Bahamian NBA star Chavano Rainer "Buddy" Hield was appointed the new Ambassador at Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bahamas.
Hield, the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard, officially received his credentials from Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis during a ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday.
The 31-year-old, Hield, was drafted to the NBA in 2016, and since entering the league, has conducted a number of basketball camps in The Bahamas, particularly on Grand Bahama.
He joins NBA players Rick Fox and Olympian Chris Brown as the third Bahamian athlete to be appointed as an Ambassador at Large.
"I do swear by Almighty God that I will lead with true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Bahamas. I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office which I am about to enter. I sincerely swear that I will be bound by the office secret act of the Bahamas and agree to apply it not only during the period of my appointment, but also after my appointment has seized.
"As an officer of the Foreign Affairs, I will support and defend the constitution of the Bahamas and uphold the rule of law to both protect and defend the interest of the Commonwealth of Bahamas whether domestically or internationally," Hield said during the ceremony.
Nemean Lion justified strong market support to win the Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton for Kerry Lee.
Lee decided against running the seven-year-old under a big weight in the Betfair Hurdle last weekend in favour of this Grade Two and the decision was vindicated.
Winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle earlier in the season, Richard Patrick settled him just behind the front-running Rubaud, who Nemean Lion had replaced as favourite due to sustained money in the morning.
Sent off the 6-5 market leader, it looked like it was going to be plain sailing at the second-last as Rubaud dropped away tamely and Nemean Lion was pulling away from Colonel Mustard.
To the Irish raider’s credit, Colonel Mustard stuck to his task gamely and kept Nemean Lion honest, but there was a length and a half in it at the line.
Saffie Osborne completed a magical double when guiding Emaraaty Ana to success in Qatar on Saturday.
Just 24 hours on from making history as the first woman to ride a winner in Dubai when Ouzo struck at Meydan, former Group One scorer Emaraaty Ana took the Dukhan Sprint at Al Rayyan Racecourse.
“It’s my first time riding here, I’ve tried to do as much research as possible and talk to people about the track,” Osborne said after Emaraaty Ana’s victory.
“He’s a horse who’s nearly won two Breeders’ Cup (Turf) Sprints, he has plenty of pace and I was able to use that to our advantage.
“He’s got so much ability this horse, I was able to get a breather into him around the bend and turning in he’s ultra-tough. I would ideally have been a bit further back, but he’s a really classy horse and I’m lucky to be on board him.”
Speaking after her win on Ouzo, she said: “I’ve grown up watching people ride big winners here.
“If you told me then that I’d be here riding a winner I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s something every jockey dreams of doing. It’s absolutely epic.”
Like Ouzo, Emaraaty Ana – formerly with Kevin Ryan – is trained by Osborne’s father, Jamie, and her mother Katie O’Sullivan was in both Dubai and Qatar to cheer their daughter on.
“We have had an unbelievable 24 hours, and so has that young girl there! Saffie and I got the 5.20am this morning. We have just been floating through life, it is incredible and so exciting,” she said.
“It was a solid run last time. Ian and Claire Barrett have reinvested in these kind of horses, and what a success it’s been for them! Saffie is doing what she loves and it is a pleasure to watch her.”
The NBA has fined Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue $35,000 following his comments over the officials in Wednesday's win over the Golden State Warriors.
Lue was shown on video claiming the officials were "cheating" in a game the Clippers won 130-125.
The Clippers coach was ejected during the fourth quarter, though LA still came back to win.
Lue was then videoed shouting to his players and staff: "Where the refs at now? Cheating. That's all they be doing."
On Friday, the NBA fined Lue for "public criticism of the officiating and for questioning the integrity of game officials."
Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin set his sights high after he led Team Jalen to glory in the Rising Stars Game.
Mathurin was named the night's MVP on Friday, after scoring 22 points across two games, first in the semifinal against Team Tamika, and then in the final against Team Detlef.
The Rising Stars format saw rookies – including number one draft pick Victor Wembanyama – sophomores and some G League players split into four teams.
Mathurin, playing on home turf at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, was also serenaded with "MVP" chants from the crowd.
And for the 21-year-old, it is hopefully a taste of what is to come in his career.
"It was fun. It was fun to see, to receive those chants," said Mathurin, who has averaged 14.1 points per game across 52 appearances for the Pacers this season.
"The Rising Stars Game, I feel like I haven't really gotten that feeling in the NBA. One day I want to be MVP, so it was great to have that feeling pretty early in my career.
"I saw a couple of shots going in and I was like, it's a wrap. If I'm being totally honest, it's also my city. I had to make sure I brought it home. So that was the main thing for me.
“To see my family and friends travelling all this way just to see me have a good time, I felt I needed to play well."
There was no such look for Wembanyama, who exited in the first round as part of Team Pau on his first Rising Stars appearance, albeit the 20-year-old San Antonio Spurs star has a busy weekend to come, with the skills challenge next up for him.
