Fugitif could return to Cheltenham next month for the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup Handicap Chase having been in the mix once again at Prestbury Park in the Paddy Power-sponsored equivalent.
Richard Hobson’s eight-year-old is a regular competitor at Cheltenham and was sent off a 12-1 chance for his seasonal reappearance in the hands of Gavin Sheehan last weekend, a race that was ultimately won by Stage Star, with Fugitif finishing 16 lengths adrift in fourth.
However, there was plenty of encouragement to take from Fugitif’s performance as he matched strides with the winner coming down the hill and rounding the turn for home before his early exuberance in first-time cheekpieces took its toll on the lung-busting run for home.
Although having to settle for minor honours, Hobson is hopeful there is more to come on his next start now his charge has a run under his belt.
“He’s in good order,” said the trainer.
“Something jumped into him at the water jump and it was the only jump he got wrong. He was a bit sore on the behind fetlock for a few days but he’s absolutely A1 now.
“Because he is such a big horse, it normally takes him four or five weeks to come out of his run, but fitness wise he will probably come on for the run. He was too keen and too free, he never settled really.
“I probably shouldn’t have put cheekpieces on him first time out. Gavin was saying he was sort of struggling to keep a lid on him. So it was probably trainer error on that front and hoping he might get some cover, as I thought he might be like that if he was handy enough. He jumped his way to the front with a circuit to run.
“He just got lit up a bit and didn’t run with the choke out, but was just doing too much for a horse having a comeback run compared to the second and third horses which were completely switched off.
“He was bang there alongside Stage Star at the top of the hill and still tanking down the hill.”
Hobson is now looking forward to a potential return to Cheltenham’s New course where Fugitif has an excellent record having finished second on both Festival Trials Day and at the Festival itself earlier in the year.
If recovering sufficiently from his recent exertions, Fugitif could bid to make it third time lucky on the track in the £130,000 feature of the track’s December meeting, while a similar event worth £100,000 on New Year’s Day (Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase) is also in the equation along with a trip to Ascot for the Howden Handicap Chase on December 23.
Hobson continued: “There is December on the New course which probably suits him better – that second last comes up a bit sharp on him for such a big horse (on the Old course) – and then there is January 1 as well. The one in December is more valuable and you can also throw Ascot into the mix.
“We’ve been dropped 2lb, the runner-up (Notlongtillmay) has gone up 6lb and he had the benefit of a run, the winner is a Grade One horse and we won’t be meeting him again and we’ve beaten the third (Il Ridoto) before, so on that note I would say it puts us in good stead next time if I pick the right race for him.
“I’ve just got to make sure I keep him healthy and right and don’t over run him and hopefully he will win a big pot somewhere.”
Last season’s Grand National runner-up Vanillier is set to start back on the road to Aintree by making an earlier than expected return to action at Thurles.
Gavin Cromwell’s grey beat all bar Corach Rambler in the world’s most famous steeplechase in the spring and a return to Merseyside is unsurprisingly top of his agenda for this term.
Cromwell was concerned the eight-year-old may not make his reappearance until Christmas due to a setback suffered during the summer – but has been so pleased with his recent progress that he is planning to saddle his charge in the BetVictor Chase in County Tipperary on Thursday.
“He’s coming to hand quicker than I thought,” the trainer confirmed.
“It’s a Listed race over two-mile-six (furlongs) for horses that haven’t won a race worth more than €50,000 in the last two years, so it’ll be a nice race to start him off in.
“He has Grade One entries for Christmas, but he might go to the Kinloch Brae or something, then I’d say he’ll almost definitely go to the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse again in February as the weights are out at that stage and it’s a lovely race to go for.
“We obviously have to be mindful along the way when all roads lead to Aintree.”
Another Cromwell inmate who could be Grand National-bound is Malina Girl, having shown her staying prowess with victory in a valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham last Sunday.
Cromwell added: “I can’t believe she has got to the level she has. She’s 15’2 or 15’3, a tiny little thing, with spindly legs on her.
“I see she’s getting quotes for the English National and I would say there is a good chance she could go there.
“I ran her at Punchestown over hurdles (off 113) and thought she had a right chance, she was in great form. I suppose we could definitely go back at some stage over hurdles.
“She jumps well and those extended trips are where she really comes alive.
“I don’t have a plan, but we’ll make one. She definitely won’t he having a complete break because she’s only had two runs.”
Last month The Jockey Club announced a number of significant changes to the Grand National in a bid to improve safety, including reducing the number of runners to 34 from 40 and moving the first fence 60 yards closer to the start.
Commenting on the alterations, Cromwell said: “I think the first fence being closer is a no-brainer – I think that’s a great initiative.
