Ronnie O’Sullivan stormed into a 14th Masters final with a 6-2 win over Shaun Murphy and then called on snooker’s young pretenders to up their game.
The 48-year-old moved one victory away from becoming the oldest winner of this Triple Crown event with four half-century breaks enough to down old rival Murphy in their first meeting for five years.
Murphy reeled off two superb three-figure breaks, including 131 in the third frame, but O’Sullivan’s cavalier approach paid dividends with reds aplenty potted in this semi-final to delight a packed Alexandra Palace crowd.
“I don’t feel that old,” O’Sullivan, the youngest ever Masters winner, told BBC.
“I know my age but I feel young in my mind and I feel young when I am around the table.
“I feel a lot younger round the table than I do when I play these young players. They look old! Their brains are quite slow so for me, I feel like my brain is pretty quick around the snooker table, which is enough.
“Yeah, they need to get their act together because I am going blind, I have a dodgy arm and bad knees. And they still can’t beat me!”
Uncle Phil posted a smart performance to claim the SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse.
Willie Mullins’ charge was having his first start in handicap company, having finished third in the Grade Two Craddockstown Novice Chase when last seen in November.
Paul Townend was positive from the off and the seven-year-old was clearly full of running coming to the last fence in the extended two-mile-one-furlong heat.
Uncle Phil (11-2) duly stretched away on the run to the line, beating Lucid Dreams by three and three-quarter lengths, with 5-4 favourite Letsbeclearaboutit a further two lengths back in third.
Townend said: “That was very nice. His run in Punchestown was decent, he probably got his own way that day.
“Today he was jumping so well that he probably puts them under pressure behind and the drying ground helped.
“You don’t know what to expect with him to be honest, but I thought his jumping and the run the last day would bring him a long way. Every dry day was helping.”
Hunters Yarn is now a 16-1 chance with Betfair for the Arkle after completing a treble for Mullins and Townend in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
Sent off the 8-15 favourite despite falling on his chasing bow, Hunters Yarn made a notable jumping error at the second last but his class told in the end, as he triumphed by 10 lengths.
“Not without a scare but he’s learned how to save himself and he settled it quickly again after that, which was nice,” said Townend.
“He jumped very well up to that and it was just the one mistake again, but he went down and jumped the last well after it. You have to be taken with him.
“He hit it some belt and for a second I was thinking ‘not again’. I thought the fall the last day would help him find his feet and figure it out. I’m disappointed he did it again but at least he was able to recover from it today.
“It shows that he has a big engine, to recover from it and win as impressively as he did.”
Miss Manzor (6-4 favourite) had earlier initiated the hat-trick for Mullins and Townend, as she made the most of a drop in class in the Racing TV Club Day At Fairyhouse Hurdle, seeing off stablemate Karia Des Blaises.
“She has a lovely attitude and she jumped brilliant, with the experience she had in France,” said Townend. “She stays really well and was a simple ride.
“It’s a tricky time of year with juveniles and I’m forever getting them wrong. I didn’t think there was much between these two today but I got the run of the race.
“She’ll progress away, where she ends up I don’t know. I used her experience and was able to keep it simple. She’s quick through the air and has a willing attitude.”
Betfair make her a 12-1 chance for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Festival and a 33-1 shot for the Triumph.
All eyes were on Romeo Coolio (evens favourite) in the closing SBK INH Flat Race, as the £420,000 purchase made his debut under rules for Gordon Elliott.
Ridden by Harry Swan, the point-to-point winner was made to work a bit by 22-1 shot Sporting Glory but had a length and a quarter in hand at the finish.
“He’s a good horse, it was a messy race as they went no gallop. I missed a bit of time with him a month or two ago and he’s having a proper blow, he’s going to come on a lot from it,” said Elliott.
“If I didn’t come here, I had to go to Navan, there aren’t a lot of races for him going forward and I wanted to get a run into him.
“On the day, probably 80 per cent of mine ran below par, so I was nervous going into the race but I think he’s a proper horse.
“It’s all about the future with this horse, whatever he does this year is only going to be a bonus – I think he’s a real one.
“The boys are big supporters of the yard and they flew over from England today, so I’m delighted to get them a winner.
“He’ll go straight to Cheltenham now. I’m not worried about today, the race was very messy and it didn’t work out. They went no gallop and he’s a big galloping horse. He’s a stayer.”
Sam Brown swooped late to deny Aye Right in the Unibet Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Warwick.
The event had been rescheduled from Sandown’s abandoned card last Saturday and a field of 14 was stacked with familiar names and fan favourites.
Aye Right has not tasted glory since winning the 2021 Rehearsal Chase but it looked as though he could finally break that barren spell as he jumped the last fence with a marginal lead in the hands of 7lb claimer Dylan Johnston.
However, Sam Brown was hot on his heels and the pair were almost level on landing before settling down for a proper battle on the run to the line.
It was Sam Brown who found most for Jonathan Burke though, with the Anthony Honeyball-trained winner pulling two and three-quarter lengths clear, with a further 12 lengths back to Mill Green in third.
