Frazer Clarke is ready to have the last laugh when he takes on Fabio Wardley for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles on Sunday in what will be the biggest night of his professional career.
Olympic bronze medallist Clarke has been forced to bide his time for a shot at domestic rival Wardley after their prospective bout last year collapsed.
Clarke’s own team of 258 Management and promotion company Boxxer made the decision to withdraw the 32-year-old on the day of purse bids, which resulted in their fighter being at the centre of a social media storm.
After Clarke took criticism and ridicule from all directions “on the chin”, he regrouped to get the better of veteran Mariusz Wach on points last summer before he comprehensively dismantled Dave Allen in September to finally set up an eagerly-anticipated clash with Wardley at London’s O2 Arena on Easter Sunday.
“It wasn’t pleasant. Definitely wasn’t pleasant,” Clarke told the PA news agency about the purse bid episode.
“To go through that at that stage of my career, it felt unfair but I am a firm believer in dealing with things as they come to you.
“I just had to get on with it. I did that and didn’t really complain too much. I got a lot of stick from a lot of people but took it on the chin. Got on with things. I had a couple of bad weeks but after that I was fine and we moved on.”
Clarke (8-0, 6KOs) conceded facing 48-fight veteran Wach at York Hall months after he was in line to compete for the British title proved to be the “biggest anti-climax ever”, while even Allen failed to “get the juices flowing” for the Stoke-on-Trent boxer.
However, motivation will be no problem when the 32-year-old steps in with Wardley, 29, after several social media exchanges between the duo who have been on a collision course since the latter beat one of Clarke’s old Olympic programme team-mates.
“I was at the Nathan Gorman fight. I watched that with keen interest and the second he became British champion, I thought one day I will end up fighting him,” Clarke said.
“I would say a rivalry is the right word. I wouldn’t say it’s a grudge because I have got no issue with Fabio.
“We’ve had a bit of back and forth, but that’s just the nature of the beast. It is all part and parcel of the game.
“The rivalry is definitely there. I would say it is a competitive rivalry rather than anything else.”
A subplot to this domestic dust-up is the pair’s upbringing, with Clarke steeped in boxing tradition after he progressed through the British Olympic programme, while Wardley’s first venture into the sport was through white-collar fights.
Nevertheless, Clarke acknowledged he is the underdog against an opponent who has won all 17 of his professional fights, but is ready to lean on his amateur pedigree and silence the critics after a “brutal” fight camp.
View this post on InstagramHe added: “Physically, emotionally, it’s been hard, draining but I feel like I’m coming out the other end.
“As a professional, this is definitely by far the biggest night of my life and everything will go into this.
“I’m motivated, I’m up for it and I’m really enjoying this underdog mentality.
“Having people against me, having people expecting me to get flattened, it will be sweet to prove people wrong.”
Sir Chris Hoy was crowned world champion for a 10th time on this day in 2010 as he triumphed in the Keirin at the Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen.
A crash in the first heat threatened to wreck Hoy’s plans, but he managed to regroup to qualify for the final.
Azizulhasni Awang pushed Olympic champion Hoy all the way before the British rider edged home to claim his second medal of the Championships.
Hoy had already clinched bronze in the team sprint at the Ballerup Super Arena, but crashed out in qualifying for the Keirin.
Josiah Ng Onn Lam had blocked Hoy, who went on to fall and take out another rider, which caused the race to stop.
Ng was later disqualified and after Hoy progressed through to the final, the Scot had to bide his time before he gained the lead during the final lap-and-a-half to taste success in his first major global event since his triple Olympic success in 2008.
“I certainly didn’t enjoy being bumped on my backside at the start of my first race – that was a bit out of order,” Hoy said.
“It made me angry but I had to keep my emotions in check because I didn’t want the red mist to descend.
“It’s even more special to be back here again where I won my first world title in 2002.
“I would never have predicted then that I would be coming back here in eight years time, let alone to win a 10th title. I’m delighted.”
Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey each had 24 points as the Philadelphia 76ers got back on track with Sunday's 121-107 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the teams' first meeting since November's James Harden trade.
Harden's tumultuous 21-month tenure with the 76ers came to an end when Philadelphia shipped the disgruntled star guard to Los Angeles shortly after the start of this season. The 10-time All-Star dished out 14 assists against his former team, but was held to 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
The Sixers started fast and never trailed en route to ending a two-game losing streak, though Los Angeles erased a 17-point first-half deficit to tie the contest midway through the third quarter.
Philadelphia regained control behind a 6-0 run to take a 79-73 lead with five minutes left in the third quarter, then later scored 13 consecutive points in the fourth to open up a commanding 103-85 advantage with eight minutes to go.
Maxey accounted for 10 points during that pivotal spurt and scored 19 of his points after half-time.
Harris tallied 11 first-quarter points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 10 as the Sixers built a 41-29 lead after 12 minutes, and Philadelphia stretched the margin further in the second before the Clippers closed out the first half on a 10-0 run to pull within 63-56 at intermission.
Los Angeles continued to chip away early in the third quarter and tied the game at 65-65 on a Paul George 3-pointer 2:14 into the second half.
Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell paced the Clippers, who were coming off consecutive wins over the lowly Portland Trail Blazers, with 20 points each.
