James Fanshawe’s Fresh will bid for back-to-back victories in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
The six-year-old was a short-head winner of the contest last season and is something of an Ascot specialist having been successful there three times and placed on several occasions.
His last run came in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting in June, a race he finished second in in 2021 and this time was the fifth-placed horse when beaten two lengths in a field of 27.
That run has persuaded connections to bid for an International Stakes title defence after the gelding disappointed when 19th in the Victoria Cup earlier in the season.
“He’s very well, he’s had this race as a target as he likes it there and he ran very well there last time,” said Fanshawe.
“He needs a lot of things to go right, but we’ve targeted it and he seems to really love the track there.
Of why the Fresh likes the course so much, Fanshawe added: “I don’t know, some horses just really do like the straight track at Ascot and he’s one of them fortunately!
“In the Wokingham he was just drawn on the inside, he ran really well and was finishing well. He was one that came from a long way back and ran very well.
“He won the International last year so it was the obvious race, the main thing after the Ascot run was that he’d gone well as he was a bit disappointing the time before.
“I’m really pleased with him and he seems in good form.”
Connections of Tashkhan are willing the rain to keep falling ahead of his shot at the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes.
Brian Ellison’s five-year-old has been an ever-present in the top staying contests in recent years, counting a second in the 2021 British Champions Long Distance Cup and a fifth in the following year’s Ascot Gold Cup as some of the highlights.
Seen just three times this season, he skipped this year’s Ascot feature on account of fast ground and was beaten just three-quarters of a length in his most recent outing in the Silver Cup at York.
Ellison believes he will come on for that first appearance since April and is keen to test his star stayer in Group One company once again, especially with Tashkhan’s favoured soft ground entirely possible on the Sussex Downs.
He said: “Hopefully it will be the Goodwood Cup next, that’s the plan.
“He’s fine and in good fettle and he will come on for the run at York. He hadn’t run for a while and making the running was a bit of a disadvantage to him, he’s always better coming to challenge horses, so it was a good run really. I’m really happy with him.
“He stays longer than the mother-in-law, but knowing our luck, things will start drying up. He doesn’t need to have it heavy or anything, but obviously the softer the better for him, that will give him more of a chance.”
After Goodwood, Ellison has his sights on a return to the Knavesmire for a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor and a hefty share of it’s £500,000 prize-fund.
“You can’t keep him out of the top four really in these top races and there’s good prize-money and the plan is to go to Goodwood and then to the Ebor.
“I think the Ebor will suit him, a good handicap and a good gallop that he needs.”
Michael Tabor, owner or co-owner of six King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners, can be forgiven for having a somewhat clouded memory.
He first won the the all-aged, midsummer middle-distance showpiece in 2000 with a horse blessed with the most scintillating change of gear.
“The one King George I really remember is Montjeu,” said Tabor. “He won on hock-deep ground at Chantilly in the French Derby and at Ascot it was a very hot day, on firm ground, and not that it surprised me because I thought he would, but he just coasted in.
“That is my really big memory of the King George – I’m just trying to think of what others there were…”
Like a lot of other things, you always remember your first King George win, no matter what else follows. In this case, Galileo (2001), Hurricane Run (2006), Dylan Thomas (2007), Duke Of Marmalade (2008) and Highland Reel (2016).
Whether Tabor will lift the laurels for a seventh time this year, only time, and possibly his dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin, will tell.
It is not hard to see why the images of Montjeu, sauntering past his six rivals with jockey Mick Kinane sitting as motionless as if he were a statue atop a plinth, would not be the ones still burning brightly in Tabor’s mind.
The Aga Khan’s second-string Raypour set a clear early pace, with the owner’s iconic green and red epaulets colours also sported by Coronation Cup winner Daliapour, who tracked him until taking it up three furlongs from home.
Held up with Fantastic Light at the back of the field, the John Hammond-trained Montjeu made progress to two furlongs out, before he cruised to the lead a furlong out and quickly went clear, with Mick Kinane barely moving a bushy eyebrow in astonishment at the ease of victory.
To those watching from the stands and the six poor souls aboard the also-rans, the length-and-a-half victory margin felt like the distance of the M5 motorway, such was the imperious display from the four-year-old son of Sadler’s Wells.
He entered the mile-and-a-half showpiece with five Group Ones already to his credit, so little wonder he was sent off the 1-3 favourite.
“That is the one that really stands out,” said Tabor. “I did have good bet on him. I bet 5-2 on, I remember. I beat the SP, but it is not hard to beat the SP when you are having a big bet.”
Bred in Ireland by Sir James Goldsmith, who died in 1997 before the colt began his racing career, Montjeu’s ownership passed into the hands of Laure Boulay de la Meurthe, mother of two of Goldsmith’s children.
