An all-star team led by Ryan Moore, who was last week crowned Longines World’s Best Jockey for the fourth year in a row, won the Markel Jockeys Jumping in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund on Monday evening.
The event is held at the London International Horse Show, formerly known as Olympia, and sees two teams of jockeys take on a course of show jumps against the clock with the fastest collective time winning.
Moore’s team, consisting of Tom Scudamore, Joanna Mason, Sam Twiston-Davies and Harry Skelton – son of Olympic gold medallist, Nick – completed the course in a cumulative time of 124.28 seconds.
Moore’s rivals were led by 20-time champion National Hunt jockey Sir Anthony McCoy and also featured former champion Flat jockey Jim Crowley, Harry Cobden, Lilly Pinchin and Kielan Woods.
Two equestrian champions provided their invaluable expertise as team coaches in Pippa Funnell and Nick Skelton – both Olympians – and it was a tightly-contested battle with just eight seconds between the two teams.
The contest benefits the IJF, which has been established for 60 years and provides much needed help to injured jockeys and their families.
While his team mates and rivals were aboard experienced showjumpers, Scudamore partnered a horse more familiar to him in the former steeplechaser Kingswell Theatre.
Trained by the rider’s brother, Michael, Kingswell Theatre won seven races and enjoyed the finest moments of his career around the cross-country course at Cheltenham.
In 2017 he won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at the track’s November meeting and in 2020 he returned to the same contest to score by five lengths.
Now 14, the gelding has been retired from racing since 2021 and turned his hoof successfully to a new discipline when jumping a clear round under the lights at the ExCeL arena – a challenging atmosphere for any horse.
“He was absolutely fantastic, it was a privilege to be asked and it’s an event everyone very much enjoys,” said Scudamore.
“It was great to do it on Kingswell Theatre, he’s been such a legend in our family and he certainly didn’t let anyone down.
“It was a big ask of him because though he’s done lots of different things, he hasn’t done much showjumping. He wouldn’t have done nearly as much as the other horses because they were all proper showjumpers.
“To go and do what he did just shows you what a wonderful individual he is, he is pretty unique.
“The atmosphere was the one thing I was worried about but he loved it, whenever there’s people clapping he thinks it’s for him and he loves the attention.”
The work of the IJF has been in the spotlight in recent weeks since the serious spinal injury suffered by Grand National and Group One-winning jockey Graham Lee at Newcastle in November.
Scudamore added: “It is a special event every year, but this time it really resonated as we’re all thinking of Graham Lee and his family. It’s been a sobering few weeks for everyone involved in the sport, so it feels more important than ever to support the IJF.”
Bryony Frost will be on the sidelines for a couple of days following a fall while schooling on Monday.
Frost, who has been in a rich vein of form in recent weeks, hopes to be back in action at Ascot on Friday and then again on Saturday when she is due to ride the Paul Nicholls-trained Red Risk in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle.
She had been due to ride at Fakenham on Tuesday and Newbury on Wednesday, but has sat those out in an attempt to ensure she is fit for the weekend and, further ahead, the ride on Frodon in the King George on Boxing Day.
Her agent Iain Turner said: “She’s had a spill while schooling and we’re planning on her being back at the weekend.
“It’s one of those – with Boxing Day coming up it’s just a case of not taking any risks, which is frustrating as she had some nice chances at Fakenham.
“She’s been on a good run since her injury, and of course she was just touched off in the December Gold Cup on Il Ridoto on Saturday so this has just halted everything.
“As far as I know everything is set for her being back at Ascot on Friday, then she’s got Red Risk in the Long Walk and Frodon on Boxing Day to look forward to.”
Marie’s Rock is being readied for a defence of her Relkeel Hurdle crown on New Year’s Day after connections decided against a tilt at Saturday’s Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Nicky Henderson’s dual Grade One winner proved much too strong for Dashel Drasher in the Relkeel at Cheltenham last season, prompting the Middleham Park Racing team to seriously consider stepping up to three miles in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival in March.
Ultimately, though, she was kept against her own sex in a bid to secure back-to-back victories in the Mares’ Hurdle, but failed to fire as retiring superstar Honeysuckle stole the show.
Having subsequently run with credit over the extended distance at Aintree in the spring, optimism was high when she tackled three miles again in last month’s Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, but Marie’s Rock could finish only fourth behind her old rival Dashel Drasher, prompting a change of direction.
“She was a bit too free and fresh at Newbury to get an accurate reading on whether she stayed the three miles and we’ve decided to go back to what we know for her next start,” said Middleham Park’s National Hunt racing manager Tom Palin.
“I was probably a bit too bullish for my own good before Newbury, but horses to have a tendency to make you look silly at times! She was certainly the liveliest I’ve seen her in recent memory in the parade ring beforehand and Nico (de Boinville) felt the damage was done before the tapes even went up.
