Toto Wolff made a U-turn on his decision not to attend the Japanese Grand Prix as it would have been the “wrong choice” given Mercedes recent troubles.
The Mercedes team boss was scheduled not to be at Suzuka this weekend and the PA news agency understands that was planned before the start of the new season and not as a result of the team’s poor performance at the Australian Grand Prix.
Neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell finished the race in Melbourne, with Russell’s fifth-placed finish in the season-opener in Bahrain the best result for the team so far this year.
Having dominated the sport between 2014 and 2021, Mercedes have struggled since new regulations arrived the following year and have won just one race in that time.
Wolff changed his mind on attending the race in Suzuka – where Russell and Hamilton finished fourth and fifth in first practice before a rain-affected second session – and explained the call on Friday afternoon.
“I had planned not to come to Japan, because there’s so much on back in Europe, things to do,” he said.
“But then I felt not coming to Japan was the wrong choice. I think it’s important to be with the race team…it does me good also, to be close to the action.
“We’re experimenting with a few things and then being part of the team really gives me energy and I hope the other way around, too. So that’s why I decided against staying in Europe.”
Speaking on Thursday, Hamilton was asked about the tough times of both drivers not crossing the finish line last time out.
“I think it’s all about perspective. I think for us of course we’ve not started the season where we wanted to be,” he said.
“We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve seen in the past – last year for example – how things can switch with certain teams.
“I think we’ve just got to learn as much as we can, take as much as we can from the data, remain positive, continue to work hard and I always say it’s not how you fall, it’s how you get up.
“We will just continue to chase and fight and hope we can be fighting at the front at some stage.”
Wolff, too, was keen to be optimistic when asked about the struggles of the season so far.
“We are a sports team, we’ve won eight times in a row, and that hasn’t been done before. But you have periods where you struggle, like any other sports team, and you can’t win every time.
“That’s why this is a super challenge and it’s not a race, it’s not one single season, and then you come back out on top, but it’s the third one in a row.
“But I remain absolutely convinced that we will be looking back in a few years and saying that was so tough, but so important for the development of the team.”
Hamilton, who has won six of Mercedes’ seven consecutive drivers’ championships, is leaving to join Ferrari next season.
He has tipped Sebastian Vettel as an “amazing option” to take his seat at Mercedes after the four-time world champion revealed he has been considering returning to F1 after leaving in 2022.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Vettel admitted he has been talking to Wolff – who was full of praise for the former Red Bull and Ferrari man, before confirming he has whittled down the options for 2025 to two or three drivers.
“Sebastian is someone you can never discount,” he said.
“His track record is phenomenal, and sometimes maybe taking a break is also good to evaluate what’s important for you and re-find your motivation.
“We haven’t taken the decision yet and it is not something we plan to do in the next few weeks, the driver market is very dynamic and some of the really good guys are about so sign for the other teams.”
This afternoon’s meeting at Fontwell and Saturday’s Premier fixture at Kelso are the latest to fall foul of the persistent wet spell.
Officials at Fontwell held a precautionary inspection at 7.30am following over 30mm of rain through the week and a further 7mm in the last 24 hours tipped the decision over the edge.
Unfortunately for Kelso, where the £100,000 Herring Queen Series Final Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle was the feature on a valuable card, heavy rain overnight left the course unraceable and more is forecast.
Clerk of the course Matthew Taylor said: “Unfortunately we’ve had a further 12mm overnight and it has left us unraceable.
“We had 22mm yesterday but then we had some improvement which was significant but this further 12mm has set us back quite a way. Up to 50 per cent of the track is waterlogged.
“It has just stopped raining by 8am and it is a bit breezy but we’ve got random sporadic showers forecast this afternoon which will be heavy and there’s a further rain band coming in Friday night and into Saturday morning.
“That wouldn’t give us enough time to do the work needed so we’ve had to abandon. We’re really sorry, we were desperate to get it on as a Premier raceday but we just can’t guarantee the integrity of the structure of the surface underneath.”
