Little Big Bear sets an exacting standard in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on Friday.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds the No Nay Never colt and he has so far largely lived up to the billing, winning five of his first seven starts.

He edged the Windsor Castle Stakes at this meeting last year, while a stunning display in the Phoenix Stakes on what proved to be his final juvenile start ensured he was crowned champion European two-year-old.

A line can be put through a disappointing run in a soft ground 2000 Guineas and he is better judged on his facile success under Frankie Dettori in last month’s Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

Little Big Bear is 10lb clear of his rivals on his return to Group One level and will be a warm order to provide O’Brien with a second Commonwealth Cup following the triumph of Caravaggio in 2017.

O’Brien said: “Everything has gone well since Haydock.

“We were keen to give him a race back sprinting before taking him to Ascot and Haydock fitted in well.

“We’ve been happy with everything he has done since.”

The biggest threat to the hot favourite appears to be the Roger Varian-trained Sakheer.

The son of Zoffany was much the best in last season’s Mill Reef at Newbury and like Little Big Bear contested last month’s 2000 Guineas, in which he was beaten seven lengths into seventh place.

Varian, who has already been among the winners this week, expects to see his charge in a better light as he drops back in distance on a sounder surface.

“The stiff six furlongs on what looks like it should be decent ground should suit him,” said the Newmarket handler.

“We’re really happy with the horse. He’s been good since the Guineas and he looks like he is peaking at the right time.

“He had an easy time after the Guineas and we were always going to come to Ascot, but he’s built up over the last few weeks into this race nicely, his work has been on point, he’s been really well and we’re hopeful.

“He actually ran well in the Guineas, but it was a mess of a race for us. He looked very good over six furlongs last year and the plan was always to come to this race when the Guineas didn’t work out.

“He looks like he could still be a high-class colt, we certainly believe he can be, and we’re looking forward to Friday.”

The Ralph Beckett-trained filly Lezoo has a similar profile, having won last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs but unable to land a blow over a mile in the 1000 Guineas.

Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for part-owner Marc Chan, said: “It’s a very good race and probably the best Commonwealth Cup there has been I would say, there’s no soft spot there.

“To be in the first three I would be very happy in this race.”

Shaquille has won his last four starts for Julie Camacho and connections are happy to roll the dice in this higher grade.

“We’re happy with his preparation, it has all gone smoothly, and he goes there with a progressive profile. We’re looking forward to it,” said the trainer’s husband and assistant, Steve Brown.

“We’ve had to change jockey because James (Doyle) has been claimed by Godolphin (rides Noble Style), but we’re still in very good hands with Oisin (Murphy), so we’re comfortable with that.

“He needs to find another level, but he keeps finding a bit race by race so we hope he can run a nice race for everyone.”

Hull KR full-back Lachlan Coote has retired with immediate effect on medical advice following a series of concussions over the past two seasons.

Australia-born Coote won three consecutive Super League titles with St Helens between 2019 and 2021 before joining Rovers ahead of the 2022 campaign.

The 33-year-old’s professional career also included international recognition with Scotland and Great Britain, in addition to spells with Penrith Panthers and North Queensland Cowboys.

“After suffering another concussion at Magic round, my fifth concussion in less than two years, I knew I was going to be faced with some tough conversations,” he told Hull KR’s website.

“With all the support from my coach Willie Peters, Paul Lakin (Hull KR CEO), Neil Hudgell (Hull KR owner) and the medical team at Hull KR, I have made a very difficult decision to retire immediately.

“Rugby league has always come first before anything, now I think it’s time to put my health, my future, my family first.

“I’m still finding it hard to come to terms with this decision and it has been a very emotional few days, knowing that I will not get to play alongside my team-mates again and finish off what we started.”

Coote made 27 appearances for Rovers, who sit seventh in the Super League after 15 games.

He scored 161 points for the club, surpassing 1,000 career points during that time.

Hull KR coach Peters said: “On behalf of everyone at Hull KR, we’d like to congratulate Lachlan on a wonderful 15-year career. Lachlan is a proven winner and will no doubt continue that into his retirement.