My Silver Lining hung on for victory in an exciting finish to the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick.
The three-mile-five-furlong heat proved a thorough test of stamina on soft ground and it was Emma Lavelle’s charge who emerged the victor in the hands of James Best.
Percussion was the first to really set sail for home but the two mares, Galia Des Liteaux and My Silver Lining, had the race to themselves in the straight.
My Silver Lining (17-2) had a couple of lengths in hand jumping the penultimate fence and still held a distinct advantage at the last, but Galia Des Liteaux was cutting into her lead with every stride on the flat.
However, the winning post arrived in time for My Silver Lining, who prevailed by three-quarters of a length, with the pair 12 lengths clear of third-placed Guetapan Collonges.
Jay Jay Reilly sprang a 33-1 surprise to give trainer Dan Skelton a second straight success in the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton.
Last year, it was Bridget Andrews in the saddle as West Balboa prevailed by a short head.
This time, Tristan Durrell sent the eight-year-old Jay Jay Reilly to the front at the penultimate obstacle and he kept on gamely all the way to the line.
Nemean Lion looked a big danger approaching the final flight, but a sloppy jump left the 9-2 shot fighting a losing battle on the run-in and he went down by a length and a quarter.
Impose Toi, the 11-4 favourite, and 28-1 outsider Good Luck Charm filled the minor placings.
Durrell, who still claims a 3lb allowance, had earlier obliged on Flegmatik for the same handler and he told Racing TV: “It’s unbelievable. Obviously, the best day of my career.
“I’ve never ridden a double before and a double on a big day like this is just unreal. To win the Lanzarote, it’s a big, competitive handicap, I’m just very grateful to Dan and the owners for putting me up and putting their trust in me. It’s nice to go and win.
“On the way down, I said to Bridget ‘you need to tell me how to win a Lanzarote, because you won last year’.
“She said ‘you need an OK start, so you’re not too far away because there’s so many runners, and just try to keep out of trouble’ – and that’s where I was.
“I had a nice bit of room, just followed Harry Cobden through and it couldn’t have worked out better for me.”
Jay Jay Reilly’s past nine outings had been over fences, including an eighth-place finish in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time out.
“It’s funny, because he was a big price but at home we all thought he had a good chance, as he’s never felt so well all year and back over hurdles, they just gain confidence, don’t they,” added Durrell.
“We thought he had a good chance, but it’s always unbelievable when it happens, isn’t it. It’s a great day for the team and just brilliant.”
John Kington enjoyed his biggest victory in the saddle as J’Ai Froid took advantage of a final-flight blunder from Kyntara to claim the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Warwick.
Both Laura Morgan’s winner and the Mel Rowley-trained runner-up were to the fore throughout in the extended three-mile contest, but J’Ai Froid’s chance appeared to have evaporated as the 11-year-old came under a drive two out while Kyntara appeared full of running under Charlie Deutsch.
However, Kyntara put in a sluggish leap at the last which gave the chasing pack hope and Kington conjured up extra from the willing veteran to rally for a three-quarter-length victory at odds of 8-1.
Kington was keen to express his gratitude to J’Ai Froid’s handler Morgan, who has allowed him to strike up a fine partnership with one of her stable stalwart’s this season.
He said: “I moved down by Laura’s at the start of the season and began to ride out, I’ve been in four or five mornings a week and she ended up putting me on him for his first run of the year and he ended up winning.
“Luckily enough and thank you to Laura, but she has kept me on him and we haven’t been out of the first two.
“It’s marvellous for the team back at home and I’m just a small part of the team who gets to enjoy riding him on the track.
“It’s one of the biggest days of my riding career and I’ve been at it a long time. I love my racing and this is what I’m here to do. I’m normally away somewhere else riding when the racing is on the TV and it’s thanks to Laura really for giving me that opportunity.
“Days like this are what you wake up in the morning for, finding that one horse, and I’m over the moon.”
Nigel Hawke’s Donnacha (2-1 favourite) had bumped into quality opposition when placing at Cheltenham the last twice, but supplemented his early-season Chepstow success with a battling display under Lorcan Murtagh in the Michael Costello Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
“He deserved that,” said Hawke. “The last two runs have been in good company and he hasn’t disgraced himself and he’s a work in progress and is improving all the time.
“We won at Chepstow first time out, so this is his second win of the season and he has been to Cheltenham twice. The idea was to go to Cheltenham to get an idea of what we have got and we got that.
“We waited 18 months before he even hit the racecourse, he was a lovely three- and four-year-old but we’ve waited and are reaping the rewards now. There is a lack of these horses in the country because it takes time, but with the right owners you reap rewards long term.”
Betfair left Donnacha unchanged at 16-1 for Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle on February 10 and Hawke confirmed that race would come under consideration for the steadily improving six-year-old.
He added: “He’s in at Newbury (in the Betfair) and we will see what happens – we will have to have a look at it.
“Whatever he does this year, he will be a better horse next year over two and a half (miles) and probably fences, so I won’t be killing him this year.
“I think we will look after him a bit and there are thoughts of the EBF Final (at Sandown) but by then the ground might have dried out.
