Christopher Head was left feeling frustrated having seen Big Rock collect another big-race silver medal in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
The talented son of Rock Of Gibralter strung together a four-race winning sequence earlier in the campaign that included a five-length defeat of Champion Stakes-bound Horizon Dore at Chantilly in May.
However, the colt’s successful run came to an end when second to Arc favourite Ace Impact in the Prix du Jockey Club.
He has since dropped back down to a mile, but has again had to settle for the runner-up spot, firstly when bumping into an in-form Inspiral in the Jacques le Marois and then when passed late on by the fast-finishing Sauterne at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
“He’s very consistent with his performance and is always improving a little bit,” said Head.
“But we have a hard time of course against a horse with a certain turn of foot being on our back and we are always vulnerable to that kind of strategy.
“It is a bit frustrating because he is really worthy of getting a Group One win but he is just missing out for now.”
If connections continue to persevere at the mile distance, Big Rock could be seen at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day where he holds an entry for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
However, Head stressed the team are in no rush to make their next move, with the colt’s versatility meaning all options remain on the table.
“I need to speak with Yeguada Centurion (owners) and we will go wherever they want me to go,” continued Head.
“I think he’s pretty versatile and can do pretty much whatever we want and we can adjust strategy accordingly.
“It’s still an option (Ascot) of course and we are considering all options, but it is a bit early to say right now. We would be more than honoured to go there as they are really important races for not just horses but also trainers and owners, it’s a pretty impressive place.”
There is another big weekend on the horizon for both Head and owners Yeguada Centurion as Blue Rose Cen heads to the Prix Vermeille to put her Arc aspirations to the test.
The three-year-old has been the star of Head’s rise up the training ranks, while he also has another high-class proposition waiting in the wings in Ramatuelle.
The daughter of Justify, whose owners include former NBA star Tony Parker, has won three of her five career starts and having been narrowly denied by Vandeek in the Prix Morny has options in both England and America for her next outing.
Head continued: “She is doing fine and everything is OK. We still have both options available for the end of the season – there is the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup too – and we are just waiting a little bit to be sure what the owner is wanting to do.”
A trip to Newmarket on September 30 would see Ramatuelle continue to ply her trade over six furlongs.
However, a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in Santa Anita would see the precocious youngster step up to a mile, with her handler intrigued to see how she gets on when they stretch the elastic of her stamina.
He added: “There is always the possibility that the filly will stay at three so at some point there will be probably be progression to the distances she is likely to encounter.
“It is very interesting and we can’t wait to try this and see what her limits are.”
Believing and Mill Stream have been supplemented to take on Shaquille in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.
A total of 23 speedsters are in contention for the six-furlong Group One, with the Julie Camacho-trained Shaquille very much the star attraction as he looks to add to his previous top-level wins this summer in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.
The George Boughey-trained Believing and Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream are two interesting contenders after their respective connections paid the £20,000 required to add them to the field.
Believing has won two Listed races and a Group Three this season and is one of two potential runners for the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing team along with Karl Burke’s Spycatcher, who was beaten a short head by King Gold in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last month.
Mill Stream won a Listed race and a Group Three at the French track in August and fully merits his place in Group One company.
“Mill Stream has come out of his Deauville race in good order, so we have decided to take the opportunity to run him again while he is good form as there are no other options for him until Champions Day,” said Chapple-Hyam.
Ralph Beckett has left in both Kinross and Lezoo after on Sunday suggesting he is likely to rely upon the latter, while Aidan O’Brien could saddle one or both of Aesop’s Fables and The Antarctic.
Other hopefuls include Ed Bethell’s Regional, the William Haggas-trained Sacred and July Cup runner-up Run To Freedom from Henry Candy’s yard.
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has expressed confidence that there would be no confusion surrounding any disciplinary issues at the Rugby World Cup.
England captain Owen Farrell will miss his country’s opening games of the tournament against Argentina and Japan after receiving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle against World Cup warm-up opponents Wales.
World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle to yellow.
But a furious outcry greeted the verdict that Farrell’s shoulder-led challenge to Taine Basham’s head, which caused the Wales flanker to fail a head injury assessment, was a sin-binning offence only.
The appeal committee found that the original hearing had not considered Farrell’s failure to wrap when attempting the tackle, which had formed a key part of the bunker review system’s analysis when upgrading from yellow to red – and on that basis, it was decided to hear the case afresh.
“We have introduced the foul play bunker through Super Rugby and then into the summer games,” Gilpin said during the opening World Cup press conference at Roland Garros.
“There are always learnings from introducing things and there have been.
“The key difference for us coming into the tournament is that we get to control the process much more – everything from the way television pictures are shared with the relevant officials through to disciplinary process, obviously all under one set of controls.