"I want to win and I hate losing," he said. "But at the same time, I have so much going on.
"I'm happy that I just knocked one thing off the list this weekend. So it's mixed feelings."
Pacers stars Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Isaiah Jackson and Obi Toppin were all in the crowd to support Mathurin, meanwhile, who was delighted to have the backing of his teammates.
"I was pretty pumped, just to see them," he added. "Seeing how much they support me and love me."
Tiger Woods is said to be feeling “much, much better” after the 48-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in California due to suffering flu-like symptoms.
The 15-time major champion, tournament host this week, returned to the PGA Tour on Thursday, finishing his opening round at the Riviera Country Club on one-over par.
But the American could not back that up a day later as he withdrew after six holes due to illness.
Rob McNamara, executive vice president of TGR Ventures, told PGATour.com Woods had started feeling flu-like symptoms on Thursday night.
“He had a little bit of a fever and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy,” McNamara said.
“Ultimately the doctors are saying he’s got some – potentially some type of flu and that he was dehydrated. He’s been treated with an IV bag and he’s doing much, much better and he’ll be released on his own here soon.”
Woods is still adapting to ankle fusion surgery, having undergone treatment in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round and he did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December.
He had suffered from a back spasm towards the end of his first round, shanking his second shot on the 18th from the fairway over into the trees on the right, eventually sinking a two-putt bogey to make a five.
Woods started in fine form on Friday, producing a birdie on the first, but back-to-back bogeys arrived from the fourth and he called it a day after a third par on the sixth left him one over for his round.
He was driven back to the locker room by a rules official.
Following Friday’s play, it was also announced that Jordan Spieth was disqualified for signing for an incorrect scorecard.
In a statement on X, the PGA Tour said: “Jordan Spieth has been disqualified from The Genesis Invitational for signing for an incorrect scorecard.
“Spieth signed for a 3 and made a 4 on No. 4.”
American Patrick Cantlay takes a five-shot lead into the weekend at 13 under, while Rory McIlroy fights to beat the cut after following up Thursday’s 74 with a flawless 66.
Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour comeback ended prematurely after he pulled out of the Genesis Invitational in California during his second round.
The 48-year-old is still adapting to ankle fusion surgery, having undergone treatment in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round and he did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December.
The 15-time major champion, tournament host this week, finished Thursday’s opening round at the Riviera Country Club on one-over par.
But the American could not back that up a day later as he withdrew after six holes due to illness.
Woods started in fine form, producing a birdie on the first, but back-to-back bogeys arrived from the fourth and he called it a day after a third par of the day on the sixth left him one over for his round.
Latenightpass will chart an unconventional passage to the Randox Grand National when he makes a belated debut over timber in the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.
The 11-year-old has been a standing dish in the hunter chase sphere for the majority of his career, where point-to-point handler Tom Ellis stewarded the gelding with great success.
However, success over the Aintree fences sparked dreams of a National bid and having finished no worse than fourth in three goes over the famous spruce, connections switched their veteran to nearby Dan Skelton to race under rules and set up a National bid.
It is a move that looks like paying off and having found the scoresheet for Skelton in a cross-country event at Cheltenham in December, Latenightpass finds himself on an official rating of 149 and effectively assured of his place in the line-up for the world’s most famous steeplechase, for which he is as short as 20-1.
To preserve that figure, Skelton has elected to revert to the smaller obstacles for his Aintree tune-up, and with his charge in rude health, is prepared to pitch him into a valuable contest while the iron is hot.
“Not many will debut over hurdles at 11, but he’s a novice because he has gone down an unconventional route,” said Skelton.
“He has lots of experience and he knows how to handle soft ground so we will see how he gets on.
“He could go and run in a £10,000 novice hurdle anywhere, but we thought we would take aim at something a bit better because of his high mark and this will be his prep for the Grand National.”
Isaac Des Obeaux may not yet be in line for Grand Nationals but could signal his readiness to compete at the top table if he builds on some encouraging performances this season.
Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has scored twice over an intermediate trip at Chepstow this term and following a respectable effort in a Cheltenham Grade Two last month, steps up in trip for a race the champion trainer won with Makin’yourmindup 12 months ago.
“He ran a super race at Cheltenham the last day which suggested he wants three miles which this trip is,” said Nicholls.
“He doesn’t mind heavy ground and has won twice at Chepstow this year. Hopefully he is progressive and he will have a chance in a competitive race.”
The Ditcheat handler also holds a strong hand in the Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle where his Red Risk will recommence rivalry with Gary Moore’s Botox Has.
Both finished among the also-rans in Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle, but before that were first and second in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby, with Red Risk gunning to reverse the placings this time.
“He will love the ground and he’s a Grade Two horse – we over faced him a little bit the last day,” continued Nicholls.
