Conor Murray acknowledges Ireland’s record-breaking winning run and impressive achievements under Andy Farrell will count for very little at the Rugby World Cup.
Ireland travel to France as Six Nations Grand Slam champions and having topped the world rankings for more than a year on the back of their historic tour triumph in New Zealand.
Farrell’s men made it 13 consecutive victories with Saturday evening’s 17-13 success over Samoa in Bayonne – bettering the 12-game winning streak enjoyed under Joe Schmidt across 2017 and 2018.
Defeat in the first Test against the All Blacks in July 2022 was Ireland’s last loss and just one of two suffered in their previous 27 outings.
Scrum-half Murray is preparing for his fourth World Cup and knows the tournament is a “different animal”.
“We’re in a pretty good place, given where we have been over the last two years and what we have achieved,” he said.
“We never get carried away with ourselves. We know going into every game that we have to respect the opposition.
“It (form) going into a World Cup doesn’t count for much. You have to bring your best rugby when you get to the tournament, when the competition kicks off for real.
“But we know how good the team can be. We also know how hard we have to work to get to that level and be there every week.
“The summer series was good and people got hit outs and we feel match fit now, but it’s a different animal by the time the World Cup comes around.
“We know where we can go as a group, the confidence is really high.”
Murray claimed a crucial try as Ireland stuttered past Samoa on a soggy evening in south-west France, with the vast majority of a vocal sold-out crowd supporting their opponents.
The 34-year-old believes the experience will be beneficial moving forward, with hosts France a potential quarter-final opponent, if Ireland successfully negotiate a group containing reigning world champions South Africa, Scotland, Tonga and Romania.
“Along that road we’re going to have games when things don’t go perfectly and we have to find a way,” he said.
“The World Cup could be like that and probably will be like that, it won’t go perfectly.
“There’s going to be nights like this (Samoa), the atmosphere was really hostile, in a good way, but we’re going to have to deal with that kind of thing as well.
“We know how much pressure there’s going to be, how the atmospheres are going to be.”
Ireland received a timely reminder of the dangers of South Africa after their Pool B rivals emphatically dispatched New Zealand 35-7 on Friday evening.
Murray previously worked with Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber and his assistant Felix Jones at Munster.
“We know what they’re like,” he said of South Africa.
“You could say New Zealand were poor but I thought South Africa put them under so much pressure it made them make mistakes.
“A lot of us have been coached by Jacques and Felix and we know what’s coming. Well, we think we know what’s coming, Jacques is always going to pull something out of nothing and something you didn’t expect.
“We’ve been watching South Africa and everyone else for a long time. I’m sure they will feel really good about where they’re at because that was a really good New Zealand side and they made them look not so good.”
Barbadian Zane Maloney sped to a second place finish in Sunday’s Zandvoort feature race as the FIA Formula 2 series moved to the Netherlands this past weekend.
The 19-year-old Maloney, who had been fifth in Saturday’s two-lap sprint race, started fourth on the grid and clocked a finishing time of 1:01:30.308, just over two seconds behind Frenchman Clement Novalak, who logged his maiden win in 1:01:36.125.
Jak Crawford of the USA was third in 1:01:38.650. Championship leader Theo Pourchaire, of France, spun off and did not finish the 38-lap feature.
Novalak kept himself out of trouble in a dramatic race while Maloney held Crawford at bay for the runner-up spot, managing his tyres to the end and keeping the polesitter Crawford behind him for his fourth podium of the season.
Maloney had third place finishes in Bahrain and Monaco and was second at Britain’s Silverstone.
Maloney is currently ninth in the championship standings on 96 points, the same as eighth placed Richard Verschoor of the Netherlands and they are 72 points off leader Pourchaire. Denmark’s Frederik Vesti (156), Japanese Ayumu Iwasa (134) and Australian Jack Doohan (130) are second, third, and fourth respectively heading into this weekend’s next stop in Monza, Italy, the penultimate event of the season.
Maloney’s Rodin Carlin are third in the team standings on 200 points, trailing leaders ART GP (290) and Prema Racing (258).
In form Barbadian jockey Antonio Whitehall piloted his 50th career stakes win in Canada when he landed Saturday night’s Speed to Spare Championship Stakes with the 3-1 bet Great Escape at Century Mile in Edmonton.