“We’ll go back to two and a half on soft ground at Cheltenham, which we know she loves, burn some more freshness off her and get her really fit before going back up to three miles, either in the Cleeve Hurdle back at Cheltenham on Trials day or there’s a Grade Two mares’ race at Ascot on January 20.”
Palin is fully aware the Relkeel Hurdle will be no penalty kick for Marie’s Rock, with Henry de Bromhead’s resurgent Irish star Bob Olinger among her potential rivals.
He added: “It’s not a bad race the Relkeel, by the way – it’s not a case of we’re dodging the Long Walk and ‘only’ going for the Relkeel. It was a very competitive race last year and it looks like it’s going to be at least as strong this time around.
“Unless it’s very obvious in the Relkeel that she doesn’t want any further, we’re keen to give her another go over three miles afterwards as that will tell us whether we aim for the Mares’ Hurdle again at the Festival or have another look at the Stayers’ Hurdle.
“She is a mare at the end of the day, so let’s see if we can get some more wins into her, starting off in a race where we know everything should be right for her.”
Mouse Morris has been forced to rule Gentlemansgame out of his Christmas objective in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown due to a minor foot injury.
The grey burst on the three-mile chase scene when beating last year’s King George winner Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.
Morris had been preparing the lightly-raced seven-year-old for the Leopardstown highlight ever since, but the Robcour-owned gelding will now wait for either the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham or the Dublin Racing Festival.
“He’s just got a small issue with a foot, it’s nothing I’m concerned about but it’s the the timing of it that is a pain,” said Morris.
“It’s not serious, it’s just a total pain, so we’ll look at Cheltenham now or the Dublin Racing Festival, something like that.
“Unfortunately it’s been the case with him he’s had niggly issue that have kept him off the track but at least this is not one of his old problems, it’s just one of them things.”
Morris also had news of French Dynamite, third to Classic Getaway at Thurles last month.
“He came out of Thurles well, but he’s very hard to place now,” said Morris.
“I think I’m considering trying to get him qualified for the National so he needs to be placed over three miles, that might be what we do. We’ll jiggle him around a bit.”
Anthony Davis does not believe the Los Angeles Lakers are suffering a "championship hangover" since their NBA Cup success despite another defeat against the New York Knicks.
A big night from LeBron James, who had 25 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a triple-double for the Lakers, was backed up by 32 points and 14 rebounds from Davis at Crypto.com Arena.
But New York's Jalen Brunson scored 29 points, Julius Randle had 27 points and 14 rebounds, and Immanuel Quickley added 20 points as the Knicks prevailed 114-109 on Monday, improving to 15-11.
It was the Lakers' third loss in four games since winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
The team unveiled their championship banner for the NBA Cup success ahead of the game and Davis is not overly concerned about their post-tournament slump.
"I mean, we are not losing by 20," Davis said. "We are in every game, we are fighting, competing, playing hard.
"I don't think it's a championship hangover. I don't think that it's one of those.
"We go in and have a battle against Dallas. Win against San Antonio. And then obviously let one slip away again against them.
"And then a fight tonight. I don't think it’s one of those things where we are hungover from the in-season tournament.
"It's tough, because for the whole month of December, we've basically been on the road.
"There's nothing we can really do about it. It's the schedule. We've just got to take care of our bodies and get some guys back, hopefully in the next couple of games. But it's definitely a mental challenge."
LeBron, meanwhile, felt the tournament may have been one of many factors in a difficult spell, pointing out the runner-up Indiana Pacers are 1-4 since losing to the Lakers in the championship game.
He said: "It could be a little bit of everything, I don't know. Have you seen Indiana's record since Vegas?
"I feel like our energy was up and down throughout the course of the game.
"We've been feeling it, definitely. Even through that, we still competed and gave ourselves a chance, but it's a tough one for us."
James enjoyed seeing the banner unveiled and still has fond memories of the tournament, for which he was named the MVP.
He added: "I think it's awesome. To be able to acknowledge wins throughout the course of a marathon, that's pretty cool.
"That's the first, the inauguration of it. We were able to win it. So, for our fans that didn't get an opportunity to be in Vegas, they got an opportunity to kind of share that celebration with us, share that moment, something that will live on forever for sure here. So, it was a good moment."
Coach Darvin Ham was happy to reflect on the NBA Cup success, with the Lakers (15-12) now preparing for a three-game road trip that starts against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
"It's great for the organization," he said.
"Obviously, [the tournament is] something that's going to be around. It's only going to get bigger and better.
"I think it's really, really cool that we're doing that. Especially being the first to win the inaugural in-season tourney.
"It's been a great shot in the arm in terms of us rising to the occasion from a competitive standpoint and it furthermore creates and sustains a foundation that we're trying to set in terms of getting through the regular season and then, ultimately, into the playoffs.
"I think it's huge. The intensity in which everyone played. You could feel it. It's great.
