For the second game in as many nights, the Winnipeg Jets came out flat over the first two periods.
And for the second game in as many nights, the Jets stormed back in the third period to rally for a victory.
Winnipeg erupted for four goals in the final 10 minutes Sunday to beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2.
With their ninth win in 11 games, the Jets (39-16-5) moved into a tie with the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division.
Winnipeg's latest third-period outburst came one night after it tallied all five goals in the final period against the Carolina Hurricanes to rally from a 3-0 deficit to pull out a 5-3 road victory.
Josh Morrissey started the rally with a goal at 10:38 of the third period to tie the score and Morgan Barron put the Jets ahead on a partial breakaway with 6:05 remaining.
Vladislav Namestnikov and Sean Monahan capped the scoring with empty-net goals in the final 81 seconds.
Nino Niederreiter scored the Jets' first goal with six seconds to go in the first period and Laurent Brossoit stopped 17 shots to win his third straight start.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 30 of the 33 shots as Buffalo (29-29-4) lost for just the second time in seven games.
JJ Peterka opened the scoring for the Sabres with his 20th goal of the season and Eric Robinson also scored.
Canucks end mini skid with win over Ducks to move back atop West
Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander each scored goals to help the Vancouver Canucks beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1.
The Canucks (39-17-7), who arrived in Anaheim having lost back-to-back games and six of seven, moved back into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.
Both teams scored on their first shot, with Hoglander opening the scoring at 1:37 of the first period and Alex Killorn tying things up at 4:15.
Garland broke the tie at 3:34 of the second period when he redirected a pass from Nikita Zadorov for his first goal in nine games.
Casey DeSmith stopped 17 shots to end a personal four-game losing streak to win for the first time since January 9.
Lukas Dostal turned aside 29 shots for the Ducks (22-36-3), who lost for the first time in three games.
Danault scores three goals as Kings beat Devils
Phillip Danault recorded his second career hat trick to help lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Kevin Fiala assisted on two of Danault's goals, and added a goal of his own, while Alex Laferriere also scored for the Kings (31-19-10), who won for the eighth time in 12 games under interim coach Jim Hiller.
New Jersey's Timo Meier opened the scoring just 15 seconds into the first period and Danault tied it at 7:56 on a breakaway.
Danault finished the scoring with an empty-netter with 2:13 remaining to notch his first hat trick since December 22, 2018, when he played for the Montreal Canadiens.
Meier's goal - his second goal in as many games after scoring two goals in his previous 20 contests - was the only score allowed by Cam Talbot, who finished with 30 saves.
Akira Schmid stopped all nine shots he faced after replacing an ineffective Nico Daws, who was lifted in the second period after giving up four goals on 13 shots.
The Devils (30-27-4) have lost two in a row and five of seven.
Stephen Curry's first basket Sunday tied the score between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics midway through the first quarter.
The next time he made a shot, the Warriors trailed by 32 points.
The Celtics annihilated Curry and the Warriors, cruising to a 140-88 drubbing to extend their season-best winning streak to 11 games.
The victory marked the third-largest winning margin in franchise history as Boston set an NBA record with its third win by 50 or more points this season.
After Curry's floating bank shot tied the game at 21 with 6:05 to play in the opening period, Boston went on a 22-3 run en route to a franchise-record 44-point half-time lead.
Curry's only other basket came with 4:24 remaining in the second quarter, as his four points marked his fewest since he scored just three on March 16, 2022 at Boston - a game he departed after playing just 16 minutes due to a foot injury.
The 10-time All-Star missed all nine of his 3-point attempts and didn't play after half-time.
The Celtics had no such trouble making their baskets, connecting on 51.0 per cent of their 3-point tries, hitting a season high-tying 25 shots from beyond the 3-point arc.
Jaylen Brown had a game-high 29 points in just 22 minutes, while Jayson Tatum had 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting on his 26th birthday.
Payton Pritchard added 19 points for the Celtics, who shot 60 per-cent in the first half to go into the break with an 82-38 lead, and led by as much as 56 points.
At 48-12, Boston has its best record through 60 games since 2007-08 - the last season the franchise won the NBA title.
Golden State (32-28) arrived in Boston having won 11 of 13, including eight straight on the road.
None of the Warriors starters played more than 20 minutes, as reserve Lester Quinones had a team-high 17 points in 33 minutes.
Thunder escape in Phoenix to move back atop West
The Oklahoma City Thunder survived a furious rally by the Phoenix Suns to pull out an impressive 118-110 road win to move atop Western Conference.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help the Thunder bounce back from Thursday's 132-118 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The victory marked Oklahoma City's seventh in eight games as the Thunder (42-18) moved into sole possession of first place in the West for the first time since January 27.
Oklahoma City looked like it was going to cruise to an easy win, going up by 24 points on Gilgeous-Alexander's jump shot with 6:56 left in the third quarter.
The Suns (35-26) stormed back, however, going on a 31-5 run and taking a 91-89 lead Royce O'Neale's 3-pointer just over one minute into the fourth period.
Phoenix built its lead to six points before Oklahoma City rallied once more, taking the lead for good at 105-103 on Jalen Williams' driving layup with 5:29 to play.
Jusuf Nurkic established a Phoenix franchise record with 31 rebounds - the most by any player in the NBA since Kevin Love also had 31 for the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 12, 2010.
Nurkic's previous career high for rebounds was 23 and he broke the Suns' record of 27 set by Tyson Chandler on January 23, 2016.
