Russell Westbrook is thrilled to be reuniting with James Harden and P.J. Tucker at the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers are acquiring Harden and Tucker in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Filip Petrusev is also joining the Clippers, with Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum and KJ Martin heading the other way.
Harden, who was in attendance as the Clippers beat the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, had been in a dispute with the 76ers, and missed their opening game of the season – a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks – and their second fixture, a win over the Toronto Raptors.
The 10-time All-Star played alongside both Tucker and Westbrook at the Houston Rockets, and the latter, who refused to confirm the trade before it was made official, could not hide his delight.
"Right now, James and P.J. are off-limits. I got nothing for you until it's official," Westbrook smiled, as per ESPN.
Asked if he was happy, Westbrook said: "Yeah. I mean, s***, why wouldn't I be?
"Yeah, excuse my language, but definitely, definitely happy."
As for the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey is set to inherit the point forward role Harden occupied in the roster.
"I think our group has been prepared," Maxey said. "I think we've done a good job of keeping the main thing the main thing, and I think that's what's gotten us all to a solid start.
"We have some really good guys that are focused, that are determined to go out there and play and show what we can do, and [a] coach that's keeping our mind in the right place."
Maxey also had a special word of thanks for his former teammate.
"I texted him and I told him I love him, told him I appreciate him," Maxey added of Harden. "One thing that he really installed in me is confidence. I've always been a confident person, but he made me be even more confident than I already was, and all I can do is appreciate him for that.
"He took me under his wing, taught me a lot of things as far as just being a professional in this league and how things go. So I appreciate him and I love him. Same thing with Tuck. Love those guys."
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse, meanwhile, seems ready to move on from the Harden drama.
"I got to get ready for Thursday, and I got to coach the guys we got," he told reporters.
"I really like where we are right now. I mean, there's so much I'm learning about this group. I think there's so much improvement we have to make in a lot of ways, and I'll let Daryl and [76ers general manager Elton Brand] and the boys worry about all that stuff, and I'll coach the guys here on a daily basis."
Al Dancer is unlikely to defend his Boylesports Grand Sefton title at Aintree later this month, with Sam Thomas instead eyeing up a shot at the Trustatrader Peterborough Chase.
Having outbattled Gesskille to claim the Grand Sefton last season, he again showed his liking for the Merseyside venue when a staying-on third off a career-high mark in the Old Roan Chase – a race in which all the fences up the home straight were omitted.
The in-form 10-year-old, who kicked off his season with a commanding win at Chepstow, is as short as 7-1 in places to go back-to-back in the season’s first race over the National fences on November 11.
However, his handler believes the contest may come to soon for the thriving grey and is keen to wait an extra month for Grade Two action at Huntingdon on December 10.
“I was absolutely delighted with him and he put in another very solid run in what was a very competitive race I thought,” said Thomas.
“I don’t actually know if it helped or hindered him having the fences taken out, but it was just lovely to see him staying on again and run a really nice race off a career-high mark. We were absolutely thrilled.
“I think realistically the Grand Sefton will come a bit too soon. The reasoning behind going for the Old Roan was we felt he was in the form of his life and it is a very prestigious Grade Two race. We took our chance there and I would say it is fairly unlikely we will go to Aintree again now.
“Potentially the Peterborough maybe, going the other way round, will suit him. He does jump out a bit to his right and lugs a bit right so that would certainly help him. I think that might be on the calendar, providing he’s in good shape to go there.”
Thomas has made a blistering start to the winter with his string and another of his Chepstow scorers, Stolen Silver, is set to bypass another crack at Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Gold Cup in favour of remaining at three miles and a shot at Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup on December 2.
“We chucked him in the Paddy Power in case it was going to go absolutely bottomless there, but realistically the plan is to go to the Coral Gold Cup,” added Thomas.
“I think he certainly enjoyed himself over that trip and has a bit more to offer maybe. It certainly opens a few more doors for us and the fact he was a lot more settled in his race gives us a few more options really.
“You are dictated to what trip you can run a horse over by how they sort of conduct themselves in a race, but now he’s settling I think we have to step him up.”
Fugitif is on course to reappear in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 18.
The Richard Hobson-trained eight-year-old improved markedly last season, beginning the campaign rated 131 and ending it with a mark of 153.