“There’s pros and cons with reducing the field, but it’s in now and we’ll have to just go with it.
“Obviously there’s going to be a few disappointed people, with six more people not getting a run. It’s going to raise the cut-off weight, but it is what it is.”
Julian Morrison and Mary Mahfood were crowned national champions of Jamaica as the 2023 Jamaica Squash Association Senior Squash Championships came to a conclusion in Kingston on Saturday.
Morrison rallied from a game down to win a four-game thriller against Ashante Smith at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston to win his second national title. Morrison won 6-111, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7.
Meanwhile, Mahfood claimed her second consecutive title after making quick work of Lauren Mahfood, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5, in the encounter that lasted less than 30 minutes.
The top-seed Morrison advanced to the final by defeating number-three seed Bruce Burrowes in a stirring battle 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4 on Friday night. Smith, meantime, the number-six seed shut out second-seed Tahjia Lumley 11-7, 11-4, 11-7.
Mahfood enjoyed a much easier route to the final steamrolling number-three seed Savannah Thompson 11-2, 11-5, 11-1 in her semi-final.
In contrast, Lauren was forced to dig deep to overcome Sanjana Nallapati, the fourth-seed in a five-game battle royal 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-13, 13-11.
Next week’s Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle could come under consideration for Shishkin after Nicky Henderson’s star chaser refused to start at Ascot on Saturday.
Having rounded off a rollercoaster season with a first victory over an extended three miles at Aintree in the spring, the nine-year-old was odds-on to make a successful reappearance in the Grade Two 1965 Chase in Berkshire, which was due to be his prep run for the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
However, it became clear not long after he arrived at the start that Shishkin was not too keen to jump off with the other runners and when the tape went up, he turned his head and planted himself in the hands of Nico de Boinville.
Henderson reported his charge to be none the worse on Sunday morning, but is now in a quandary as to what to do next.
“He’s fine, he’s actually been out for a little day out and a hack canter this morning,” said the Seven Barrows handler.
“We’ve got to think what we’re going to do, I haven’t got that far yet.
“There’s very little he can do, to be honest with you. I don’t know, perhaps they’ll start the King George in starting stalls!”
Shishkin was wearing cheek pieces for the first time in public on Saturday and while Henderson is loathe to blame the headgear for his antics, they may be dispensed with on his next start.
He added: “I don’t think they made any difference, to be honest with you. I’m not saying they’ll stay on, because it’s probably sensible to do something.
“I don’t think they had anything to do with it, as he’s had them on at home and Nico has schooled him in them and he was great.
“I’m inclined to take them off, just to do something different, but they were nothing to do with it.
“I just think it was mainly because of where the start was at Ascot, and therefore, unsurprisingly, the King George start is a very bad one, too.”
The next conditions race open to Shishkin is the Grade Two Peterborough Chase, but Henderson feels the December 10 showpiece is “too close” to Kempton, while the two-and-a-half-mile distance at Huntingdon is considered “almost certainly too short round there”.
And with the brilliant Constitution Hill being readied to travel from Lambourn to Newcastle to make his comeback in Saturday’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle, Henderson admits the thought of putting Shishkin in the horsebox alongside him has crossed his mind.
When asked whether the Rehearsal Chase could be an option, the trainer said: “That is under consideration, as you can imagine. We’re going there anyway.
“We’ll just have to see, we’re not thinking about it at the moment. We’ve just got to face the issue and see, as there’s no point going up there (Newcastle) if he’s going to repeat it.”
The Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse carried 12 stone to victory in last year’s Rehearsal Chase before unseating at the final fence in the King George.
Dan Skelton is keen to get Protektorat back on the racecourse “relatively quickly” following his disappointing defence of the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
The eight-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Merseyside Grade One 12 months ago, but after travelling well on the front end for a long way in his bid for back-to-back victories, he weakened out of contention before the home turn and trailed home last of four runners behind Royale Pagaille.
Skelton reported his star chaser to have emerged relatively unscathed on Sunday morning and he plans to give him another run before the end of 2023, after which a tilt at the the £165,000 Fleur de Lys Chase at Lingfield on January 21 is on the agenda.
“He’s a bit stiff, but he’s fine. We’ll get him right and go again,” said the Alcester-based trainer.
“Yesterday wasn’t our day and take nothing away from the winner, it was a fabulous performance.
“We were happy with our horse going into it and I’m not making any excuses. Sometimes you get beat and you’ve just got to dust yourself down and go again.
“What I want to do is run him somewhere relatively quickly, between now and the new year, and then look at the Winter Million race for him. It’s worth an awful lot of money and will probably be run on ground that he’ll really enjoy.”
