Aidan Coleman has announced his retirement from the saddle having failed to recover from a knee injury.
The 35-year-old suffered a fall at Worcester in June and has been battling to return ever since, undergoing several surgeries on his knee and a shattered tibia.
Coleman, who will possibly be best remembered for his association with the recently-retired Paisley Park, has undergone a lengthy rehabilitation process but has conceded he will not recover sufficiently to resume his riding career.
“The prognosis early was quite bleak about returning to ride,” he told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday.
“But around September when the rehab was early I was kidding myself that I could get back from this. In early December I had another operation and since that the progress has really plateaued.
“The gym is good because it’s a stable surface but I can’t run or jump. I can’t ride a horse really. A lot of people would say I couldn’t anyway so what’s the difference!
“Since Christmas, every time I’ve tried to ride a horse it’s not really gone well and I just can’t really do it and I definitely wouldn’t be able to ride in a race or anything like that.
“Speaking to Jerry Hill (the BHA’s chief medical adviser) and my surgeon, my chances of improving are negative now, so that’s it. My knee won’t stand the demands of being a jockey or get anywhere near it, so that’s it.”
Coleman enjoyed a successful association early in his career with Venetia Williams but overlooked her 100-1 Grand National winner Mon Mome in favour of stablemate Stan.
There were many good days in a stellar career, though, with Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park winning the Long Walk Hurdle three times and the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2019.
Coleman also picked up the rides on Epatante, winning an Aintree Hurdle and two Fighting Fifths, and Jonbon, on whom he won multiple Grade Ones.
“I think the last few years I’ve been at my happiest, riding horses like Paisley Park has been a mainstay since 2019, we picked up Epatante, Jonbon, winning the Champion Chase on Put The Kettle On. I would have a good army of behind me when I got to September and they hit the board regularly,” said Coleman.
“I kind of gave up the idea of being champion jockey and being a slave to the game, that just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the good horses so much I just wanted to focus on them rather than the numbers and since I did that I think I rode better.”
Leopardstown’s Classic trials card will go ahead as planned after the track passed a 7.30am inspection.
The P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes is one of the highlights having produced several top-class performers over the years, including three subsequent Epsom winners in Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002) and Harzand (2016).
Two other Group Three events in the Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” Stakes and the Ballylinch Stud “Priory Belle” Stakes also take place on ground described as heavy.
Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: “The track at Leopardstown is fit for racing and the fixture scheduled for today goes ahead.
“The ground remains heavy but we had no measurable rain at the track in the last 24 hours and some strong winds. Today looks to be mainly sunny and breezy.”
The track at Carlisle also passed a 7am inspection allowing the final day of the Go North Series Finals to go take place, although conditions are heavy.
Tuesday’s meeting at Hexham has been called off though, with areas of false ground and standing water on the course.
Max Verstappen returned to winning ways in dominant fashion as the world champion cruised to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Having retired last time out in Australia, it was normal service resumed for the Dutchman at Suzuka where he led home a Red Bull one-two as Sergio Perez finished second.
Verstappen twice led into the first corner off the line after the race was restarted following a first-lap incident.
From there he controlled the pace of the race and the result never looked in doubt, with Verstappen taking the chequered flag and the fastest lap to open up a 13-point lead at the top of the drivers’ championship as he aims for a fourth successive title.
Perez did well to overcome a minor threat from Ferrari as Carlos Sainz took the last step on the podium with a strong strategy enough for him leapfrog Lando Norris, with McLaren misjudging a call to pit the Briton early for his final stop.
A strong showing from Ferrari saw the sister car of Charles Leclerc come home fourth ahead of Norris, while the fight for the minor points places proved to be the most exciting battle of the afternoon.
Fernando Alonso hung on to take sixth for Aston Martin with a late push from George Russell seeing him pass the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri on the closing lap to secure seventh.
Lewis Hamilton had said after qualifying that his Mercedes felt better than it had in the last three years but he struggled for genuine pace and had to settle for ninth as home favourite Yuki Tsunoda took the final point, coming in 10th for RB.