“It’s a sad situation for Lachlan having to retire halfway through the season. However, his health and family come first and the decision is the right one for him and his family.”

Australian raider Artorius will face 15 rivals when he runs in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.

Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, the four-year-old will be attempting to better his third-placed effort in the contest 12 months ago and has been plying his trade with real credit in top contests domestically recently.

There is a truly international feel to the race as fellow Australians Cannonball and The Astrologist are also in the mix, with Hong Kong’s Wellington, Christophe Clement’s American challenger Big Invasion and France’s Coeur De Pierre others from overseas taking part.

The home challenge is led by John Quinn’s Highfield Princess who was runner-up in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday, while Sacred and Kinross – who is the mount of Frankie Dettori – are others who bring high-class form to the table.

Al Suhail represents last year’s winning handler Charlie Appleby, with Sandrine (Andrew Balding), Rohaan (David Evans) and Art Power (Tim Easterby) all returning to Ascot having scored at the meeting in the past.

Hukum will be all the rage to down seven rivals in the Hardwicke Stakes following his comeback victory over Desert Crown at Sandown.

Owen Burrows’ charge had been off the track for almost a year prior to that Brigadier Gerard success, but looked better than ever and now returns to 12 furlongs to take on a stellar cast that includes the likes of Deauville Legend (James Ferguson), Pyledriver (William Muir and Chris Grassick) and Free Wind (John and Thady Gosden).

The day begins with the Chesham Stakes where 17 two-year-olds are headed by Aidan O’Brien’s Navan winner Pearls And Rubies as the master of Ballydoyle attempts to enhance his stellar record in the seven-furlong event, while a high-class field has been assembled for the Jersey Stakes over the same distance.

There will be 15 heading to post including Clarehaven’s talented Juddmonte-owned colt Covey, Roger Varian’s Surrey Stakes scorer Olivia Maralda and unbeaten stablemate Enfjaar plus O’Brien’s Lacken Stakes scorer The Antarctic.

Elinor Barker is hoping to get two for the price of one when Scotland hosts the first ever combined cycling world championships in August.

An Olympic and five-time world champion on the track, Barker has been focusing more on the road this season and said the opportunity to compete in both disciplines on home turf this summer would be unique.

“Racing a home worlds doesn’t come around very often,” Barker told the PA news agency. “So to be able to race effectively two home worlds – with the track and the road – would be phenomenal.”

Given her growing ambitions across two disciplines, Barker has put her name forward for several different events across the road and track at the Championships, and must now await the selection process.

Racing everything she has entered is out of the question. This experimental new format for a world championships, due to be used every four years before an Olympics, involves plenty of schedule clashes and riders who favour more than one discipline must compromise.

“I’ve put myself up for more races than is physically possible,” Barker said. “I guess the best-case scenario is to have to choose because there are clashes between some of the road and track events.

“I’ve put myself up for six races and if I get one or two, that will be fantastic and I’ll go all out for those. Just to be able to race would be a fantastic experience.”

Barker long planned to shift her focus more to the road after the Tokyo Olympics, signing a long-term contract with the Uno-X team, although the process was put back after she became pregnant. The 28-year-old welcomed son Nico last March.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker)

So much has changed for the Welshwoman since then that she had no idea what to expect of herself this season, but she has relished the challenge.

“It’s going really well,” she said. “There’s still a lot to learn and a lot of experience to gain. What I’ve been enjoying is the number of race days and also the variety.

“If one race doesn’t go to plan or I’m not as good on a cobbled section or a gravel section or whatever, that’s fine.

“There’s either a similar race in a few weeks’ time or a totally different race in a few weeks’ time and both are equally motivating, either a chance to rectify it or a chance to do something totally different.”

On Wednesday, Barker finished third in the British time trial championships as Lizzie Holden took the title ahead of Anna Morris.

It was an encouraging enough result for Barker, who was an impressive seventh at Gent-Wevelgem in March and made it to the finale of La Fleche Wallonne with the lead group in April before taking 16th.

