Jamal Murray is confident there is more to come from the Denver Nuggets after the franchise's first NBA Finals success.
The Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 94-89 on Monday to secure a 4-1 series win, ending their wait for a championship.
Nikola Jokic, who was named the Finals MVP, starred with 28 points and 16 rebounds, while Murray added 14 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.
After losing Game 2 at home, Denver bounced back with two dominant victories in Miami before rounding off their triumph back in Colorado, and Murray had few doubts the Nuggets would get the job done.
"I knew once we were healthy, we could do it," Murray told ESPN. "So this [championship] was long overdue. I think this is the first of many.
"We clearly can do it, so let's do it again."
There was a similar sentiment from Denver coach Michael Malone, who wants to turn a championship into a dynasty.
He told reporters: "Pat Riley said something many years ago. I used to have it up on my board when I was a head coach in Sacramento.
"It talked about the evolution in this game and how you go from a nobody to an upstart, and you go from an upstart to a winner, and a winner to a contender, and a contender to a champion, and the last step after a champion, is to be a dynasty.
"So we're not satisfied. We accomplished something this franchise has never done before, but we have a lot of young talented players in that locker room, and I think we just showed through 16 playoff wins what we're capable of on the biggest stage in the world."
Two-time NBA MVP Jokic was the star of the show all season for the Nuggets.
The 28-year-old tallied 600 points, 269 rebounds and 190 assists in the postseason. It is the first time any player in the history of the NBA had reached those numbers across a 20-game span (including both regular-season and postseason games).
Jokic also became the first player in NBA history to have 25+ points and 15+ rebounds on 75 per cent shooting in a championship-clinching win.
"The job is done, and we can go home now," Jokic said.
Lewis Hamilton’s Formula One future could be resolved as early as before this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Hamilton has six months to run on his £40million-a-season deal with Mercedes, but team principal Toto Wolff said his superstar driver is on the brink of agreeing new terms.
“It is going to happen soon, and we are talking more days than weeks,” Wolff told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street programme in New York when asked about Hamilton’s contract negotiations.
“We are trying hard [to get it done before the Canadian Grand Prix]. I will see him today and maybe we will talk about it.
“We have such a good relationship that we dread the moment that we need to talk about money.”
Hamilton, 38, met with Wolff the day after the last round in Spain in the hope of rubber-stamping a fresh contract with the Silver Arrows.
It is anticipated that the British driver’s extension will be a multi-year deal, extending his stay in F1 beyond his 40th birthday.
“Lewis is the most important personality in the sport,” added Wolff.
“He is so multi-faceted, not only with the racing, but also off track, so we need to keep him in the sport for as long as possible.
“From a team’s perspective, Lewis and Mercedes have gone back a long time. He has never raced for any other brand than Mercedes.
“We both joined the team in 2013 together, and from a professional relationship, we now have a friendship. It has been a wonderful time.”
Hamilton, who has not won a race since his contentious championship defeat to Max Verstappen at the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, is already 83 points off the title pace this year.
But Mercedes’ recent upturn in form has provided Hamilton, who finished runner-up to Red Bull’s Verstappen at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, with renewed hope that his dream of a record eighth world title is not over.
However, Wolff warned: “The result in Spain was a well-deserved reward for everyone’s efforts at Brackley and Brixworth to bring our update package to the track.
“We were pleased with how it performed, and it will provide a new baseline for us to build from.
“But we must also manage our expectations. It was a circuit that suited our car, and we should expect our direct competitors to be stronger in the next races.
“The gap to Red Bull is large and it will take lots of hard work to close that down. Nevertheless, we’re up for the challenge.”
The Denver Nuggets have won their first NBA championship with a 94-89 victory over the Miami Heat in game five of the NBA finals.
In a back-and-forth affair, the Nuggets were able to hold off a late rally from Miami and claim the Larry O’Brien trophy in front of their home fans.
Nikola Jokic again led the way for Denver with 28 points, while Jimmy Butler finished with 21 after a late flurry brought the Heat agonisingly close to forcing a game six back in Miami.
Some early struggles from deep gave the Heat a seven-point lead at half-time, but Denver clamped down defensively in the second half and held Miami to just 38 points over the final two quarters.
Eight-straight points and a pair of clutch free throws from Butler put the Heat back in front by one with less than two minutes remaining, but the visitors were ultimately unable to claw their way back again after Denver’s Bruce Brown grabbed an offensive rebound and tip-in.