He also had 14 points and four assists for Phoenix, which was playing without Devin Booker after he sprained his right ankle in Saturday's 118-109 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 31 points and six assists but also accounted for seven of Phoenix's 21 turnovers.
Kevin Durant, who added 20 points, turned the ball over five times, along with Nurkic.
Brunson exits early but Knicks get past Cavaliers
Things looked bleak early for New York when Jalen Bunson got hurt in the opening minute, but the Knicks managed to overcome the loss of their All-Star guard for a 107-98 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Brunson was injured on New York's first possession when his left knee hit the knee of team-mate Isaiah Hartenstein as he lifted off the ground while attempting a jump shot after coming off a screen from Hartenstein near the foul line.
He sat on the court holding his left leg and needed to be helped to the locker room.
The injury is not believed to be serious with coach Tom Thibodeau saying after the game that X-rays were negative.
That's good news for a banged-up Knicks team already without starters Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and O.G. Anunoby because of injuries.
Brunson, who was diagnosed with a knee contusion, entered the game against the Cavaliers averaging 30.2 points in his last six games.
Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo stepped up in Brunson's absence for the Knicks (36-25), as Hart finished with 13 points, a career high-tying 19 rebounds and 10 assists, while DiVincenzo scored 28.
Reserve Miles McBride entered New York's lineup after Brunson was injured, and was never subbed out, finishing with 16 points and four 3-pointers - including a clutch 3 in the final minute to put the Knicks up by nine.
Playing without Donovan Mitchell for a second straight game because of left knee soreness, the Cavaliers (39-21) fell apart late, missing 5 of 6 shots while turning the ball over four times in the final four minutes.
Backup Sam Merrill led Cleveland with 21 points while making 7-of-13 3-point attempts and Darius Garland added 19 points and went 5 of 8 from beyond the arc.
British number one Katie Boulter has claimed her first WTA 500 tournament victory with a 5-7 6-2 6-2 win over Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the final of the San Diego Open.
The 27-year-old from Leicester was watched by boyfriend Alex De Minaur, who scheduled an early-morning flight after retaining his title in Acapulco.
After an even start between the two, the sixth seeded Ukrainian began to get the better of Boulter, stringing multiple games together and rapidly closing in on the opening set.
Boulter fought back to even the set at 5-5, but Kostyuk regained the momentum to wrap up the first set 7-5.
Boulter then found her groove in the second, dominating on her first serve to clinch the set 6-2 and force a deciding third set.
The Briton continued her ascendancy into the third, claiming the first break point of the set en route to opening up a 3-1 advantage.
Boulter broke again in the seventh game and stormed home from there to close out the victory in two hours and 13 minutes.
Both women picked up their first WTA Tour titles last year in breakout 2023 seasons.
Boulter claimed her maiden championship on grass in Nottingham last summer, while Kostyuk found victory in Austin.
Boulter has had a flying start to the 2024 season and the victory over Kostyuk guarantees she will break into the top 30 for the first time.
Wet weather suspended play on the final day of the Cognizant Classic with 26 players to return on Monday, including Ireland’s Shane Lowry who sits three strokes off the pace.
After sharing the lead on the third day with American Austin Eckroat and England’s David Skinns, Lowry played five holes on Sunday at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida before play was suspended, hitting one bogey and dropping to equal fourth place.
Eckroat picked up two birdies in his first seven holes to take the outright lead, while Skinns dropped two shots in his five holes to sit tied for eighth.
South African Erik van Rooyen finished one shot behind Eckroat after he shot nine birdies through 18 holes, while American Jake Knapp sits in third place and two shots off the lead after 15 holes.
The severe weather in Florida caused a three hour delay to play with officials having to suspend play because of dangerous conditions for players and spectators, after lightning struck near the course.
Dimitri Van den Bergh finally derailed the Luke Humphries juggernaut after beating him in a gripping final of the UK Open.
World number one Humphries came into the tournament at Minehead having won four of the last five major ranking tournaments, which included sealing glory at the World Championship at the start of 2024.
He was a heavy favourite to add the UK Open to his collection after a trouble-free run to the final at Butlin’s, but the Belgian won a deciding leg to claim an 11-10 victory and seal a second major title of his own.
It looked like he had blown his chance as he squandered a 7-2 lead and then missed six match darts, only to finally land his seventh after Humphries had missed chances of his own.
While Luke Littler – who was a beaten quarter-finalist at Butlin’s – has stolen the limelight since his emergence, Humphries was proving himself to be the best player around so this defeat will be a tonic to the rest of the pack.
And Van den Bergh, who excelled as youth player, will be hoping this can help kickstart his career, which showed early promise when he won the 2020 World Matchplay.
He said: “First of all, he showed again why is he the world champion. There was a moment when it was 10-8 and I was like ‘I’m one leg away, I can win this’, and I lost it. I lost my gut but all of a sudden, it turned around.
“My grandad died two years ago and this is my first major win since. This is gold and it’s for him.
“You win some, you lose some, you have got to dig deep and keep trying.”
Humphries said: “I have had a long five days on the road, I am absolutely shattered. I was very lucky to get two darts, I will obviously be gutted because I missed two darts.
“But I did my best with the way I was feeling. I give everything, I really didn’t play well. I am proud of the way I played.”
With Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price all crashing out in the early rounds, it seemed prime for another battle of the Lukes in the final, but teenager Littler was ousted in the last eight by Damon Heta.
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The 17-year-old has made waves in the first few months on the PDC Tour, having claimed the Bahrain Masters in his debut tournament in January and competed well in the Premier League, but leaves his first major empty handed.
