It is 10 years since Triolo D’Alene provided Nicky Henderson with his third victory in what is now the Coral Gold Cup – but in Dusart the Seven Barrows handler believes he has another live contender.
Triolo D’Alene was a second success in as many years for Henderson, following on from subsequent Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth, with Trabolgan in 2005 being his first winner.
Dusart has always been highly regarded and won three of his first four outings over fences, but he only ran three times last season, without success. He was one of four stablemates galloping at Newbury on Tuesday.
“Dusart did it well enough this morning and has had a nice away day like Jonbon, who came here the other day, he walked round the paddock and went home,” said Henderson.
“He’s been here before and is a good horse. The Coral has always been the plan and he would benefit from some decent ground.
“He had all sorts go wrong last season and was travelling beautifully when being brought down in the Scottish National.”
It is a fixture Henderson always targets and it is likely to see Under Control reappear, the four-year-old filly beating stablemate and Greatwood Hurdle winner Iberico Lord at Sandown when last seen. Marie’s Rock is another due to be in action.
“Under Control will run in the Gerry Feilden here on Saturday week. She needed to do something and is marginally straighter than Marie’s Rock,” said Henderson.
“She’s not something that hits you as being gorgeous, but she’s an absolute poppet. She’s talented and her form is strong.
“Marie’s Rock runs here in the three-miler (Long Distance Hurdle) and she will go in anything. It will be nice though to get some nice ground. It was pretty soft under the rail this morning. Nico (de Boinville) is very pleased with her.”
One horse from the yard who is garnering plenty of talk is new recruit Jeriko Du Reponet and he is another likely runner at the meeting, along with Willmount, a winner at Newbury first time out for Henderson having looked smart in bumpers with Neil Mulholland.
“Jeriko Du Reponet won a point in Northern Ireland. He’s never done anything before today,” said Henderson.
“Last night I needed a fourth horse to bring and he fell into place. He’d never had an away day, but I wanted to see if he might be ready for Newbury.
“Willmount is an exciting one who won well here and could come back. He’s quite exciting.”
Multiple Grade One winner Thyme Hill has died after suffering a fatal injury on the gallops.
The nine-year-old won three times at the highest level for Philip Hobbs – landing the 2019 Challow Hurdle, the 2021 Aintree Hurdle and the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton last Christmas.
Having finished fourth on his seasonal reappearance at Wetherby earlier this month, Thyme Hill was being readied for the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Friday week – a race in which he beat Paisley Park three years ago – but his connections are now mourning the loss of a stable stalwart.
Johnson White, who joined Hobbs on the training licence earlier this year, said: “It’s very sad for the whole yard. He’s been phenomenal for some lovely owners and has taken them on a fantastic journey. We’ve been very lucky to have him.
“His run at Wetherby was OK the other day and he would have gone to Newbury on December 1. He was just doing a routine piece of work this morning and what happened happened, sadly.
“I feel very sorry for the whole yard as he’s been our flagbearer for a number of years now. Hopefully we have some nice young horses to reach his heights, but they take some replacing.”
Shishkin is “almost certain” to line up in Ascot’s 1965 Chase on Saturday in preference to the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock.
Nicky Henderson raised the possibility of Shishkin heading to Merseyside earlier in the autumn for a mouthwatering clash with last year’s winner Protektorat and the King George hero of last season, Bravemansgame.
Henderson had considered the Betfair Chase as a suitable stepping-stone towards the King George at Kempton over Christmas, but the prospect of testing ground has prompted a change of heart.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that two-miles-five around Ascot is going to suit him better than three miles in the soft at Haydock,” said the Seven Barrows handler.
“The ground at Ascot will be preferable and he’s almost certain to go there. He’s won a two-mile-five race there and we know he likes it (the track).”
Now a nine-year-old, Shishkin won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle over two miles at successive Cheltenham Festivals.
However, he was pulled up in the Champion Chase of 2022 and after being beaten into third behind Edwardstone in last season’s Tingle Creek, Henderson stepped his charge up in trip.
The move proved successful, with a 16-length win in the Ascot Chase in February over Pic D’Orhy, who he will meet again on Saturday, preceding a running-on second to Envoi Allen in the Ryanair Chase.
He then tackled three miles for the first time at Aintree, when he reeled in Ahoy Senor after the last fence to lift the Bowl, and Henderson hopes to see him return to the longer distance on Boxing Day.
He added: “This is a prep race for the King George and we want to win it.