“And that gives us the confidence I think that we can make sure it is not confusing for players and fans.”
The World Cup will begin in the wake of international players Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies recording positive drugs tests.
Former Wales and current Biarritz scrum-half Webb, who retired from Test rugby in May, tested positive for a growth hormone, while South African fly-half Jantjies, who missed out on World Cup selection, tested positive for banned substance Clenbuterol.
In a general response, Gilpin added: “Does rugby have a doping problem? I think the evidence suggests no.
“We are not complacent at all and we are confident with the programmes that we have in place. We are working with the ALFD (French Anti-Doping Agency).
“We’ve taken really significant steps to make sure that every team in this tournament are tested in and out of competition and we’ve taken the step of re-testing every test that was taken in the 2019 World Cup with the latest anti-doping procedures and technology.”
Gilpin, meanwhile, believes the women’s World Cup in New Zealand last year provided positive images for the sport that should be repeated.
“I think what we saw in New Zealand, which is so important for rugby in the future, is players’ personalities not just being projected but being embraced by fans, by media,” he said.
“I think there is a lot that the men can learn from that and hopefully we can bring the personalities of all the great players that we’ve got in the game alive.
“There was also a huge amount of joy around that tournament, fans really getting behind every team.
“I am sure we will see that across the next seven weeks here in France. If the team welcome ceremonies we’ve seen in recent days are anything to go by, the teams can expect a pretty special welcome wherever they are.
“I am a bit of a veteran of these things now and I don’t think there has ever been a Rugby World Cup, ever been an event in rugby that has been as eagerly anticipated, with the excitement that is building not just here in France but around the world for this tournament.
“If the quality of rugby in the last couple of months is anything to go by, we’re going to see some very entertaining matches.”
Looking ahead to the tournament – which kicks off on Friday with a heavyweight clash between France and New Zealand in Paris – World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We know that this nation will be a magnificent host.
“We have received incredible support from the highest office to the smallest villages. Never has a nation been so ready and so excited to host.
“We have a record number of international fans, some 600,000, and the stage is set. I think it is fair to say that the action will be compelling, spectacular and unpredictable.”
Patrick Neville is considering options at Down Royal and Newbury for stable star The Real Whacker’s seasonal reappearance.
The seven-year-old enjoyed an excellent novice campaign over fences last term, winning each of his three starts at Cheltenham including a popular Festival success in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
North Yorkshire-based Neville is confident his pride and joy has returned from a summer break better than ever and is looking forward to seeing him return to competitive action in the autumn.
“He’s done really well over the summer. He came back in around mid-July and he’s back cantering away now and is in great form,” he said.
“He looks well and has developed into a nice horse over the summer. He’s only really a horse now to be honest. He was always lightly-framed but he’s filled into his frame now and is looking fierce well.
“I’ve had Sam Twiston-Davies ringing me up to see how he is and he is looking forward to riding him for the season, all going well.”
Neville is planning to give The Real Whacker just two runs before a return to the Cotswolds in March for a tilt at Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.
He added: “There’s Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (December 2) or Down Royal on early November is another option. There’s a second-season novice chase there that we’ll have a look at.
“You’ve got the King George at Christmas and Cheltenham in January, so we’ll see. We’d be thinking two runs and then the Gold Cup – that’s the plan.”
Damon Hill has described Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record winning streak as “churlish” and “ungracious”.
Red Bull’s Verstappen became the first driver in Formula One’s 73-year history to win 10 consecutive races following his triumph at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
But moments after Verstappen drove into the record books, Mercedes team principal Wolff called the Dutchman’s unprecedented run of victories “completely irrelevant”. He added that the record was only “for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway”.
Responding to Wolff’s unflattering appraisal, 1996 world champion Hill said: “It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious.
“It’s unlike Toto because he’s usually very sporting. But he is hurting a bit now. They know what it is like to be dominant and they didn’t even get on the podium in Monza.
“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do. But who can? It seems like everywhere we go, Red Bull has got the upper hand.”
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton crossed the line a distant fifth and sixth respectively for Mercedes at Monza’s Cathedral of Speed.
Hamilton, who was hit with a five-second penalty for colliding with Australian rookie Oscar Piastri, finished 42 sec behind Verstappen.
The seven-time world champion, who last week committed to a new two-year deal with Mercedes, worth £100million, has now gone 37 races without a victory.
For Verstappen, now a victor at 12 of the 14 rounds so far, he has not lost a race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, 127 days ago. There is an outside chance he could wrap up a hat-trick of titles in Japan on September 24 with six rounds still to race.
