Carlos Alcaraz insisted he can challenge on the grass this summer despite needing a third-set tie-break to beat French journeyman Arthur Rinderknech at the cinch Championships.
The 20-year-old top seed and world number two was playing only his seventh match on the surface – and his first outside of Wimbledon – at Queen’s Club.
Lucky loser Rinderknech only found out he was playing the Spaniard shortly before midday after fellow Frenchman Arthur Fils, Alcaraz’s scheduled opponent, withdrew from the tournament.
But the 27-year-old almost knocked the headline act out, taking the first set and giving Alcaraz an uncomfortable afternoon before going down 4-6 7-5 7-6 (3) in just over two-and-a-half hours.
Alcaraz, the US Open champion who was playing his first match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Roland Garros, said: “It has been a really tough match, he has played four or five matches on the grass and this was my first one.
“It was really difficult to adapt my game to the grass. For me it’s tough to play here, but Queen’s is a tournament I really wanted to play.
“I’ve never played a tournament except Wimbledon on grass and I wanted to play here. I watched this tournament on TV and I always thought it’s a really beautiful place to be. The crowd was amazing and the court is unbelievable.
“I couldn’t play tennis on grass at home but I practised the movement on grass. I practised here a little bit before the tournament and I felt really good, even though it was the first match.
“I would say I’m going to be better in the next round.”
Britain’s Liam Broady was denied a notable win after world number 46 Adrian Mannarino came from a set down to win in three.
Broady, ranked 97 places behind the Frenchman at 143, raced away with the first set but was pegged back in a 1-6 6-4 6-3 defeat.
Fellow Brit Ryan Peniston – who beat Ugo Humbert on Monday – will face second seed Holger Rune in round two after the Danish youngster won 7-6 (4) 7-6 (3) against Maxime Cressy for his first career victory on grass.
“It’s going to be fun,” said Rune, who lost to Peniston at Eastbourne last year.
“It’s always a challenge to play a home player. Hopefully the support will be good for both players.”
Nicky Henderson and William Buick teamed up to win the Ascot Stakes with talented dual-purpose mare Ahorsewithnoname.
Runner-up at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, the eight-year-old successfully reverted to the Flat to win at Newbury and York last season before finishing fifth as favourite for the Cesarewitch.
She disappointed in her next couple of races over hurdles, but bounced back to winning ways at Cheltenham in April and was a 7-1 shot switching back to the level at Royal Ascot.
Always travelling well in midfield, Ahorsewithnoname got a dream run up the far rail in the latter stages of the two-and-a-half-mile contest and picked up under strong driving from the champion jockey to score by a length and three-quarters from Calling The Wind.
Bring On The Night, all the rage to go one better than when second in last year’s renewal at 13-8 for Willie Mullins and Ryan Moore, suffered interference and was ultimately well beaten.
Henderson, better known as one of the sport’s leading National Hunt trainers, was winning his second Ascot Stakes having previously struck gold with Veiled in 2011.
“It’s lovely, that’s her last run. I don’t know when her time runs out, she’s in foal to Cracksman and that was always the plan. We had 90 days to run her and it seems to have done her a bit of good!” said the master of Seven Barrows.
“I couldn’t run her on the ground last year, but that rain helped. The first year she was going to go on to hurdling and I didn’t want to risk her whereas now this was going to be her last race anyway. We had nothing to lose.
“This is her last race unless the Galway Hurdle comes into her 90 days, which it doesn’t.”
He added: “There was less pressure today, and I don’t just say that because it’s a Flat race – after all it’s Royal Ascot for goodness sake and a big day in anyone’s life. But it’s not the Champion Hurdle with the pressure you get in that.
“Any race at Cheltenham is very special and any race at Royal Ascot is the same. We love having a go here.
“William gave her a beautiful ride, she had a dream run and the rain last night helped her.”
Mawj has been ruled out of Friday’s Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot due to a setback.
The 1000 Guineas winner was set for a thrilling rematch with Tahiyra, who finished half a length behind her at Newmarket and subsequently went on to win the Irish Guineas at the Curragh.
Just a half-length separated the pair and they were due to cross swords again in the mile Group One, but trainer Saeed bin Suroor has announced the daughter of Exceed And Excel will miss her intended engagement.