“He ran very well at Wetherby at the beginning of the season and if he repeats that I think he will be thereabouts.”
Six go to post for the Grade Two event which sees Ruth Jefferson’s high-class chaser Sounds Russian sighted for the first time since being brought down in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and Nick Alexander’s 2023 winner Wakool defend his crown.
The Skelton team will be represented by Martha Brae, but the up and coming force could well be Olly Murphy’s Butch who is unbeaten in three starts this term and got the better of a strong cast of rivals when bringing up a hat-trick at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
“He’s in good form and although he looks slightly wrong at the weights with one or two, hopefully he can be the improver in the race,” said Murphy.
“He will handle the ground fine and he’s a horse who is definitely not going to Cheltenham, so this will probably be his main target for the season in terms of it being a graded race before he goes chasing next season. We’re looking forward to him.”
Iga Swiatek will take on Elena Rybakina as she bids for a third consecutive title at the Qatar Open.
The world number one did not even have to take to the court on Friday, earning a semi-final walkover when opponent Karolina Pliskova withdrew because of a back problem.
The Czech dashed to Doha after winning the Transylvania Open title in Romania on Sunday but decided she could not push her body any further.
Rybakina is also attempting to win back-to-back titles after triumphing at the Abu Dhabi Open last week, and she ended the impressive run of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with a 6-2 6-4 victory in the last four.
It was closer than the scoreline indicates, with Rybakina saving eight of the nine break points she faced. Pavlyuchenkova won three games in a row from 5-1 down in the second set but could not force a decider.
Rybakina has proved one of the most difficult opponents for Swiatek, with the Kazakh number one winning their last three meetings, all last season.
Rybakina prevailed in straight sets on hard courts at both the Australian Open and Indian Wells before Swiatek retired in the third set of their clash on clay in Rome.
Rybakina, who has now won eight straight matches, said: “First I will try to recover because I played so many matches. Iga’s a great champion so it’s going to be very difficult but I’ll try to enjoy it as much as I can.”
The British Horseracing Authority has lifted its recently-imposed exclusion order imposed on suspended rider Dylan Kitts for failing to comply with an investigation.
The jockey finished third aboard Hillsin at Worcester in July last year and was referred by the raceday stewards for the ride, with the horse banned from running for 40 days and eventually moved to another stable at the request of Chris Honour, who trained him at the time.
The BHA subsequently suspended Kitts, preventing him from taking rides or attending racecourses, and earlier this week added a disciplinary officer exclusion order to his sanction for “failing to provide relevant information requested by the BHA’s integrity team as part of an ongoing investigation”.
The order would prevent Kitts from attending any racing premises, including yards, and from communicating with people involved in the sport.
However, on Friday the BHA announced the order had been lifted after the rider provided the information requested, although Kitts remains suspended.
A statement from the governing body said: “The BHA can today confirm that it is now in receipt of relevant information requested by the integrity team as part of an ongoing investigation involving Mr Dylan Kitts.
“As a result of this information being provided, the disciplinary officer exclusion order issued earlier this week, which was imposed after multiple previous deadlines had been missed, has been lifted.
“Mr Kitts remains suspended from race riding while the investigation continues.”
Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away looks to take the next step in her promising chasing career when she lines up in the Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot on Saturday.
The Grade One-winning novice hurdler is in her first season over fences and has made a pleasing start so far, finishing third on debut in a competitive graduation chase and then winning by a huge margin next time out at Leicester.
She gained more experience in the Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick last month, finishing second to the highly-regarded Grey Dawning – the same horse that won her first race over fences and the highest-rated novice chaser in training in Britain.
“It’s a good opportunity for her and Grey Dawning looks a very good horse, but she is probably better than she showed at Warwick,” said Peter Scudamore, partner and assistant to Russell.
“I don’t know if I had her quite right at Warwick but I’m hoping for a big run this time.
“It’s a competitive race and we don’t underestimate the opposition, but God willing, she is jumping OK and she’s running to the same standard as she did over hurdles.
“We realise we’re in at the deep end with her, but we know we’re fortunate to have a mare as good as her, so we’re hoping for a big run.”
Apple Away is ultimately Cheltenham-bound, with connections likely to come away from this weekend with more of an idea of which direction to go in at the meeting.
Scudamore added: “We have Giovinco as well, who won on Thursday, and Apple Away and one will probably go to the Ultima.
“Apple will probably have more options and could go for the amateur race (National Hunt Challenge Cup), but I would like to keep Derek (Fox) on her if possible. You have the Ultima and the Brown Advisory, so we will see.”
Also running is Paul Nicholls’ Brave Kingdom, who has returned from a significant break this season to win both starts in novice handicap chases.
He steps up a level and Nicholls hopes he is open to improvement and may think bigger still if he impresses at Ascot.
“He’s come good, he had problems and missed a lot of time and then he won at Plumpton well and then again at Newbury,” he said.