“Let’s go home with the programme book and see, If he had won by 15-20 lengths today and he didn’t have the Newbury entry you would be kicking yourself, but we’ll see how we go. He’s a great horse for the future.”
There were only two runners in the Unibet Edward Courage Cup Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase but Dan Skelton’s Etalon marked himself as a horse on the rise by following up his impressive Newbury return with a cosy 44-length success.
Meanwhile, Joe Tizzard’s Diamond Ri (evens favourite) opened his hurdles account at the second attempt in the Wigley Support Fund ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle.
An impressive bumper winner at the track in the spring, he bumped into Paul Nicholls’ well-regarded Insurrection at Exeter on his hurdles bow, but upped in trip he produced a professional performance in the hands of Brendan Powell.
“I think the form of his Exeter run is brilliant and he just tweaked a muscle, hence you haven’t seen him again since,” explained Tizzard.
“He’s still very raw and has a lot to learn still, but he’s getting the hang of it and he’s getting the hang of jumping at home. He’s not going to be an immediate natural because he’s a big frame of a horse, but he has a big engine and Brendan was just educating him and said once you gave him a flick, he quickened away nicely. I like him a lot.
“He’s going to make a lovely chaser and he’s just a big, raw National Hunt youngster, he’s not a speedster or anything like that but he has a lot of class.
“He’ll get all the entries and we will run again in three weeks’ time (in a novice under a penalty) and we’ll see where we are. He hasn’t got to go to Cheltenham but he’ll have the entries and sometimes you have to take your chance while you can as well.
“We’ll just try to do right by the horse, let him develop and let him tell us where he wants to end up.”
Grey Dawning regained the winning thread with a comfortable triumph in the Trustatrader Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
Dan Skelton’s charge had looked set for a Cheltenham victory last time out, only to make a mess of the penultimate fence, which saw him have to give best to Ginny’s Destiny.
Sent off the 5-4 favourite to make amends, Harry Skelton was happy to settle in behind the front-running Apple Away for much of the three-mile contest, with Broadway Boy the only other horse really in contention on the turn for home.
However, he began to struggle as Grey Dawning made smooth progress on the outside to grab the lead from Apple Away at the second last, despite running slightly down that fence.
He was also a bit slow to jump at the last, but Skelton’s mount kept galloping to the line to win by 14 lengths – a result which saw Betfair cut him to 10-1 from 16s for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Banbridge kept on strongly to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Grade Two Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.
Joseph O’Brien’s eight-year-old was having his first outing for 275 days but got the better of defending champion Pic D’Orhy thanks to jumping the final fence better under JJ Slevin.
Pic D’Orhy, who coasted to a 16-length success in this contest 12 months ago, set the pace early on from Banbridge, with the other three runners in a line a few lengths back.
Notlongtillmay made a brief forward move on the turn for home, while Edwardstone and Janidil never quite got into the contest.
That left Banbridge and Pic D’Orhy to battle it out up the home straight and a late blunder by the latter proved decisive, with the 3-1 victor prevailing by a length and three-quarters.
Winning owner Ronnie Bartlett told Racing TV: “We were always looking for good ground for him and we got it today. He was maybe a wee bit rusty at times but we’re very happy – he put up a solid performance.
“He made a few mistakes but he’s been off the track for a long time, so it’s pretty exciting.
“He just seems to be very professional, he’s more mature, he’s got bigger and thicker and he’s just in a good way. He was very cool about travelling over here, he was relaxed and it was a good way to start the season.
“We’ve had him bubbling for a long time and there have been races we were going for but the ground wasn’t what we wanted, but Joseph said there is still some improvement to go and we’re happy with that.”
Banbridge was cut from 10-1 to 5-1 for the Ryanair Chase by Betfair, Coral and Paddy Power.
“We’ll wait and see what the ground is like, he’s a spring horse, so we’ll watch him accordingly, but all being well, that’s the race we’ll be going for,” added Bartlett.
There was a sad postscript to the race, as Notlongtillmay suffered a fatal fall at the last fence.
Tearful trainer Laura Morgan told ITV Racing: “It’s absolutely horrendous, he didn’t deserve that. He just took a nasty fall at the last and broke his shoulder.
“He’s been our stable star and it’s so upsetting. It will leave a massive hole in the yard every day, he was such a character as well – and little Ernie, the pony that has come with him, he will miss him.”
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has made good on her promise to the Sunshine Girls that she would make them monetary gifts for their performance in the Netball World Cup in South Africa and in the first-ever netball tournament held in the Central American and Caribbean Games.
The Ministry has disbursed a total of Six-Point-Seven Million Dollars ($6.7M) to the bank accounts of the team members in the sum of Three-Hundred-Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) for each member who went to the Netball World Cup in South Africa and One-Hundred-Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) each to those who played at the CAC Games in El Salvador.
Minister Grange said, “This honours the committed honorarium as part of the Ministry’s Athlete Assistance Programme for the Sunshine Girls’ participation at the Netball World Cup held last year in South Africa where they got the bronze medal and the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador where they won gold.
