King Of Steel could be the horse that gives Amo Racing a treasured first Royal Ascot winner if lining up in the King Edward VII Stakes on Friday.
Despite having plenty of runners at the showpiece meeting in recent years, the racing operation of Kia Joorabchian is yet to find the scoresheet.
And while the two-year-old division normally provides Amo with their best shot at glory, this time around hopes could be pinned to the Derby runner-up, providing he is given the go-ahead for the Group Two contest.
“It’s obvious, but if King Of Steel turns up in the same form as he did at Epsom he would have an outstanding chance,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing.
“You know what this sport is like and there is no such thing as a guaranteed winner, but if you are going into a Royal Ascot Group Two with an 11-8 or 6-4 shot, then that doesn’t happen too often.”
Amo Racing’s purple silks have become a prominent fixture on the racecourse since Joorabchian’s increased investment in the sport, with a winner at the Royal meeting being what he has craved most of all.
“Kia, arguably his whole season revolves around this week and it would be huge for him and the team to get on the scoreboard,” continued Pennington.
“It’s the Olympics of our sport and where everyone wants to be, so it would be a big moment and a deserved moment considering the level of investment Kia and Amo have put into the sport.
“If we can just get one winner this week, it would mean a lot to everyone.”
King Of Steel could be joined at the meeting by his Roger Varian-trained stablemate Olivia Maralda and she is also backed to be one of Amo’s leading players when she lines up in the Jersey Stakes, while Maximum Impact and Magical Sunset are also poised to provide the leading owners with live claims in their respective Royal Ascot assignments.
“I know she’s taking on colts, but Olivia Maralda based on her Epsom run in the Surrey Stakes, would go there with a live chance,” added Pennington.
“In terms of two-year-olds, I would say Maximum Impact would be at the forefront of our minds but again you have 25 plus runners in these two-year-old races and you need an awful lot of luck in running.
“I think Magical Sunset is a lovely filly and I can’t believe the handicapper put her up 4lb for her run behind Olivia Maralda in the Surrey Stakes.
“She looked potentially high-class last year and we need to sit down and discuss it with Richard (Hannon, trainer). I think she will improve for a step up to a mile and even though she might be a couple of pounds too high, she might be just under the radar in the Sandringham – I think she would have a squeak in that at a price.”
Longtime Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green will decline his $27.6 million player option for next season, the forward’s agent told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday.
Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told Wojnarowski “we will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options.”
The 33-year-old Green has been with Golden State since the Warriors drafted him in the second round (35th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft.
Green was a key member of Golden State’s four NBA championship teams in an eight-season span from 2014-15 to 2021-22.
He was the 2016-17 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is a four-time All-Star and has been named First-Team All-Defensive four times.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2014-15, Green has averaged 9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.48 steals in 597 regular-season games.
He ranks third in franchise history with 758 career games played behind Stephen Curry (882) and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin (807).
Eight-time major winner Tom Watson says the PGA Tour’s new partnership with Saudi Arabia appears to indicate “a more desperate financial situation than has been previously revealed by the Tour”.
Watson has written an open letter to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan about the “unanswered questions” he and many other professional players have regarding the shock announcement on June 6 concerning the creation of a new commercial entity designed to “unify golf”.
The announcement brought an end to litigation between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a series backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) which will now provide the financial backing for the new commercial entity.
Prior to the announcement, Monahan had been an outspoken critic of LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia, and Watson wrote: “The reversal (in position) does appear to indicate a more desperate financial situation than has been previously revealed by the Tour.
“While last week I learned the significant news that litigation around the Tour/LIV conflict would be terminated with prejudice, that only solves one significant financial problem.
“It is important to understand how all of this has impacted the Tour’s Reserve Fund and the Tour’s overall financial solvency. Have funds been depleted to the point where the Tour needs an unprecedented capital injection to remain solvent now or for the future?
“My overarching questions remain. Is the PIF the only viable rescue from the Tour’s financial problems? Was/is there a plan B? And again, what exactly is the exchange? We need clarity and deserve full disclosure as to the financial health of the PGA Tour and the details of this proposed partnership.”
The United States Senate has opened an investigation into the proposed partnership, while the Wall Street Journal reported last week that a PGA Tour official informed employees that the US Justice Department also plans to review the agreement for antitrust concerns.
The PGA Tour said last week when the Wall Street Journal report was published: “We are confident that once all stakeholders learn more about how the PGA Tour will lead this new venture, they will understand how it benefits our players, fans, and sport while protecting the American institution of golf.”
The PGA Tour insists the partnership is not a merger, and that the PIF will not own the PGA Tour.
The PA news agency understands the PGA Tour felt the choice it faced was between a lengthy litigation which would drain resources, divert attention and diminish its product and a path forward that reunifies professional golf and fuels investment into the sport.
Highfield Princess will lead the home defence as an international cast of sprinting talent head to post for an ultra-competitive King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday.
John Quinn’s stable star has been a revelation over the past 18 months and has gone from competing in handicap company to being one of the best sprinters in the country, plundering a hat-trick of Group One prizes in the process.
She found the scoresheet five times in all during 2022 and having made a more than respectable return when second over six furlongs at York last month, now drops back to the minimum distance for her crack at further big-race glory.
“She’s been absolutely fine since York and we’re looking forward to the race, it’s a spicy race,” said Quinn.
“She’s been a great mare and a fine animal to have around the place. We hope she’s lucky and she seems fine. Let’s hope she wins and we hope she runs well, but she seems in good form.”
Although only sixth in the Platinum Jubilee 12 months ago, Highfield Princess has got a Royal Ascot victory on her CV, winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes in 2021.
However, that was in handicap company and the six-year-old now finds herself the market leader for one of the most prestigious events of the week.
“Not really no, none of us thought that to be honest. But that’s what can happen thankfully,” continued Quinn when asked if he ever envisaged her starting favourite for a Group One at the meeting.