Verstappen’s Red Bull team also remain on course to make history by going the year unbeaten.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Hill, 62, continued: “Max has achieved something no-one else has ever done.
“Red Bull have won 14 races this year and it is an incredible record, but you can’t just put it down to the car.
“This guy is special. Throughout Max’s career, from the moment he arrived in F1, he has done things no-one has done before and he continues to polish off this season.”
Connections of Mansa Musa are dreaming of a trip to the Breeders’ Cup for their speedy youngster having just missed out on big-race success at the Curragh last month.
Trained by Irish-based Brazilian Diego Dias, the son of Ten Sovereigns has shown plenty of talent in his three outings to date and announced himself at the Qatar Goodwood Festival when repelling the well-regarded 4-6 favourite Array to shed his maiden tag.
It looked likely that Mansa Musa would be headed to Hong Kong following that success, but having earnt a reprieve after instead being purchased by Team Valor International LLC and Gary Barber, he has continued to be trained by Dias and was immediately upped in class for the Group Three Round Tower Stakes, where he finished an honourable second to Paddy Twomey’s Letsbefrankaboutit.
All three of the colt’s runs so far have come over six furlongs and he will continue to ply his trade over that distance for his next start in the Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse on September 18.
However, a strong showing in that Listed event could signal a trip to Santa Anita in early November for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, where connections feel Mansa Musa’ pace could prove a real asset dropping back to five furlongs and racing around a bend.
“We got lucky there and I originally tried to buy him but someone in Hong Kong made a much, much bigger offer,” explained Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor.
“The horse was vetted and for some reason, even though the vetting for me was fine, they decided not to go, so we were able to get him for our original offer. We’re into him at a very good figure.
“I think six furlongs for him at this moment is just a little too far against the really good horses. The horse that beat him the other day looks pretty smart.
“We’re going to run him back one more time going six furlongs at Fairyhouse on September 18 because that is the most suitable race and if he performs well enough we will send him over to America for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Turf) Sprint.
“That is five furlongs around a turn and it is one of those races where if you get the right draw, then he is a very speedy horse and I think he could do something in a race like that.
“In his first race he showed a ton of speed and it just caught up with him in the last furlong, he went from first to last in a heartbeat. But he has a tremendous amount of early speed for a horse of his size.”
Iga Swiatek’s reign as US Open champion, and world number one, was ended by her nemesis Jelena Ostapenko.
The 22-year-old Pole had not dropped a set on her way to the fourth round, but she had never beaten Ostapenko in three previous career meetings.
Swiatek took the first set with relative ease but then Ostapenko’s sledgehammer of a forehand started finding its mark to level the match.
A one-sided final set saw former French Open champion Ostapenko triumph 3-6 6-3 6-1.
Swiatek’s defeat means that Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will take over as world number one after the tournament.
Ostapenko will face Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals after the teenager ended the grand slam comeback of mother-of-two Caroline Wozniacki.
The 19-year-old came from a break down in the first and third sets to win both and complete a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory.
Wozniacki’s return has been one of the stories of New York this year, having come out of retirement after more than three years and two children later.
The 33-year-old former world number one has looked as though she has never been away, but a fired-up Gauff proved just too strong in the deciding set.
Wozniacki got off to a dream start with a break in the first game and a 2-0 lead.
But Gauff quickly got back on the board, levelling at 3-3 before going on to clinch the first set without dropping another game.
Wozniacki cranked up the pressure in the second and Gauff started feeling it as her suspect forehand began to misfire and she was broken for 5-3 as the Dane levelled the match.
Gauff looked uncomfortable as she dropped serve again at the start of the decider, but after pointedly ignoring the advice of coach Brad Gilbert, the wound-up American began firing backhand winners as if they were going out of fashion.
She reeled off the next six games to clinch the victory and let out a loud scream of triumph after converting match point.
“Definitely getting it to 2-1 (in the third set) was the turning point,” said Gauff.
“I got broke and I showed I was still in the match. I started to go for my shots.
“Caroline, it’s like she’s never left, the level she played was amazing. It’s weird because I grew up watching Caroline and when she won the Australian Open, so to be on court with her today was an honour.
“She definitely gets to a lot of balls. I felt a bit like I was playing myself. I knew I had to play aggressive and go for my shots. In some moments I miss but I was happy I could get back and refocus.”
It will be the fifth grand slam quarter-final of Gauff’s still-fledgling career and her second at Flushing Meadows.
“I’ve been in this position before,” she added. “And I think I have confidence in myself that I can go even further.”
Rookie Jasson Dominguez's two-run homer in the sixth inning accounted for the go-ahead runs as the New York Yankees completed a stunning three-game road sweep of the Houston Astros with a 6-1 victory on Sunday night.