"Anytime you can get highly competitive basketball with the best athletes in the world, I think it's great for the fans, great for the organizations and ultimately great for the NBA.
"Now we have just got to push through this time. It's normally like that in December and January. So, we will be fine, we will watch it on film as we prepare to also get ready for this three-game trip."
Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference and also faces Minnesota and Oklahoma City this week after their game in Chicago.
LeBron added: "We want to finish out December the right way. Obviously, it's been a killer for us with the travel and games and things of that nature. There is no rest for the weary.
"We just got to mentally stay locked in and get ready for Chicago first."
Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos is likely to be seen once more before taking aim at a Cheltenham return for the Festival in March.
Last season the mare made her mark when winning three bumpers in good style, including a defeat of the useful Queens Gamble at Market Rasen and then a wide-margin success in a Grade Two event at the Grand National meeting.
Her hurdling career has been equally successful so far, with the five-year-old taking her debut over obstacles by seven and a half lengths at Huntingdon in November.
She then lined up at Cheltenham on Friday in what has historically been a good race, previously won by the likes of Datsalrightgino, Chantry House and Elixir De Nutz.
Under Paddy Brennan she was the 5-6 favourite and cantered home a comfortable victor, with the runner-up beaten two and three-quarter lengths and the third over 13 lengths away.
A return to Cheltenham for the showpiece meeting is the ultimate aim, with O’Brien hoping to find another suitable outing for the mare before then.
“She’s very well and we’re really pleased with her. She did it well at Cheltenham, I’m not much into timing but people say she did it very fast,” he said.
“You need a fast one and her last furlongs were fairly fast, so fingers crossed that bodes well.
“You couldn’t fault her, she did everything we wanted her to do and took the whole thing in really well.
“Cheltenham is different to anywhere else, I know it’s not March and there’ll be twice as many people there, or three times as many, but it’s still great to get her there.
“When, hopefully, she goes back there in March, she’ll be in familiar surroundings having been there before.
“There was plenty of depth in there, it was a nice race to go for and it ticked a lot of boxes for us.”
O’Brien will now scour the calendar for the mare’s next outing, with early February considered the ideal time for her final run before the highlight of the National Hunt season.
“The obvious one is Doncaster in January, but Paddy (Brennan) feels that might be too soon, we’d probably be happier with the first week in February,” he said.
“It’s just trying to find somewhere where she hasn’t got a load of weight, we’ll give it a go and try to find something.”
Whilst Dysart Enos made a success of the meeting, the O’Brien team did suffer some disappointment when Bonttay unseated Brennan in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
The mare has been incredibly consistent for connections having never finished out of the top two coming into the race, and on the turn for home she looked poised to add to her record as she approached the penultimate hurdle on the bridle.
A third Cheltenham success was not to be, however, as the six-year-old misjudged the obstacle and pecked heavily on landing before parting ways with her rider.
Thankfully both horse and rider were unharmed and O’Brien hopes to find another day for the mare to shine.
“It was a long way out so it’s a bit difficult to know whether she’d have won or not, but she’s come out of it fine,” he said.
“She had a little scratch on her hind leg but other than that she’s OK, she’ll be fine for another day.”
James Harden scored a season-high 35 points to lead the scorching Los Angeles Clippers to an eighth consecutive win with Monday's 151-127 blowout of the Indiana Pacers.
Kawhi Leonard added 28 points and Paul George had 27 as the Clippers' two other stars also had big nights to keep the league's hottest team rolling. Harden chipped in nine assists as well, while Ivica Zubac compiled an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double.
The Clippers took control with a 10-0 second-quarter run that gave them a 67-57 lead with under 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half, then headed into the break with a 77-66 advantage.
Los Angeles then outscored the Pacers by a 37-28 margin in the third quarter to stretch the margin further, and Harden ended any hopes of an Indiana comeback by putting up 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting in the fourth.
The Pacers lost their fourth straight game despite a career-high 34 points from Bennedict Mathurin. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana's leading scorer for the season, dished out 11 assists but was held to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Nuggets blow out Mavericks in clash of West contenders
Jamal Murray scored 22 points, Aaron Gordon tied a season high with 21, and the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 130-104 win over the short-handed Dallas Mavericks in a showdown between two of the Western Conference's top teams.
The defending NBA champion Nuggets shot 56.3 per cent from the field and led from start to finish en route to a fourth victory in five games. Reggie Jackson delivered 20 points off the bench on 9-of-12 shooting, while Gordon finished 7 of 9 and Murray was perfect on four attempts from 3-point range.
Dallas got 38 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists from Luka Dončić, but couldn't overcome the absence of fellow star Kyrie Irving as well as key contributors Josh Green and Dereck Lively and lost for the second time in three games.
