A pre-dawn wake up call and a fumbled start could not prevent Shaquille from securing a landmark success for connections in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
The three-year-old was homebred by his co-owner Martin Hughes and is trained counties away in Norton, North Yorkshire, by Julie Camacho.
He was loaded into the gates a 9-1 chance for the six-furlong Group One, middling odds that began to look far too short as he bounced upwards in his stall instead of outwards and let the field gain lengths on him from the off.
A little mischief has never been beyond the bay, who had only been beaten once prior to the Royal meeting but has looked a handful on both sides of the starter’s rostrum.
The phrase ‘pulled hard’ and ‘took a keen hold’ appear in the descriptions of almost all of his races, but under Oisin Murphy he was able to settle into a rhythm at the rear of the pack as the jostling took place ahead of him.
A few furlongs in he was gaining ground and looked like he might run into a place, but once he began to gun for Little Big Bear, the leader and 10-11 favourite, he dug deeper and deeper still to triumph by a length and a quarter.
The victory is hugely significant for Camacho and her husband and assistant Steve Brown, whose greatest success beforehand was the Group Three honours gained by Judicial, another sprinter, in the Chipchase Stakes and the Coral Charge.
“I watched it on my own, I was very nervous actually. I started to feel a bit sick and very nervous!” she said.
Of his steady start, the trainer added: “I thought well that’s it, isn’t it? He’s blown his chance. I’ve just watched it live and I’d like to go back and watch it properly but he was good, wasn’t he?
“It’s massive, we never thought we’d train a Group One winner, not at Royal Ascot anyway. For Martin (Hughes) it’s massive, he bred him, he’s got his mother at home and his siblings. Dad (Maurice, former trainer) looks after the stud and I’m sure he was screaming at home.
“When he started to run on I thought ‘oh he’s going to be place, he’s going to run a big race’.
“Then ‘oh my god, he’s going to win!’. I’m a bit speechless actually.”
Camacho, who does not seek out the limelight, reluctantly went up to collect the trophy as Brown pondered how good the horse could be with a neat start and a smooth passage.
He said: “I still maintain that we haven’t brought him racing and seen him do everything right, it’s fascinating. We’re enjoying the journey and hoping for a few more, he’s in the July Cup.
“It’s a good story. You come hoping, don’t you? We’re all dreamers and you’ve got to be in this game. We fed him at three o’clock this morning so he could have a smooth journey down, we didn’t want to bring him overnight as he’s never stayed overnight. We wanted him to sleep in his own bed and he left at quarter past four this morning.
“I think the making of him has been a paddock for him, every evening stables now he’s turned out and it’s just brought such a change about in him.
“He wouldn’t have walked around the paddock like he did before, he just goes out there and puts his head down – it’s made a huge difference to him and though it’s punchy for a colt, I’m so glad we did it.”
Major League Baseball’s second series in London is no holiday for Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad and his touring team-mates.
The 162-game regular season is only just approaching its halfway point, but this weekend’s two games against bitter National League Central rivals the St Louis Cardinals could still prove critical to the Cubs’ playoff ambitions.
So while the travelling pack from Illinois did briefly marvel at Westminster Abbey and other highlights of the capital, it became business as usual once workout day started at London Stadium.
“When we get the chance to explore and visit we definitely will do it and enjoy it and get to talk to the fans and get to know the area, but when it comes time to play we’re looking to have the same result and getting the victory and staying focused,” the right-hander told the PA news agency.
If the season ended today, the 2016 World Series winners would miss the playoffs as they currently sit third place in their division and three places out of the NL wild card spot.
Last season saw the Cubs finish 19 games behind the division-winning Cardinals, but the standings so far this campaign look very different.
With 74 games behind them, the Cubs sit just 3.5 games behind the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds while the Cardinals are bottom of the division after getting off to a terrible start.
Still, St Louis have won four of their last five games heading into the London Series which gets under way on Saturday.
Mexico-born Assad, 25, grins when he admits he is a huge Manchester City fan.
But it was memories of a former Manchester United and West Ham player that made the trip to this particular ground extra-special for the Tijuana native.