Wexford in Ireland were also forced to abandon on Friday while the meeting at Wetherby had already been called off.
Second practice for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix proved to be a damp squib as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri set the fastest time on a weather-affected session.
Local favourite Yuki Tsunoda and his RB team-mate Daniel Ricciardo were the only drivers to set lap times early on in changeable conditions, but set their times on the intermediate tyre.
The hour-long session began in rain and, although it later stopped, the track was not deemed sufficiently dry enough for most teams to send out their cars.
Piastri was one of them and his time of one minute 34.725 seconds proved fast enough to top the timesheets, with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari the only others to set representative times.
Earlier, Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice as Willams endured another Friday to forget.
Reigning champion Verstappen retired in Melbourne a fortnight ago but was back at it here, his time of one minute 20.056 seconds was enough to see him go quickest at Suzuka, with team-mate Sergio Perez his closest challenger 0.181 seconds back.
A red flag halfway through the session stopped running for 11 minutes as Logan Sargeant crashed off at turn two – further adding to the Williams woes.
Sargeant sat out the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as team-mate Alex Albon took his car after destroying his own in a practice crash and the team currently have no spare chassis.
Williams team principal James Vowles confirmed the car had suffered “extensive” damage and Sargeant was forced to sit out of second practice – although the lack of running meant there was little that would have been gained from taking part.
“It is pretty significant (damage). So the chassis is OK, fortunately, but I would say pretty much everything else isn’t – so the suspension around, the gearbox is cracked, big damage.
“At the top of the brow of the hill there, he struggled to see where his positioning was on track. So it fundamentally looks like he didn’t quite realise where he was with where the grass was on the outside and put a wheel on the grass.”
Albon went 12th fastest after the action restarted, while Verstappen assumed his usual position as the car to beat.
Carlos Sainz, who won in Australia last time out, was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Hamilton, while the second Ferrari of Leclerc was sixth.
Jon Rahm will defend his title when the 88th Masters takes place at Augusta National from April 11-14.
Rahm is bidding to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back green jackets after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main contenders for the year’s first major championship.
Scottie SchefflerThe 2022 champion has been in brilliant form in 2024, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational by five shots and seven days later becoming the first player to win back-to-back Players Championship titles at Sawgrass. Switching putters on the advice of Rory McIlroy has proved vital, although missed short putts did cost him a third straight win in the Houston Open. Rightly rated favourite for a second green jacket at the kind of odds previously only offered for peak-era Tiger Woods.
Jon RahmStarted last year with a four-putt double bogey on the first but still shot an opening 65 and ended up winning his second major title by four shots over LIV Golf duo Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson. Remarkably returns to Augusta as a fellow member of the Saudi-backed breakaway, a shock move which ensures his competitive sharpness will be under scrutiny. Will be hoping Koepka and Mickelson proved last year that experience of the course is more important than current form.
Rory McIlroyMcIlroy’s 10th attempt to win the Masters and complete a career grand slam comes on the back of some underwhelming form since winning in Dubai in January, although the world number two remains second favourite behind Scheffler. His recent record at Augusta National includes a thrilling final round of 64 in 2022 and two missed cuts and the four-time major winner is reportedly set to skip the pre-tournament par-three contest to fully focus on his bid to make history.
Xander SchauffeleSchauffele insisted the best was yet to come in his career after narrowly missing out on the Players Championship title, the Olympic champion taking a one-shot lead into the final round only to get overhauled by a charging Scheffler. Failing to get over the line perpetuated the belief in some circles that Schauffele has underachieved, although he has seven PGA Tour titles to go with his gold medal from Tokyo, along with 11 top-10 major finishes, including three in his last five starts at Augusta.