Having finished second at Cheltenham both on Trials Day and at the Festival in March, Hobson has no concerns over the course or distance, and is just hoping Fugitif gets his favoured soft ground.
“We’re all on course for the Paddy Power,” said Hobson. “We know he likes the course and distance and if he gets his ground he could be very dangerous.
“He wasn’t right at the end of the season when he ran at Aintree so we can safely put a line through that run, but prior to that he’d been very progressive.
“He’s 17:2hh so with another summer on his back you can only imagine how much he has strengthened up.
“He does need a cut in the ground, you saw last year at Chepstow when he won it was very soft that day and he loved it, he never came off the bridle.
“I think the middle distance at Cheltenham is right up his street myself, but I did put him in the King George because if he wins the Paddy Power it’s a flat three miles and on his pedigree who should get it. It’s only an early entry, though.”
Algiers will miss the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile due to a minor foot issue.
The Dubai World Cup runner-up was one of the leading fancies for his selected race, and was second favourite behind last year’s winner Cody’s Wish.
However, it emerged overnight that Algiers had been scratched and a post on trainers Simon and Ed Crisford’s Gainsborough Thoroughbreds social media account confirmed the news.
It read: “Unfortunately Algiers won’t be able to run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He is going to have to miss a few days training due to a minor foot issue. He will now be prepared for a winter in Dubai.”
The three-year-old Practical Move, another leading fancy for the race, died of a suspected heart attack on Tuesday when returning from exercise on the Santa Anita track.
David Menuisier can head into the winter dreaming of big-race glory in 2024 thanks to the recent exploits of some of his star two-year-olds.
By his own admission the Frenchman has endured a tough campaign, with winners hard to find throughout the height of the Flat season.
However, some of the younger members of Menuisier’s Coombelands string, such as Sunway and Devil’s Point, have come to the fore at the backend of the campaign as the handler finishes the 2023 turf season on a real high.
Menuisier said: “It’s great and we’ve had a bit of a tough time with the older horses, especially the three-year-olds throughout the season, so it’s nice that the two-year-olds have kind of saved the year for us and especially in such a fashion.
“We knew we had a nice bunch but it’s hard to predict, even six weeks ago, that they are as good as they actually are.”
After Sunway provided Menuisier with just his fourth Group One triumph when landing the Criterium International, the handler returned to his homeland to plunder more big-race glory just five days later when crack two-year-old fillies War Chimes and Tamfana won the Prix Isonomy and Prix Miesque respectively.
A day later Devil’s Point capped a fine week for the trainer when finishing a brave second to Ancient Wisdom in Doncaster’s Futurity Stakes, a performance which thrilled Menuisier.
“In all honesty the French race worked out really well – the Thomas Bryon that he ran in as a prep,” explained Menuisier.
“That race wasn’t really run to suit and the ground was not quite as soft as it should be for him to show his true potential, so we felt we would find a bit more improvement in the Futurity and he did.
“It was very satisfactory and he was just beaten by a better horse on the day. There is not much more you can say, it was absolutely fantastic.”
Menuisier is yet to taste Classic success but he appears to have plenty of ammunition tucked away at his West Sussex base for 2024 and can now savour the prospect of aiming his high-class youngsters at some of racing’s biggest races when they return to the track next season.
“We’ve had a tough season so I think it is important until Christmas to stay on a bit of a cloud and then from January onwards we can start working out plans for all of them,” he said.
“It is hard to tell how much more improvement they are going to find but War Chimes looks like a lovely middle-distance stayer and Tamfana could be literally anything. She has won over seven furlongs and she won her maiden over a mile. She’s got speed and should stay a bit and is very exciting.
“Obviously the two colts, Sunway and Devil’s Point, are ones for the Classics as well and we have some other horses that we won with and put away like Goodwood Odyssey and Ashariba and a few more that have run only once or not at all that will come to hand next season.
“It is exciting and we don’t want to get too excited too soon, but it is time to reflect and enjoy now and hopefully things go according to plan and we can get excited again next spring. I’m looking forward to it.”
Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago came away with medals following the completion of the 100m finals at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Tuesday.
Guyana, known for its gold and diamond deposits, added a bit of silver and bronze in the respective finals after Jasmine Abrams ran 11.52 to win the silver medal in the women’s 100m finals. She was runner-up to Yunisleidy De La Caridad Garcia, who ran 11.36 in a dominant victory.