He won both starts as a juvenile for Chantilly-based Hammond, including the Listed Prix Isonomy, where he beat subsequent Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Spadoun.
“We saw Montjeu run in France as a two-year-old and we liked him,” said Tabor. “I suppose like a lot of people she adopted the attitude that if I sell half of it, which she did, I’ll be a winner both ways.”
Montjeu proved to be a brilliant three-year-old. Along with winning two French Group Twos, he took the French and Irish Derbys. Yet it was his majestic romp in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, where he showed his electric turn of foot, that stamped him into the annals of racing history.
“I remember him winning the Prix du Jockey Club and it was hock-deep that day,” added Tabor. “I was standing there and he was coming down the top bend, just cruising.
“Sheikh Mohammed was about 30 yards to my right. He just turned and as he walked past me, he just said, ‘well done’. I remember that distinctly,” he laughed.
“Also, I remember when he won the Arc. El Condor Pasa, the Japanese horse, sort of went clear and he picked him up in a matter of strides. He was brilliant.”
Hurricane Run was the other King George winner to carry Tabor’s famous royal blue and orange disk silks to victory in an equally memorable Arc, six years later.
“I don’t remember Hurricane Run’s King George win particularly well, or Galileo’s – it was a long time ago,” admitted the 81-year-old. “Didn’t he beat Fantastic Light?” He did, by two lengths. “I remember that. I remember his Derby run better, though.”
It is easy to forget Montjeu was not an easy horse to train, with Hammond surmising he was “an eccentric genius”.
He had a stunning CV. Voted the Cartier Three-Year-Old European Champion Colt, he also topped the International Classification in 1999. The six-time Group One winner became a leading sire for Coolmore and produced four Derby winners – Motivator, Authorized, Pour Moi and Camelot.
Though Tabor would admit that money and knowledge can reduce the risk when purchasing bloodstock, success still comes with an element of luck. Bookmaker, gambler and shrewd businessman, he has always backed himself – and most times has won spectacularly.
From humble beginnings, his entrepreneurial flair, work ethic and later, his fortune, helped shape and solidify the future of the Coolmore breeding empire, and has brought him astounding success as an owner.
Rarely is his judgement anything other than razor-sharp, as jockey Kieren Fallon found in the parade ring at Longchamp in 2005.
“There weren’t many runners in Montjeu’s Arc, whereas in Hurricane Run’s Arc, there was a big field,” said Tabor.
“I never say anything to jockeys and tell them what to do and what not to do, but on this occasion, I think Kieren said, ‘I’m drawn on the inside’.
“So I just said, ‘Kieren, for me, you just stay, stay, stay on the inside. It will open up, it will be a fast-run race and the thing is, if you get locked up, they’ll call you an idiot and if you stay there and win, you’ll be a genius! So, I would stay there’. And that was it.”
Fallon did as he was advised and the Andre Fabre-trained three-year-old won by a comfortable two lengths, a victory that even Tabor will not forget in a hurry.
American Brian Harman remained firmly on course to claim his first major title on a rain-soaked final day of the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Harman took a five-shot lead into the closing 18 holes and maintained that advantage at the turn after recovering superbly from a shaky start.
Only two players in championship history have squandered a five-shot lead after 54 holes, Macdonald Smith in the last Open staged at Prestwick in 1925 and Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999.
Harman’s lead quickly became six when playing partner Cameron Young bogeyed the first, but Harman dropped a shot himself at the next before Masters champion Jon Rahm closed the gap with a birdie on the par-five fifth.
Rahm’s drive was pulled towards a collection of gorse bushes but somehow avoided all of them and left the world number three with a good lie and clear shot, from where he came up just short of the green and two-putted.
Harman’s tee shot on the fifth then followed the same line as Rahm, only to plunge into a bush and force him to take a penalty drop, leading to a second bogey and cutting his lead to three.
That was just Harman’s fifth bogey of the week and for the third time he bounced back immediately with a birdie, holing from 15 feet on the sixth to edge further clear.
And when he also birdie the next following another quality iron shot, the lead was back to five.
Rahm’s bogey on the ninth briefly gave Harman a six-shot cushion, but Austria’s Sepp Straka almost immediately birdied the 11th to get back within five.
Rory McIlroy, who began the day nine behind, made the ideal start with a hat-trick of birdies from the third and recovered from a bogey on the 10th with a birdie on the 14th. But at six behind, holes were running out for the 2014 winner.
Frankie Dettori is ready for the unpredictable nature of the Racing League as he prepares to become the competition’s first ever player-manager.
The Italian represented the victorious Wales and The West side last season, riding winners to the delight of the crowd at both Lingfield and Newcastle, but is set for a new role in 2023 as he makes the switch to The East squad ahead of the multi-team event returning at Yarmouth on Thursday.
