday mornings, we’d go cricket coaching in the fields with his kids.
“He was just a lovely man. He loved cricket, he loved laughter – he would laugh about himself with the emu.
“He never lost his humour, his warmth, his Yorkshire in him that made him great.”
In April, Parkinson attended the 90th birthday party of Bird at Headingley, and former England fast bowler Darren Gough paid tribute to the broadcaster he regarded as a close friend.
Gough, Yorkshire managing director of cricket, said: “He was a Barnsley boy, like myself, and it was an absolute pleasure to know him and his family.
“We are all devastated here at Yorkshire and thoughts of everyone at the Club are with Sir Michael’s family and friends at this sad time.”
Barnsley Football Club also paid their respects, saying on Twitter: “Barnsley Football Club is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Parkinson CBE.
“The town has lost one of its favourite sons, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
Parkinson interviewed a number of high-profile sportspeople, most notably former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali – widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all-time – with whom he had a couple of tense exchanges in the 1970s.
It was on Parkinson’s show in 2008 where Victoria Beckham – husband of former England captain David – revealed she referred to the ex-midfielder as ‘Golden Balls’, a nickname with which he would become synonymous.
Paddington, Mostahdaf and Desert Crown all feature among eight confirmations for what promises to be a blockbuster Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington has won each of his six starts this term, with his last four victories at Group One level in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Eclipse and Sussex Stakes.
He is set to return to the Eclipse trip of 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire, where Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Mostahdaf heads the opposition for John and Thady Gosden.
The five-year-old was a four-length winner at Royal Ascot and he is set to be partnered for the first time by Frankie Dettori, as regular rider Jim Crowley serves a 20-day whip suspension.
Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was forced to sidestep the Prince of Wales’s due to a late setback, but he is in the mix following a satisfactory piece on work on Wednesday morning.
He could be joined by fellow Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner Bay Bridge, who finished fifth behind Mostahdaf at Ascot.
The Gosden team also has a second contender in Nashwa, winner of the Falmouth Stakes and third in the Nassau last time out, while Mostahdaf’s owner Shadwell also has another possible in Alflaila, although they have indicated it is unlikely both their horses will run.
O’Brien also has Point Lonsdale in contention while the prospective field is completed by The Foxes, who finished second in the Belmont Derby for Andrew Balding last time out.
St Leger hopes will be on the line in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with the Gosden-trained Gregory the key name following his Queen’s Vase verdict at Royal Ascot.
Godolphin rely on the Charlie Appleby-trained Castle Way after his narrow Bahrain Trophy success over Tower Of London.
That colt again features for O’Brien, who has five potential runners out of a list of 10, with Adelaide River and Continuous also confirmed.
Derby fourth Sprewell could represent Jessica Harrington, with Gordon Stakes third and fourth, Canberra Legend and Artistic Star, possibly crossing swords again.
Owen Farrell’s participation in the World Cup is in renewed doubt after World Rugby appealed against the decision to overturn his red card from Saturday’s clash with Wales.
An independent disciplinary panel caused an outcry on Tuesday when it cleared the England captain to play despite his shoulder-led tackle to the head of Taine Basham that was expected to result in a significant ban.
But, having examined the written judgement of the hearing, World Rugby believes there is grounds for an appeal, the details of which have yet to be confirmed.
King Of Steel will head to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes next with connections deciding to stick to their original plan.
The Derby second and King George third, who has also won the King Edward VII Stakes this season, had been given the option of taking on Paddington and Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International at York next week.
However, the Roger Varian-trained colt was not confirmed for the York highlight and he will drop down to 10 furlongs at Leopardstown on September 9.
“We didn’t confirm him today for York,” said Tom Pennington, racing manager for owners, Amo Racing.
“I know when you look at the prize money and think it could be quite a small field, you might get a bit carried away, but we are going back to what was always Plan A and go to Ireland.
“We’ve been patient with him all the way along and I don’t think another couple of weeks is going to do us any harm.
“He’s in good form and he’s on the right track, we’re very happy with him.
“He is a particularly big horse but he’s beautifully proportioned and he’s very well balanced, not many horses that size can go round Tattenham Corner but he floated round there.
“When you look at his size, touch wood, he should be even better again next year and we’re playing the long game with him.”
Yorkshire have paid tribute to Sir Michael Parkinson following the television chat show host’s death after a brief illness, aged 88.