Held off the early pace, the four-year-old gelding, Great Escape, came flying down the homestretch with Whitehall and won by a length and three-quarters over the 45-1 outsider Itsmyday, ridden by Trinidad and Tobago’s reigning champion jockey Brian Boodramsing.
The 29-year-old Whitehall was not originally listed for the ride but grabbed the opportunity when Toronto-based Barbadian Rico Walcott could not fulfill the engagement.
“I wasn’t booked to ride, the horse became available and I made it count,” Whitehall told SportsMax.
Great Escape, who won the 2022 Canadian Derby at Century Mile with Walcott aboard, edged closer to the lead coming off the final bend and went in chase of backstretch leader Glava, the 7-1 bet with Jamaican jockey Dane Nelson aboard.
Whitehall, who is based at Winnipeg’s Assiniboia Downs where he is currently the number-one rider, grabbed the lead with Great Escape approaching the eighth pole won over Itsmyday, who came from a long way off the pace for the runner-up spot. Glava held on for third. Great Escape clocked 2:04.00 for the 10-furlong Speed to Spare Championship win.
With less than a month remaining in the Assiniboia Downs season, Whitehall is poised for a third championship win at the Winnipeg racetrack, boasting 41 wins, 13 ahead of fellow Barbadian Damario Bynoe (29) with Mexican Jorge Carreno, the defending champion, lying third on 28 wins. Whitehall was Assiniboia Downs champion in 2018 and 2020.
Lily Miyazaki branded her US Open debut “surreal” after winning her first match at a grand slam.
There were echoes of Emma Raducanu after the 27-year-old qualifier, Britain’s sole representative on day one, beat Russian Margarita Betova 6-3 6-3.
“It’s huge for me, I think,” said Miyazaki. “Qualifying was also, like, obviously a huge confidence booster, but yeah, winning at the main draw is, it just feels a bit surreal.”
The world number 199 may be unlikely to emulate Raducanu’s fairy-tale title win two years ago, but she still secured a near-£100,000 pay day and a high-profile second-round match against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
“I mean, what Emma did was incredible,” added Miyazaki. “I’m not sure where I was. I think I was at a tournament. I don’t know, a 25K in Portugal or something.
“Obviously all the players were following her results, and it was incredible the way she played.
“I don’t know her too well, but I have hit with her a few times at the National Tennis Centre. Yeah, I think what she did inspired a lot of people.”
While the other six British players in the main draw had the day off, Miyazaki took on the experienced Betova, who was playing under a protected ranking after coming back from having a child.
Miyazaki, who moved to London aged 10 but only changed allegiance from Japan last year, overcame an early break and won six games in a row to take control before winning with her second match point.
Miyazaki joked that she had watched 15th seed Bencic far more than the Swiss will have watched her.
She added: “Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. She’s a great player obviously.
“It’s actually funny, when I lived in Switzerland, I played her when I was about nine years old and she must have been about seven or eight.
“I remember even back then she was taking the ball so early. Half volleying, drive volleying, everything. Yeah, I expect a really tough match.”
Lily Miyazaki branded her US Open debut “surreal” after winning her first match at a grand slam.
There were echoes of Emma Raducanu after the 27-year-old qualifier, Britain’s sole representative on day one, beat Russian Margarita Betova 6-3 6-3.
“It’s huge for me, I think,” said Miyazaki. “Qualifying was also, like, obviously a huge confidence booster, but yeah, winning at the main draw is, it just feels a bit surreal.”
The world number 199 may be unlikely to emulate Raducanu’s fairy-tale title win two years ago, but she still secured a near-£100,000 pay day and a high-profile second-round match against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
“I mean, what Emma did was incredible,” added Miyazaki. “I’m not sure where I was. I think I was at a tournament. I don’t know, a 25K in Portugal or something.
“Obviously all the players were following her results, and it was incredible the way she played.
“I don’t know her too well, but I have hit with her a few times at the National Tennis Centre. Yeah, I think what she did inspired a lot of people.”
While the other six British players in the main draw had the day off, Miyazaki took on the experienced Betova, who was playing under a protected ranking after coming back from having a child.
Miyazaki, who moved to London aged 10 but only changed allegiance from Japan last year, overcame an early break and won six games in a row to take control before winning with her second match point.
Miyazaki joked that she had watched 15th seed Bencic far more than the Swiss will have watched her.