“He didn’t travel as well as he might in his races last season and I think we might put some cheek pieces on him. We’ve schooled him in them and they help keep his mind on it.”
Alan King was pleased to “erase the memory” of Edwardstone’s no-show in the Champion Chase in March when chasing home Jonbon in the Shloer Chase on Sunday.
King now has to decide, with the help of connections, whether to take on Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon again in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on December 9 or step him up in trip for the Peterborough Chase the following day.
King has been musing for some time now that Edwardstone may need further than two miles to be seen at his best.
He said on his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk: ”I thought it was a smashing run, and it was such a relief to see Edwardstone erase the memory of last March.
“Cheltenham is still a mystery, but we can now look forward and it is a case of deciding whether to have a rematch with Jonbon when we defend our Tingle Creek crown on December 9 or wait 24 hours so we can step him up to two and a half miles for the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon.”
Steven Stamkos recorded the tying goal with 4.8 seconds left in regulation, and Brandon Hagel scored on a breakaway 1:19 into overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a stunning 5-4 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins on Monday.
Both Stamkos and Hagel added assists as the Lightning won a season-high third consecutive game. Tampa Bay also received goals from Tanner Jeannot, Nicholas Paul and Austin Watson to back 23 saves from Jonas Johansson.
Stamkos' dramatic goal capped a wild third period in which the Bruins scored three times to erase a 2-1 deficit. David Pastrnak and John Beecher scored 1:21 apart to put Boston ahead, though Watson's first of the season forged a 3-3 tie with just over 11 minutes left.
Charlie Coyle briefly sent the Bruins back in front by putting home a feed from James van Riemsdyk with 3:51 left in regulation.
Boston, which got 41 saves from Jeremy Swayman, still managed to extend its point streak to six games (4-0-2). Pastrnak added an assist on Pavel Zacha's goal midway through the first period that tied the game at 1-1.
Stars score five third-period goals to end Rangers' point streak
The Dallas Stars erupted for five third-period goals to end the New York Rangers' 11-game point streak with a 6-3 come-from-behind victory.
Mason Marchment scored the go-ahead goal 7:06 into the third period, and Sam Steel and Roope Hintz each scored short-handed to help the Stars pull away and win for the fifth time in six games.
Hintz added two assists and both Marchment and Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist to support 30 saves from Scott Wedgewood.
Pavelski started the third-period barrage by registering his eighth of the season just 1:01 into the period, tying the game at 2-2. Six minutes later, Marchment poked the puck past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin on a play that was originally ruled a no-goal before being overturned by a coaches' challenge.
Tyler Seguin later extended Dallas' lead to 4-2 before Steel and Hintz both scored just 1:30 apart with the Rangers having pulled Shesterkin for an extra skater while on a power play.
New York, which came in having won four straight and on a 10-0-1 run, opened the scoring on Vincent Trocheck's power-play goal in the first period. Kaapo Kakko increased the margin in the second before Jamie Benn's goal brought Dallas within 2-1 with 5:37 left in the period.
Shesterkin stopped 30 of 34 shots in the loss.
Predators shock Avalanche with two goals in final minute
Filip Forsberg and Yakov Trenin each scored in the final minute of regulation to give the Nashville Predators an improbable 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche were well on the way towards a fourth straight victory when carrying a 3-2 lead into the late stages of the third period. However, Forsberg scored his second goal of the night with 37.7 seconds remaining, and Trenin knocked a rebound past Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev with 21.6 seconds left to complete the comeback.
Jeremy Lauzon added a goal and Gustav Nyquist recorded two assists to help Nashville to a second straight win following a four-game losing streak. Juuse Saros finished with 25 saves.
Lauzon scored less than four minutes into the second period to give the Predators a 2-1 lead, but Colorado's Devon Toews tied it later in the frame before the Avalanche went ahead on Valeri Nichushkin's power-play goal with 6:27 left in the second.
Colorado's Andrew Cogliano opened the scoring with a short-handed goal in the first period.
Cale Makar ended with three assists for the Avalanche, who also got two assists from Nathan MacKinnon and 26 saves from Georgiev.
Miles Bridges' 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left in overtime capped a stunning rally by the Charlotte Hornets, who snapped the Boston Celtics' six-game winning streak with a 121-118 victory on Monday.
