Aidan O’Brien is fully aware of the importance of Auguste Rodin to the thoroughbred breed as he aims to add another stellar Group One to his CV in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.
By the late Japanese sensation Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin showcased his talent on the world stage last year by completing the Derby double at Epsom and the Curragh before adding the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Turf to his tally.
On Saturday he is attempting to win on a third continent, with the brave decision to keep him in training as a four-year-old, especially given Coolmore will eventually be looking for him to take over from Galileo at stud, not lost on his trainer.
“He’s so important to the breed of the thoroughbred,” said O’Brien.
“He brings together the best of Japan and Europe – the best of two continents – and it’s fair to say he’s one of the most important and exciting horses we have ever had. He really does have a chance of exerting a huge influence on future racehorses.
“It was a very brave decision by the lads to keep him in training, most definitely. There was already huge interest in him as a stallion prospect. But his owners are enjoying their racing more than ever these days and they are conscious of how unique this horse is. I think it’s great for everyone in racing that we can enjoy him again this year.
“We feel he has matured well from three to four and the reports from the team at Meydan are that he has travelled there well and is in great form.
“He is ready to run to his best and we are very excited about the journey ahead.”
Later in the year O’Brien is keen to see if Auguste Rodin can handle a dirt surface, which would make him even more valuable and unique.
“I think, as a rule, Deep Impacts are more grass horses, but we were very surprised the way he worked on dirt in America during the Breeders’ Cup,” he added.
“He cruises over the dirt, he’s a beautiful mover. He’s a very unusual-actioned horse so it will be very interesting to see how the season progresses. We can’t wait to see him back.”
There is at least one formidable obstacle to Auguste Rodin, however, in the shape of the Japanese filly Liberty Island, a multiple Group One winner in her homeland and last seen filling the runner-up spot behind her esteemed compatriot Equinox, who was nothing sort of sensational in last year’s Sheema Classic.
Auguste Rodin’s jockey Ryan Moore knows the strength of Japanese racing as much as anyone, and is full of respect for Liberty Island in a deep field.
“He had a gallop at Dundalk last month and he has been gearing up very well for this target since then,” he told Betfair.
“We never underestimate the opposition though, and you’d be pretty foolish to, given the make-up of this field.
“The strength of the Japanese circuit is there for all to see in this – Liberty Island’s winning run was only brought to a close by Equinox in the Japan Cup and we have to give that filly 5lb here, which is a pretty big ask – and there are Group One winners everywhere else you look too, not to mention the progressive Spirit Dancer.
“The winner will have earned their success.”
The British contingent is headed by John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Emily Upjohn, who has not not been seen in competitive action since disappointing in the King George at Ascot in July.
Thady Gosden said: “Obviously things didn’t quite go right there (in the King George), so we gave her a bit of time afterwards and she’s been in good order since really.
“She’s been training well through the winter. Obviously it’s very difficult getting horses ready with the long, dark nights and the cold weather, but she’s enjoying her work and has travelled over without a bother. Like everyone she’s happy to be here and is enjoying the experience.
“She’s a filly who has always shown plenty of talent and she’s progressed well through her career, of course winning the Coronation Cup last year against the boys. She’s in a similar situation here over a mile and a half against colts, albeit in a much more international race against some of the best horses in the world, as you’d expect.”
Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up with 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance. The six-year-old disappointed behind Equinox 12 months ago, but returns for a second attempt off the back of claiming at Group Three prize in Qatar in February.
“It was great to see him back at that level in Doha. He obviously had that great spell two years ago, winning those Group Ones culminating in winning a Breeders’ Cup Turf,” said Appleby.
“Last year was a bit stop-start. Our plan of working back from the Sword Dancer met with a bit of a mishap where he clipped heels (at Saratoga in July). He didn’t go down, but Richie (Mullen) got a bad fall and the horse just lost his confidence.
“We went to Kempton for an easier assignment with the hope that he would gain confidence from it and you could visually see that he had and we went to Qatar with a horse that we felt was back on his A-game. It was a great ride by William that day, but you’ve got to have the horse underneath you and the combination did a great job and won very impressively.
“He’s come here in great nick. The Sheema Classic is probably the strongest race of the evening, but the mile-and-a-half turf division is always a strong division wherever you go.”
Lord North will be reunited with Frankie Dettori in search of an unprecedented fourth straight victory in Saturday’s Dubai Turf – but could face stiff opposition from inside his own camp as John and Thady Gosden add star mare Nashwa into the Meydan mix.
The Clarehaven stalwart has relished his trips to the Middle East on Dubai World Cup night, winning the Group One prize for the first time in 2021 before sharing the spoils with Japan’s Panthalassa in 2022 and then returning to sole ownership of the trophy with a ready success 12 months ago.
Not only is Lord North the race’s most successful horse, but his pilot, the evergreen Dettori, possesses a record four victories in the race, with Tamayaz’s win in 1997 supplementing Lord North’s recent hat-trick.
Dettori may have waved goodbye to UK racing, but his long-time allies the Gosdens always had Lord North in mind for a temporary reunion and now horse and jockey will attempt to further etch their names into the Meydan history books.
John Gosden said it was always the plan for Dettori to maintain his successful partnership, despite his move Stateside.
He said: “He’s training well and we’re confident he’ll put up a very bold show. It was always the plan for Frankie to ride; we discussed it when I said goodbye to him on Champions Day at Ascot in October before his move to America.”