Greg Rusedski announced his retirement from tennis on this day in 2007 after helping Great Britain defeat the Netherlands in the Davis Cup.
Rusedski partnered Jamie Murray to a crucial 6-1 3-6 6-3 7-6 (5) doubles win over Robin Haase and Rogier Wassen, which gave Britain an unassailable 3-0 lead in Birmingham.
The former world number four, then aged 33, revealed his retirement plans in an emotional courtside interview.
“It was a proud moment as it’s going to be my last match,” he said, fighting back tears. “I’m officially retiring on a win today.”
Rusedski had played just one previous match in 2007 – losing in the first round of a Challenger event in Sarajevo – as he struggled with a nagging hip injury and plummeting world ranking.
He had been expected to retire at some point during that year and ended speculation after helping Britain secure an elite World Group play-off, which they went on to win 4-1 against Croatia the following September.
Great Britain captain John Lloyd paid tribute to the world number 283, saying: “It’s good to go out playing a match like that but we’ll miss him. We’ve had a great team and Greg has been a big part of it.”
Born in Montreal, Rusedski turned professional in 1991 and became a British citizen in 1995. He made his Davis Cup debut later that year and played a total of 43 rubbers, finishing with a win-loss record of 30-13.
The former British number one was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1997 after losing to Pat Rafter in the US Open final.
His booming serve-and-volley game seemed ideally suited to Wimbledon, but the furthest he got was the quarter-finals, losing to Frenchman Cedric Pioline in four sets in 1997.
He won 15 ATP Tour titles, securing his last one in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2005 on the same court he had won his first 12 years earlier.
Austin Riley had the tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves overcame a six-run first-inning deficit in a 9-8 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Arizona squandered a 6-0 lead after it blew a 5-2 advantage in a 6-5 loss in 10 innings on Friday.
The Diamondbacks scored six off Max Fried in the first, triggered by Ketel Marte’s homer and capped by his RBI double.
Atlanta scored twice in the fourth on Marcell Ozuna’s double and Michael Harris’s triple. Ozuna hit a three-run homer in the fifth and Matt Olson and Harris singled home runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 8-7.
Jarred Kelenic opened the eighth with a double and scored on Ronald Acuna Jr.’s single to tie it before a throwing error and Riley’s single put the Braves on top.
Yamamoto earns first career win
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out eight over five scoreless innings for his first major league victory and Max Muncy had a two-run single to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Yamamoto, who signed a record $325 million, 12-year contract with the Dodgers in the offseason, worked out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam in the first inning and another bases-loaded situation in the second. He allowed three hits and two walks.
Three relievers worked an inning each before Evan Phillips surrendered a run in the ninth.
Miguel Rojas had two hits and one RBI for the Dodgers, who improved to 8-3 and ended the Cubs’ five-game winning streak.
Chicago starter Jordan Wicks gave up two runs on six hits and struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings.
Cardinals keep Marlins winless
Steven Matz pitched five scoreless innings and the St. Louis Cardinals dropped the Miami Marlins to 0-9 with a 3-1 victory.
The Marlins are off to the worst start in the franchise’s 33-year history and remain the majors’ only winless team.
Giovanny Gallegos and JoJo Romero each worked one scoreless inning before Andrew Kittredge gave up Miami’s lone run on Josh Bell’s RBI single. Ryan Helsley got the final three outs for his third save.
Ivan Herrera and Brendan Donovan each had two hits and Jordan Walker delivered an RBI double for the Cardinals, who have won four of five.
American golfer Akshay Bhatia is edging closer to his second PGA victory at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
Bhatia heads into the final round on Sunday with a four-shot lead.
Fellow American Denny McCarthy is in second place at 11-under.
US golfer Brendon Todd is trailing behind him by another three shots while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and American Russell Henley sit at five-under.
If Bhatia is to win, it will extend his PGA Tour card and give him the green light to play next week’s Masters.
Bhatia qualified for and made the cut at Torrey Pines, the 2021 US Open, and won last season’s Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California.