“She’s probably the best older sprinter that we’ve trained. We’ve had some very good sprinters and The Wow Signal was a top-class two-year-old, but what she did last year was phenomenal. Those good horses are hard to find and I appreciate every one of them.”
Frankie Dettori will look to win the King’s Stand for the first time since 1994 when he partners John Ryan’s dual track-and-trip victor Manaccan, with the four-year-old kept fresh since finishing third in Newmarket’s Palace House Stakes last month.
“It’s a big ask taking on the best but as long as the ground stays as it is, he has every chance of mixing it with them,” said Ryan ahead of the Qipco British Champions Series contest.
“He’s still going up the ladder, has a high cruising speed, quickens, has run three of his best races at Ascot and, touch wood, we’ve got the right man on board.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a couple of Group Two and Three wins but haven’t troubled the judge in a Group One yet.”
Henry Candy’s Twilight Calls was a silver medallist behind Nature Strip in this last year and connections hope two tune-up outings at Newmarket and Haydock will have the five-year-old fully primed for a return to Ascot.
“He needs fast ground and hated it when he ran at Newmarket, he was unbalanced and had been off a long time so needed the run,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.
“He had a bit of a mucky scope after that which we thought he had got over by the time he got to Haydock, but clearly he hadn’t.
“Both races should set him up for an opportunity to run well at a track he enjoys and we are delighted to have Ryan Moore on board.”
Also shaping nicely in this race 12 months ago was Mooneista and new handler Joseph O’Brien is hopeful she can at least match last year’s fourth place following a pleasing run at Naas recently.
He said: “We think she’s in good nick since Naas. A reproduction of her run last year will see her in the mix.
“I was happy with her in Naas, she didn’t have a perfect preparation for that but I think we’re going to Ascot in good shape.”
Karl Burke is responsible for two, with Temple Stakes winner Dramatised bidding for successive Royal Ascot victories following her Queen Mary victory last year and Marshman, who represents the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate that have enjoyed success at this meeting in the past.
The latter has escaped a last-minute scare to make the final field, with Bradley explaining: “He was lame last Tuesday and we were panicking a bit. We got the X-ray machine out and he had a little foot issue. That had sorted itself by Thursday and he breezed on Saturday and he breezed very nicely.
“I think if there is any rain that falls that will be in his favour. Every time he runs on rattling fast ground he comes back a bit sore.
“I think he’s definitely overpriced and I think if we deliver him right, we will have a chance. I think there will be a point where we will look like we’re going to win, whether we do or not I don’t know. It just comes right to getting it right on the day in a hot race.”
Rory McIlroy had to settle for a runner-up finish at the US Open as his long wait for a fifth major title continued.
McIlroy finished one stroke behind first-time major winner Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club, meaning he has still not lifted one of golf’s four biggest prizes since his success at the US PGA Championship in 2014.
Here, the PA news agency looks at McIlroy’s long wait and the near misses among the way.
Turning of the tideMcIlroy said after Sunday’s heartbreaking finish that an eventual fifth major would be worth “100 Sundays like this” and he is now a third of the way there, with 33 appearances at majors since his last win.
He has 19 top-10 and 10 top-five finishes in that time, with his recent form in particular indicating an overdue success is on the way.
McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in six of the seven major tournaments this season and last and 11 of the last 17, with Sunday marking his second runner-up finish in that time.
The other came at last year’s Masters, albeit three strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler, and was followed by eighth and fifth at the US PGA Championship and US Open respectively and third place at the Open Championship – two shots behind champion Cameron Smith.
After missing the cut at Augusta in April he was back to form with a tie for seventh at the US PGA before pushing Clark all the way.
Roll of honourThere have been 24 different major winners since McIlroy’s last success, with Brooks Koepka headlining that list with five wins.
Koepka won the US Open in 2017 and 2018 and the US PGA in 2018, 2019 and this year.
Jordan Spieth has won three majors in that time – the Masters and US Open in 2015 and the Open two years later – while Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm have two apiece.
Clark is the 18th different player to win a single major in that stretch, including six European Ryder Cup team-mates of McIlroy in Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Francesco Molinari, Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Americans Zach Johnson, Jimmy Walker, Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Scheffler have won one each, along with Australians Jason Day and Smith and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Record-breaker?A handful of players have won majors after a longer wait that McIlroy’s current drought, though if he is to win again while avoiding the top 10 of that list it will have to be at next month’s Open.
Julius Boros won his two US Open titles in 1952 and 1963, 11 years and nine days apart, with Hale Irwin going a day over 11 years between his 1979 and 1990 wins.
Ben Crenshaw won the Masters in 1984 and 1995, coming in just six days shy of the 11-year mark, while Henry Cotton won the Open in 1937 and 1948.
Tiger Woods’ memorable victory at the 2019 Masters came almost 11 years on from his 2008 US Open win, with Lee Trevino and Ernie Els also cracking the 10-year barrier.
John Henry Taylor and Bob Martin waited just over nine years between major wins, with Willie Park Sr just three days shy of that mark at the 1875 Open.
No other player has exceeded McIlroy’s current wait and there is a further note of caution as only Boros and Taylor of that top 10 went on to add further major titles, and then only one more apiece – Boros at the 1968 US PGA and Taylor the 1913 Open.
Coolangatta will bid to enhance Australia’s fine record in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, with the opening day sprinting shootout possessing a truly international flavour in 2023.
Raiders from the southern hemisphere have won this on five occasions since Choisir showed what was possible in 2003 and Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s filly will bid to follow in the footsteps of Nature Strip, who is the most recent Antipodean winner having romped to victory in the hands of James McDonald 12 months ago.
This time the New Zealander – who enjoyed three winners at the meeting in 2022 – will bid for back-to-back victories aboard Coolangatta as she carries Australian hopes following her success in the Black Caviar Lightning in February.