“He has to progress again, but we’re very happy with him. Newbury was obviously a novice handicap and this is a different race again, but we’re happy with him and he’s had a nice bit of time since Newbury, so hopefully he will run well again.
“Because he has had problems, you only take things race-by-race with him but I suspect if he won or did very well in this then we might look at a better race down the line at Aintree or somewhere like that. I’m not convinced Cheltenham is his track at the moment, but we will see.”
Anthony Honeyball’s Kilbeg King is another interesting contender having finished third in the Grade One Kauto Star at Kempton when last seen, with the Ben Pauling-trained Henry’s Friend and Dan Skelton’s The King Of Ryhope completing the field.
Connections of L’Homme Presse are putting thoughts of the Cheltenham Gold Cup to one side as he heads to the Betfair Ascot Chase for a race that has been likened to the FA Cup Final.
Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old has already tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival as a novice, but he missed out on a shot at the blue riband in 2023 as an injury following his run in the King George VI Chase curtailed his season.
After a long and arduous 391-day absence L’Homme Presse returned in style to claim the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield last month and having suffered the heartbreak of missing out on Grade One opportunities during his time on the sidelines, connections are excited to head to Ascot on Saturday for a race won by some of the sport’s greats over the years.
“We’re very calm and relaxed and looking forward to it,” said Andy Edwards, who co-owns L’Homme Presse with Peter and Patricia Pink.
“The horse is well and it’s exciting to be in a Grade One chase at Ascot.”
He went on: “When I was young and thought about owning a racehorse, days like Saturday are what dreams are made of. Footballers want to play in the FA Cup Final at Wembley and for me to be in a Grade One chase at Ascot is a privilege. Although everyone wants to talk about the Gold Cup, this is its own race in its own right and deserves proper merit.
“Cheltenham is obviously his end goal, but it is not the be all and end all. It may be the Olympics of our sport and where we want to get to, but there are lots of fantastic opportunities on the way and as we found out last year, you have to take your opportunities, because your dreams could be cut short very quickly – you can’t put your eggs in one basket.”
A select field of four will head to post, and Edwards has enormous respect for both Pic D’Orhy and Ahoy Senor, believing spectators at the Berkshire track could be in for a thrilling contest – similar to when L’Homme Presse went toe-to-toe with Protektorat in his Lingfield comeback.
“It might be a small field, but there are some very good horses in there – they have speed and like to run from the front” he continued.
“When we beat Pic D’Orhy in the Scilly Isles, that horse wasn’t himself and didn’t suit the heavy ground and track maybe. Ascot will suit him much better and he’s already won there earlier on this season.
“Ahoy Senor is a Grade One winner who beat us at Aintree and he came second to us in the Brown Advisory. He clearly goes better after Christmas and it is his time of year to start coming to himself.
“I think it will end up a proper race, just like Lingfield. There might only have been two horses in contention from eight fences out, but the race between L’Homme Presse and Protektorat was full on – it wasn’t an easy sprint finish like Galopin Des Champs had at Leopardstown recently. I’m sure Saturday will be the same.”
One who knows his way round every inch of Ascot is Pic D’Orhy, who had the misfortune of bumping into an on-song Shishkin in this race 12 months ago, but took advantage of that rival’s refusal to start when picking up Grade Two honours at the track in the autumn.
A top-table winner at Aintree last spring, a return to Merseyside is on the cards after this assignment, with champion trainer Paul Nicholls confident his consistent nine-year-old can take a hand in the finish here.
He said: “Consistency is his big thing and he runs in some good races, he won his Grade One at Aintree last year, and I’m sure he will run another solid race again on Saturday. He’s just a high-class horse who always runs to a high level.
“He’s not slow and he’s never been further than two and a half or two-mile-five – it suits him very well.
“Ultimately L’Homme Presse is en route to the Gold Cup and stays very nicely and Ascot is a stiff two-mile-five and the ground is not going to be quick at the moment, so I imagine stamina will come into it a little bit. But this is the ideal trip for us.
“Shishkin beat him in the race last year and funnily, even though he has won at Ascot a few times, he seems happier on a flatter track – he seems to keep his best form for a flatter track. But he’s good at Ascot and touch wood he jumps nicely and hopefully he has a nice chance.
“He will probably go to Aintree after this. I wouldn’t have thought he would go to Cheltenham and we’re quite keen to do what we did last year. If he has a hard race, which undoubtedly it will be a tough race, then it’s soon enough to Cheltenham and he will better off going to Aintree.”
Lucinda Russell drops Ahoy Senor back in distance as connections contemplate a tilt at the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Little has gone right for the dual Grade One winner this term, but Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant, feels he is beginning to show his best at home on the gallops.
He said: “We feel we have probably got it wrong and things haven’t come quite right this season, his form figures will tell you that.
“I thought he ran well last time at Cheltenham and feels right now. It’s obviously a very competitive race and if he can run a big race we can see where we go at Cheltenham with him.