Dominguez took Astros starter Cristian Javier's pitch over the right-field wall to snap a 1-1 tie for the 20-year-old's second big hit of the series. He homered off 2022 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in his first major league at-bat during New York's 6-2 victory in Friday's opener.
DJ LeMahieu had an RBI double earlier in the Yankees' three-run sixth inning, while Gleyber Torres homered in the ninth while finishing 2 for 4.
The defending World Series champion Astros entered the series on a five-game winning streak and missed out on a chance to move into a first-place tie in the AL West. Division leader Seattle remained a game up on Houston despite the Mariners losing, 6-3, to the New York Mets on Sunday.
Michael King allowed one run and five hits over five innings to help the Yankees to their sixth win in seven games.
Javier struck out eight over six innings but was reached for three runs on four hits.
Garcia's homer in ninth lifts Rangers over Twins
The Texas Rangers did manage to gain ground on the Mariners in the AL West race after Adolis Garcia's walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the playoff hopefuls to a 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Garcia had struck out in each of his previous four at-bats before launching his 34th homer of the season, a leadoff drive off Josh Winder, to break a 5-5 deadlock and end Texas' three-game losing streak.
The Rangers won for just the fourth time in their last 16 games and moved within one game of first-place Seattle.
Mitch Garver had a three-run homer in the first inning for Texas and finished 4 for 4 with four RBIs.
The Twins forged a 5-5 tie on Royce Lewis' RBI single off reliever Jose Leclerc in the eighth, though Rangers closer Will Smith prevented further damage by inducing an inning-ending double play from Carlos Correa with the bases loaded.
Lewis earlier tied the contest with a three-run homer in the fifth and ended 3 for 5 for AL Central-leading Minnesota. Correa also had three hits, including an RBI single in the seventh.
Rookie Miller stars as Dodgers prevent sweep from Braves
Bobby Miller threw seven outstanding innings to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a needed 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a four-game series between the National League's top two teams.
NL East-leading Atlanta had taken the first three matchups of the weekend set, but managed just one run on three hits off Miller as the talented rookie stopped the Braves' six-game winning streak and improved to 9-3 on the season.
Miller took a shutout into the seventh before surrendering Matt Olson's 44th home run of the season, which tied the Atlanta slugger with Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani for the major league lead.
Braves starter Charlie Morton kept the NL West-leading Dodgers off the board until the bottom of the fifth, which he began by walking James Outman before Miguel Rojas delivered an RBI double for the game's first run. Mookie Betts followed with a single that plated Rojas for a 2-0 lead.
Betts went 3 for 4 on the afternoon, while Olson had two of Atlanta's five total hits.
Novak Djokovic strolled into the last eight of the US Open with a three-set win over Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo.
Djokovic is now one behind Roger Federer’s record of 58 grand slam quarter-finals after a 6-2 7-5 6-4 victory.
The Serbian second seed got himself out of a minor pickle at 2-0 down in the second set, breaking back and dropping just four points in his next six service games.
A break to love in the third finished 6ft 5in Gojo off with Djokovic going through in two hours and 25 minutes.
Djokovic, bidding for a 24th grand slam title, said: “I knew Borna has a big game. I saw that he played well in the qualifying round.
“I saw that he’s a big-shot player, his serve and forehand are big weapons, he moves pretty well for a big guy, so the key points for me were to neutralise his serve.”
Djokovic has had a very agreeable draw in New York but he faces American ninth seed Taylor Fritz on Tuesday.
He added: “You know, obviously the matches are only going to get tougher from now onwards, and I’m ready.”
Big-serving Ben Shelton blew away fellow American Tommy Paul to lead the home charge into the quarter-finals.
The 20-year-old from Atlanta fired down two 149mph serves in one game on his way to a 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory.
“I think it was straight adrenaline,” he said. “In any other atmosphere I don’t think I could get it done. I think my arm would fall off, but it’s feeling good right now.”
The record fastest serve at the US Open is still held by Andy Roddick, who hit a 152mph thunderbolt on his way to the title in 2003 – the last time an American man won their home slam.
It was sweet revenge for Shelton, who was knocked out by Paul at the same stage of the Australian Open in January.
He added: “I really learned how to be mentally tough. When I was playing in Australia after a long week, I was looking at my box saying ‘my legs are dead, I’m tired, I can’t go anymore’.
“I realised how important it is to believe in myself, believe that I can go all the way, the full distance emotionally and physically and now I have that belief here.”
Shelton will play 10th seed Frances Tiafoe, guaranteeing at least one American man in the semi-finals.
Tiafoe beat Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata in straight sets, 6-4 6-1 6-4.