Thady Gosden admitted it would have been hard to break up the pair and said: “Frankie’s won three Dubai Turfs on Lord North, so he knows him like the back of his hand now. To win it once is an achievement but to do that three times is really something special.
“It’s actually the horse’s fifth time out here because of course he came out here during Covid when the race was cancelled, so he knows the place very well – he even comes out here on holiday and does not run! He’s taken to it like he usually does and seems to be in good order.
“He’s eight years old now, so you have to treat him with respect and can’t go running him every week. He had a nice, long break through the summer, which I think he thoroughly enjoyed, and he’s come back better for it. Although he’s a year older, he doesn’t seem to be any different from last year.”
Lord North tuned up for his latest visit to Dubai in his usual spot of the Winter Derby, although this year its new home of Southwell and the extended distance of the Rolleston variation of the Group Three contest meant the 5-4 favourite could only finish a keeping-on second to Military Order.
Having blown away the cobwebs on the Nottinghamshire Tapeta, connections are confident he is raring to go as he returns to his optimum nine-furlong trip.
Thady Gosden continued: “He ran well at Southwell after a long time off the track. He was a bit rusty and normally the race is run at Lingfield over a mile and a quarter, whereas they switched it to Southwell this year over a mile and three furlongs, so it gave the race a completely different complexion.
“He wanted a little bit for fitness there and was taking on a very good, race-fit horse in the winner, but he came out of it well and seems to have switched on for it.”
Joining Lord North on the Clarehaven teamsheet is Nashwa, who added to her Group One haul last term when successful over a mile in the Falmouth Stakes and proved she can mix it with the colts when beaten only a length in the Juddmonte International and when placed in the Irish Champion Stakes won by Auguste Rodin.
Now five, she has proved adept over both a mile and 10 furlongs, while the make-up of this assignment could play right to the strengths of the Classic-winning daughter of Frankel.
“Nashwa is an exceptional filly in a tough race. She needed a couple of races to get her back into the zone (last season), but she’s trained well at home and is in great order,” added the younger Gosden.
“She’s been abroad to France before and Ireland and she’s travelled well. She does everything in a laidback fashion and she’s doing well.
“It’s an incredibly sporting decision to keep her in training. It’s fantastic to see these sort of horses, they don’t come along very often so when they do it’s great when they stay with us.
“She’s a filly by Frankel who runs to a consistent level. She’s obviously run on different types of tracks and has won Group Ones over a mile and a mile and a quarter, so coming here for a race over a mile and one on what is obviously a fast course should suit her down to the ground.”
Charlie Appleby saddles Measured Time, who enhanced his reputation when landing the Jebel Hatta on his most recent appearance and this will be the acid test of the impressive son of Frankel, who has won five of his six career starts.
Appleby said: “He’s two from two out here, winning the Al Rashidiya and then heading on to the Jebel Hatta. The restructuring of the programme means the Jebel Hatta is run at the end of January now, so we brought him back for a racecourse gallop, he pleased us that morning and has done everything right since.
“He’s got to step up now, I know he’s a Group One winner but it’s going to be a different Group One on Saturday night. But he’s a horse we’ve always had a lot of confidence in, he’s pleased us and one hopes he’s going to be very competitive on Saturday.”
Godolphin’s hand is strengthened by a familiar name in Saeed bin Suroor’s Real World, while Facteur Cheval is another well-known European contender, with Jerome Reynier’s five-year-old a consistent operator at the highest level over a mile last term.
Somewhat surprisingly, Aidan O’Brien has never won the Dubai Turf and he relies on highly-respected operators Luxembourg and Cairo to break his duck.
There is a typically strong Japanese hand headed by Yasuo Tomomichi’s Arima Kinen winner Do Deuce and last year’s runner-up Danon Beluga.
Harry Glenister hopes Oxford can turn the tide on recent Boat Race history to deliver what would be a “dream” triumph before the Great Britain veteran hangs up his oars.
The 28-year-old spent five years as a member of the GB senior rowing team, narrowly missing out on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics then sitting out the entire 2023 season with a back injury.
Cambridge have lost the men’s race just once in the last five years, winning last year’s edition by 1 1/3 lengths thanks to a risky move by their coxswain, but Boat Race debutant Glenister is confident Oxford have what it takes to come out on top in the 169th iteration of the gruelling men’s showdown.
Glenister told the PA news agency: “Winning this race would mean everything to me, just to finish with the sport, it’s a good end for me. Obviously very disappointed not to make Tokyo, but this would be as good for me if I could finish on a high.
“The Olympics is obviously bigger, but this is one of the biggest races in the world, so I would be very, very happy if I could get the win.
“It’s just such an awesome event. There’s so much great energy around it. Every rower wants to do this event.
“We’ve got a very strong team this year, we’ve got some dogs, very excited to see what we can do and turn the tide, try to stop this Cambridge dominance.”
Glenister, set to occupy the two seat in the dark blue boat, started out as a sculler, competing at junior and U23 levels, before transitioning to sweep rowing at the senior level.
His CV includes numerous World Cups and the 2019 European Championships, and was the first individual to be victorious in all three men’s quad events at Henley.
Glenister agrees his elite rowing experience will allow him to cultivate – and ideally pass on – the optimal competitive mindset come Saturday’s 3:46pm start time, but the Boat Race debutant says he is learning just as much from those at Oxford more familiar with the traditional, 6.8 km Championship Course.
There was little between the men’s rivals after their traditional weigh-in at the March 13th crew announcement, with Oxford coming in at an average 92kg, just half a kilogram heavier than their Cambridge counterparts, with four-time Olympic champion Matthew Pinsent presiding as umpire.