“It’s incredible,” said Assad. “Especially being Mexican, seeing ‘Chicharito’ (Javier) Hernandez having played here, it’s really, really cool to be sharing this field in this stadium as well. So it’s just incredible.”
Like his compatriot Hernandez, Assad has represented his country, most recently in the World Baseball Classic, the closest thing the sport has to a World Cup.
The 2023 edition was a historic moment for Great Britain, who qualified a team for the first time – and performed well enough to earn a berth for the next edition and a shout-out from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in Friday’s press conference.
Assad agreed that baseball being seen solely as an American pastime was hugely inaccurate and hopes events like the London Series and MLB’s Parisian debut in 2025 will help grow interest globally and shift those perceptions.
“It’s definitely a worldwide sport,” he added. “There’s a lot of talent in different countries, worldwide. It’s just incredible.”
Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras, who made his debut with the Cubs in 2016 before signing a five-year deal with St Louis in December, said his side was taking the London Series just as seriously as his old club.
He said: “I didn’t realise when I signed with the Cardinals that we were coming out here, so I was excited. I’m really thankful to be here with the Cardinals and to be in London, out of Venezuela.
“I never expected to be here to be honest. I think we’ve come here to do business. My main thing is to go do business the same way I go about playing in the USA. I don’t care who we’re facing, I don’t care about them.”
Chris Hayes celebrated his first Royal Ascot winner as Tahiyra landed the odds in the Coronation Stakes.
Veteran trainer Dermot Weld has made no secret of the regard in which he holds the filly and having gone down narrowly in the Newmarket Guineas, she made amends in the Irish equivalent.
With her Newmarket conqueror Mawj absent on this occasion, it was left to Meditate to take the field along but Ryan Moore set only a steady pace with Tahiyra settled in last.
Not surprisingly the field bunched up two furlongs out, with Tahiyra needing to pass them all and while she came across the eventual second Remarquee when quickening up, the result was confirmed after a stewards’ inquiry.
Tahiyra (8-13 favourite) crossed the line a length clear of Remarquee, with Sounds Of Heaven a further head back in third.
Weld saddled his first Royal Ascot winner 50 years ago with Klairvimy in the 1973 King Edward VII Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien offered no excuses for Little Big Bear’s defeat as he finished second to Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup.
Sent off one of the shortest-priced favourites of the week at odds of 10-11, he grabbed the lead entering the final furlong but was run down late by Julie Camacho’s improver, who had also missed the break badly by rearing when the stalls opened.
Little Big Bear was last year’s champion juvenile but having finished last when tried over a mile in the 2000 Guineas first time out, he seems set to stick to sprinting for the time being, with O’Brien eyeing a possible rematch with the winner in the July Cup.
The Ballydoyle handler said: “He ran very well. Ryan (Moore) was delighted with the run. It was a very good run. He just got beaten by a better horse on the day.
“I don’t know where he’ll go. It could be the July Cup or something like that. It was only his second sprint, so we’ll see.
“I think the winner missed the break, but he usually makes the running. I think he’s an out-and-out sprinter, so we will train him for the July Cup.”
Karl Burke’s Swingalong was third at 66-1, a return to the form she showed as a juvenile.
“It was a great run. Delighted she got that Group One placing – it is so important for a filly,” Burke said.
“She was a Lowther winner and she’s a good filly. She wasn’t right in France (when last in the French 1000 Guineas) and would not have won at any trip in France, although she didn’t stay the mile. I don’t know what went wrong there.
“After that we gave her plenty of time to come back and we were always targeting this. I said to the guys that I could see her running a big race and be third or fourth and that’s what she has done, so we’re delighted.
“We are thinking more Prix Maurice de Gheest than July Cup. She was not stopping and was third over seven (furlongs) first time out in the Guineas trial and she stayed that well. I think six and a half will be very nice for her.”
Roger Varian was at a loss to explain Sakheer’s lacklustre run, however. The 17-2 shot came home last of the 13 runners.
“It’s mystifying at the moment and we’re obviously all very disappointed,” Varian told ITV Racing.
“He was a bit slow from the gates, he travelled well through halfway and David (Egan) was happy, he took a peek to the other side to see how they were going.
“But then he very quickly emptied out and his stride shortened when he let him down.