“It’s a shame that two of us have to play in the quarter-finals. Maybe we could have three in the semis,” added Shelton.
Fritz beat Dominic Stricker of Switzerland in three sets to make the last eight at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
Teenager Coco Gauff ended the grand-slam comeback of mother-of-two Caroline Wozniacki to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The 19-year-old came from a break down in the first and third sets to win both and complete a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory.
Wozniacki’s return has been one of the stories of New York this year, having come out of retirement after more than three years and two children later.
The 33-year-old former world number one has looked as though she has never been away, but a fired-up Gauff proved just too strong in the deciding set.
Wozniacki got off to a dream start with a break in the first game and a 2-0 lead.
But Gauff quickly got back on the board, levelling at 3-3 before going on to clinch the first set without dropping another game.
Wozniacki cranked up the pressure in the second and Gauff started feeling it as her suspect forehand began to misfire and she was broken for 5-3 as the Dane levelled the match.
Gauff looked uncomfortable as she dropped serve again at the start of the decider, but after pointedly ignoring the advice of coach Brad Gilbert, the wound-up American began firing backhand winners as if they were going out of fashion.
She reeled off the next six games to clinch the victory and let out a loud scream of triumph after converting match point.
“Definitely getting it to 2-1 (in the third set) was the turning point,” said Gauff.
“I got broke and I showed I was still in the match. I started to go for my shots.
“Caroline, it’s like she’s never left, the level she played was amazing. It’s weird because I grew up watching Caroline and when she won the Australian Open, so to be on court with her today was an honour.
“She definitely gets to a lot of balls. I felt a bit like I was playing myself. I knew I had to play aggressive and go for my shots. In some moments I miss but I was happy I could get back and refocus.”
It will be the fifth grand slam quarter-final of Gauff’s still-fledgling career and her second at Flushing Meadows.
“I’ve been in this position before,” she added. “And I think I have confidence in myself that I can go even further.”
Big-serving Ben Shelton blew away fellow American Tommy Paul to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The 20-year-old from Atlanta fired down two 149mph serves in one game on his way to a 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory at Flushing Meadows.
“I think it was straight adrenaline,” he said. “In any other atmosphere I don’t think I could get it done. I think my arm would fall off, but it’s feeling good right now.”
The record fastest serve at the US Open is still held by Andy Roddick, who hit a 152mph thunderbolt on his way to the title in 2003 – the last time an American man won their home slam.
It was sweet revenge for Shelton, who was knocked out by Paul at the same stage of the Australian Open in January.
He added: “I really learned how to be mentally tough. When I was playing in Australia after a long week, I was looking at my box saying ‘my legs are dead, I’m tired, I can’t go anymore’.
“I realised how important it is to believe in myself, believe that I can go all the way, the full distance emotionally and physically and now I have that belief here.”
Tributes have poured in for one of rugby’s cross-code greats following the death of David Watkins at the age of 81.
Blaina-born Watkins, known affectionately as “Dai”, played rugby union for Newport and was part of the team which famously beat the touring All Blacks in 1963.
He also won 21 caps for Wales and captained the British Lions before making a shock switch to rugby league with Salford in 1967 having resisted interest from St Helens as an 18-year-old.
A statement from Salford read: “Salford Red Devils are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of club icon, David Watkins, one of the very greatest to represent our club, and to ever play our game.
“All our thoughts go out to David’s family and friends at this truly difficult time.”
The Rugby Football League described Watkins as “one of the best cross-code converts from Wales”.
A statement from the Wales Rugby Football League read: “Everyone at Wales Rugby League was sad to hear about the passing of David Watkins MBE, one of our greatest ever players. He was aged 81.
“Dai, as he was affectionately known as, is recognised as one of the greatest Welshmen to have ever pulled on a rugby shirt.”
Watkins played a key role in Salford’s golden era, making more than 400 appearances and scoring almost 3,000 points as they were crowned champions twice in three seasons during the 1970s.
He kicked a world record 221 goals during the 1972-73 season and his feat of scoring in 92 consecutive matches for the club remains unbeaten.
His club form once again earned him recognition at international level with both Wales and Great Britain, who he represented on the Lions tour to Australia in 1974.
Watkins, who coached Britain at the 1977 World Cup final and later took charge of Wales, also had brief spells with Swinton and Cardiff Blue Dragons.
He moved into media work following his retirement in 1982, and was awarded an MBE for his services to rugby league four years later.
Watkins was elevated to the Wales Rugby League hall of fame in 2018 and admitted to the RFL’s equivalent during last year’s World Cup.