However, she did appear workmanlike as she finished third in a Flemington barrier trial at the end of May, a workout that initially left connections with more questions than answers.
Maher explained: “In the jump out at Flemington, she ran her second fastest half-mile that she has ever run. I still cannot get my head around it, but I guess that is why we have the trackers and stuff on them, because trials can be deceiving.
“The track was quite damp and, although she ran well as a two-year-old on a damp track, there were a lot of good horses in that trial – but James said it was the weirdest jump out that he has ever been in. Hopefully, it was just that, because she has thrived since then.
“I suppose winning the Lightning Stakes down the straight at Flemington gives you some confidence about handling the track here. Straight track racing can be quite different to some of the tighter tracks at home like Moonee Valley, where she has won before.
“We have come here thinking that the track would not be a problem.”
Peter and Paul Snowden’s Cannonball is another to make the journey from the other side of the world and his training team feel he possesses all the qualities to get in the mix.
“He is a fast horse, he is a tough horse, and he has handled this trip over here like it’s nothing, said Peter Snowden.
“This is his first time away from home and the longest he has been on a truck before is two hours. He had 24 hours on a plane and it did not faze him one bit. That attitude will carry him a long way.
“The five furlongs of the King’s Stand Stakes is all about speed and toughness, and he has both in abundance. I hope he is flying under the radar, because he should be on form, but I quite like the horse and think he is up to it.”
Adding further flavour is Twilight Gleaming, who will bid to give Wesley Ward his second King’s Stand following Lady Aurelia’s famous triumph in 2017.
The daughter of National Defense was a runner-up in the Queen Mary in 2021, but having got on the scoresheet in the hands of Irad Ortiz Jr in Keeneland’s Giant’s Causeway Stakes in April, Ward is optimistic of a bold bid.
“Twilight Gleaming has trained forward ever since (Keeneland). I’m excited about this filly,” said the American.
“We know that it is probably the toughest five-furlong sprint in the world. She is going to run a bang-up race.
“She is a five-furlong horse, she’s not a five-furlong and one-jump horse. Five furlongs is her game. She is extremely effective at this distance, so I look forward to this run.”
Aidan O’Brien is certain River Tiber will get the six-furlong trip of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
Ryan Moore will partner the the Wootton Bassett colt, who is one of 22 declared for the Group Two prize.
Though he is unbeaten in two starts, scoring by 10 lengths on debut at Navan over five and a half furlongs in soft ground and dropping back to the minimum trip at Naas to score with ease on his second try, he has yet to tackle six furlongs.
Despite this, the Coolmore-owned youngster tops the market and O’Brien, who has won this race on a record nine occasions, has no concerns on the stamina front.
He said: “We were delighted we ran him in Naas, he was a little bit green in the middle of the race but we feel he learned plenty from it.
“He won over nearly six furlongs the first day and then went back to five and is back to six now, so we think he should be happy with that.”
Main market rival Asadna, the mount of William Buick, won by a remarkable 12 lengths on his Ripon debut over six furlongs.
Trainer George Boughey has no qualms about how the son of Mehmas will handle the big occasion on only his second start.
“He has just got an amazing temperament and a super attitude,” said Boughey.
“He doesn’t sweat, he doesn’t do anything wrong. He just loves his work.”
Like River Tiber, Givemethebeatboys is unbeaten in two outings and is drawn alongside O’Brien’s runner in stall seven.
Having stepped up on an extended five-furlong debut win at Navan, he gained a head verdict in the Group Three Marble Hill over six furlongs at the Curragh last time under Shane Foley.
With Foley ruled out through injury, Frankie Dettori takes the mount and Harrington joked: “He’s not a bad deputy, is he?
“He’s in great form and is a very straightforward horse and I’m hoping for the best, but it is very competitive.”
Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing have three darts to throw in the form of Bucanero Fuerte (Adrian Murray), Cuban Thunder (Dominic Ffrench Davis) and Packard (Richard Hannon).
Bucanero Fuerte won a five-furlong Curragh maiden under Kevin Stott in March on his sole start for Westmeath handler Murray.
“He’s a nice horse who has always been held in high regard,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing.
“The forecast rain will help him and he goes there a fit and healthy horse. It’s obviously a very competitive race, but he’s the choice of Kevin and we’re hopeful he will put up a good show.”
Cuban Thunder, the mount of Rossa Ryan, was favourite for a five-furlong Newmarket maiden on his first start, and while runner-up on that occasion, gained compensation over six furlongs in a decent York maiden last month.
Pennington added: “Cuban Thunder is a lovely horse, a big, scopey horse and a good-moving horse.
“He probably wants seven furlongs so a strongly-run, stiff six furlongs at Ascot will suit him and I’m sure he’ll be doing his best work late.”
Hannon saw his father train the winner of the race on three previous occasions and will hope Packard can add his own name to the roll of honour.
Runner-up on debut at Goodwood, he flew home to win an all-weather Lingfield novice over the same six-furlong trip earlier this month.
“He’s a lovely horse and he ran well on debut at Goodwood. Then the quick six at Lingfield probably didn’t play to his strengths,” said Pennington.
“I thought he did very well to get up on the line and hunt down the Gosden horse (Point Of Attack) and he was doing his best work late on. He’s another nice horse who goes there fit and well.”
Frankie Dettori fever is set to hit Royal Ascot and the famous Italian links up with the King and Queen on day one as he prepares to ride at the summer showpiece for the very last time.
The 52-year-old is planning to hang up his boots at the end of the season, and has five glorious days ahead to add to the 77 winners he has amassed at the Royal fixture, at the venue where he famously rode his ‘Magnificent Seven’ back in 1996 that helped make him a household name.