Oxford will also be looking to snap Cambridge’s dominant six-year stretch in the 78th women’s race, this year umpired by Olympian Richard Phelps in what so far appear to be pleasant weather conditions, though teams will be taking numerous precautions after high levels of E.coli – which can cause serious infections – were found along the Championship Course.
Asked about the biggest differences between the Boat Race and his time in the GB setup, the MBA student immediately noted: “First I have to study! I’ve got six hours of classes a day and then rowing twice a day, which is not as much as the GB rowing team but still quite substantial.
“When I was racing for GB I was racing over 2k, this is over seven. It’s a lot longer and it’s a very different style of racing – who gets out ahead first. Whoever gets in front will win.
“You want to go really hard early. It’s go out hard and hang on, and hopefully you break the other crew. Who is the first person in each crew to break?
“The person that breaks is the one that’s going to lose, and the crew that breaks the other person is going to win. It’s a very exciting style of racing. I really enjoy it.
“I’ve been in big races, big moments, I know how to handle the pressure and I’m very used to it, so I can try to hopefully bring that confidence to the crew so we can get it done when it matters.”
Andy Murray will miss next month’s Monte Carlo Masters and the BMW Open Munich with the ankle injury he suffered in Miami.
The 36-year-old Scot has vowed to return to action “as soon as possible”, but it is also uncertain when he will be back on court.
A statement from the two-time Wimbledon champion’s management team on Friday read: “Following consultation with his team and medical experts, Andy Murray has taken the decision to miss the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich.
“At this stage, it is still not clear how long Andy will be out of action, and he is continuing to review options with his medical team.
“Obviously this is very disappointing news for Andy and he has reiterated his desire to get back on court as soon as possible.
“He thanks all his fans for their kind messages of support and will continue to update everybody as the situation evolves.”
The Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich take place between April 7-14 and April 15-21 respectively.
Murray cried out in pain and fell to the floor late on in his third-round defeat by Tomas Machac at the Miami Open last Sunday.
Murray was able to complete the match after on-court treatment but revealed in an Instagram post that he had seriously damaged two ligaments in his left ankle.
It is less than 10 weeks until the start of the British grass-court season and just over three months until Wimbledon, where Murray had planned to play for the final time before retirement.
He has also targeted a final Olympic appearance in Paris but all those could depend on whether he needs an operation or if non-surgical measures will suffice.
It is cruel timing for the three-time grand-slam champion, who had won back-to-back matches for the first time this year in Miami.
Dejounte Murray said the late Kobe Bryant would have been proud of his efforts after scoring a career-high 44 points to lead the Atalanta Hawks to another dramatic win over the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks recovered from 30 points down to clinch a memorable 120-118 win over the league-leading Celtics on Monday, and they made it a double with Thursday's last-gasp overtime success.
Murray sank 44 points, including the go-ahead jumper in the final second of overtime, to guide Atlanta to a 123-122 win – their fourth victory in as many games.
Murray's 44 points came off 44 shots, which led him to recall how Los Angeles Lakers legend Bryant scored 41 points with 47 attempts against the Celtics back in 2002.
The 27-year-old was not too concerned by his wastefulness after stepping up in the big moments, though.
"I still feel like I played awful," Murray told reporters after the game. "I don't want to take that many shots. But I know Kobe would be proud of me!
"I'm just built for those moments. I'm a confident guy."
Occupying the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference with a 34-39 record, the Hawks are now within one game of the ninth seed, the Chicago Bulls.
Murray knows the scale of the statement they have made by beating the Celtics twice in four days, adding: "That's the best team in the league, and we competed.
"We're not tanking, we're not trying to lose. We're trying to win games and see how high we can get."
While the Celtics will surely be sick of the sight of Atlanta, they could yet be reunited with them in the first round of the playoffs, should the Hawks make the Play-In Tournament and progress.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla knows his team won't be able to switch off if they face the Hawks again, saying: "That's a really good team."
Stuart Lancaster was appointed head coach of England’s men’s rugby union team on this day in 2012.
The then 42-year-old was permanently appointed following a spell in interim charge during which England finished second in the Six Nations.
Lancaster replaced Martin Johnson in the role after the former England captain resigned in the wake of a disappointing World Cup campaign in 2011.
He was appointed on a four-year contract and would lead England into their home Rugby World Cup in 2015.
“Being head coach of your national team in any sport (is an honour), but to do it at a time when we’ve got a World Cup in our own country is a huge, huge honour,” Lancaster said following his appointment.
“It’s a very proud day for myself and my family, but it’s not about me, it’s about the team and the connection between the team and the English public.”
Lancaster resigned from his role in November 2015 following a dismal World Cup campaign.
His side became the first host nation to fail to get out of the pool stages following defeats to Wales and Australia.
He now coaches French Top 14 side Racing 92.
Rookie Logan Cooley had his first career hat trick and Clayton Keller had a goal and three assists as the Arizona Coyotes put an end to the Nashville Predators’ franchise-record 18-game point streak with an 8-4 victory on Thursday.
Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist and Nick Bjugstad, Jack McBain and Mattias Maccelli also scored for the Coyotes, who have won five of seven despite being already eliminated from playoff contention.
Arizona went 3-0-1 against Nashville this season.
Jason Zucker scored a pair of goals and Roman Josi had three assists for the Predators, but they had a six-game winning streak snapped and suffered their first regulation loss since Feb. 15.