Trinidad and Tobago’s veteran sprinter Michelle Lee Ahye was a close third in 11.53 to claim the bronze medal.
Meanwhile, the ever-improving Emmanuel Archibald won a second medal for Guyana when he finished third in the men’s 100m final. Archibald clocked 10.31 while finishing behind Jose Gonzales of the Dominican Republic, who claimed gold in a blanket finish having crossed the line in 10.30.
Brazil’s Felipe Bardi was awarded the silver medal in 10.31.
Tiger Woods has yet to reveal when he plans to return to action following ankle surgery, but he will still be the centre of attention at the World Wide Technology Championship.
Woods has been on site at El Cardonal in Mexico ahead of this week’s PGA Tour event, the first to be staged on a course designed by the 15-time major winner.
And world number 66 Keith Mitchell is among the players keen to judge if Woods is as talented with a pencil and paper as he is with a golf club.
“We all know we can judge him on his golf, one of the best, if not the best ever, to play golf,” Mitchell said. “So we’re going to see if his golf course architecture can hold up as well.
“The back nine I played today, there’s a lot of options. I know Tiger likes options.
“It gives you a lot to think about going into greens, whether you want to use the slope or go straight at the hole, whether you want to play conservative and have an easy up and down or try to push it to the back of a green or to a tough flag and try to make birdie.
“A couple of par fives, the back of the greens are serious trouble.
“If you have a good number you can maybe hit it to the back flag and get a chance for eagle, but if not you’ve got to play conservative and try to get up and down from the front of the green, so it adds a lot of risk-reward.”
Maverick McNealy, who will contest his first event since June due to a shoulder injury, added: “My first impression is that it’s not very tight off the tee, it’s very wide, but if you miss it’s a severe penalty.
“You don’t need to murder the ball. Playing it 290 (yards) off the tee, 300 off the tee is going to be just fine. And then you really have to think about where you leave the ball into the greens. There’s one side that’s obviously not OK.
“You kind of see a lot of parallels between the way Tiger plays golf and the way he designed this golf course.
“You have to think about it, play smart. Quintessential second-shot golf course and no short-siding.”
The Betfair Chase and Coral Gold Cup are the two options under consideration for Corach Rambler following the Grand National hero’s disappointing reappearance at Kelso on Saturday.
Lucinda Russell’s dual Cheltenham Festival and Aintree victor made his eagerly-anticipated return in the Edinburgh Gin Chase in the Scottish borders but was in trouble before the home turn and trailed home last of five finishers.
Russell had intimated beforehand that a step up to Grade One level in the Betfair Chase next month could be on the cards – and while his performance was clearly below expectations, a trip to Merseyside will remain under consideration if the ground is suitable.
Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore, also Corach Rambler’s regular work rider, confirmed Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup the following weekend as a possible alternative, however.
He said: “Corach seems fine, as happy as anything.
“I wouldn’t run him on ground as soft as that again. We’ve been talking about it and he’ll go to the Betfair Chase if the ground is not too soft, or he’ll go to Newbury for the Coral Gold Cup.
“I think he just needed the run and the ground didn’t suit him at Kelso, a bit of both.”
Nottingham Panthers will hold a gathering on Saturday night following the death of their player Adam Johnson last weekend.
The 29-year-old American was playing for the Panthers in a Challenge Cup match at rivals Sheffield Steelers last Saturday when he was reportedly hit in the throat by an opponent’s skate, causing a fatal injury.
South Yorkshire Police have since conducted inquiries at the arena, studied footage of the collision and spoken to experts, aided by Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team.
The Panthers, who in confirming Johnson’s death referred to the incident as a “freak accident”, have invited fans of all clubs to attend Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to celebrate the former NHL player on November 4.
A statement from the Panthers on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “The Nottingham Panthers will come together on Saturday evening to remember Adam Johnson.
“Supporters of all clubs and the general public are invited to attend the Motorpoint Arena from 5:30pm to pay tribute to our #47.
“The arena bowl will be open and people will be invited onto the ice, which will be carpeted, to sign books of condolence.”
The Panthers have also announced the creation of an official fundraising page to raise money for the ‘Love for Hibbing and Hockey Memorial Fund’ – established in Johnson’s memory.