Lewis Hamilton apologised to Oscar Piastri after he admitted he was “totally at fault” for his collision with the McLaren rookie in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton was hit with a five-second penalty for the coming together at the Variante della Roggia as the two drivers duelled for eighth on lap 41 of 51 in Monza.
Hamilton improved to sixth and was able to pull out a seven-second margin on Williams’ Alex Albon to ensure the sanction had no impact on his result.
However, Piastri, 22, suffered front-wing damage and was forced to stop for repairs, dropping him out of the points. “He just turned across me under braking,” said Piastri on the radio.
Hamilton, who was also hit with two penalty points on his driver’s licence, doubling his total to four, went over to Piastri to concede his error at the chequered flag.
“It was totally my fault,” said Hamilton, 38. “It actually wasn’t intentional. I went and apologised to him straight afterwards.
“I got up alongside him and just misjudged the gap I had to the right and clipped him. It could happen at any time.
“I knew shortly afterwards it must have been my fault and I wanted to make sure he knew it wasn’t intentional. That’s what gentleman do.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had no complaints with the stewards’ verdict and praised his superstar driver for taking accountability.
“That was Lewis’ mistake,” said Wolff. “I think a five-second penalty for that is what the menu says. These things happen, you know. It’s hard racing and we’ve seen a few of these. It’s justifiable.
“Lewis is very sportsmanlike on these things. And he is the only one that I see out there admitting things that he did wrong.
“We just had a chat and he said ‘I didn’t see him on the right and that is on me.’ And I think that kind of sportsmanship is what you need to admire with him. Pretty much everyone else is complaining and moaning to try to avoid getting a penalty.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called Max Verstappen’s drive into the Formula One record books at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix “completely irrelevant”.
Verstappen went behind enemy lines in Ferrari’s backyard to fight his way past Carlos Sainz’s scarlet car and become the first driver in the sport’s 73-year history to win 10 consecutive races.
The Dutchman, now a victor at 12 of the 14 rounds so far, bettered the record he had shared with Sebastian Vettel. Verstappen has not lost a race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, 126 days ago.
Sergio Perez finished runner-up as Red Bull – who remain unbeaten this season – claimed a one-two finish, with pole-sitter Sainz third ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth for Mercedes.
Hamilton’s Mercedes machinery carried him to six world championships in seven seasons, but the British driver was never able to win more than five successive races. The best Michael Schumacher, so dominant in his Ferrari at the turn of the century, could manage was seven.
Yet, despite Verstappen’s historic streak, Wolff found it difficult to express praise for Red Bull’s star man.
“For me, these kinds of records are completely irrelevant,” he said. “They were irrelevant in our good days in Mercedes.
“I don’t know how many races we won in a row. I didn’t even know that there was a count of how many wins in a row, so if you are asking me to comment on the achievement it is difficult, because it never played a role in my own life until I heard about it yesterday.
“The result itself shows a great driver in a great car, who are competing on an extremely high level.”
Wolff’s lacklustre appraisal came after Hamilton devalued the strength of Verstappen’s team-mates in an interview on Italian television on Thursday. Verstappen responded in the Dutch media by suggesting Hamilton was “jealous” of his current success.
Hamilton was then asked about Verstappen’s record-breaking run after Sunday’s 51-lap race.
“I had strong team-mates,” he replied. “Valtteri (Bottas) was quick a lot of times. I don’t care about statistics in general. Good for him.”
Since he claimed his maiden title at the controversial season-ending Abu Dhabi race in 2021 – denying Hamilton a record eighth championship – Verstappen has won 27 of the 36 races staged. In his last 25 appearances, Verstappen has failed to win just four times.
“What Max is doing is breaking records and driving at an unbelievable level,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
“I don’t think there is anybody in the world at the moment that can beat Max Verstappen in this car, that’s for sure.
“You have to recognise and applaud what Max is doing. It is very special to achieve what he has achieved and we shouldn’t detract from that in any way.
“In sport it is very rare that something like this happens and it is a golden moment for him and certainly a golden moment for the team.”
Verstappen was made to wait 14 laps and a handful of corners before he assumed the lead of Sunday’s race at the Variante della Roggia. From there, he never looked back to seal another crushing win and move 145 points clear in the standings.
There remains an outside chance he could be crowned champion of the world for a third time as early as the Japanese Grand Prix in three weeks with half-a-dozen rounds still remaining.
“I never would have believed that it was possible,” said Verstappen after his record triumph. “But we had to work for it today and that definitely made it a lot more fun.”
The Prix de l’Abbaye is likely to be the next stop for Go Athletico as connections target optimum conditions for their sprinting star at ParisLongchamp.
The five-year-old is yet to finish outside of the first two in three starts for Adrian McGuinness, claiming Listed honours on stable debut at Cork before finishing second in two high-class Curragh sprint events most recently.