Protektorat’s options over the festive period include the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Savills Chase at Leopardstown two days later, with nothing off the table at this stage.
Skelton added: “I’ve got to talk to connections first, but there’s only a handful of races that he’s eligible for, so we’ll have to consider them all.”
Equinox, the world’s highest-rated horse, delivered a dominant performance to win Sunday’s Japan Cup.
The four-year-old has not been beaten since finishing second in the Japanese Derby in May 2022, winning two Grade One contests at home at the end of last year before easily seeing off Westover when claiming the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.
Tetsuya Kimura’s charge won two more Grade Ones since that effort and was a long odds-on favourite for the Tokyo highlight, which featured a clutch of previous top-level victors, including leading three-year-old filly Liberty Island.
Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa took up his usual position at the head of affairs, setting a testing gallop that saw him build up a huge advantage at the top of the straight.
Christophe Lemaire had been happy to sit in the pack aboard Equinox, rounding the final bend in third before giving his mount the signal to set out in pursuit as Panthalassa’s stride began to shorten.
The response was immediate and Equinox sprinted to the lead over a furlong out and Lemaire just had to use hands and heels to steer him to a four-length verdict over Liberty Island.
The William Buick-ridden Stars On Earth was third, with last year’s race winner Vela Azul coming home seventh under Hollie Doyle, one place ahead of Tom Marquand’s mount Studley.
Joel Embiid had 35 points and fell one assist shy of a triple-double and the Philadelphia 76ers snapped the Oklahoma City Thunder’s six-game winning streak with a 127-123 victory on Saturday.
Embiid had 11 rebounds and nine assists while making 19 of 21 free throws, including six in the final 9.8 seconds to seal the win.
Tyrese Maxey had 28 points and eight rebounds and Tobias Harris added 16 points to help the 76ers avoid a third straight loss.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points for the Thunder, who lost their fourth straight at home to Philadelphia.
Oklahoma City’s Josh Giddey had 10 points, seven boards and eight assists in his first game after the NBA started an investigation into accusations he had an improper relationship with an underage girl.
LeBron helps Lakers win in Cleveland
Anthony Davis scored 23 of his season-high 32 points in the second half and grabbed 13 rebounds and LeBron James had 22 points against his hometown team as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-115.
James added six rebounds, six assists and two steals in his 18th career win against Cleveland in 21 games. The 39-year-old superstar attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in nearby Akron and spent 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, leading them to the 2016 NBA title.
Austin Reaves added 15 points and 10 assists as the Lakers won their fourth in five games overall and third straight on the road.
Donovan Mitchell had 22 points on 4-of-18 shooting in his return aft4er missing four games with a right hamstring strain for Cleveland.
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland did not play in the second half due to a neck strain, caused by an awkward collision with Max Christie in the first quarter.
George leads Clippers past Mavericks
The Los Angeles Clippers received little production from two of their stars, but Paul George had 25 points and Terance Mann added 17 in a 107-88 rout of the Dallas Mavericks.
James Harden was limited to eight points on 2-of-8 shooting and Kawhi Leonard missed his first nine shots before also finishing with eight points.
Russell Westbrook helped with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Clippers won their fourth in five games.
Luka Dončić scored 30 points and Kyrie Irving added 26 for Dallas, which failed to score 100 points for the first time this season.
Jimmy Vesey snapped a second-period tie and Chris Kreider had two goals to lift the red-hot New York Rangers to a 7-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday in a matchup of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Kreider scored on the power play and short-handed and Artemi Panarin added a goal and an assist to help the Rangers win for the seventh time in eight games.
New York is 13-1-1 in its last 15 contests and has 15 wins in 19 or fewer games for the first time in franchise history.
Charlie Coyle scored twice for the Bruins, who have allowed 12 goals in losing consecutive games following a 5-0-2 stretch.
Jonathan Quick made 27 saves to improve to 6-0-1 in seven starts with the Rangers.
Copley’s shutout keeps Kings surging
Pheonix Copley needed to make only 18 saves for the shutout and Trevor Moore scored twice as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 for their fifth straight win.
Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Lewis also scored to help the Kings win their ninth in 11 games and improve to 13-3-3 on the season.
Los Angeles allowed just one shot on goal in the first period and surrendered five total goals during the five-game streak.
Montreal dropped to 2-2-0 on its five-game road trip.
Flyers' Errson bests Sorokin in shootout
Samuel Errson made 25 saves in regulation and overtime and stopped all four attempts in the shootout as the Philadelphia Flyers overcame Ilya Sorokin’s stellar effort in a 1-0 win over the New York Islanders.
Errson notched his first shutout of the season and second of his career to help the Flyers bounce back from consecutive losses.