Aside from that, the 22-year-old has not participated in any other major championships.
Swedish golf star Ludvig Aberg sits at six-under at Valero alongside four players who round out the top 10 on the leaderboard with a score of five-under.
D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points and Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight, 116-97 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
LeBron James added 24 points and 12 assists for the Lakers, who have won nine of 10 to move into eighth place in the Western Conference for the first time since Dec. 29.
Los Angeles is still in position for a play-in tournament spot, but finishing seventh or eighth means it would only need to win one game to earn a playoff spot.
Darius Garland scored 26 points and Caris LeVert added 21 off the bench as Cleveland dropped its third in four games but remained in third place in the East.
The Cavs held a 73-69 lead in the third quarter, but Davis scored nine points during a 19-0 run to give the Lakers an 88-73 advantage. They led by at least 10 the rest of the way.
Nuggets rout Hawks to move atop West
Nikola Jokić notched another triple-double and Jamal Murray scored 16 points in his return as the Denver Nuggets routed the Atlanta Hawks, 142-110 to move atop the Western Conference.
Jokic had 19 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for his 25th triple-double of the season even though he sat out the fourth quarter.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added a season-high 24 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 20 points and Murray handed out six assists in his first appearance since he was hurt March 21 against the Knicks. Denver moved a half-game ahead of idle Minnesota for the West lead.
Embiid powers 76ers to 4th straight win
Joel Embiid tallied 30 points and 12 rebounds in only 23 minutes and the Philadelphia 76ers rolled to a 116-96 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Embiid was 9 of 13 from the field and hit both of his 3-point attempts before exiting with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Philadelphia was never seriously threatened after that, so coach Nick Nurse left his star center on the bench.
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 17 points as the 76ers pulled within a half-game of seventh place in the Eastern Conference and within one game of Indiana for sixth and a guaranteed playoff spot.
Frankie Dettori fell just short of producing an American version of his famous magnificent seven when riding six straight winners on the Santa Anita Derby card.
The Italian memorably won every race at Ascot back in September 1996, on a day which cost British bookmakers an estimated £40million.
Now based across the Atlantic after abandoning plans to retire last year, Dettori looked set to rewrite the record books when rattling off six consecutive victories on Saturday night, including a Santa Anita Oaks triumph.
Sadly, he couldn’t add to his tally from four more rides but it was still a special occasion for the 53-year-old.
He stated: “I adore this place and to be able to say that I won six races on Derby day is beyond my wildest dreams.
“I don’t know how to put it into words. Is it real? Am I dreaming? Is this really happening? It’s incredible. I just don’t know what to say.”
After missing out on Danzingwith Maxine in the opening race, Dettori began his hot streak with maiden winner Ball Don’t Lie.
He then struck on Recinto Rompere in a claiming race before landing the $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes with Roberta’s Love at big odds.
After that success, Dettori said: “I was surprised, she jumped like a rocket and within 50 yards we were clear of the field and at the rail. I thought if nobody hassled with me, I’d be very hard to catch and that was the case. We went right up to the line.
“I tried to just save as much ground as I could – the filly is ultra consistent and was very well prepared. There were some good fillies in the race, but she put up a good performance.”
Next up came another maiden winner in Kathynmarissa and Dettori then partnered Nothing Like You to victory in the $300,000 Grade Two Santa Anita Oaks.
She was regarded as trainer Bob Baffert’s second string behind odds-on favourite Kinza but swept past her stablemate entering the home straight and ultimately romped home by seven and a half lengths.
“The filly didn’t like the kick-back too much last time but I was lucky to get a decent break and could take up a decent position where I wasn’t getting any kick-back,” said Dettori.
“I was fully loaded at the quarter pole, I just needed a bit of room and she took off.
“What can you say about Bob Baffert, he’s a genius and just lets me do what I do best and we got the job done. We’ve got a good working relationship – he trains them and I ride them, so we’ll keep it that way.”
Baffert added on the Santa Anita website: “He’s just a phenom. He is world class and has brought his talent to every stage. He’s just that good.”