The Hornets trailed by 11 points with six minutes remaining in regulation and overcame a 45-point night from Boston star Jayson Tatum to end a run of six consecutive home losses. LaMelo Ball led the comeback with 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while former Celtic Gordon Hayward scored six of his 20 points in overtime.
Bridges added 14 points and 15 rebounds in his third game back from a suspension for a domestic violence arrest that caused him to miss the entire 2022-23 season and the first 10 games of this one.
The Celtics appeared on the way towards another victory before Charlotte scored the final nine points of the fourth quarter. Ball hit a key 3-pointer during the late run and forced overtime with a driving layup with 7.2 seconds remaining.
Tatum's 3-pointer with 57.6 seconds left in regulation put Boston back up by a 116-114 score, but Ball fed Hayward for a dunk on the ensuing possession and after the Celtics' Jaylen Brown missed a 3-pointer, Bridges buried a 25-foot jumper with time winding down to give Charlotte a 119-116 lead.
Payton Pritchard went 5 of 8 from 3-point range and recorded 21 points off the bench for Boston, while Tatum added 13 rebounds and six assists.
Curry extends 3-point record as Warriors halt six-game skid
Stephen Curry made five more 3-pointers and collected 32 points to get the Golden State Warriors back on track with a 121-116 win over the Houston Rockets.
Curry, the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made, finished 5 of 9 from beyond the arc to become the first in league history with 13 consecutive games with four or more triples to begin a season.
Klay Thompson broke out of a shooting slump with 20 points to help the Warriors end a six-game losing streak. Chris Paul added 15 points and 12 assists, while Dario Saric contributed 18 points off the bench.
Thompson, who ended 5 of 11 from 3-point range, had 12 first-half points as Golden State built a 63-53 lead at intermission. Curry scored 16 of his points in the fourth quarter to allow the Warriors to stay in front the rest of the way.
The Rockets lost for the third straight time following a six-game winning streak despite Alperen Sengun's 30 points and 13 rebounds. Fred VanVleet dished out 14 assists for Houston but went just 3 of 13 from the field while being held to 10 points.
Pelicans snap Kings' winning streak with 36-point blowout
Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and Zion Williamson had 26 as the New Orleans Pelicans cooled off the Sacramento Kings with a 129-93 rout.
The Pelicans shot 54 per cent from the field and led by as many as 41 points in ending Sacramento's six-game winning streak. Ingram made all five of his 3-point attempts and shot 11 of 18 overall, while Williamson converted 12 of his 16 field goal tries and added five assists and three steals.
Williamson racked up 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting during a dominant first half as the Pelicans took a 66-53 lead into the break. New Orleans then broke the game open by outscoring the Kings by a 34-16 margin in the third quarter, with Ingram delivering 18 points for the period.
Sacramento shot just 24.4 per cent from 3-point range, including a 2-of-12 performance from leading scorer De'Aaron Fox.
Harrison Barnes led the Kings with 16 points. Fox ended with a season-low 14 after coming into the contest averaging 31.9 per game.
Two second-half touchdowns from Jalen Hurts saw Philadelphia Eagles overturn a 10-point deficit to beat Kansas City Chiefs 21-17.
The win lifts the Eagles to 9-1 and exacted a modicum of revenge for their defeat by the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs had opened a 17-7 lead by half-time as Patrick Mahomes found Justin Watson and Travis Kelce with a pair of touchdown passes, either side of a four-yard touchdown run from D’Andre Swift for the Eagles.
Hurts cut that gap in the third quarter with the first of his touchdown runs as the Chiefs offence struggled to find much momentum.
Kelce fumbled near the line as they pushed to extend their advantage and Hurts, who threw for just 150 yards, made them pay with his second running touchdown.
The Chiefs still had a chance in the final moments, but Mahomes went through the hands of Marquez Valdes-Scantling to deny them the winning score.
Tim Boyle will be the New York Jets’ starting quarterback Friday against the Miami Dolphins in place of the benched Zach Wilson, multiple media outlets reported Monday.
The move comes a day after the Jets’ 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills, in which Boyle replaced Wilson late in the third quarter.
New York continues to flounder since Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn left Achilles in the season opener and fell to 4-6 after Sunday’s loss.
Wilson was 7 for 15 for 81 yards with a touchdown and an interception Sunday in nearly three quarters. He was sacked five times.
“When things aren’t getting done, change has got to be made,” the former No. 2 overall pick said after the game. “And I understand that.”
Boyle was 7 of 14 for 33 yards with an interception in mop-up duty.