Bruce Brown scored the go-ahead layup with 1:30 remaining and the Denver Nuggets held on for a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat on Monday to clinch the first NBA championship in franchise history.
Denver overcame a 10-point second-quarter deficit to oust the underdog Heat in five games and secure the first title in the team's 47-year NBA tenure. Nikola Jokić led the second-half rally and finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr. added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Miami was seeking to become the first No. 8 seed out of a conference to win a championship and had guard Tyler Herro active for the first time since he broke his right hand in the team's playoff opener on April 16. The 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year did not play, however.
The Miami Heat will have Tyler Herro back from a broken right hand Monday as they try to force a Game 6 in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Herro has been out since sustaining the injury in the eighth-seeded Heat's playoff opener at the Milwaukee Bucks on April 16. He was upgraded to questionable earlier Monday after being listed as out earlier in the day.
The 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year combined for 38 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in two play-in games after averaging 20.1 points and setting career bests with 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game during the regular season.
Herro also established a career high with 203 made 3-pointers in 2022-23, the 18th-most in the league.
After the teams split the first two games of the NBA Finals in Denver, the Heat dropped the next meetings at home to head back to Denver trailing 3-1 in the series.
If the Heat win Monday, Game 6 will be in Miami on Thursday.
Matt Fitzpatrick admits he is as confused as anyone about the direction golf is heading in but insists it will not affect his thinking when he begins the defence of his US Open title on Thursday.
The dust is still settling a week on from the shock announcement of the commercial merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund), which has been the backer of the breakaway LIV Golf.
On the face of it golf’s bitter civil war appears to be over but under the surface there are many so-far unanswered questions and residual feelings of resentment by a large section of the two main tours’ membership at how they have been treated in the whole saga.
But although several days have passed since PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan went on live network television in the United States with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan to announce the surprise deal there are very few details about how things will work, and that has led to dissent among the rank and file.
“I guess the whole thing is confusing. It was confusing last year,” said the Sheffield golfer, who swerved a question about whether those players who remained loyal to the established tours should be suitably compensated for missing out on LIV’s millions.
“I don’t think anyone knows what’s going on. Are we signing with the PIF? Are we not signing with the PIF? I have no idea.
“Even though I guess it is confusing, it’s pretty clear that nobody knows what’s going on apart from about four people in the world.”
That will not cloud his thought process when it comes to mounting a defence of his breakthrough major title from Brookline 12 months ago.
View this post on Instagram“No, I think it’s over-rated. I think you’re not going to be stood on the first tee thinking ‘Oh what’s going on in the golf world?’.“You’re thinking, ‘It’s a par four, where do I need to hit it? Where is the wind?’ That’s all you’re thinking about.”
Fitzpatrick will have plenty of things to think about at the Los Angeles Country Club, which he last saw in February on a reconnaissance mission.
That differs from Brookline, a course on which nine years earlier he had won the US Amateur.
“I seem to remember just last year just thinking about the tournament, just the US Open,” he said.
“It was obviously different because I had a tie to the golf course and the history there, so probably was easier for me to mentally focus on that and be in a better place than obviously all this confusion that’s going on this week.
“I guess in this day and age you’d like to think there might be some artificial intelligence you could use to kind of plot your way around. That’s probably something I’ll have to look into.”
Fitzpatrick admits finally getting a win over the line in a major has done wonders for his self-belief, even if a back problem has restricted him this season.
A year ago he rose to the occasion coming down the stretch, memorably hit a brilliant approach from a fairway bunker to 20 feet to save par and secure a one-shot victory over Will Zalatoris, who missed a birdie putt to force a play-off.
“It’s obviously been a huge boost. Winning last year gave me the boost that when I played my best or when I play well I can compete with anyone and I can win a major,” added the 28-year-old, who revealed he took the US Open trophy on holiday with him to Italy last summer, stopping off at Capri, Amalfi and Positano.
“I think that was the biggest thing for me to take away, (now) turning up to events knowing that (if) my game feels in good shape I’ve got a chance to win this week.
“Maybe previously I’ve almost felt like I played well and not necessarily competed in majors, whereas now I feel like it’s kind of the opposite.
“As long as my game is there or thereabouts, I feel like I can perform.”
The Toronto Raptors' Fred VanVleet is declining his $22.8million player option for 2023-24, and will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
The news was first reported Monday by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who also noted it's possible VanVleet returns to the Raptors under a new deal.