The Giro Donne is next on the agenda, assuming the Italian race goes ahead amid problems for the organisers, and Barker is hoping to earn selection for the Tour de France Femmes which takes place at the end of July.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker)

She has not been ignoring the track – in February she collected Madison and team pursuit gold at the European Championships – but Barker said she feels more like a road rider these days.

“My loyalties lie with Uno-X in a situation where there is a conflict of programmes, and the track team know I’m working around it,” she said.

“In that sense I’m more of a road rider and track fits around that. I’m enjoying this approach to it and I can take the experience I get from the road and put it into the track.

“I think it makes me a better track rider than I would have been had I just continued with what I was doing with full focus on the track.”

The sizzling Cincinnati Reds are now on their longest winning streak in 66 years after rallying for a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.

Jake Fraley's tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Reds to their 11th consecutive win, the franchise's longest streak since a 12-game run from April 30-May 12. The streak is also the longest by a National League team this season, surpassed only by the Tampa Bay Rays winning 13 in a row to start the campaign.

Colorado, which has now lost eight straight, took a 3-0 lead after four innings on solo home runs by Brenton Doyle, Elehuris Montero and Randal Grichuk off Reds rookie Andrew Abbott. Cincinnati responded by scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth, with Luke Maile contributing a two-run single and TJ Freidl following with an RBI single that tied the gae at 3-3.

After Fraley followed Elly De La Cruz's double in the eighth with his ninth homer of the season, Buck Farmer pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.

Abbott allowed just four hits and struck out a career-high 10 in his fourth major league start.

The NL West cellar-dwelling Rockies have now lost eight in a row for the second time this season, previously doing so from April 11-19. 

Sean Hjelle pitched four scoreless innings and the San Francisco Giants turned four double plays to beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 and extend their winning streak to 10 games.

The Giants did all their scoring in the fifth inning against Yu Darvish, as Joc Pederson, Mike Yastrzemski and J.D. Davis delivered RBI singles.

After Ryan Walker worked one scoreless inning, Hjelle allowed three hits with five strikeouts and Camilo Doval pitched the ninth for his 20th save.

San Francisco, which moved a season-high 10 games over .500 at 42-32, have won 10 in a row for the first time since 2004.

Shohei Ohtani struck out 12 over seven stellar innings but Freddie Freeman and Miguel Vargas homered to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani’s only mistake was serving up Freeman’s 14th home run in the fourth inning in the tough-luck loss. The Japanese superstar allowed five hits with two walks and went hitless in three plate appearances with a walk.

Vargas extended the lead with a ninth-inning home run and Evan Phillips closed it out to give the Dodgers their second straight 2-0 win and a sweep of the two-game Freeway Series.

 The Boston Celtics are acquiring Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team deal that will send Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies and Tyus Jones to the Wizards, according to reports on Wednesday. 

Memphis is sending the No. 25 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft and a 2024 first-round pick to the Celtics, while Boston will move the 35th pick in the draft to the Wizards. 

Porzingis had decided to opt into his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season, according to the report.

He set personal highs with 23.2 points per game and 49.8 percent shooting last season while also averaging 8.4 rebounds – the third-most in his career.

The Knicks selected Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in 2015, and he was with New York until being traded to Dallas in January 2019. The Mavericks then sent Porzingis to Washington in February 2022.

Porzingis has averaged 19.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 402 regular-season games.

Smart has spent his entire nine-year career with the Celtics, averaging 10.6 points, 4.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He started all 61 games he appeared in this season and averaged 11.5 points and a career-high 6.3 assists. 

It’s been a busy offseason for the Wizards, who could start the 2023-24 campaign without their three top scorers.

Washington has agreed to trade Bradley Beal (23.2 ppg) to the Phoenix Suns in a deal that will see Chris Paul land with the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma (21.2 ppg) has reportedly declined his $13 million player option.

Jones is coming off his best season as an eight-year pro, the last four with Memphis. He set career bests with 10.3 points and 5.2 assists in 2022-23. 