Dettori’s sixth straight success soon followed when Royal Charter, a former William Haggas inmate now trained by Leonard Powell, swept to victory on her American debut.
The veteran did not have a ride in race eight and then had to settle for third place on board Getthemoney in the Grade Three Monrovia Stakes.
A narrow second on the Baffert-trained favourite Imagination in the $750,000 Grade One Santa Anita Derby was the closest Dettori came to reaching seventh heaven again.
That blow was at least softened by losing out to compatriot Antonio Fresu, who dedicated his first Grade One victory in America to fellow Italian Stefano Cherchi, who tragically died from injuries suffered in a fall in Australia recently.
Dettori finished unplaced on Ottoman Prince, formerly handled by Sir Mark Prescott, and Last Call London as he came up one short of the track record of seven wins at a meeting, set by Laffit Pincay Jr back in March 1987.
Young English star Lottie Woad birdied the final two holes to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The 20-year-old Florida State University student had led going into the final round at Augusta National but was overtaken by American Bailey Shoemaker, who shot a bogey-free 66.
Heading down the 17th Woad was one shot behind, but a birdie three drew her level and she showed nerves of steel on the 18th to hole a lengthy putt for a round of 69.
That gave her a three-round total of eight under par, one shot clear of Shoemaker and four ahead of Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad in third.
Woad, from Farnham, also birdied the 15th but she told reporters: “I feel like the three birdies I got were probably not as important as my par save on 14. I think if I had gone three back at that point it would have been pretty difficult.
“Teeing off only having a two-shot lead I knew someone was probably going to overtake me. I was prepared for someone to go low and they did.
“When I was two back, I thought, ‘OK, I’ve got the birdie chances they had,’ and just gave myself the chances at the end and luckily holed some putts.
“I was hoping it was going to be a nice stress-free day but it was far from that. But in the end it was a cooler way to finish.
“To be in the mix on the back nine at Augusta is something everyone dreams about. I just tried to really embrace it. It’s really cool to be standing in the same place as the Masters champions have stood and just follow in their footsteps a little bit.”
Woad’s victory earns her a place in the field for the Women’s Open and the US Women’s Open, and she said: “I want to be a professional and be playing in these events.
“To get this experience so early on will be great for me. I’ve never played in a major before, I’ve played in a couple of pro events but never a LPGA event. It’s going to be really exciting for me.”
Luke Donald and Justin Rose were among those to send their congratulations on social media.
Young English star Lottie Woad birdied the final two holes to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The 20-year-old Florida State University student had led going into the final round at Augusta National but was overtaken by American Bailey Shoemaker, who shot a bogey-free 66.
Heading down the 17th Woad was one shot behind, but a birdie three drew her level and she showed nerves of steel on the 18th to hole a lengthy putt for a round of 69.
That gave her a three-round total of eight under par, one shot clear of Shoemaker and four ahead of Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad in third.
Woad, from Farnham, also birdied the 15th but she told reporters: “I feel like the three birdies I got were probably not as important as my par save on 14. I think if I had gone three back at that point it would have been pretty difficult.
“Teeing off only having a two-shot lead I knew someone was probably going to overtake me. I was prepared for someone to go low and they did.
“When I was two back, I thought, ‘OK, I’ve got the birdie chances they had,’ and just gave myself the chances at the end and luckily holed some putts.
“I was hoping it was going to be a nice stress-free day but it was far from that. But in the end it was a cooler way to finish.
“To be in the mix on the back nine at Augusta is something everyone dreams about. I just tried to really embrace it. It’s really cool to be standing in the same place as the Masters champions have stood and just follow in their footsteps a little bit.”
Woad’s victory earns her a place in the field for the Women’s Open and the US Women’s Open, and she said: “I want to be a professional and be playing in these events.
“To get this experience so early on will be great for me. I’ve never played in a major before, I’ve played in a couple of pro events but never a LPGA event. It’s going to be really exciting for me.”
Luke Donald and Justin Rose were among those to send their congratulations on social media.