Not only will Dettori be sporting the yellow silks of The East as one of its team of jockeys, the 52-year-old has also taken on the challenge of managing the region as he bids to get his hands on the Racing League trophy for the second year in a row.
“Obviously being manager is a big responsibility,” said Dettori.
“For sure I will be at the first and last one and even though I’m probably not going to ride at all of them, I still have the responsibility of being a manager and doing the best for my team.
“I managed to win it last year and I’m really excited to go out there and sort of defend my title.
“I enjoyed it last year, there was a good vibe. My team didn’t have the best of starts, but as the competition went on, the momentum was on our side and Saffie (Osborne) rode a treble on the last day which sealed it for us.”
Dettori will be looking to immediately make his mark on The East’s home soil when the competition visits Yarmouth for the first time and he believes both the competitive nature and unknown quantities of the six-week event is what makes it so exciting for both the participants and those watching on.
He added: “All of my team members are going to be trying to win, it’s great to be representing the East side of the country coming from Newmarket and the best thing about Racing League is it is very unpredictable.
“I can’t really remember, but I think three teams came into the last week close on points and it was good and I enjoyed it.
“You don’t know what horses you are going to land with and what you might end up riding. Last year a lot of the races were tightly bunched, most of the races had close finishes and were very competitive. It will give everyone a chance and I think people really liked it last year.
“It’s year three now and people can tune in on a Thursday night with something they can follow.”
The west Yorkshire town of Batley is no stranger to Hollywood scripts having hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra and Jayne Mansfield in the heyday of the town’s famous Variety Club.
But Batley Bulldogs head coach Craig Lingard believes his side have written an equally improbable chapter in the town’s history after beating York Knights on Sunday to reach Wembley for the first time in their 143-year history.
Batley, who were the first winners of the rugby league Challenge Cup in 1898 and 1899 when the final was played at Headingley, will face Halifax Panthers in the 1895 Cup final for second and third-tier sides following the main final on August 12.
It will provide a fitting send-off for Lingard, who has graced the club as both a player and coach for nearly two decades, and will leave to join Castleford as a full-time assistant coach at the end of the season.
Lingard told the PA news agency: “It’s a very emotional feeling because this club have been such a big part of my life, and I guess with me leaving at the end of the year it’s our own version of a Hollywood script.
“So many great people have been through this club and to be part of the first group that will be going to Wembley is an unbelievable feeling.”
Lingard inspired Batley’s run to last year’s Championship Grand Final where they were beaten by Leigh, and they have defied the odds again this term as they currently sit third in the table, despite operating on one of the smallest budgets in the division.
“I have no regrets about my decision to leave – it was a case of what else could I achieve at a club that has done so much despite not spending a great deal of money,” added Lingard.
“We reached a Grand Final last year and we’re going to Wembley this year, and there is the possibility of reaching another Grand Final too. It is something that everybody at this club richly deserves.”
Lewis Hamilton apologised to Mercedes after a poor start at the Hungarian Grand Prix allowed Max Verstappen to rack up another win.
Verstappen gazumped pole-sitter Hamilton on the downhill run to the opening corner at the Hungaroring before racing off into the distance to score his seventh successive victory of this most one-sided of Formula One seasons.
Hamilton finished a disappointing fourth after both McLaren drivers also moved ahead of him inside the first two bends of Sunday’s 70-lap race.
Lando Norris was runner-up to Verstappen for the second consecutive race, 33.7 seconds behind the dominant Dutchman, while Sergio Perez fought back from ninth to third with Oscar Piastri crossing the line in fifth.
Verstappen’s ninth win from the 11 rounds so far, and 18th from his last 22 outings, sees him extend his championship lead to three figures, moving 110 points clear of Perez, heading into next weekend’s concluding round before the summer break in Belgium. Red Bull remain unbeaten this season, setting a new Formula One record with their 12th consecutive win in a row.
Twenty-four hours after he ended a 595-day wait for pole position, Hamilton’s challenge to end a losing streak which now stands at 34 races was over after a few hundred metres.
Hamilton’s initial reaction to the lights turning green was fine, but he struggled for traction in the next phase, with Verstappen moving alongside the Mercedes and then ahead under braking for the first right-hander.
Hamilton, sharing the front row with Verstappen for the first time since he was denied a record eighth world title in the desert, could do nothing to prevent Verstappen barging his way through.
Forced wide by Verstappen, Hamilton then lost two further positions. First to Piastri at the same right-hander, before Norris also muscled his way ahead of the seven-time world champion around the outside of the next bend. Hamilton had a nibble back at his countryman on the long run up to Turn 4 but Norris held firm.