“His initial reaction was that the ground felt too firm and he didn’t let himself down.
“He pulled up sound and looks fine, we’ll carry out all the usual post-race checks. At the moment we are scratching our heads but something might come to light. Obviously it wasn’t his true form.”
The Buffalo Bills announced Friday that head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have agreed to two-year contract extensions through the 2027 season.
McDermott had three seasons remaining on a six-year extension he signed in March 2020. Beane previously received an extension through 2025 in December 2020.
The move keeps one of the NFL's most successful coach-GM pairings under contract for five more seasons. The Bills have gone 62-36 since hiring McDermott and Beane in 2017, a .639 winning percentage that ranks third in the league over that period behind only the Kansas City Chiefs (74-24, .756) and New Orleans Saints (65-33, .663).
Buffalo has won three consecutive AFC East titles and has reached the playoffs in four straight seasons. Only the Chiefs (eight) have a longer active streak of making the postseason.
The Bills have made five playoff trips overall during McDermott's six-year tenure, including an appearance in the 2020 AFC championship game.
"Sean is a proud, Christian, determined man," Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. "I remember before his interview for the Bills head coaching job thinking about him being a two-time National Prep Wrestling Champ. I thought to myself, you wrestled, you're determined, you love what you're doing, and you won.
"He comes to the Bills every day and will never ask anyone, player or coach, to do anything he wouldn't do."
Beane's personnel moves have played a big role in Buffalo's success as well. Most notably, he traded up in the 2018 draft to select franchise quarterback Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick and orchestrated a trade for All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs in 2020.
"Brandon is a very competitive person," Pegula said. "I know he likes to win, but I also know he hates to lose. He's not afraid to say what he's thinking and if he disagrees with something he will say so, even to the owner. I love it."
McDermott and Beane have a history together that extends beyond their time with the Bills, as the duo both worked for the Carolina Panthers from 2011-16 prior to being hired by Pegula.
"(Brandon), Sean, Kim (Pegula) and I have a very good relationship with open discussions, debate and a lot of communication," Terry Pegula said.
Ryan Moore’s stellar week at Royal Ascot continued when he steered Okita Soushi to a battling success in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.
The 39-year-old had to be at his strongest aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained five-year-old and from a position near the rear of the 18-strong field, Moore was urging his mount to improve his position as the turn for home approached.
Swinging the bend, Moore angled Okita Soushi wide to lay down a challenge and he soon hit top gear to join Alan King’s HMS President on the front end entering the final furlong, as the duo went on to fight out a thrilling finish.
Okita Soushi held on to return a neck verdict at 9-1 and continue a special day for the O’Brien family following the success of Joseph’s brother Donnacha in the Albany Stakes earlier in the day.
O’Brien: “It was a great ride from Ryan. He ran a very good race here last year in a mile-and-six handicap.
“It is special to get a winner this week. We’ve hit the crossbar a bit. The horses have all run well, but haven’t won.
“I’m delighted for the owners as well. Ryan is the best jockey in the world, isn’t he. When we are lucky enough to get him on the odd time, it is very special.
“I think anyone will tell you he’s the best in the world. He’s been riding at the top of his game for a number of years and he is riding at the top of his game now.
“He is a special jockey. I’m not sure he’s ridden a winner for me before, I’m not sure. But it is special to get him anyway.”
Shaquille produced a remarkable performance to provide Julie Camacho with her first winner at Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup.
The three-year-old arrived on the crest of a wave having won his last four races but all hope looked to have gone when he reared up on leaving the stalls.
Three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy did not panic though, and by halfway he was back in contention but it remained to be seen if his early exertions had taken their toll.
The hot favourite Little Big Bear hit the front on entering the final furlong but Shaquille (9-1) was creeping into it and when Murphy asked for everything, there was still plenty left.
Camacho, and her partner Steve Brown, were registering their first Group One victory as Shaquille came home a length and a quarter clear, with 66-1 shot Swingalong in third.
Trainer Denis Hogan has had his licence suspended for three months and been fined €5,000 after one of his horses tested positive for a prohibited substance.
Ballyadam Destiny showed elevated levels of triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) and dexamethasone after winning at Galway last October.