“I’m very happy with him like I was last time when he went to Cheltenham and hopefully this will just put him spot on for Cheltenham this time.”
Dan Skelton’s Sail Away completes the line-up.
Jamaican racing sensation Fraser McConnell is ready for another season of Extreme E beginning this weekend in Saudi Arabia.
This season marks the fourth installment of the series and the second for McConnell who joins a new team, Acciona Sainz XE Team from Spain. He is paired with Laia Sanz in the Odyssey 21.
The regulations mandate that teams must consist of a male and female driver pairing, each driving the same distance. In the 2023 season of Extreme E, Acciona Sainz XE Team, co-owned by the renowned Carlos Sainz Sr., secured the second position.
The 2024 season will treat Extreme E fans to a ten-race global adventure with eight teams and five breathtaking locations. Extreme E's 100% electric, off-road, mixed-gender competition is geared at promoting a safer planet and gender equality.
Fraser looks forward to racing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this weekend.
"I am excited to start racing with the team. Everyone has already been so welcoming. The first test session was a great start just to see how enthusiastic and detail-oriented everyone is. We also share the common goal of wanting to win it all," he said.
"Teaming up with Laia will be a great opportunity to bring a good fight to the competition and having the support from the legendary Carlos Sainz in the paddock will be priceless as well." he added.
Actions for Rounds one and two qualifiers kick off at midnight on Saturday and Sunday, with the finals scheduled for 7 am on both days.
Famous Bridge could open the door to a shot at the Randox Grand National when he returns to Haydock for the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase on Saturday.
Nicky Richards’ eight-year-old has built up a real love affair with the Lancashire venue this term and followed up a win at the course in November by claiming the Tommy Whittle a month later.
Famous Bridge forms one half of a strong hand for the famous Hemmings Racing silks alongside Jonjo O’Neill’s Welsh Grand National runner-up Iron Bridge and Richards feels conditions are perfect for his charge to return to his best having faltered at Doncaster last month.
“He acts around the place really well and seems in grand fettle,” said Richards.
“It will be deep old heavy ground and hard work for everybody, but we’re looking forward to it. He’s very well and I think he will run a big race.”
Famous Bridge was pulled-up in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster, but his handler lays the blame on his poor start at Town Moor, and said: “If you were watching the race, it was at the start where the problems happened.
“He was coming in lovely the first time but the starter wouldn’t let them go and when they turned round Sean (Quinlan, jockey) just didn’t get the rub of the green at the start at all.
“It’s the same old story in those big handicaps, they can be won or lost at the start really and it was lost at the start with him. Sean wisely pulled him up after a mile and a half and he was clearly never going to get into it – the winner made all.”
Famous Bridge does hold a Grand National entry, but currently rated 139, connections feel Famous Bridge will need to win on Saturday to stand any chance of sneaking into the National field at Aintree now that the safety limit has been reduced to 34 runners.
Richards added: “I think it will depend on what happens Saturday and what will the bottom weight be to get in the National?
“We thought 145 or 146 might sneak him in and we know what he will have to do. Let’s hope he does it.”
Disputing favouritism with the Hemmings duo is Emma Lavelle’s Classic Chase heroine My Silver Lining, who appears to have all the attributes to make another bold bid in a marathon event.
However, the one unknown the Warwick scorer will have to prove is her ability on really testing ground with Haydock sure to pose a stern stamina examination.
Lavelle said: “Ground-wise, is heavy ground what she wants? I don’t know, she has won on it but she’s pretty versatile with regards to everything really.
“She was so game at Warwick and she’s gone up 5lb. She jumps brilliantly and when these staying chasers can get in a rhythm it counts for a lot.
“She’s very straightforward, at home and in her races, and that helps. You don’t want to use or waste energy when you don’t need to.
“She’s in such good order we just decided to let her take her chance as there aren’t going to be that many runners, there’s a lot of positives.”
Anthony Honeyball’s Credo has made the podium at Haydock twice this term before finishing a respectable fourth behind My Silver Lining in the Classic Chase, while Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit has been a model of consistency once more this term and another sure to be up for this particular challenge on the forecast going.
Venetia Williams has won this three times in the last 10 years, including 12 months ago with Quick Wave, and she saddles both Fontaine Collonges and Becher Chase hero Chambard, with Dan Skelton’s Snipe arriving in Merseyside an improving chaser.
Meanwhile, Gavin Cromwell will attempt to become the first Irish winner of this in almost 30 years as he saddles Yeah Man.
The Pat Fahy-trained Nuaffe was the last raider to pick up this prize back in 1995, but Cromwell has been no stranger to success in the UK this term and Yeah Man went close to picking up a big pot at Ascot just prior to Christmas.
“I am not certain that the heavy ground is going to be completely to his liking, but the trip certainly won’t be a problem,” said Cromwell.