He told www.godolphin.com: “Mawj appeared quiet after exercising this morning and produced a dirty scope. She is coughing at moment, so won’t be able to run in the Coronation Stakes.
“It’s disappointing to miss Royal Ascot, but we will give her time to recover and we can hopefully look forward to the rest of the season.”
Aidan O’Brien became the most successful trainer in Royal Ascot history after Paddington ran out a brilliant winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The Ballydoyle handler joined Sir Michael Stoute when River Tiber provided him with an 82nd success courtesy of the Coventry Stakes earlier in the afternoon.
The St James’s Palace was one of the most anticipated races of the week, with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean and Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Paddington locking horns – and it was the latter who comprehensively came out on top in the hands of Ryan Moore, to put O’Brien out on his own.
Andrew Balding’s Chaldean – the narrow favourite at 13-8 – attempted to make every yard of the running under Frankie Dettori but he was unable to resist the surge of 11-5 chance Paddington in the home straight, with the Siyouni colt pulling three-and-three-quarter lengths clear at the line.
Chaldean clung on to the runner-up spot from the staying-on Charyn, with French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby best of the rest in fourth.
Hollie Doyle gave Bradsell a brilliant ride to land a dramatic running of the King’s Stand Stakes, as the Archie Watson-trained colt earned a second Royal Ascot win in as many years.
Bradsell landed the six-furlong Coventry Stakes last term, yet had shown plenty of speed in his recent work and his trainer was able to persuade connections to supplement him for the five-furlong dash.
Doyle, gaining her fourth Royal Ascot success, was positive from the stalls aboard the three-year-old and had Highfield Princess for company throughout, in a race few ever really got into.
But it was not all plain sailing for Doyle and Watson, who had to survive a stewards’ inquiry as Bradsell – sent off a 14-1 chance – drifted left in the final furlong and intimidated 7-4 favourite Highfield Princess and jockey Jason Hart.
After an agonising deliberation by the stewards, it was a sweet success for Watson, who had to endure Dragon Symbol losing the 2021 Commonwealth Cup after an inquiry.
Doyle’s mount had three-quarters of a length to spare at the line, with 50-1 shot Annaf running a huge race to be third for Mick Appleby.
River Tiber gave Aidan O’Brien a record-extending 10th victory in a thrilling Coventry Stakes.
Ryan Moore, odds-on to become top jockey at the Royal meeting, got on the board early and there was no hanging about in the six-furlong dash.
Despite having won his first two starts over shorter trips, punters placed their faith in the Coolmore team, sending the son of Wootton Bassett off the 11-8 favourite for the juvenile Group Two.
He travelled well throughout the race, tracking Frankie Dettori aboard Givemethebeatboys, yet Moore had to get serious two furlongs from home to roust his mount to go past.
With that battle won, the strapping winner had to fend off Army Ethos (20-1), who flew under Hollie Doyle in the final 100 yards, with Bucanero Fuerte and Kevin Stott following him through to be a close-up third. Givemethebeatboys, sold for £1.1 million at the Goffs London Sale on Monday evening, faded into fourth.
O’Brien was registering his 82nd winner at the Royal meeting, equalling Sir Michael Stoute as the most successful trainer at the fixture.
Triple Time narrowly denied Frankie Dettori a dream start to his final appearance at Royal Ascot in the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes.
Dettori, who announced in December that he will bring his glittering riding career to an end later this year, has a strong book rides at a meeting he has dominated and looked to have an excellent chance of getting the week off to a winning start aboard top-class filly Inspiral.
After riding a patient race, Dettori delivered the 11-4 chance with what looked a perfectly-timed challenge, but she was came off second best after a tussle with the widely-unconsidered Triple Time.
The Kevin Ryan-trained winner had been off the track since finishing down the field in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp in October and was a 33-1 shot in the hands of Neil Callan.
The son of Frankel raced keenly for much of the one-mile contest and having pulled his way to the front end he looked sure to be claimed by Inspiral, but found plenty once challenged to prevail by a neck.
Light Infantry, who raced prominently, held on beat 7-4 favourite Modern Games to third.
Willie Mullins featured in the carriage procession as the King and Queen both attended day one of Royal Ascot.