A contrite Hamilton was straight on the radio. “Sorry about that, guys,” he said. “Don’t sweat about it, Lewis,” came the reply from Hamilton’s ever-upbeat race engineer, Peter Bonnington. “It is going to be a long race.”
Further back, and a slow-starting Zhou Guanyu mimicked a ten-pin bowling ball when he bumped into the returning Daniel Ricciardo, who hit Esteban Ocon, who in turn collided with Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly. Zhou was given a five-second penalty as both Alpines were unable to continue on a disastrous afternoon for the French team.
As Verstappen did what Verstappen does and controlled the race to perfection, Hamilton was struggling for speed. He questioned if his Mercedes team had turned down his engine after falling a dozen seconds back from Verstappen by the time he stopped for fresh rubber on lap 16.
He then expressed his exasperation at being cast more than 10 seconds behind third-placed Piastri, the Australian dropping behind team-mate Norris at the first round of stops.
“Where am I losing all the time?” he asked, adding: “It is just the car is slow.”
Perez started ninth following another below-par qualifying, but by lap 40 he was crawling all over the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes. To his credit, the Briton held off Perez before the Red Bull man dived into the pits.
Bonnington called on Hamilton to pick up the pace. But the despondent 38-year-old replied: “This is as fast as it goes, mate. That is what I have been saying.”
When he finally stopped for rubber for a second time with 20 laps to run, Hamilton dropped to fifth, with Perez now running in third after fighting his way past Piastri.
Piastri was suddenly struggling for speed and Hamilton wiped out a six-second deficit to the Australian inside a handful of laps and at the start of 57 he breezed past the McLaren man at the first corner.
Hamilton set about hunting down Perez, wiping out significant chunks of time in the closing laps, without getting close enough to challenge, crossing the line 1.5 seconds back from the Mexican and 39 behind Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc finished sixth while George Russell, who started 18th, passed Carlos Sainz for seventh with five laps remaining. The Briton was then bumped up one place after Leclerc was penalised five seconds for speeding in the pit lane.
On his first race back in the saddle after being dumped by McLaren at the end of last season, Ricciardo – despite slipping to last after Zhou’s first-corner antics – finished a commendable 13th in his AlphaTauri.
Oisin Murphy is eager to make up for lost time as the season moves towards one of its busiest periods.
The 27-year-old made a blistering return from a 14-month suspension in the early part of the campaign, picking up the 1000 Guineas on Mawj and striking gold at Royal Ascot aboard Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup.
However, it was Ascot which led to a return to the sidelines for Murphy, with the Irishman accumulating five days of suspensions for careless riding and also picking up an eight-day ban for a whip offence aboard runner-up Valiant King in the King George V Stakes.
Murphy’s enforced absence coincided with Shaquille’s fantastic July Cup triumph during Newmarket’s July Festival, but rather than dwell on missing out on partnering Julie Camacho’s superstar speedster, he kept himself busy by riding out and in the showjumping ring as he tunes up for some key months of the campaign.
“I filled my time with showjumping and I was riding out a lot,” explained Murphy. “But at the same time I do love race riding and I’m delighted to be back.
“I jumped a lot and had a good few lessons. I always want to be a better showjumper, but I only get to train sporadically so it’s quite hard to improve.
“There’s a lot of good racing coming up. That was my first whip infringement and I hope it will be my last because the penalties are severe.”
Having got on the scoresheet at Leicester on his first day back in the saddle, Murphy is now keen to build up his confidence ahead of the Qatar Goodwood Festival which is always a major week for Qatar Racing’s retained rider.
He will also get the chance to reunite with Gold Cup runner-up Coltrane in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes, with Andrew Balding’s stayer now one of the leading players in the top races over marathon distances.
“Hopefully I can just roll away and get my confidence up and look ahead to those big races coming up,” added Murphy.
“In bygone years I have had favourites for the Sussex Stakes and the Nassau at Goodwood and I probably won’t be in that position this time, but it is still an important meeting to try to do well there.
“There’s Coltrane in the Goodwood Cup. He’s been fantastic since Ascot. I don’t really ride him at home, he has the same rider, Chris, all the time. I saw him the other day and he looked great, he seems to have held his condition really well and Andrew is really happy.”
As well as Goodwood, there are also big meetings at Ascot, York and Deauville on the horizon and Murphy is relishing the opportunity to link up with David Menuisier’s impressive Sandown winner Sunway when he continues his racing education later this summer.
He said: “There’s a colt of David Menuisier’s called Sunway, who has come out of his race at Sandown well and he could be off to Ascot or Deauville I think.
“It’s great to probably have him to ride. He looks a very nice horse.”
Dubai Mile could make his debut for Martyn and Freddie Meade in Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes.
The three-year-old progressed nicely through his juvenile campaign, topped by landing the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud last October for Charlie and Mark Johnston.