She added: “Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. She’s a great player obviously.
“It’s actually funny, when I lived in Switzerland, I played her when I was about nine years old and she must have been about seven or eight.
“I remember even back then she was taking the ball so early. Half volleying, drive volleying, everything. Yeah, I expect a really tough match.”
Holger Rune was left to regret tweeting a map of the US Open site to point spectators towards his first-round match.
The Dane now needs directions to the exit after crashing out in four sets to Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena.
Rune, seeded fourth, was clearly miffed at being shunted away on one of Flushing Meadows’ tiny outside courts and sarcastically wrote “in case you can find Court 5, this is where I play my first match Monday”.
The court is crammed in between the Arthur Ashe and Grandstand Stadiums, with pathways on either side where spectators can wander past.
And Rune’s cheeky tweet backfired as hundreds swarmed around the court, craning their necks and standing on benches, to see the 20-year-old slip to defeat.
To rub salt in the wound, Rune even complained to the umpire about one noisy fan before eventually going down 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-2.
Also on Monday, Dominic Thiem picked up his first win at Flushing Meadows since he won the title in 2020.
The 29-year-old Austrian, a former world number three who is working his way back up the rankings after a long spell out injured, beat 25th seed Alexander Bublik 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Lily Miyazaki kicked off the British challenge at the US Open by reaching the second round on her Flushing Meadows debut.
There were echoes of Emma Raducanu after the 27-year-old qualifier, Britain’s sole representative on day one, beat Russian Margarita Betova 6-3 6-3.
The world number 199 may be unlikely to emulate Raducanu’s fairy-tale title win two years ago, but she still secured a near-£100,000 pay day and a high-profile second-round match against Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
“It’s going to be a tough match for sure,” said Miyazaki.
“But I guess the good thing is I’ve seen her play plenty of times and she probably doesn’t know much about me.”
While the other six British players in the main draw had the day off, Miyazaki took on the experienced Betova, who was playing under a protected ranking after coming back from having a child.
Miyazaki, who moved to London aged 10 but only changed allegiance from Japan last year, overcame an early break and won six games in a row to take control.
With fellow Brit Jodie Burrage cheering her on, Miyazaki finished the job on her second match point to win in an hour and 20 minutes.
Miyazaki, whose only previous grand slam appearance came when she lost in the Wimbledon first round in 2022 as a wild card, added: “I’ve enjoyed the atmosphere here.
“I was really grateful for the support from Jodie and everyone, and it definitely helped me out.”
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will begin the 2023 NFL season on the physically unable to perform list.
That roster decision wasn't that much of a surprise.
In another transaction by the Cardinals on Monday, veteran quarterback Colt McCoy was released.
That move, meanwhile, was unexpected.
Murray is still working his way back from a torn ACL he sustained last December, and has yet to practice, so it's entirely possible he misses more than just four games, which is the minimum number of games a player must sit out when placed on the PUP list.
McCoy was expected to be Arizona's starting quarterback, but now the team will go with either rookie Clayton Tune or the recently acquired Joshua Dobbs for the opener against the Washington Commanders on September 10.
Since his 2010 rookie season, the 36-year-old McCoy has made 36 career starts - including six for Arizona over the past two years. He went 3-3 in those games, completing 72 per cent of his passes for 1,218 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions while being sacked 13 times.
He struggled this preseason, completing just 9-of-12 passes for 42 yards.
To add depth at quarterback, the Cardinals acquired Dobbs in a trade with the Cleveland Browns last week, but he did not play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings.
Despite the season opener less than two weeks away, Dobbs appears to be in line to start against the Commanders over Tune, who was a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.
Dobbs was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and has appeared in eight pro games.
His only two starts came last season for the Tennessee Titans, and he completed 58.8 percent of his 85 pass attempts for 411 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a 73.8 QB rating.
In a historic and heartwarming gesture, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) announced today, Monday, August 28, that they will be rewarding the stellar achievements of Jamaica's netball players with JMD$1 million each (about USD$6000) for their triumphant performance at the Netball World Cup, where they clinched the bronze medal.
The JOA's rewarding initiative encompasses a comprehensive approach, aiming to not only honor the team's success but also contribute to their future financial stability. Each player from the bronze medal-winning team will receive JMD$1 million from a joint reward from Supreme Ventures Limited and Mayberry Investments.