Juuse Saros was pulled after two periods for allowing six goals. Kevin Lankinen stopped all 11 shots he faced.
Rangers top Avs in shootout
Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck scored in the shootout to lift the league-leading New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in a matchup of two of the league's top teams.
Kaapo Kaako and Chris Kreider scored in regulation and Igor Shesterkin stopped 38 shots and was perfect in the shootout as the Rangers won their fourth straight.
New York leads the NHL with 102 points and is three points ahead of Carolina in the Metropolitan Division.
Casey Mittelstadt and Devon Toews had goals for the Avalanche, who lost their second in a row following a nine-game winning streak.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was held without a point, ending his 35-game home point streak and his overall 19-game run. His 35-game streak is second in NHL history to Wayne Gretzky’s 40-game run in 1988-89.
Streaking Stars beat Canucks
Jamie Benn snapped a tie late in the third period and Jake Oettinger made 27 saves to lead the Dallas Stars to their sixth straight win, 3-1 over the Vancouver Canucks.
Roope Hintz had the other goal and two assists for the Stars, who have won 11 of 13 to take over sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.
J.T. Miller scored and Casey DeSmith stopped 31 shots for Vancouver, which has lost two straight after a 7-1-1 surge.
Dejounte Murray hit a go-ahead jumper in the final second of overtime and finished with 44 points in the Atlanta Hawks’ 123-122 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
Murray scored all of Atlanta’s 11 points in the extra period, answering with his winning shot six seconds after Jaylen Brown’s jumper put the Celtics on top.
Atlanta defeated league-leading Boston for the second time in four days after it rallied from a 30-point deficit for a stunning 120-118 victory on Monday.
Bogdan Bogdanović scored 24 points and De’Andre Hunter added 21 with 13 rebounds to help the Hawks match a season high with their fourth straight win.
Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 13 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 points for the Celtics, who have already clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Williamson, McCollum power Pelicans
Zion Williamson scored 28 points and CJ McCollum added 25 and the New Orleans Pelicans fended off the Milwaukee Bucks, 107-100.
Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Trey Murphy contributed 15 and 11 boards as the Pelicans won despite misfiring on 24 of 32 from 3-point range and shooting just 39.6 percent (36 of 91) overall.
Giannis Antetokounmpo tallied 35 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight following Wednesday’s double-overtime loss to the Lakers.
Gregor Dimitrov beat top seed Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to book a place in the Miami Open semi-final.
The Bulgarian, seeded 11th, won 6-2 6-4 to book a last-four meeting with Germany’s world number five Alexander Zverev.
Dimitrov made a fast start as he opened a 3-0 lead and Alcaraz, chasing back-to-back titles after winning in Indian Wells, was never able to get back on terms.
He fought back from 4-1 down in the second set, but Dimitrov broke again to seal his second successive win over the Spaniard.
“I think overall, to win against him, you have to play at your best; that’s just how it is,” said Dimitrov. “I came into the match very focused and extremely clear what I had to do.
“Sometimes simplicity is genius. It’s very, very hard to do it, especially when you play against an opponent like that, but I was really able to dictate the game, read the game a little bit better than last time.
“Overall, I think a very great match on my end and I’m just happy I finished in straight sets.”
Zverev ended unseeded Fabian Marozsan’s run with a 6-3 7-5 success.
The Hungarian had beaten top 10 pair Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur to reach the last eight, but could only muster two break points as Zverev won 80 per cent of points on his first serve.
“I’m happy to be back in these late stages of these tournaments, playing the best players in the world, I think there are only those left,” said Zverev, who reached the final in Miami in 2018.
Defending champion Daniil Medvedev will meet Jannik Sinner in the other semi-final in a rematch of the Australian Open final.
Luke Littler saw off stablemate Nathan Aspinall to secure his first Premier League night win in Belfast.
Littler never looked back after edging out Luke Humphries in a last-leg decider of the opening quarter-final at the SSE Arena, which ended the world champion’s three-night winning Premier League run.
The 17-year-old – who has won titles at the Bahrain Masters, PDC Players Championship and Belgian Open in a breakout year – followed up with an impressive 6-3 win over Michael Van Gerwen, who had beaten him on night two in the Berlin final.
‘The Nuke’ landed a 136 checkout in first leg of the final, then just missed finishing off 170 in second before Aspinall broke throw as he built a 3-1 lead.
Littler, though, fought back to level with a showpiece bullseye-25-bullseye finish – which got a high-five from close-friend Aspinall – and then pushed on to within one leg of victory at 5-3.
Aspinall dug deep to break back in the next, but Littler eventually got the job done on double 10.
Overall victory on night nine moves Littler up to second in the table, four points behind Humphries, while Aspinall now sits in fourth, the last of the play-off places.
“I am just happy to win my first one,” Littler said on Sky Sports.
“People may have seen I have changed my throw to take that little bit of extra time then releasing the next two. I have put more practice in and it has paid off.
“I can’t wait for next week (in Manchester). I know I have got Michael (Van Gerwen) in the first round, but Nathan will obviously enjoy it also in his home town.”
Aspinall had reached his fourth final of this year’s Premier League campaign with a 6-2 win over Peter Wright, in which he produced 14 scores over 100.
Earlier in the other quarter-finals, Premier League title holder Van Gerwen came from 4-2 down against former world champion Michael Smith to win the last four legs, securing victory on a 150 checkout.
Aspinall had seen off Gerwyn Price, last year’s Belfast winner, in a last-leg decider to leave the Welshman further adrift of the play-offs, while Wright beat 2018 world champion Rob Cross 6-3.