However, he has failed to build on that in three runs this term. Although fifth to Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas, he was subsequently ninth in the Derby and finished eight lengths behind King Of Steel in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.
Thereafter, he joined the Meades’ Manton Park Stud after a deal was secured to purchase a half-share in the colt from owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, with a view to a stallion career.
Freddie Meade says the son of Roaring Lion has settled in well at Manton and while he holds an entry in the Group One Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich on Sunday, York could be the preferred option.
“We have left him the race in Munich, but I don’t think that will happen,” said Meade. “The possibility is we might go to York on Saturday for the Group Two.
“He seems to have settled in well. Everything seems good and he has fitted into the regime and everything.
“The York Stakes was what we earmarked as a starting point. He will definitely get the entry and we will see how he is through the week.
“The ultimate is to get another Group One with him if we can. We’ll start there and see where we go, but we are coming into the part of the season where he will maybe get his favoured soft ground, but he is pretty ground-versatile, it is just that his optimum is with a bit of juice in the ground.
“Hopefully he will be an exciting horse and that we can do some good with him.”
World number one Scottie Scheffler’s amazing run of results in 2023 looked certain to come to an end on a rain-soaked final day of the 151st Open.
Scheffler has finished no worse than 12th in any of his 16 events this season and no lower than fifth in his last seven starts.
However, that streak appeared to be over despite a final round of 67, the former Masters champion leaving himself too much to do following earlier rounds of 70, 75 and 72 at Royal Liverpool.
Scheffler began the final round in a tie for 63rd but took advantage of an early dry spell to cover his first 13 holes in four under par.
A wild drive on the 14th, which ironically finished next to an instructional ‘Swing Zone’ in the spectator village, cost Scheffler his first shot of the day, but he bounced back immediately to birdie the par-five 15th.
Scheffler holed from 20 feet for par on the 17th following a poor chip, but was unable to birdie the par-five 18th as the forecast rain arrived and a closing 67 – matching the best of the day so far by Adrian Meronk – meant Scheffler was in a tie for 30th when he signed his card.
At the top of the leaderboard, fellow American Brian Harman took a five-shot lead into the closing 18 holes in pursuit of his first major title.
Only two players in championship history have squandered such an advantage after 54 holes, Macdonald Smith in the last Open staged at Prestwick in 1925 and Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999.
Harman, who led by one at the same stage of the 2017 US Open before finishing second behind Brooks Koepka, said: “You’d be foolish not to envision (lifting the Claret Jug) and I’ve thought about winning majors for my whole entire life.
“It’s the whole reason I work as hard as I do and why I practise as much as I do and why I sacrifice as much as I do.
“If that’s going to come to fruition for me (on Sunday), it has to be all about the golf. It has to be execution and just staying in the moment.”
Harman’s nearest challenger was fellow American and last year’s runner-up Cameron Young, with Masters champion Jon Rahm another stroke back after storming through the field with a flawless 63.
Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood was part of a five-strong group, which included Viktor Hovland and Jason Day, starting the final round seven off the pace.
Seddon will follow in the hoofprints of Hewick when he heads for the American Grand National Hurdle Stakes at Far Hills in October.
Hewick famously landed the two-mile-five-furlong Grade One event with some ease for trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon last year and now fellow Irish handler John McConnell looks poised to send dual Cheltenham winner Seddon to the New Jersey track.
Seddon won a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in October and then after a chase victory at Leopardstown over Christmas, he took the Grade Three Magners Plate Handicap Chase on his return to the Prestbury Park track at the Festival meeting in March.
A fourth successive victory followed over hurdles at the Punchestown Festival in April and McConnell is now prepared to roll the dice Stateside.
He said: “It’s in our heads that the trip and ground will suit him and while it might not top what Hewick did, it will be a nice trip at the very least.
“He’s 10 now and with his rating, he’s either going to be at the top of these big handicaps or in graded races and not winning them, so going to America will be a lovely thing to do.
“Shark paved the way and I don’t know if Willie (Mullins) might line something up over there, after having a bit of success over there this summer. It mightn’t be as easy as it was before, but if he was placed, it would certainly pay for his trip anyway.”
Owned by the Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate, Seddon has run six times in those colours and connections could be keen to run in staying races on the Flat should opportunities arise.
“We were particular about where we run him and what we run him in and it’s been good, but obviously with his rating it is going to get harder from now on,” said McConnell.
“America will be a great opportunity to have an nice holiday and I’d say we will probably run him on the Flat beforehand.
“There is a two-mile race at Killarney in the middle of August. That’s nice timing. I think he could be a nice horse on the Flat over two miles and that’s another avenue we might explore.
“You never know. He certainly could be a nicely-rated Flat horse over a trip and that is something we might explore further.”