Gordon had 16 first-half points as the Nuggets took a 68-59 lead into the break, then extended their advantage to 20 points after a 10-0 run late in the third quarter put the Mavericks at a 94-74 deficit.
Denver then rested its entire starting lineup in the fourth quarter while building a lead as large as 36 points.
Bulls continue surge, snap 76ers' six-game winning streak
Coby White racked up 24 points, eight rebounds and nine assists as the Chicago Bulls continued their recent hot play and cooled off the Philadelphia 76ers with a 108-104 victory.
Chicago has now won six of its last nine games following a 5-14 start despite two-time All-Star Zach LaVine being sidelined by a foot injury. Nikola Vucevic had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who had a 12-point lead after three quarters reduced to one late before holding on.
The 76ers had a six-game winning streak halted despite another huge performance from Joel Embiid, who totalled 40 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Maxey added 29 points and eight assists, but no other Philadelphia player managed more than eight points.
White had 16 first-half points as Chicago took a 55-44 lead into the break. Chicago was up 81-69 entering the fourth quarter before the 76ers rallied late to pull within 105-104 on a Maxey 3-pointer with 33.2 seconds left.
Embiid misfired on two shots afterward, though, and Chicago's DeMar DeRozan sealed the game by making three of four free throws in the final stages.
Sidney Crosby scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and moved further up the NHL's all-time points list in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Monday.
Crosby also assisted on Jake Guentzel's power-play goal in the second period and now has 1,535 career points, two more than former teammate Mark Recchi for 13th in league history.
Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin also had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh, which won for the third time in four games despite blowing an early 3-0 lead. Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the Penguins.
After Pittsburgh's Reilly Smith scored the lone goal of the first period, Guentzel redirected Erik Karlsson's one-timer 36 seconds into the second to give the Penguins a 2-0 advantage before Malkin extended the margin nearly three minutes later.
The WIld responded, however, as Ryan Hartman and Jake Middleton scored 2:24 apart late in the second to cut the deficit to 3-2 before Minnesota tied the game on Vinni Lettieri's tip-in 5:33 into the third.
Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov was sent off for high-sticking just 12 seconds after Lettieri's goal, though, and Crosby converted on the ensuing power play to send the Penguins back ahead.
Filip Gustavsson finished with 26 saves for the Wild, who had a three-game winning streak halted.
Markstrom helps Flames down Panthers in return
Jacob Markstrom made 33 saves in a sharp return from a fractured finger to help the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman both had short-handed goals in the third period to back Markstrom in the goaltender's first appearance since Dec. 2. Martin Pospisil also had a goal as Calgary improved to 2-0-2 over its last four games.
Backlund's goal with the Panthers on a power play snapped a 1-1 tie 3:31 into the third period. Markstrom made 10 saves in the final stanza, which Coleman capped with an empty-net tally with 1:33 remaining to thwart Florida's comeback hopes.
Pospisil put Calgary ahead 8:45 into the opening period before Sam Reinhart's 18th goal of the season, a power-play score, tied the contest 31 seconds before the first intermission.
Anthony Stolarz stopped 22 of 24 shots in the Panthers' third loss in four games.
Duchene sparks Stars' overtime win over Kraken
Matt Duchene scored twice before assisting on Thomas Harley's goal 2:16 into overtime that lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken.
The Stars stretched their point streak to four games (3-0-1) behind Duchene's big night and a 35-save performance from Scott Wedgewood filling in for regular goaltender Jake Oettinger, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury he sustained Friday against the Ottawa Senators.
Wedgewood did allow Eeli Tolvanen's goal with 21.8 seconds left in regulation that enabled the Kraken to also extend their point streak to four games (2-0-2).
Dallas built a 2-0 lead after one period on goals by Duchene and Jason Robertson, but Seattle's Tomas Tatar scored just 32 seconds into the second. Duchene struck again later in the period, though Matty Beniers scored off a Jordan Eberle feed with 6:12 left in the second to bring the Kraken within 3-2.
Beniers and Tatar also added assists for Seattle, which received 24 saves from Joey Daccord.
A late touchdown from the arm of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock sealed his side’s three-point victory over the Philadelphia Eagles with less than 30 seconds left in the contest.
Lock threw for 208 yards throughout the match, including the match-winning 29-yard touchdown to rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scored two touchdowns in his team’s 20-17 loss.
The Eagles were first to score with Hurts running into the end zone from three yards in the first quarter to give the away side an early lead.
Both teams scored field goals in the second quarter, before running back Kenneth Walker III tied the game up at 10 early in the third with a 23-yard running touchdown.
Jalen Hurts ran over for his second s ore with four minutes to go in the third quarter to give the Eagles a seven-point lead.
A field goal early in the fourth quarter and Smith-Njigba’s last-gasp touchdown then gave the Seahawks their first lead of the game.
The Eagles had a late chance to steal the win but the hail Mary pass from Hurts was intercepted by Julian Love, giving Seattle their seventh win of the year and handing the Eagles just their fourth loss this season.