Luke Littler edged out Luke Humphries in a last-leg decider to end the world champion’s winning Premier League run on night nine in Belfast.
Following successive wins in Brighton, Nottingham and Dublin, world number one Humphries had opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.
Littler, though, had already beaten Humphries in each of their last three meetings since the world final at Alexandra Palace.
The 17-year-old, who had dropped to fifth in the Premier League table, after last week’s quarter-final defeat to Michael Smith in Dublin, forced an early break to open up a 2-0 lead.
Humphries, however, soon recovered to level the opening quarter-final at the SSE Arena, and the match continued on throw through to the deciding leg.
The world champion sat on a 170 check-out, but missed the second treble 20 which allowed Littler the chance to take out 68 on double 10 and progress to the semi-finals.
Littler hit seven maximums with a match average of 102.02, and goes on to play the winner of Michael Smith against Michael Van Gerwen.
Jamaica’s former WBA featherweight world champion Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters, now campaigning at lightweight, continued his comeback with a 10-round unanimous decision win over Joseph Adorno in the ProBox main event at the Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida, on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Walters, who returned from a six-and-a-half-year layoff last year, outworked his opponent for the most parts, as Adorno was also deducted a point for a punch after the bell in round nine.
Walters’ recent squash matches with hapless Colombian journeymen, one of whom was over 45, might have suggested that this was more of a cash-out than a genuine attempt at a comeback. However, the Panama-based boxer proved that was very much not the case and that he clearly still had plenty in the tank.
He steadily took apart the 24-year-old Adorno with crisp jabs over the course of 10 rounds.
At the end, Walters won by scores of 95-94, 97-92, 98-91, as he claimed the WBA Continental Americas lightweight title and improved his ring record to 29 wins, 22 of which are by knockouts. He also has one loss and one draw.
Adorno’s record has now slipped to 18 wins (15 kos) against four losses and two draws.
Walters created history by becoming the first Jamaican to win a world boxing title at home, defeating Daulis Prescott via a 7th round TKO victory at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston for the WBA World Featherweight title.
Derek Fox will not miss the ride on Corach Rambler in the Randox Grand National, despite potentially breaching the whip guidelines at Newcastle on Tuesday, the British Horseracing Authority has said.
Corach Rambler provided Fox and trainer Lucinda Russell with a second victory in the Aintree spectacular last season, with the pair having also successfully combined with One For Arthur in 2017.
Following an excellent effort in defeat when third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup two weeks ago, Corach Rambler is the clear favourite to successfully defend his crown on Merseyside on April 13 – and despite speculation to the contrary, Fox looks set to be in the plate once more.
Reports on Thursday suggested the Sligo-born jockey could be in trouble with the Whip Review Committee following his winning ride aboard the Russell-trained Clovis Boy at Newcastle on Tuesday.
However, while the BHA confirmed the ride was being reviewed, and a penalty may yet therefore follow, any potential suspension will not kick in until the week after the National.
The BHA does not normally comment regarding which riders may or may not have been referred, but has done so on this occasion, stating: “Given the speculation in the media in this instance, and the potential ramifications for the public betting on this race, we felt it would be helpful to clarify the situation.”
A BHA spokesperson said: “The WRC today considered a ride by Mr Fox at Newcastle on Tuesday. Upon reviewing the ride, the WRC had further questions for Mr Fox and have written to him today to seek his observations, as is outlined in the protocols and procedures around WRC meetings.
“As a result, Mr Fox’s case will be considered by the WRC on Tuesday, April 2. Any potential penalty arising from this ride, therefore, will not come into effect until Tuesday, April 16.”
Corach Rambler is currently the 4-1 favourite for National glory with William Hill, who report he has been incredibly popular with punters.
Spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “Corach Rambler’s run in the Gold Cup looked a perfect prep for his defence of the Grand National, and our customers agree as he has been absolutely hammered in the betting since the run at Cheltenham.
“He wasn’t a bad result prior to that, but the weight of money in the last couple of weeks has been so significant that he’d be the worst ante-post result this century. At this stage, we would take anything to beat him, but the way the money is going suggests he’s going to be incredibly hard to beat.”
Coral have also cut him to the same price from 5-1 after strong support, with David Stevens commenting: “Corach Rambler was 12-1 for a repeat National success prior to his Gold Cup run, and 8-1 immediately after that Cheltenham placing, so punters have plenty of confidence in the Lucinda Russell-trained star joining an elite group of dual Aintree winners next month.”
Charlie Johnston’s Dear My Friend looks to extend an excellent winter into the spring as he bids for the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap at Newcastle.
The four-year-old is unbeaten in four runs on the all-weather, winning the Listed Burradon Stakes on Good Friday last year before embarking on a top-level turf campaign.
He may not have made the grade in the Dante, the Derby or the Hampton Court, but since returning to a synthetic surface at the beginning of this year, he has been unstoppable.
After taking a mile handicap at Newcastle on New Year’s Day, the gelding then landed the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Lingfield in February and the AWC Mile Trial Handicap at the same track in March.
Those runs provide him with a standout CV ahead of the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap, where he will carry top weight under Joe Fanning for owners Middleham Park Racing.
“He has been a revelation since we gelded him and cleared up his wind. I think that big, long stride seems to be particularly well-suited to the all-weather and he has literally been imperious this season,” said Middleham Park’s Tim Palin.