As one of the top point guards entering free agency, however, VanVleet will likely receive some enticing offers this summer.
Undrafted out of Wichita State, VanVleet has played his entire seven-year career with the Raptors and was instrumental to their 2019 title.
A first-year All-Star in 2021-22 when he averaged a career-high 20.3 points per game and 6.7 assists per games, VanVleet averaged 19.3 points, a career-best 7.2 assists and 1.78 steals to rank third in the NBA last season.
With averages of 17.5 points, 6.3 assists and 1.75 steals over the last four seasons, he is one of three NBA players (along with Dejounte Murray and Jrue Holiday) to average at least 17 points, 6 assists and 1.5 steals over that span.
Over the last three seasons, his average of 37.1 minutes per game trails only Toronto teammate Pascal Siakam.
The Calgary Flames hired Ryan Huska to be their next head coach on Monday, opting to stay in-house after missing the playoffs this season.
Huska has coached in the Flames organization since taking over as head coach of Calgary’s American Hockey League affiliate in 2014-15.
He joined the Flames as an assistant coach in 2018.
"Following a detailed search process, today we are proud to introduce Ryan Huska as head coach of the Calgary Flames," said Craig Conroy, who was named Flames general manager last month.
"While continuity and familiarity are a benefit, we have witnessed first-hand Ryan's work ethic; he is a clear communicator who builds trust with his players; and he's a critical thinker with a plan.
"Ryan provides 11 seasons of bench experience as a head coach from the WHL and the AHL and over 20 years coaching in total, including knowledge gained as an assistant coach in Calgary for the past five seasons.
“Ryan has earned this opportunity and we are confident he is the right coach for our team."
Huska went 303-164-37 in seven seasons as a head coach in the Western Hockey League and
135-118-27 in four years in the AHL.
He never had a losing record in any of those 11 seasons and reached the playoffs eight times.
"I'm honoured to have earned the trust of Flames ownership, of Craig and the entire management group to coach this team," Huska said.
"My position coming into this is a little different than most as I know our players very well. We have good people in our dressing room, excellent hockey players who want to win.
“My job is to inspire them every single day to help get our team to the next level."
Huska takes over for Darryl Sutter, who led Calgary to a 38-27-17 record last season.
The Flames went 50-21-11 in in 2021-22 to finish with 111 points – the second-most in franchise history - before being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference semifinals.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 12.
FootballAymeric Laporte slept well.
King Kevin.
Anything metal to check in?
City’s celebrations continued at an open-top bus parade through Manchester’s city centre.
Declan Rice arrived at England camp.
Usain Bolt secured another Soccer Aid win.
Birthday wishes.
Keeping cool in the pool.
Formula OneGeorge Russell celebrated with Jack Grealish.
Esteban Ocon met history-maker Novak Djokovic.
One of the most exciting wins…
CricketBen Stokes was ready for the Ashes.
Pat Cummins revelled in Australia’s success.
Things did not go to plan at Kent.
GolfNick Taylor won the Canadian Open on home soil in spectacular fashion.
Ian Poulter put in the hard yards.
Each year, scores of Jamaican student-athletes take up a variety of academic scholarships, primarily in track and field, swimming and football, to US universities.
That pool could be about to be widened as Darren Dyer, a 22-year-old Jamaican athlete, is making history as the first Jamaican to receive a frisbee scholarship to a US college.
Dyer, who attended St George's College and University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in New Kingston, is set to transfer to Davenport in Michigan to pursue a degree in networking with cybersecurity.
In an exclusive interview, Dyer shared his journey to receiving the scholarship and his aspirations to turn professional in the world of frisbee once he completes his education.
The concept of a frisbee scholarship may seem unconventional to many, but Dyer explains how the sport has been rapidly growing in recent years, transitioning from playing in local fields to occupying renowned football stadiums. "Now schools are investing more into the sport because they see opportunity just like other sports. Rugby, lacrosse, all those kind of sports that have grown, they're basically taking this opportunity now," Dyer explains.
Dyer's breakthrough came when a team from the US visited Jamaica to compete in a tournament. Impressed by his talent, Mike Zagman, Head Coach Men's and Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team at Davenport, reached out to American schools, sharing Dyer's footage and information.
This sparked interest from several institutions, revealing the untapped potential of Jamaican frisbee players.
"These opportunities are there; it's just that they don't really know that we play in Jamaica," Dyer remarks. "I'll be the first from Jamaica to be receiving this opportunity."