Sorokin finished with 40 saves with his only mistake coming on Tyson Foerster’s shootout goal in the fourth round.
This was the sixth time in NHL history where a goaltender recorded a 40-save shutout and suffered a loss. Sorokin was involved in the most recent occurrence on Dec. 19, 2022, at Colorado.
Katie Taylor claimed redemption with a majority decision victory over Chantelle Cameron in Dublin to become undisputed light-welterweight champion.
Taylor and Cameron produced a classic at 3Arena with both boxers trading blows throughout a gruelling 10-round contest that was scored 95-95, 98-92 and 96-94 by the judges.
Cameron had dominated their previous meeting in May and was widely tipped to get the better of the Irish great again, but it was a different fight as the home favourite promised.
Early success for Taylor proved crucial and a cut on Cameron’s left head from a clash of heads in round three contributed to a bruising encounter that went the way of the challenger.
It resulted in Taylor avenging the first professional defeat of her career and means she now holds the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO light-welterweight belts to firmly silence any talk of retirement.
Novak Djokovic was left to rue a “bitter” end to another record-breaking season after losing twice to Jannik Sinner as Italy defeated Serbia to reach the Davis Cup final.
The world number one suffered an unwanted career first when he failed to convert three consecutive match points in a pulsating 6-2 2-6 7-5 singles loss – his first in the competition in 22 matches and 12 years.
Serbia had led 1-0 in the semi-final in Malaga thanks to Miomir Kecmanovic’s win over Lorenzo Musetti but Djokovic’s defeat sent the tie to a deciding doubles contest.
Djokovic and Sinner lined up on opposite sides of the net for the fourth time in less than two weeks alongside Kecmanovic and Lorenzo Sonego respectively, and it was the Italian duo who clinched a 6-3 6-4 win to send their country through to a clash with Australia for the title on Sunday.
Djokovic had hoped to crown the season in which he became the most successful man in tennis history with a second Davis Cup title, and he made no attempt to hide his disappointment.
“Congratulations to Italy for qualifying for the finals,” he said. “They deserved it. They played really well, particularly Jannik, in singles against me and then doubles, as well. He barely missed a ball the entire match.
“For me personally it’s a huge disappointment, because I take the responsibility, obviously having three match points, being so close to winning it. It’s unfortunate really. This is sport. When you lose for your country, the bitter feeling is even greater.”
After Kecmanovic had backed up his fine showing against Britain’s Jack Draper by coming from a set down to defeat Musetti 6-7 (7) 6-2 6-1, the stage seemed set for Djokovic to send Serbia through to the final.
The confidence Sinner had gained from his group stage victory over Djokovic at the ATP Finals was negated by a convincing loss in the final but the world number one looked fatigued, perhaps more mentally than physically, during the first set.
Both men had headed straight from Turin to Malaga but Sinner is 14 years younger than his rival and he took full advantage of some uncharacteristic errors to reel off five games in a row.
It was another excellent atmosphere at the Palacio de Deportes Martin Carpena, befitting the sort of marquee clash that Davis Cup has not seen enough of over the last decade and more.
Djokovic showed more positive energy at the start of the second set and was pushing for a break throughout the decider.
But Sinner refused to buckle, saving break points in two separate games prior to his remarkable renaissance at 4-5, when he won five points in a row from 0-40.
In a reminder that even the very best are not immune to pressure, the Serbian was then broken himself and Sinner served out a stunning victory.
Djokovic’s record in doubles is poor and, in a contest that made up for in drama what it lacked in quality, the Italian duo claimed a deserved victory to crown Sinner’s special day.
The world number one, who again became involved with the crowd, this time conducting along to Italian jeers, refused to blame fatigue, saying: “I don’t want to talk about it because it’s going to sound like an excuse.
“Obviously this is a tough one to swallow. I was really trying to hype myself and encourage myself for this week. Throughout the entire season, my thoughts were this week with my Davis Cup team. I tried to contribute. I did in the first tie, but today it wasn’t meant to be.”
Jannik Sinner stunned Novak Djokovic with wins in singles and doubles to send Italy through to a first Davis Cup final for 20 years.
Djokovic suffered an unwanted career first when he failed to convert three consecutive match points in a pulsating 6-2 2-6 7-5 singles loss against world number four Sinner.
It was Djokovic’s first defeat in a Davis Cup singles rubber since a retirement against Juan Martin Del Potro 12 years ago, ending a 21-match winning run.
Serbia had led 1-0 in the semi-final in Malaga thanks to Miomir Kecmanovic’s win over Lorenzo Musetti but Djokovic’s loss sent the tie to a deciding doubles contest.