The Panthers added: “The purpose of this fund is to support local charitable activities in Adam’s hometown area of Hibbing, Minnesota, as selected by the Johnson family.”
On Monday evening, the Elite League confirmed all games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday would be postponed.
Following consultation with the eight teams and their players, a consensus was for games to resume at the weekend when “appropriate and fitting tributes” to Johnson will take place.
Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers, though, will not be involved in any games over the next round of fixtures.
Rookie Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs recorded a comeback victory against the Phoenix Suns after taking the lead with just one second remaining.
After being down 18 points at half-time, the Spurs rallied back in the second half and with just six seconds left, Wembanyama, who had 18 points, cut the Suns lead to just one point with a put-back dunk.
Durant was then given the ball and became surrounded by three Spurs players, with his team rejecting to call the time out.
He then had the ball stolen by Keldon Johnson who scored the winning basket with just 1.2 seconds left on the clock, which was the first time the Spurs led during the game.
Johnson finished with a game-high 27 points, while Durant, who became the 12th player in NBA history to score 27,000 points, had 26 points in the 115-114 loss.
The New York Knicks put together their best defensive effort of the season as they kept the Cleveland Cavaliers to just 91 points in an 18-point win.
New York took the lead in the first quarter and did not let it go for the game’s duration.
The Knicks boasted a shared scoresheet, with four players scoring more than 15 points and forward Julius Randle landing a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cavaliers fell to their third loss of the season despite shooting guard Donovan Mitchell scoring 26 points. Isaac Okoro was the only other player who scored more than 10.
Meanwhile, Paul George starred for the Los Angeles Clippers in their 118-102 win over the Orlando Magic with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The Clippers were slow out of the blocks with only 13 points in the first quarter but their talent across the board was too much for the youthful Magic.
Simone Biles defied a kidney stone to become the first female gymnast to win four all-around world titles, on this day in 2018.
Such was the American’s dominance of her sport, she could afford a series of uncharacteristic mistakes in Doha without feeling unduly threatened by her rivals, with Japan’s Mai Murakami taking silver more than one and a half points behind.
Victory gave Biles her 12th world gold medal and her second of the championships. She went on to collect six in total – four golds, one silver and one bronze.
However, after claiming the all-around title, she insisted: “I’m definitely more upset with myself than happy. It’s not who I am go out and bomb a meet like that.
“Even though I still won, I wish it had been something different. It kind of sucks that I did so bad and still won. You have to earn it and I don’t think I earned it tonight.”
Biles’ success was all the more remarkable given her admission to hospital the night before the qualifying round, but she refused to use her continuing discomfort as any kind of excuse.
View this post on Instagram
“If it had been a challenge for me, I wouldn’t have competed at all, rather than blame it on the kidney stone,” Biles added.
“I think finals will definitely cheer me up because I get to redeem myself and show people who I really am.”
Biles took a two-year break from competition following the Tokyo Olympics, during which time she announced she would be working on her mental health and also gave evidence to Congress over the abuse she suffered at the hands of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar.
The Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler on Tuesday night, the team announced.
“After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave,” owner Mark Davis said in a statement. “I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders plan to name linebackers coach Antonio Pierce as their interim head coach.
The Raiders dropped to 3-5 with Monday night’s 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions and are tied for last place in the AFC West.
McDaniels was in his second season as coach of the Raiders after signing a six-year contract in January 2022. He concluded his Raiders tenure with a 9-16 record and no playoff appearances.
Ziegler also joined the Raiders in 2022 when he replaced Mike Mayock.
pic.twitter.com/8P5s2sKxwl
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 1, 2023Keldon Johnson scored on a contested layup after a steal with 1.2 seconds remaining to give the Spurs their only lead of the game and San Antonio rallied for a stunning 115-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
The Suns led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter, but the Spurs closed to within 114-113 after Victor Wembanyama scored four straight points.
Johnson then stole the ball from Kevin Durant and put in a layup to put San Antonio on top.
Durant missed a fadeaway as the buzzer sounded to give the Spurs their first win against the Suns in the past 10 meetings.
Johnson finished with 27 points and Devin Vassell and Wembanyama each added 18 for San Antonio, which outscored Phoenix 33-19 in the fourth quarter.