Dr Lynn Hillyer, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board chief veterinary officer, stated in a report published on Friday that Hogan had been advised not to run his horse for 40 days after being treated by his vet, Donncha Houlihan.
Hogan accepted the findings in the report, stating he had mistaken the withdrawal period due to an administration error and has now employed additional staff as well as putting new measures in place to avoid a reoccurrence.
It is the fourth time in the previous five years a horse of Hogan’s has failed a post-race drugs test – including point-to-points. His ban is due to begin on August 1.
Porta Fortuna registered an impressive success in the Albany Stakes to provide Frankie Dettori with his 80th Royal Ascot win.
Having ridden Gregory and Courage Mon Ami to success, the retiring Italian notched up his third victory of the week when guiding the Donnacha O’Brien-trained youngster to a one-length triumph.
A winner of a Group Three at Naas over this six-furlong distance on her previous start, the daughter of Caravaggio put her experience to good use with a professional display in Berkshire.
Having cruised stylishly into contention passing the two-furlong marker, the well-backed 5-1 winner responded gamely to her rider’s urgings in the closing stages as Dettori pushed his mount out with vigour to hold off the Aidan O’Brien trained Matrika, who finished second having been up with the pace throughout.
The trainer enjoyed many big days in the saddle, but was securing his first winner at the summer showpiece in the training ranks, joining his father and brother Joseph on the Royal Ascot roll of honour.
Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred emphasised the league’s commitment to playing games in London as he announced the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will face off in the third MLB London Series next summer.
This weekend’s two games between the St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs at London Stadium mark MLB’s delayed return to Britain following its 2019 debut after a planned 2020 series was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Manfred has been impressed by the sport’s reception in the UK, which will host again in 2026, viewing the country as critical to the sport’s global growth.
He said: “To us London is a really important part of our international strategy. We have seen great growth in baseball. Since we were here in 2019 the number of people in Britain that identify as fans has doubled.
“We are committed to London as part of our programme, and I’m happy to announce we will be back next year with the Mets and Phillies.
“London is a great sports town, and I think because there’s sort of a natural affinity for sport here in London it’s a great place to gain a foothold into Europe.
“Secondly I do think, just for historical reasons, there’s a special affinity between Great Britain and the United States. We understand baseball is a uniquely American phenomenon in some ways, but if you are trying to internationalise starting in friendly territory seems like a good plan.”
A Paris series is also planned for 2025.
Manfred was not keen to speculate beyond 2026, when MLB’s current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires.
Any future series in London or elsewhere would fall under the next deal, part of the reason the commissioner believes player satisfaction is critical to ensuring teams want to make the trip across the pond in the middle of gruelling 162-game seasons.
Manfred said: “I will say this. The players who came in 2019 found the event, the experience to be a really positive one, and the key to making London a recurring part of the event is making sure that the players have a great trip, that they enjoy themselves while they are here, and we’re working very hard to make sure that happens this time around.”
The two clubhouse dressing rooms for this series will become a permanent fixture at West Ham’s Premier League home and will feature as part of stadium tours.
MLB has retained its “old rivalry, new ground” motto for this year’s series, a concept Manfred says is critical to drawing British crowds.
He said: “We think our game is at its best when we have traditional rivals playing and we want to show fans the very best form of baseball.”
Chase Utley won the World Series with Philadelphia in 2008, and since last summer has lived in London as an “ambassador” for MLB.
While the Cubs, Cardinals, Phillies and Mets might not have the immediate brand recognition of 2019 opponents the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, Utley promised British fans would be just as captivated.
He said: “Obviously it’s lasted a long time, and I think we’ve just had some really good teams at the same time, so we were always fighting for the postseason.
“It’s an intense crowd when you’re in New York, and when you’re in Philadelphia you definitely know where you are. Fantastic players over the years.
“It’s a true rivalry. It doesn’t get much better.”
Ireland lock Iain Henderson has signed a two-year contract extension with the Irish Rugby Football Union.
The IRFU said that the 31-year-old Henderson’s deal will keep him at Ulster until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
He has won 71 caps and was part of last season’s Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam campaign following previous title successes in 2014, 2015 and 2018.