“He has gone up a lot in the ratings and, as the saying goes, ‘weight stops trains’, and it could be that the pesky handicapper is his nemesis on Friday. At the moment, I would not swap him for anything.”
There is a French contender in Yann Barberot’s Fast Raaj, who has acquitted himself well this year when finishing a close second in the Prix Saonois at Cagnes-Sur-Mer and then winning the Prix Montjeu at Chantilly.
Both of those runs were on all-weather surfaces and inspired the decision to cross the Channel and try the horse over a straight mile.
Barberot said: “Fast Raaj has run well at Chantilly, Deauville and Cagnes-sur-Mer, so we decided to seize the opportunity to run, as he qualified for this race.
“He has never run over a straight mile, so that is a question mark, but he’s a good horse who adapts well to all-weather surfaces. He has the right profile to be competitive in the race.”
Clive Cox’s Kingdom Come was third to Dear My Friend and McLean House in the AWC Mile Trial Handicap and was then the winner of the Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton when last seen earlier this month.
“He put in a very nice performance in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton, coming from off the pace, and is very much at home on the all-weather surfaces,” the trainer said of the bay.
“It will be his first time at the track but, if he can translate his recent form, he should run a competitive race.”
McLean House also renews the rivalry from that Lingfield outing and will line up for trainer Andrew Balding in the contest.
He said: “He has been very consistent this winter over seven furlongs and a mile. I think Dear My Friend will be very tough to beat, but we’ll give it our best shot.”
King Power Racing have two entrants in Fantastic Fox and Greatgadian, both of whom are trained by Roger Varian and come into the race in good form, having fared well on the all-weather throughout the winter.
Alastair Donald, racing manager to the owners, said: “When Fantastic Fox wins, he looks very good. He slightly lost his way last year but a return to the all-weather and drop back to a mile has seen a rejuvenated horse.
“He has been impressive this season and we meet Dear My Friend on much better terms.
“It has been a bit frustrating that Greatgadian hasn’t won this winter because he has not run a bad race.
“Occasionally, he gets called a few bad names, but I think he is pretty genuine. He just has to have a really fast pace and hit the line at the right moment. He is definitely on a mark to win a good race.”
Julie Camacho’s Symbol Of Light was second to Dear My Friend at Lingfield in January and has been aimed at this contest for some time.
Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant, said: “This race has been his target all winter and we are looking forward to running him.
“He has had a decent campaign without winning, which is frustrating, but hopefully he will go well again.
“The weight pull with Dear My Friend is in our favour compared to New Year’s Day, but that horse has been winning cannily in my opinion and will keep finding.”
Stephen Curry believes overcoming Draymond Green's ejection to clinch a 103-91 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday said much about the Golden State Warriors' character.
Green was ejected for the fourth time this season just four minutes into Wednesday's game at Kia Center, being called for two technical fouls in a matter of moments.
The forward reacted angrily to Curry being pulled up for a shooting foul and continued to remonstrate with the officials after his first technical, with a second being called soon afterwards.
Green's exit left his team-mates in a tough situation, but they rallied to make it back-to-back wins as Curry scored 17 points in support of Andrew Wiggins (23).
"Nothing is guaranteed in this league," Curry said after the game. "The way that we went out and competed, the way the season is going, that's the way you see how your back is against the wall.
"I don't know how many people would have picked us in this kind of game, a back-to-back setting, down two starters, and we found a way to fight to get a win."
The Warriors are now up to 38-34 as they battle for a Play-In spot, but Curry says they cannot afford to keep losing Green if they are to make the postseason.
Green is the first player to be tossed four times in a single NBA season since Kevin Durant walked five times in 2017-18, while he is the only player with multiple first-quarter dismissals in a season over the last 20 years.
He had been on his best behaviour after missing 12 games through suspension for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face in December, and Curry knows his team-mate needs to remain on the right side of the line.
"We need him. He knows that. We all know that," Curry said of Green. "So whatever we need to do to keep him on the floor and available, that's what's got to happen.
"Especially at this point in the year. It was a tough way to start the game. We know how important this part of the season is in our ability to get into a rhythm and secure a Play-In opportunity.
"We don't want to give ourselves self-inflicted wounds. We all care. We all are passionate about the game and our chances to have something to play for down the stretch.
"You give everything you've got to this game. That's the emotion."
The Warriors round off a testing five-game road stretch in the coming days, facing the Charlotte Hornets on Friday before taking on the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
Sprint specialist Mick Appleby has two good chances of taking top honours in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap at Newcastle on Good Friday.
The trainer has entered both Juan Les Pins and Billyjoh for the £150,000 contest, run over six furlongs on the tapeta surface.
Juan Les Pins is the most fancied of the duo at present, a Listed-placed seven-year-old who came home a length behind Diligent Harry in the Hever Sprint at Southwell in February.
Appleby suspects the gelding’s forte may be the turf, but he thinks there could be more to come from his stablemate Billyjoh after a highly productive winter on the all-weather that yielded three wins.
“They are both decent horses,” the trainer said.
“I think Billyjoh still has more to offer and could surprise people, while the handicapper knows all about Juan Les Pins.
“Juan Les Pins might be better on grass as well, but he should still run well.”
Well-fancied is John and Thady Gosden’s Cover Up, owned by Godolphin and the winner of all three of his starts on the all-weather – the latter two times over five furlongs at Newcastle.
Peter Shoemark, racing manager for the Gosdens, said of his chances: “Cover Up has been in great form all season – he started off rated 76 and is now up to 101.