“He’s had a couple of good runs at Ascot without winning and deserves a win at this stage. When he fell at the last on his penultimate start, he was rattling home and it’s one of those ones where we’ll never know.
“He definitely stays really well. The early part of the race and staying in the race can be an issue with him but I don’t think it’s going to be an issue on heavy ground at Haydock.
“I have no experience of the fences at Haydock, but they should not be a problem.
“The Kim Muir at Cheltenham could be an option in the future, but it might come a bit too soon after Saturday. The Irish National could also be an option, but we’ll see what happens on Saturday first.”
Willie Mullins’ Saint Sam will represent the Closutton stable in the Red Mills Chase on Saturday at a track close to the heart of his late mother, Maureen.
Maureen Mullins died earlier this week aged 94, leaving behind her a remarkable racing legacy as the matriarch of the sport’s most successful family.
She was formerly a director of Gowran Park racecourse and a long-standing shareholder as well as a regular presence in support of her late husband, Paddy, and then her children and grandchildren as their careers developed.
There will have been many happy memories shared between the family on Red Mills Chase day, an event her Willie Mullins has won no less than seven times.
This time he is represented by Saint Sam, one of five runners in the Grade Two contest run over two and a half miles.
Owned by Edward Ware, Saint Sam is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure, winning four of his eight starts over fences.
His chief rival is Gordon Elliott’s Riviere D’etel, last seen finishing runner-up to Allegorie De Vassy in the Listed Opera Hat Chase at Naas seven days ago.
“Riviere D’etel is going right-handed, which she certainly enjoys,” said Elliott.
“I would say this trip is probably more her thing than last weekend (two miles), too. She has come out of the race very well and we are very happy with her.”
Elliott also runs Embittered, with Sam Ewing taking the ride on him as Jack Kennedy partners Riviere D’etel.
“Embittered struggled a bit in high-class handicaps the last twice, but he won nicely in Navan before Christmas,” Elliott said.
“It was a quality effort. He’s got a bit to do on ratings, but the trip is right and he’s in good shape and hopefully he gives a good account of himself.”
Elliott will have become very used to seeing Maureen Mullins at racecourses across Ireland and paid tribute to her ahead of the Gowran meeting.
He said: “Red Mills Day would have been traditionally a big day in the calendar in Gowran and it’s always a great day.
“This year it will have an altogether different feel to it following the passing of Mrs Mullins, who was such an amazing woman and an iconic figure.”
Gareth Connolly, CEO Connolly’s Red Mills, added: “This year’s renewal will be an emotional one as we remember Maureen Mullins, former director and current shareholder at Gowran Park, who passed away this week.
“Mrs Mullins was one of the most familiar faces at Gowran Park and racecourses all over the country and her legacy will continue to be felt for generations to come.
“We at Connolly’s Red Mills and the team at Gowran Park extend our heartfelt sympathies to Mrs Mullins’ family and friends and remember her at this time.”
Rubaud returns to the scene of one of his finest hours in pursuit of further riches in the Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle on Saturday.
Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old has won six of his 11 starts over the smaller obstacles and struck at Wincanton in the Elite Hurdle earlier in the season, his fourth win in a row.
Since then he has faced the mammoth task of taking on Constitution Hill at Kempton in the Christmas Hurdle and also had the misfortune of bumping into an imperious Lossiemouth at Cheltenham in the Unibet Hurdle.
He now returns to what appears slightly easier company and despite the champion trainer having some concerns about conditions, he heads to the Somerset venue as the highest rated in the field.
“He’s been a very consistent horse, but the ground would be a slight worry to me,” said Nicholls.
“He did run very well as a novice on soft ground at Kempton on Boxing Day, but most of his form has been on good ground.
“He’s a bit stronger now, but he enjoys right-handed and an easy two miles. Our intention is to go here and then one more run later down the line, nothing fancy, then he will be going chasing. That’s when you will see the best of him.”
Rubaud had Lorna Fowler’s Colonel Mustard three lengths adrift when they finished first and second in last season’s Scottish Champion Hurdle and the duo are set to lock horns yet again as chasing ambitions are finally put to one side for the Irish raider.
“I think his time over fences is not going to bear the fruits we hoped, but we had a go at chasing because his mark is high enough over hurdles,” said Fowler.
“We decided after Newbury to revert back to hurdles and have always had the Kingwell as sort of a plan from then.
“I’m very happy with the horse and hopefully he will travel OK – he usually does. He does have a massive weight turn around with Rubaud from when they met at Ayr, Rubaud is undoubtedly an improving horse and Mustard will certainly have to bring his A game to be able to beat him.”
Colonel Mustard is no stranger to trips to the UK having placed at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and also going close at Ascot and Kelso – as well as Ayr – in the past.
Fowler would have preferred better conditions for this latest raid across the Irish Sea, but with over £41,000 on offer to the winner, she feels it is a risk well worth taking.