Minister Grange said that the Sunshine Girls had more than earned and deserved the support that they continue to get from the Ministry and other sponsors. “They continue to make Jamaica proud as our national team members and also as in-demand international professional netball players. The eight Sunshine Girls now plying their trade in Australia currently are more than the number making up a full netball team.
“Over the years funding support from Government has gone a long way to enable the netball development programme to produce players of the quality of the eight ladies playing in Australia and making Jamaica the country with the highest number of its netballers playing professionally abroad.
“Special congratulations to these ladies: Jhanielle Fowler-Nembhard; Shamerea Sterling-Humphrey, Romelda Aiken-George, Shanice Beckford, Kadi Ann Dehaney, Shimona Nelson-Jok; Latanya Wilson and Jodi Ann Ward.”
Tricia Robinson, President of Netball Jamaica, expressed thanks on behalf of Netball Jamaica and the Sunshine Girls, saying, “Sincere gratitude for the financial gift given to our team for participation in the Netball World Cup and the CAC Games.”
Three-time defending champion Aliana McMaster and defending champion Shaun Barnes are ready to defend their Driftwood Gun Club titles on Sunday at the picturesque Murphy Hill Estate over-looking the town of Ocho Rios.
The event will begin at 9:30 am, with over 150 shooters set to contest the 17-station course.
It kicks off the first sporting clays shoot of the year for the Jamaica Skeet Club, which has a busy 2024 calendar.
Barnes, the six-time national shotgun champion, will battle the likes of four-time national champion Christian Sasso and nine-time national shotgun champion and current Jamaica Skeet Club president Ian Banks, as well as two-time Driftwood Gun Club champion Craig Simpson, the red-hot Nick Benjamin, with multiple wins under his belt in 2023, and the very consistent Ray McMaster among other outstanding shooters. They will be challenged by several sharp shooting juniors.
Meanwhile, the Ladies section will also be competitive with McMaster expected to be challenged by her mother, many-time national shotgun champion Wendy McMaster, former national shotgun champion Marguerite Harris and a number of very good lady shooters such as Renee Rickhi, Loriann Harris and others.
The shooters will compete in various classes including A to E, Juniors, Sub-Juniors, Ladies and Hunters or beginners.
Proceeds from the tournament will be used for the Driftwood Gun Club’s charities, which are dominated by educational support in the Treasure Beach area in the parish of St. Elizabeth.
Club president, Christina East is happy to have Proven on board for the fourth consecutive year as major sponsor. She credited David East who passed away in 2020 with playing a pivotal role in securing the venue (Murphy Hill) as the home of the club's annual competition.
East was considered to be a visionary club member who only wanted the best for sporting clays in Jamaica, hence the competition is held in his honour. This year marks twenty years of existence for the Driftwood Gun Club.
Boris Becker would not rule out Andy Murray appearing at the Australian Open in 2025.
Murray will make his 16th appearance in the main draw at Melbourne Park on Monday when he faces 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round.
It was five years ago at the 2019 Australian Open when three-time grand-slam champion Murray contemplated retirement and a highlights montage shown after his round-one exit appeared to signal the end of his career.
Surgery to resurface his hip followed and while it has enabled the five-time Australian Open runner-up to continue playing well into his thirties, the Scot cut a frustrated figure at the end of 2023.
But Becker had little concern over Murray not appearing in Australia again.
“Well, I would never rule Andy out,” Eurosport pundit Becker insisted. “As long as he has fun, as long as he enjoys it and as long as he has success, he will continue.
“I was worried a couple of years ago when he did the press conference and said it was most likely his last one because it was before his surgery so he didn’t know if he would come back.
“We moved past that and I think he is physically fit enough, but obviously the tennis circuit doesn’t sleep and Andy doesn’t get younger either.
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“Those 22-years-old are now those 24-years-olds and Andy is 36 so the clock is ticking.
“I am sure he will do well this year., I am sure he is aiming for a successful Wimbledon and he’ll take it from there.”
At the other end of the spectrum, British number four Jack Draper will aim to make his mark in Melbourne after an injury-hit past campaign.
Draper, 22, recently beat Becker’s protege Holger Rune to win the UTS event in London last month and earned praise from the six-time grand-slam winner.
Becker said: “Look, an unbelievable talent. You can see he loves the competition, he loves tennis, he loves to be out there, but he had some injury problems last year, so he couldn’t play as much as he wanted to.
“He is a big guy, a powerful guy and he needs to address his body. He needs to be longer in the shape he is right now.
“I don’t know him and I don’t know his group of people too well, so I don’t how much he trains on and off the court, but what I could tell is that physically he struggled last year and that is the foundation of a successful tennis player.
“I am sure he learned his lessons, I am sure he had a good winter. I saw the result in Adelaide, he looked fit. I am sure they have done a lot of off-court training and I wish him luck.
“Great Britain needs good, young players. You have got Wimbledon around the corner, you have the Queens tournament so you want your local heroes to be successful there.”
:: Watch every moment of the Australian Open LIVE and exclusive on Eurosport and discovery+ from 14-28 January.