For those unfamiliar with frisbee, Dyer provides an overview of the game. Comparable to American football, it features end zones where players score goals by catching the frisbee. However, unlike football, frisbee is a continuous sport without frequent stoppages. "You throw the frisbee around as many times as you like until you score it on somebody," Dyer explains.
Similar to netball, players are not allowed to run with the frisbee once caught; instead, they have 10 seconds to release it. Different throws, such as forehand, backhand, overhead, and hammer, add variety and creativity to the game.
As Dyer embarks on this groundbreaking journey, he plans to make the most of his time at Davenport. Scheduled to start in August, he aims to leverage the exposure and training opportunities, including practicing with professional teams from the AUDL (American Ultimate Disc League) that will be using the Davenport facilities. With the sport gaining recognition, Dyer envisions a future where frisbee becomes a viable professional career option for Jamaicans.
Reflecting on his role as a trailblazer for Jamaica, Dyer expresses his optimism for the future of frisbee in his home country. "I see big things coming for Jamaica, especially in this sport," he says proudly. "I'm very proud of myself for getting this opportunity, and I believe more Jamaicans will start to become involved. All we used to play were other sports, and now with scholarships, I feel like more people will be encouraged to participate."
For those interested in joining the frisbee community in Jamaica, Dyer suggests reaching out to the Jamaica Ultimate Page on Instagram or contacting him directly at dar.dyrer on Instagram. He also mentions Zagman as a valuable resource for further information.
Darren Dyer's groundbreaking achievement not only highlights his personal success but also opens doors for future generations of Jamaican frisbee players.
The US Senate has launched an investigation into the planned commercial merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
Richard Blumenthal, chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation, has written to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan requesting all documents and information relating to the controversial agreement.
Blumenthal has raised concerns over the involvement of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns LIV Golf.
“PIF’s role as an arm of the Saudi government and PGA Tour’s sudden and drastic reversal of position concerning LIV Golf raise serious questions regarding the reasons for and terms behind the announced agreement,” Blumenthal writes.
“Prior to this agreement, PGA Tour was one of the loudest critics of LIV Golf’s affiliation with Saudi Arabia.”
Blumenthal also talks about the “risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over a cherished American institution” and notes that the PIF is using its investment in sport to “further the Saudi government’s strategic objectives”.
The PGA’s intention to preserve its tax-exempt status once the merger has been completed raises additional concerns, according to the Democratic Party senator for Connecticut.
The documents requested by the investigation must be provided by June 26, three weeks after news of the merger broke.
While signalling the end of a year of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of the LIV Golf circuit, the arrangement is highly contentious and has been met with shock by some players.
Tyler Herro will reportedly attempt to return from a broken right hand Monday as the Miami Heat try to force a Game 6 in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Herro has been out since sustaining the injury in the eighth-seeded Heat's playoff opener at the Milwaukee Bucks on April 16. He was upgraded to questionable Monday after being listed as out earlier in the day.
The 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year combined for 38 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in two play-in games after averaging 20.1 points and setting career bests with 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game during the regular season.
Herro also established a career high with 203 made 3-pointers in 2022-23, the 18th-most in the league.
After the teams split the first two games of the NBA Finals in Denver, the Heat dropped the next meetings at home to head back to Denver trailing 3-1 in the series.
If the Heat win Monday, Game 6 will be in Miami on Thursday.
Heather Watson says it is difficult not to feel “hard done by” after a year of struggle on the tour following her career-best Wimbledon performance last season.
The 31-year-old produced the best grand slam display of her singles career in 2022 when she made the second week for the first time, eventually going out in the fourth round.
But it counted for nothing in the rankings as the WTA and ATP stripped the tournament of points in response to the decision to ban Russian and Belarussian players following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
In normal circumstances Watson would have received 240 points, which would have seen her ranking soar and then seen her gain automatic entry into other tournaments, but the reality saw her scratching around on the second-tier ITF Tour and she has not played in a grand slam since.
“It wasn’t Wimbledon’s fault, it wasn’t their choice but yeah, I do feel a little bit hard done by,” Watson, who beat Jule Niemeier in the first round at the Nottingham Open, told the PA news agency.
“It’s not their fault, but I wish I had the points, it would have been a very different story, but hey-ho.
“I feel like that after Wimbledon I went from an all-time high in my career and then not being awarded any points there really affected my tournament entries, being main draw in grand slams, I probably would have been main draw for the rest of the year and it just had a domino effect.