As well as the King and Queen’s Saga in the Wolferton Stakes, who bookmaker Bet Victor expects to be a popular choice of punters thanks to the ‘Frankie factor’, Dettori will resume his partnership with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean in the feature St James’s Palace Stakes as the layers predict an avalanche of cash for his six opening-day rides.
“It’s early, but we are already seeing interest in all of Frankie’s rides this week,” said Sam Boswell of Bet Victor.
“While we will be praying Frankie doesn’t do the unthinkable and kick the meeting off with six winners, it’s hard to not see him at least be off the mark on day one.
“We suspect Saga could end up going even skinner once the more causal punters see him teaming up to ride for the King in the Wolferton Stakes.”
Last year’s Coronation Stakes winner Inspiral could get Dettori’s day off to the perfect start when the duo go for back-to-back Royal Ascot victories, this time in the opening Queen Anne Stakes, while he has been booked for Jessica Harrington’s unbeaten two-year-old Givemethebeatboys in the Coventry Stakes.
Dettori will also link up with Willie Mullins through Absurde in the concluding Copper Horse Handicap and will be aboard John Ryan’s course-and-distance winner Manaccan as he bids to win the King’s Stand Stakes for the first time since 1994.
But one man Dettori will be without this year is old ally Wesley Ward, with the American handler explaining why he has elected to use his own riders this time around.
He said: “It is Royal Ascot and Frankie is my man at Royal Ascot, but these American jockeys love to come to Ascot. It doesn’t interfere with their daily racing. Tuesday, because there’s no racing in America, Wednesday there’s no racing in America and Thursday is just an average day.
“The ones that are riding the horses are doing everything they can to try to come over here, to try to be competitive and be part of the Royal Ascot experience.”
Only Lester Piggott has registered more Royal Ascot winners than Dettori, but despite a strong book of rides, the Italian finds himself only the second-favourite behind Ryan Moore in Paddy Power’s leading rider market.
Spokesman Paul Binfield said: “I suppose the 2023 racing season will always be remembered as Frankie’s year, as in his retirement season he’s already scooped two Classics and who knows what miracles he’ll achieve at Royal Ascot?
“But while it is true that currently a trio of his first-day mounts in the shape of Chaldean, Givemethebeatboys and Manaccan have been supported again, surprisingly he’s a drifter in the top pilot market with Ryan Moore being backed as if defeat is out of the question.”
Guineas hero Chaldean will bid to repeat his impressive Newmarket performance when he goes for the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
The Andrew Balding-trained Frankel colt headed to the first Classic of the season with question marks having unshipped Frankie Dettori at the start in his intended tune-up in the Greenham at Newbury.
But he silenced the doubters in style on the Rowley Mile to claim 2000 Guineas glory as he showed all the qualities that made him such a formidable two-year-old last year. He now heads to Berkshire attempting to add to his impeccable CV.
Both Jim Bolger’s Poetic Flare and Charlie Appleby’s Coroebus have completed the 2000 Guineas/St James’s Palace double in the past two seasons and connections are not worried about Chaldean’s draw in stall one as he attempts to follow in their footsteps, tackling a round course for the first time.
“He’s pretty uncomplicated. He can jump and be handy and he can jump and take a pull. He’s a versatile horse when you look at his races,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.
“Last year at Doncaster he had a small field to contend with and had to make it, then Newmarket he settled in and took a lead, so he’s versatile and it will be great to see him back.
“The horse has never done anything wrong in his career to date and hopefully he can continue his good run. Andrew is happy, everyone at Kingsclere feels he is in the right place and we’re all excited for Tuesday.”
Chaldean is not the only Classic winner in the line-up as the red-hot contest also features Paddington, who claimed the Irish equivalent in good style at the Curragh.
The Siyouni colt will bid to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-extending ninth win in the one-mile Group One and said: “We’ve been happy with him since the Curragh and everything has gone well. He has progressed with every run.
“He won on good ground at the Curragh, we weren’t sure about the ground before the last day but he seemed to be very happy on it.”
John Gosden has won this three times in the last 10 years and alongside his son Thady is responsible for one of the most exciting prospects in the race, Mostabshir, who bounced back from a below-par performance in the Craven to show his class at York when bolting up by five lengths from a subsequent winner.
“It’s a fascinating clash with the two Guineas winners,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.
“Our horse is very progressive but he’s going to need to be. So it will be interesting to see how he gets on.
“He’s worked very nicely (since York). He’s a very happy horse who enjoys life and enjoys his work and he looks in good shape. Hopefully whatever he is capable of, he will give his best wherever that fits in.”
Another horse on an upward curve and looking to make his mark at the highest level is the unbeaten Cicero’s Gift, who arrives on the back of an impressive display at Goodwood, and is one of two for Charlie Hills in this British Champions Series race alongside 2000 Guineas fourth Galeron.
“We did toy with the idea of running Cicero’s Gift in the Guineas as well (as Galeron), but wanted to keep a low profile with this race in mind,” said Hills.
“He took a bit of time to come to hand last year and is going to get better with age and experience – he might get further in time as well.
“He’s a good-looking chap, improving with each race but he is going into a Group One which will be a different experience.”
Isaac Shelby took advantage of Chaldean’s misfortune to scoop the Greenham back in April and went close to getting on the Classic honours board when denied by the barest of margins in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains.
Brian Meehan’s son of Night Of Thunder, who claimed the Superlative Stakes on home soil last season, brings added spice to a deep contest with his handler confident he has a top-class miler on his hands.
“I really think he has a huge future and I really think it is at a mile, even though we gave him the sprint entries,” said the Manton-based trainer.
“He is much more relaxed in his work since Paris and you can see him maturing. He’s an exciting horse to have but there is nowhere to hide at this level.”
Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman finished third at Newmarket in the Guineas but has a point to prove following a disappointing effort at the Curragh, while Charyn (Roger Varian) and Indestructible (Karl Burke) complete the crack group of nine heading to post.