It is the first Royal meeting to take place since the death of the late Queen in September.
The King and Queen, whose coronation took place last month, are set to be represented across the week and they wrote a message on the opening page of Tuesday’s official racecard.
It said: “We are delighted to welcome you to Royal Ascot in this, the year of our coronation. Five days of highly competitive racing will again be watched and enjoyed by millions, both here and abroad.
“We are happy in the knowledge that this historic race meeting continues to be a key influence on the global racing and breeding industries.”
The late Queen was famed for her love of racing and barely missed a day of the meeting, enjoying numerous winners at the fixture over the many years of her reign.
A photographic exhibition in the Ascot grandstand celebrates her relationship with the track and Saturday’s sprint feature has been renamed in her honour.
The message, signed by Charles R and Camilla R, added: “The Royal meeting always played a central role in Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s calendar and the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes will be a most appropriate way to mark this lifelong interest.”
Star Sports had favoured white or cream for the Queen’s hat on the first day, while Boylesports had made pink the evens favourite.
The first-named proved correct as the Queen favoured an ivory shade, with the procession receiving its habitual warm reception at the paddock.
Mullins, who was joined by his wife Jackie, was one of a number of racing figures in the procession, with the pair sharing a carriage with Classic-winning trainer Ralph Beckett and his wife Izzi.
The Closutton handler took the Irish champion trainer crown for a 17th time last term, a season which also saw him send out his 4,000th winner and claim the Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third time with Galopin Des Champs.
Lady Bamford, fresh from her Oaks success with homebred Soul Sister earlier in the month, was in the third carriage along with her husband Lord Bamford and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Anti-corruption police in France have raided the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games organising committee as part of an investigation into the embezzlement of public funds.
A spokesperson for France’s financial public prosecutor, the PNF, has confirmed to the PA news agency that searches are under way at several sites, including the headquarters of the Games organisers (COJOP) and of SOLIDEO, the public body responsible for building projects linked to the event.
The spokesperson said these searches were part of two preliminary investigations opened by the PNF.
The first was opened in 2017 and was entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight Against Corruption, Financial and Tax Offences with charges of “illegal taking of interests, embezzlement of public funds, favouritism and concealment of favouritism”, targeting several contracts awarded in particular by COJOP.
The second was opened last year and was entrusted to the BRDE, the financial brigade of the Parisian police, with charges of “illegal taking of interests, favouritism and concealment of favouritism relating to several contracts awarded by COJOP and SOLIDEO”.
Paris 2024 organisers had earlier said: “A police search is currently under way at the headquarters of the Organising Committee.
“Paris 2024 is co-operating fully with the investigators to facilitate their investigations.”
The organising committee’s offices are in the Saint-Denis area of the French capital. The Games take place from July 26-August 11 next year.
An International Olympic Committee spokesperson said: “We are aware that there has been a search by police of the Paris 2024 headquarters today.
“We have been informed by Paris 2024 that they are co-operating fully with the authorities in this matter and we would refer you to them for further information.”
Tom Marquand heads into Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes with a sense of frustration.
He rides My Prospero in the 10-furlong Group One contest which, in terms of quality, looks to be the cherry on the icing of the Royal Ascot cake.
Trained by William Haggas, My Prospero was beaten a neck in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the meeting last year.
He was also beaten half a length Bay Bridge, who reopposes, in the Champion Stakes over the same Ascot mile and a quarter he faces on Wednesday, a race remembered for being the brilliant Baaeed’s last run and sole defeat in his career.
This is a game of fine margins and after a sharpener over a mile on his return when fourth in the Lockinge at Newbury, Marquand hopes the Iffraj colt can finally get his just rewards.
“He had that run to open him up and, as we expected, the mile was a bit sharp, so going back up to 10 furlongs plays to his strengths,” said the jockey.
“It’s a hot renewal – probably the race of the week and fantastic for racing, but frustrating for us.
“Looking back at the run in the Champion Stakes, the change in tempo at the bend caught us out a bit. Being beaten so narrowly after that you hope you’ve got a good chance of beating them next time.
“It certainly feels like we haven’t had a true chance to show what is exactly there yet, which makes it pretty exciting.”