Meanwhile, the County Meath handler is keen to see how far up the ladder hurdler Encanto Bruno can climb.
A winner of a Cheltenham bumper in October, the five-year-old was well held on his return in the Champion Bumper, but made a sparking hurdles debut when coasting to a 13-length success at Bellewstown in July.
McConnell said: “I’m hopeful Encanto Bruno will get there in October or November. He won his maiden hurdle at Bellewstown impressively and we have some other nice horses to come along.
“It’s great to have a really nice bunch of jump horses.
“Obviously we haven’t got the strength and depth of some of the big guys, but we definitely have more strength in depth than we’ve ever had.
“It’s a numbers game and we are trying to improve quality now, but I don’t mind having lower-rated horses as long as they can win.”
Clive Cox is keeping his options open with exciting juvenile Jasour following his July Stakes success at Newmarket.
A narrowly beaten second on his Salisbury debut , the Havana Grey colt went one better at Nottingham next time before stepping up to Group Two level on the July course.
Jasour looked to have his work cut out as a 16-1 shot, but stormed to an impressive two-length victory and his trainer could not be happier with how he has recovered from those exertions.
“I’m delighted with Jasour, very pleased,” said Cox.
“He came out of the race very well and I couldn’t be more pleased with how he acquitted himself. That first step up to six furlongs clearly suited him and he’s very exciting.”
In the immediate aftermath of Jasour’s win, Cox suggested the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood was the most likely next target, but he is no rush to commit at this stage.
He added: “We did initially think that (Goodwood). Obviously he’s got a Group Two penalty for winning the other day, so we’ll cover all options and see how he is as we move along.
“There’s the Prix Morny and he’s in the Gimcrack as well, so we’ve got all bases covered and at this stage I would keep an open mind, see how he’s feeling himself and hopefully we can make the right decisions.”
Roger Varian insists King Of Steel, one of the favourites for Saturday’s King George And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot, will not be inconvenienced should the ground turn soft.
With the forecast for further rain and heavy showers over the early part of next week, Varian is keeping a close eye on ground conditions for the King Edward VII Stakes winner and Derby runner-up.
“He’s in good form,” said Varian. “He’s done all we have asked of him and we are looking forward to it.
“He handled soft ground last season and while he hasn’t really been tested on it since he has been with us, there is no reason to think he won’t handle it.”
The three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett has really come into his own this term and was a fine second behind Auguste Rodin at Epsom, before franking that form when powering to a three-and-a-half-length success in Group Two company at Royal Ascot.
“The forecast is a bit unsettled, but I don’t think rain will be an inconvenience to him – he’s a big individual and he should get through it. Ascot always produce nice ground and we don’t have any worries, really,” he added.
Hukum was the main market mover for the 12-furlong highlight over the weekend, with Coral now offering 9-2 about the Owen Burrows-trained horse, following support for the six-year-old whose best form is on softer ground.
Dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin is the firm’s 5-2 favourite, ahead of King Of Steel at 3-1 and Emily Upjohn at 7-2.
Caroline Wozniacki's choice to return to tennis will be "an amazing story", says Marion Bartoli, after the former world number one reversed her retirement.
The Danish player previously called time on her career in 2020, and has only played sporadically since in invitational matches.
But the former Australian Open winner confirmed her intention to return to professional tennis in June, with wildcard spots in Montreal and Cincinnati ahead of the US Open.
Bartoli, who quit initially in 2013 before an unsuccessful comeback attempt of her own led to a definitive retirement in 2018, believes Wozniacki can still deliver at the top of the women's game.
"I actually saw her at Wimbledon, and she was playing an invitational with Cara Black in the doubles," 2013 Wimbledon winner Bartoli told Stats Perform.
"She was wearing tape on her calf and having small sort of tears here and there just because her body is getting back into the routines of playing every day.
"But I think she feels like it's time for her to come back as a family, with her husband, travelling with her kids and just being a family and going on tour and live it.
"Being a family and travelling and showing your kids that your mum can be a mum on one day and can be a tennis player on the other... if that is her inspiration [for coming back], by any means, I support that 100 per cent.
"I think it will be an amazing story once again. Caroline has always been an incredible competitor. I think if she can find that level, we're going to have some amazing fights at the top of women's tennis
"If she can play back at her best, the level to go extremely deep and maybe to have another grand slam."
Bartoli also reflected on a disappointing Wimbledon campaign for Iga Swiatek, as the latter vies with Aryna Sabalenka atop the WTA rankings.
"The number one in the race [to beat Swiatek] is Sabalenka," she added. "Since the beginning of the year, she's actually the player who has won the most matches.
"But she has been slightly more consistent [than Swiatek]. The US Open really will tell who will be at the top of the women's game in terms of ranking.