Ludvig AbergMost golf fans are well aware of the statistic which makes Aberg appear an unlikely contender, namely that Fuzzy Zoeller was the last player to win the Masters on their tournament debut back in 1979. In addition, the Masters will be Aberg’s first appearance in any major, but the 24-year-old Swede has defied the odds since turning professional in June 2023, winning on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and justifying his wild card by helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 29 points and the Golden State Warriors won their season-high sixth straight game, 133-110 over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
Rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis had a career-high 20 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Warriors, who made it 13 straight wins against the Rockets since a loss on Feb. 20, 2020, and tightened its grip on 10th place in the Western Conference.
Thompson scored 21 points in the first half with five 3-pointers to help Golden State take a 65-50 lead into the break.
The Warriors held a 16-point lead after three quarters and were up 20 with just under four minutes left when coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench.
Jabari Smith Jr. scored 24 points for the Rockets, who dropped their third straight following an 11-game winning streak.
Knicks rally past Kings to end skid
D had 35 points and 11 assists and Josh Hart added a season-high 31 points as the New York Knicks overcame a 21-point deficit in a 120-109 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Hart shot 14 of 19 from the field, had nine rebounds and eight assists and Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 points to help New York snap a three-game skid and tie Orlando for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.
De’Aaron Fox had 29 points, seven boards and seven assists for the Kings, who failed in a bid to tie New Orleans and Phoenix for sixth in the West.
Sacramento raced to a 46-25 lead while making 19 of its first 28 shots, but the Knicks responded with a 16-2 to get back in it.
Clippers hold off Nuggets
Paul George had 28 points and Ivica Zubac scored the final six points for the Los Angeles Clippers in a 102-100 win over the Denver Nuggets.
James Harden tallied 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Zubac finished with 14 points and 15 boards as the Clippers snapped a five-game home skid despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who sat out his second straight game with a sore right knee.
Nikola Jokić notched his 24th triple-double of the season with 36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, but the Nuggets couldn’t come all the way back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter and dropped one-half game behind Minnesota for the Western Conference lead.
Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as Willams endured another Friday session to forget.
Reigning champion Verstappen retired in Melbourne a fortnight ago but still leads the way in the drivers’ standings and the Red Bull driver was once again topping the timesheets.
Verstappen’s time of one minute 20.056 seconds was enough to see him go quickest at Suzuka, with team-mate Sergio Perez his closest challenger 0.181 seconds back.
A red flag half way through the session stopped running for 11 minutes as Logan Sargeant crashed off at turn two – further adding to the Williams woes.
Sargeant sat out the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as team-mate Alex Albon took his car after destroying his own in a practice crash and the team currently have no spare chassis.
Williams team principal James Vowles confirmed the car had suffered “extensive” damage and that it would be a race against time for the mechanics to prepare it for Friday’s second practice.
“It’s going to be difficult,” he said of Sargeant’s chance of making FP2.
“Obviously we will do our utmost to try and get the car back out there again, but the damage is extensive. So it will take a while.
“It is pretty significant (damage). So the chassis is okay, fortunately, but I would say pretty much everything else isn’t – so the suspension around, the gearbox is cracked, big damage.”
Albon went 12th fastest after the action restarted, while Verstappen assumed his usual position as the car to beat.
Carlos Sainz, who won in Australia last time out, was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was sixth.
Local favourite Yuki Tsunoda was ninth for RB behind both the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – whose team-mate Lando Norris rounded out the top 10.
What a difference a year makes.
Twelve months ago Jon Rahm headed to Augusta National as the winner of three of his first eight tournaments of the year, started with a four-putt double bogey and still went on to win the Masters.
One year on, Rahm will make the drive down Magnolia Lane as a member of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League and with just five of their 54-hole events under his belt before defending his title.
The change is all the more startling given Rahm’s previous publicly stated opinions on LIV’s format and his claim that he played golf to win titles, not money, claims reinforced by his comments immediately after slipping on the green jacket.
Rahm dedicated his triumph to Seve Ballesteros after claiming his second major title on the 40th anniversary of his late idol’s second win at Augusta National, a win which also came on what would have been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday.