My Prospero was a nose behind runner-up Adayar in the Champion Stakes and the 2021 Derby winner, who won the Gordon Richards over this distance at Newmarket on his return with some ease, comes into the race with plenty of confidence behind him.
“We have been delighted with how Adayar has come forward since the Gordon Richards Stakes,” trainer Charlie Appleby told www.godolphin.com.
“It’s a very strong renewal but Adayar is in great shape and we are very much looking forward to it. The target this season has been to win a Group One over a mile and a quarter and this will hopefully be his opportunity.”
The Champion Stakes, part of the Qipco British Champions Series, saw Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge triumphant.
However, he has been narrowly beaten twice subsequently, in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp on his return in April and by Luxembourg in the Tattersalls Gold Cup.
Consequently, Bay Bridge is joint-third best in the betting with My Prospero, although with plenty of rain falling ahead of the start of the meeting and heavy showers in the forecast, connections return to Ascot with plenty of optimism.
James Savage, Stoute’s assistant trainer, said: “It is what we expected, a very strong renewal. The mile-and-a-quarter division is as strong as I have seen.
“He took a step forward for every run last year. He took a massive step forward from France to the Curragh, running a big race behind Luxembourg, and we expect him to improve again at Ascot. He has trained very well.
“We are still very respectful of the opposition and if Ascot gets the forecast rain that would be positive, but he showed he is effective on good ground at the Curragh.”
Last season’s Irish Champion Stakes hero, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Luxembourg, tops the market.
The lightly-raced four-year-old, the winner of six of his nine starts, made all in the Tattersalls Gold Cup under Ryan Moore.
O’Brien said: “I’m happy with him and he progressed nicely at the Curragh from the first day to the second. I was delighted he made the running which leaves him versatile as to tactics in the race.”
Kenny McPeek sends US Grade One winner Classic Causeway over for his British debut, although he will be the big outsider of the sextet, while Mostahdaf completes the line-up.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the five-year-old was last seen finishing seven lengths adrift of Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.
He has fallen short in his three attempts in top-class company but Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikha Hissa’s Shadwell operation, hopes Jim Crowley’s mount will run with credit now that he drops back in trip.
“It’s a really hot race. He’s done us proud in the winter and won a lot of money in his two runs abroad,” said Gold.
“He’s a horse for Sheikha Hissa and her family to enjoy, he’s very consistent and if he’s good enough to win a Prince of Wales’s, Wednesday will tell us.
“He’s never been short of speed and there had been a train of thought, even before Dubai, that a mile and a quarter would be his best.
“He didn’t finish off his race in Dubai, to the degree people said he doesn’t stay, but equally he was the one horse off the bend who went to have a crack at Equinox and he paid the price for that later on.
“I’m not saying he doesn’t get a mile and a half, but he definitely has the pace to be competitive over a mile and a quarter.
“He’s given us all some great days and it will be fun to see where he fits in. He loves fast ground, though.”
Fred Wright is hoping his first professional win comes in the shape of a British title this week as he takes on Wednesday’s time trial and Sunday’s road race at the national championships.
The 24-year-old has made his name in the past couple of years with a series of plucky breakaway attempts, most notably at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, which brought podium finishes. But missing from the palmares is a victory.
If Wright can fix that this week it will be a significant marker, but also a hugely emotional moment for him personally just days after his Bahrain-Victorious team-mate Gino Mader died as a result of injuries suffered in a crash at the Tour de Suisse last week.
When asked about Mader, who was 26, Wright struggled for words.
“I don’t know what to say about it, it’s so difficult,” he said. “It’s been an awful few days, I’ll just leave it at that. It puts so much into perspective. Just even being asked the question gets me emotional.”
And when asked what a victory in Wednesday’s time trial at the Croft Circuit near Darlington would mean to him, Wright again wrestled with his feeling
“I don’t really know at this point,” he said. “I’d be really happy, but I think with everything that’s happened it doesn’t mean f*** all to be honest. Not that it doesn’t mean f*** all, but I just really want to race my bike and enjoy racing my bike. You find a new appreciation for it, I think.”
Wright finished a close second to Ben Swift when Lincoln hosted the nationals in 2021, a race which finished with the steep cobbled climb of Michaelgate.
Sunday’s race around Saltburn-by-the-Sea is an even more challenging one, defined by the 10 ascents of Saltburn Bank and its 22 per cent gradients, but with plenty of climbing in between too.