Bucks knock Thunder out of West's top spot with rout
Giannis Antetokounmpo racked up 30 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, Khris Middleton amassed a triple-double and the Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a dominant 118-93 victory over Oklahoma City that knocked the Thunder out of first place in the Western Conference.
Playing with their core three of Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Middleton together for the first time since Feb. 3, the Bucks held Oklahoma City to its lowest point and field goal percentage (37.1) totals of the season to increase their lead on the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers to three games in the Central Division.
The Thunder had a four-game winning streak halted and dropped a half-game behind the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets for the West's best record.
Middleton compiled 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double, while Antetokounmpo scored 11 of his points in the third quarter as Milwaukee began pulling away after holding a slim 48-47 edge at half-time.
Seven of Antetokounmpo's points came during a 16-0 run that turned a one-point advantage into a 68-51 lead just past the midway stage of the third quarter.
The Bucks didn't let up in the fourth, as they shot 63.6 per cent for the period while increasing their lead to as many as 26 points.
Josh Giddey led Oklahoma City with 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder's All-Star guard, was held to 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting and had a streak of 29 consecutive games of 20 points or more snapped.
Heat bounce back with dominant win over Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost ground to the Bucks in the Central race with a lopsided loss to the Miami Heat, who had seven players score in double figures to cruise to a 121-84 blowout win.
Miami rebounded strongly from Friday's 23-point home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, as the defending Eastern Conference champions built a lead as large as 45 points while getting contributions all throughout the roster.
The Heat received 59 points from their reserves, led by Haywood Highsmith's 18 on 7-of-10 shooting, as well as a 15-point, 16-rebound effort from starting center Bam Adebayo to end a three-game losing streak at home.
Cleveland got 15 points from Evan Mobley in the forward's return from a nine-game absence caused by a sprained ankle. No other Cavaliers' players reached double figures, however, as the injury-plagued club was dealt a third straight loss.
The Heat shot nearly 58 per cent from the field in the first quarter to build a 32-22 lead, then increased the margin during a second quarter that guard Terry Rozier closed with a buzzer-beating layup that sent Miami into the break owning a comfortable 60-39 advantage.
Cleveland never got closer than 19 points down in the second half, and the Heat's lead swelled to 118-73 with 4:23 left to play.
Miami's 45-point lead was its largest margin in any game since a 46-point cushion over the Chicago Bulls in a 2013 play-off contest.
Jonathan Drouin's goal 54 seconds into overtime capped an improbable rally for the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who increased their winning streak to nine games with Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Avalanche trailed 4-0 late in the second period before erupting for five unanswered goals, the last coming when Drouin skated by Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang up the right side before slipping a shot past goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic less than a minute into extra time.
Drouin finished with two goals and an assist, while Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists to extend his streak of consecutive home games with at least one point to 34, the second-longest run in NHL history.
While the Avalanche remained tied with the Dallas Stars atop the Central Division, the Penguins were dealt another blow to their fading play-off hopes with a third consecutive defeat. Pittsburgh currently stands in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and is now nine points behind in the race for the final wild-card spot.
Sean Walker and Yakov Trenin began Colorado's comeback with goals in the final four minutes of the second period, and Drouin cut Pittsburgh's lead to 4-3 when he one-timed a cross-ice pass from MacKinnon into the Penguins' net 3:32 into the third.
MacKinnon's 44th goal of the season later tied the contest with 4:38 remaining in regulation.
The Penguins dominated the first period, outshooting Colorado by a 15-4 margin and building a 2-0 lead on goals by Jesse Puljujarvi and Bryan Rust. They extended the margin to 4-0 when Sidney Crosby and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored less than two minutes apart in the second.
Crosby finished with three assists in addition to his 34th goal of the season.
Nedeljkovic stopped 21 of 25 shots and briefly left the game in the third period after colliding with Colorado's Casey Mittelstadt. Tristan Jarry came on in relief and turned back 4 of 5 chances while surrendering MacKinnon's tying goal.
Alexandar Georgiev finished with 30 saves for Colorado.
Oveckhin, Capitals continue surge with shutout of Jets
Alex Ovechkin extended his hot stretch with two more goals to back Charlie Lindgren's 27 saves as the Washington Capitals continued their climb in the Eastern Conference standings with a 3-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets.
John Carlson added a goal and T.J. Oshie contributed two assists to Washington's fifth victory in six games, a result that pushed the Capitals one point ahead of Detroit for the East's final wild-card spot. Washington hosts the Red Wings on Tuesday in an important late-season clash.
Both Lindgren and Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck were perfect through two periods, but the Capitals finally broke the scoreless stalemate when Carlson one-timed a feed from Oshie past the Jets' star netminder on a power play 1:21 into the third.
Ovechkin put Washington up 2-0 just over two minutes afterward, then beat Hellebuyck on a backhand attempt with eight minutes to go as the legendary forward increased his goal streak to five games. Oveckhin has eight goals during the run.
Lindgren had seven third-period saves to polish off his fifth shutout of the season and hand the scuffling Jets a third consecutive loss.
Hellebuyck ended with 16 saves.