Paul Nicholls introduced an exciting prospect at Kempton in Kalif Du Berlais, who galloped on strongly from the front to win the Play Coral ‘Racing-Super-Series’ For Free Juvenile Hurdle by seven and a half lengths at 4-5.
Nicholls was quick to play down his chances of heading to the Cheltenham Festival, with a future chasing career his long-term target, but that didn’t stop punters from backing the French import into 12-1 with Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle.
Kalif Du Berlais had previously scored impressively on his racecourse bow at Compiegne and Nicholls told Racing TV: “We thought he was a smart horse.
“My only reservation was that he hasn’t been in this country all that long and normally they need a bit of a break to acclimatise, but because I knew we were going to have to give him a run, I just kept going straight on with him and he’s just thrived on everything.
“He’s never looked back from the minute he came in the yard and he’s a gorgeous horse – he’s a chaser, that’s what he was bought for, so we need to mind him. He won’t have too many races this year; we need to look after him and we will.
“His jumping is brilliant but he’s not a Triumph horse is he! All those types like him in the past – Clan Des Obeaux, Frodon – they always finish in the middle and end up superstar chasers, so I don’t see a point in running them in the Triumph Hurdle.
“He could come back here for the Adonis, although we’ve got a few runners for that, so it might be one more run and possibly look at Aintree. All options are open, but I don’t see him as a Triumph horse because he’s the wrong type.”
Nicholls feels Kalif Du Berlais has leapt to the top of the pecking order among his juvenile hurdlers but added: “He’s all about the future and I don’t see any point staying around over hurdles with him for too long, he might have to go chasing in the autumn as a four-year-old.”
Flegmatik secured a third course victory in the New Bet-In-Race With Coral Handicap Chase over three miles, scoring by two lengths at 7-2.
Tristan Durrell gave Dan Skelton’s charge a positive ride and his 3lb allowance came in handy as they saw off the late challenge from top-weight Chianti Classico.
Assistant trainer Bridget Andrews said: “He’s been a great horse for the owners and obviously has a love for Kempton.
“He definitely bounces off the bit better ground, although it looks a bit tacky today, but I don’t know what it is about Kempton.
“He’s a strong traveller and we’d normally hold on to him a little bit more than we did today, but it was always happening a bit slowly for him lately and he was taking a bit to get going, so we said if he does get to the front today, just press on – and Tristan gave him a great ride.
“I was pleased to see him push on when he did, the horse has sometimes pulled up a bit when in front but he never gave me that impression today and stayed on really well.”
Nicky Henderson’s Gentle Slopes survived a stewards’ inquiry to claim the Coral Get Closer To The Action Novices’ Hurdle at 4-5, having edged right on the run-in before shading Junkanoo by a nose.
Colonel Harry took full advantage of Trelawne’s wayward tendencies to continue a golden season for his jockey Gavin Sheehan in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby.
Sheehan has already won the Coral Gold Cup on Datsalrightgino, representing the same connections, the December Gold Cup on Fugitif and the dramatic King George on Hewick.
Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry had finished second to Le Patron in a Grade One over two miles at Sandown last time out and was racing over two and a half miles on this occasion.
This Grade Two had been previously run over three miles and while only four went to post over the new distance, all had claims.
Kim Bailey’s Trelawne attempted to make all but he continually lost ground by hanging markedly to his right and at one point was seemingly intent on heading to the car park on the home bend.
The fact he only went down by a length and three-quarters to the 5-4 favourite spoke volumes, with the winner having to fend off Trelawne’s renewed challenge on the run to the line.
“He’s done it well but Trelawne probably made it a bit easier for us,” said Sheehan.
“Our lad jumps great, he has the right attitude and he didn’t mind stepping up in trip there.
“It’s been brilliant of late, there’s no hiding that fact – I’ve had some great success and long may it continue.”
Hew Glyn Davies, of owners the GD Partnership, said: “I was delighted with that. Obviously it was a small field and the second horse is very good, we were worried about him.
“He travelled great but Gavin said he was ready for him when he opened out on the back straight and he didn’t really have to get into him.
“I think at Sandown he pecked at the first fence and lost his position, he was behind the ball the whole of the way. He got going late and, frankly, if it had been another few yards he’d have got there.
“The longer trip really helped, we’d been debating it, or Jamie had, for a while.
“I think the Scilly Isles (at Sandown) will be a possibility but Cheltenham is a question mark.
“We’ve had a great year so far with Datsalrightgino winning the Coral Gold Cup too.”
Kim Bailey lamented not fitting the runner-up Trelawne with cheekpieces.
“We tossed and turned as to whether to put cheekpieces on today, we gave him the benefit of the doubt but I wish we had,” he said.
“He did the same in his second novice hurdle at Exeter and he’s always been quirky, but he’s got a serious amount of ability.
“He’s a very talented individual, to go so close having run off the racecourse. He’s a winner without a penalty but he hasn’t picked up the prize money either! It’s a very frustrating situation.”
Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy are set to go head-to-head for the Dubai Invitational title after an enthralling third round in the United Arab Emirates.