Go Athletico does have the option of returning to the Kildare venue for the Group One Flying Five Stakes during the Irish Champions Festival, but it would be somewhat fitting if he were to head to France in search of big-race success on October 1 having raced 26 times there, winning on six occasions, before transferring to Ireland for €165,000 in the spring.
“We have him in the Flying Five but I don’t think the ground will come up soft enough for him,” said Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor, who own the horse in partnership with Shamrock Thoroughbreds.
“He’s a very honest horse and he’s going to try every time, but he can’t go unless there is some moisture in the ground and it was just against him last time.
“I don’t think you will see him again until the Abbaye. That’s where we are pointing and depending on what kind of draw he gets and how the ground turns up, he has a tremendous turn of foot and under the right circumstances he can run with the top horses.
“I think five or five and a half furlongs is what he is made for really.”
Twilight Jet turned on the afterburners to fly home and secure Irish Stallion Farms EBF Abergwaun Stakes honours at Tipperary.
Michael O’Callaghan’s four-year-old has always been held in high-regard and had previously struck twice at Group Three level.
However, he has been out of luck in two starts this season as connections have strived to get the colt back to his very best and he was dropped to the minimum distance and Listed level when sent off the 15-8 favourite on Sunday.
Victory looked out of range with a furlong to run as Kieran Cotter’s Dun Na Sead blazed a trail on the front end.
But Twilight Jet found top gear when it mattered most to surge his way to a neck victory over stablemate Lokada, who also did her best work late in the day from a position at the rear of the field.
“It was great, I’m delighted to get Twilight Jet’s head back in front because he hadn’t the most straightforward path to this as he had two surgeries over the winter,” said O’Callaghan.
“He had one for colic and had to have another surgery having slipped, so it has been a long time coming back.
“Last year he blitzed them in the Lacken (Stakes) but went to Royal Ascot and was sick for quite a while. This year was about getting him back slowly, race to race.
“He’ll go for something like the World Trophy (at Newbury) or I might step him up to six (furlongs) but there are a few options for him in the UK. Leigh (Roche, jockey) couldn’t pull him up today and a stiff five or stepping back up to six will suit.”
On the runner up, he added: “Lokada had a lot of headgear on her to try to get her to relax – we have been tricking around with her and always thought she had the ability to get black type.
“They went so hard in front that Colin (Keane, Jockey) was able to get cover to help her relax and she came home well. Today was huge for her and she might be able to win one of these now.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Los Angeles (13-2) kicked the card off in style with an impressive debut performance in the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Maiden.
The son of Camelot was an ever-lengthening two-and-a-quarter-length victor and having been handed quotes of 33-1 by Paddy Power for next year’s Derby, he is set for a rise in grade for his next start.
Ballydoyle stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He is a lovely horse and will come on an awful lot. It was a lovely introduction to bring him here and he will be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year.
“He’ll improve a ton for the run and something like the Beresford or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud could be next, but he is a horse to look forward to next year.
“Seamus (Heffernan, jockey) gave him a lovely introduction and what he does at two will be a bonus. It’s grand to get him out now and see where he fits into the pecking order.”
Also making a taking debut was Jessica Harrington’s Sea The Boss (5-1), who pulled well clear of 15-8 favourite Quickstepping in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden to book her ticket to the valuable series finale later in the autumn.
Harrington said: “We have always liked her, we liked her in the spring and she grew a lot. She is a fine looker and is only a frame filly, so is next year’s model.
“We’ll see what we do and there is the final of this series at Naas (on October 15) for her.”
In an afternoon where debutants came to the fore, Caracal made the perfect stable bow for Joseph O’Brien in the Meadowview Stables Race.
The Al Shaqab Racing-owned gelding made three starts for Jean-Claude Rouget in France before switching to the Owning Hill handler and having successfully returned from over 500 days off the track, could now be set sterner tests moving forwards.
O’Brien said: “It’s great to get our first winner for Al Shaqab (Racing) – we haven’t had many runners for them and it’s great to get the first win.
“He had been working smartly at home but had been off the track for a long time, so today was very much about getting him started. I thought it was a good performance against some good, solid horses.
“He obviously had a hold-up in France, was off the track for an extended period of time with an injury and we have had him for the last few months. We’ve liked him since he arrived, he will head for stakes level and is a nice horse going forward.
“He was a little keen and fresh in the race, I think he’ll stay further and there is a Listed race in Cork over a mile which he could potentially go to, but we’ll see how he pulls up first.”
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg won the Omega European Masters in just his ninth event as a professional to make a hugely compelling case for a Ryder Cup wild card.