“I couldn’t get into WTA tournaments so I was playing ITFs and I was winning them all but the points are rubbish so it doesn’t help my ranking at all.
“You are playing top 100 girls in the ITF and I feel like dropping down to play was good for matches and you were playing players who aren’t the same level, but the strength in depth in women’s tennis has grown so much. Rankings-wise it has been a real rubbish year but I have actually won more matches.”
Her win over Niemeier in Nottingham will do little to boost her current ranking of 195, which will leave her needing a wild card if she is to get direct entry into this year’s event at SW19.
Asked whether she will have to qualify, she said: “I don’t know, I have applied for a wild card so I hope I get one.”
Fellow Brit Sonay Kartal is out, though, after a three-set loss to Pole Magdalena Frech.
The British number eight fought back after losing the first set, but Frech came on strong in the decider to ease through 6-3 5-7 6-2.
Top seed and world number eight Maria Sakkari beat Xiyu Wang 6-2 7-6 (6).
There are a host of home players in action on Tuesday, with new British number one Katie Boulter, who has taken over from Emma Raducanu, takes on compatriot Emily Appleton, with Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Jodie Burrage also due on court.
Andy Murray will also be in action in the men’s Challenger event, fresh from his win at Surbiton last week.
Murray claimed his first title on home soil since Wimbledon in 2016 and is looking to build on that ahead of next month’s event at SW19.
The 36-year-old took part in a light practice on Monday with coach Ivan Lendl by his side.
Thunderbear is “not going to make up the numbers” when he lines up in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The Jack Davison-trained three-year-old notched up just his second victory at Nottingham on his penultimate start, but highlighted his potential for competing with regularity at Group level when knocking on the door in the Lacken Stakes at Naas last month.
The son of Kodi Bear was beaten little over a length when fourth to Aidan O’Brien’s The Antarctic on that occasion and he will now step up to seven furlongs for the first time this season when he represents Davison’s burgeoning operation at the Royal meeting.
“He will go for the Jersey and we can’t wait for it really, he’s a really progressive horse,” said the Irish handler.
“He’s more of a six or seven-furlong horse, but a fast one all the same and it’s great to have a competitor at Ascot once again.
“I don’t think there were any hiding places at Naas last time, it was a very strong renewal and I think the extra furlong here will bring about more improvement.
“It’s a big day for our small but hopefully expanding stable. We’ve been training for five years and this will be the fourth year with a runner at Royal Ascot. We’re not going to make up the numbers, we’re going to try to be competitive, so it is definitely exciting.”
Pensee Du Jour puts her unbeaten record and lofty reputation on the line when she contests Sunday’s Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
The daughter of Camelot made it three from three when winning the Prix Penelope with supreme ease at Saint-Cloud in April and having won by a combined 13 and a half lengths in her outings so far, will now bid to give trainer Andre Fabre a fifth win in the fillies’ Classic.
Owned by Ballymore Thoroughbreds, for whom Fabre trained Miss France to win the 1000 Guineas in 2014 and also guided Persian King to a trio of Group One victories, connections are hopeful Pensee Du Jour will continue her progressive ways following a short break.
“She was a backwards filly last year and Andre thought he could win some black type early on this year,” said Anthony Stroud, racing manager for Ballymore.
“Then she developed and developed and she won three races. After she won those races we thought we would give her a bit of time, as she had run in those races quite quickly.
“I thought she won nicely and in a progressive way (in the Prix Penelope). She has had to make the running in her three races and it would be nice if she didn’t. She’s also had three different jockeys on, so it will be nice that she will have a bit of consistency next time.”
Pensee Du Jour’s potential rivals include Oaks winner Soul Sister and Poule d’Essai des Pouliches victor Blue Rose Cen at this stage, with Stroud admitting he would like some rain in the coming days as her previous wins have come with cut in the ground.
“I would hope she will handle the ground OK, but I would love to see a thunderstorm come along,” continued Stroud.
“I would like there to be some sort of rainfall. She’s never run on this ground but we know she goes with a bit of ease in the ground, so I would like a thunderstorm to appear.”
If Sunday’s Classic mission proves successful, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe could prove an enticing proposition later in the year considering Fabre’s impeccable record in Europe’s richest middle-distance contest and the filly’s proven attributes on soft ground.
Although preferring to focus on matters closer to hand, Stroud is allowing himself to briefly dream about such races later in the season, with him envisaging Pensee Du Jour’s future lying over further.