Geraint Thomas is on a star-studded start list and backed by several Ineos Grenadiers team-mates, while Lewis Askey, Jake Stewart, Simon Carr and Owain Doull will also line up.
Wright will be racing without any team-mates and must use his breakaway expertise if he is to make a mark, but he believes in his form.
“I think with how I’m feeling on the bike at the moment I would say it suits me,” he said. “I’m not really worried. In the Dauphine (earlier this month) on the shorter climbs I felt really comfortable so I should be all right, we shall see.
“I think I just go into it knowing I’ve got a target on my back. Jake, who is a good mate of mine, has already said he’s just going to follow me. He’s got three team-mates in the race and they’re going to sit down and say, ‘Just make sure you’re with Fred’.
“But when the course is as hard as it is, on a flat road you can get followed and waste a lot of energy, but if you go for it uphill the person behind also has to work hard. I think the course being harder hopefully makes it easier to manage the fact I’m more watched.”
Wright’s decision to race the time trial was a late one. Encouraged by the fourth place he took in the time trial at the Dauphine, Wright spied an opportunity after two-time reigning champion Ethan Hayter, his former housemate, was forced to withdraw with a broken collarbone.
“I think I’ve got a good shot at winning it,” he said. “What happened to Ethan, as much as I love him, did influence my decision to ride.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to do and then when I saw he wasn’t going to do it I thought it’s good to have a hit out.”
Karl Burke’s juveniles are in rip-roaring form and Beautiful Diamond heads a sparking trio of chances for the Middleham trainer in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Having saddled Dramatised to a runaway victory in the Group Two contest last season, he would again appear to have a strong hand as he bids to back up that success in the Group Two feature on day two of Royal Ascot.
Beautiful Diamond made a winning debut, scoring by three and a half lengths at Nottingham a fortnight ago for owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Rashid’s racing manager Bruce Raymond feels the turnaround from her debut will not be problematic.
He said: “The timing of the race is tight from her run at Nottingham, but really that’s an after-the-race excuse.
“I think there are more worries about going from Ascot to the July Meeting at Newmarket.
“After Ascot, they tend to need a break. Of course there are exceptions, but they can run flat after Ascot.
“She cost a lot of money at the breeze-up sale. She won at Nottingham and obviously Karl expected her to go very close that day.
“She is obviously very useful, but it is a tough race. I’m hoping she will be there in a ding-dong. There are a lot of runners, but I expect her to go very well.”
Burke will also saddle Got To Love A Grey, who has won both her starts for Middleham Park Racing, taking a valuable York Listed race last month, and Lady Pink Rose, who was runner-up on her Catterick debut for Sheikh Juma.
Raymond added: “Had she (Lady Pink Rose) won at Catterick, she would have gone here without any questions. They will be delighted if she is in the first five or six.
“She was in at Ripon and I said she could be a good thing, but Sheikh Juma said he was getting a bit fed up with Ripon – let’s have a look at the Queen Mary. We can easily bring her back to Ripon afterwards. She is in with a squeak.”
Wesley Ward is no stranger to success at Royal Ascot, having saddled 12 winners in the last 14 years, and the US handler saddles Bundchen.
Bundchen was runner-up in an extended four-and-a-half-furlong fillies’ race at Keeneland on the dirt on her sole start in April.
Ward added: “I’m excited for this filly. Unfortunately she was in a race at Keeneland and the race was rained off the grass and on to the dirt that day, so she had to run on a surface she wouldn’t have preferred.
“Now that she’s back on the grass, she has had some phenomenal breezes on the Keeneland grass course and I think she will have a big run.”
Frankie Dettori appeared to hold a great chance with Laurel in the Duke of Cambridge, only for the filly to be scratched.
However, it enables him to resume his partnership with the Ralph Beckett-trained Prosperous Voyage.
Winner of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on her last start, the Andrew Rosen- and Marc Chan-owned four-year-old is among the leading contenders for the Group Two mile contest.
Chan’s racing manager Jamie McCalmont said: “It’s a bit different competition to Epsom here, but she didn’t have a hard race there and that should set her up for a good performance. Ralph and the team have been very happy with her since.”