He will have regrets about his defeat as, despite Heta’s incredible level, Littler rallied from 8-4 down and missed two darts at his favoured double 10 to send it to a decider.
Littler said on Instagram: “Disappointed to not make it past the quarters but was a great game. Enjoying my darts and just grateful for everything.”
Marcus Smith and Alex Mitchell have returned to the England squad ahead of Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland.
Harlequins fly-half Smith is yet to feature in this year’s championship due to a calf issue, while Northampton scrum-half Mitchell twisted his knee in training after starting the victories over Italy and Wales.
The pair linked up with head coach Steve Borthwick’s group last week for a three-day training camp in York ahead of the final two rounds of the Six Nations, and were on Sunday evening named in a 36-man squad to face Grand Slam-chasing Ireland at Twickenham.
Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who scored a try as a replacement in Saturday’s 30-21 Calcutta Cup loss to Scotland, has also been included after missing the training camp due to having a medical exam at Exeter University which had to be completed face to face.
England, who must beat Andy Farrell’s reigning champions to remain in title contention, conclude the tournament against France in Lyon on March 16.
Jonjo O’Neill is not ruling out a Cheltenham Festival appearance for Monbeg Genius after a disappointing effort at Kelso on Saturday.
The eight-year-old was among the leading lights in the ante-post market for the Randox Grand National prior to his outing in the Premier Chase, which was a first run since finishing third in the Coral Gold Cup back in December.
Minor setbacks scuppered his intended runs since and there was concern his season could be curtailed after assets linked to owners Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman were made the subject of a restraint order, but the British Horseracing Authority subsequently confirmed Monbeg Genius would not be affected.
Sent off a 5-2 chance at Kelso, Monbeg Genius trailed home in fifth place, beaten 38 lengths by Thunder Rock, and O’Neill could give him a chance to redeem himself in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday week, a race in which he finished third last year.
He told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s fine but it was disappointing really, we were expecting a better show than that, to be fair.
“He’ll have to come on a lot, but he’s come out of it fine and we might even give him another spin at Cheltenham, we’ll see. It wasn’t the plan but he might come on a bit more.
“The practice might help, he didn’t jump great yesterday, he didn’t do anything that we hoped he would, so let’s see how he is.
“He’s in at Cheltenham, so we’ll have a look and see.”
Monbeg Genius is now a best-priced 33-1 shot for Aintree on April 13.
O’Neill is also keeping his options open with exciting bumper prospect Mister Meggit following his facile success in the Download The Racecourse App Raceday Ready Open NH Flat Race at Doncaster.
Having won by a dozen lengths on his Carlisle debut in November, the six-year-old hacked up by four and three-quarter lengths at 8-15 at Town Moor following a 119-day absence.
Coral cut Mister Meggit from 25-1 to 16-1 for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and O’Neill said: “When I was looking at him in the paddock, I was thinking ‘what are we doing here?’ because he’s a shelly little horse. But he’s obviously got an engine and I was very pleased with that.
“It’s hard to know with a four-runner race, but he did it really sweetly at Carlisle as well. He doesn’t show you up at home or anything like that but when he gets down here, he’s obviously a fair horse.
“We’ll see how he is, there’s Liverpool as well. He’s a very shelly horse, so we’ll just have to see how he comes out of it. He did look good, though.”
Francis Ngannou insists he is a born fighter who is capable of knocking out Anthony Joshua ahead of their bout on Friday.
Cameroon-born former UFC champion Ngannou is taking on two-time world heavyweight champ Joshua in Saudi Arabia in only his second professional fight.
His first was a controversial defeat to Joshua’s fellow Briton Tyson Fury five months ago.
But Ngannou insists his lack of experience in the ring will not prevent him from springing a shock in Riyadh.
“I finished my training camp yesterday and I feel good,” the 37-year-old told Sky Sports News.
“It has been a tough eight weeks to get here. I feel like I did everything that could be done.
“I believe if I land on anybody I knock them out. But the question is how to land, that is the hardest thing. How to carry that power and energy for 10 rounds and still be able to knock someone out after all the fatigue.
“I don’t have experience in boxing but, don’t make any mistake, I had a lot of experiencing in life, of fighting.
“I view my fighting spirit as high as anybody else’s. I don’t have any (boxing) experience but I know I can fight. You’re born as a fighter, you don’t become a fighter, I do believe that.”
Jordan Gainford is hoping to get the leg-up on Hewick in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after securing his first win since returning from a lengthy injury absence at Leopardstown.
The rider struck up a good partnership with Shark Hanlon’s charge in the spring of 2022, partnering him to win the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown before adding a Galway Plate success in the July and a famous victory in the American Grand National the following October.
However, Gainford has not ridden Hewick since the pair came to grief at the penultimate fence in last year’s Gold Cup, with the rider spending plenty of time on the sidelines due to concussion and injury.
Gainford fractured two vertebrae in a fall in December, meaning he missed Hewick’s King George VI Chase success, with Gavin Sheehan in the plate as the nine-year-old came from last to first in Kempton’s Christmas showpiece.
However, having proved his fitness by partnering 16-1 shot Miss Gherkin to victory in the Anton O’Toole Handicap Hurdle, Gainford is eager to renew his relationship with Hewick in the Cheltenham highlight on Friday week.
He said: “I sat on him last week and he feels great. I’m back in tomorrow for another sit on him. He’s bouncing at home and fingers crossed I get back on him.
“Hopefully he keeps thriving between now and Cheltenham and the ground is good.”