Before his famous broadcasting career got off the ground, Parkinson and Barnsley Cricket Club opening partner Dickie Bird had trials at Yorkshire alongside future England batter Geoffrey Boycott.
Parkinson once kept Boycott out of his hometown Barnsley team but the pair, plus Bird, a former umpire and one of the most recognisable figures in cricket, established lifelong friendships with each other.
Indeed, in April, Parkinson attended the 90th birthday of Bird at Headingley, and former England fast bowler Darren Gough paid tribute to the broadcaster who he regarded as a close friend.
Gough, Yorkshire managing director of cricket, said: “He was a Barnsley boy, like myself, and it was an absolute pleasure to know him and his family.
“We are all devastated here at Yorkshire and thoughts of everyone at the Club are with Sir Michael’s family and friends at this sad time.”
Barnsley Football Club also paid their respects, saying on Twitter: “Barnsley Football Club is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Parkinson CBE.
“The town has lost one of its favourite sons, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”
Parkinson interviewed a number of high-profile sportspeople, most notably former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali – widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all-time – with whom he had a couple of tense exchanges in the 1970s.
It was on Parkinson’s show in 2008 where Victoria Beckham – husband of former England captain David – revealed she referred to the ex-midfielder as ‘Golden Balls’, a nicknamed he would become synonymous with.
Bucanero Fuerte has further Group One riches and a crack at the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes in his sights following his impressive success in the Phoenix Stakes.
The Adrian Murray-trained youngster started off his racing career at the Curragh and following a fine effort in defeat when making the podium at Royal Ascot, he has dominated proceedings in two outings at the Kildare track of late.
A game winner of the Group Two Railway Stakes on his penultimate start, he took his form to the next level when tried in Group One company for the first time, storming clear of the opposition to register a commanding four-length success in the hands of Kevin Stott.
The son of Wootton Bassett is now set for a step up to seven furlongs back at the Curragh on September 10.
“He progressed well from the Railway thankfully and he still seems to be on an upward curve,” said Murray.
“It looks like it will be the National Stakes next, that will be our target at the minute. We think he could improve for stepping up an extra furlong. He hit the line very well the other day. You would be expecting improvement again.
“He’s made great progress right through the year. He’s improving physically and to look at him, he’s a bigger and stronger horse and has muscled up well. We are very happy with him.”
Bucanero Fuerte became the first horse since Siskin to win both the Railway and Phoenix Stakes and a bold showing up in trip on his next start will have connections beginning to dream of Classic success in 2024.
Murray added: “We will be thinking he should get a mile. For us it’s been a rollercoaster, because you start off winning your maiden and you are not expecting to go as well as we are going.
“If he keeps on improving, you have to be thinking next year he is going to be a nice horse and he should be a miler.
“He’s not your typical two-year-old and he’s a big, big horse. He’s a big, scopey horse and you would think he’s a three-year-old to look at him.
“It looks good moving forward and we are very happy with him. If he keeps on improving the way he is, he’ll definitely be stepping into the big races.”
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith each had three hits and the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to their 10th straight victory, 7-1 over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
Betts had three singles and scored four times, Freeman added a pair of doubles and a single and Smith went 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas homered as Los Angeles improved to 14-1 in August to open a 10-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West.
The Dodgers have outscored opponents 61-22 during the win streak.
Clayton Kershaw limited NL Central-leading Milwaukee to three hits and one run – Mark Canha’s homer – over five innings with two walks and two strikeouts in his second start back from the injured list.
Rojas’ second-inning home run put the Dodgers up 2-1 and Betts scored later in the frame when J.D. Martinez reached on interference by catcher William Contreras with the bases loaded.
Smith followed singles by Betts and Freeman in the fourth with a sacrifice fly and Freeman doubled home Betts in the sixth before he scored on Smith’s single.
Cubs win on Morel’s walk-off homer
Christopher Morel drilled a dramatic three-run home run in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 win over the rival Chicago White Sox.
The Cubs entered the ninth trailing 3-1 but got a leadoff double from Cody Bellinger against Gregory Santos. After Dansby Swanson walked, Morel drove a 1-2 pitch into the bleacher sets in right-centre field for his 19th home run.
Morel’s blast was the Cubs’ first hit with runners in scoring position all night after they were 0 for 6.
Nick Madrigal hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth to set the stage for Morel’s heroics.
Gavin Sheets had a two-run homer for the White Sox, who had won six straight at Wrigley Field.