“We’re sorry for the connections of Laurel, but it’s great to have Frankie back on board.”
Rogue Millennium drops back in trip to a mile for the first time in her nine-race career, having gone down by half a length to Free Wind in the Middleton at York over an extended 10 furlongs when last seen.
He trainer Tom Clover feels she will relish the stiff uphill finish and said: “She travelled so well at York. She has got better and her home work has been classy.
“A stiff mile at Ascot, I think its obviously worth a go. She seems in great form and we’re looking forward to running her.
“We don’t go there lightly. If everything falls right and we have a bit of luck, we think she’d have a good chance.”
The other Group Two contest is the Queen’s Vase, where the Dettori-ridden Gregory heads the market, bidding to remain unbeaten after two starts.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained colt won Goodwood’s Listed Cocked Hat by three lengths, but steps up an additional three furlongs.
“He is a classy performer and we were delighted with his run at Goodwood. He looks a staying type and we feel he will improve over a mile and three-quarters,” said Thady Gosden.
“It is obviously a very competitive race, but he has worked well and we hope he brings his A-game.”
French police are searching the headquarters of the organising committee of next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Organisers for Paris 2024 confirmed on Tuesday an investigation was being carried out and said they were co-operating fully.
There has been no comment from police.
A Paris 2024 statement read: “A police search is currently under way at the headquarters of the Organising Committee. Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigators to facilitate their investigations.”
The search is related to a probe into suspected corruption, according to various reports.
The organising committee’s offices are in the Saint-Denis area of the French capital. The Games take place from July 26-August 11 next year.
Coltrane and Eldar Eldarov are among 14 runners declared for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
Winner of the Ascot Stakes 12 months ago, the Andrew Balding-trained Coltrane has since developed into a top-class stayer.
The six-year-old inflicted a shock defeat on Trueshan in last season’s Doncaster Cup before the tables were turned on Champions Day at Ascot, but Coltrane reasserted his authority on his reappearance in Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes last month and has been at the head of the Gold Cup betting ever since.
He will renew rivalry with with Adam Nicol’s Sagaro runner-up Wise Eagle and the fourth-placed Trueshan, whose trainer Alan King will have been pleased to see the rain arrive in Berkshire.
Like Coltrane, Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov is a previous Royal Ascot winner, having last season come out on top in a pulsating renewal of the Queen’s Vase.
The Dubawi colt went on to claim Classic glory in the St Leger and made a most encouraging start to his four-year-old campaign when runner-up in the Yorkshire Cup.
Charlie Johnston’s Subjectivist has suffered his fair share of problems since a brilliant victory in the 2021 Gold Cup, but returns in a bid to regain his crown.
Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race on a record eight occasions, this year saddles both Emily Dickinson and Broome, while Frankie Dettori partners John and Thady Gosden’s unbeaten four-year-old Courage Mon Ami in what will be his final Gold Cup before retirement.
Yibir (Charlie Appleby) and Echoes In Rain (Willie Mullins) also feature in what appears a wide-open renewal of the two-and-a-half-mile showpiece.
Day three of the Royal meeting gets underway with the Group Two Norfolk Stakes, for which Karl Burke’s dual winner Elite Status is a hot favourite to see off 15 other speedy juveniles.
His opponents include American Rascal, a son of the trainer’s dual Royal Ascot heroine Lady Aurelia, and his compatriot No Nay Mets, who will be ridden by Dettori.
Al Asifah is odds-on for a 19-runner Ribblesdale Stakes after being supplemented off the back of a scintillating Listed success at Goodwood. Infinite Cosmos (Sir Michael Stoute) and Bluestocking (Ralph Beckett) look her two biggest threats.
Joey Votto had a home run and three RBIs in a triumphant return from a 10-month absence, and the Cincinnati Reds remained Major League Baseball's hottest team with Monday's 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies.
The resurgent Reds posted their ninth consecutive victory, the franchise's longest winning streak since a 10-game run in July 2012, and moved a half-game ahead of Milwaukee for first place in the National League Central following the Brewers' 9-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.
Votto gave Cincinnati a 3-1 lead with a solo homer off Colorado starter Austin Gomber in the fifth inning, then put the Reds back ahead with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth after the Rockies scored three times in the top of the inning to take a 4-3 edge.