“History of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons why I play, and Seve being one of them,” said Rahm, whose father took up golf after watching Ballesteros captain Europe to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama.
“If it wasn’t for that Ryder Cup in ’97, my dad and I talk about it all the time, we don’t know where I would be or where as a family we would be.
“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful.”
Rahm was also well aware that his win took him halfway to completing a career grand slam and joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won all four majors.
Joining LIV does not immediately impact on Rahm’s ability to achieve that goal, his Masters win earning him a lifetime exemption for Augusta and five-year exemptions for the US PGA and Open Championship.
The 29-year-old was already eligible to compete in the US Open through 2031 thanks to his victory at Torrey Pines, but the question of whether his game will be affected by the switch to LIV remains to be answered.
In Rahm’s absence, the mantle of most dominant player on the PGA Tour has undoubtedly switched to his predecessor as Masters champion, world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler’s worst finish this season is a tie for 17th and he followed his five-shot win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational by becoming the first player to successfully defend the Players Championship at Sawgrass.
On his next start a fortnight later, Scheffler missed from six feet for birdie on the 18th to force a play-off in the Houston Open, a tournament which saw his run of 28 consecutive rounds under par broken by a careless three-putt from six feet on the same hole in round two.
Scheffler’s form – aided by taking up Rory McIlroy’s suggestion of a change in putter – means he is as short as 7/2 with some bookmakers to win a second Masters title, the kind of odds not seen since Tiger Woods was making them look like good value.
McIlroy is second favourite despite an underwhelming run of form since winning in Dubai in January, while Woods himself can be backed at 150/1 following his withdrawal from the Genesis Invitational, his sole start in 2024.
Making a record 24th consecutive cut in the Masters would be an achievement for the 48-year-old, but the likes of Rahm, Scheffler and McIlroy will have their sights set considerably higher.
Akshay Bhatia shot an opening nine-under-par 63 to take a three-shot lead at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
The American did not drop a shot as he followed four birdies on the front nine with five on the second, including four in his final five holes.
Bhatia sits ahead of Brendon Todd and Justin Lower with Max Homa among a group of four players two shots further back.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is tied for eighth on three under par after going bogey free with three birdies.
The world number two, who recently had a lesson with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon, told PGATour.com after his round: “What I’ve been trying to do the last couple weeks is no different than what I’ve been trying to do previously; he just sort of gave me a different way to do it.
“You could tell someone five different things and like for the same feel – like to a piece of a swing, but sometimes none of them resonated, sometimes all of them, sometimes one thing.
“It’s just one of those things over the past few months that nothing was resonating with me.
“He gave me a tiny little something that I went with and, as I said, it’s felt a little better over the last two weeks and felt pretty good out there.”
A win at next week’s Masters will see McIlroy join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods as the only players to have won all four major championships.
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth had a dour round of 73 salvaged by a hole-in-one on the par three 16th.
Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as Willams endured another Friday session to forget.
Reigning champion Verstappen retired in Melbourne a fortnight ago but still leads the way in the drivers’ standings and the Red Bull driver was once again topping the timesheets.
Verstappen’s time of one minute 20.056 seconds was enough to see him go quickest at Suzuka, with team-mate Sergio Perez his closest challenger 0.181 seconds back.
A red flag half way through the session stopped running for 11 minutes as Logan Sargeant crashed off at turn two – further adding to the Williams woes.
Sargeant sat out the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as team-mate Alex Albon took his car after destroying his own in a practice crash and the team currently have no spare chassis.
Albon went 12th fastest after the action restarted, while Verstappen assumed his usual position as the car to beat.
Carlos Sainz, who won in Australia last time out, was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was sixth.
Local favourite Yuki Tsunoda was ninth for RB behind both the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – whose team-mate Lando Norris rounded out the top 10.