Djokovic and Sinner lined up on opposite sides of the net for the fourth time in less than two weeks alongside Kecmanovic and Lorenzo Sonego respectively, and it was the Italian duo who clinched a 6-3 6-4 win to send their country through to a clash with Australia for the title on Sunday.
After Kecmanovic had backed up his fine showing against Britain’s Jack Draper by coming from a set down to defeat Musetti 6-7 (7) 6-2 6-1, the stage seemed set for Djokovic to send Serbia through to the final.
The confidence Sinner had gained from his group stage victory over Djokovic at the ATP Finals was negated by a convincing loss in the final but the world number one looked fatigued, perhaps more mentally than physically, during the first set.
Both men had headed straight from Turin to Malaga but Sinner is 14 years younger than his rival and he took full advantage of some uncharacteristic errors to reel off five games in a row.
It was another excellent atmosphere at the Palacio de Deportes Martin Carpena, befitting the sort of marquee clash that Davis Cup has not seen enough of over the last decade and more.
Djokovic had made winning a first title with Serbia since 2010 one of his big priorities and he showed more positive energy at the start of the second set, breaking for the first time to lead 3-1 after his opponent double-faulted.
A second break sent the contest to a deciding set, where it seemed a case of when rather than if Djokovic would find the breakthrough.
But Sinner refused to buckle, saving break points in two separate games prior to his remarkable renaissance at 4-5, when he won five points in a row from 0-40.
The missed opportunities seemed to play on Djokovic’s mind and, in a reminder that even the very best are not immune to pressure, the Serbian netted a routine shot to hand Sinner a break point and was then passed after an ill-advised serve and volley.
Moments later, Djokovic blasted a return long to the sounds of Italian jubilation and stunned Serbian silence, with Sinner saying: “It was an incredible match. We were one point away from being out of the competition but we are still here.”
Djokovic’s singles record in Davis Cup may be formidable but his doubles one is anything but, with only four wins from 11 previous matches.
None of the four players picked are regulars on the doubles circuit but the Italian duo looked much more at home in the format and broke Djokovic’s serve on the way to taking the opening set.
They were a break up early in the second, too, but this time Serbia came back and, having lost his cool with the British crowd on Thursday, here Djokovic began conducting the Italian jeers.
After Sinner saved four break points to hold for 3-3, another long game, this time on the Kecmanovic serve, resulted in a break for the pumped up Italian pair, and fittingly it was Sinner who served out the victory.
Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel described Devin Booker as a "professional scorer" as he stepped up in Kevin Durant's absence on Friday, starring in a 110-89 road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The In-Season Tournament game was the first Durant has missed all season, with Phoenix's leading scorer complaining of soreness in his right foot before the game.
However, the Suns made light of his absence as Booker stepped up with a season-high 40 points, while Eric Gordon added 20 as Phoenix extended its winning streak to six games.
Asked about Booker's efforts in the aftermath of the win, which took Phoenix to 3-1 in the tournament, Vogel said: "The guy's just a professional scorer. He is a big reason we are having this six-game win streak."
With Phoenix waiting to see how Durant's condition develops, Booker says it will be difficult for the team to replace his contribution.
"It's tough", Booker said. "You can't replace what he brings to the court. His scoring ability, his versatility on defense. It's going to take a lot of extra from everybody else."
With the Los Angeles Lakers winning Group A of the In-Season tournament with a 4-0 record, the Suns must wait on other results across the Western Conference to see whether they have done enough for a wild-card spot.
Phoenix was made to endure something of a Memphis resurgence in the second half as the hosts cut their lead to single digits, but guard Jordan Goodwin scored eight straight Suns points in the fourth quarter to kill any hopes of a comeback.
"He was great," Vogel said of Goodwin, who finished with 14 points and added five rebounds in 20 minutes on the court.
"You know, he's had some ups and downs this year. We've been challenging him as a coaching staff to be better on both sides of the ball.
"He competes defensively but staying within the framework of what we're asking him to do… to see it all come together for him was a great night for all of us, as coaches, trying to challenge a player and see him respond, and for him, to respond and have a great night."
Ding Junhui clambered off his sickbed to sink defending champion Mark Allen in a final frame decider in a dramatic opening match of this year’s UK Championship in York.
The former three-time winner revealed he was on the verge of pulling out of the tournament on Saturday morning after waking with a soaring temperature and spells of dizziness.
But Ding somehow steadied himself to haul back a 4-2 deficit then summon a nerveless 102 clearance to chisel a 6-5 victory in a first-round repeat of last year’s final, in which the Chinese player blew a sizeable lead to lose 10-7.
“In the morning I thought about pulling out because I couldn’t get out of bed,” said Ding. “My alarm was calling me to wake up but I couldn’t.