He added: “I could see her going up to a mile and a half down the line and I think as time goes on, she will get better as she is quite a physically big filly. But it’s not often you have a filly that has won all three of her races and she deserves her chance to take part in this race.
“I think the Arc would be a wonderful dream, but we have to take it step by step and this weekend coming is the next step.
“I’m sure she will have a break and we will see how she is and then we will be advised by Andre. Of course there is the Prix Vermeille and the Arc, but I think it is important to not get ahead of ourselves, get Sunday out of the way and go from there. But it’s good to have dreams.”
A total of 18 fillies remain in contention for the race, with Running Lion, who was withdrawn at the start at Epsom, standing her ground along with the likes of Oaks fourth Caernarfon, Never Ending Story, Jannah Rose and Left Sea.
Ground conditions remain key to Hukum’s participation at Royal Ascot next week, with a tilt at the Hardwicke considered more likely than supplementing for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Having suffered a career-threatening injury when breaking his Group One duck in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last term, the full-brother to the brilliant Baaeed made a successful return when inflicting defeat on last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown last month.
That first career triumph over 10 furlongs has led some to question whether the six-year-old should having another shot at top-level honours in the Prince of Wales’s on Wednesday week instead of lining up for the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes over a mile and a half three days later.
However, the combination of an uncertain forecast and the fact Hukum would need to be supplemented for the Prince of Wales’s on Thursday at a cost of £70,000 means he looks set to take the perceived easier option, if he runs at the Royal meeting at all.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owner-breeders Shadwell, said: “We need rain, nobody has ever made any secret of that, and if the heavens suddenly opened and the ground did go very soft, various people have said we should be supplementing for the Prince of Wales’s.
“If I’m brutally honest, I don’t think we’ll get enough rain to warrant spending that sort of money, especially when he’s favourite for the Hardwicke three days later.
“It is very much ground dependent. We’ve spent a long time looking after this horse and getting him back, so we don’t want to risk him on unsuitable ground. We’ll see what the weather is going to do.
“We’ve always quietly thought that if he’s in one piece the King George is the primary target, so if we couldn’t run next week, we’ll just have to wait for that and hope we get some rain in July.”
Hukum could lead a quality Shadwell team into battle at the Royal meeting, with Mutasaabeq set to be the opening batsman in the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday.
The Charlie Hills-trained entire dominated from the front in the bet365 Mile at Newmarket on his seasonal bow before finishing fifth, beaten three lengths, in the Lockinge at Newbury.
“We’ve just freshened him up a bit since Newbury and tried to keep him sweet mentally,” said Gold.
“He won very well first time out this year at Newmarket and on that run he deserves to take his chance.
“Various people thought he went too quick in the Lockinge, Jim (Crowley, jockey) himself felt the horse was a bit flat. He’s a horse who runs very well fresh, hence why we’ve tried to kid him into Royal Ascot and come in above himself a bit.
“He’d have to run a career-best to be winning a Queen Anne, but he was impressive on that first start so we’ll see how we get on.”
Mostabshir from John and Thady Gosden’s yard is also set for a Group One assignment on the opening day in what looks a red-hot renewal of the St James’s Palace Stakes.
The impressive York novice winner will have to take on 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington, but connections are happy to roll the dice.
Gold said: “We have huge respect for the Guineas horses and all the other improving three-year-olds. You never know until they meet, I’m a big Chaldean fan and obviously Aidan O’Brien’s horse (Paddington) has improved and improved, but our horse was impressive at York and has worked very well since.
“I think he’s going in the right direction and we’ll find out where that takes him next week.
“The only thing that surprised me (at York) was the way he quickened – I hadn’t seen him do that before. It didn’t surprise me that he won, but it surprised me that he quickened as well as he did.”
Shadwell’s other intended Group One runner is Mostabshir’s stablemate Mostahdaf, who is being readied for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes in the assumption Hukum will not be added to the field.
The son of Frankel enjoyed a lucrative start to 2023, winning the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia before finishing fourth behind Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
“I think he’ll run there, as things stand at the moment,” Gold added.
“He’d have to run out of his skin to be competitive in a Prince of Wales’s, but he’s won £1million this winter for us, he’s a fun horse and that’s why Sheikha Hissa kept him in training, to be contesting these good races, so we’ll let him take his chance and see how he gets on.
“He tried to serve it up to the Japanese horse off the bend in Dubai and paid the price against such a fantastic horse. He’d shown plenty of speed before then and they (Gosden team) just thought it was worth a try coming back in trip.”