Mary Earps is the favourite to secure the BBC’s 2023 Sports Personality of the Year prize tonight.
Bookmakers have made the 30-year-old goalkeeper the odds-on choice to win the prestigious award after she played a key role in England’s run to the Women’s World Cup final in the summer.
She is joined on a six-person shortlist by cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, tennis player Alfie Hewett and golfer Rory McIlroy.
Earps saved a penalty from Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso in the World Cup final but the Lionesses were unable to add to their 2022 European crown as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Sydney. Earps was awarded the FIFA Golden Glove as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
In September she was also voted as England Women’s Player of the Year and helped her club Manchester United finish second in the Women’s Super League last season with 14 clean sheets.
Her future at United is uncertain however, with Earps’ contract with the club due to expire next summer.
Earps also hit the headlines early on in the World Cup when she spoke about the hurt she felt that sportswear manufacturer Nike had not made her England goalkeeper’s replica jersey available to purchase before the tournament.
After mounting pressure, the sports brand released her green long-sleeved Lionesses shirt, and it sold out in five minutes.
Broad announced he was retiring from cricket during the fifth Ashes Test in the summer and bowed out in spectacular fashion. The 37-year-old hit a six off his final ball and took the final wicket as England won the match to level the series, though Australia retained the urn.
Dettori, 53, secured a series of big wins in his farewell year in UK racing including the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean and the Oaks on Soul Sister. He is set to continue riding in the United States next year.
Johnson-Thompson claimed the world heptathlon title for the second time in Budapest in the summer after a calf injury wrecked her hopes of Olympic glory in Tokyo in 2021.
Hewett won seven wheelchair tennis singles tournaments in 2023 including the Australian and US Open titles. He also secured the doubles titles at the Australian and French Opens plus Wimbledon alongside partner Gordon Reid.
McIlroy was a key part of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup-winning team in October and finished in the top 10 at three of the year’s four majors.
Former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony in Salford on Tuesday night.
Former winner Gerwyn Price is convinced he can finally win over the Alexandra Palace crowd after breezing into the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship.
The Welshman has had an often troubled relationship with the fans and last year wore ear protectors during his 5-1 quarter-final defeat to Germany’s Gabriel Clemens.
Price’s solitary crown came in 2021 when the crowd was shut out due to Covid-19, but he is hopeful of more support after outclassing Connor Scutt with a 3-1 win.
“It’s really difficult to come here when the crowd’s on your back,” Price told Sky Sports.
“I’m glad the crowd were really good to me today and if they continue like this there’s no reason I can’t win it.
“It was difficult, my game was steady, it wasn’t my ‘A’ game and there were some first-round jitters, but I’m through so I’m happy.”
The performance of the night came from Hong Kong’s Man Lok Leung who hit 11 maximums as he battled back from 2-0 down to see off Dutchman Gian van Veen 3-2.
Leung looked down and out after missing 10 darts at double for the second set, but stormed back with a thrilling performance to book his place in round two for the first time.
Martin Lukeman had too much for New Zealand’s Haupei Puha as he eased to a 3-0 win, while Tibault Tricole was a 3-1 winner over Mario Vandenbogaerde.
Bradley Beal won't play another game for the Phoenix Suns until the calendar flips to January.
Beal will miss the rest of December because of a right ankle sprain sustained in Friday's loss to the New York Knicks. He will be re-evaluated in early 2024.
He was injured in the first quarter when shooting a 3-pointer, which he made. Upon landing, he fell on the foot of the Knicks' Donte DiVincenzo, who was called for a Flagrant 1 because he didn’t give Beal space to land.
This is the latest setback for the 30-year-old Beal, who has been dealing with a sore back since the onset of the season and has appeared in just six games.
He is averaging 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists after averaging 27.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists over the previous five seasons.
The Suns acquired the three-time All-Star over the summer hoping to create a super team with fellow All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. But injuries to Durant and Booker have resulted in the trio playing just two of a possible 26 games together.
Phoenix, which has two wins in its last six games, is in fourth place in the Pacific Division after reaching the Western Conference semi-finals each of the past three seasons.
In a bid to foster a new era of athletic excellence across multiple sports, St. Lucia's Sports Minister Kenson Joel Casimir, has revealed the government's strategic investments in developing young talents on the island.
The success of notable athletes like Bowerman Award winner Julien Alfred, cricket icons Darren Sammy and Johnson Charles, and rising star sprinter Naomi London has ignited a wave of inspiration and paved the way for broader support for sports development.
Minister Casimir shared insights into the government's commitment to nurturing talent across various sports, including track and field, cricket, and football. The shift in paradigm also involves reimagining the island's inter-school track and field championships to enhance stakeholder engagement.