Pete Alonso belted a tying homer in the ninth inning and Tyrone Taylor delivered a game-winning single to lift the New York Mets to their first win of the season, 2-1 over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for a doubleheader split.
After blowing a 3-0 lead in a 6-3, 11-inning loss in the opening game, the Mets were held hitless in the second game until Harrison Bader led off the eighth with a single against reliever Tyler Holton.
Alonso’s tying home run – and his 500th career RBI - came off Alex Faedo and Brett Baty walked before Starling Marte sacrificed. Taylor then lined a single to left for his first career walk-off hit.
The win was the first for Mets manager Carlos Mendoza as New York avoided opening 0-6 for the first time since its second season in 1963.
Detroit improved to 5-0 with the Game 1 win, as Colt Keith stroked a tiebreaking double in the 11th before Gio Urshela’s bloop scored a pair.
Matt Manning pitched 5 2/3 hitless innings in the opener with four walks and three strikeouts.
Cardinals rally past winless Marlins
Nolan Gorman highlighted a five-run seventh inning with a two-run double and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for an 8-5 victory in their home opener to keep the Miami Marlins winless.
The Marlins took a 5-3 lead into the seventh, but the Cardinals scored five times on Ivan Herrera’s RBI single, Gorman’s big hit, Alec Burleson’s two-out, run-scoring single and Masyn Winn’s RBI triple.
Herrera also hit his first major league home run leading off the second inning.
Jake Burger hit a pair of home runs for the Marlins, who dropped to 0-8 for the worst start in the 33-year history of the franchise. Their start is the worst in the majors since Atlanta and Minnesota each opened 0-9 in 2016.
Bibee, bullpen power Guardians
Tanner Bibbee allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings and Steven Kwan had three hits as the Cleveland Guardians spoiled the Minnesota Twins’ home opener with a 4-2 win.
Bibee struck out nine and four relievers followed, with Emmanuel Clase pitching a perfect ninth for his third save. Cleveland's pitchers totalled 15 strikeouts.
Cleveland reached Pablo Lopez for three runs in the sixth. Jose Ramirez singled home Kwan and Tyler Freeman had an RBI single before Will Brennan lofted a sacrifice fly.
Carlos Correa had three hits and Edouard Julien homered for the Twins, who stranded nine runners and were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
Luke Littler was inspired to win his Premier League homecoming by Manchester United’s late collapse at Chelsea.
Littler, a staunch United fan, came on to stage at the AO Arena in Manchester moments after watching his side conceded two goals in injury time to lose 4-3 at Stamford Bridge and claimed a second successive weekly Premier League win, beating Gerwyn Price 6-3 in the final.
The 17-year-old star, who enjoyed a maiden victory in Belfast last week, was happy to give United fans in attendance something to cheer about.
“We were watching backstage, we were winning 3-2 and we conceded a penalty and Cole Palmer scored and then he scored again,” Littler said.
“I was in a bad mood, I was like, ‘I’m winning this now’. It gave me motivation.
“There were a few Manchester United fans on the walkout so I was glad to win.”
Price had thrown an epic nine-dart finish against Michael Smith in the semi-final, but was not good enough to get past the teenager, who was imperious in the final.
View this post on Instagram
Victory sends him to the top of the Premier League table as his star continues to burn bright following his breakthrough at the World Championship over Christmas.
Having already won titles at the Bahrain Masters, PDC Players Championship and Belgian Open, he is now all-but certain to qualify for the play-offs at the O2 in London.
“I just try and live my life as I have done so far,” he said. “As a 17-year-old boy, I just know every week playing these guys I have looked up to, I just thrive off it.
“All I do is stay in my zone. I just do what I do.”
Price produced his best performance of this year’s competition and became the first man to throw a perfect set of darts since he did it twice in a night in Belfast in 2022.
And his run to the final raises his hopes of getting to the O2, though he has a lot of work to do in the final few weeks.
Littler’s night started well as he took a winning record in his rivalry with Michael van Gerwen.