Andersen sharp again as Hurricanes top Maple Leafs
Frederik Andersen made 32 saves to remain unbeaten since returning from injury as the Carolina Hurricanes held on for an important 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Andersen made first-period goals from Brady Skjei and Sebastian Aho stand up to win his sixth consecutive start since coming back from a blood-clotting issue that had sidelined him for four months.
The victory was the ninth in 11 games (9-1-1) for Carolina, which trails the New York Rangers by just one point for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto had a two-game winning streak snapped despite 41 saves from Joseph Woll, who also turned back Jake Guentzel on a penalty shot in the first period.
Woll was beaten early, however, as Skjei scored on the Hurricanes' first shot of the game with just 1:06 elapsed into the contest.
Aho converted a power-play chance later in the first period to extend the margin, and Andersen made 20 saves through the first two periods before Toronto's Nicholas Robertson ended the shutout bid 8:51 into the third.
The Maple Leafs had an opportunity to tie it later on after Carolina defenseman Brent Burns was called for a tripping penalty with 3:15 remaining, but the Hurricanes were able to kill off the resulting power play.
Andy Murray raged at umpire Carlos Bernardes as he bowed out of the Miami Open following a dramatic three-set defeat to Tomas Machac.
Murray appeared to be furious with Bernardes for failing to control the movement of spectators around the Butch Buchholz court as he lost his serve at the end of the second set.
Machac then raced into a 3-0 lead in the decider and eventually closed out a 5-7 7-5 7-6 (7/5) victory in three hours and 27 minutes, but only after Murray had survived an injury scare and saved a match point to force the tie-break.
Murray had taken the first set after finally capitalising on his ninth break point and, following a 40-minute rain delay, the second set looked destined for a tie-break until Murray lost his serve in the 12th game.
The 36-year-old’s frustrations with fans moving between points boiled over and he could be heard shouting to Bernardes: “Useless, useless.”
In response to an unheard reply from Bernardes, Murray responded: “What are you talking about? It’s quite obvious when people are standing up between every single point.”
It was no surprise that a distracted Murray then lost his serve at the start of the decider but Machac was unable to close out the match at 5-3, serving two double faults as he let Murray back into the contest.
Murray looked to have all the momentum but then seemed to twist his ankle as he ran towards the net after levelling at 5-5, the former world number one thankfully able to continue after being assessed by a tournament physio.
In typical fashion Murray refused to throw in the towel and saved a match point on his own serve to take the contest to a decisive tie-break which he led 5-3, only for Machac to reel off four points in a row to complete a remarkable win.
Elsewhere, Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner recovered from a set down to beat Tallon Griekspoor 5-7 7-5 6-1, but Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan caused a major upset as he knocked out world number seven Holger Rune 6-1 6-1.
“It is a great feeling to play at the highest level,” Marozsan said.
“I try to play my best tennis and today against a top 10 player and I am enjoying my time here. I try to play my best tennis.”
Fallon Sherrock wrapped up a successful two days at the PDC Women’s Series in Wigan with victory in the Event Four final on Sunday.
Sherrock, already victorious in Event One on Saturday, overpowered Beau Greaves 5-1 to claim her second triumph of the weekend.
Mikuru Suzuki also tasted success at the Robin Park Tennis Centre as she beat Deta Hedman 5-4 in the Event Three final earlier in the day.
Sherrock’s win came after a repeat of the Event One final, but was won far more convincingly than Saturday’s last-leg decider.
She had also powered through the earlier rounds as she disposed of Kirsi Viinikainen and Desiree Geel 5-0 and 5-1 respectively.
Suzuki edged out Sherrock 5-4 in the semi-finals of Event Three before going to beat Hedman in a deciding leg.
England kicked off their Women’s Six Nations title defence with an eight-try 48-0 trouncing of Italy in Parma despite having Sarah Beckett sent off after just 11 minutes.
The hosts, who have finished fifth the last two years, were no match for the 2023 Grand Slam winners who picked up a bonus point as they began their quest for a sixth successive championship in style.
Beckett was dismissed early on for a dangerous ruck clear-out but only after becoming the first woman to have her yellow card upgraded to a red by the TMO ‘bunker’ system.
But it did little to harm England’s chances as they eased into a 10-point lead at half-time courtesy of tries from Hannah Botterman and Abbie Ward.
England, for whom captain Marlie Packer won her 100th cap, picked up their performance after the break and added a further six tries to seal a comprehensive win.
Ellie Kildunne (two), Lark Atkin-Davies, Helena Rowland, Mackenzie Carson and Connie Powell all touched down despite the visitors being reduced to 13 players in the 69th minute when Rowland was yellow-carded for head contact at a ruck.
It was a case of mission accomplished for Knebworth who stuck his head out in game fashion to achieve trainer Richard Hughes’ early-season objective.
The four-year-old was sent off a 6-1 chance for the William Hill NRMB On The Grand National Handicap and was always prominent in the hands of young apprentice Ethan Jones.
The 9-2 favourite Aleezdancer and most notably Woven laid down a stern challenge at the business end of the six-furlong event, but Jones was strong and had a willing partner when he needed him to prevail by a short head from Woven.
Hughes said: “It was a great run and that has been the plan. I gave him a prep on the all-weather to knock the cobwebs off as you can find with sprinters they can be quite fresh after they’ve had a break.