Durant scored 26 points and Eric Gordon had 20 for a Phoenix team that was again without the injured starting backcourt of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Knicks handle undermanned Cavaliers
The New York Knicks got 19 points and 10 rebounds from Julius Randle and never trailed over the final three quarters in a 109-91 win over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jalen Brunson scored 19 points and Immanuel Quickley added 18 off the bench to help the Knicks win the first half of a home-and-home series.
Donovan Mitchell had 26 points in 29 minutes for the Cavaliers, who lost their third straight and fell to 0-3 at home.
Cleveland was without point guard Darius Garland (left hamstring strain), center Jarrett Allen (left ankle bone bruise), top reserve Caris LeVert (left hamstring soreness) and backup guard Ty Jerome (right ankle sprain).
The Texas Rangers are just one win away from their first World Series crown after a dominant 11-7 game four win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Marcus Semien hit a two-run triple and a three-run home run for the Rangers, who opened a 10-0 lead after just three innings.
The Rangers now lead the Diamondbacks 3-1 in the seven-game series having stretched their unbeaten away record in the postseason to 10 games.
They became the first team in World Series history to have consecutive five-run innings with all-star pairing Corey Seager and Semien continuing their hot form, both players batting in six runs apiece during the series.
Saeger hit his third two-run home run of the series while Jonah Heim got in on the action in the eighth inning with a home run to stretch the lead further.
After scoring one run in the fourth, the Diamondbacks fought back with six more across the final two innings, but the gap was too big to bridge.
Arizona’s second baseman Ketal Marte recorded two more hits, sending his record postseason hitting streak to 20 games.
Texas can clinch their first MLB crown on Wednesday night in Arizona, but they will have to do it without veteran pitcher Max Scherzer and star outfielder Adolis Garcia who were injured in game three.
The last team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series were the Chicago Cubs in 2016, but 42 of the last 49 teams up 3-1 have gone on to win.
Jessica Pegula produced an impressive display in the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, as she beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
Pegula broke her losing streak against the Belarusian having lost their last five meetings and the American has now won her last five games against top 10 players.
Sabalenka made 33 unforced errors, but it still took Pegula seven match points before clinching a 6-4 6-3 win and a place in the semi-finals.
After the match, Pegula said her improvement comes from feeling “more comfortable” playing top players this year.
Sabalenka will now play Elena Rybakina on Thursday night to determine the second qualifier from the group after Rybakina defeated Maria Sakkari 6-0 6-7 (4) 7-6 (2).
Rybakina started with a fury with a dominant first set but Sakkari fought her way back, winning the second set in a tiebreak.
Sakkari had two break point chances in the final set at 4-4, but Rybakina fought back and finished the tiebreak in a dominant fashion, skipping out to a 6-0 lead.
A number of players, including Sabalenka, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and Iga Swiatek criticised the conditions of the courts in Cancun.
For the third year in a row, the host of the prestigious tournament – which features the top eight players of the season – was decided less than two months prior to the event.
Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer and drove in five runs as the Texas Rangers moved within one win of their first World Series title on Tuesday with an 11-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Corey Seager added a two-run home run and the Rangers won their 10th straight postseason road game, extending their MLB record.
Texas scored five runs in the second and third innings, becoming the first team in World Series history with consecutive five-run innings.
Texas can wrap up the World Series in Game 3 on Wednesday.
Only seven of the last 49 teams to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series failed to win. The most recent team to overcome a 3-1 deficit was the Chicago Cubs against Cleveland in 2016.
Seager’s third two-run homer of the Series capped the five-run second and Semien’s blast punctuated the third.
The Rangers learned before the game that slugger Adolis Garcia and pitcher Max Scherzer will miss the rest of the World Series.
Garcia, the ALCS MVP, has a moderate strain of his left oblique and Scherzer, who was in line to pitch a possible Game 7, has a muscle spasm on the right side of his back.
Garcia hit .323 with eight homers and a major league-record 22 RBIs in these playoffs.
Travis Jankowski took Garcia’s spot in right field and had two hits and two RBIs in his first Series at-bats.
The Diamondbacks were held in check by Andrew Heaney and the Rangers’ bullpen before scoring four runs in the eighth, three on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s home run off Chris Stratton.
Heaney allowed one run and four hits in five innings.
Gabriel Moreno added a two-run single in the ninth to draw Arizona closer, but Jose Leclerc retired Christian Walker for the final out.