Detmers flirts with no-hitter in Angels’ win
Reid Detmers took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and Shohei Ohtani homered in the Los Angeles Angels’ 2-0 win over the Texas Rangers.
Detmers held Texas hitless until Marcus Semien lined a double into the left-centre field gap with one out in the eighth on his 108th and final pitch.
Detmers, who threw a no-hitter last season as a rookie, finished with five strikeouts and four walks.
Ohtani took Jon Gray deep in the first inning for AL-best 42nd home run.
The Rangers were shut out for the ninth time this season and had a nine-game home winning streak snapped.
The Chicago Cubs were planning on Marcus Stroman returning from the injured list to pitch Wednesday.
It turns out he will be sidelined much longer.
Stroman has been diagnosed with a right rib cartilage fracture and is out indefinitely.
Already on the IL due to right hip inflammation, the 32-year-old experienced rib discomfort recently during his rehab and the Cubs announced Tuesday he would not be activated to pitch against the Chicago White Sox the following night.
At this point, the Cubs are going to wait until he's pain-free until he resumes throwing.
While the team is not giving a timeline for his return, recovery for such an injury could be anywhere from two weeks to up to six weeks.
With only 6 1/2 weeks left in the season, it's possible he's done for the year.
It's a tough blow for a Cubs team that entered Wednesday 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and one game back of the Miami Marlins for the final wild-card spot in the NL.
Stroman, who was Chicago's opening day starter, was sensational early in the season, going 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA in 16 starts through June 20 and earned his second All-Star team selection. At that time, his ERA was the lowest in the NL among the 37 pitchers with at least 70 innings thrown.
The last two months have not gone nearly as well for him, as he's gone 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA in his last seven outings and landed on the IL on August 2.
Despite his recent struggles, the Cubs were hoping a stint on the IL would help Stroman regain his early season form, but now the team is facing the real possibility he won't be able to pitch the rest of the year.
Charlie Appleby sent out the winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury for a third successive year as Arabian Crown registered a decisive triumph.
Beaten less than a length by the exciting Starlore when sent off favourite at Sandown on debut, the son of Dubawi served notice of his potential with an easy victory back at the Esher track on his second start.
Upped both to Listed Level and a mile, the 85-40 second favourite highlighted his quality in fine style, tracking the pace set by Richard Hannon’s Son before coming forward to take the lead after two furlongs out and galloping on strongly for a two-and-a-quarter-length success over 13-8 favourite Arabic Legend.
Last year’s winner for the stable went on to contest the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket later in the season, while both Paddy Power and Betfair shortened the colt to 20-1 from 33s for next year’s 2000 Guineas.
“It was a lovely performance,” winning rider William Buick told Racing TV.
“It was a nice, even gallop which suited him and suited everyone else, so it was a very fair race and Arabian Crown has gone from strength to strength.
“He is very professional and he has really learned from his last two runs. He had to stand in the gates for quite a long time with some of the others, but he took that well and still broke well and just settled outside of the leader. He dropped his head and was progressive all the way to the line and was strong at the finish.
“I think this is a nice trip for him now as a two-year-old and I’m sure next year he will go further. You would hope that (with) the progress he had made in two runs in novices, he has every reason to improve again.”
Ralph Beckett was on the scoresheet in the other Listed heat as State Occasion ran out an impressive winner of the British EBF 40th Anniversary Upavon Fillies’ Stakes.
The daughter of Iffraaj, who was sent off a 6-1 chance, hit the front a furlong from home in the hands of Rossa Ryan and was not for catching in the closing stages as 6-4 favourite Running Lion gave chase in vain.
Beckett said. “She kept winning valuable fillies’ handicaps last year and then we went to Dundalk and she got drawn wide and missed the break. You run quickly into the bend there over 10 furlongs, so that didn’t work and then I probably ran her one run too many at the back-end.
“She ran well in the Middleton and then she was off colour for a little while after that.
“Then it has just rained and she wants fast ground, it is as simple as that. She hasn’t had any major issues, it has just been wet. We’ve probably only missed one race which was the Lyric at York but it doesn’t matter now.
“She could go anywhere and I haven’t really thought about it long and hard yet. But luckily there is plenty for her and she will be in everything and we will see how it pans out.”
George Ford insists England’s players must take responsibility for accelerating the team’s development into a force for the World Cup.
Steve Borthwick’s men ended a three-match losing run by defeating Wales 19-17 at Twickenham last Saturday but Ireland, the sport’s number one ranked side, are the next assignment on the schedule of warm-up fixtures.