“Iain has developed into an important leader within both the Ireland and Ulster environments, and we are delighted to have ensured that he continues his career in Ireland,” IRFU performance director David Nucifora told www.irishrugby.ie.
“I have no doubt that he will continue to add positively to both environments in the months and years to come.”
Following Courage Mon Ami’s memorable Gold Cup triumph, bookmakers have revealed just how popular Frankie Dettori has been with Royal Ascot punters this week.
Entain, parent company of leading firms such as Ladbrokes and Coral, has highlighted how the ‘Frankie Factor’ has been in full force during his final Royal meeting.
Over the opening three days of Royal Ascot, 11 per cent of the overall volume of single bets have been placed on Dettori and his mounts have featured in 38 per cent of all multiple bets .
Queen Anne Stakes runner-up Inspiral was the best-backed horse on day one and attracted 23 per cent of single bets placed on the curtain raiser, despite being second favourite behind Modern Games.
On Wednesday, Dettori featured in 38 per cent of all accumulators and heavily-supported Queen’s Vase winner Gregory was forced into evens favourite.
Despite going off at a generous 15-2, Courage Mon Ami was the third-best backed horse across all races on Ladies’ Day and Dettori led the way in total Thursday wagers at 12 per cent.
Entain chief commercial officer Dominic Grounsell said: “There has been even more of a buzz around Frankie Dettori since the beginning of the Flat season. The world is watching his final season as a professional jockey to see if he can finish in style.
“Our customers have been weighing in on him in all the big meets so far this year, and Royal Ascot has been no different.
“He brings excitement, swagger and a huge following wherever he races, and racing will lose one of its most famous faces and infectious characters this year.
“Let’s enjoy the final few months of Frankie Dettori racing on our screens and follow how the ‘Frankie Factor’ continues to drive fan favourites up and down racecourses this summer.”
Dettori’s popularity was previously on full view in this season’s Classic contests at Newmarket and Epsom.
Entain reports that Chaldean generated 19 per cent of bets placed on the day of the 2000 Guineas, the biggest percentage of any horse in that race, before powering to victory.
Following his success on Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup and Soul Sister in the Oaks, Dettori’s Derby mount Arrest was backed into favourite for the Epsom Classic.
Over 19 per cent of 168,000 bets placed on the blue riband event with Entain were for Arrest, but he could only manage 10th place.
John Quinn is happy to “roll the dice” and give Highfield Princess a second shot at Royal Ascot glory this week in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
The six-year-old won three times at Group One level last season and following a narrow defeat on her reappearance at York, she was a hot favourite for the King’s Stand on Tuesday.
Highfield Princess came off second best in a battle with Bradsell and while she was undoubtedly impeded when delivering her challenge, a subsequent stewards’ inquiry deemed it did not affect the result.
Several horses have contested both of Royal Ascot’s Group One sprints before, with Blue Point doing the double in 2019, and Quinn can see no reason not to let his stable star take her chance.
“We left her down (at Ascot) all week and looked at her on Thursday morning and she seems fine, so we’re quite happy to roll the dice,” said the Malton-based trainer.
“Plenty of horses have run well in both races, so it’s doable. She seems bright and she’s no travelling to do, which is important.”
Highfield Princess finished sixth in the 2022 renewal of the six-furlong contest, three places behind Australian challenger Artorius, who this year heads the betting.
Anthony and Sam Freedman’s speedster has already won a Group One prize in his homeland this year and confidence is high that he can go two places better than 12 months ago on his return to Ascot.
“I am a bit more relaxed than last year and not under as much pressure,” said Sam Freedman.
“He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation, but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up – this year we know he is good enough.
“If you look at the form, he looks to be the horse with the best credentials and I think he has improved into his four-year-old season.
“I am not so concerned about the opposition, but more where he will end up and where he will get to in the run. I am confident taking on any of the sprinters in the world, but it is a case of getting the right transit and a bit of luck.”
Richard Gibson’s Hong Kong raider Wellington is another major player from overseas, while the home team includes the William Haggas-trained Sacred and Kinross from Ralph Beckett’s yard.
Connections of Sacred admit she may be more effective over a furlong further, but they are nevertheless keen to let her line up for a race in which she was beaten just a length into fifth place last year.
Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “I think seven furlongs is is probably her optimum. We were hoping we might be able to stretch her to a mile, but we’re not convinced so we are dropping back.
“She ran one of her best races in this last year and we’ll roll the dice and see how she goes, but she’s in good form.”
Kinross enjoyed a fantastic campaign last season, winning at the highest level in the Prix de la Foret and the British Champions Sprint before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
He has not been seen in competitive action since his trip to Kentucky, but is nevertheless a leading contender in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
“I think he handles firm ground but I think six on firm ground is a little bit quick for him, so you would prefer some rain,” said owner Marc Chan’s racing manager Jamie McCalmont.
“He only got beat two lengths in this last year (finished eighth) and he’s fresh and in great shape and ready to run.
“Hopefully it will set him up for his most important date when he tries to get Frankie his full house in the July Cup.”
Quickening conditions are the only concern for trainer Owen Burrows ahead of Hukum’s intended appearance in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
The full-brother to the brilliant Baaeed bagged a Group One victory of his own in last season’s Coronation Cup at Epsom, but in doing so suffered a career-threatening injury.
He looked better than ever when defeating Derby hero Desert Crown on his return from nearly a year off the track in last month’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown – but Burrows insists no chances will be taken if the ground is deemed unsuitable on the fifth and final day of the meeting.
“It’s all been very straightforward since Sandown, so we’re just keeping our fingers crossed it doesn’t get too quick,” said Burrows.
“This was the obvious race for him, our only slight worry is the ground being a bit quick for him, so I think we’ll walk the track at midday on Saturday and make sure we’re happy with it.
“He’s won on a range of grounds, but I know speaking to Sheikha Hissa (owner) after he won at Sandown that Jim (Crowley) had mentioned to her that he’s so much better on good ground and we want to look after him this year – we won’t risk him on fast ground.
“It’s a long year and there are plenty of races for him.”
Even if he is given the go-ahead, Hukum is unlikely to have things all his own way, with several high-class rivals lying in wait.
Free Wind has won her last four races for John and Thady Gosden and saw off Wednesday’s Duke of Cambridge heroine Rogue Millennium in the Middleton Stakes at York, while the James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend has been off the track since finishing fourth in November’s Melbourne Cup.
Pyledriver must overcome an even longer absence, having been sidelined by injury since his popular success in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes over the course and distance 11 months ago.
William Muir, who trains the six-year-old in partnership with Chris Grassick, said: “Everything has gone good up to now and we’re looking forward to getting him started.
“As I’ve said all the way through, this is hopefully a prep race for the King George. It sounds stupid, but this will put the edge on him, which is what we want.
“I’ve got no doubt his ability is all still there, I’ve got no doubt whatsoever, but he’s been off the course for a long time and we just want to get through this race and move on to the next race.
“It’s a tough place to start, but what else have we got? As long as he goes through the race nice and comes home nice we’re laughing.”
The final afternoon gets under way with the seven-furlong Chesham Stakes Stakes, in which Navan scorer Pearls And Rubies is the likely favourite for Aidan O’Brien.
The Richard Hannon-trained La Guarida appears a major contender for the Amo Racing team, having built on the promise of a debut third at Newmarket with a taking victory at Goodwood on her second start.
“She did nothing wrong at Newmarket and then backed up impressively at Goodwood,” said Amo’s racing manager Tom Pennington.
“The form is looking all right now with the second, third and fourth all winning since.”
The Amo team also have high hopes in the Group Three Jersey Stakes, with Roger Varian’s Olivia Maralda bidding to supplement victory in the Listed Surrey Stakes at Epsom.
Pennington added: “She clocked a very good time at Epsom and I think at one stage she clocked a sub 10-second furlong. I know the ground was quick there and it is the right track to be posting those sort of times, but she has come out of the race really well.
“Roger is adamant she has improved again from Epsom. She hadn’t quite come in her coat then but she has thrived since and the warm weather has helped.
“I would say seven furlongs is her optimum, Kevin (Stott, jockey) is adamant that is the case and she will go there with a big chance.”
Varian also saddles the unbeaten Enfjaar and O’Brien is represented by highly-tried The Antarctic, but the clear favourite is the rapidly-improving Covey.