It had been tied at 3-3 but Littler moved ahead with a 6-3 quarter-final win before beating Nathan Aspinall in the semi-final, thanks largely to 131, 90 and 136 checkouts.
Price was superb in beating Peter Wright in the quarter-final before a magnificent performance, capped by the nine-dart finish, sent him to the final.
Gerwyn Price fired a nine-dart finish on his way to the final at Premier League night 10 in Manchester.
The Welshman threw three sets of perfect darts as he beat Michael Smith 6-2 in the semi-final.
He threw successive 180s and then went treble 19, treble 20 before finishing on the double 12.
It was his third perfect finish in the Premier League after throwing two on one night in Belfast in 2022.
Home hero Luke Littler was waiting for him in the final.
The 17-year-old dispatched Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall as he aims to make it back-to-back nightly wins following his maiden success in Belfast last week.
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla lauded his side after clinching NBA Playoffs home advantage following Wednesday's routine victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics powered to a 135-100 triumph against the Thunder as Boston secured the best NBA record this season and home-court preference for the postseason.
Kristaps Porzingis had 27 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, while Jayson Tatum finished with 24 points and Jaylen Brown added another 23 as Boston made it 11 straight wins.
"It's very hard to do. We may never be in this position again," Mazzulla said. "We talked about it as a team. We talked about it before the game, to try to treat this game as the clincher.
"To kind of put that on ourselves to be able to do that. I think it was important for us to simulate that. We should enjoy it tonight, and when we wake up tomorrow – nobody cares."
The Celtics extended to 60-16 for the season, though Brown still wants more when the playoffs arrive.
"We're not skipping any steps," Brown said. "Sixty wins. I think we're on track. When the playoffs start, it's back to square one."
Porzingis added: "We deserve it. I think it's possibly going to matter if we follow through with the vision we have for ourselves."
There were some Boston concerns after Brown was questionable with a left-hand injury heading into the Thunder clash, though the Celtics man assured all is well.
"I think it's fine. It's something I'm not concerned with moving forward," he said. "But it bothered me a little bit tonight."
Mazzulla will hope Brown is available when Boston look to improve their record further when hosting the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Rafael Nadal has expressed his disappointment at being forced to miss the Monte Carlo Masters later this month.
Nadal has been off the tour since suffering a muscle injury in Brisbane in January and the 37-year-old revealed on social media that he is still not ready to return to action.
“These are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise,” Nadal, who has won the title 11 times in Monte Carlo, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me.
“And even if I am working hard and making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today.
“You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events.
“The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better.
“Thanks again to all, as always, for all the support and best wishes!”
Banbridge is set to lead a select Joseph O’Brien team to Aintree next week, with Triumph Hurdle fourth Nurburgring also among the Owning Hill handler’s raiding party.
O’Brien may be lacking in numbers in Liverpool but will undoubtedly saddle some quality, with star chaser Banbridge attempting to atone for a disappointing showing at the Cheltenham Festival.
Conditions ultimately proved too soft for the good ground-loving eight-year-old in the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park, but he has some high-class chasing form to his name.
Owned by Ronnie Bartlett, Banbridge was a Grade One winner on Merseyside 12 months ago in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase and is as short as 7-2 with bet365 for the My Pension Expert Melling Chase over the same course and distance on Friday, April 12.
However, he will also be given the option of stepping up in trip to three miles for the previous day’s Aintree Bowl – a race where he could meet the likes of John ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s King George hero Hewick.
“Banbridge will have a couple of entries there, as well as a couple of the juveniles, Nurburgring and Intellotto,” said O’Brien, with conditions in the north west set to have a significant bearing on where Banbridge lines up.
“Banbridge has options for both races and of course it will be discussed with Ronnie as we get closer to the time – and we will see what the ground is like. We haven’t made a decision on that yet.
“It was a bit soft for him at Cheltenham and we took a chance running, but when you don’t win, you learn something.”