The duo’s “Fleetwood Mac” partnership claimed two points from two in the foursomes in Rome last year as Europe beat the United States 16.5-11.5 but they will be in competition on day four at Dubai Creek Resort, with Fleetwood holding a one-shot lead at the top of the leaderboard.
McIlroy had dominated the first two rounds in the desert, maintaining a two-shot lead earned via an opening 62 despite carding a quadruple-bogey in a 70 on Friday.
But Fleetwood signed for a bogey-free 63 on day three to lead the way at 15 under, one clear of McIlroy, who carded a 67.
“I felt I played very well, got off to the perfect start and got momentum early on, which I didn’t have yesterday,” said Fleetwood.
“I hit a couple of really nice putts early on, was rolling the ball well and hit the greens well. Today they went my way, just a bit of confidence when you start holing some and just get in that rhythm and that flow.”
Englishman Fleetwood quickly wiped out McIlroy’s advantage as he birdied the first, third, fourth and sixth and he led by two with another gain on the 10th.
A hat-trick of birdies from the 12th saw him lead by three but McIlroy – who had given back a gain on the fourth with a bogey on the fifth – made three birdies of his own from the 11th and cut the gap to one on the 16th.
“It was a little bit of a slow start but then I got things going on the back nine,” said the Northern Irishman. “Shot four under on the back to try to keep up with Tommy.
“I played well on that back nine and earned myself a tee time with him tomorrow and it’ll be good fun. I’m looking forward to it.”
Dane Thorbjorn Olesen was at 12 under, one shot clear of England’s Jordan Smith and South African duo Thriston Lawrence and Zander Lombard.
Mystical Power puts his unbeaten record on the line when he leads Willie Mullins’ quest for a record-extending 10th victory in Punchestown’s Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle.
Mullins has won this Grade Two event with some of the Closutton greats down the years, with the likes of Vautour, Douvan, Min and last year’s champion Impaire Et Passe all featuring on the roll of honour.
Now it is the regally-bred Mystical Power who has the chance to lay down a marker and put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture in a race that has often identified prime Prestbury Park candidates.
Owned by JP McManus, the Galileo gelding is the first progeny of Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power to hit the track and has lived up to his impeccable breeding so far, following up a Ballinrobe bumper victory with a seven-length romp on hurdles debut at Galway in the summer.
The five-year-old now returns after a 167-day break with connections keen to learn more about their exciting prospect, as he steps up markedly in class.
“Willie is very happy with him and we’re hoping for a good run,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.
“He won his novice and he’s been thrown in there, but he’s in good form and we hope for a good performance.
“He won nicely the day he won at Galway and probably the race didn’t work out that well. But he’s had a bit of a break after that and we’ll learn a bit more about him on Sunday.
“Willie has another in there as well, but ours is in good form and we’re hoping for a good run.”
Mullins has a second string to his bow in the form of Thurles winner Lombron, who is the mount of Paul Townend, while former Closutton inmate and 2022 Champion Bumper third James’s Gate will be bidding to step forward from his Leopardstown debut for new handler Martin Brassil.
Felix Desjy and Andy Dufresne gave Gordon Elliott back-to-back Moscow Flyer victories in 2019 and 2020 and the master of Cullentra House goes for win number three with the Bective Stud-owned Jigoro, who was a taking nine-length scorer in heavy ground at Navan last month.
Elliott said: “He’s in good form and it’s a good race. He’d a good performance the last day in Navan. I’m happy with him.”
Tom Mullins’ useful bumper performer Fascile Mode was a winner over track and trip earlier in the season, but now has a point to prove having disappointed in Grade One company the last twice.
Emma Raducanu was left unable to do simple tasks after three surgeries last spring, but the 21-year-old believes the enforced break from tennis could be the making of her.
Coping with the instant global fame and expectations that accompanied her remarkable US Open victory in 2021 proved very difficult for Raducanu, who had slipped outside the top 100 when she revealed she needed operations on both wrists and one ankle.
The recovery has not been straightforward, with the Kent player finally able to make her comeback last week in Auckland after eight months on the sidelines.
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She cut a noticeably more relaxed and happy figure, and she told the PA news agency: “I would say I would take the place that I’m in now mentally and physically and trade it for the past eight months on the tour.
“Missing that time, it obviously was really difficult in the moment, and seeing the tournaments go on, but I would have done it again if I had to.”
Raducanu spoke on Friday about feeling like she was carrying around a “backpack of rocks” as she tried to build on her history-making success.
“It was like it was glued on,” she added. “I think now it’s completely off, I feel good, I feel better and ready to take this second chance at being on the tour again.”
Now able to look back and reflect on the decisions she has made since lifting the trophy at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu’s one regret is not giving herself more time.
A swift loss in her opening match in Indian Wells at her next tournament set the tone for a year and a half of struggle.
“I probably would have taken some more time off to rest and then to train because I feel like I had a lot of things straight after the US Open and then Indian Wells was right around the corner, so I kind of rushed straight into it with minimal practice and it was a bit of a spiral from there,” she said.
Coincidentally, Raducanu’s grand slam return at the Australian Open on Tuesday will be against American Shelby Rogers, whom she beat in the fourth round in New York.