The three-team deal that would have sent Kristaps Porzinigis to the Boston Celtics has fallen through, according to reports on Wednesday. 

Boston would have sent Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers and Danilo Gallinari to Washington, while Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and the 30th pick in tomorrow’s NBA Draft were to go from Los Angeles to the Wizards.

The Wizards are still trying to get Porzingis to the Celtics in an opt-in and trade scenario, but it won't be with the 3-team deal with the Clippers.

Porzingis still could decline his $36 million player option and become a free agent. He has a midnight deadline on Wednesday to do so. 

He set personal highs with 23.2 points per game and 49.8 percent shooting last season while also averaging 8.4 rebounds – the third-most in his career.

The Knicks selected Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in 2015, and he was with New York until being traded to Dallas in January 2019. The Mavericks then sent Porzingis to Washington in February 2022.

Porzingis has averaged 19.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 402 regular-season games.

It’s been a busy offseason for the Wizards, who could start the 2023-24 campaign without their three top scorers.

Washington has agreed to trade Bradley Beal (23.2 ppg) to the Phoenix Suns in a deal that will see Chris Paul land with the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma (21.2 ppg) has reportedly declined his $13 million player option.

Brogdon, the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year, was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season after averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first campaign with Boston.

Gallinari sat out his only season in Boston in 2022-23 with a torn left ACL after averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds with the Atlanta Hawks the previous year.

Morris contributed 11.2 points per game in 65 starts for the Clippers this season and Coffey averaged 3.4 points in 50 games, including nine starts.

The Boston Celtics are nearing an agreement to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a three-team trade that also involves the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.

Boston will be sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers and Danilo Gallinari to Washington, while Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and the 30th pick in tomorrow’s NBA Draft will go from Los Angeles to the Wizards.

Porzingis set personal highs with 23.2 points per game and 49.8 percent shooting last season while also averaging 8.4 rebounds – the third-most in his career.

The Knicks selected Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in 2015, and he was with New York until being traded to Dallas in January 2019. The Mavericks then sent Porzingis to Washington in February 2022.

Porzingis has averaged 19.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in 402 regular-season games.

It’s been a busy offseason for the Wizards, who could start the 2023-24 campaign without their three top scorers.

Washington has agreed to trade Bradley Beal (23.2 ppg) to the Phoenix Suns in a deal that will see Chris Paul land with the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma (21.2 ppg) has reportedly declined his $13 million player option.

Brogdon, the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year, was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season after averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first campaign with Boston.

Gallinari sat out his only season in Boston in 2022-23 with a torn left ACL after averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds with the Atlanta Hawks the previous year.

Morris contributed 11.2 points per game in 65 starts for the Clippers this season and Coffey averaged 3.4 points in 50 games, including nine starts.

The leading figures in the controversial partnership between Saudi Arabia and the PGA Tour have been summoned to attend a United States Senate hearing next month.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman have been asked to appear at a Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations meeting on July 11 to examine the Tour’s shock unification with LIV Golf.

The PGA Tour announced a fortnight ago it was creating a new commercial entity with the DP World Tour and PIF, a move it said would “unify golf” and which brought an end to a legal dispute between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

The surprise merger has attracted criticism, with the Senate announcing it would open an investigation, which has been followed by this announcement of the hearing.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the committee, said in a statement posted on his Twitter account: “Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest.

“Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be. Major actors in the deal are best positioned to provide this information and they owe Congress – and the American people – answers in a public setting.”

Senator Richard Johnson, who also sits on the committee, added: “Fans, the players, and concerned citizens have many questions about the planned agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

“I look forward to hearing testimony from the individuals who are in the best positions to provide insight to the public regarding the current state of professional golf.

“I hope that this hearing and any other role that Congress plays in this matter will be constructive.”

The Frankie Dettori farewell tour will be a long one – an international affair that is likely to roll on until the Breeders’ Cup and Melbourne Cup in winter, when the British racing scene has, even then, started to revolve around Cheltenham and Aintree.