The son of Frankel completed a hat-trick with a dominant front-running display in the Silver Bowl at Haydock and is strongly fancied to make it a four-timer under Frankie Dettori.
Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said: “He’s a very exciting horse and we look forward to seeing him out again.
“He looks to have plenty of pace for seven furlongs and he gets a mile, so the stiff seven in Ascot should be fine for him.”
Frankie Dettori has lodged an appeal against the nine-day suspension he incurred on the first day of Royal Ascot.
Dettori partnered Saga, who is owned by the King and Queen, for John and Thady Gosden in the Wolferton Stakes but was found guilty of careless riding after the stewards judged him to have allowed his mount to shift across the track, causing interference to other runners in the process.
The suspension is due to run from July 4-12, which would rule him out of riding Emily Upjohn in the Eclipse on July 8, and Dettori and his legal team have decided there are grounds to appeal the decision of the stewards on the day.
“I put my appeal in yesterday, so it’s fingers crossed,” Dettori told talkSPORT.
“I spoke to my lawyers and they told me to appeal.”
After a disappointing first day, Dettori subsequently won Wednesday’s Queen’s Vase on Gregory before claiming a ninth Gold Cup aboard Courage Mon Ami to the delight of the crowd on Thursday.
With him still riding at the top of his game, it has led to calls for him to delay his retirement, but so far he insists his last day riding in the UK will be Champions Day at Ascot.
“Every day I get asked. At the moment I’m retiring – October 21 (in England) and then abroad. I’m sticking to it,” he said.
“Yesterday was unbelievable, the reception that I got. I just have to say thanks for all the support over the years and let’s carry it on over another two days and have some fun.”
Ireland international forward Jean Kleyn has been cleared to represent South Africa under new eligibility rules.
The Johannesburg-born Munster lock qualified for Ireland on residency and made five appearances in 2019, including two at the Japan-hosted Rugby World Cup.
He has not been selected since then, though, and therefore qualifies for South Africa under a new regulation.
Since the start of last year, players can switch to their country of birth – or their parents’ or grandparents’ birth – provided a minimum period of three years has elapsed since they were last selected for an adopted country.
SA Rugby said World Rugby confirmed to them on Thursday that Kleyn fulfilled the necessary “birthright transfer” requirements.
Kleyn has made more than 130 Munster appearances and helped them win the United Rugby Championship title last season.
He is currently part of South Africa’s Rugby Championship training squad, with the Springboks kicking off that campaign against Australia in Pretoria on July 8.
Kleyn becomes the latest international player to switch countries ahead of the World Cup, following the likes of Charles Piutau (New Zealand to Tonga), Israel Folau (Australia to Tonga), Henry Thomas (England to Wales) and Byron McGuigan (Scotland to Namibia).
Rory McIlroy picked up his first ace on the PGA Tour, but America’s Denny McCarthy took the opening round lead with a blistering 60 at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
The Northern Irishman’s hole-in-one on the 214-yard eighth was the clear highlight on a mixed session for the US Open runner-up, who finished two-under-par on a day of low scores.
It was McIlroy’s first ace in competition since he made one in Abu Dhabi on the European tour in 2015.
Meanwhile, McCarthy shot the lowest round of his career after setting a blistering early pace with four straight birdies to open his tournament.
He added five more without dropping a shot en route to a score of 10-under-par.
He leads by two from compatriot Keegan Bradley and Australian veteran Adam Scott.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry is four shots back after carding a bogey-free round of 64.
Marcell Ozuna's two-run homer capped a five-run 10th inning as the surging Atlanta Braves extended their winning streak to eight games with a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
Austin Riley also drove in two runs in the 10th with a line drive that Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber misplayed and was ruled a double, helping the Braves sweep the rain-shortened two-game series and match their longest winning streak of the season.
Atlanta, which is now 15-2 since June 3, also won eight in a row from April 10-18.
After neither team scored through regulation, Michael Harris put Atlanta on the board with a one-out single that scored automatic runner Sam Hilliard before stealing second and taking third on Ronald Acuna Jr.'s single.