While celebrating their fairly successful outing at the recently concluded Carifta Swimming Championships, Barbados Head coach Dave Farmer believes there is still much more to be done to improve their aquatic prowess.
Farmer, who admitted that the 23-member team which travelled to the Bahamas was undersized, lauded their efforts, as they bagged 37 medals, inclusive of 15 gold, 15 silver and seven bronze. Though their tally was two medals better than it was last year, they finished one spot lower in fifth position behind powerhouses The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
“I thought we did a very good job. The team really performed well. We exceeded our medal count from previous years, we had 37 medals in total which is a good achievement for us, so the team performed very well, and everyone gave of their best,” Farmer told journalists moments after the team arrived home on Thursday.
“They did quite well last year, they just had two more medals this year, but the team has been working hard. Some of our swimmers have been training for this event since September, October last year. Obviously, they had competitions in between but their main goal was to perform well at Carifta.
“This means we could have a bright future but obviously it means a lot of our age group swimmers need to step up to the plate because there is a lot of work that needs to be done. We had a 23-member squad, but a full team is in excess of 36, so we are still lacking in some categories, and we need to get those gaps filled,” he added.
Barbados was led by the impressive Heidi Stoute, who broke four CARIFTA records in the girls’ 13-14 division on her way to amassing six individual gold medals, along with three relay golds and one silver. Her performance earned her the Federation international de natation (FINA) High Point Award.
Stoute said she was pleased with her accomplishments at the Championships.
“I’m very happy with my performance to bring home these medals for Barbados, not just for myself. I would like to thank everybody who is involved in getting us there…I really do appreciate it and I’m sure the whole team does. We did very well and I’m very happy with what we brought home. The competition was good, it definitely pushed me, but it was fun, and I definitely enjoyed it," Stoute shared.
The outstanding swimmer's next assignment will be the CCCAN, scheduled for June in Mexico.
Mark Williams survived an unlikely fightback to beat Mark Allen 10-5 and book a mouthwatering Tour Championship final with Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The Welshman raced into a 9-0 lead at Manchester Central, but then saw the Northern Irishman take five frames on the trot to delay the seemingly inevitable.
Asked if he had been worried, Williams told ITV3: “Absolutely. Nine-nil, you can’t lose really, but an hour later it’s 9-5, if he wins that one 9-6, then your bum is going, there’s no question.”
The three-time world champion imposed a stranglehold on the match from the off, winning the first two frames before successive breaks of 99, 105 and 112 – he missed the final red in the latter as he closed in on a maximum – made it 5-0 as things started to turn ugly for Allen.
Williams scrapped his way over the line in the sixth and eased further ahead in the seventh before completing a first-session whitewash.
He picked up where he had left off in the evening session, rattling in a clearance of 140 to go 9-0 ahead, but Allen stopped the rot with a break of 65 to avoid the whitewash.
With Williams appearing to lose concentration, Allen won the next four frames – the last of them with a break of 69 – to reduce the deficit to 9-5.
However, the 49-year-old regained his composure to compile a decisive 75 to make Sunday’s final.
Williams said: “If I had to pick, it would definitely be O’Sullivan to play. He’s the best player by a mile, but I’m not afraid to play him. I’m going to enjoy it.”
Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow, the team announced Saturday.
The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner was limited to 21 starts last season due to right elbow issues.
Bieber’s 2024 season ends with a 2-0 record after 12 scoreless innings, 20 strikeouts and one walk.
“He's devastated by it,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters on a video call. “He feels as though he is letting a lot of people down. And I tried to reassure Shane that couldn’t be further from the truth because he embodies what it means to be a professional, what it means to be a great teammate and a great leader."
A two-time All-Star, Bieber has been one of baseball’s best pitchers over the last several seasons when healthy, and his 2.91 ERA since 2020 ranks second only to Corbin Burnes’ 2.85.
Bieber, 28, is just the latest notable pitcher to be diagnosed with elbow issues.