A former teammate of Rodgers’ in Green Bay, has made three career starts – all with the Detroit Lions in 2021 – and has three career touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
Meanwhile, Rodgers has hinted at returning with unprecedented speed from his injury late this season, but the Jets will need to stay in the play-off hunt to make it worthwhile.
Falcons plan to start Ridder for rest of season
The Atlanta Falcons are turning back to Desmond Ridder at quarterback after giving Taylor Heinicke a two-game stint as the starter.
The 4-6 Falcons return from a bye this week to face the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints (5-5), and Atlanta coach Arthur Smith announced that Ridder will be the starting quarterback the rest of the season.
Heinicke was 0-2 as the starter and suffered a hamstring injury in the Falcons’ Week 10 loss at Arizona.
Smith was adamant that Ridder would be the starter going forward, regardless of Heinicke’s injury status.
“We have a lot of confidence in Des and think the last couple of weeks he has handled it really well with a lot of things going on,” Smith said. “I think the reset has been very beneficial for him.”
Flacco to remain on Browns’ practice squad – for now
Cleveland Browns fans will need to wait at least one more week for their new starting quarterback after the newly signed Joe Flacco was placed on the team’s practice squad.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start Sunday in Denver, but the expectation remains that he will take over as the starter at some point.
“Joe’s role is to support this team coming in here,” Stefanski said on a video call with reporters. "We were able to add a guy with a ton of experience. He’ll be great for that room. He’ll be great for this team.”
After Deshaun Watson was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, the Browns tried to move forward with Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, who have combined to throw one touchdown and nine interceptions.
Despite season-ending injuries to Watson and four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, a top-tier defense has helped the Browns build a three-game winning streak and has them in contention for the AFC North.
Phil Taylor has announced the World Senior Darts Tour in 2024 will be his final year on the circuit.
The 16-time world champion initially walked away from the sport in 2018 after making the final of the PDC World Championship, but returned to competitive darts last year.
Taylor, known as ‘The Power’, has now confirmed his glittering trophy-laden career on the oche is about to enter its final 12 months, but he will continue to be a World Senior Darts Tour global ambassador after his retirement.
He said: “I’ll always love performing to the best of my ability, but time waits for no man and I know now is the right time to step away from the Tour.
“It’s been an unbelievable journey over the past 35 years and I’ve loved every minute of it.
“I’d like to thank Target and the World Seniors Darts Tour for their support in recent years and I’m looking forward to playing in front of darts fans across the country next year.
“I’m going to be working just as hard as I always have to make sure I give the fans what they want and go out on top.”
The World Senior Darts Tour consists of 11 events, including the World Senior Darts Championship at the Circus Tavern in February.
Taylor has made the quarter-finals during the last two years, but will aim to go out on a high in 2024.
Billy Lovell of World Senior Darts Tour added: “Phil is one of the greatest sports people the UK has ever produced and we would like to place on record how grateful we are that he decided to come out of retirement at the beginning of our project.
“We have absolutely loved having him around and we’re sure his final year on tour with us will be great fun.”
A long-held plan came to fruition for Mick Appleby when Roberto Escobarr strode to victory in the Italian St Leger.
The Galileo gelding was previously trained to Group Three success by William Haggas before being sold to new connections for 40,000 guineas.
The Premio St Leger Italiano, the Italian St Leger, was the plan from the outset and Marco Ghiani headed to his homeland to ride in the Group Three San Siro contest on Saturday.
It was light work for the bay in a field of seven as he made all of the running and then pulled away to an easy eight-and-a-quarter-length victory.
“He did it very well, we were very impressed with him,” said Appleby.
“From the start, when we bought him (in September), that was always going to be the aim.
“That’s mainly what we bought him for, we thought we’d have a good chance in it provided the ground was going to be decent and it was.
“The plan came off, and it’s not very often that happens!
“I said to Marco that there weren’t any obvious front runners, a couple of German horses had led before and had a decent chance, but if he could pinch it from the front then just bowl along and go with it.”
All-Weather Finals Day could now be the target, with further travels to the Middle East also under consideration for the six-year-old.
Appleby said: “He’s nearly paid for himself now, we’ll have to sit down and make a plan for him. I’d like to get him qualified for Good Friday and then maybe Super Saturday could be an option in Dubai.”
Cade Cunningham painted a clear picture after the Detroit Pistons lost an 11th straight game.
The Pistons sit rock bottom of the NBA, having suffered a 142-113 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
Detroit are 2-12 for the season, with a .143 win percentage.