The six-time All-Star first baseman was making his first MLB appearance since August after spending the season's first two-plus months rehabbing from left shoulder surgery.
Kevin Newman and Nick Senzel also homered to help the Reds extend Colorado's losing streak to six games.
Giants rally late to stun Padres, earn eighth straight win
The San Francisco Giants kept their own long winning streak alive when Mike Yastrzemski's three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning produced a dramatic 7-4 win over the San Diego Padres.
San Francisco trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth but scored twice to force extra innings, and after putting two on with one out in the 10th, Yastrzemski launched a 3-1 pitch from Ray Kerr into McCovey Cove for his second homer of the night to give the Giants their eighth consecutive win.
Yastrzemski had a solo homer in the sixth inning and singled and scored during the ninth-inning rally while ending the night 3 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Keaton Winn aided the Giants' comeback by allowing just one run in five innings of relief.
The Padres had built a 4-1 lead after 4 1/2 innings on a pair of Juan Soto solo homers and a two-run single from Ha-Seong Kim, who went 3 for 4 in the loss.
San Diego starter Michael Wacha surrendered just four hits, including solo homers by Yastrzemski and David Villar, in six innings of work.
Lindor, Scherzer help Mets extend Astros' skid to five
Francisco Lindor homered and drove in five runs to back a splendid start from Max Scherzer as the New York Mets extended the Houston Astros' June swoon with an 11-1 rout of the defending World Series champions.
Scherzer bounced back from two straight subpar starts by yielding just one run and four hits while striking out eight over a season-high eight innings. The three-time Cy Young Award winner got all the support he needed from Lindor's three-run homer off Hunter Brown in the third inning and a solo shot from Daniel Vogelbach earlier in the frame.
Vogelbach finished with two hits and three RBIs as the Mets ended a seven-game overall losing streak to the Astros and an eight-game skid at Houston's Minute Maid Park, where their last victory occurred in May 2011.
Houston has now lost a season-high five straight and is 3-10 since June 6. Yainer Diaz accounted for the Astros' lone run with a solo homer off Scherzer in the seventh inning.
Coventry Stakes contender Givemethebeatboys was bought for £1.1million at the Goffs London Sale on the eve of his Royal Ascot run.
The Bungle Inthejungle colt changed hands for €11,000 at the autumn yearling sales back in November, but after winning each of his two starts in the colours of Theresa Marnane, he topped the sale when bought by Bronson Racing.
Trained by Jessica Harrington, Givemethebeatboys is set to be partnered by Frankie Dettori in Tuesday’s juvenile Group Two.
The select sale also featured Norfolk Stakes entry No Nay Mets, who was a Gulfstream Park winner for trainer George Weaver last month, and he went to Tuckernuck Stables for £800,000.
Australian training team Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott bought last year’s top lot Hoo Ya Mal for £1.2m and they were in action again, picking up two lots in conjunction with Johnny McKeever.
Cuban Dawn, placed in two of his three starts for Jim Bolger, cost them £300,000 while they paid £260,000 for New Endeavour, winner of two his seven starts for Roger Varian.
The first-named runner is in the Golden Gates Stakes, while New Endeavour is entered for both the Britannia and Buckingham Palace Stakes.
A delighted Venus Williams fought for more than three hours to defeat Camila Giorgi at the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham and post her best victory for nearly four years.
Two days after her 43rd birthday and with a right knee problem restricting her movement, the former world number one showed that her competitive spirit has not diminished as she ground out a 7-6 (5) 4-6 7-6 (6) win.
Williams plays sparingly these days, returning at a grass-court event in the Netherlands last week for her first tournament since January, and this was only her second victory since Wimbledon 2021, and her first over a top-50 opponent since 2019.
Giorgi is a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist and a player very much at home on grass but Williams still possesses a fearsome strike, while her serve touched 120mph.
A heavy fall in the first set did not help her knee and she noticeably limped but she kept her nose in front, putting aside the disappointment of failing to serve out the match at 5-3 in the decider to take her second match point in the tie-break.
Williams held her arms aloft and repeatedly pumped her fist as the crowd, who had been drowned out at times by the support from the Ashes Test down the road, cheered.