“My temperature was up to 39 and I couldn’t walk straight, I couldn’t walk over (to the venue). But I think I wanted to play because I am here for the tournament, so I will just try to play well.”
It was another remarkable chapter in Ding’s relationship with the sport’s second biggest tournament, which began when he came from nowhere to reel off a string of big wins and become the first overseas winner of the Championship in 2005.
A dramatic match had been slow to catch fire, with both players making mistakes as they shared the first four frames prior to the mid-session interval.
Allen was first to step up his game when he seized on a second chance in the fifth frame with a clearance to black of 106, and he extended his advantage to two after a messy sixth in which both players spurned golden chances.
But just when Ding was beginning to look down and out he drew on all his UK experience to reel off three counter-attacking frames in a row to move within one of an unlikely victory.
The Chinese player was first to show some nerves, a missed black off the spot gifting Allen the chance to pull level, which the Antrim man duly took with a decisive break of 70.
Allen had the first chance in the decider but missed an easy red to the middle and Ding held his illness at bay long enough to summon his first century of the match and seal his place in the last 16 – much to Allen’s surprise.
“It’s definitely one that got away, and not just because of the red in the last frame,” said Allen.
“I felt like I did all the hard stuff well today, and I honestly felt like I did all right. I felt in control of the match completely, and I think if Ding is honest in his assessment he’ll wonder how he won it.
“It’s a hard one to take because I’ve just lost in the UK Championships but I’ve played a lot worse. Maybe this is one that I’ll watch back to see what happened, because I felt in control at all times until I lost.”
Mark Williams admitted he never got out of second gear but still did enough to see off Fan Zhengyi 6-4 and join Ding in the last 16.
The Welshman, whose best break was an 86 to nudge over the line, is a two-time UK champion and keen to avoid the mishaps which hampered his chances of making it a trio of successes in recent years.
“This tournament hasn’t really been good for me in the last few years,” admitted Williams. “Once during Covid I fell asleep live on TV, then last year I had to run out every couple of frames.
“But I’ll go home in between matches this time and try to change the jinx of the UK. The reception was unbelievable, the conditions were perfect – everything was perfect except my play. I was struggling a bit, but I loved it.”
Nicky Henderson has few concerns about the cold week ahead as Constitution Hill’s eagerly-awaited return in the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle draws ever closer.
Having made the decision to stay over the smaller obstacles, the Seven Barrows superstar has long had the trip to Newcastle to defend his Fighting Fifth crown inked on his calendar.
The dry weather last autumn meant Constitution Hill was rerouted from Ascot to Gosforth Park for his seasonal debut 12 months ago, but Henderson does not envisage any similar problems this time around despite temperatures set to fall over the coming seven days.
And having completed his big-race preparations at his Lambourn home earlier this week, Henderson reports his Champion Hurdler to be in rude health ahead of the first step on his journey back to the Cheltenham Festival.
“He galloped yesterday and everyone watched him and he’s fine,” said Henderson, speaking at Ascot, where he suffered the disappointment of Shishkin refusing to start in the 1965 Chase.
“All his work is done, it finished yesterday.
“I would seriously hope with a Grade One like that (there will be no issues), Newcastle will be fine. I’m not worried.
“He’s 100 per cent. He’s in very good form.”
It threatened to be a somewhat strange afternoon for Harry Cobden as he headed to Ascot while his King George champion Bravemansgame made the trip to Haydock for the Betfair Chase, but the leading jockey delivered a thrilling four-timer on a drama-filled day in Berkshire.
Paul Nicholls had made the decision to give Daryl Jacob the leg-up on his star staying chaser in Merseyside, and channelling one of his owners, Sir Alex Ferguson, shuffled the pack and pointed his stable number one in the direction of Ascot to represent Ditcheat in a high-class few hours of action.
Cobden had played the willing team captain throughout the week and although happy to state his disappointment about not riding Bravemansgame, also cited his willingness to make the most of a full book of rides down south while the Gold Cup runner-up travelled north.
He wasted little time getting on the scoreboard and in his first ride of the day helped Farnoge establish himself as one of the yard’s leading novice hurdlers.
However, there was bigger still to come and after Shishkin planted himself at the start of the Nirvana Spa 1965 Chase, Cobden took full advantage aboard his key ride of the day, owner Johnny de la Hay’s Pic D’Orhy.
Although having to work harder than envisaged aboard the now eight-time fences winner, it was job done and prize-money secured, before the day got even better when De la Hay’s Blueking D’Oroux continued his rise up the hurdling ranks with victory in the Coral Hurdle.
That made it three winners on the day for both himself and Ditcheat and with Bravemansgame still to run, he spoke honestly and pragmatically when saying: “It’s obviously a shame not to be on him.