She went on: “The ground is not really what I want, but then I’m not sure it’s what any of them want and Wincanton have put on some very good prize-money. I have UK-based owners and we’re all keen to have a go and we think it’s a good opportunity and worth a shot.
“Colonel Mustard hasn’t run for a while and is back over hurdles, but he did have a schooling race at Thurles a few weeks ago and hopefully he is in the zone to run his best race.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies won this with the ill-fated I Like To Move It last year and attempts to go back-to-back with Guard Your Dreams, while Gary Moore also has fond memories of the race and returns dual-winner Goshen to Wincanton sporting first-time blinkers.
The field of five is rounded off by Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion who the handler says is in “great form” as he prepares to drop back in trip after a brave second in Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle.
Aidan O’Brien has confirmed his multiple Group One winner Luxembourg an intended runner in the $2million Howden Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia next weekend.
The son of Camelot has struck gold three times at the highest level, with a Group One juvenile win at Doncaster followed by success in the 2022 Irish Champion Stakes and last season’s Tattersalls Gold Cup.
The five-year-old had the option of having a first start on dirt in the Saudi Cup itself in Riyadh, but is instead set to stick to the Group Two turf feature on the undercard.
O’Brien said: “It’s his first run back after a little break and we just felt it (Saudi Cup) was going to be too tough a race to pitch him into for his first time on dirt.
“The competition is very strong, and he’s never run on the surface before, so we thought it was a bit too much to ask of him. The Neom Turf Cup will suit him better.”
Luxembourg was last seen going down by a short head to Romantic Warrior in the Hong Kong Cup in December and his trainer has been pleased with how he has recovered from those exertions.
“We’ve been very happy with him since Hong Kong. It was the first time he’d been on a long trip abroad and he ran a great race and took the travel very well,” O’Brien added.
“We were very pleased with the run and he’s been in good form since. Hopefully, he runs well in the Neom Turf Cup and maybe that opens up the option of Dubai.
“He could be a horse that travels a lot over the coming year. He’s got a very high level of form and some solid foundations to build from.
“The Neom Turf Cup looks ideal. Everyone has been very complimentary about the track in Riyadh, and we think it’s a track that will really suit him, and obviously the prize-money is very good, so we had to consider it.
“The Saudi Cup meeting is a very important festival now and it’s great to be going there with a couple of good chances.”
The Ballydoyle handler will also saddle St Leger fourth Tower Of London in the Red Sea Turf Handicap.
O’Brien said: “Tower Of London has had a good long break all winter. We’ve aimed him at the Red Sea Turf as we think both the trip and nice ground will really suit him.
“We certainly think he’s a horse that’s going to progress a lot this season, so he could be a horse that goes onto Dubai after this.”
PA SPORT BIRTHDAYS
Michael Jordan (basketball) – American superstar widely considered the sport’s greatest player, born 1963.
Tony Underwood (rugby union) – former England winger, born 1969.
Julian Golding (athletics) – Britain’s former Commonwealth 200 metres champion, born 1975.
Adriano (soccer) – former Brazil and Inter Milan striker, born 1982.
AB De Villiers (cricket) – former South Africa batter, scorer of the fastest ODI century, born 1984.
Adil Rashid (cricket) – England and Yorkshire leg-spinner, born 1988.
Rebecca Adlington (swimming) – Britain’s double gold medal winner from the Beijing Olympics, born 1989.
Marc Marquez (motorcycling) – Spain’s six-time MotoGP World Championship winner, born 1993.
Madison Keys (tennis) – American finalist at the 2017 US Open, born 1995.
ON THIS DAY IN SPORT
1968: Jean-Claude Killy of France, one of the greatest skiers of all time, won his third gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Grenoble. Victorious in the downhill, the giant slalom and the slalom, he equalled Toni Sailer’s record of winning three gold medals at one Games.
1993: David Platt scored four goals in England’s World Cup qualifying win against San Marino and missed a penalty that would have given him a share in the England record of five.
1999: Fulham boss Kevin Keegan agreed to take charge of the England team for four games. He eventually became manager on a permanent basis.
2008: Andy Murray claimed his fifth ATP Tour title, beating Croatia’s Mario Ancic 6-3 6-4 in the Open 13 final in Marseille.
2012: Portsmouth were placed into administration for a second time in two years. The south-coast club exited administration in April 2013 and announced they were debt-free in September 2014, 18 months after the Pompey Supporters’ Trust took charge.
2012: Mervyn Westfield, the first county cricketer in England to be prosecuted for spot-fixing, was sentenced to four months in prison.
2014: Great Britain and England rugby league international Sam Burgess agreed to join Aviva Premiership side Bath on a three-year deal.
2018: Lizzy Yarnold won Great Britain’s only gold medal of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics when she successfully defended her skeleton title, with Laura Deas taking bronze in the same event.