Gainford had had just a handful of rides since his return at the end of last month and he is eager to push on with his first winner now secured.
He said: “It’s great to be back, first of all. It’s busy in Gordon’s (Elliott) and I’m in Shark’s tomorrow and it’s great to be on the scoresheet.
“I’ve many people to thank. Gavin Egan in RACE and Graham Harrison, the fitness coach, and also Jennifer (Pugh) and Adrian (McGoldrick). A massive thanks to them all.
“Hopefully I’m getting better every day and we can drive on.”
Of Miss Gherkin, he added: “Peter (Croke, trainer) was confident that she would run well. She’d a promising run on her first run over hurdles in Tramore and things didn’t go right on her last two runs. She was a little bit keen here at Christmas.
“They flew early today and I wanted to take her back. Every time she passed a horse from the second last home, she put down her head and tried. She showed a nice attitude.”
Dee Capo has a trip to Fairyhouse or Aintree on his agenda after returning to winning ways at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Gordon Elliott’s charge won twice earlier in the season but had been off the track since being beaten a neck in a Navan Grade Three back in November.
Partnered by 5lb-claimer Danny Gilligan in the QuinnBet Hurdle, Dee Capo (3-1) travelled well throughout the extended two-and-a-quarter-mile affair, grabbing the lead from Ashdale Bob after jumping the last.
Gilligan just had to keep his mount up the task on the run to the line, prevailing by a length and three-quarters.
Elliott said: “He’s a nice horse and there is a lot of improvement in him from today.
“He’d had a couple of quick runs and we said we’d freshen him up and have him back for the spring.
“I’d imagine he’ll go to Fairyhouse or Aintree.
“He looks like a chaser.
“Danny gave him a good ride. Jack (Kennedy) is missing a few winners (due to a suspension) but that’s the way it goes. The horses are running well, which is important.”
Blizzard Of Oz defied his status as the perceived second string for Willie Mullins with a smart success in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle.
Sent off a 6-4 chance in the hands of Danny Mullins, with the Paul Townend-ridden Captain Cody the 4-5 favourite, Blizzard Of Oz hit the front before the last and found plenty on the run to the line to win by two and a quarter lengths, with his stablemate only fourth.
Mullins said: “I think the shorter trip was a benefit and he jumped better than he did in Naas.
“The ground might not be riding as heavy as people anticipated, when I see Captain Cody being tapped for toe and that fella going easily at the second last.
“Captain Cody probably wants a longer trip.
“I’d imagine both horses will be aimed for the Final in Punchestown and they will probably have a run before that.”
Brideswell Lad was a shock 33-1 winner of the Listed QuinnBet Handicap Chase for trainer Seamus Neville and jockey Brian Hayes.
The eight-year-old was a winner at the beginning of September but then had a bit of a lay-off following a fall at the end of that month, returning with two average subsequent runs.
However, he was right back to his best in this valuable affair, responding well to pressure to repel all challengers up the home straight, coming home a length and three-quarters clear of Battle Of Mirbat.
Neville said: “He’d a very heavy fall in Listowel and it took him a long time to recover. We felt he was getting there of late.
“He would be ground dependent as well, so it’s not too heavy.
“He’ll probably go to Fairyhouse and Punchestown and we’ll keep him going for the summer.”
Luke Littler will have to wait to win his first major title as he lost in the quarter-final of the UK Open.
The 17-year-old, who burst on to the scene with his run to the final at the World Championship over Christmas, was looking a good bet to claim the silverware in Minehead, but came up against an inspired Damon Heta.
The Australian played the match of his life, averaging 106.04, to claim a surprise 10-8 victory.
Littler has made waves in the first few months on the PDC Tour, having won the Bahrain Masters in his debut tournament in January and competing well in the Premier League, but he leaves his first major empty-handed.
He will have regrets about his defeat as despite Heta’s incredible level, Littler rallied from 8-4 down and missed two darts at his favoured double 10 to send it to a decider.
Heta said: “Credit to myself. I was up for it, sometimes I feel like that in practice so I know what it feels like.
“To come out on top against Luke Littler, who has taken the media and darts by storm, I love him to bits to be fair, it’s a massive boost for darts… but for myself I know what I am up against.
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“These are the guys I need to beat.”
Littler’s exit clears the path for world champion and world number one Luke Humphries.
Humphries, aiming for a fourth successive major ranking title, demolished Masters champion Stephen Bunting 10-2 in the first quarter-final.
And the 29-year-old celebrated by going back to bed before his return to stage later on Sunday.
“I am going to go and have a sleep, I felt fatigued coming on to stage, it’s been a long five days on the road,” he said.
“Usually I’d watch the draw but I am going to sleep.”
Ricky Evans said he was on “cloud 10” after reaching his first major semi-final by beating Rob Cross.
Cross missed a plethora of chances, including 28 darts at a double, to allow Evans to steal a 10-7 win.
“He gave me so many chances and I took them,” a tearful Evans said. “I won and I just looked at the stats and I don’t care.
“I’m on cloud 10, it’s better than nine. I am chuffed to bits and on my sister’s birthday, it’s a present for her.”
LeBron James cannot discount another player going on to reach 40,000 NBA points, as he celebrated reaching the milestone despite a Los Angeles Lakers loss.
The Lakers lost 124-114 to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, though with a haul of 26 points, James reached 40,017 points.
When James reached nine points, he was presented with the game ball and received an ovation from the crowd at the Crypto.com arena.