Meanwhile, Nurburgring will be given the chance to build on his encouraging Triumph Hurdle display when he lines up in the Grade One Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle on the opening day of the three-day Grand National meeting.
“Nurburgring ran a very good race in the Triumph,” continued O’Brien. “Hopefully a similar performance would see him in the mix for a place and maybe give them a fright for a bit more.”
He will be joined on the teamsheet by the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Intellotto, who was underwhelming in Grade One company at the Dublin Racing Festival but bounced back to his best with a comfortable victory at Limerick last month.
Owner Audrey Turley reported Galopin Des Champs to be on course for the Punchestown Gold Cup after seeing her Got Glory hit the target at Naas.
Galopin Des Champs followed up last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph by losing out to Fastorslow at the Punchestown Festival but will try to pull off the double this term at the start of next month.
The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old powered to victory at Prestbury Park again when galloping on gamely up the hill to beat Gerri Colombe by three and a half lengths under Paul Townend.
Regarding a return to Punchestown, Turley said: “I think that is the plan and I think he’s doing good, so fingers crossed he’ll run.”
Reflecting on the gelding’s second Cheltenham Gold Cup success, she told Racing TV: “We’re watching it on the loop at home and we can’t get enough of it, to be honest. And the more you watch it, the more you enjoy it.
“He’s a superstar horse, he really is. The whole team are superstars and it’s just been a privilege to be involved with it. We’re thrilled and feel very lucky.
“It’s terrifying to watch (at the time) and I can’t watch it, but I really enjoy it afterwards when I watch it back. It was an incredible experience and it’s hard to put words on it – excitement, nervous, the anticipation, it’s all there and it’s all wonderful.”
After winning on her debut in France back in July 2021, Got Glory spent 636 days on the sidelines before being pulled up in last year’s Grade One Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle first time out for Mullins.
Following another 361-day lay-off, she made an impressive reappearance when scoring by five and a half lengths at 4-7 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle, with Townend in the saddle.
“It was very satisfying and she ran so well,” said Turley. “I think Paul makes it look very easy but over the last three years, she’s been injured quite a lot and it’s lovely to see her back on the track and winning the race. It’s incredible and really nice for her.
“We’ve had patience with her and it worked out in the end – she’s a beautiful horse, a beautiful mare and we’re delighted to be here having her running, let alone winning. It’s a real thrill.
“I think she looked fine and in good form, so I’d say she’ll run again pretty soon, maybe at Galway.”
Townend commented: “She was fresh and gassy and wanted to get on with it, but the engine is in there, we just have to keep the wheels on the bus.
“She’s a fine filly but has just had a lot of problems. The owners were patient, she does smart work and hopefully we can keep her right.”
Swingalong will have Group One ambitions this season, with connections hopeful their high-class speedster has found the required improvement to make her mark at the highest level.
Trained by Karl Burke, the Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum-owned daughter of Showcasing has been the most consistent of performers throughout her two seasons in training.
A winner of York’s Lowther as a two-year-old, she was successful once again on the Knavesmire in Group Three company at three.
However, it was her encouraging runs at the top table throughout 2023 that were most impressive, beaten only two lengths in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and finishing the campaign on the premises in both Haydock’s Sprint Cup and the British Champions Sprint at Ascot.
A return to her beloved York for the Group Two 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes on May 15 has been described as a probable starting point for the Spigot Lodge sprinter, with an ambitious campaign in store for the fast-moving four-year-old.
“I went to see her a couple of weeks ago and I thought she looked magnificent,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for the owner.
“I thought she just has to improve a little and if she can find a length and a half she will have a great chance of picking up one of those Group Ones.
“Physically she has bulked up and looks a proper sprinter now. I’m hoping I’m right in that she looks to have improved physically more than the length and a half I thought she needed to improve to win one of those big sprints.
“I’m going into the season very hopeful with her. We’ve got nothing to lose aiming at the good ones (races) and anything she does is a bonus because she’s already proven herself, she’s very genuine and very fast.”