New York Yankees flamethrower and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole has been shut down at least until June, while the Atlanta Braves’ Spencer Strider will undergo tests after feeling elbow discomfort in Friday’s start.
The Florida Marlins announced Thursday that touted right-hander Eury Perez will need Tommy John surgery.
Notable Speech and Devoted Queen both remained unbeaten with impressive displays at Kempton, as Charlie Appleby could have unearthed a couple of Classic contenders.
With the form of his previous course-and-distance victory over Cuban Tiger getting a timely boost at Newcastle recently, Dubawi colt Notable Speech was sent off the 4-7 favourite for his third career appearance in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily British EBF Conditions Stakes.
Up against some smart rivals, including Ralph Beckett’s well-regarded Derby entrant Valvano, he was ridden with supreme confidence by William Buick and showed a blistering turn of foot as he sprinted past that challenger in the closing stages.
The Godolphin homebred was cut to as short as 14-1 with bet365 for the 2000 Guineas, with his rider feeling he has now justified a step up in grade.
Buick said: “He’s shown the last twice here he can do that and it was a really good performance and he deserves to go up in grade now.
“Today was a warm race with a few unexposed types and he gave away weight to all of them, so I’m delighted.
“I was very pleased with how he has done physically since the last time I rode him – he has really filled out and I feel like he has grown a bit as well, which is always nice to see from a horse who has had two runs.
“I couldn’t be more happy with him and I tested him a little bit today and he quickened up in a stride.
“I just had to pick a path and he’s such a genuine, easy horse to deal with. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.
“It’s so wet, so it was a nice opportunity for him to come here and run again on this surface. I think he would handle a little bit of cut in the ground, but he’s a very fast horse with a low action, so I think he would want a bit of decent ground.
“He’s opened up a few options there but he’s a speedy miler.”
Buick was also in the plate aboard another hot Moulton Paddocks prospect as Devoted Queen overcame her inexperience to instigate a Godolphin double on the card in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes.
Although far from the finished article, her jockey was encouraged by the promise shown and is hopeful the 1-2 odds-on scorer can become a smart performer as the season progresses
“It was very much a learning day for her and she has come through it,” added Buick, who also tasted Listed success on the card aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Adelaise.
“She’s very inexperienced and she needs to work on a few things. I’m sure she will get there and today was a new experience for her, she was a bit fresh early but got there in the end.
“When she hit the front, she probably had a bit of a look and showed her inexperience, so all in all I think everyone will be really pleased with that.
“It’s a bit early to say (about the 1000 Guineas) and I’m sure we will get her home and those options will be discussed. She has got the talent.
“She is the type of filly, with the way she is built, that will keep improving and progressing and I’m sure there is plenty to look forward to with her.”
A taking winner of a Newmarket maiden previously, Devoted Queen was trimmed to 20-1 from 25s by Coral for the Qipco 1000 Guineas on May 5.
Bracken’s Laugh looks a colt bound for bigger and better things judged on a decisive victory in the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford.
A field of eight three-year-olds went to post for this one-mile contest, with Aidan O’Brien’s Royal Lodge Stakes third Capulet all the rage as the 8-13 favourite.
The Karl Burke-trained Cuban Tiger and John and Thady Gosden’s Orne, first and third in last week’s Listed Burradon Stakes on Good Friday, added further intrigue, but it was 9-1 shot Bracken’s Laugh who emerged much the best in the hands of Finley Marsh.
A winner on his Newbury debut in September before finishing fifth in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud the following month, the Zoffany colt travelled nicely in the middle of the pack on this seasonal reappearance before quickening smartly in the straight to claim a two-and-three-quarter-length victory.
The front-running Orne boxed on for second, with Capulet a shade disappointing in third.
“I don’t think I’ve had many Group One runners, but he won last year in the Haynes, Hanson And Clark and I thought I’d give him a go in the Group One in France,” Hughes told Racing TV.
“As it turned out, we ended up on the wrong side of the track and the ground was very heavy and he just didn’t get home, but we felt he could be a Group One horse then, so this year starting off it was very important he didn’t have too hard a race first up and we’d learn a lot from it.