The JMD$13 million in rewards will go towards funding investment accounts at Mayberry Investments for each medallist. The funds will be under management at Mayberry Investments for a period of three years or until the athlete's retirement from netball, whichever comes earlier.
The announcement, made at the JOA headquarters on Cunningham Avenue in Kingston on Monday, August 28, marks a momentous occasion as the JOA has never before rewarded a team and their coach for their exceptional performances. Following the Tokyo Olympics, the JOA had rewarded the track and field athletes a total of JMD$45 million.
This unprecedented decision is a testament to the remarkable journey and victories of the Jamaican netball team. Over the years, they have showcased their prowess, securing victories like the CAC gold, which ultimately culminated in their monumental success at the Netball World Cup.
Ryan Foster, General Secretary of the JOA, expressed the significance of this moment and the association's pride in the team's accomplishments:
"Today, the Jamaica Olympic Association celebrates and acknowledges your achievements on the court but we also want to reward them. We have watched with pride over the years of the success and progress made by our Sunshine Girls and are elated that we have been a part of that journey along with our partners SVL and Mayberry."
Foster recounted the dedication of the team and the vital role that the JOA, along with its partners, played in supporting the sport's resurgence after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic:
"I remember when President (Tricia) Robinson came to us seeking ways to restart the sport after COVID and the most important goal was to get the Elite League and the National League going, and the JOA along with SVL and Marathon have invested over JMD$9 million in the restart of the Netball leagues."
Highlighting the team's historic accomplishments, Mr. Foster emphasized that the bronze medal at the World Cup was the perfect culmination of their remarkable journey:
"Following upon the Commonwealth Games, Caribbean Games, and CAC, all historic performances, it was only fitting that the icing on the cake was the World Cup. The JOA and our partners salutes you and your contribution to Jamaican pride, sports prowess, and generally being great ambassadors of not only yourselves but also of the JOA and our partners."
Acknowledging the pivotal role of Coach Connie Francis, Mr. Foster announced a reward of JMD$2 million for her extraordinary leadership.
"For the signal work done by Coach Connie Francis, the JOA will reward the coach extraordinaire with an amount of $2 million," Foster said.
Recognizing the strength of their netball family, the JOA extended a helping hand to Latanya, contributing $1M towards her recovery. Wilson recently lost her home and all her personal belongings including her trophies and medals when arsonists set her home on fire.
"It is in times of distress and crisis that we see the heart of our family, and Latanya, you are family. With that said, the JOA will contribute JMD$1 million towards your road to recovery."
As the JOA, SVL, and Mayberry unite to celebrate the achievements of the Sunshine Girls, Foster assured that the journey is far from over, with the promise of continuous collaboration and support.
"Life is what you make it. Journeys are made to be explored and memories last a lifetime. Your memorable accomplishments have warmed our hearts, and similarly, when you were to restart the sport, we will continue the journey hand in hand, a marriage that won’t be broken."
Foster extended gratitude to SVL and Mayberry for their partnership and dedication to the athletes' success, foreshadowing further exciting announcements as the journey towards the Olympic year continues.
Simone Biles’ record-breaking exploits have been hailed by US president Joe Biden, who said the gymnast represents “the best” of America.
Biles, a 19-time world champion, claimed a record eighth all-around US Championship title at the weekend with a total of 118.40, four clear of runner-up Shilese Jones in San Jose.
The 26-year-old only returned to competition in Chicago earlier this month after a two-year break from gymnastics.
View this post on InstagramAt the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Biles suffered from “the twisties” – a phenomenon which affects an athlete’s spatial awareness – and had to withdraw from five of her six finals.
She subsequently took a break from the sport before she returned to action earlier in August.
Biles’ record-breaking exploits on Sunday, 10 years on from winning her first all-around US Championship, resulted in high praise from Biden, who hailed the American athlete as a “trailblazer.”
“When we see Simone compete, we’re witnessing unmatched power and grace,” Biden wrote on Twitter.
“Not only is she the first in history to hold all eight U.S. gymnastics titles, but she’s a trailblazer who spoke up for those who couldn’t speak for themselves.
“You represent the best of America.”
The seven-time Olympic medallist became the oldest female US champion since the event was first organised by USA Gymnastics in 1963.
She is expected to bid to add to her haul of 25 World Championship medals in Antwerp in September.