Coincidentally, James surpassed the 40,000 mark on the 62nd anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks.
While teammate Anthony Davis believes no other player will come close to matching James' points haul, James himself warned records are there to be broken, even though no other active player has yet reached 30,000 career points.
"Obviously we have a lot of great guys in our league that can score the ball, and if they were to stay healthy and they would play a long time, then they can eclipse it," James said.
"And then, records are always meant to be broken. You can never say never for any record. At one point we said that Big O's [Oscar Robertson's] triple-double record would never be broken and Russ [Westbrook] did it, and now looks like Joker [Nikola Jokic] and Luka [Doncic], they're doing it every night.
"I feel like I'm still that threat out on the floor and I am still able to do the things that I was doing 10 years ago. And some things I was doing 20 years ago, which is weird to say."
Davis did joke, though, that James' record-setting games usually come in defeats for the Lakers.
"I was just telling him in the locker room he might have to stop breaking records because we always lose any time he breaks a record," Davis said. "And he said the same thing."
Indeed, that streak is quite something. James was on the losing side when he reached his 30,000th and 35,000th career points. When he became the all-time leading NBA points scorer last year, the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"For me, the main thing is always the main thing, and that's the win," James said.
"I hated that it had to happen in the defeat, especially versus the team that plays extremely well. We played some good basketball tonight, but weren't able to close it out. So, bittersweet but enjoyed every moment tonight on the floor."
Formula One’s crisis-hit Red Bull team insists it remains “united” after Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, claimed it is “in danger of being torn apart” if Christian Horner remains in his role.
A defiant Horner has said he is “absolutely confident” he will stay on as Red Bull boss for the remainder of the season after overseeing Verstappen lead a one-two finish from team-mate Sergio Perez at the opening round in Bahrain.
Horner has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks following allegations against him made by a female colleague. Horner has always denied the claims.
But speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper following Saturday’s 57-lap race, Verstappen Snr added further fuel to the fire when he said: “There is tension here while he (Horner) remains in position.
“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”
Responding to Verstappen Snr’s comments, a Red Bull Racing spokesperson told the PA news agency on Sunday: “There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.”
During an extraordinary week in Bahrain, Horner was exonerated by Red Bull Racing’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, following an internal probe into allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.
But hundreds of WhatsApp messages, appearing to be exchanged between Horner and the complainant, were then leaked to the F1 world.
Verstappen Snr, who is not an employee of Red Bull Racing, has been accused in some quarters of attempting to oust Horner from his job.
But the 51-year-old father of Red Bull’s three-time world champion continued: “That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”
Horner strode hand-in-hand with wife Geri in the paddock one hour and 45 minutes before Saturday’s race.
Red Bull’s majority shareholder, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya, also joined the duo on the team’s terrace in a public show of support for Horner.
Speaking after the chequered flag had fallen, Horner was asked if he is confident he will stay on as Red Bull team principal for the rest of the season. He replied: “Absolutely. Absolutely.”
He continued: “I have the support of an incredible family, an incredible wife, an incredible team and everybody within that team.
“And my focus is on going racing, winning races, and doing the best I can.
“It was a day about starting the season in the best possible way. My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing.”
Horner was also quizzed about the leaked Google file which was sent from an anonymous email account to 149 members of the F1 paddock – including FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and the grid’s nine other team principals, as well as members of the media.
“I am not going to comment on anonymous speculative messages from an unknown source,” Horner said. “I am not going to comment on what motives whatever person may have for doing this.
“Obviously, it has not been pleasant with some of the unwanted attention, but the focus is very much on the cars and my focus has been on what is happening on track and the result (on Saturday) demonstrates where the focus is and we move onwards.
“There was a full, lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent KC and the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on.”
Horner is set to be back in the spotlight on Thursday when the cars hit the track in practice for the next round in Saudi Arabia.
Sean Bowen has indicated he could prioritise winning chances ahead of Festival rides during Cheltenham week.
The rider is trying to make up lost ground with Harry Cobden in the jump jockeys’ championship, having had his progress halted by a knee injury sustained on Boxing Day that kept him sidelined until early February.
Bowen claimed his first winner since returning to action at Kelso on Saturday, with Cobden 11 victories in front before racing on Sunday.
While the table topper will have a strong book of Cheltenham rides for Paul Nicholls, Bowen could look elsewhere as he tries to rally in the title race.
He said: “I might be there the first day for Not So Sleepy and if it came up really soft, he’d have half a chance, I’ll just pick and choose from there.
“I could be at Ffos Las or Fakenham on Gold Cup day, something like that. I need winners.”
Bowen is attached to Olly Murphy’s yard and the trainer is thrilled to have him back in action.
He said: “It’s tough for these lads, Harry and Sean are going at it but they are two young boys, the pressure they are under to be champion jockey.
“Sean has had a horrible injury and it’s taken him a while to get back rocking and rolling, he’s ridden through pain, he’s chewing pain killers and it’s been hard.
“We haven’t been flying ourselves, they haven’t been running bad, we’ve just had second after second. Hopefully he can get rolling again now.”
Cobden and Bowen are well clear of three-times champion Brian Hughes, who himself often bypassed days at the Festival in order to ride better chances at lower-profile fixtures.
Murphy hailed the talent of both title challengers and believes a proper battle for the crown can only benefit the sport.
He added: “The boys are two fantastic talents, Harry and Sean. It’s really healthy for National Hunt racing and may the best man win, they are two fantastic jockeys. I think it’s fantastic for Britain to have these two.