Though the idea of a sport without Dettori will solidify in the later months, the thick of the domestic season was always going to be a poignant time for a rider who has plied his trade in England since he was a teenager.

Dettori is associated heavily with Ascot and a win at the Royal meeting, which attracts more attention than any other on the Flat, was more or less considered a given owing to the Italian’s book of rides and his ability to shine in the limelight.

On the first day of the fixture it seemed fortune was not going to comply with expectations, however. Dettori was beaten a neck on Inspiral in the Queen Anne, was second aboard Chaldean in the St James’s Palace and was second again on Absurde in the Copper Horse Handicap.

To make matters worse he was handed a nine-day suspension for his ride on the King and Queen’s Saga in the Wolferton Stakes, being adjudged by the stewards to have caused interference shortly after the start.

But Wednesday offered more chances, with another competitive book of rides, none more so than Queen’s Vase favourite Gregory, who went off at even money for John and Thady Gosden after winning both of his previous starts.

This time luck did play ball and Dettori ended any conversation about a potential Ascot drought with a convincing length-and-a-half success that drew racegoers from all over the track to watch the famous flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure.

“You get to the second-last on day two and you start to think…,” he said.

“I’ve had a few favourites and three seconds. I knew this horse was good enough, but I wasn’t so sure about his experience.

“He is very laid-back at home and I thought if he doesn’t jump he will get lost, but he jumped great, I got him to the front and I knew he would stay very well.”

He might even have found a St Leger candidate to add an extra layer of gold dust to a CV that is already bursting at the seams.

“He was like a sleeping giant in the yard, and all of a sudden he’s a Royal Ascot winner,” he said.

“Potentially he could be a nice St Leger horse for the end of the season, but John and Thady Gosden will work something out.

“It’s great, my family is here, it’s the only day they are all here, so to ride a winner is great. Ascot very kindly gave me a box for my family today and most of them are here, so I’m glad I could ride a winner in front of them.

“Now I’m chasing 80 (Royal Ascot winners), so I need two more.”

Asked whether he got a great reception, he said: “Yeah I did – of course, an even-money favourite with me on, of course you’re going to get a big reception! It was good and I’m pleased. I hope everyone was on.”

There may still be an appeal to the nine-day suspension, with Dettori taking legal advice before making a decision.

He said: “I’ve got my lawyers looking at it, I’m sad I’m missing Emily (Upjohn, favourite for the Coral-Eclipse) but it’s one of those things.

“I’m glad nobody got hurt or fell. My lawyer is looking at it, it’s that point of the race where you go into a bottleneck, the false rail is out, we all got together.

“If there is room to appeal, we will, but I’m not going to do it just to waste anybody’s time.”

Mick Appleby registered his first Royal Ascot victory when Big Evs stormed to glory in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

It was also only a second winner at the Royal meeting for jockey Jason Hart who had the once-raced son of Blue Point always to the fore in the five-furlong Listed event.

Although only second on debut at Redcar, he took a huge step forward on this occasion and appeared to have plenty in the tank as Hart asked his mount to make his bid for home passing the two-furlong pole.

He soon displayed both a phenomenal turn of foot and strong staying power as he drew clear of his pursuers in the closing stages, with the 20-1 winner finishing three lengths clear of the 100-30 Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Johannes Brahms and Ollie Sangster’s first Royal Ascot runner Inquisitively a further three-quarters of a length back in third.

Appleby said: “He’s won really well. He worked with Annaf (third in Tuesday’s King’s Stand) so we knew he was good. We really fancied him today, to be honest.

“Well done to all the team at home as they are working hard all week so I can come and enjoy it here.

“I’m not really surprised he’s won like that because he’s got so much speed, I’ve never had a two-year-old as quick as him.

“I’m not really sure where we go now, they will be big targets though so we’ll just see where we go with him.”

Frankie Dettori was once again the toast of Royal Ascot, as the magical Italian secured the first winner of his final week at the showpiece meeting courtesy of Gregory in the Queen’s Vase.