Philadelphia's Junior Marte then struck out Ozzie Albies and appeared to get out of the inning allowing only one run, but Schwarber botched Riley's liner to left as both runners scored for a 3-0 lead. Ozuna followed with his 14th homer of the season to extend the margin.
Braves starter Bryce Elder held the Phillies to three hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings, while Philadelphia's Aaron Nola yielded just two hits and two walks in six shutout innings.
Padres roll to end Giants’ streak
Manny Machado and Gary Sanchez belted three-run homers and the San Diego Padres cruised to a 10-0 victory to end the San Francisco Giants’ 10-game winning streak.
Those home runs were more than enough offense for red-hot Blake Snell, who allowed three singles in six innings and struck out 11 to stretch his scoreless streak to 18 innings. He is 3-0 with a 0.29 ERA with 50 strikeouts in his last five starts.
Ha-Seong King also went deep, and the Padres were 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position after they went 4 for 29 in the first three games of the series.
Alex Wood was tagged for six runs and four hits with four walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Rays ace McClanahan injured in loss
Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan was bidding to become the majors’ first 12-game winner before exiting early with mid-back tightness in a 6-5 loss to the lowly Kansas City Royals.
McClanahan allowed two runs and four hits before he was forced to leave with two outs in the fourth inning after throwing 66 pitches with the game tied at 2.
Maikel Garcia walked to open the ninth inning, stole second and third – giving Kansas City seven steals in the game – and scored on MJ Melendez’s infield single to put the last-place Royals ahead 6-5.
Tampa Bay has lost four of five but is still a major league-best 52-26.
There was no surprise atop Thursday’s 2023 NBA Draft. Victor Wembanyama has joined the San Antonio Spurs.
Wembanyama, widely considered the best draft prospect since LeBron James in 2003, was the no-doubt first selection to open Thursday’s draft at Barclays Center in New York.
With guard skills in a 7-foot-3 frame, Wembanyama is expected to blossom into a superstar in San Antonio and follow in the footsteps of fellow No. 1 overall picks Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
With the first pick a foregone conclusion, the intrigue heading into the draft was focused on NBA G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson and Alabama forward Brandon Miller.
The Charlotte Hornets ultimately opted to take Miller with the No. 2 pick, pairing a scoring forward with point guard and 2022 All-Star LaMelo Ball.
Henderson, who has previously said he was best player in the class, was selected third by the Portland Trail Blazers. The addition of a highly regarded point guard prospect is sure to ramp up the widespread trade speculation surrounding Damian Lillard.
The Thompson twins, products of Overtime Elite, followed by being selected back-to-back, with Amen Thompson going No. 4 to the Houston Rockets and Ausar Thompson picked fifth by the Detroit Pistons.
The pair becomes the second set of brothers to both become top-five draft picks in the common draft era, following Lonzo Ball (No. 2, 2017) and LaMelo Ball (No. 3, 2020).
Only one of the top five picks played NCAA basketball on their road to the NBA, the fewest since 2001, when players could be drafted directly from high school.
Heading into the draft, many pundits projected conditions ripe for a night full of trades, but teams mostly picked where they were slated.
One notable trade occurred when the Dallas Mavericks traded the No. 10 pick and Davis Bertans to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 12 pick, freeing up cap space for the Mavs via the traded player exception. Dallas used the 12th pick to select Duke center Dereck Lively II as the team continues to try to build a contender around Luka Doncic.
Dallas used the newfound roster flexibility almost immediately, acquiring big man Richaun Holmes and the 24th pick (Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper) from the Sacramento Kings.
While all eyes were on Wembanyama at the draft’s onset, he wasn’t the only victory for basketball in France.
Forward Bilal Coulibaly, Wembanyama’s French League teammate on the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92, was picked seventh overall by the Indiana Pacers but was promptly traded to the Washington Wizards.
The Orlando Magic, who picked Paolo Banchero first overall in last year’s draft, added to their young core by selecting Arkansas guard Anthony Black at No. 6 and using the 11th pick on Michigan swingman Jett Howard, son of former All-Star Juwan Howard.
Fresh off their second NBA Finals appearance in four years, the Miami Heat used the No. 18 pick four-year UCLA product Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The NBA champion Denver Nuggets acquired the No. 29 pick to select Gonzaga forward Julian Strawther.
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