“They sit next to each other in the weighing room, it’s mentally tough and they are two fantastic lads. I don’t know Harry overly well but he conducts himself well and so does Sean.
“I’m delighted to have Sean on my side, he’s a humongous part of my team.”
For a young jockey, Jack Kennedy is very familiar with the highs and lows that racing can supply.
The 24-year-old has experienced extremes of both throughout his career so far, winning 10 times at the Cheltenham Festival but missing the meeting completely due to injury twice.
He has suffered a broken leg on five different occasions, but each time has returned to action to seamlessly pick up where he left off.
Cheltenham success, which evades many good jockeys for years, came almost instantly to Kennedy when he partnered Labaik to victory in the 2017 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, despite the horse being a 25-1 chance with a history of refusing to race.
The triumph was no fluke, however, and at the 2018 Festival he rode four winners for Gordon Elliott, though the following year he drew a blank and returned to Ireland empty handed.
Injury prevented him from riding at the meeting in 2020, but the all-or-nothing nature of his Cheltenham fortunes was evidenced again in 2021, as he rode four winners, including the biggest prize of them all when partnering Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Indo to Gold Cup victory.
However, the whole event was held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, something that struck him as he walked back to the paddock past an empty grandstand that would usually be brimming with people.
“It was class, obviously it was a pity there was no one there but the initial feeling I got when I crossed the line was the same as if the stands were packed,” he said.
“The walk down the chute and things afterwards, that’s when you realise there’s no one there, but it was a dream come true.”
Delta Work provided him with a sole victory in 2022 when winning the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase before a fall at Naas the following January scuppered any hopes of riding at the meeting last year.
“Missing it last year was tough and there’s a while to go yet, so hopefully I do make it there,” the rider said.
“I’ll keep going, as when you start thinking about those sort of things, then something goes wrong then. I’ll keep going as usual.
“I suppose it’s just the cards you’re dealt. We seem to be going well this year.
“Labaik seems a while ago and obviously there’s been a couple of years I’ve missed through injury.”
The Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of the sport for many and for the big operations, from which people expect success, there is a great sense of pressure to get off the mark as soon as possible.
Spectators will be keenly waiting for the first success from the power stables of Willie Mullins and Elliott and this is a pressure that trails into the weighing room, too.
“To get a winner is great, we’ll try to pick up as many as possible – but if I get one, I’ll be happy,” said Kennedy.
“It’s a big help if you can get one on the board early, it kind of settles you into the week better than if you’re left waiting for one. It’s a massive help if you can get one on the first day.
“If you haven’t had a winner by the Thursday, you’d obviously be getting a bit anxious, but you’d try to not let it get it to you and you just have to keep riding as best you can.
“I suppose I get a bit nervous, but I wouldn’t let it get to me. Sitting in the weighing room, maybe the 10 minutes before you go out, you’re wanting to get on with it, but as soon as you get up on them, it all goes away.
“The weighing room is quieter than everywhere else, as everyone is in the zone. Once you get settled into the whole thing, everyone will loosen up a bit, but before the race people are probably a bit tense.
“It depends what sort of week you’re having, if it’s a good week it flies by and if it’s a bad week it can be the longest week of your life. In 2019, I didn’t have a winner there, that was a long week.”
Kennedy may have ridden a Gold Cup winner for De Bromhead but Elliott is the trainer with whom he is most readily associated and the two have a well-established bond.
“Gordon has been unreal. From the minute I came in here, he hasn’t been afraid to put me up on good horses,” he said.
“I’ve been up here on school holidays since I was 12 or 13 and started here full-time just before I turned 16.
“Myself and Gordon have the same ideas about things and seem to work well together. I’m sure he’s been unhappy with a few rides around there, actually in 2019 after the County Hurdle (unseated from Eclair De Beaufeau at the last), I got a bit of a telling off after that!
“Even if I did something wrong, Gordon would tell me but he forgets about it straight away and it’s on to the next one.”
It is clearly a partnership based on mutual esteem and loyalty and Elliott is unreserved in his praise for the rider, simply saying: “In my mind, he’s the best jockey riding, on either side of the Irish Sea – he’s different class.”
Ben Pauling began training on his own in 2013 and must have thought the game was easy, as Barters Hill and then Willoughby Court scaled heights that quickly brought him plenty of attention.
It is not until this season, however, that Pauling – who counts Cheltenham as his local track – feels he is heading to the Festival with a team of horses capable of taking him back to the top table.
Barters Hill was his first Grade One winner in the 2015 Challow Hurdle, while Willoughby Court broke his Festival duck in the 2017 Neptune (now Baring Bingham) Novices’ Hurdle.
Le Breuil (National Hunt Chase) and Global Citizen (Grand Annual) have provided further Festival success, although both came away from the highest level and this year he has legitimate contenders in all three novice hurdles.
Tellherthename heads for the Supreme having got back to winning ways at Huntingdon, which was also where Baring Bingham hope Handstands won recently, while The Jukebox Man has been kept fresh for the Albert Bartlett since a fine third in the Challow Hurdle.
“I’d say this is going to be our strongest team, certainly in quality if not quite numerically,” said Pauling.
“I think we’ll send between eight and 10 this season and without doubt it is our strongest team, they’ve found their own way there without us pushing to place them, if that makes sense. Hopefully, they’ll all go there and do their best – and if their best is good enough, then fine.”
Reflecting on the early days of his career, he admits he appreciates success a lot more now.