“I wanted to get that freshness off before he went running on soft ground up there and it was an ideal spot for him.
“Ethan claiming the 7lb certainly helps and it was a lovely win. Ethan is doing most things right at the moment, he’s listening and riding well.”
On future plans, Hughes added: “That was our first target and there might be a race back on the all-weather for him Easter weekend as he’s quite good on the all-weather.
“That might be one of the last highly-rated all-weather races because when the summer comes, it’s hard to get a highly-rated all-weather race. He’ll either go there or I’ll wait for another turf race where there is some moisture in the ground.”
The William Hill Epic Boost Novice Stakes has been won by the likes of Maljoom and Fox Champion in the past and produced another likeable winner in the shape of Eve Johnson Houghton’s Balmacara.
Third on debut behind a subsequent Listed winner and the highly-regarded Kikkuli, the son of New Bay relished the cut under foot to get off the mark at the second attempt at odds of 5-2.
“I’m absolutely thrilled with him and he probably enjoys a bit of juice in the ground, he hits the ground quite hard so I was always keen to get him out early,” said Johnson Houghton.
“He probably wants further and is just a really nice, likeable horse. He definitely wanted soft ground last year but now he’s maturing he might be able to handle better ground better – but he wouldn’t want it very firm.
“It’s our first runner on turf and he wins, so it’s great for all the team and gives us a boost.”
King Of Spain provided a sentimental victory for Gemma Tutty in the Harrison College Your Future Your Choice Handicap as she continued her fine weekend on Town Moor.
Tutty saddled Look Back Smiling to win the Spring Mile at the South Yorkshire track on Saturday and she was in the winner’s enclosure again with a half-brother to former stable standard-bearer Mostly Cloudy, with the three-year-old King Of Spain making an impressive turf debut to follow up a recent success on the all-weather.
“He’s a half-brother to Mostly Cloudy who was our star during our first season so he has a lot of sentimental value anyway, but to see him keep progressing is really satisfying.
“We bought him as a yearling and the owners have been really patient. We were really keen to get him on soft ground and up in trip. I knew he would come on from his last run because he felt amazing at home, but I wasn’t expecting him to put the race to bed quite as impressively as he did.
“Looking at his knee action, he was always going to appreciate a bit of juice in the ground, but he has taken a big step forward today.
“I’m really thrilled and most of the owners of Mostly Cloudy have reinvested and it’s wonderful to pay them back for keeping the faith in me. The weekend couldn’t have gone much better really.”
The afternoon was kicked off by husband-and-wife team of Archie Watson and Brodie Hampson combining with Throne Hall (13-2) to win the William Hill Epic Value Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap, while Qitaal (14-1) returned from over 600 days off the track to make a blistering debut for Charlie Johnston in the 10-furlong Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap.
Purple Lily advertised her Classic claims with victory in the TRM Equine Nutrition Race at Naas.
A winner at Galway on her sole two-year-old outing, Purple Lily was sent off the 10-11 favourite to maintain her perfect record for trainer Paddy Twomey in the mile heat.
She made smooth progress for Billy Lee and when sent to win her race a furlong out, she had more than enough in reserve to win by three lengths from the Group One-placed Portland.
Twomey said: “She’s a nice filly and she wintered well. We just gave her the one run after the breeze-ups last year and she was good.
“I like her, the horses have done loads of cantering but they haven’t done much fast work. When you are taking on a 108-rated colt, you are asking them a question and she did it well.
“We might look at a Guineas trial and then the Irish Guineas. I think we’ll take our time.”
The Calyx filly has now won twice on testing ground, but Twomey added: “That’s only what was there the day she ran, I’d say it doesn’t matter.
“She’s versatile, she has a lovely attitude and is a lovely filly to train. Hopefully we have a good year with her.”
Wendla could also be set for a Classic trial after a taking success in the Dubawi Legend Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.
Beaten in two juvenile starts, Wendla was sent off an 11-2 chance to make it third time lucky for trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane and she obliged in style, with a cosy two-and-a-half-length verdict over Harbour Gem.
The Ulysses filly is out of Breeders’ Cup winner Intercontinental, who is a daughter of Juddmonte’s prolific mare Hasili and counts Dansili, Banks Hill and Champs Elysees among her illustrious relations.
“Colin said to me she’d win if she did what we’ve seen at home. It’s about whether they handle the ground or not,” said Lyons.
“She’s a nice filly and it’s nice to get the maidens out of the way with the likes of her and (Friday’s Dundalk winner) Sakti.
“We thought if she handles that ground, if one of the trials comes up soft then we have one for it and if it turns up good, we’ve one for it too.
“I’m not saying they are Guineas horses or anything, they’ve to prove that, but at the minute we’ve won our maiden and they are horses we would like to be going to a trial with and see where the ceiling is in time.
“There’s nothing that gets going until after Punchestown so that gives us a chance to take a breather and obviously the trials are what I wanted to aim at. Ultimately it’s all about stakes races with all the horses.”
Janoobi (4-1) made it a double for Lyons and Keane in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap, returning from a 575-day absence to win by five lengths – much to Lyons’ delight.