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Rogers is also coming off a period of inactivity after knee surgery, an abdominal injury and a December wedding.
The 31-year-old is not surprised that time away has helped Raducanu’s mindset, saying: “I think sometimes it’s difficult to keep that perspective week to week.
“Especially if you don’t have your identity rooted somewhere outside of tennis, you’re sort of living and dying with wins and losses. It can be really difficult.
“It’s really nice to hear that she’s feeling refreshed and has that perspective again. I think it’s really important for especially the younger players to keep that.”
Accompanying Raducanu in Melbourne is new coach Nick Cavaday, who she originally worked with a decade ago.
Raducanu has returned to the tour with a determination to play her aggressive game style having felt she had unintentionally moved away from that.
Much has been made of the frequent changes in her coaching set-up, and she said: “I think it’s different styles of training, different styles of coaching. I think I play my best when I’m instinctive and free, and to be able to do that I need to put the time in on the practice court.
“I felt like I was chasing my tail a bit from tournament to tournament, and I wasn’t really doing the blocks of work in between, so I think just pausing and doing those physical things and on the practice court is something I’m going to do more of this year.
“With Nick, we both are very much aligned with how we see my tennis and my potential but potential is one thing so we have to do the work. I’m looking forward to doing it with him to get there. I need to be aggressive but find a balance, not just being a bull in a china shop.”
Coaching instability and Raducanu’s commercial activities have been central to the criticism that has rained down on her post-US Open.
Raducanu’s career continues to attract significant attention from far beyond the tennis world, and she said with a smile: “I guess I should feel flattered that they’re speaking about me.
“I think it affected me more straight after when I was a bit younger. Now I think I’m getting more and more immunised to it the more it goes on.”
The first British player in action on Sunday will be Jodie Burrage, who is making her debut in the main draw and will face German Tamara Korpatsch.
Novak Djokovic is optimistic his wrist problems are behind him as he prepares to start his bid for an 11th Australian Open title.
The world number one was hampered by a right wrist issue during an uncharacteristic loss to Alex De Minaur playing for Serbia at the United Cup earlier this month.
But he has been practising this week at Melbourne Park, and said ahead of a first-round clash with Croatian teenager Dino Prizmic on Sunday: “My wrist is good.
“I had time from the last match against De Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover. I’ve been training well. Practice sessions pain-free so far. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”
Djokovic is no stranger to injuries in Melbourne, with an abdominal problem almost derailing him in 2021, while he played through last year’s tournament with a hamstring issue.
He still won the title on both occasions, and he said of the wrist: “It’s not as bad as some other injuries I had here – 2021 and last year I had worse injuries that I had to deal with.
“I can’t predict whether it’s going to come back. Once I start playing more matches, stress levels go higher. I don’t know. We have to find out.”
At 36, Djokovic remains as dominant as ever, falling only one match short of a calendar Grand Slam in 2023.
This year once again offers the chance for a Golden Slam, with a first Olympic gold medal in Paris an obvious target, while another victory in Melbourne would make him the first player ever to win 25 slam singles titles.
“It’s no secret that I verbalise my goals and I say clearly that I want to win every slam that I play in,” said the Serbian.
“It’s no different this year. I’m just hoping I can start the season in a way that I have been starting my seasons, most of my seasons, throughout my career: with a win here in Australia, in Melbourne.
“My favourite place, no doubt. The court where I’ve done great things and achieved my greatest grand slam results.
“I hope that I’m going to be able to, if not play at the level that I did last year, then be very close to that, because that was one of the best tennis levels that I’ve ever played, here in Australia last year.
“The season is so long. Grand slams, Olympics, those are the big goals. I have to see how it goes here and think about everything else when it comes around the corner.”
Djokovic continues to hold back the next generation single-handed, with only Carlos Alcaraz managing to get the better of him at the slams last year in a brilliant Wimbledon final.
The Spaniard, who missed last year’s Australian Open with a leg injury, leads Djokovic’s likely challengers along with fellow young gun Jannik Sinner.
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Alcaraz is already eyeing a potential final battle against Djokovic, saying: “It’s an extra motivation for me. I’m an ambitious guy. Obviously it’s a good test, playing against him in the places or in the tournament that he’s almost unbeaten.
“I’m looking for reaching the final and hopefully playing a final against him. It would be great, obviously.”
Alcaraz will have to do it, though, without his long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, who is back home in Spain recuperating from knee surgery.
Alcaraz, who plays veteran Richard Gasquet in round one, is being guided here by Ferrero’s former coach Samuel Lopez, and he said: “It’s tough not being with him. Obviously he travels to almost 100 per cent of the tournaments. It’s going to be difficult to approach a big tournament without him.
“I have Sam with me that is a great coach as well. I trust him. I believe in him. Juan Carlos as well. I think I can learn a lot from him.”
Coco Gauff has set herself a target of winning at least 10 grand slam titles during her career.
The 19-year-old goes into the Australian Open as tennis’ newest major winner after lifting the trophy at the US Open last September.