Arizona’s Ketel Marte extended his postseason-record hitting streak to 20 games with a first-inning single.
The day-two leaders in the four categories of the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship are from four different countries, making it truly an international tournament. The open is being played at the Tryall Golf Club which is just a short distance from the Grand Palladium Hotel in Hanover, the official hotel and sponsor of the championship.
American pro golfer Andrew Arft maintained his leading position after scoring an even par 72 for a two-day score of six under par 138. His lead was however cut to two from six on the first day by countryman Ryan Sullivan, who posted the lowest score on the second day.
Sullivan scored a six under par 66 for a combined score of 140.
Jamaica's Oshae Haye took over the lead for the amateur section from Sean Morris. His two-day total of 157 came on the back of 75 and 82, on day one and two respectively. Morris was four strokes back on 153.
Trinidad and Tobago's Chris Richards took his day one lead into day two, for a combined total of 146, after posting two under par 70 on the first day, and four over par 76 on the second day, in the Senior Professional category. Canada's Kent Fukushima was in second place on 152.
The final section, for Senior Amateurs showed Canada's Robert Sterling in the lead. His two-day total of 161 came on the back of 12 over par 84 on day one and five over par 77 on day two. Jamaica's Dr. Mark Newnham was in second place on 164 (88 and 76).
The last group of the day all birdied hole number 18 to the delight of the gallery who appreciated the display. The group members were Andrew Arft, Josh Anderson and Chris Richards.
World number two Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the Paris Masters at the first hurdle.
The Spaniard had designs on ending his year on the regular tour with victory in the French capital but they were quickly extinguished by world number 45 Roman Safiullin.
The Russian, who came through qualifying, posted a career-best victory, winning 6-3 6-4 in under two hours.
Footage of Alcaraz giving rival Novak Djokovic the run around in practice had gone viral in the last couple of days, but there will be no meeting between the two heavyweights on the main show court in the final Masters event of the season.
A routine night for Alcaraz looked on the cards when he broke Safiullin in just the third game of the night, but he was immediately broken back and the Russian then went on to take control, breaking again at 4-3 and then serving the first set out.
Alcaraz made another early move in the second set leading 3-1, but Safiullin again responded and won five of the next six games to cause a big shock by the Seine.
He said on Amazon Prime Video: “It was tough, since qualies I was not playing at this level but against Carlos you have to lift up the level.
“Carlos’ was not the best performance but I’m still happy I could win because he is number two in the world, former world number one and has two grand slams, it is tough to beat him even if he is not in the best shape.
“Everything against these guys, tactical, physical, mental is very important, to set focused form the beginning.”
Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Bravemansgame will be aimed at Saturday’s bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, rather than waiting for Haydock’s Betfair Chase on November 25.
The eight-year-old gave Nicholls his fifth success in the West Yorkshire feature 12 months ago at the start of a successful second season over fences.
He went on to claim King George glory at Kempton before finishing second to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Nicholls also has Aintree Grade One winner Pic D’Orhy among eight entries for the Charlie Hall, but the plan is to now keep him back for Ascot towards the end of November.
The Ditcheat handler posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “After this evening discussing the weekend with Bryan Drew and Johhny de la Hay and with the prospect of soft ground and an uncertain forecast up to @haydockraces in 3 weeks we have decided to run Bravemansgame saturday @WetherbyRaces and leave Pic D’Orhy for @Ascot on 25th.”
Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor disappointed as a hot favourite for last year’s renewal, trailing home last of five runners behind Bravemansgame, but is on course for a rematch.
The eight-year-old showed his true colours in the second half of the season – winning the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January before rounding off his campaign with a runner-up finish behind Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl.
Ahoy Senor is entered in both the Charlie Hall and the bet365 Hurdle this weekend, but Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore said: “I’m almost certain that Ahoy Senor will go for the chase. He seems OK, we’re happy enough with him.”
Dashel Drasher also holds a Charlie Hall engagement, but his trainer Jeremy Scott is leaning towards running over the smaller obstacles at this stage.
He said: “We’ve just been discussing it; are we better over fences or over hurdles? It’s an interesting question really.
“I think we’ll bide our time and see what everybody else is doing and try to work it out, but I think in principle the most likely race, I would imagine, would be the hurdle.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