Biles has not confirmed whether she plans to compete at next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. landed his third career US$1 million win in North American thoroughbred racing when his four-year-old colt Skippylongstocking captured the Charles Town Classic at Charles Town racetrack in West Virginia last Friday evening.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Skippylongstocking dominated from the start and won comfortably by five lengths as the 7-5 favourite. The 10-1 bet, O’Connor, also trained by the 36-year-old Joseph, ran on late to get second, giving Florida’s number-one trainer a 1-2 finish in the Classic, the richest on Friday’s 13-race card that had nine stakes races.
In 18 previous starts, Skippylongstocking never led his field but he broke smartly for a clear lead at the first turn, and with the projected pacesetter Giant Game well off the pace, Gaffalione went with the flow setting the early fractions, coasting through a half-mile in 48.88 seconds and six furlongs in 1:14.17.
“I was surprised to see him on the lead (but) then the fractions were reasonable enough,” said Florida-based Joseph who had previous US$1 million stakes wins with Math Wizard in the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby and White Abarrio in last year’s Florida Derby.
When Gaffalione roused the colt at the quarter pole, the two-time 2022 Triple Crown entrant Skippylongstocking opened up and galloped home a big winner. Last year’s Belmont Stakes third-placer who was fifth in the Preakness, was timed in 1:51.37 for 1 1/8 miles.
This was the colt’s second major win in West Virginia following his West Virginia Derby victory at Mountaineer Park last summer.
Joseph currently has 899 career wins in North America including 76 stakes victories, eight this year. He completed this past weekend a remarkable seventh consecutive trainers’ title win at Florida’s Gulfstream Park, completing the Spring/Summer meet with a colony-leading 66 wins, 11 ahead of nearest rival Jose D’Angelo (55).
Andy Murray admitted he had to go away and lick his wounds after his Wimbledon disappointment.
The Scot was leading world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas 2-1 in their second-round match when the 11pm curfew kicked in.
It seemed the momentum was with Murray but when the match resumed the following day, the two-time champion was beaten in five sets.
Murray revealed it took a few days to get over the narrow defeat, but he quickly set about working on areas of his game which he could improve.
“I went away on holiday straight afterwards,” he said. “Always immediately after matches, especially Wimbledon, at majors there’s greater disappointment and greater emotions than at any other time in the year.
“Probably after three or four days of being away from it, I chatted to my team about things that I feel I need to change, certain shots in my game if I wanted to win more of those matches and dictate more of those matches.
“So I did that, went away and worked on things for a period of time.”
Murray is likely to face another seed, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, in the second round of the US Open.
But first the 2012 Flushing Meadows champion must overcome France’s world number 72 Corentin Moutet.
“I’ve not played against him, but I practised with him once, he’s an unbelievably talented guy,” added Murray.
“He’s not the biggest, he tends to play quite long points but he’s got tons of variety and good hands at the net.
“He can be a bit volatile at times but yeah, a good challenge for me, very different to how most players play in the draw.
“A lot of the game nowadays is based on power and serves and he’s the opposite really. A good test for me.”
Murray is one of six Brits in the first round on Tuesday, with Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage also in action.
United States captain Stacy Lewis admitted experiencing some of the “hardest” days of her career after naming Ally Ewing, Cheyenne Knight and Angel Yin as her wild card picks for the Solheim Cup next month.
The three picks completed the 12-strong American team who will be attempting to avoid an unprecedented third straight defeat in the biennial showpiece against Europe at Spain’s Finca Cortesin resort from September 22-24.
Lewis said: “These final days were definitely some of the hardest ones of my career, but I’m so proud to have Ally, Cheyenne and Angel on the 2023 US Solheim Cup team.
“These three women earned their spots on this team, putting themselves into contention both with their play on the course and their teamwork off the course.
“Over the last year-and-a-half, I’ve gotten to know all the US players incredibly well and I’m honoured to be their captain. We are going to have an incredible week at Finca Cortesin.”
The first nine members of the US team were confirmed earlier on Monday after the weekend’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.
Seven players – world number one Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda, Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Jennifer Kupcho, Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee – qualified through the US Solheim Cup points standings.
Lexi Thompson, who will be making her sixth appearance in the competition, and Rose Zhang qualified as the highest Americans in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings outside the top seven in the Solheim Cup points standings.