“We as a government, we've decided that we are going to take the added step of moving our inter-schools’ competition, that we have coined Island Champs, to a weekend event. And of course, we've been trying to get public buy-in, you know, parental support," the minister revealed in an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV
Explaining the rationale behind the change, he added, "We found that during the week in St Lucia, we've not been able to really get the amount of support that we want from the commercial sector, from parents, and from all walks of life and so we have rebranded our schools’ championship in track and field to ensure that the likes of a Julien (Alfred) or Naomi London could be on display for all of St Lucia to see, not just on television. (So), a Sunday event, a Sunday afternoon family event for St Lucians to see some of the next athletes that we are going to be exporting to the world."
Highlighting strides made in cricket, Minister Casimir revealed that plans to develop the next great cricketers from the island are well underway.
“We have a high-performance centre that has been set up for cricket for the first time in our history where we've put 15 of our best male and female cricketers into a program where they are given nutritional support, they're given the best facilities to work with, the best coaches to work with."
The government has collaborated with the St Lucia Kings, a CPL franchise, to bring in coaches from India, contributing to the holistic development of cricket talent on the island.
Turning to football, Minister Casimir revealed exciting plans for grassroots development with renowned figures in the sport.
“With the likes of Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier and Earl ‘Ball Hog’ Jean, we're going to be seeing the launch of a grassroots development program in football," Minister Casimir revealed while highlighting the contributions of Stuart Charles and Earl Jean to St. Lucia's global representation and their involvement in an elite program for under-17 footballers.
The initiatives revealed by Minister Casimir reflect a broader vision to elevate sports in St. Lucia and create a lasting legacy of sporting excellence.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee's hit on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was quite costly.
The NFL suspended Kazee without pay for the remainder of the season for violating rules designed to protect the health and safety of players.
The announcement came two days after Kazee was ejected in the second quarter of Saturday's 30-13 loss at Indianapolis for delivering a forceable hit to a diving Pittman. Kazee made contact with Pittman's head, and the receiver left the game and went into the concussion protocol.
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension on Monday, and wrote in a letter to Kazee that, "You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided."
Runyan also referenced multiple prior instances of hits that violated rules designed to protect player safety.
The suspension means Kazee will miss the Steelers' final three regular-season games and any potential play-off games, should Pittsburgh qualify. The Steelers are 7-7 and just outside the play-off cutoff.
By being banned for three games, Kazee will forfeit around $208,000 in game checks.
Kazee, a seven-year veteran, has appeared in all 14 games this season, ranking third on the Steelers in tackles with 61, and is tied for the team high with two interceptions.
Paul Nicholls remains confident Bravemansgame will put up a staunch defence of his crown in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park next week.
The eight-year-old was a brilliant 14-length winner of the Boxing Day showpiece last season, but has had to make do with minor honours on each of his four subsequent starts.
Bravemansgame was best of the rest behind Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and rounded off his season with a third-placed finish at Punchestown.
He has been beaten at odds-on in his first two outings of this season, in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and the Betfair Chase at Haydock, but Nicholls feels that while his Gold Cup effort may have taken its toll, his star chaser is showing signs at home he is returning to his peak ahead of what the Ditcheat handler considers as a “home game”.
“Bravemansgame won the race last year and then the season before he won the Kauto Star (Novices’ Chase) around Kempton,” he said.
“He loves it there and it is the ultimate track for him. It is almost a home game for him in many ways.
“Whether the Gold Cup left a mark on him, I don’t know, and it could be that it has just taken a while to get him back. He worked as well as he could work on Saturday, and he looks good. We are looking forward to the King George.”
Lat season saw Bravemansgame head straight to the King George following victory in the Charlie Hall, and Nicholls was initially planning on taking the same route this term.
However, having suffered defeat in West Yorkshire, the champion trainer decided to take in the Betfair Chase – and while he was beaten again, he insists he has no regrets.
He added: “The thing is, it is easy to wrap all these horses in cotton wool, but he is a year older and it was a very valuable race at Haydock.
“We knew he would need the run at Wetherby and with Betfair putting all the money into it at Haydock you want to make it as competitive as you can, and it was an interesting race.
“He ran a good race, and he was bang there for three miles. Then Daryl (Jacob) just looked after him. He had only run three weeks before it and between the two races I had been a bit easy on him. It suits him being fresh and doing a lot of work.
“Bryan (Drew, owner) was very keen to go for the race. He owns him outright and you respect his wishes. Ultimately his target, and my target, since he came in has been Boxing Day and he is ready for it. ”
Bravemansgame will be joined in the King George field by his veteran stablemate Frodon, who claimed a popular victory in the race three years ago under Bryony Frost and was last seen finishing third when seeking a second win in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton.
“Frodon loves it around Kempton and he is in really good form. He is not getting any younger, but he will still run a good race,” said Nicholls.
“He has been a great horse for us. He has come on from Wincanton where the ground went a bit soft and it didn’t quite work out.