“He has won over six furlongs, although that came at Lingfield and Newcastle is a lot stiffer, so that will be a new test for him, plus the fact he is 13lb higher than last time.”
Harry Charlton’s Batal Dubai is also popular in the market, a four-year-old consistently in the money on the all-weather over six furlongs.
Tim Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing said: “If you could create a perfect storm for Batal Dubai, it would probably be six furlongs in a big-field competitive handicap at Newcastle. This is very much him playing at home.”
There is an interesting contender in Gordon Elliott’s Coachello, a course and distance winner who travels over from Ireland for the race.
“Coachello is in good order. He has not done much wrong so far this season and we are looking forward to sending him over,” Elliott said.
“It looks a strong race, but he is a solid horse and hopefully runs well.”
Roger Teal is set to run Chipstead, a full brother to his sprint star Oxted and a good winner of the BetUK AWC Sprint Trial Handicap at Lingfield when last seen.
“All is well with him. He did a nice piece of work the other day and we are going into the race on a good note,” said Teal.
“I think he has a good each-way chance. He has done nothing wrong all season and won nicely at the trials meeting.
“You need luck on the day with these sprinters but, if everything goes right, you have to put him in the mix.”
David O’Meara is well represented in the race with three runners, as seasoned sprinter Summerghand, who won the 2021 renewal of this contest when it was staged at Lingfield, is joined by two good campaigners in Aberama Gold and Misty Grey.
“I was delighted to see Summerghand finish second in the trial at Lingfield. It was a fantastic run and shows there is still plenty of life left in those old legs yet,” the trainer said.
“Whether Newcastle brings out the best in him, I am not convinced, but it is big money and he has to have a go at it.
“I was happy with Aberama Gold at Newcastle in November, when he finished fourth in the Listed race, and then he probably wasn’t quite sharp enough for his first run of the year over five furlongs at Southwell. Fingers crossed, this test should suit him better.
“Misty Grey had a lovely run at Wolverhampton in the Lady Wulfruna. Whether he can replicate that form in a straight six-furlong race would be a question, but I was delighted with the way he travelled at Wolverhampton and he is well entitled to take his shot at a great prize.”
Jamie George has been enlisted to help preparations for England’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash with Wales after volunteering his services to head coach John Mitchell.
Fresh from leading the England men’s team in an encouraging Championship, George worked with Red Roses hookers Lark Atkin-Davies, Connie Powell, Amy Cokayne and May Campbell at their Surrey training base on Wednesday.
Mitchell struck up a close relationship with the 90-cap Saracens star during his time as Eddie Jones’ assistant and the Kiwi hopes it will be the start of greater knowledge sharing between the senior teams.
“I worked with Jamie before and this wasn’t forced or coerced by me. I’ve kept in touch since my departure as a coach and wished him well for the Six Nations,” Mitchell said.
“When I got this role he said if you ever any help just sing out. He was the one who actually encouraged it for this situation. We’ve made it work and I think the girls have enjoyed it.”
England captain Marlie Packer knows George from Saracens, who she has represented since 2017, and sees the benefit of skills swapping with members of Steve Borthwick’s squad.
“The girls really enjoyed it. We don’t want to force it because the men have their own programmes, the same as us, so the timing needs to be right for both,” Packer said.
“We also have that club connection as well, Jamie has been doing some work with me at Saracens. It’s not just about the red roses, I know Bristol Bears do a lot with their men.”
Mitchell has rotated his squad for Saturday’s clash with Wales at Ashton Gate by making seven changes following the 48-0 thumping of Italy in round one.
Centres Tatyana Heard and Megan Jones, half-backs Natasha Hunt and Holly Aitchison, prop Maud Muir, lock Rosie Galligan and number eight Alex Matthews are the new faces.
Back row Sarah Beckett is unavailable until the final match of the tournament against France after receiving a three-match ban for a dangerous clear out against Italy, but Mitchell confirmed she will come into consideration for that game.
Second row Zoe Aldcroft will win her 50th cap after being one of the eight players retained in the starting XV.
“Zoe is a massive competitor. She’s like a little springer spaniel in training! When she speaks, the girls listen,” Packer said.
“Everyone knows she’s world class in everything she does and how she goes about her business.”
Penzance bids to put the seal on a prolific winter campaign by securing top honours in the BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic at Newcastle on Good Friday.
A five-race maiden when changing hands for 31,000 guineas last July, the grey has proved another shrewd purchase for trainer Mick Appleby and successful owners The Horse Watchers, with a promising effort on his Wolverhampton debut for new connections followed by four successive victories.
There is no doubt he faces a rise in class on All-Weather Championships Finals Day, but Appleby is confident of another bold showing in Gosforth Park’s £200,000 feature.
“He has just kept improving every time and was really impressive last time, so I think he should have a really good chance,” said the trainer.
“He’s in good order and he would be our best chance of a winner on Friday.
“Every run he’s had, he’s improved and it will be interesting to see how he goes when we switch him to the turf. He’s one to look forward to.”
Part-owner Chris Dixon added: “It will be his most difficult task so far, but he seems to have improved again from his last run. Ali (Rawlinson) has been riding him at home, as well as on the track, and is very happy with him.
“It will be a red-hot race given the money and quality of horse on offer. I don’t think he has reached his cap yet, but there are probably other horses who are in the same boat.”
Penzance’s former trainers Simon and Ed Crisford are represented by both Oh So Grand and Base Note, with the former very much the stable’s first string as she looks to supplement victories in the Winter Oaks Trial and the Winter Oaks at Lingfield.