Point guard Cunningham delivered a blunt assessment of the situation.
"We've got to be realistic about the situation," Cunningham said.
"It's hard to just be like, 'Oh we're good, we're good,' because we're bad. We've got to address that.
"We're the youngest team in the league, scrapping and clawing for everything.
"That should be the last thing that needs to be asked of us or talked about, how hard we're competing. That should be a given."
Monty Williams, the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year, is in his first season in charge of the Pistons after four years with the Phoenix Suns.
"I think a few of our guys are dealing with how hard the league is," Williams said.
"When you're dealing with it, the one thing you can control is your competition level. I didn't see that across the board [against Toronto]."
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s highly promising Iroko will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a foot injury.
The JP McManus-owned gelding won the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and made a strong start to his novice chasing career when winning at Warwick.
It was a success that looked likely to lead to much greater things throughout this term, but plans are now on hold until next year as the injury will see him sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Greenall said: “He has just got a foot problem and it should be absolutely fine and he will be back next season. It is what it is, unfortunately.
“For a smaller yard with not loads of really nice horses, it’s a massive blow for anyone, but it’s hard to take.”
American Mike will bid to follow in the footsteps of Gerri Colombe when he heads to Limerick on Boxing Day for the Greenmount Park Novices’ Chase.
Gerri Colombe won the first of his three Grade One novice chases in Limerick’s Christmas showpiece and American Mike appears poised for an immediate step up to the highest level having accounted for Champion Bumper runner-up Fact To File with an impressive chasing display at Navan on Sunday.
Elliott is keen to stay at two-and-a-half miles for the time being with the six-year-old, who lost his way slightly over hurdles last season, but pleased his handler in his first start over the larger obstacles.
“I was delighted,” said Elliott. “In fairness, it was easy to say he was disappointing in his novice hurdles, but I thought he was good at Navan.
“I don’t know if I want to come back to two (miles) and I don’t know if I want to go up to three (miles) either so Limerick would look the race to go for.
“I was hoping (he would always be a better chaser than hurdler), but the way he jumped as a novice hurdler you would be worried.
“We’ve done plenty of schooling and Jack (Kennedy) has done a lot of work with him, schooling him. We haven’t done an awful lot different to be honest. He worked in Tipperary a few weeks ago and worked well and we were very happy.”
American Mike is owned by Noel and Valerie Moran and the same colours of their Beactive Stud will be sported by Found A Fifty when he captains Elliott’s team for Fairyhouse’s Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase on December 3.
The six-year-old impressed his handler with a clear-cut eight-length success over Colonel Mustard at Down Royal and could be joined in the Grade One event by Imagine, who won nicely in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse earlier this month.
“He was exciting and I liked the way he hit the line in Down Royal,” said Elliott of Found A Fifty.
“I wasn’t surprised. I went to the well a little bit too often with him last year and he blew his top, I shouldn’t have gone to Aintree with him. He looks a nice horse.
“I imagine he will go to the Drinmore and I was very impressed with him.”
On Imagine, he added: “He was good (at Fairyhouse) and jumped brilliant and could go for the Drinmore as well I would say. I think stepping up in trip will suit him no bother.
“It wasn’t a bad race and he is tough. It looks like he is a better chaser than hurdler.”
Also backed to take high-rank amongst Elliott’s team of novice chasers this term is Three Card Brag, who was sent off 4-1 second favourite for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival earlier in the year, but could now find his true calling tackling fences.
“He is going chasing and he will go to Fairyhouse, not this weekend but next weekend,” continued Elliott.
“He jumps very well and I was tempted to run him this weekend. I worked him I think Tuesday or Wednesday and he just had a little blow so I thought I would wait another couple of weeks.
“He’s a fair horse and he’s not a flashy horse at home, but he’s a good horse. He always looked like he would be a chaser.”
Gerri Colombe will have Leopardstown or Cheltenham next on the agenda as Gordon Elliott eyes one more run before a shot at the Gold Cup in March.
Beaten only once in six starts over the larger obstacles, the stamina of Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old came to the fore when making a winning return at Down Royal earlier this month.
Now he has either the Savills Chase – the traditional Christmas destination for Ireland’s top staying chasers – or the Cotswold Chase on Festival Trials Day on January 27 as his big-race options in preparation for his main March objective.
Elliott said: “He’s in the Savills and that will be depending on ground. If the ground is safe he would go there, but if not he could go to Cheltenham at the end of January. We have all those options.