“He has a huge task at the age of 11 against those younger legs, but he will still run a good race. He is a legend of a horse. It would be absolutely wonderful if he could finish third or fourth.”
On the same card Nicholls is planning to send Rubaud into battle against the mighty Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle.
The trainer admits his Elite Hurdle hero faces an “impossible task”, but he is happy to roll the dice.
He said: “His form is progressive, and he keeps on winning, but this another big step he has got to take. You can never be afraid of one horse they say, but Constitution Hill is a special horse.
“He will be a hard horse to beat, but we will give it our best shot and if we finish second we will be delighted.
“I don’t think there is any chink in Constitution Hill’s armour, and he will be ready for this. Rubaud won the Elite Hurdle well, but this will be an impossible task on what we have seen from Constitution Hill.”
Nico de Boinville insists everything possible has been done to prevent Shishkin from downing tools again in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, but ultimately it will be up to the horse himself to behave at Kempton.
The nine-year-old has been a marvellous servant for Seven Barrows handler Nicky Henderson, winning 13 times under rules and claiming multiple Grade One victories.
However, he blotted his copybook when refusing to race in the 1965 Chase at Ascot last month and has been denied the chance to get back on track since that mishap.
A potential run in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle was ruled out due to that meeting being called off, while heavy ground at Sandown was considered unsuitable for the rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
Shishkin must now go into the King George on Boxing Day with big questions to answer and De Boinville admits all his connections can do is work hard and hope for the best.
When asked how much can be done to get Shishkin going if he stalls again when the tape goes up, the jockey told Sky Sports Racing: “Not much – if horses don’t want to run, they won’t run!”
De Boinville, who has been ever-present in the saddle throughout Shishkin’s career, is happy with how his preparations have gone back in Lambourn, though.
“I’ve done lots of sitting on him,” he added. “All boxes are ticked and crossed and we’ve tried everything, so we won’t be going to Kempton thinking ‘oh, I wish we’d done that in practice’.
“It’s one of those, if he doesn’t want to do it, he won’t do it – no matter what I do.
“In actual fact, he’s one of those horses that the more pressure you put on him, the more he’ll dig his heels in.
“But look, he hasn’t shown one inkling of doing it since he’s got back home after Ascot.
“It would have been nice to have got a run into him, but these things happen and I’m looking forward to it – if we jump off and everything, I think he’s in for a big race.”
Olly Murphy could consider sending Thunder Rock back over hurdles later in the season following his disappointing performance in Saturday’s December Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Having got the better of subsequent Coral Gold Cup runner-up Mahler Mission on his seasonal debut at Carlisle, Thunder Rock lined up as favourite for the weekend’s feature handicap at Prestbury Park, but the alarm bells were ringing from an early stage and he was eventually pulled up by Sean Bowen.
Murphy reported the seven-year-old to be none the worse on Monday morning, but admits he could be entering the last-chance saloon as far as his chasing career is concerned.
“He’s absolutely fine, the writing was on the wall very early. He got into no rhythm and jumped very ordinary and after he jumped two or three (fences) he was in awful trouble,” he said.
“We’ll put a line through that and give him another run over fences in three or four weeks’ time, but I’m not sure where yet. I have toyed with the idea of going back over hurdles and if things don’t got to plan the next day he’ll be reverting back to smaller obstacles.”
While Thunder Rock’s class shone through in a four-runner race at Carlisle last month, Murphy feels the hustle and bustle of a big-field handicap is perhaps not his bag.
He added: “He’s not very big and while I didn’t think he’d do what he did on Saturday, it’s not the biggest surprise to me.
“We’ll dust ourselves down, get him back in full work and see what’s what, but his performance wasn’t a reflection of his ability or his health or anything like that. He just didn’t jump with any fluency and when you do that in those big handicaps you’re on the back foot straight away.
“When you have a long-term plan like that and you can see it’s not working out from an early stage it’s extremely frustrating, but that’s horses and we know he hasn’t lost his ability overnight.”
Murphy did enjoy better fortune at Cheltenham on Friday, with Go Dante providing his owner Barbara Hester with a first winner at Prestbury Park.
The seven-year-old retains the option of turning out quickly for the £150,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot on Saturday after being left in at the confirmation stage, but he appears unlikely to line up.
“We’ll see what the handicapper does (on Tuesday), but I’d it’s unlikely,” said the trainer.
“He came out of Saturday well. I’d say it’s very unlikely he’ll run again this weekend, but if you’re not in you can’t win.”
An investigation following the death of Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack has found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Cusack, who made 110 United appearances, died aged 27 in September.
United opened what they described as a third-party investigation into processes and conduct at the club after Cusack’s family raised concerns.
In November, the Maddy Cusack Foundation shared a speech online attributed to Cusack’s mother which it said was given at a memorial service in October. The speech said Cusack’s spirit “was allowed to be broken” by football.