Wesley Ward will wait until the last moment before deciding whether Fandom will take his chance in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
Fandom was a wide-margin winner on his sole start at Keeneland in April, making all the running under big-race jockey Irad Ortiz Jr and is one of the fancied runners from Ward’s strong US team at the meeting this week.
However, Ward believes owner Barbara Banke may decide to run the speedy Showcasing colt in Wednesday’s Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs, rather than take on River Tiber and Asadna over the six furlongs of the Group Two Coventry Stakes.
Ward said: “Fandom has worked very well, excellent in fact. He has travelled over well. I think he has got a great chance and has done everything well. We have declared in this race as well as the Windsor Castle.
“We will be having a meeting with Fandom’s owner Barbara Banke and her team on Monday evening and then we will make a determination as to which race we are going to go in.”
The Keeneland handler became the first US-based trainer to bring a horse to England and win a race at Royal Ascot when Strike The Tiger scored in the 2009 Windsor Castle and has recorded 11 further wins at the meeting.
Sprint king Ward was out of luck at last year’s meeting, with main hope Golden Pal missing the break in the King’s Stand Stakes when Ortiz Jr was momentarily confused by the eventual withdrawal of the reluctant to load Mondammej and Khaadem, who unshipped Jamie Spencer.
Ward, who has previously used the services of Frankie Dettori on many occasions in the past at the Royal meeting, will keep the faith with Ortiz Jr and will also employ fellow US rider Joel Rosario this week.
Ward feels Ortiz Jr will be itching to make up for a luckless showing last year.
He added: “We have every faith in both Irad and Joel Rosario, who is also riding a couple of ours. Last year’s King’s Stand was just one of those things.”
Three-belt world super-welterweight champion Natasha Jonas is to take on Canada’s Kandi Wyatt for the IBF welterweight title, promoters Boxxer have announced.
The fight will take place on the undercard to the Savannah Marshall v Franchon Crews-Dezurn undisputed world middleweight bout at Manchester’s AO Arena on July 1.
It will be Liverpudlian Jonas’ first outing of the year after a stellar 2022 in which she stepped up three divisions to claim the WBC, IBF and WBO belts at super-welterweight.
She now has the chance to become a two-weight world champion after deciding to step back down to the 147lb division to fight for the vacant IBF title.
“I feel in good shape,” Jonas told the PA news agency. “It’s been a great camp and I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a long time.
“After such a busy and successful year last year, I just want to get the ball rolling and get back out there.”
Jonas, the first woman to qualify to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, has won 13 of her 16 professional fights, eight by knockout, with just one defeat.
Wyatt, the WBA Intercontinental champion, has previously challenged for welterweight world titles on three occasions.
Jonas, 39, said: “There isn’t much that we’ve seen of her, but I’ve underestimated people before and it didn’t work out well, so I will never do that again.
“Every fight now I come to be the best version of me and prepare for the best version of them.”
On her decision to drop a division, she said: “It’s about opportunities, but I was never a 154lb fighter.
“The heaviest I weighed in was 149 and that was with clothes on. It made sense just to drop down and go for more world titles at another weight and take the opportunities as they come.”
Becoming a world champion at a second weight would be a rare feat, but Jonas is focusing on the victory rather than the glory.
She said: “I’d be Liverpool’s first to do that – I know that – and it is a great thing, but I’m not focused on the accolades. I’m just focused on going in on the night and getting the win.
“There is an air of confidence you get when you are a champion, but the goal is just to get in the ring and win. Everything else that comes with it is just a bonus.”
Boxxer chief executive Ben Shalom said: “I’m very excited to see Natasha compete at the top of the welterweight division. When you look at what she’s achieved in the last year alone, you know you’re looking at an extra special fighter.”
Jeremy Miller is the Men’s Open champion of the Inaugural Innovative Invitational Amateur Tennis Classic after a hard-fought three set win over David Goldsmith in the final at the Liguanea Club on Saturday.
Miller won the toss and chose to serve before dominating early proceedings to take the first set 6-2.
Goldsmith, however, refused to go quietly. He increased his level of aggression significantly in the second to take it by six games to three, setting up a decisive third set.
The pair traded breaks of serve until, eventually, they were knotted at 4-4 in the final set before Miller played an exceptional game to break Goldsmith’s serve to make it 5-4, giving him an opportunity to serve for the title and the $100,000 prize.
Miller then held his nerve and served it out to become the inaugural champion of the open.
“It feels great,” Miller told SportsMax.tv after the match.
“I came out here with an objective to basically show everybody that I can be a winner,” he added.
Miller also spoke about adjustments he had to make after losing the second set.
“I just had to re-focus, dig in, stay with it and not let the games get away from me too much. When I got my chances, I just had to try to take them. Sometimes it got a little bit rocky but I just had to keep pushing,” he said before giving credit to the excellent crowd that showed up to witness the Tennis.
“It was fantastic. I love the crowd support. I was looking for some energy at the start of the third set and I got it. That really made a big difference for me,” he added.
The other category finals that were contested on Saturday were the Men’s Class 2, Men’s Class 3 and Women’s B finals.
The Men’s Class 2 final saw Rudi Jackson come from a set down to defeat Seth Grennell 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Lavois Cruikshank secured a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 victory over Jeffrey Leckie in the Class 3 final while Maureen Williams beat Raquel Nevins 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the Women’s B final which lasted almost four hours.
Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of this week’s ATP tournament in Germany citing ongoing knee issues but is hopeful of being fit for Wimbledon.
The Australian played his first tournament since October in Stuttgart last week after undergoing surgery on his left knee in January.
But he complained afterwards about feeling inhibited during a first-round loss to China’s Wu Yibing and has made the decision not to play in Halle.
“Very unfortunate news that I won’t be able to compete at Halle this year,” Kyrgios said in a video on the tournament’s Twitter feed.