“He doesn’t actually mind nice ground, but you wouldn’t want to be chancing it at that time of year.”
On his Down Royal comeback, Elliott added: “He will have come on an awful lot for Down Royal. He’s only been back cantering since the middle of September and Jack (Kennedy) said he was proper blowing. There will be loads of improvement in him.
“I was impressed with him by the line, but my heart was in my mouth. Speaking to Jack after you would have to be happy. I suppose the one thing he has is the will to win. He wants to win and that is a great attribute to have, you know.”
Gerri Colombe finds himself as short of 7-2 for the Cheltenham blue riband with, a race where he could come up against Charlie Hall Chase winner Gentlemansgame who is also owned by Brian Acheson’s Robcour operation.
Although available at much bigger odds than Gerri Colombe, Elliott believes Mouse Morris’ charge warrants plenty of respect having claimed the scalp of Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame at Wetherby.
“I will worry about Gerri and Mouse will worry about Gentlemansgame,” added Elliott.
“He’s a good horse and I don’t think he’s getting the credit he deserves at the moment. For what he’s done on his third or fourth run over fences, I was impressed with him anyway.”
It is still to be decided if Gerri Colombe will be joined by last year’s third Conflated in the Gold Cup in March, with Elliott toying with the idea of switching the Gigginstown House Stud-owned nine-year-old to the cross-country sphere.
“I imagine he will go Leopardstown (Savills Chase) and then we will decide whether we go Gold Cup or cross-country at Cheltenham,” said Elliott.
“We’ve schooled him to go cross-country. It didn’t surprise me (when third at Down Royal behind Gerri Colombe) and I knew there was more improvement to come from Punchestown, so it didn’t shock me. He’s a good horse, he was third in the Gold Cup last year.”
If heading down the cross-country route, Conflated would be adding to a strong hand Elliott possesses in a race he has dominated in recent years at the Cheltenham Festival.
He won it last year with Delta Work, with Galvin another of Elliott’s string poised to navigate the twists and turns of the cross-country track in March. However, the defending champion Delta Work finished lame when when reappearing at Prestbury Park last Friday.
“He’s lame, it’s nothing serious, but you can see that half way through the race his jumping went to pot,” said Elliott.
“We’ll get him back and train him for Cheltenham. He will probably go for a hurdle race in February and then onto Cheltenham for the cross-country race off level weights.”
Gordon Elliott has defended the number of runners he had in Navan’s Troytown Chase on Sunday after reiterating his desire to one day be crowned Ireland’s champion trainer.
Elliott ended up seeing 14 of his Cullentra House battalion face the starter for the €100,000 handicap and saddled four of the first five home with 20-1 shot Coko Beach scooping the big pot for Gigginstown House Stud.
It is a contest Elliott has enjoyed great success in down the years and having been responsible for nearly three-quarters of the final field of 20, he simply believes he is doing what is best for both the horses in his yard and their owners by targeting the race.
“I started with nothing and didn’t get handed anything, I’ve worked for everything I’ve got,” explained Elliott.
“We didn’t stop any horse running in the race, the race didn’t fill and I think if I only run one or two horses then there might only be eight or nine in the race.
“I think for a €100,000 race, for Bar One who are sponsoring the race and for Navan, it would be embarrassing if there is only eight or nine runners in it.
“All my owners are paying training fees and entry fees and they want to run, so I don’t think I have anyone to answer to. All I want to do is do my best for every horse and every owner.”
Coko Beach brought up winner 115 for the season for Elliott with American Mike’s impressive chasing debut quickly taking that total to 116.
He currently stands €500,000 ahead of his great rival Willie Mullins at the head of the standings in Ireland and although still dreaming of a first title, concedes his priorities have changed since his well-documented ban in 2021, with his focus firmly on training as many winners as possible..
“If you had asked me about that two or three years ago, it was all I would have thought about,” he said about the title.
“If you ask me my ambition in life, it is to be champion trainer, but I probably look at life a little different now to how I did before what happened (the ban).
“It’s what I want to do and what I would love to do and my aim in life, but you look at things and people a lot different.”
When asked about his current motivation, he added: “Winners. I’m probably selfish and all I care about is training winners. It’s not ideal sometimes but I love what I do.
“I love training winners. I worked for a man called Martin Pipe and he loved it and I’m probably unfortunate that I was born in the same era as a man called Willie Mullins.