However, the club announced on Monday that the investigation had now closed with no evidence found of any wrongdoing.
“Following a thorough review of the valuable input provided by each of the key witnesses put forward by Maddy’s family and the club, the investigation has found no evidence of wrongdoing,” the South Yorkshire club said in a statement published on their official website.
“The club is always looking for ways to evolve and will reflect on the outcomes and recommendations arising from the investigation to consider how processes and policies may be improved.”
United said everyone at the club remained “deeply saddened” by Cusack’s death. She had worn the number eight shirt “with distinction”, the club said, and was a “valued and popular member” of their marketing department.
“Following Maddy’s death, the club provided staff with the opportunity to engage with additional external support,” the club statement continued.
“As part of the club’s commitment to continual improvement, we have and will continue to review and expand the club-wide well-being support offered to our staff and to increase the learning and development opportunities for all staff around language and culture, welfare and mental health awareness.
“We have also recently strengthened our women’s and girls’ structure with the addition of a new highly experienced head of women’s and girls’ football and other key appointments.
“We wish to offer support to Maddy’s family and the Maddy Cusack Foundation, MC8, and we hope to work with them to continue the lasting positive impact Maddy had on those who knew her.”
A speech said to have been given by Cusack’s mother at a memorial in October read: “The saddest and most utterly heartbreaking reason why I am having to stand here and speak to you today is because of football.
“From February this year, the indomitable, irrepressible spirit, the spirit called Maddy, the spirit that I had so fearlessly protected was allowed to be broken. Taking her away from me.
“Those who knew Maddy well will be aware that she had no long-standing mental health issues or troubles. Not that there would be anything to be ashamed of if there were, but there were not. Those that didn’t know her need to know that.
“Maddy was a happy-go-lucky, carefree girl with everything to live for and by last Christmas could be described as being at her happiest. This all changed gradually from February this year.”
Jonathan Morgan, the head coach of United’s women’s team, was understood to have been the subject of an investigation by the club. It was reported he had stepped away from his duties while an investigation was conducted. The club have been contacted for comment regarding Morgan.
The Maddy Cusack Foundation has been contacted for comment following the club’s statement on Monday.
John ‘Shark’ Hanlon and his son Paddy Hanlon have their sights set on another successful raid on Tuesday when they head to Catterick in search of another special day for the family.
The popular trainer is a regular visitor to UK tracks but now has extra incentive for his forays across the Irish Sea as his young son attempts to forge his own riding career.
The 16-year-old is 0-23 in bumpers in Ireland but has made a blistering start to things in the UK, partnering Chef D’Etat to victory at Worcester in the summer before striking in his first ride over obstacles at Bangor last week.
Hanlon has never been shy in giving young jockeys an opportunity and helped nurture the early stages of Rachael Blackmore’s career, while most recently he has entrusted young Jordan Gainford with the keys to star chaser Hewick.
Now he is taking great pride in legging up his own flesh and blood as licensing restrictions in Ireland mean Hanlon junior could become a familiar sight on a British racecourse over the next year.
“It’s different and your heart would be in your mouth. But he knows nothing else and doesn’t want to know anything other than horses, horses, horses,” said Hanlon when asked how it felt watching his son in action.
“In Ireland you have to be 17 before you can get a license to ride over hurdles or in point-to-points.
“He rode a point-to-point horse the other day and finished third and the horse he rode at Bangor was his first ride over hurdles. It was great how it has worked out.
“He won’t be 17 until June and he is just tipping away and getting a few rides over there (in the UK).”
Hanlon is yet to finish outside of the first two in three UK rides and it was somewhat a family affair when the youngster steered his father’s Mullins Cross to a nine-length victory at Bangor last Friday, giving all connected a day which will live long in the memory.
“It was great the other day because we bred the filly ourselves,” continued Hanlon.
“Paddy’s grandfather stood the sire Valirann, my wife bred him and it ran in her colours and I trained it. His younger brother led him up and we were all there, so it was a great day, fabulous.”
Mullins Cross will be in action again in North Yorkshire, with Brian Hughes handed riding duties on this occasion, but the trainer’s son will seek further glory aboard the family-owned Dragon Rock and confidence is high ahead of the Download Raceday Ready Today Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
The teenager may then need to spread his wings for further opportunities as the season goes on, but his father is optimistic that plenty of chances to hone his skills in the saddle will come his way throughout the winter.
“He has a right nice ride there tomorrow and then might not have much for a while because I have very little to go over with,” continued Hanlon.
“He has his feet on the ground and hopefully a few other trainers might use him.
“I’ve had a couple of phone calls from trainers wanting to take him on so it will be interesting.
“The horse in the boys’ race tomorrow will have a right chance and the filly he rode last week will have a right chance as well. The two rode out this morning and are in good form.”
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