Lee tied for 13th at the CPKC Women’s Open, the exact finish she needed to move from eighth to seventh in the points standings and secure the final automatic qualifying berth.
She said: “I was pretty stressed coming down the stretch because I knew I had to finish top 13 to not have to rely on a captain’s pick.
“I’m just super grateful and honoured to represent the USA. It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl.
“I played on two Junior Solheim Cup teams and have always wanted to play on the real Solheim Cup team. I’m just so excited and I can’t wait to play for Stacy and for Team USA.”
Lewis added: “The last year has been exciting – and challenging – and to have these players locked in has me pumped for the week in Spain.
“Even the rookies aren’t true rookies in my eyes. Over the last two years, they have proven to be great competitors and I have no doubt that they won’t be overwhelmed by the experience.”
Europe finalised their line-up last week with Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh selected as a wild card pick to join English pair Charley Hull and Georgia Hall in captain Suzann Pettersen’s 12-strong team.
Prix du Jockey Club hero Ace Impact is set to head straight to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe following his recent victory at Deauville.
The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained son of Cracksman emphatically scooped Classic honours at Chantilly and took his record to a perfect five out of five when returning from a short break to down Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa on the Normandy coast.
That cosy victory gave Rouget back-to-back triumphs in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and he looks to have found the perfect candidate to bid for his second victory in Europe’s richest middle-distance contest, a race for which Ace Impact is the general 7-2 favourite.
Rouget sent Sottsass to the Prix Niel before finishing third in the Arc in 2019, while the Irish Champion Stakes was used to set him up for his big-race triumph in the French capital 12 months later.
Rouget also used the Leopardstown Group One to prepare French Derby champion Vadeni for Arc duty last season, with the Aga Khan’s colt finishing third in Dublin before taking the runner-up spot behind Alpinista in the Bois de Boulogne.
However, October 1 has long been circled on the calendar of connections and they are happy that Ace Impact will be seen next in ParisLongchamp in perfect order as they continue to dream of Arc glory.
“We are very pleased with him since his run in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano,” said Pauline Chehboub, racing manager for her family’s Gousserie Racing operation, who purchased 50 per cent of the colt from Serge Stempniak after the Prix du Jockey Club.
“He is a very unique horse and every time he comes to the races it feels like he loves it. We are very fortunate to be a part of this champion.
“His target since the French Derby, like Jean-Claude Rouget announced, is the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, so we follow the plan.
“He is the Arc favourite, unbeaten and his limits are unknown. The dream continues.”
Task Force maintained his unbeaten record with a clear-cut victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy.
A son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt made a big impression on his racecourse debut at Salisbury last month, earning him a step up to Listed class.
He was the 11-8 favourite to dispatch of five rivals in North Yorkshire and did so in fine style in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
In the famous Juddmonte silks, Task Force raced enthusiastically at the rear of the field for much of the six-furlong contest before being produced with his challenge widest of all.
He mastered Shagraan and course and distance winner Seven Questions, who was briefly stopped in his run when challenging between the pair, and was good value for the winning margin of a length and a quarter.
The winner’s stablemate Matters Most finished strongly to fill the runner-up spot and provide the in-form Beckett team with a one-two.
Juddmonte’s racing manager, Barry Mahon, said of the winner: “The idea of going to Ripon was to teach him a bit as he didn’t learn much the first day, he hit the gates well and sat handy and was left in front a furlong and a half down, so he probably didn’t learn a lot about racing.
“He’ll have learned plenty there today. You saw how green he was in the early part of there and when Rossa asked him to go he was green, but when the penny dropped away he went.
“It was a nice performance and he could a nice horse.”
Task Force has the option of stepping up to seven furlongs for the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month, but plans are fluid at this stage.
“I haven’t spoken to Ralph yet and we need to let the dust settle, but I’ve no doubt seven is going to be right up his street,” Mahon added.
“He’s bred to be a miler in time, so seven furlongs won’t be a problem, but whether Ralph decides to go that way now or later on we’ll wait and see.
“Part of the reason we went back over six furlongs today was because when you look up his mother’s record she never raced beyond six at two and ended up being a dual Guineas winner at three, so there’s no shortage of speed in the pedigree and he showed that today against some hardened two-year-olds.”