Aberg, who only joined the paid ranks in June, carded a superb closing 64 at Crans-sur-Sierre to finish 19 under par, two shots ahead of compatriot Alexander Bjork.
Overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick, who was bidding to join Seve Ballesteros as a three-time winner of the event, bogeyed three of the last four holes to slip into a tie for third with Scotland’s Connor Syme on 16 under.
That was still enough to replace Tommy Fleetwood in the final qualifying place on the World Points list, with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre holding on to the last spot on the European Points list.
Europe captain Luke Donald will name his six wild cards on Monday and it would be a major surprise if Aberg was not selected along with Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry, with Sepp Straka, Adrian Meronk and Nicolai Hojgaard potentially battling it out for the two remaining spots.
“I don’t even know where to start, it’s a pretty surreal feeling to be honest, but obviously super, super happy,” the 23-year-old said.
“I figured a win would put me in a good position (for the Ryder Cup) but honestly I’ve been doing a pretty good job of not thinking about it too much.
“I feel like I get reminded of it a lot, but once I get on the golf course it’s just me and golf and luckily I was able to finish well today and win the tournament.
“It would mean the world obviously. I think as a young golfer growing up in Sweden and in Europe those are the events you want to be a part of and if I ever get the chance to be a part of that I’m going to be over the moon. It would be really cool.”
Aberg began the final round two shots behind Fitzpatrick and was three adrift when the former US Open champion carded his third birdie of the day on the 13th.
Fitzpatrick also birdied the 14th, but then bogeyed three of the next four holes as Aberg compiled four birdies in a row from the 14th to surge to the top of the leaderboard.
MacIntyre had earlier finished in a tie for 55th after making a double bogey on the 18th in a closing 70, but neither Meronk or Yannik Paul were able to produce the top-three finish they needed to overhaul the left-hander.
“I am so excited,” MacIntyre said. “It’s been a tough qualifying campaign, but I am pleased with the way I have dealt with the challenge and to have earned one of the six automatic spots.
“I’ve worked hard to play in the Ryder Cup, but now it’s important that we go on and win it.”
MacIntyre, who played alongside Donald in the Czech Masters and was paired with Meronk and Paul for the first two rounds in Switzerland, added: “The last two weeks have been hell.
“Pairings in the first two rounds, media hype – everything has just been tough.”
Clever And Cool swooped late to claim the Coolmore Stud No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary on Sunday.
Jim Bolger’s filly has a tendency of giving away plenty of ground at the start of her races and once again she was slowly away as Matilda Picotte was swiftly into stride and led the field along.
Kieran Cotter’s 1000 Guineas third was enjoying herself on the front end and had most of her rivals in trouble when still at the head of affairs a furlong from home.
However, the petrol gauge began to flash red in the closing stages and having crept into contention, Rory Cleary delivered a race-winning challenge aboard the 6-1 shot Clever And Cool to find the scoresheet for the third time this season.
Having struck impressively at Listed level two starts ago, the daughter of Vocalised has now added a Group Three to her CV and was handed a quote of 16-1 from 25s by Paddy Power if making a quick return to action in the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at Leopardstown next Saturday.
“She didn’t run a bad race in the Cambridgeshire at the Curragh the last day when only beaten five lengths, but she is her own worst enemy by dwelling coming out of the gates, despite the boss doing plenty of work with her,” said Ger Flynn, Bolger’s representative.
“On her last few runs she has been showing us what she is showing us at home and while she dwelt at the start again today, Rory said he was always confident she could get there and she went away and won well.
“That’s Listed and Group Three wins now and if she ever jumps, there’s a big one in her. You wouldn’t think she’s had four races in the last four weeks, her skin is like a seal. She is in the Matron on Saturday and the boss never shrugs a challenge – you have to be tough to be in Jim’s and she’s tough.”
Sauterne finished with a flourish to deny the front-running Big Rock a top-level success in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
Having picked up the silver medal behind Ace Impact in the the French Derby and Inspiral in the Prix Jacques le Marois, the Christopher Head-trained Big Rock sent off favourite to make it third time lucky in Group One company and went straight to the front in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre.
After setting a sound gallop before easing off the pace, Lemaitre kicked again on the home bend and soon had the majority of his rivals in trouble in behind.
However, it became clear in the final furlong that Big Rock’s exertions were beginning to take their toll and he was unable to resist the late charge of Sauterne and Tony Piccone.
The winner, who placed in the French 1000 Guineas, the Prix Jean Prat and the Prix Rothschild earlier this season, was completing a big-race double on the card for trainer Patrice Cottier following the victory of the Champion Stakes-bound Horizon Dore in the Prix du Prince d’Orange.
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