“I’m still dealing with a couple of things in my knee, just trying to give myself the best opportunity to compete at Wimbledon. As you all know, that tournament means a lot to me and I just want to do everything right by my body.
“I didn’t want to go out there and not give you the same performance I gave last year. So hopefully next year I’ll be healthy enough to play.”
Kyrgios enjoyed the best season of his career in 2022, with the highlight a run to his first grand slam singles final at Wimbledon, where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.
When the 28-year-old announced he would need to go under the knife on the eve of the Australian Open, it was hoped he would only be out for a matter of weeks and the fact he is still experiencing problems is a real cause for concern.
After losing in Stuttgart, Kyrgios wrote on Twitter: “Be patient with me my fans please…. It’s a process to get back to where I was. I know it’s hard for you to see me perform like today, but I need more time and hopefully can get back to where I was.”
Frankie Dettori looks to have a fantastic chance of starting his final Royal Ascot with a bang when he partners Inspiral in the Queen Anne Stakes.
The Italian has been in the saddle aboard the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly in all but one of her eight career starts and the duo have struck at the highest level on three occasions – including at the Royal meeting 12 months ago when she was a taking winner of the Coronation Stakes.
That was Inspiral’s first outing of the 2022 season having missed the early part of the campaign and connections have kept the daughter of Frankel fresh once again as they attempt to repeat the dose.
“It’s full-on pressure and it’s a very competitive race first time out,” said Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud.
“She runs well fresh and she has done in the past, she was very impressive first time last year in the Coronation Stakes. She’s in good form we think and hope she puts her best foot forward.
“Mrs (Patricia) Thompson was adamant we waited. She wasn’t ready for the Guineas last year and we waited and it was her preference that we followed a similar programme – she is a big believer in listening to her horses and if Inspiral was to be at her best, it would be better to wait until June rather than push her to the Lockinge in May.
“She had a very nice break at the stud last autumn and really thrived and benefitted for that, both mentally and physically. She did very well over the winter and I know both John and Thady Gosden were pleased with how she came back and the way she has sort of progressed in the last month or so.”
Of the attention on Dettori’s rides this week, he added: “We’re concentrating on our filly, but we’re delighted to have Frankie on board and we’ll enjoy the moment.”
Inspiral’s biggest danger appears to be Godolphin’s two-pronged assault on the race via Charlie Appleby’s Classic heroes Modern Games and Native Trail.
Both landed versions of the 2000 Guineas as three-year-old milers last term and Modern Games appears to be the Moulton Paddocks first string after adding to his impressive haul in the Lockinge Stakes last month.
“His record is very good and he won the Lockinge well last time, so I’m looking forward to riding him again,” said his big-race pilot William Buick ahead of the British Champions Series event.
“It would be nearly a rerun of the Lockinge without Inspiral, who is a good filly. As any Queen Anne should be, it will be tough to win.”
Appleby, speaking to www.godolphin.com, added: “Modern Games came out of the Lockinge Stakes in good form and we have been delighted with his preparation. It was great to get a Group One win in the UK under his belt and, providing there is not a deluge of rain, he looks the one to beat again.
“Native Trail has definitely come forward since his run at Newmarket. He is a sharper, fitter individual now and benefited from a racecourse gallop last week. He is a Classic winner in his own right and goes to Ascot with a live chance.”
Richard Hannon’s Chindit gave Modern Games plenty to think about at Newbury – including when trying to bite his rival in the closing stages – and the handler is hopeful his course-and-distance winner can build on that second as he lines up alongside stablemate Lusail.
“He is a gentleman and has never done anything like that before. He only did it because Buick was in close to him,” said Hannon.
“I thought he would be shorter in the betting. He picked up better than Pat (Dobbs) thought he would and he is in the form of his life.
“We are going to ride Lusail a little handier (this time) as he seems to get flat-footed at a crucial part of the race.”
David Simcock saddles both Cash and Light Infantry after the latter went close in the Prix d’Ispahan last month, while Charlie Hills’ Mutasaabeq accounted for both Native Trail (second) and Light Infantry (third) when a good winner of the rearranged Bet365 Mile at Newmarket on his seasonal return and then had excuses when fifth in the Lockinge most recently.
“He’s going to have to run a career best to win this, but he won very well at Newmarket,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.
“Some people felt Jim (Crowley) went a little bit quick (in the Lockinge) but he felt the horse was just a little bit flat and we ran him back relatively quick.
“He had been away for a stalls test so quite a lot happened in quite a short space of time for him, so we have concentrated on freshening him up and getting him to Ascot in the best shape he can be and we will see how good he is on the day.”
British wild card Ryan Peniston sprung another surprise at the cinch Championships – and gave Andy Murray a Wimbledon boost – with a straight-sets win over Ugo Humbert.
Essex lad Peniston, currently ranked a lowly 265, shocked top seed and world number five Casper Ruud at Queen’s Club last year on his way to the quarter-finals.
The 27-year-old found the grass of west London to his liking again as he secured a place in the second round, and a potential meeting with second-seed Holger Rune, with an impressive 6-4 6-2 victory.
“I loved playing her last year, so to come back, it feels pretty comfortable to be on the court. It’s just amazing,” said Peniston.
“I was nervous – I was more nervous last year. But once you get going it is a lot of fun out there.”
World number 37 Humbert is one of the players Murray needs to overtake in the rankings if he is to be seeded at Wimbledon next month, so his early exit will only help the Scot’s cause.
A place in the quarter-finals at Queen’s might be enough to place the two-time champion back in the top 32, meaning he can avoid drawing one of the big names in the early rounds at SW19.
Murray, on a 10-match winning streak on the grass, faces Australian world number 18 Alex de Minaur in the first round on Tuesday.