Tony Martin’s runners are always feared when making trips to England and his Belgoprince produced a devastating display in Epsom’s Betfred Nifty Fifty Amateurs’ Derby Handicap to enhance that reputation as jockey Billy Coonan enjoyed his biggest day in the saddle.
It was not a shock that one of the visitors from Ireland took home the prestigious first prize, but many expected the winner to be the John and Thomas Kiely-trained Liberated Light who was sent off the 11-4 favourite in the hands Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey John Gleeson.
However, despite travelling with supreme confidence into the home straight, Gleeson and his mount had no answer to Belgoprince who forced his way to the front in the hands of 19-year-old Coonan at the two-furlong pole and then surged clear to register an emphatic 11-length success over his fellow Irish raider at odds of 12-1.
Coonan said: “It is surreal. I came over from Ireland this morning. Tony rang me on Saturday morning saying ‘I’ve got a ride for you’. It is just great. We thought we had a bit of a chance, but I didn’t think it would be that easy.
“I wanted to get the rail, but I was one off the rail. Hitting the two (furlong pole) he was travelling so well I went to the lead. He just hit the front running so I let him go and he got the job done.
“It is massive. I’ve only ever had one winner before, so it is extra special to get one here. It means a lot.”
While Coonan’s impending university studies will take over from his duties in the saddle, he will try to keep his hand in with his riding.
Coonan added: “I had my first ride last year at the Galway Festival and I’ve been in with Tony Martin most days of the week. I’m just delighted just to get a winner for him.
“I live over in Maynooth in County Kildare and I’m going to university in September. I’m going to study commerce at the University of Galway so it will be back to the books, but I will try to ride at the same time.”
Adam West is mulling over his options for shock Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream, with both ParisLongchamp and Keeneland possible stopping points en route to the Breeders’ Cup.
The flying four-year-old booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint when scorching up the Knavesmire to scoop Group One glory on his first appearance in that grade.
And with connections also getting their first top-level success, they are now dreaming of reliving that fantastic afternoon in York at Santa Anita on November 4.
Epsom-based West is looking at the best path to America later in the season with Steve and Jolene De’Lemos’ pride and joy, who has reportedly bounced out of his trip to York.
“He’s come out of the race really well and if there was another race for him next week I would be considering it,” said West.
“He really enjoyed it and thrived off all the attention. They 100 per cent know when they have done well and he probably had his head down a little after Deauville. But he thrived off it and all the attention he got and even with the long journey home the next day he had his ears pricked and was soaking it all in more than me probably.”
With options limited close to home, West may have to head overseas for Live In The Dream’s Breeders’ Cup tune-up.
The gelding holds an entry for the Prix de l’Abbaye on October 1 while an early venture to America for the $350,000 Woodford Stakes – which has been won by Golden Pal in the past two seasons – are both on the radar despite presenting their respective pros and cons.
“We would only consider the Abbaye if we had an unusually dry September,” explained West.
“I would consider good to soft with him. The problem isn’t so much ground, he’s versatile in terms of ground – it’s more keeping his confidence high along with his physical fitness.
“The Abbaye is OK time-wise to see him into the Breeders’ Cup well so it would be a case of going there to bring him on back to his fighting weight. But you have to balance that with not knocking his confidence and not running him on anything that is likely to cause a strain or stress a muscle or anything.”
He added: “There is a very loose option to go to Keeneland for a five-and-a-half-furlong race which is a big race there. But again it is a case of trying to balance the finances of what’s appropriate and what the Breeders’ Cup are willing to put forward to get him over there.
“That would be almost better for him as it is October and it would bring him in bang on three weeks before the Turf Sprint, but you then have to get him out there yourself and everything.
“Over here there is nothing really and other than those two races it would be looking at some of the tracks over here to help him out and get him there for a gallop before he goes over (to America).”
West is still on a high after York and has already been studying previous Breeders’ Cup footage as he dreams of adding Live In The Dream’s name to the meeting’s illustrious roll of honour.
“It still hasn’t sunk in really,” he added.
“Epsom asked if the horse could parade (at the Bank Holiday Monday meeting), but I think it would have blown his head a little bit so they had to make do with me.
“It’s left me thinking kind of ‘what do we do now’, and wondering how do we ever get that feeling ever again.
“I’ve rewatched some of the previous Breeders’ Cup races over the last few days including the 2019 one that holds the record and I just thought if we could emulate anything near that it would be amazing. It’s so exciting to watch, even now knowing the results. It’s the best of the best isn’t it and we’re going to be a part of it.