“This one is especially sweet because I have been away from the tour for so long,” she said. “The last couple of years I’ve had little to no matches and long stretches between matches and that’s very challenging.
“I almost feel like when I’m on the court I’m reminded of things I used to do that worked really well, so there’s a lot of memories and deja vu – I’ve never had that experience before. I felt like I played well the whole match and that felt great.
“Tennis is awesome. There’s so many people that would love to do what I’m doing right now so I don’t take it for granted. I faced some huge challenges in the match. I thought I didn’t do much wrong and I found myself still not winning. I think that brought the emotion out.”
There were different emotions for another former top-10 player returning to grass, with Elina Svitolina beaten 6-2 6-0 by Czech 18-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova in less than an hour.
Svitolina made a brilliant comeback on clay following the birth of daughter Skai last October, reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open, but was unable to find her feet on the grass.
Wearing the colours of her native Ukraine, the 28-year-old quickly lost the first four games and made far too many errors against a much steadier opponent.
“Linda played really well today, from the start until the end,” said Svitolina. “I don’t think she did anything wrong at any point.
“I was struggling at the beginning and obviously on the grass you have no time to adjust. For me, it didn’t happen today but I’ll go on the practice court and try to do better next time.”
Svitolina chose not to use her protected ranking from before her pregnancy to enter Wimbledon so must wait to find out whether she will receive a wild card.
Third seed Magda Linette had to battle her way into round two, coming from a set down to defeat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 3-6 7-5 6-4.
Nottingham champion Katie Boulter begins her campaign on Tuesday against China’s Lin Zhu while Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart play each other.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 19.
FootballEngland looked back 20 years ahead of tonight’s match.
Ronald Koeman looked ahead after Nations League disappointment.
David De Gea was relaxing.
Charlie Adam was heading back to school.
Formula OneGeorge Russell paid the price over the weekend.
Red Bull recorded their 100th win.
Fernando Alonso was still celebrating.
CricketKP had a difficult choice to make.
TennisKatie Boulter was fighting off nature.
BoxingIt was time to celebrate Father’s Day.
Fraser McConnell kicked off the 2023/24 NitroCross season in sensational fashion, securing a resounding victory in the first event held at the MidAmerica Outdoor complex in Oklahoma on June 16 and 17.
The Jamaican driver showcased his skill and determination, leaving his competitors in the dust and setting the tone for an exciting season ahead.
From the onset, McConnell demonstrated his prowess by topping the charts in the Timed Practice, proving that he was a force to be reckoned with. However, despite his exceptional performance, he narrowly missed out on the Top Qualifier title, losing to his childhood hero, Travis Pastrana, by a fraction of a second.
Undeterred by the near miss, McConnell continued to display his strength throughout the event. A second-place finish in the Battles Final further solidified his position as a frontrunner. He then went on to secure victory in his heat race, earning him the coveted pole position for the Final.
As the final race began, McConnell surged forward, seizing the lead from the start and never relinquishing it. The competition proved intense, with his teammate and reigning champion, Robin Larson, challenging him in the opening corner.
Additionally, World Rally icon Kris Meeke provided a late challenge, but McConnell remained composed and focused, crossing the finish line with a commanding win in the season opener.
To add to the excitement of his triumph, McConnell was presented with the first-place trophy by none other than UFC's Dana White, who heads a group of investors that recently acquired the NitroCross brand.
The victory not only marked a perfect start to the new season for McConnell but also showcased his talent and the exceptional teamwork behind his success.
Reflecting on his triumph, an elated McConnell expressed gratitude to his team and sponsors for their unwavering support. "This win in Oklahoma has been a perfect start to this new season. The track was incredibly challenging but fun to drive, and very exciting for the spectators," he remarked.
Following the season opener, McConnell now leads the 10-event championship with an impressive 76 points, holding an 11-point advantage over Kevin Eriksson and a 12-point lead over Robin Larson.
Looking ahead, McConnell is set to compete in Sardinia, Italy on July 8-9 as part of Sir Lewis Hamilton's X44 Vida Carbon Racing Team. Fans eagerly anticipate seeing McConnell's skills on display once again as he continues his quest for championship glory. The next NitroCross event will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 18-19, promising more thrilling action and fierce competition on the track.
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