Wakefield prop Hugo Salabio is facing a six-match ban for his tackle on Richie Myler in the Betfred Super League match against Leeds.
The 22-year-old trialist has been referred to a tribunal after his spear tackle on Leeds’ Myler in Sunday’s 24-14 victory over their Yorkshire neighbours – Wakefield’s first victory of the season.
The Frenchman was in possession of the ball in attack when facing a challenge from Myler before he appeared to pick up the Leeds scrum-half and drive him into the ground in the early stages of the second half.
Salabio made his debut on Sunday after joining the side on a 28-day trial and a lengthy suspension for a Grade F offence could end his chances of playing any further part for Wakefield.
There was further bad news for the club as Sam Hewitt and Sam Eseh were both given one-match bans for Grade B offences, a trip and dangerous contact respectively, and will not be available to face Hull KR in two weeks.
In the same fixture, Leeds back-rower James McDonnell was charged with Grade A dangerous contact but will not be disciplined further.
Leigh winger Josh Charnley has been charged with a Grade B high tackle for his challenge on Hull half-back Jake Clifford but has escaped any ban despite being ordered to pay a £250 fine, while Jez Litten was handed a fine of the same amount for Grade B kicking.
Salford’s King Vuniyayawa and Oliver Partington have escaped bans but landed £250 fines for dangerous contact in the 42-10 victory over Castleford, meaning both are available for the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Hull KR.
Catalans were handed a double blow following their crushing 38-4 win over Hull KR, as Mitchell Pearce and Matt Whitley were given suspensions.
Pearce has been given a three-game ban and £250 fine for Grade D kicking while team-mate Whitley will sit out the next match, against Leigh, after being charged with Grade C dangerous contact.
Castleford’s George Griffin escaped any punishment despite being charged with Grade A dangerous contact.
Cicero’s Gift will step into the unknown as he lines up in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next Tuesday.
Though unbeaten in three starts, trainer Charlie Hills is keen to see how the inexperienced Muhaarar colt fares against the likes of 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and Paddington, who won the Irish version.
Cicero’s Gift has made rapid strides this spring and is a general 3-1 third favourite for the Group One mile contest, run on the round course.
A unfancied 22-1 chance on his debut in a Newbury novices’ race in October, he ran on well to score with ease and returned in March to take a restricted novice over an extended mile on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.
It was his five-and-a-half-length win in a conditions race at Goodwood last time that propelled him into the reckoning for a mouthwatering clash with a pair of Classic winners, however.
Hills said: “He did it really well at Goodwood last time.
“I was delighted with it. He has improved with every run he’s had.
“Mentally, he has taken a bit of a while to come to himself. Last year we were nice and patient with him. Physically he has strengthened up. His is nice-looking horse, similar to his dad, probably a little bit bigger version.
“It is hard to know where we stack up against the others, as we have come through a different route, but hopefully he will run well.”
The Faringdon Place handler is no stranger to recent success at the meeting. Dark Shift (2022) and Afaak (2019) landed the Royal Hunt Cup, while Battaash struck in the King’s Stand (2020).
“We might have quite a big Royal Ascot team – about 20-odd this time,” said Hills. “We are still finalising plans, but we have a nice team.”
Galeron, who was fourth in the 2000 Guineas, did not get the cleanest of runs behind Paddington at the Curragh. He also holds an entry in the St James’s Palace, but could go elsewhere.
Hills added: “Galeron has done very well and they are two nice horses. Cicero’s Gift is less exposed.
“I’m not sure what race Galeron will go for – he’s in the Hampton Court as well. He wasn’t beaten far at the Curragh and was a little bit unlucky not to be closer, as he didn’t get the room when he needed it, and we got a little bit too far back in the race.”
Orazio is the general 8-1 market leader for the Wokingham Handicap. He has won three of five starts on the turf, including the last two, with a clear-cut victory over the same six-furlong course last month filling Hills with every confidence he can complete a hat-trick.
“I’m looking forward to Orazio running,” Hills added. “He is in the Wokingham and he would have a good chance, I would have thought. I think there is a little bit of rain in the forecast, and any rain wouldn’t go amiss for him.
“It was nice to get a bit of course-and-distance form last time. He had a bit of a problem last year, so he had a year off. He is a lightly-raced horse and he is unexposed, too.
“It is always hard to win at the meeting. Just one winner would be nice and if I had to pick one, I think Orazio would have a good chance.”