“Everyone has been so welcoming and it has really captured the hearts of people over here. I think the Americans have got behind it a little bit and he looks the type to do well over there so there is a lot of excitement from their side as well as ours.”
Sure to be front and centre when Live In The Dream does showcase his speed oversees is the horse’s adoring and enthusiastic owners, and West cannot speak highly enough of the the De’Lemos family, who have been huge supporters of his fledgling Epsom set-up.
“They love it and they are on cloud nine,” West said.
“They are such a great family and great warm characters. It would be hard to find somewhere that wouldn’t be welcoming of them as you only need to spend a minute with them to pick up on the love they have for each other and for the sport.”
Task Force maintained his unbeaten record with a clear-cut victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy.
A son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, the Ralph Beckett-trained colt made a big impression on his racecourse debut at Salisbury last month, earning him a step up to Listed class.
He was the 11-8 favourite to dispatch of five rivals in North Yorkshire and did so in fine style in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
In the famous Juddmonte silks, Task Force raced enthusiastically at the rear of the field for much of the six-furlong contest before being produced with his challenge widest of all.
He mastered Shagraan and course and distance winner Seven Questions, who was briefly stopped in his run when challenging between the pair, and was good value for the winning margin of a length and a quarter.
The winner’s stablemate Matters Most finished strongly to fill the runner-up spot and provide the in-form Beckett team with a one-two.
Juddmonte’s racing manager, Barry Mahon, said of the winner: “The idea of going to Ripon was to teach him a bit as he didn’t learn much the first day, he hit the gates well and sat handy and was left in front a furlong and a half down, so he probably didn’t learn a lot about racing.
“He’ll have learned plenty there today. You saw how green he was in the early part of there and when Rossa asked him to go he was green, but when the penny dropped away he went.
“It was a nice performance and he could a nice horse.”
Task Force has the option of stepping up to seven furlongs for the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month, but plans are fluid at this stage.
“I haven’t spoken to Ralph yet and we need to let the dust settle, but I’ve no doubt seven is going to be right up his street,” Mahon added.
“He’s bred to be a miler in time, so seven furlongs won’t be a problem, but whether Ralph decides to go that way now or later on we’ll wait and see.
“Part of the reason we went back over six furlongs today was because when you look up his mother’s record she never raced beyond six at two and ended up being a dual Guineas winner at three, so there’s no shortage of speed in the pedigree and he showed that today against some hardened two-year-olds.”
Julie Camacho’s super sprinter Shaquille has been doing his stalls homework ahead of his run in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup.
The three-year-old has been an unstoppable force this season, winning a Newmarket handicap before stepping into Listed company to take the Carnarvon Stakes by two lengths – both times under James Doyle.
Doyle’s duties with Godolphin prevented him from taking the ride on the colt in the Commonwealth Cup and his loss was Oisin Murphy’s gain as he prevailed at Group One level by a length and a quarter.
The same situation arose in the July Cup at Newmarket, where Rossa Ryan got the leg-up as Shaquille gained another top-flight success for the Camacho team. On both of his most recent runs, however, the bay left himself with ground to make up when rearing in the stalls and missing the break.
As a result Camacho and her husband and assistant Steve Brown have turned to Craig Witherford, a specialist horseman who helps with tricky loaders. Doyle was on board for the schooling and remains first choice for Haydock, if his Godolphin commitments leave him available.
“He is in good form, everything’s going to plan for a week on Saturday at Haydock,” said Brown.
“He had a little rest after the July Cup, which was always our intention, he’s done two bits of work to his normal standard – he’s not a flashy worker at home.
“I had a chat with Craig after Newmarket because we thought Ascot was a one-off, but then it wasn’t, so we needed to do something to try to make him jump out more convincingly.
“He was loaded with a rug and before he jumped out the rug was taken off, it certainly worked on Thursday.
“He jumped out and looked pretty convincing, hopefully that will be the case when he goes to Haydock.
“It all about your use of energy, it’d be nice if he could get out smoothly and we’d really see what he can do then.”
He added on the jockey situation: “James has always been our first choice since the start of the year, we haven’t discussed it fully but I think he’d be our first port of call – we’ll see what his availability is and go from there.”
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