“I had a chat with Paul earlier and whatever happens happens and I think he probably should win. I had a good chat with Daryl and he knows what he is doing, but at the same time, we’re all in the same camp aren’t we.”
Cobden’s day would end with a fourth victory aboard the supremely exciting debutant Regent’s Stroll, a horse the 25-year-old can begin to dream big about for the future.
But it was clear that the ultimate team player had events at Haydock at the forefront of his mind with his Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up falling short in his Betfair Chase assignment.
“There’s normally more bad days than good ones, but I’ve had four good rides today and they’ve all won so I’m very pleased, Cobden added.
“It’s never nice to see Bravemansgame get beat and I haven’t spoken to Paul or Daryl yet so it will be interesting to get their thoughts later on.
“He’s a special horse and the flagbearer for the yard for the past two years. Any horse you ride in the Gold Cup and come down to the last upsides, they are special for you and really hard to get hold of.
“It’s a sad day to see him get beat, but he will bounce back and I’m sure they will get him back and I’m sure the target now will be the King George.”
Lewis Hamilton said he could not wait for the season to end after he qualified only 11th for Sunday’s finale in Abu Dhabi – leaving Mercedes on the backfoot to salvage second in the Formula One world championship.
As Max Verstappen put his Red Bull on pole position for the final race of his all-conquering campaign – with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc runner-up and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third – Hamilton was left staring at another abysmal performance in his underperforming machinery.
Indeed, Hamilton, six tenths behind Verstappen and a third-of-a-second back from team-mate George Russell, who qualified fourth, even claimed there was something wrong with his car.
His failure to progress to Q3 means the fight between Mercedes and Ferrari for second place in the constructors’ championship, worth nearly £10million, hangs in the balance.
The Silver Arrows head their Italian rivals by just four points ahead of Sunday’s race in the desert. And Leclerc finished ahead of both Russell and Hamilton to hand Ferrari the initiative.
“I don’t have any answers,” said Hamilton, who gloomily predicted his Q2 demise here 24 hours previously.
“It is just a very unpredictable car and it has been all year. I wouldn’t say I am relieved, but I am definitely happy it is nearly over.”
Hamilton’s comments were echoed by Toto Wolff.
“I’m fed up with having explanations as to why it didn’t go well,” said the Mercedes team principal.
“I’m happy that this was the last qualifying of the season and we will be back with a new car.”
Hamilton’s poor result came after it emerged that his father – and one-time manager Anthony – had enquired about a seat for his son at Red Bull.
Hamilton has recorded just one podium in his last six appearances following Mercedes’ tumble down the grid and he faces an uphill task to salvage a respectable result at the Yas Marina Circuit.
“There is something not right with this car, mate,” said the 38-year-old on the radio as he shook his head.
“The car is more inconsistent than ever before,” he later explained. “It is up-and-down from the moment you hit the brakes, the moment you turn, the moment you hit the apex, it is massively out of balance and hard to predict what is going to happen.
“George and I set our cars up the same, but they don’t read the same so there is something not right on our side. I have been off all weekend and struggled. Eleventh…it takes some good going for me not to get into Q3.”
Hamilton is third in the individual standings, 317 points Verstappen, with the Dutchman the overwhelming favourite to claim a remarkable 19th victory from the 22 rounds.
Mercedes are a staggering 430 points behind the Dutchman’s Red Bull team, who have won every race bar one this year.
Mercedes were handed a minor boost after Carlos Sainz was a surprise eliminated in Q1. Sainz bemoaned traffic for his lowly 16th grid slot.
But Leclerc’s improvement on his final run, to finish just 0.139 seconds behind Verstappen, provides the Prancing Horse with a spring in their step.
“The target is to beat Mercedes, so I hope Carlos gets a good start and joins me in the fight,” said Leclerc.
“Let’s look to put both of our cars in front of Mercedes because finishing second in the constructors is all that matters to me.”
Elsewhere, Lando Norris qualified a disappointing fifth after he got out of shape on his last lap.
“I don’t know why it happened,” he said. “I’ve not done that all weekend so it’s frustrating. I’m just doing a s*** job on Saturday.”
Asked if he was being too hard on himself, the 24-year-old replied: “Not at all. I was fighting for second and I end up fifth because of a stupid mistake. I’m too soft on myself.”
Paul Nicholls made no excuses for Bravemansgame after his defeat in the Betfair Chase and is still planning to head to Kempton for the King George VI Chase.
The eight-year-old was the 8-11 favourite in the quartet of runners and jumped and travelled well under Daryl Jacob, but was ultimately outdone by Venetia Williams’ six-and-a-half-length winner Royale Pagaille.