2022: Michael Masi, the man accused of robbing Lewis Hamilton of an eighth world championship, was dropped as Formula One race director.
PA SPORT SELECTIVE TV GUIDE
Today (Saturday, February 17)
FOOTBALL: Premier League, Brentford v Liverpool – TNT Sports 1 1100; Manchester City v Chelsea – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1700; Women’s Super League, Arsenal v Manchester United – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1130; Championship, Plymouth v Leeds – Sky Sports Football 1200; National League, Aldershot v Altrincham – TNT Sports 2 1700; Serie A, Hellas Verona v Juventus – TNT Sports 1 1715; Atalanta v Sassuolo – TNT Sports 1 1930; Bundesliga, RB Leipzig v Borussia Monchengladbach – Sky Sports Football 1730; Ligue 1, Nantes v Paris St Germain – TNT Sports 2 1945; LaLiga, Celta Vigo v Barcelona – Viaplay 1725.
CRICKET: Third Test, India v England – TNT Sports 1 0330 (Sun); T20, Sri Lanka v Afghanistan – TNT Sports 4 1345; Women’s Test, Australia v South Africa – TNT Sports 4 0300 (Sun).
RUGBY LEAGUE: Super League, Castleford v Wigan – Sky Sports Action 1725; Catalans v Warrington – Sky Sports Arena 1725.
RUGBY UNION: Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final, Gloucester v Exeter – TNT Sports 1 1500; United Rugby Championship, Cardiff v Connacht – S4C 1700; Glasgow v Dragons – S4C 1930.
HORSE RACING: Live from Ascot – ITV1, STV North, STV Central – 1330.
GOLF: Ladies European Tour, The 2024 Aramco Saudi Ladies International – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Golf 1030; PGA Tour, The Genesis Invitational – Sky Sports Golf 1500, Sky Sports Main Event 2030.
TENNIS: WTA, The Qatar TotalEnergies Open – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Tennis 1430; ATP, ABN AMRO Open – Sky Sports Tennis 1700; The Delray Beach Open – Sky Sports Tennis 2030, Sky Sports Main Event 0100 (Sun).
SNOOKER: The Welsh Open – BBC Two Wales 1900, Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.
MMA: UFC, Alexander Volkanovski v Ilia Topuria – TNT Sports 2 0300 (Sun).
Tomorrow (Sunday, February 18)
FOOTBALL: Premier League, Sheffield United v Brighton – Sky Sports Premier League 1300, Sky Sports Main Event 1400; Luton v Manchester United – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League 1600; Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone v Rangers – Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event 1100; Serie A, Lazio v Bologna – TNT Sports 4 1130; Empoli v Fiorentina – TNT Sports 2 1400, Udinese v Cagliari TNT Sports 4 1400; Frosinone v AS Roma – TNT Sports 2 1700; Monza v AC Milan – TNT Sports 1 1930; Bundesliga, SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt – Sky Sports Football 1430; Bochum v Bayern Munich – Sky Sports Football 1630; Ligue 1, Brest v Marseille – TNT Sports 2 1930.
CRICKET: Third Test, India v England – TNT Sports 1 0330 (Mon).
RUGBY UNION: Premiership Rugby Cup, Ealing Trailfinders v Leicester – TNT Sports 1 1430;
GOLF: Ladies European Tour, The 2024 Aramco Saudi Ladies International – Sky Sports Golf 0930; PGA Tour, The Genesis Invitational – Sky Sports Golf 1430, Sky Sports Main Event 1900.
TENNIS: WTA, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships – Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Tennis 0700; ATP, ABN AMRO Open – Sky Sports Tennis 1430; The Delray Beach Open – Sky Sports Tennis 2100, Sky Sports Main Event 0000 (Mon); IEB+ Argentina Open – Sky Sports Tennis 1900.
BASKETBALL: NBA, All-Star Game – TNT Sports 2 0100 (Mon).
SNOOKER: The Welsh Open – BBC Two Wales 1900, Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.
PA SPORT QUIZ
1. In which year did Tiger Woods win his first major?
2. Kylian Mbappe joined Paris St Germain from which team?
3. In which US city would you find the following sports teams: Capitals, Wizards, Commanders and Nationals?
4. How many Wimbledon singles titles did Billie Jean King win?
5. In which city will the 2024 Tour de France begin?
6. Who did Michael van Gerwen beat in the final on Thursday night to go top of the Premier League Darts table?
7. Where will the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup be held?
8. Mike Eccles is the head coach of which Betfred Super League side?
9. Who are the reigning Netball Super League champions?
10. Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas race for which Formula 1 team?
ANSWERS: 1. 1997; 2. Monaco; 3. Washington; 4. Six; 5. Florence; 6. Luke Humphries; 7. India; 8. London Broncos; 9. Loughborough Lightning; 10. Kick Sauber.
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