The New York Knicks' play-off run won't include All-Star forward Julius Randle.
The Knicks announced on Thursday that Randle will have surgery on his right shoulder and won't return this season.
Rande injured the shoulder in a win over the Miami Heat on January 27, and the initial prognosis was he would be side-lined for several weeks.
After two months of rehabilitation without significant progress, however, the decision has been made for him to undergo surgery.
He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready to play around the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Randle was instrumental to New York's success over the season's first three months, averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game to earn a third All-Star selection.
The 29-year-old had started the Knicks' first 46 games before dislocating his shoulder against the Heat. He exited with 4:27 to play after appearing to land hard on his right shoulder after colliding with the Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Although Randle's injury puts a serious dent in New York's hopes of winning its first NBA title since the 1972-73 season, the Knicks haven't lost much ground in the Eastern Conference standings since his injury.
At the time Randle got hurt, New York was 29-17 (.630) and in fourth place in the East.
Despite going just 15-14 (.517) since the injury, the Knicks have only dropped one spot in the conference, trailing the fourth-place Orlando Magic by just one-half game and the third-place Cleveland Cavaliers by one game. They are two games ahead of the Heat and Indiana Pacers.
The Knicks, however, have been stumbling lately, heading into Thursday's game against the visiting Sacramento Kings riding a three-game losing streak.
Unbeaten sprinter Vandeek has the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock as his first target as he prepares for his eagerly-awaited three-year-old campaign.
Simon and Ed Crisford’s Havana Grey colt had the perfect juvenile season, running four times and winning well on each occasion as he climbed the ranks from maiden to Group One.
At Goodwood, he took the Richmond Stakes on soft ground and he was then a game winner of the top-level Prix Morny at Deauville on very soft going.
But at Newmarket in late September, he showed his versatility when producing his best run to date to land the Middle Park on good to firm.
Currently ante-post favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, the Betfred-sponsored Sandy Lane has been earmarked for his opening assignment of the campaign, a six-furlong Group Two for three-year-olds on May 25.
“He’s going well, he’s wintered well, but like everywhere else, I think Newmarket has struggled with the weather,” said Chris Wall, racing manager for owner Shaikh Khalid’s KHK Racing organisation.
“They’re on target with the horse but they haven’t always been able to do what they’ve wanted to do because various canters have been closed.
“He’s in good heart and coming along nicely, he’s aiming at the Sandy Lane at Haydock in May.”
Vandeek was a leggy two-year-old and he is reported to have grown further and filled out through the winter.
Wall added: “He’s done everything right, he’s grown a bit. He was a big enough lad last year but he has grown a bit more, he’s filled out and he looks a lot stronger.
“He’s done everything the right way, he hasn’t done any fast work, so it’s too early to see if there’s a corresponding increase in his ability but we’d like to think that he’ll at least be no worse than he was last year – and that’s probably good enough.”
KHK Racing and trainer Roger Varian have a nice prospect in True Cyan, a No Nay Never filly out of the Group-winning Dark Angel mare Realtra.
Making her debut at Newmarket in September in a seven-furlong fillies’ maiden, the grey was a taking victor with a length-and-a-half triumph over three subsequent winners.
The three-year-old holds an entry for the 1000 Guineas and connections are likely to use the Nell Gwyn Stakes as a trial before hopefully proceeding in that direction.
“She’s wintered very well, I watched her do a piece of work yesterday (Wednesday) which was very satisfactory,” said Wall.
“Roger is keen to run her in the Nell Gwynn, all being well, which will tell us whether we’re Guineas-bound or whether we need to go down another route with her.
“It’s all good news with her, she looks to have improved throughout the winter, so she’ll find her level – whether that’s in the Guineas or somewhere else.
“The form from that race (her debut) looks decent, she did it very well. She’s going to be a nice filly this year if all goes well for her, at what level we will find out.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