England have yet to fire since Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones in September but with their pivotal Pool C match against Argentina fast approaching on September 9, Ford knows time is at a premium.
“Along with being led by the coaches, it’s the players’ responsibility to grab hold of the team and pull it in the direction we want to pull it in,” the Sale fly-half said.
“Especially when we have got the ball with that amount of experience and those combinations, we see it as our responsibility to get this team going and we have got to do it quicker than we have ever done it before.
“There are two more warm-up games and then there is the first game of the World Cup so we understand there is an urgency about it, but we are going to grab it.”
Since Borthwick took charge England have managed only 14 tries in seven matches, consistently struggling to finish chances or reflect their visits to the 22 on the scoreboard.
“I know the attack is the most spoken about subject at the minute. Let me reassure you we are working hard on it,” Ford said.
“We want to be more dangerous with the ball and cause more problems for the defence with the ball and score more tries, that’s what we want to do. It’s at the forefront of our minds and we’re working really hard to do it.
“My experience is that of all departments of the game, it takes the longest to get the attack functioning.
“We want to speed it up, we want to get there as quickly as possible. We know there’s an urgency that we need to start attacking better and causing problems and scoring tries – we understand that.
“The main thing is how we can be more potent when we’ve got the ball, how we can get the outside backs in space with the ball to create damage and cause chaos.”
Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey will miss the start of the upcoming season due to a lingering foot injury that will require surgery.
NFL.com reported Wednesday that Humphrey, Baltimore's top cornerback, is expected to miss about a month and likely will be unavailable for the Ravens' first two games.
Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Humphrey will have surgery Wednesday, but was optimistic the seventh-year veteran wouldn't miss a large amount of time.
"It's not going to be a long-term deal," Harbaugh told reporters following Wednesday's practice.
"It's been a lingering thing," Harbaugh said of Humphrey's injury. "It's something we want to take care of now instead of waiting."
The Ravens have already been hit hard by injuries at the cornerback spot this summer.
Damarion Williams, a candidate to be the team's primary slot defender, underwent left ankle surgery earlier this week and is expected to be out until October. Rock Ya-Sin, the projected outside starter opposite Humphrey, has not practised for nearly two weeks due to a knee injury but is expected to be fine for the season's start.
"We have guys ready to play, and we'll see what we can do," Harbaugh remarked.
Humphrey earned his third career Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after recording 71 tackles, three interceptions and three sacks while starting all 17 games. The 27-year-old has started at least 12 games for the Ravens in each of the past four seasons.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from August 16.
FootballEngland’s players celebrated reaching their first Women’s World Cup final.
View this post on InstagramThe country celebrated the Lionesses reaching the World Cup final.
A tennis great was privileged to be there.
Jurrien Timber has a long road to recovery.
Jose Mourinho counted down to the new Serie A season.
View this post on InstagramDavid Beckham reflected on a big night for Inter Miami.
View this post on InstagramJude Bellingham responded to some teasing.
CricketBen Stokes came out of retirement.
GolfJustin Rose thanked the Chicago Cubs for a fun evening.
TennisRidiculous from Carlos Alcaraz.
Chris Evert enjoyed some tennis.
Porta Fortuna could be set for a step up in trip for the Moyglare Stud Stakes following her second in the Phoenix Stakes.
Donnacha O’Brien’s youngster was unbeaten in her first three starts, landing a Curragh maiden before scooping Group Three honours at Naas and moving on to Royal Ascot, where she provided her handler with his first winner at the big meeting when finding the target under Frankie Dettori in the Albany Stakes.
Tasked with both taking on the colts and moving up to Group One company at the Curragh, she may have lost her unbeaten record, but her reputation remained unblemished having chased home impressive winner Bucanero Fuerte for the silver medal.
The daughter of Caravaggio is now set to return to competing against her own sex as connections contemplate a move up to seven furlongs for the Moyglare on September 10, with Newmarket’s Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (September 30) another Group One contest for which Porta Fortuna holds an entry.
“She ran really well and we were delighted with her,” said O’Brien.
“We’re still not 100 per cent sure, but there’s a good chance we will take a look at the Moyglare and we will train her towards that and see. She will have the option of the Cheveley Park after that also.
“I think she has plenty of speed, so I think six or seven furlongs won’t be a problem either way and she’s open to either.
“The winner looked a good horse and to go against the colts isn’t easy but she ran really well.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