The 52-year-old announced in December that 2023 would be his last year in the saddle and on so many occasions he has stolen the show at the summer spectacular.

But the opening day was a frustrating one for the veteran rider as not only did he have to make do with the runner-up spot in three races, he also picked up a nine-day suspension for careless riding.

But the betting suggested John and Thady Gosden’s dual winner Gregory would get him off the mark on day two, with punters ensuring he went off an even-money favourite, and Dettori delivered a brilliantly-judged ride from the front to send the packed grandstands wild.

Just for a moment it looked like Gregory could be picked off by Saint George when challenged in the closing stages, but the son of Golden Horn found more for pressure and was ultimately well on top as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand, giving his rider a 78th Royal Ascot success.

“I thought this winner was never going to come this year. I had three seconds yesterday, but I knew this would be my best chance,” Dettori told ITV Racing.

“I was in front a long time and when Oisin (Murphy, on the runner-up) came to me I thought ‘oh no, not second again’. This horse really stuck his neck out though, he was great. To ride a winner at my last Royal Ascot is fantastic.

“It was amazing the reception I got because it is my last season, I couldn’t be happier. I’m both sad and happy, I’ve still got three more days, but at least I’ve got one on the board.”

Gosden senior said of his completely unexposed winner, who is now favourite for the St Leger: “That was a dominant display, he broke well, Frankie got a good position and then he was able to control the pace. When the second came to him he’s gone away again.

“He’s a class horse, we’re aiming for the St Leger and I told the owners before. All being well, touch wood, he might be a Cup horse next season.

“He’ll need to run somewhere before the Leger, so he’ll go in one of the trials. I trained the father (Golden Horn) and the mother (Gretchen), so I know the family very well.”

He added: “It’s absolutely great, Frankie won it in the first furlong because he got him out and got the position. That bend comes very quickly.

“The owners, Wathnan Racing, are new to the yard and that is only their second ever runner at Royal Ascot, so it’s not a bad way to start.”

Harriet Dart continued to carry British hopes at the Rothesay Birmingham Classic as she beat Anhelina Kalinina for a second successive week to make the quarter-finals.

Dart was awarded a Wimbledon wild card earlier in the day and celebrated in style by earning a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over the Ukrainian fifth seed.

The British number four, who has been playing with tonsillitis, beat Kalinina in Nottingham last week on her way to the quarter-finals and this victory books her second successive last-eight spot.

She will face fourth seed Anastasia Potapova or Caty McNally in the last eight on Friday as she continues her impressive build-up for SW19, where she is now guaranteed a spot in the main draw.

“I was always expecting a battle, I played great last week and I knew she would raise her level. The courts are a little bit quicker here so I just had to adjust a little bit more,” she said in her on-court interview.

“I am just really pleased to be through.

“I am kind of used it, I played quite a lot of long matches, not out of choice, but it happens. I always love coming back to Birmingham, it is pretty awesome.

“I love playing on grass and I love playing in front of the home fans and I love these couple of weeks the most for sure.”

The world number 134, who beat fellow Brit Jodie Burrage in the first round, moved into a 3-0 lead but only after saving seven break points during her first two service games.

It took Kalinina 23 minutes to get off the mark but there was no stopping Dart who took the opening set 6-3.

A much closer second set occurred before Kalinina sensed her opportunity in the sixth service game to move 4-2 ahead and force a decider.

But Dart regrouped and raced clear in the deciding set, having match points at 5-0.

Kalinina did make her serve it out, but that proved no problem for the Brit, much to the delight of the Edgbaston Priory crowd.

Earlier in the day, Linda Fruhvirtova progressed into the quarter-finals after the highly-rated teenager defeated Bernarda Pera 6-1 7-6 (3).

China’s Zhu Lin, who beat Katie Boulter on day one, also continued her fine tournament with victory over third seed Magda Linette by a 6-3 6-0 score.

Top seed Barbora Krejcikova started her time in Birmingham with a 6-3 6-3 win over Cristina Bucsa in the first round.