Ahead of Frankie Dettori’s final Royal Ascot before he retires at the end of the year, we remember 10 of his greatest moments at the showpiece meeting:
Markofdistinction
Dettori’s career in England famously took off when he teamed up with fellow Italian Luca Cumani, and he provided the jockey with his first Royal Ascot winner at the age of 19 in the Queen Anne in 1990. It was only a Group Two then, but Markofdistinction would go on to prove himself at the highest level in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Drum Taps
Ambitiously campaigned by Lord Huntingdon, Drum Taps stepped up to two and a half miles for the 1992 Gold Cup to provide Dettori with his first Group One winner at the meeting. To prove it was no fluke the pair repeated the trick 12 months later. A real globetrotter, he won in America and Italy and also ran in France, Ireland, the Japan Cup and the Melbourne Cup, finishing ninth behind Vintage Crop.
Lochsong
One of the greatest sights in racing is a sprinter blasting off from the front and few were better at it than Ian Balding’s Lochsong. She won the Stewards’ Cup at three from a mark of 82 and the Ayr Gold Cup off 95 before stepping into Group company. In the first half of 1994 as a six-year-old she won the Palace House, Temple Stakes and King’s Stand, making all in each – the latter by five lengths.
Phantom Gold
Any victory in the late Queen’s colours was treasured by Dettori, but even more so at her favourite meeting. Never happier than when at the races, cheering home her own horse in the Ribblesdale Stakes, a horse she bred herself and ridden by her favourite jockey, will have given her immense satisfaction.
Starborough
Just 12 months on from his Magnificent Seven, Dettori’s love affair with Ascot was in full flow. The first of three successive leading rider awards came in 1997 and arguably the highlight that week was Starborough, one of four winners at the meeting in the St James’s Palace Stakes in the famous Sheikh Mohammed colours, as one of racing’s longest associations began to assert.
Fantastic Light
At the turn of the century Godolphin, Saeed bin Suroor and Dettori were at the peak of their powers and Fantastic Light was among the best they were involved with. In 2001 the Prince of Wales’s Stakes was one of four Group Ones victories, which also included a verdict over the great Galileo at Leopardstown and a win at the Breeders’ Cup. On the day at Ascot, he was in a different league.
Osaila
By 2015 Dettori had endured a well-publicised split from Godolphin and endured the lowest point of his career having been banned for six months for failing a drugs test in 2012. Upon his return he was afforded the chance to ride in the biggest races once more by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s Al Shaqab Racing, and it was in those silks that he rode his 50th Royal Ascot winner on Osaila in the Sandringham Handicap.
Lady Aurelia
American trainer Wesley Ward had been a regular visitor to the meeting for some years before teaming up with Dettori to win the Golden Jubilee in 2015 with Undrafted, but it will be the flying filly Lady Aurelia in the Queen Mary for which they perhaps will be best remembered. Not many five-furlong races are won by seven lengths, but when they are at Group Two level it is unheard of. She returned to win the King’s Stand a year later under John Velazquez.
Crystal Ocean
Riding Sir Michael Stoute’s charge for the first and only time, Dettori executed his plan to perfection in driving rain, tracking the early leader and angling out to the middle of the track to lay down his challenge in the straight. Crystal Ocean found plenty for pressure to repel the challenge of Magical and register a length-and-a-quarter success. Dettori’s partner was to become his adversary back at the track the following month though, when Crystal Ocean and Enable engaged in a famous King George battle with Dettori and the latter prevailing by the shortest of necks.
Stradivarius
In the twilight of his career, Dettori was synonymous with two horses – Enable, who never ran at Royal Ascot, and Stradivarius. The great stayer won three Ascot Gold Cups, including by 10 lengths in 2020 when unfortunately the crowds were absent due to Covid. A horse with a real personality, he was also a rarity in that he stayed two and a half miles but possessed a wicked turn of foot.
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston believes an Indian Premier League-style draft would make the LIV Tour more exciting and appealing following its merger with the PGA Tour.
In a contentious move earlier in June, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Tour were merged, with all three now backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Johnston now wants to see improvements made to the sport, and one suggestion he has would be the introduction of a draft system for the LIV Teams.
Speaking to Stats Perform on behalf of the Beef's Golf Club podcast, Johnston pointed to the success that the IPL cricket competition has enjoyed using a similar formula.
"I'd like to see a kind of IPL draft. They have the franchises and then they do the draft, don't they? So, I'd love to see that," he said.
"Golf going into almost that kind of situation where the PGA and DP [Tours] play up until the end of July, and there's a big draft for the LIV [competitions].
"So, no one knows what team they're going to be on. You're going to have captains for that team, but no one really knows who they're going to be playing for and then go into a big team shoot-out for a few months, and I think that'd be a really good way to work it.
"I don't think it happens but in my perfect world, I'd love to see that happen."
LIV Golf caused much controversy after its emergence in 2022, with plenty of big names heading over to the rival tour.
"It'd be interesting if there's another one that comes up in a year's time - you never know, you can never say never, look what's happened," said Johnston when asked if the merger would prevent any other rival tours from emerging.
"You've seen it with cricket with the IPL and now there's loads of T20 leagues knocking around all over the world. So, you can never say never.
"Hopefully, now these three can settle down and build something good. And as a player, I want to be able to step off on that first tee knowing that if I play well, you can have a lot of crazy opportunities.
"If you do so, I don't think it's bad for the players. I think it's good for golf, that we're out of this crazy standoff.
"The standoff was not healthy for golf. So, we can move on."
Johnston added that some players may struggle to trust the tours after the move.
He said: "I think a lot of players are going to struggle with trust. And I think the whole thing that's quite interesting is generally the PGA Tour and DP Tour are built on the fact that the players own that, so we have control.
"Now, literally, we have zero control. And you've seen that the players don't have an actual say in it, not even Rory [McIlroy] or Tiger [Woods].