Asked if she had a number in mind, Gauff said: “I would say recently I feel like I wanted to get double-digits. That’s cool.
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“I don’t know if it will happen, but I think that’s a high goal. I think setting my goals high pushes me beyond what I think I can do.”
Players often struggle in the period after a major breakthrough, but Gauff began her 2024 season by defending her title in Auckland and will be one of the favourites for success in Melbourne.
“During the off-season we did celebrate a little bit just because after the US Open everything was so fast,” said the world number four, who plays Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the first round.
“Now, going into another slam, it really feels like so long ago. Some players’ goal is to win a grand slam. Once they reach that, it’s kind of what’s next.
“For me, I always knew I wanted to win multiple. It was kind of easy to forget about it. Not ‘forget’. I think that’s the wrong word. Maybe just put it in the past and look forward to the future instead of dwelling on the past.
“I think for me the only thing I will try to remember from that slam is just the way that I won. It wasn’t my best tennis. It was more the mental fire.”
Gauff credits her success to a shift in mentality, helped by new coach Brad Gilbert, after a disappointing loss against Sofia Kenin in the opening round of Wimbledon.
“I think I put too much pressure on winning a slam,” she said. “When I went on the scene at 15, I felt like I had to win a slam as a teenager because that’s what everybody thought.
“Honestly, going into US Open, I didn’t expect it. I felt like I was having a bad season, and my focus was just get through the season and focus on the Australian Open this year.
“I think putting that mindset just relaxed me a lot. At the end of the day, the worst thing that happened to me at Wimbledon was I could lose first round. That wasn’t even that bad. Obviously it sucked. The world didn’t end. The sun still shines. I still have my friends and family.
“I realised that losing isn’t all that bad, and that I should just focus on the battle and the process and enjoy it. When it’s 5-5 in the third set, enjoy that battle instead of thinking, ‘What if I lose?’ I found myself being able to play freer and trust myself more.”
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Looking to avoid a first-round upset against former Australian Open winner Kenin this time will be top seed Iga Swiatek, who is bidding for a first title in Melbourne.
Aryna Sabalenka broke her grand slam duck here last year and went on to reach at least the semi-finals at each of the grand slams and become world number one.
The Belarusian, who will take on German teenager Ella Seidel in the first night session on Sunday, said: “I had an incredible season last year, improved a lot as a player and as a person. I did really a great pre-season. We worked a lot. I felt like we improved a lot. I feel really great and feel like I’m ready to go.”
Cameron Norrie admits he is concerned about the wrist injury he suffered ahead of the Australian Open.
The British number one was forced to pull out of his quarter-final at the ASB Classic in Auckland, the city where he grew up, on Thursday after feeling pain in his left wrist following a second-round victory over Luca Van Assche.
Norrie is due to play his first match at Melbourne Park on Tuesday against Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas, and he said: “There was not a particular moment where I felt something happen or anything.
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“The next day I was a bit sore, wasn’t able to play, obviously. I did a scan. It didn’t show anything too much. So I’m here and it’s feeling a bit better.
“I couldn’t play Auckland, so I’m obviously concerned. But we’re managing it with my team. It was better today, which is positive. Luckily I’m scheduled to play on Tuesday, so I have a few more days. I’m looking forward to practice tomorrow.”
The injury is badly timed for 19th seed Norrie, who struggled during the second half of last season and admitted he felt a little burned out.
He was rejuvenated after a strong pre-season, where he worked with new coach Stephen Huss, and claimed an excellent win to start 2024 against in-form Alex De Minaur at the United Cup.
Australian Huss will work alongside Norrie’s main coach Facundo Lagones, with the focus being on training weeks, and Norrie said: “He was so good, such a good influence on everyone in the team.
“He speaks really clearly on what he wants to see and what his ideas are, which I liked. He came in with some really good ideas. Great fit for the team. It was an unbelievable two weeks with him there.
“Great for Facu as well. Facu learnt a lot. I think it was exactly what we needed to talk about a bit more, tactics. I really liked him. There was no ego involved. He came in and he was really excited. He was loving the sessions and the quality we were bringing.
“I’m just pumped to be back on the court playing, competing the way I was there in the United Cup and the match in Auckland. I just want to keep evolving, keep getting better. A lot to learn from last year, but I want to look forward.”
There are also question marks over the fitness of British number two Dan Evans.
The 33-year-old played his first tournament this week in Adelaide after suffering a calf injury in October but admits he is still short of where he needs to be.
“The amount of people who say it’s an old person’s injury, pulling a calf, is astonishing,” said Evans with a wry smile.
“I had to be really cautious with it because all the doctors and physios said to do it again is not what you want. It was my tendon, as well, which is pretty important. My leg is fully fit. Obviously, you have to work the rest up.”
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Evans will take on Italian Lorenzo Sonego in his first match, while second seed Carlos Alcaraz is likely to be waiting should he win that.
“Definitely I can win my first round,” said Evans. “It’s how my body holds up and how it will recover. It was sore last week. I just haven’t had as much practice and training as I would really like.
“But you can have as much practice as you like, if you’re playing Alcaraz, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win anyway.”
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