“Willie makes us all better and hungrier and I just like to do my best and keep him honest.”
Although realistic about his own title ambitions, Cullentra House number one Jack Kennedy has a real chance of getting his hands on a first title having partnered 60 winners so far this term.
That puts him 18 clear of nearest rival Paul Townend and Elliott believes he is in a great position to remain on top spot until the end of the season.
“I would love to see Jack Kennedy be champion jockey and I think it’s going to happen some day,” said Elliott.
“Whether that is this year, next year or the year after I don’t know. Just looking he has 60 winners already and I think last year when he had the fall he had 77 winners during the first week in January.
“It looks like he is ahead of last year and it looks like he is in a better position than last year to be honest.
“Last time he always had to worry about Davy Russell and now he is first jockey and has the pick of everything. I’m sure it will be something he would love to do anyway.”
Paul Nicholls has cited a clash in meetings between Haydock and Ascot as the reasoning behind Harry Cobden missing the ride on Bravemansgame in the Betfair Chase.
The gelding, who was second in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, has only ever been ridden by Cobden in 18 starts under rules as he is the Ditcheat stable jockey.
That will change on Saturday, however, as Daryl Jacob steps in for the mount at Haydock with Cobden due to head to Ascot to partner Pic D’Orhy in the Grade Two 1965 Chase.
Cobden is also expected to partner a full book of Nicholls-trained rides on the day and the trainer cites this as the reason for the change – with Cobden also seen as more pivotal to Pic D’Orhy’s success than he is to Bravemansgame’s.
“Harry’s got to go to Ascot, he’s got six good rides there including Pic D’Orhy. It wasn’t an easy decision but it’s sometimes good to let someone else have the ride because if ever you need a reserve in the future you’ve got one,” Nicholls said on a press call hosted by the Jockey Club.
“That’s the decision we’ve made and that’s what Bryan’s (Drew, owner) happy with so that’s where we’re going.
“We’ve always had Pic D’Orhy in mind going to Ascot, Johnny’s (De la Hay, owner) got 15 or 16 very nice horses in training with us and he needs looking after.
“Harry is very important to Pic D’Orhy, probably more so than the other way round with Bravemansgame. Sometimes when you’ve got big meetings on a Saturday you have to make tough decisions that are right for everybody.”
Nicholls rejected the suggestion that Cobden would not resume his partnership with last year’s King George winner, adding: “There’s no question about that, of course he would!
“Harry’s the stable jockey but he can’t be in two places on the same day. Of course he’ll ride him again.”
Bravemansgame is one of six confirmations for the first Grade One of the UK season.
Nicky Henderson had spoken all summer of targeting Shishkin at the race, with the King George VI Chase his main aim in the first half of the season, although he now also has the 1965 Chase at Ascot as an alternative option.
Last year’s winner Protektorat has had the race as his big target and will attempt to join the likes of Kauto Star and Cue Card as a multiple Betfair Chase winner.
Grand National hero Corach Rambler has been left in by Lucinda Russell but he will need to take a huge step forward from his seasonal reappearance at Kelso.
Royale Pagaille (Venetia Williams) and Minella Drama (Donald McCain) may also run.
Novak Djokovic’s ATP Finals win on Sunday rubber-stamped him as the year-end world number one for a record eighth time and took him to 400 total weeks at the top of the rankings.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how his record compares to the greats of the game.
Historic achievementDjokovic already had more year-end number one rankings than any other male player, with his eighth meaning he now matches the record set by Steffi Graf on the WTA Tour.
The Serbian finished both 2011 and 2012 top of the pile, with another pair back to back in 2014 and 2015. Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal interrupted his dominance in 2016 and 2017 respectively but Djokovic was back on top in 2018, 2020, 2021 and now this year.
Pete Sampras is his nearest challenger on the ATP Tour with six year-end number one rankings, all in successive years from 1993 to 1998, with five each for Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Nadal.
Djokovic has pulled ahead of Martina Navratilova, who had seven to trail Graf by one on the WTA Tour where Serena Williams and Chris Evert rank next on five.
Aging impressivelyDjokovic is the first player, male or female, to spend 400 weeks on top of their tour’s rankings.
Graf is closest behind with 377 weeks, followed by Navratilova and Williams with Federer the second male player in that chart at 310 weeks – the last player, male or female, above 300.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Djokovic’s dominance is how the 36-year-old has stayed at the top so long.