He said: “There is a lot of satisfaction in that because he’s come back from a massive injury and the team have done a marvellous job.
“He had a bad fracture in his front leg and it was touch and go whether he was going to be with us. They did a massive job with him and it’s a credit to anyone that had anything to do with him.
“He’s a horse that we always liked and it’s just a bonus to get him back, to win with him is just massive.
“He’s a good, fun horse to have on the team and every day we have with him now is a bonus.”
Jack Davison’s Take Me To Church is moving up in the world after a runaway success in the Irish Racing Writers Cliff Noone Memorial Madrid Handicap at Naas.
The three-year-old has won twice on the all-weather on his two most recent outings, but has clearly been considered a good turf prospect by his trainer ahead of his first start of the year on grass.
Under Ronan Whelan he was a 4-1 chance for the seven-furlong contest, won last year by Paddington before he went on a five-race winning streak that included the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes.
After an easy six-and-a-half-length victory Take Me To Church is also set to step up in grade, with the Listed Gladness Stakes on his agenda next.
“He’s a right little horse. It’s nice when a plan comes off and to bring up the hat-trick by winning the Madrid is a great result,” said Davison.
“He’s a turf horse really and I knew what he did in Dundalk wasn’t going to be what he could do on turf but he still won twice. He’s progressed with every run and it’s a fantastic result.
“I’d probably be in favour of having a go at the Gladness at the Curragh over seven, all going well. He has lots of options.
“He did win impressively. You don’t mind foregoing their handicap mark when they win a premier handicap in that style and you know you have a black-type horse.”
Ante-post Classic favourite City Of Troy satisfied trainer Aidan O’Brien in a rescheduled racecourse gallop at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The Ballydoyle handler had outlined plans to work his Classic contenders at Naas on Sunday earlier in the week, but with the ground riding heavy at the County Kildare venue, O’Brien opted to send his team to Leopardstown 24 hours earlier.
City Of Troy is a general 4-6 favourite for the Qipco 2000 Guineas and a 6-4 market leader for the Betfred Derby after an unblemished juvenile campaign that culminated in an impressive victory in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
The Justify colt was one a strong group to have a racecourse spin, with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Unquestionable and National Stakes victor Henry Longfellow others to strut their stuff.
O’Brien said: “They all worked nice, they all went in a bunch – the whole lot of them.
“We were happy with them all. They went seven and a half furlongs in a bunch and came up on the bridle but we were happy with what they did.
“City Of Troy, River Tiber, Unquestionable, Diego Velazquez and Henry Longfellow were all in the one bunch. We were very happy with them.
“We didn’t know whether there was a doubt about the meeting here (in Naas), so we were delighted to get into Leopardstown.”
O’Brien has indicated his intention to send City Of Troy to Newmarket on May 4 without a prep run and that remains the plan at present.
He added: “We’ll see how they come out of the work but that’s the plan at the moment.”
International honours are in O’Brien’s sights in the immediate future with last year’s Derby winner Auguste Rodin set to make his seasonal bow in the Dubai Sheema Classic next Saturday.
The four-year-old also won the Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf last term and he will headline the stable’s squad, with Luxembourg another headline act in the Dubai Turf, where he will be joined by Cairo.
O’Brien said: “They landed there this morning and everything looks good with them so far, they seem to have travelled nicely.
“We have Point Lonsdale in the Turf with Auguste Rodin. Then there is Luxembourg, Cairo and Tower Of London (Dubai Gold Cup) and the two in the Derby (Henry Adams and Navy Seal).”
Andrew Slattery’s Sunchart finally had his moment when landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Devoy Stakes at Naas.
The runner up in the race in both 2021 and 2023, the seven-year-old was last seen at the Curragh in November and was returning to action after a winter break.
Under Andrew Slattery jnr, the trainer’s son, he started at 5-1 as he attempted to go one better than previous efforts.
This time he was well able to get his head in front, finding himself with an easy lead two furlongs from home before pulling further and further clear of the field to cross the line six and a half lengths ahead.
“The horses deserved it more than any of us. Pat (Garvey, owner) has had great perseverance with him and it’s great that he’s kept going,” the trainer said.
“He was always a very good horse and he likes this track. He likes going left-handed and likes soft ground.
“He’s been a hard horse to place and we maybe aimed a bit high at times as well.
“He always had the ability, he was second in this last year and was barely beaten at Leopardstown in a Listed race (Trigo Stakes).
“People were doubting him for being doggy but he’s not, he’s just a horse that has had a lot of problems.
“It was just about getting him right on the day and today he was right.”
Sunchart was fourth in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester last season and could return to the meeting if conditions are suitable.
Slattery added: “I don’t think there is much coming up for him, the ground is the big thing. He might go back to Chester if the ground was soft, he ran well when fourth in the Ormonde Stakes last year.”
Judd Trump defended his World Open crown with a comprehensive 10-4 victory over Ding Junhui to claim the 28th ranking title of his career and move level with fourth-placed Steve Davis on the all-time list.
Trump dominated a scrappy first session in Yushan with a string of half-century breaks to open up an ominous 7-2 lead over home favourite Ding, who was let down by his safety play.
A stunning break of 130 by Trump after the interval managed to light up the final before he closed out the match with another century to clinch his fifth ranking title of the season.