“I was really excited by the way he travelled. This horse would gallop with anything at home and I feel he’s a mile and a quarter horse and maybe not quite a mile and a half horse with the speed he shows at home.
“So, I was really looking forward to seeing him run over a mile to see how he’d travel on a better surface and he travelled immensely well and quickened up really good.
“I made a decision two months ago I would come here first, you just don’t have to get them quite as fit for the all-weather as you do for soft ground on the grass. I thought this would be a nice introduction and if he was placed today, I would have been happy as a stepping-stone towards Chester.
“I don’t feel he’s a Guineas horse or a Derby horse, so I’d like to go quietly, run in the Dee Stakes and then on to a Group Three at Royal Ascot over a mile and a quarter.
“I have a month until Chester and then I have another month until Royal Ascot, so the plan looks good at the moment and I hope we can pull it off.”
Duty Of Care booked his ticket to Royal Ascot when going one better than last year in the Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap at Kempton.
Second to Charlie Appleby’s Bandinelli in the valuable staying contest 12 months ago, Saffie Osborne left nothing to chance aboard her father Jamie’s six-year-old this time around as she tracked the strong pace set by James Owen’s Sweet Fantasy.
Entering the straight for the final time, the 6-1 chance had just Sweet Fantasy ahead and as that rival began to cry enough, Duty Of Care was relishing every yard as he bounded on to a comfortable two-and-three-quarter-length success over fellow race regular Sleeping Lion.
Owned by Pat Gallagher, Duty Of Care could next be seen at Ascot in the summer, with Osborne senior targeting the Ascot Stakes at the royal meeting for the son of Kingman.
The trainer said: “He just needs a true test and the last couple of runs we haven’t had that. We didn’t take any chances today and we stuck him on the front end, and if the pace was going to slacken, we were there, so it stayed true.
“Thankfully, we had a good lead and we didn’t need to do it ourselves and he’s a different horse once it becomes a two-mile race where you need two-mile stamina.
“Pat has been very patient and I have been telling him for a long time that this horse is alright and he keeps getting beaten.
“The Ascot Stakes over two-and-a-half (will be the plan). He will be fine on the turf and he probably won’t run again until then. That’s my plan and I will have to discuss it with the owner, but I think that would be a very obvious call for him now.”
The burden of top-weight proved no barrier to success for Cemhaan as George Baker’s charge secured a surprise victory in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap at Kempton.
The seven-year-old was already a dual winner at the Sunbury circuit, with his most recent triumph last May followed by a third-place finish behind Vauban in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot.
He was subsequently well beaten in the Ebor at York, though, and while his January comeback at Kempton was not devoid of promise, he was a 25-1 shot for this £100,000 contest in the hands of Neil Callan.
After jumping out of the stalls smartly, Cemhaan briefly threatened to make all the running before eventually sitting on the heels of both Killybegs Warrior and Old Peculier.
With the pace visibly slackening before the home turn, the front end turned out to be the place to be and both Killybegs Warrior and Cemhaan found another gear once asked to fight out the finish.
Killybegs Warrior did not go down easily, but Cemhaan wore him down late on and passed the post three-quarters of a length to the good, with the free-going Intinso best of the rest in third.
“It was a very good, tough performance – he loves the track, this horse,” Callan said of the winner.
“He’s been so consistent and had a good run at Ascot last year, which just shows you the sort of level he’s been mixing it at.
“I won a small-field handicap on him last year when he dominated from the front and he jumped that well I was going to let him bowl along again today, but James (Doyle, on Killybegs Warrior) was intent on getting to the front.
“I kind of knew when he got there, he would slow it up, which I knew would suit me because my horse had a lot of weight on his back and you wouldn’t want to be stretching him from a long way out.
“I think the way the race panned out played into my hands and as long as I had the revs up going to the junction at the cut-off, I knew I’d pick them off. He’s very genuine and tough.”
Baker’s wife, Candida, added: “George is playing golf in Africa. I think he’d much rather be here today!