"You look at the football players who play for [PIF-backed] Newcastle [United], we're in the same situation now. So, I think the players should be freed up of any questions. We're supposed to have a say, and we don't."
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Having played a key role in the very start of Frankie Dettori’s love affair with Royal Ascot, Luca Cumani will be a keen observer when his compatriot bids for a fairytale ending to his association with the meeting.
It is 38 years since a then-teenage Dettori first touched down on British soil, at which stage his experience of riding thoroughbreds was almost as non-existent as his ability to speak English.
Cumani, by then an established trainer at Bedford House stables in Newmarket having previously served as assistant to the late, great Sir Henry Cecil, was tasked with showing his fellow Italian the ropes – and insists it did not take him long to realise he had a rough diamond on his hands.
“Frankie’s father was my father’s stable jockey in Italy, so that was the connection. His father decided that he wanted to send Frankie to England and that’s how it started,” said Cumani.
“When he arrived I knew I had a bit responsibility because this was a 14-year-old kid who couldn’t speak a word of English and had more or less ridden ponies and never really ridden racehorses before.
“But he was a very quick learner, he quickly learnt to speak English to a point and rode very well.
“It was not immediately obvious how much talent he had, but once he started get confidence on a horse and then he started riding work, you could see had a natural affinity with the job.”
It was four years after his arrival that Cumani gave Frankie Dettori his first taste of Royal Ascot, jocking up aboard his apparent second string Rain Burst in the 1989 Coronation Stakes.
Dettori, who at the time was still claiming 3lb, had steered the Sheikh Mohammed-owned filly to a win in lesser company at Goodwood just nine days earlier and she was a 12-1 shot stepping up in class.
Cumani also fielded Comic Talent, who lined up under stable jockey Ray Cochrane following a five-race winning streak in the Cheveley Park silks.
In the end neither were able to land a telling blow, but Rain Burst did outperform her better-fancied stablemate to finish fifth. Cumani had no doubt about giving Dettori his opportunity at the highest level, despite still being an apprentice.
He said: “He was only claiming 3lb and that was a fraud really because he was better than that.”
Dettori rounded off 1989 by being crowned champion apprentice and by the time the following year’s Royal Ascot came around, he was a fully-fledged jockey and Cumani’s main man.
The showpiece fixture got under way with the Queen Anne Stakes, in which Cumani and Dettori teamed up with Markofdistinction, who had previously finished fourth as a hot favourite for the Lockinge Stakes.
Cumani admits that while it was not entirely easy viewing, Dettori was at his brilliant best as he threaded the eye of the needle to secure the first of his 77 Royal Ascot wins to date.
“I remember it well because he took the daring route on the inside, going between runners and against the stands rail,” Cumani recalled.
“As he was poking his head in there I thought ‘good God, I hope he’s done the right thing here!’. Thankfully he burst through and won the race very well.
“We were hopeful of a good performance, never confident because with such high-class races you can’t be confident, but we were hopeful and he delivered.”
No one could have envisaged the glittering career Dettori would go on to enjoy, but Cumani added: “We had an inkling. The fact that he’d only just come out of his apprenticeship and we made him stable jockey was a big vote of confidence.
“We had a good idea that he was going to be around for a long time and was going to be very successful.”
Cumani brought the curtain down on his own illustrious racing career in 2018, retiring from the training ranks after saddling two Derby winners in Kahyasi (1988) and High-Rise (1998) and countless other big-race winners over the course of 43 years.
He will not be travelling to Ascot but would love Dettori to bag at least one winner on his final Royal meeting performance, even if he believes he was hasty in his decision to announce his impending retirement late last year.
“I won’t be going at all this year because my wife has had a foot operation and is hobbling about, so we’ll be watching from home,” Cumani said.
“I send Frankie a message every time he wins a big race and tell him he’s making a mistake in giving up and should carry on!
“He will be a big loss to racing and I’m sure he’s thought about it (changing his mind), but he seems to be determined this will be his last year, or so he tells me!”
Max Verstappen must be considered among the greatest drivers in Formula One history, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has said, following the Dutchman’s landmark win at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s emphatic lights-to-flag victory on Sunday was the 41st of his career, putting him level with triple world champion Ayrton Senna.
Only Lewis Hamilton (103 victories), Michael Schumacher (91), Sebastian Vettel (53) and Alain Prost (51) have won more races than Verstappen, who is still only 25.
Verstappen, who started from pole in Montreal following a fine display in Saturday’s wet-dry-wet qualifying session, has triumphed at six of the opening eight rounds this year to open up a commanding 69-point championship lead. Fernando Alonso finished second for Aston Martin with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton third.
“What we are witnessing with Max is the emergence of another mega talent,” said Horner.
“You can start talking about him in the same sentence as the greats now after he matched Ayrton Senna.
“I thought the podium today was very apt actually, in terms of the last couple of decades of Formula One, with Max, Fernando and Lewis up there.
“Max just keeps delivering at such a high level. The race was fantastic but to take pole position in conditions that were continually changing, and his ability to adapt to whatever grip level he had, was Max at his best.”
Verstappen has won four consecutive races and 15 of the last 19 in F1. Red Bull also remain unbeaten this year, and there remains a distinct possibility that the team from Milton Keynes could make history by winning every race in a single campaign.
Hamilton recorded his second consecutive podium finish in his revamped Mercedes machine, but despite the Silver Arrows’ upturn in form, and with 14 rounds still remaining, the seven-time world champion believes Red Bull could complete a perfect campaign.
“I know what I am faced with and there is nothing I can do about Red Bull’s amazing performance,” said Hamilton.
“It is likely that they will win every race this year unless the Aston Martins and us can provide a lot more performance or if their car doesn’t finish.
“It is not a frustration. We have got work to do and I am happy to be back in the mix and I am just hoping that at some stage we are level so we can get back to some of the good races we had in 2021.”
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