View this post on InstagramA 6-2 semi-final win over Jackson Page had kept Trump on course to defend the tournament he won in 2019 with this year the first time it has been staged again following the coronavirus pandemic.
China’s Ding stood in Trump’s way and the opening frame set the tone for a cagey encounter.
Ding was left to rue a missed pink after a break of 39 with Trump able to eventually move one up after a succession of snookers from the duo.
Trump was not in full flow but an 88-break established a 3-0 lead before Ding responded with 59 to reduce the deficit before the mid-session interval.
World number two Trump upped his level in the second half of the first session and produced breaks of 59, 79 and 78 to take control despite the interruption of several mobile phones.
Hopes of a spectacular comeback were raised when Ding produced a sparking 106 break to close out the first session.
Trump had other ideas and replied with his own first century of the match after a stunning clearance of 130.
Another three-figure break followed after the Englishman showed off his full repertoire of shots, in between Ding’s 11th-frame 84, to move on the verge of victory.
Ding ensured another interval would occur when he edged a tight next frame, but Trump would not be denied.
An intriguing 14th frame eventually clinched more World Open success for Trump, although only after he missed the red on four occasions after a brilliant snooker by Ding.
Trump’s 58 break still had him in control and despite more fine safety play by Ding, a superb pink secured the frame and the final by a 10-4 score.
It represented the 28th ranking title of Trump’s career to draw him level with Davis, while only Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins have won more than the Bristol potter.
Ben Pauling is retaining plenty of faith in Tellherthename and is relishing the prospect of running his star novice again this season when ground conditions improve.
The five-year-old has always been the apple of the Naunton Downs handler’s eye and he advertised his star quality with two bloodless victories at Huntingdon either side of a disappointing showing in Aintree’s Formby Hurdle on Boxing Day.
That no show on Merseyside came on testing ground and connections’ wariness of slow going was shown when a wet February curtailed a Betfair Hurdle bid.
Despite the rain continuing to fall in the build up to the Cheltenham Festival, Pauling still felt it was worth chancing his talented operator on the treacherous opening day ground in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
However, having led the runners into the straight, Tellherthename was unable to quicken as he was passed by the majority of the field in the Festival’s opening event, giving his team the evidence they needed to firmly seek good ground in the future.
“I think for Tellherthename it (the Supreme) went perfectly and he travelled and he jumped brilliantly,” said Pauling.
“He looked very much in his comfort, but we now know if you ask him to quicken in that heavy ground, he just can’t do it.
“He’s definitely got another run on his agenda this season and whether that be Aintree or somewhere else I’m not sure, but he’s come out of it like a horse that hasn’t had a hard race. He’s bouncing.
“We’re looking forward to the rain stopping and the ground drying. He’s a classy individual and I just adore him but he just cannot quicken on that ground and I just think now we know that we can avoid it.
“We were confident that was the problem at Aintree (in the Formby) but it was the Festival and we wanted to roll the dice and at least it was wet ground, but he’s just a classy horse with plenty of speed and testing ground just doesn’t suit him.”
There was both joy and agony for Pauling and his team over the four days of the Festival, exemplified by the contrasting fortunes of the Harry Redknapp-owned pair Shakem Up’Arry and The Jukebox Man, with the former giving Pauling his fourth Festival victory and the latter coming desperately short in his bid to be number five.
There was also a near miss for Twig in the Ultima, but there was some mixed results as well throughout the week, with the handler regarding Handstands’ Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle disappointment as the biggest blow of the meeting.
Heading to Prestbury Park on the back of a brilliant Sidney Banks victory at Huntingdon, hopes were high he could make his mark up against Irish hotpot Ballyburn.
However, he could only finish last of the six finishers with Pauling feeling it may have been a case of one too many runs this term.
“Handstands was probably the biggest disappointment of the week and was a horse who we went into it not knowing where his limits lay,” continued Pauling.
“He fell far short of what we needed and Harry Cobden said he felt like he was never really on a going day.
“He only won his point-to-point in November and he has run three times including the Huntingdon Listed race en route, so maybe he just had one run to many.
“He’s finished for the season and is off doing dressage for a month now. He will come back as a lovely novice chaser for next season.”
John Quinn’s superb sprint mare Highfield Princess has died after sustaining a inoperable fracture in her stable.
The bay was being prepared for another season in training as her remarkable career looked to extend into another year, but an accident in her box put paid to that plan earlier in the month.
She was immediately retired and it was hoped she would recover and head into a second career as a broodmare, but her death was announced on Sunday.
Homebred by her owner John Fairley and generally ridden by Jason Hart, Highfield Princess had been a great success story for connections across the past four seasons, rising from the handicap ranks to win 14 times.
Those victories included the Prix de l’Abbaye, Flying Five, Nunthorpe and Prix Maurice de Gheest, all Group One events, and she was also second in the Nunthorpe and the King’s Stand by just a length apiece last season when amassing over £1.8million in prize money throughout her career.
A statement from John Quinn and his son Sean said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we have to announce the death of our wonderful mare, Highfield Princess.
“She suffered an inoperable fracture following an accident in her stable and although over the past week she fought with the same extraordinary spirit she showed on the racecourse, last night she lost her battle for life.