He has 177 weeks as number one in his 30s, more than any male player and trailing only Williams’ 196 overall. Nadal is next on that list with just 68 weeks.
Djokovic is the oldest world number one, male or female, other than Federer. The Swiss star’s final day at the top was June 24, 2018, when he was 36 years and 320 days old – should Djokovic top the rankings on or after April 6 next year, he will also claim that record.
Alcaraz challengeThe ATP number one ranking changed hands seven times this year as Carlos Alcaraz emerged as a serious rival to Djokovic.
The 20-year-old Spaniard beat Djokovic in the Wimbledon final to deny him a calendar-year Grand Slam and enjoyed four separate spells at number one.
As 2022 year-end number one, Alcaraz held that spot until January 29. He enjoyed another two-week spell in March and April, three from May 22 to June 11 before surrendering top spot to Djokovic for a fortnight, then another 11 weeks from June 26 to September 10 before Djokovic took over for the remainder of the year.
It is the most lead changes since 1999 when Sampras had four spells and Andre Agassi two, with one each for Carlos Moya, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Pat Rafter making for eight lead changes.
The ATP record is 10 lead changes in 1983, with John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl battling for top spot. The WTA Tour has never had more than seven lead changes in a single year, hitting that mark in 1995, 2002 and 2017.
Jonjo O’Neill has confirmed Monbeg Genius is on course to attempt to give him a second Coral Gold Cup victory next month.
The Jackdaws Castle handler won the Newbury showpiece with Cloth Cap in 2020 and has another leading contender with the progressive seven-year-old, who is a 7-1 ante-post co-favourite for the December contest with the sponsors.
He won three times over the larger obstacles last term, a season that culminated with a gallant third at the Cheltenham Festival in the Ultima Chase behind Grand National winner Corach Rambler.
The gelding met a hiccup on his seasonal return at Ascot, when a couple of mid-race errors brought an end to his challenge and he was subsequently pulled up.
However, despite O’Neill preferring to see Monbeg Genius complete in that assignment, the plan remains to head to Newbury in search of a share of the £250,000 prize-fund.
The trainer said: “He will go there as long as the ground is well, and I’m sure it will be soft. He’ll go there and that is the plan.
“Ascot was a shame because I didn’t get a race into him, which was a pity and it would have been nice to get a race into him because you need a race when you are going for those big handicaps.”
Paul Struthers is to resume the role of chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association in the New Year.
He will replace Dale Gibson, who will revert to the position of racing director after stepping up to take on the top job on an interim basis.
Struthers left the PJA almost two years ago, when admitting the responsibilities involved had “taken a significant toll” on his family and personal life.
He went on to establish his own sports consultancy firm, Moya Sport, and has retained ties with the PJA on an advisory basis.
PJA chair Nick Attenborough said: “As expected, the role attracted a high calibre of candidates but following a thorough and extensive selection process, Paul was the overwhelming choice.
“He obviously brings unrivalled experience to the role, but even without his previous time at the PJA, he would have been the strongest candidate given his regulatory knowledge, leadership experience and expertise in membership and stakeholder comms, crisis management and PR.
“We look forward to welcoming Paul back in the New Year and I am delighted to be working with him, Dale and the team to create an even stronger PJA.
“I’d also like to thank Dale Gibson and the executive team for their very considerable support over the past year during a challenging time for the PJA.”
Struthers was previously chief executive for almost a decade and is looking forward to getting back on board.
“Obviously, my previous time at the PJA didn’t end how I wanted it to, but as difficult as it was, leaving when I did was undoubtedly the right thing to do at the time, both for myself and for the PJA,” he said.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of setting up my own consultancy and trying to make Moya Sport a success, but the chance to rejoin the PJA was too good an opportunity to pass up. I am incredibly grateful and honoured to be entrusted with this role for a second time.
“With my prior experience, time to reflect on things I would have done differently and a fresh perspective that my break from the role has allowed, I am excited to be returning to lead the talented and passionate PJA team in representing and supporting the hard working, dedicated men and women of the weighing room.”
His appointment was welcomed by top jockeys from both the Flat and National Hunt spheres.
Ryan Moore said: “I wasn’t involved in the recruitment process but was delighted to hear the news that Paul is coming back, I was very disappointed when he left, and I know the weighing room will be as pleased as me that he’s back where he belongs.”
Champion jumps jockey Brian Hughes added: “This is the best news we’ve had in some time. It’ll be great to have Paul back.”
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