Nicholls could not see an obvious reason for the defeat and will adhere to his plan of running in the King George at Kempton to bid to retain the Boxing Day crown he claimed last season.
He said: “He was not good enough on the day, it’s as simple as that.
“He jumped well, travelled well and Daryl said he thought he was going to win going to four out but he didn’t quite pick up. No excuses.
“It’s a different test at Kempton (King George), it probably suits him better there. Daryl gave him a super ride but the other one has just outstayed him from three out really.
“Kempton is his track, it won’t do him any harm to have a few runs.
“I’m not really worried about him having a hard race, he’s got a month really. To be honest with you, you can wrap them up too much in cotton wool, I’ll probably freshen him up more now rather than work him hard.
“I’ve won this race loads of times and then gone to the King George with Kauto (Star) and (Silviniaco) Conti, we’ll get him back there.
“He might want a few races to harden him up a bit. The winner is a real course specialist and we’ve no excuses, Daryl said he just got away from him three out, outstayed him.
“He’s run well and he’ll run well at Kempton.”
Jacob had taken the ride as Harry Cobden had gone to Ascot, where he rode four winners and justified the decision made on riding plans.
The trainer added: “It’s been a great day at Ascot anyway, we got the decision right about the jockey!”
Guard Immanuel Quickley couldn't contain his relief after the New York Knicks fought back for a remarkable 100-98 win over the Miami Heat on Friday to keep their In-Season Tournament hopes alive.
The Knicks began the home game against their long-time rivals – who ended their 2022-23 season in the second round of the playoffs in May – knowing a loss would have eliminated them from the competition.
They looked to be on their way out when the Heat established a 21-point lead with three minutes and 40 seconds to go in the third quarter, but the Knicks finished with a brilliant game-closing 38-15 run to snatch victory.
A three-pointer from Quickley heralded the start of New York's fightback, with the 24-year-old finishing with 20 points and four rebounds as the Knicks earned a measure of revenge over Miami.
Asked what was going through his head when New York found themselves staring at defeat, Quickley said: "It's a decision whether to mentally check out or not.
"It's a decision to keep fighting. It's a decision to tell yourself, 'you got to keep fighting,' no matter what. I did look at the score and say, 'dang,' when I saw how much we were down, I literally said that.
"But then I got right back to it, seeing where I was at mentally and said, 'let's go. Let's try to get a comeback going'."
The Knicks' good work was almost for nothing as Heat star Jimmy Butler had one last chance to win it, but his three-pointer rimmed out as the fourth quarter drew to a close.
"I've seen that shot go in, not just from him," Quickley said of Butler's last-gasp effort. "When you play basketball for so long, you see so many game-winners. They all look the same.
"I just said, 'please, please don't go in'' We worked so hard to get back… Thank God he missed it."
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra saw the end of the third quarter, when Quickley scored six points to cut the deficit, as the turning point, saying: "At the end of the third quarter we're up 20-plus.
"Then we had some turnovers, a bad shot, we didn't get back on defense and then all of a sudden it turned into a Quickley three and another Quickley three, and then all sudden it gets to 13.
"That was the biggest shift right there. We had an opportunity to take that thing to 25. There's a karma to it. We were so careless finishing that quarter."
Boothill booked his ticket to the Clarence House Chase as he continued his Ascot love affair in the Jim Barry Hurst Park Handicap Chase.
Harry Fry’s eight-year-old won the race off a mark of 140 last year – and having acquitted himself well in some hot novice events afterwards, defended his title off a 15lb higher mark having triumphed again over the course and distance on his return to action.
Sent off the 11-4 favourite there was still all to play for as Boothill and Jane Williams’ Saint Segal approached the last locked together, but a fall for the 5-1 shot opened the door for Johnny Burke and his willing mount, who had enough in reserve to repel a late rally from 7-2 second-favourite Frere D’Armes.
He finished with half a length in hand, to the delight of his trainer who had suffered a narrow reversal with Whitehotchillifili in the previous contest, and although holding an entry for the Tingle Creek at Sandown on December 9, Fry suggested his winner will now return to his favourite playground for a shot at the two-mile Grade One on January 20.
“Sometimes you have to get the rub of the green in this game, I’m just pleased to see the faller at the last get up,” said Fry.
“It was still all to play for and it just went our way.
“I was delighted with the performance and it was brilliant to come here and win this again, he really likes this track. It’s great to see him win it again and we may have got away with it, but it’s a great prize and it’s onwards and upwards.
“We have the entry in the Tingle Creek, but that is only in a fortnight’s time. I suspect we will wait and aim to come back here for the Clarence House and it will feel like a home match.
“I think he deserves his chance in these Graded races now. Obviously it is going to be a big step up again, but he deserves to go there.”
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