“We would like to thank Jonathan Anderson and the team at Rainbow Equine Hospital, who did everything possible to help the Princess and keep her comfortable.”
Her trainer added: “Highfield Princess took us all on the most remarkable journey.
“She possessed Group One ability but also a Group One attitude.
“Whether it was a routine canter or a big sprint race around the world, she put 100 per cent effort into what she did. I am grateful for all that she did for herself and for our team.
“We will miss her more than words can say.”
John Fairley described the mare as the “pride of Yorkshire”, saying: “It has been the privilege of our lives to have known Highfield Princess. We are all heartbroken.
“She was the horse you dream of breeding and owning. She took our family on an extraordinary adventure around the world and created so many precious memories. She loved to race and her intelligence, toughness and will to win were incredible. She was a truly special horse, a member of our family.
“There were so many people involved in her incredible journey. From the stud where she was born, to the people who helped her take her first steps under saddle and the farm where she spent her holidays.
“We know the team at John and Sean Quinn Racing, who have looked after the Princess with dedication and love, will also be devastated. We would like to thank them all for their tender care over the years. She was so happy in that yard.
“Highfield Princess was the pride of Yorkshire, a superstar on the racecourse and adored by so many, for her irrepressible spirit at home and on the racecourse. We’re thinking of everyone who loved and admired her, in the UK and all around the world.
“She will be forever held in our hearts.”
A Royal Ascot repeat will be on Desert Hero’s agenda when he returns to the track this summer, with William Haggas keen to head to the Hardwicke Stakes in peak condition.
The son of Sea The Stars entered the record books at last year’s Royal meeting when his last-gasp King George V Stakes success provided the King and Queen with their first Royal Ascot champion and prompted joyous scenes in the royal box.
He would go on to land the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on his next start which teed-up a shot at the St Leger, where Desert Hero would finish an honourable third in the presence of his owners.
Initial talk of a Melbourne Cup bid was soon curtailed and with the Somerville Lodge handler electing against taking him to Australia this side of the new year, he is pleasing Haggas at home as he builds towards the start of his four-year-old campaign.
The earlier part of the season will have a Royal Ascot focus, with the Hardwicke Stakes currently nominated as Desert Hero’s target for the summer showpiece.
“He’s done really well and I’m really pleased with him,” said Haggas.
“We cut (gelded) him over the winter and took the view he was unlikely to make a stallion, or a stallion that would be popular for anyone, and that he still had plenty of mileage as a racehorse. I think he will be better for being gelded and hopefully he will have a good season.
“He will have a run or two, probably only a run, and it would be very much the Hardwicke. It would be lovely to go back to Ascot with a chance for him.”
For his Royal Ascot tune-up, Desert Hero could tread a similar path to 12 months ago by appearing on Lockinge Day at Newbury on May 18.
The four-year-old reappeared in the London Gold Cup on that card in 2023 and Haggas has tentatively suggested that the Al Rayyan Stakes, previously known as the Aston Park, could be the ideal spot to return to action.
“It will depend how quickly he comes to hand, but the obvious race is the Aston Park,” he continued.
“He ran in the London Gold Cup last year at Newbury and the Aston Park is on the same day, a valuable Group Three race.
“He will be penalty free for that and if you are asking me in March where he will go, then off the top of my head that is what I would say.
“It’s very possible he will start there. That to me looks the perfect place to start him with a nice gap until Royal Ascot.”
There is no danger of the Boston Celtics taking their foot off the pedal as the business end of the season approaches, said Sam Hauser after the NBA's best team made it nine straight wins.
Hauser joined Al Horford in scoring 23 points in support of Jayson Tatum (26) as the Celtics improved to 57-14 with a 124-113 road win over the Chicago Bulls at United Center on Saturday.
Tatum returned after missing Thursday's win over the Detroit Pistons to lead a short-handed Boston side to victory, with Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis absent after picking up minor injuries.
The Bulls led 92-91 in the closing minute of the third quarter only to run out of steam, failing to respond when Payton Pritchard scored six straight points for Boston and Hauser made a 3-pointer to extend their lead early in the fourth.
While the Celtics' focus is now firmly on the playoffs as they target a first NBA championship since 2008, Hauser says they will not ease up in the closing weeks of the regular season.
"We're just hungry for more," Hauser said. "It's not in our character to just mail it in for the rest of the season."
Horford, meanwhile, was most impressed by the way other players stepped up in the absence of Brown and Porzingis, with the Celtics making light of a gruelling run of five games in seven days.
"Different people, different guys, are ready to step up when their number is called," Horford said.
"We all understand what we're trying to do, how we're trying to play. Guys are just staying ready and taking advantage of the opportunities."
The Celtics face back-to-back away games against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and Wednesday as they continue their six-game road stretch.
The 34-37 Bulls, meanwhile, will look to strengthen their grasp on a Play-In spot when they host the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Jalen Green said the Houston Rockets' hot streak will be meaningless if they fail to make the NBA Playoffs, after pouring in 41 points in Saturday's 147-119 rout of the Utah Jazz.
The Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games – their longest since an identical run in 2019 – to improve to 35-35, going within 1.5 games of the Golden State Warriors, who currently occupy the Western Conference's final Play-In spot.