“Oh So Grand has had a very good winter and remains in good form for this race. She will need to improve again, but we think there is more to come from her,” said Simon Crisford.
“Base Note found life a little tougher in a handicap last time, but he has been working well recently and loves the all-weather.”
Irish hopes are carried by the Adrian Murray-trained Elegant Man, who has won twice at Dundalk either side of chasing home Breeders’ Cup and multiple Group One winner Rebel’s Romance in the Listed Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton in December.
Murray said: “We had him entered to go to Dubai, but it looked like he wasn’t going to get in the race and this was the alternative.
“He’s only had the three runs and he’s an improving horse, I think down the road he’s an exciting horse. It’s a big pot on Friday and down the line hopefully he’ll be going into Group races, we think he’s that category of a horse that is potentially good enough to do that.”
Hooking is an interesting contender from France, not least because he is owned by international footballer Antoine Griezmann, who was named man of the match when Les Bleus won the 2018 World Cup final.
Although considerably older than most of his rivals at the age of eight, Philippe Decouz’s raider has proved himself as good as ever by winning two Listed prizes since the turn of the year.
Decouz said: “Hooking has been in my yard for seven years now, so we have a long history! He is in remarkable condition for an eight-year-old, we have always looked after him and given him breaks.
“He is in top form. The race at Newcastle was a logical choice following his winter programme. He doesn’t go on heavy ground and so there is not a race for him in France at the moment.
“This is a first runner in the UK for his owner Antoine Griezmann and also for me. It is a great challenge.”
Other contenders include the William Haggas-trained To Catch A Thief, Simon Pearce’s Storm Catcher and Teumessias Fox from Andrew Balding’s yard, all previous winners over the course and distance.
Balding said of the latter, who was last seen impressing at Kempton in late January: “He is coming in fresh, which I think is a bonus for him as his record after a break is pretty good.
“The only issue is that he is very high in the weights now for winning last time, so it won’t be easy.”
Dane O’Neill has announced his retirement having failed to recover sufficiently from injuries suffered in a fall at Wolverhampton in July.
O’Neill, 48, had his first rides in 1992 and enjoyed a long association with Richard Hannon senior, before taking the job as stable jockey for Henry Candy until in 2012 he landed the role of second jockey to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum behind Paul Hanagan.
He remained in that position when Jim Crowley replaced Hanagan in 2016 and while it meant he was often on the second string in big races, he has ridden many of the great horses that sported the famous blue and white Shadwell colours.
O’Neill won the inaugural Commonwealth Cup on Muhaarar, the September Stakes on Mostahdaf and guided Baaeed to his first two victories.
In the fall, O’Neill broke seven ribs and fractured his T6 vertebra.
“I’ve given it a good go but unfortunately it is just not healing. There’s quite a significant gap between the vertebra and there was damage to the other vertebra as well,” said O’Neill.
“It’s filled in a little bit, but not enough and it is mainly filled with scar tissue, so it wouldn’t take another impact.
“But on a positive note, because I broke seven ribs as well, once I healed and it stabilised, I’ve never really suffered any pain and I’m leading a normal life, so I’ve got to be thankful for that.
“I got 32 years out of it, so while it isn’t the way I wanted to end it, it’s a good chunk of time. I was watching some old races back the other day and there’s only John Egan still going now.
“The writing has been on the wall, I’m 48 so I wasn’t going to get another 10 years or anything, but 32 years has been a fair chunk of my life, so I’m thankful.
“I only had three jobs in all that time. I started out with Richard Hannon and I still ride for young Richard now. Henry Candy then made me his stable jockey and he was the first person to congratulate me after I won the Commonwealth Cup on Muhaarar, which was nice – especially as he was second with Limato!
“Then I moved on to Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikha Hissa, who was kind enough to leave things as they were, even when they downsized the operation and they probably didn’t need a second jockey. I was pleased to ride her three Grade Ones in Dubai.”
O’Neill rode his fair share of speedsters throughout his long career, the aforementioned Muhaarar, Candy’s Airwave and out in Dubai Danyah. But one stands out above all.
“I rode Battaash before he got a bit more sensible, I had the early pleasures of him!” joked O’Neill of Charlie Hills’ headstrong sprinter.
“He was exceptionally fast. I rode some fast horses but he was freakishly fast. In the early days, it was just a case of hang on and set him off in the right direction. Don’t fall out with him and you’ll win. He was different.
“Winning the first Commonwealth Cup on Muhaarar came at a nice point in my career for Shadwell and that day he came of age, it was nice to give something back to Shadwell and repay that faith. Unfortunately, I didn’t get back on him!
“I rode Mostahdaf before he hit the heady heights he went on to achieve but another horse I didn’t have a long association with was when Mohaather won the Summer Mile for Marcus (Tregoning).
“He was very good. He was probably the best I rode because when I rode Baaeed he was at a different stage of his career. That day I rode Mohaather, he was exceptional.
“He’d run at Royal Ascot when things didn’t work out, which shows how much luck you need. I went to ride him work and after it I thought the hardest part for me was to make sure Jim’s plans didn’t change and he went to Ascot! I remember ringing Angus Gold (racing manager) and saying he was an aeroplane.”
O’Neill has nothing in the pipeline as yet but expects to stay in the industry.
He said: “I don’t know what I’ll do next but I got my money’s worth out of it. Racing is all I know, there’s not many routes when you leave school at 16, but I’ll be involved in some capacity, I’d hope.”
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