“I’m so pleased. Cemhaan went all the way to St Moritz and then the racing was called off, which was very annoying as all the owners were out there and it takes about three days to get him there.
“This was always the plan for him once we brought him back. With that top-weight, he was so tough, I got the saddle off Neil and I was carrying it thinking, ‘God, I’m not going to put this on him too early if I can help it’. He’s just so genuine, tries so much and I’m chuffed to bits, he owes us nothing.
“Neil is an excellent jockey – when he’s in a ride-off against another jockey, I’d back him every time, even when it’s against James Doyle.”
Adelaise pulled out all the stops in the Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes to give Joseph O’Brien a raiding winner at Kempton on Saturday.
The five-year-old produced some consistent performances in several competitive heats last term, but finally secured a valuable black type victory in the hands of William Buick at the Sunbury track.
Sent off the 100-30 second favourite for the one-mile Listed event, Adelaise was ridden along by her pilot with two furlongs to run, but soon hit top gear as she began a ding-dong battle to the line with 5-2 market leader Choisya.
There was little to separate the two protagonists inside the final half furlong, but the Irish challenger got her head in front where it mattered most to make O’Brien’s first UK Flat runner of the year a winning one.
Buick said: “She was a bit in my hands early and a bit fresh, but she was always in a nice rhythm and I attacked early in the straight.
“We didn’t go overly quick and I knew she would stay all the way to the line. She definitely got headed, so she had to show true grit. I think a mile is her trip and she may get a little bit further, but we will see.
“I’ve ridden a winner for Joseph before and it’s nice to get a call-up from him – he doesn’t come over here for nothing.
“I think this was very important for both her and connections to get that valuable black type against her name and hopefully there will be a bit of improvement to come for the rest of the season.”
Last year’s winner Pic D’Orhy, Ryanair Chase hero Protektorat and Cheltenham Festival absentee Jonbon are among 13 entries for the My Pension Expert Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Pic D’Orhy was a decisive winner of the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One 12 months ago and has deliberately been saved for the defence of his crown since claiming the notable scalp of L’Homme Presse in the Ascot Chase in February.
Dan Skelton, who is challenging his former mentor for the champion trainer title this season, entered Protektorat for Thursday’s Aintree Bowl over three miles but has also given him the option of sticking to a shorter distance the following day.
Nicky Henderson’s crack two miler Jonbon sidestepped the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham during what was a tough week for the Seven Barrows team and will therefore be fresher than some on what will be his first attempt at this trip.
The Willie Mullins-trained Easy Game, Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge, Gordon Elliott’s pair of Ash Tree Meadow and Conflated and the Henry de Bromhead-trained duo of Envoi Allen and Jungle Boogie are all possible challengers from Ireland.
Elixir De Nutz (Joe Tizzard), Funambule Sivola (Venetia Williams), Minella Drama (Donald McCain) and Thunder Rock (Olly Murphy) are the other contenders.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero Slade Steel is the potential star attraction in the Trustatrader Top Novices’ Hurdle.
De Bromhead’s charge is one of 21 contenders for the Grade One contest and part of a formidable Irish contingent that also includes Elliott’s mare Brighterdaysahead and Supreme second Mystical Power, who leads a five-strong Mullins squad.
Caldwell Potter, bought for €740,000 out of Elliott’s yard for an ownership group which includes Sir Alex Ferguson, is pencilled in to make his debut for Nicholls in the same race, while Cheltenham Festival heroine Golden Ace (Jeremy Scott) and unbeaten mare Dysart Enos (Fergal O’Brien) also feature.
The opening Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase is similarly strong, with Grey Dawning (Skelton), Corbetts Cross (Emmet Mullins), Inothewayurthinkin (Gavin Cromwell) and Chianti Classico (Kim Bailey) all potentially bidding to follow up Cheltenham Festival success.
The fourth and final Grade One on the card is the Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, which features the Albert Bartlett one-two of Stellar Story (Elliott) and The Jukebox Man (Ben Pauling).
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