"Right now it's quite even, but Aryna has a little bit of an upper hand. So we're going to see. But Iga Swiatek on clay for sure is the best player in the world."
Rafael Nadal's impact on tennis has been "tremendous" but Marion Bartoli believes he already has a natural successor in Carlos Alcaraz.
The 22-time major champion confirmed he plans to retire next year following a decorated career that has seen him claim nearly every major honour in tennis.
His exit would leave just one of the sport's 'Big Three' left, in Novak Djokovic, following Roger Federer's retirement last year following the Laver Cup.
While Bartoli feels Nadal's legacy speaks for itself, she also suggests the rise of Alcaraz, who took his second grand slam at Wimbledon earlier this month, might mitigate his departure from the world stage.
"[His impact is] tremendous, but in some ways for him, because Alcaraz is Spanish, it almost feels like the torch has been passed," the 2013 Wimbledon champion told Stats Perform.
"[It is] the new generation that is starting to win, starting to be the best in the world. It might feel less like he's leaving tennis.
"Look at Roger. In Switzerland, there is nobody coming after [him]. In Spain, there is already somebody winning. Rafa will probably accept that, but it's never easy to walk away from something you have done for many years.
"That you have been so successful, that is part of your DNA, part of you, something that everybody recognises you for [in] being that amazing champion at Roland Garros."
Bartoli believes Nadal's decision has been made with an eye on the future, and acknowledges that the physical cost of his profession has to be considered.
"It's not easy to say that you're not going to play at Roland Garros again," she added. "That's just what you have to recover from. I think Rafa has been laying out his future really well.
"He's going into business, he's a father now. He has so many things to look forward to, but he has to preserve his body enough, so he doesn't have pains that stop him from living normally.
"As an athlete, when you walk away from your career, you don't want to have damaged your body so much that you can't even enjoy normal things in normal life.
"Rafa is at that point where he has to think whether it's worth giving it a final go or whether it's not worth it because it will damage his body long term."
Sunday’s meeting at the Curragh has failed to survive an early morning inspection with racing abandoned due to areas waterlogging at the track.
Racing went ahead at the Kildare venue on Saturday with Savethelastdance’s Irish Oaks win the highlight, but persistent heavy rainfall began midway through the card and continued throughout the evening which brought about Sunday morning’s 7.30am check on conditions.
The highlight of Sunday’s card was set to be the Group Two Romanised Minstrel Stakes where Joseph O’Brien’s Jumby and Dermot Weld’s Irish 1,000 Guineas fourth Tarawa were disputing favouritism, but with areas of the track were found to be unfit for racing and further rain forecast, officials were left with no option but to abandon the meeting.
Brendan Sheridan, IHRB Clerk of the Course said: “We have had 23mm of rain since around 4pm yesterday and parts of the track are waterlogged and unfit for racing.
“It is currently still raining and having spoken with Met Éireann this morning they are forecasting a further 5-10mm of rain today so unfortunately, we have been left with no option but to cancel the fixture today.”
Heavy rainfall has also seen the abandonment of Sunday’s Flat action at Redcar, with the track failing to pass an 8am precautionary inspection.
A tweet from the racecourse’s twitter account said: “Unfortunately today’s race meeting has been abandoned due to significant rainfall overnight and more expected today.
“We are desperately disappointed, Circus Family Fun Day is one of the family highlights of our season, & a key part of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival.”
Elina Svitolina's return to the WTA Tour has been nothing short of "extraordinary" following her break to become a mother, believes Marion Bartoli.
The former world number three took a break from tennis last year in order to have her first child, who was born in October.
Since making her return this year however, she has shown no signs of rust, winning the Strasbourg Open before a quarter-final finish at the French Open and a last-four appearance at Wimbledon.
With a rich vein of form behind her, Svitolina looks in contention for the season-ending WTA Finals later this year and Wimbledon champion Bartoli has been left impressed by her comeback.
"All I know is you [disturb] your sleeping pattern because your baby's waking up during the night [and] then of course you're a lot more tired during the day when you have to go through your training," she told Stats Perform.
"Obviously, your body's changing through pregnancy as well. To find her athleticism again and get yourself into shape, she has done it so quickly.
"She was so fit at Roland Garros [and] she was I thought even fitter at Wimbledon. For me, it's just really extraordinary to see her physically that fit and that match ready so soon.
"I would not be surprised to see her do extremely well in the US Open and actually qualify [for the WTA Finals]. I will not be surprised at all to see her ending up in the top eight at the end of this year."
Svitolina's form comes amid a wide-open tour where several of the world's best players are jockeying for success, while returns to the court for Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki have also caught headlines.