Tanmawwy could join his stablemate in the same race, despite having been a well-held favourite at Newmarket last month.
“Tanmawwy would like a little bit of cut in the ground as well. He ran in the Buckingham Palace last year and seven furlongs was a bit too far,” said the trainer.
Khaadem similarly holds a Wokingham entry. The consistent seven-year-old won the Group Two King George Stakes at Goodwood last July before finishing fourth in the Nunthorpe at York.
Touched off under hold-up tactics on his return to action at Salisbury, Hills would like quicker ground for him.
He said: “I was delighted with his run last time at Salisbury. We were just trying to run him a bit differently and he hit the line really well.
“We have a couple of other entries in the King’s Stand and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee, so we will just keep a weather watch.”
He added: “We also have a couple in the Britannia. Racingbreaks Ryder has won his last four starts and he might have a squeak. He won at Ascot last time over seven furlongs.
“Bodorgan, if he gets in, will have a chance in that as well. We have a couple of two-year-olds, but they have to step up from their last run, but we have a nice team and as always, we’re really looking forward to the meeting.”
Kieren Fallon knew from the very first moment Russian Rhythm was a special filly. And so she proved when storming to Royal Ascot glory 20 years ago.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Fallon first got to sit on the daughter of Kingmambo on the gallops in Newmarket at the beginning of her racing journey and it did not take him long to realise he was aboard a thoroughbred of the highest order, with his mind already drifting 12 months down the line to when she would get to contest the 1000 Guineas.
Having completed Fallon’s prophecy by securing Classic honours at Newmarket in the spring of 2003, attentions turned to Royal Ascot where the Cheveley Park Stud-owned Russian Rhythm would be assigned the task of completing the 1000 Guineas/Coronation Stakes double.
Although a regular in the winner’s enclosure at the Royal meeting, Russian Rhythm would go on to fittingly provide Fallon with his sole Coronation Stakes victory, justifying odds-on favouritism to see off Soviet Song.
“She won the Coronation and she was an amazing filly,” said Fallon.
“She probably didn’t get the recognition I think she should have done. I remember the first time I ever rode her it was up the Limekilns and a place they call the golden mile. She was a two-year-old and it was one of her first pieces of work, and I said this filly was something else. All I could think about was the Guineas, she was always special.”
Following her Royal Ascot triumph, Russian Rhythm went on to add another Group One in the Nassau Stakes and although only one further success in the following year’s Lockinge Stakes was to follow as injury curtailed her on-track career, there are few fillies that Fallon holds in higher esteem.
He continued: “She was like a colt, she had some stamp to her and everything about her was amazing. It was like driving a Rolls Royce, she had this cruising speed and you just floated on her. I will never forget that filly.
“She was an exceptional filly. I won the 1000 Guineas four times, nine (Guineas) in all if you include the colts, but she stood out by a mile. I rode Ouija Board, Bosra Sham and Russian Rhythm – they were the three. They were all stamped the same, they were like colts and had serious engines and serious temperaments, and I was lucky to come across Russian Rhythm.”
The 2003 edition proved to be a fruitful Royal Ascot for Fallon as he also got his hands on the Gold Cup for the first time when steering Mr Dinos to a six-length victory over Persian Punch for Paul Cole in the week’s feature.
He went on to add a second Gold Cup three years later when guiding Yeats to the first of four victories in the race, and having ridden many big winners at the Royal meeting over the course of his decorated career, the five-day festival holds a special place in the six-time champion jockey’s memories.
“Royal Ascot is amazing. It’s unique,” continued Fallon.
“You go down there on the Tuesday and you stay there for the week, everyone comes together from all over the world, you can have your parties after racing on the evenings, it’s just amazing. You have the royal family there. The Queen was a highlight of the whole week from start to finish – forget the horses, sometimes people just wanted to see the Queen.
“For all the great horses I had to ride – and that was some feeling and a buzz – but it is also a buzz when you walked into the paddock and saw the royal family. It really is something not a lot of people experience and the pleasure you get from it you take to your grave.
“When you were on horses for Aidan (O’Brien) and Sir Michael you knew you were on live ones, but even to get rides down there was special.
“There were times when I was starting out when I could have had five good rides at Redcar or somewhere like that, but you’re not even thinking about that, you want to go to Ascot just to be part of it. It’s once-in-a-lifetime thing, Royal Ascot, it’s like heaven.”
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