“At the time, I realised how lucky I was to get those two so early in my career, but you can’t appreciate it as much as you should do at the time,” said Pauling.
“It was quite ridiculous with Barters, we just turned up for Grade Ones and expected to win.
“When he won his Challow Hurdle, my first Grade One, he had Politologue 18 lengths behind him absolutely legless, and he went on to win a Champion Chase. He motored through races and was just incredible.
“He’s still cruising around now as a lovely riding horse, but unfortunately his frailties behind cut his career short.
“Willoughby then quickly came along to fill the void, but sadly he passed away with blood poisoning.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had this calibre of horse. We’ve won Festival races with Le Breuil, who you could say was a nice horse but was never a Grade One contender, and then Global Citizen, who won plenty of Grade Twos but couldn’t win a Grade One.
“We’ve had various other stars but never have we had a team like this, three very nice novices going with chances.”
As well as the three novice hurdlers, who should all have bright futures whatever they do at Cheltenham, the 40-year-old has a handful of handicappers with live chances as well.
“The races all pick them themselves really. I suppose the fact the Supreme is the first race of the meeting means Tellherthename is unlikely to get his favoured good ground, but he won on soft at Huntingdon the other day. I just don’t think he handled bottomless ground like it was at Aintree,” he said.
“What I wasn’t prepared to do at Newbury (when a non-runner) was run on bottomless ground so close to the Festival, his owners want Festival winners.
“Once the ground went so soft at Newbury (for the Betfair Hurdle), it was never a question and here we are with a horse who appears to be in very good form, he worked very well at Kempton recently.
“Handstands, I think I’ve persuaded the owners that I’m very keen to go, as they were up in the air.
“He won at Huntingdon recently. He’s a funny horse, as Harry (Cobden) came to school him before Huntingdon and jumped off saying he felt like a 105 handicapper, yet just after the race he said he’d have no idea where the bottom of him is, as he didn’t have to try very hard.
“Hopefully, he’s an improving horse. It’s whether he’s ready for a race like the Baring Bingham.
“The Jukebox Man ran well in the Challow and hasn’t run since because that probably took a lot out of him, I think three miles will be right up his street.”
He went on: “I’m hoping Bowtogreatness might get into the Kim Muir, he ran well last time out and we haven’t been overly hard on him. He is in the amateur race (National Hunt Chase) as well but I do think he’s ahead of his mark.
“Twig will definitely go in the Ultima but he needs good to soft at worse, he’s not great on anything softer than that.
“If the ground is to be on the soft side, then I suspect Shakem Up’Arry will go in the Plate, I think that’s his trip. We did his wind in the summer and while his first run back was a disaster, he needed to trust himself again.
“He was then too keen in the Coral Gold Cup and didn’t get home. It all came together on New Year’s Day, when he looked a different horse – and he finished third in the Plate last year.
“Harper’s Brook will go for the Grand Annual, we might switch the headgear to blinkers from cheekpieces. We’ve hopefully worked out the way of getting the best out of him, it might not work every time but he’s a very talented horse.
“I think Henry’s Friend will run now, too. I actually thought he’d need a rest after the Reynoldstown, but he’s come out of it bouncing. There’s more chance than not he’ll run in the National Hunt Chase.”
Sparks Fly is likely to kick off her year in the Pertemps Network Lincoln after a remarkable season that saw her notch up eight victories.
Bred and owned by Dave Lowe, the four-year-old was a revelation when stepping away from the all-weather in spring last year.
She started out on the turf with a rating of 59 and shot through the rankings when winning six times consecutively under Rossa Ryan and latterly Laura Pearson.
She may have been beaten over an extended mile and a quarter in the Lyric Stakes at York, but she bounced right back to form next time out at Haydock.
That run led her to the Listed Prix Isola Bella at Saint-Cloud in October, where she soared to a 12-length success when never seeing another rival from start to finish.
A return to the same track for the Prix Tantieme did not bring about the same result, as the filly finished sixth in a run connections consider to have been one too many in an otherwise superb campaign.
“She was a real flagbearer for us, she was the winning-most horse in Britain and she started off with a rating of 59 and finished off on 107 – that was exceptional,” said trainer David Loughnane.
“Saint-Cloud was just one run too many, she was well in herself at home but we knew on the day. Even going to post, Laura said she just wasn’t the same horse and she had just gone a little bit over the top.
“Hindsight is a great thing, we got greedy trying to win nine but she owes us nothing and she was a superstar, we’d like to think we could get a bit more black type on her page.”
Sparks Fly has now returned from her winter break and is being prepared for the Lincoln at Doncaster on what is officially the opening day of the Flat season in Britain.
The mile handicap is often run on more testing ground, which the filly relishes, and it is likely that she will be campaigned in two stages, with a break in the middle to avoid quick ground at the height of the summer.
“She’s wintered really nicely, she enjoyed her holiday but she gets bored pretty quickly, so we were quite keen to get her back into work,” said Loughnane.
“She’s not one that likes to be out of work for long but she’s done well for a break.
“At the moment, our first port of call will be the Lincoln if all goes to plan, she gets there on time and the ground is right for her.
“We’ll probably look to campaign her in the first half of the season, give her a little break in the middle part and then bring her back again for the second half.
“This is England after all, so you never know what’s going on with the weather and what we’ll end up with.”
John Hales has been fortunate to own many top-class horses and this year marks the 20th anniversary of one of his very best, Azertyuiop, winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Before his current partnership with Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason had evolved, Hales’ yellow silks with a red star were a very familiar sight on British racecourses.