Bartoli believes it is an exciting time to follow the game, adding: "I think we are in for a great WTA Tour. We have the comeback [from] Naomi Osaka, we have the comeback of Caroline Wozniacki, which is really exciting.
"Victoria [Azarenka] [came back] super strong after pregnancy as well, and Ons Jabeur, she was so close to winning a grand slam. You have the feeling that it's not going to take too long before she wins her first.
"I think we have a lot of stories to tell. If those girls can stay on top, I think we're in for a good one."
Brian Harman admitted it would be foolish not to think about winning his maiden major title as he headed into the final day at Royal Liverpool with a five-shot lead.
Only two players in history have squandered such an advantage after 54 holes, Macdonald Smith in the last Open staged at Prestwick in 1925 and Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999.
Harman, who led by one at the same stage of the 2017 US Open before finishing second behind Brooks Koepka, said: “You’d be foolish not to envision (lifting the Claret Jug) and I’ve thought about winning majors for my whole entire life.
“It’s the whole reason I work as hard as I do and why I practise as much as I do and why I sacrifice as much as I do.
“If that’s going to come to fruition for me (on Sunday), it has to be all about the golf. It has to be execution and just staying in the moment.”
Harman’s nearest challenger was fellow American and last year’s runner-up Cameron Young, with Masters champion Jon Rahm another stroke back after storming through the field with a flawless 63.
Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood was part of a five-strong group, which included Viktor Hovland and Jason Day, starting the final round seven off the pace.
Shot of the day
Antoine Rozner carded his second 67 of the week with the aid of an eagle on the par-five 15th.
Round of the day
Rahm only made the cut with a shot to spare, but stormed into contention thanks to a stunning 63, by two shots the lowest ever recorded in an Open at Royal Liverpool.
Quote of the day
“I hear a lot of Ricky, Ricky’s out there. Yeah, I look like him. Handsome fella” – Brian Harman when asked about his resemblance to former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting.
Statistic of the day
Only two players have lost a five-hole lead with 18 holes to play in the history of the Open Championship.
Easiest hole
The par-five fifth played as the easiest for the third day running, with one eagle and 32 birdies contributing to a scoring average of 4.632.
Hardest hole
The 14th was again the most difficult hole with a scoring average of 4.171, with just eight of the 76-man field making birdie, 16 making a bogey and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen running up a triple-bogey seven.
Weather forecast
Cloudy with spells of moderate rain, likely heavy at times, especially early morning. Cloudy with outbreaks of light or moderate rain from noon onwards, with winds around 15mph.
Key tee times
1300 Emiliano Grillo, Rory McIlroy
1345 Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka
1355 Jason Day, Antoine Rozner
1405 Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm
1415 Cameron Young, Brian Harman
Sal Frelick had a very memorable debut in the major leagues.
The Brewers rookie had three hits, the game-winning sacrifice fly and made two spectacular catches to lift Milwaukee to a 4-3 win over the major league-leading Atlanta Braves on Saturday.
Selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Frelick was called up from Triple-A Nashville before the game and started in right field batting sixth.
He had an infield single in the second inning for his first major league hit in his first career plate appearance, singled and scored in the fifth and singled home a run an inning later to tie the game. His hard liner to right in the eighth scored Willy Adames and snapped a 3-3 tie.
Devin Williams loaded the bases in the ninth but struck out Ozzie Albies to end it.
Frelick showed off his defence in the sixth inning to keep the Brewers down 3-2.
He made a leaping catch of Marcell Ozuna’s shot near the top of the right-field wall and one out later raced into the right-center field gap, jumped and banged against the wall to snare a drive from Orlando Arcia.
Austin Riley’s three-run homer in the third inning opened the scoring and gave him home runs in five straight games. He is 10 for 21 with six home runs and 16 RBIs during that span.
Orioles recover to beat Rays
Ryan O’Hearn came through with a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles recovered after blowing a five-run lead to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays, 6-5 in matchup of the American League’s top teams.
Baltimore has won two of the first three games in the four-game set to move one game ahead of Tampa Bay in the AL East.
Rays ace Shane McLanahan was bidding to become the majors’ first 12-game winner but was reached for a season-high five runs in four innings.
The Rays dropped to an AL-worst 4-13 in July.
Freeman hits two home runs as Rangers win easy
Freddie Freeman hit two of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ five homers and the NL West leaders rolled to a 16-3 rout of the Texas Rangers.
Max Muncy and J.D. Martinez also went deep as the Dodgers matched season highs with five homers and 18 hits in their 10th win in 12 games.
Freeman became the first Dodgers player with 20 home runs and 35 doubles before August. He is 12 for 21 with three home runs, three doubles and seven RBIs in his past five games.
Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia was hit on the right hand by a pitch in the fourth inning. He initially stayed in the game but was lifted for a pinch-runner and inning later.
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