Green's second 40-point showing of the year was supported by Fred VanVleet, who scored 34 points with 10 3-pointers as Houston built a commanding first-quarter lead and never looked back.
Asked about the team's rise up the standings after the game, Green said: "It won't really mean anything if we don't make the playoffs.
"That's the goal everyone has right now. I'm just trying to go out there and be the best version of myself for my team-mates."
The start of the second quarter saw Houston forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Jazz guard Kris Dunn ejected for fighting, the duo throwing punches at one another after getting tangled up with just five seconds of the quarter played.
Smith did not speak to the media after the game, though Dunn accepted responsibility for his actions as he told reporters: "We exchanged a couple of words, a couple of pushes and the next thing you know, we're ejected.
"For me, I take responsibility for my actions and whatever the league decides for me, I have to respect that."
Rockets coach Ime Udoka suggested the incident was a follow-up to an altercation between the pair on January 20, when both were issued technical fouls in a 127-126 overtime win for Houston.
"I think Dunn hit him with a shot, and then they got wrapped up and threw a few punches," Udoka said of Smith's role in the altercation.
"Basically, nothing landed, but as soon as you throw a punch, you're going to be ejected."
Houston are back in action with another home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, before going to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah in a two-game road stretch.
The 29-42 Jazz, meanwhile, will look to snap their five-game losing streak against the Dallas Mavericks as they open a run of three straight home games on Monday.
Toto Wolff admitted it was a “fair question” whether he remained the right person to lead Mercedes – after Lewis Hamilton’s worst ever start to a season was confirmed at the Australian Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz delivered the best drive of his career, just 16 days after surgery for appendicitis, to take advantage of Max Verstappen’s shock first retirement in two years to lead home a Ferrari one-two finish from Charles Leclerc.
But over at Mercedes, Hamilton’s afternoon ended on the 17th lap when his engine expired as team-mate George Russell crashed out.
Hamilton, who qualified 11th, has taken just eight points from the opening three rounds. His previous worst start to a season had been in 2009 when he was disqualified at the first round before finishing sixth and seventh.
Before Sunday’s retirement, Hamilton had begun the year by crossing the line only seventh and ninth in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Mercedes carried Hamilton – who is heading to Ferrari next year – to six of his seven world championships, but the British driver has not won a race since the penultimate round of the 2021 campaign, 58 rounds ago.
Last year, Hamilton finished second in Melbourne, but Russell, who was the fastest Mercedes driver in Melbourne this weekend, was only seventh when he crashed.
Wolff, who has been team principal at Mercedes since 2013, was asked if he should remain in his role.
“As a corner of this business, I need to make sure my contribution is positive and creative so I would be the first one to say if somebody has a better idea, tell me because I am invested to turn this team around as quickly as possible,” the 52-year-old replied.
“We have not swallowed a dumb pill since 2021. We don’t understand some of the behaviours of the car and in the past we would.
“I look at myself in the mirror every single day about everything I do and it is a fair question. But it (leaving) is not what I feel that I should do at the moment.
“But if you have any ideas as to who could turn this round, I would happily listen to that.
“The big difference is, this is my job and if you ask the manager question, I cannot go to Chelsea or Liverpool or over to Ferrari.
“I have not got that choice (as a co-owner of Mercedes) which is also unfortunate. I am not a contractor or an employee, who has said I have had enough of this. My hamster wheel keeps spinning and I cannot jump out.
“We always need to look at ourselves. I need to look at myself. And we are all humans. Data doesn’t take decisions; humans do.
“I would be lying if I said I feel positive and optimistic about the situation. You need to overcome the negative thoughts and say ‘we will turn it around’, but today it feels very, very, very brutal.”
Mercedes arrived for the new season armed with a car that they thought would enable them to return to the front. But the Silver Arrows are now behind not just Red Bull, but Ferrari and McLaren in the pecking order, too.
An honest Wolff continued: “We started this season in the belief that this car was better than last year.
“Everything I have done before, in finance and investment, you know which screws to turn and you know sometimes it takes time.
“Here, I don’t think we are missing things. It is just a complication that is happening with the car that we cannot see, and it is like an on-off switch.
“You see the progress that McLaren and Ferrari have made, so on one side, I want to punch myself on the nose. We have got to really dig deep because it is brutally painful.”
Despite his poor weekend in Melbourne, Hamilton was upbeat. His pain perhaps soothed by Ferrari’s impressive display at Albert Park.
“Surprisingly I feel pretty good,” said Hamilton, with Wolff also admitting his soon-to-be-departing driver “is looking over the fence” at Ferrari’s impressive performances.
“I’m trying to keep things in perspective because things could be so much worse.
“I’m still enjoying working with the team. Of course I’d like to be (competing for wins) but we will bounce back. We will eventually get there.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and be focused on this one thing. But the bigger picture is definitely the focus. And also, just realising that you can’t control everything.
“It’s not great. I’m not happy. But I’m going to have a great day tomorrow.”
Despite the brake failure on lap four which ended his bid for a record-equalling 10 straight wins, Verstappen still remains in charge of the championship with a four-point lead over Leclerc, ahead of the next round in Japan on April 7.
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