Of course, they sprang to prominence thanks to another Champion Chase winner, One Man, who spent most of his career over three miles, winning the Hennessy Gold Cup, the King George twice and the Charlie Hall twice before finally ending his Cheltenham hoodoo when dropping back in trip in 1998.
Hales has also won the Grand National with Neptune Collonges, two Supreme Novices’ Hurdles with Noland and Al Ferof and a further Champion Chase with Politologue.
Azertyuiop, whose name came from the top line of a French keyboard, had either the fortune or misfortune, depending on which way you look at it, to be around in a golden age of two-miler chasers.
“Azertyuiop is still alive and well, he’s 27 now and I’m looking out of my window right now at him in the field with Neptune Collonges and Al Ferof, they all get on so well together,” said Hales.
“He’s still very fit and very well, he’s at a great age and it’s lovely to still have him.
“He was a very, very good horse. He might have only ever won two Grade Ones, the Arkle and the Champion Chase, but they are the right ones to win.
“Of course, he was around in that golden era with Moscow Flyer and Well Chief, and there was Flagship Uberalles still around, too.”
Azertyuiop and Moscow Flyer met in two Champion Chases, and it was a little unfortunate that in 2004 Moscow Flyer made a bad mistake and unseated Barry Geraghty four from home and a year later Azertyuiop left his hind legs in the water jump, costing him any chance of victory.
It meant their rivalry is usually best remembered for a titanic battle in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, but for a man as Cheltenham orientated as Hales, winning the Queen Mother for a second time was glorious.
“Moscow Flyer almost fell down the back straight and to be honest, once he’d got over the third-last, he looked the winner and he just had to stay up, which he did,” said Hales.
“Paul (Nicholls) wasn’t afraid to mix it up with him. That season, he ran in the Victor Chandler (now Clarence House) and he just failed to give lumps of weight to Isio, who was a good horse, and the following season we ran him in the King George, when he was third to a Gold Cup winner in Kicking King.
“Azertyuiop would certainly be in my top three, I think – him, Neptune Collonges and One Man.”
While Hales holds Azertyuiop in the highest regard, the inference was there that he might just cherish one horse above all others.
“Azertyuiop was very good the day he won the Champion Chase, but I wouldn’t want to answer who would win between him and One Man!” he said.
“They were both great horses but One Man had spent his life running over three miles.
“There was a famous reporter who said before he won, ‘if One Man can come down from three miles to two and win the Queen Mother, I’ll jump off the roof at Cheltenham’ – well, I’m still waiting for him to jump!”
Hales has some live chances at this year’s Festival but it is two of his horses that are not going to Cheltenham that excite him most, including recent €740,000 purchase Caldwell Potter.
“Kalif Du Berlais, who won at Kempton, is unbeaten, he beat a nice horse (Givemefive) in the Adonis and we think he is a very good horse. He’ll be going over fences next year and we just need to find out his best distance because he’s winning over two but will stay further,” said Hales.
“Caldwell Potter, the horse from Ireland, will be going to Aintree after we decided to give him more time to settle. He looks very good and will also be going chasing next year.
“The thing that clinched it for me to buy him, and it shouldn’t have done, was when Anthony Bromley (bloodstock agent) rang me about him, I asked what his colour was. When he told me he was grey, I shouldn’t have been influenced by that but I was because every major race I’ve won, at some point I’ve won it with a grey. King George, Queen Mother, Grand National – all with greys.
“I’ve got Sonigino (Martin Pipe), Monmiral (Pertemps) and L’Eau Du Sud (County Hurdle), with a few others going this year – and I quite fancy L’Eau Du Sud.”
Katie Boulter vowed to keep having fun on the court after beating Emma Navarro to reach her biggest career final at the San Diego Open.
The British number one, who claimed her maiden WTA Tour title on grass in Nottingham last summer, will bid for the trophy at a WTA 500 tournament for the first time thanks to a 6-3 6-1 win.
Boulter has had a flying start to the 2024 season and victory over her third top-30 opponent of the week guarantees she will rise at least 14 places in the rankings to a new career-high of 35.
She will break the top 30 if she can defeat Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in the final on Sunday night – where she will be watched by boyfriend Alex De Minaur, who scheduled an early-morning flight after retaining his title in Acapulco.
Boulter said: “Today was one of those matches that everything just clicked. I came onto the court and started the first few games and I could feel the power that she had and the way she works and manoeuvres the ball.
“I had to come up with something better and play more aggressive and go for it and I think that was my chance to just trust myself and trust the work I’ve put in and it paid off.
“It’s my biggest career final so far. I’m just going to keep having fun. I’ve got such good vibes going with the team right now so nothing changes there, I’m just going to enjoy myself.”
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The 27-year-old from Leicester dominated on her serve against third seed Navarro, winning more than 87 per cent of first serve points and allowing the American just two break points, both of which she saved.
Rain stopped play early in the second set but the delay did nothing to halt Boulter’s momentum as she wrapped up victory in only 48 minutes of play.
“It was obviously very tricky with the rain delay in the middle of the match,” said Boulter, who was ranked well outside the top 100 a year ago.
“I felt like I had the momentum behind me, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself in the rain delay to stay focused and stay warm and continue that momentum and I think I came out and played some really good stuff to start with and kept that rolling and I think that was super important today.”
Kostyuk is also having one of the best weeks of her career and she stunned American top seed Jessica Pegula, winning 7-6 (4) 6-1.
It was the 21-year-old’s first win over a top-five player after she came back from 5-1 down in the first set.
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