New father Kyle Steyn is intent on helping Scotland maintain their recent ownership of the Calcutta Cup this weekend after watching helplessly from his couch as his team-mates suffered an agonising Guinness Six Nations defeat against France last time out.
The Glasgow wing was named in the starting XV for the Murrayfield showdown with Les Bleus a week past Saturday, but he had to withdraw on the morning of the game after his wife Ally went into labour late on the Friday afternoon.
Steyn’s daughter, Arabella, eventually arrived via Caesarean section late on Monday morning, almost two days after the 20-16 defeat by France in which the Scots were controversially denied victory after the officials decided against awarding them a late try when Sam Skinner thought he had grounded the ball on the whitewash.
“My wife had been in labour from about 4 o’clock on Friday and we were hoping maybe I could make it back (in time to face France) if baby was born in the middle of the night, but it didn’t go that way,” explained Steyn.
“I was busy on the couch, trying my best to watch, but every five minutes my attention went elsewhere.
“I was the same as every other Scot at the end, screaming ‘that’s down, that’s a try’. I was gutted for the boys, you could see it on their faces and that’s what really hurt, the feeling that it was one that got away.
“But it was brilliant to be back in this week and see everybody. You can see the guys have very much put that behind them and I think the Calcutta Cup at home is an easy reason to move on from that and focus forward.”
Steyn has “amazing memories” of helping Scotland win 29-23 at Twickenham last February to make it three victories in succession over England.
Gregor Townsend’s side have lost only once in their last six meetings with their old rivals.
“We definitely take confidence from that, and a bit of momentum, but coming off the back of the World Cup, they’ve just made the semi-finals and they seem to be finding their gears under the new management,” said Steyn.
“They are a really good side with a lot of threats, so it’s a great challenge for us. It’s an amazing game to play.
“I’ve never played (for the) Calcutta Cup at home so I can’t wait for that. As far as the Six Nations goes and being a Scottish rugby player, there’s no bigger occasion than the Calcutta Cup at home.
“We’re really excited by the opportunity, especially in a year where we’ve only got two home games.
“We had the force of Murrayfield behind us for the France game and the boys are really looking forward to feeling that support again on the weekend.”
Dual Grade One winner Gala Marceau finished a disappointing third as Hispanic Moon claimed top honours in the Bet Victor Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown.
Gala Marceau locked horns with fellow Willie Mullins-trained mare Lossiemouth on several occasions last season, coming out on top at the Dublin Racing Festival before her esteemed stablemate turned the tables in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and confirmed the form at Punchestown.
Gala Marceau did though round off her campaign with a top-level win in France, and while she was beaten by another Mullins mare in Ashroe Diamond on her return to action at Doncaster late last month, she was widely expected to get back on the winning trail at Grade Three level on home soil.
Ridden by Paul Townend, the 2-7 shot travelled well for much of the of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, but was being ridden along before the home turn and soon emptied in the ultra-testing conditions.
Saylavee, also trained by Mullins, did her best to make a race of it with Henry de Bromhead’s 11-2 chance Hispanic Moon, but the latter kicked eight lengths clear in the hands of Darragh O’Keeffe.
Coral reacted by trimming Hispanic Moon’s odds for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival to 16-1 from 50-1, while easing Gala Marceau to 12-1 from 7-1. Lossiemouth is the 1-2 favourite.
Robbie Power, the winning trainer’s race planner, said: “That was great. She was impressive here back in November and I don’t know what went wrong at Christmas, there was no real excuse for her, she just didn’t run her race for some reason.
“That was much more like it today and Darragh knew himself after jumping two hurdles that she was back to herself. She was a different mare, she travelled and jumped really well. She winged the last and went from there to the winning post with her two ears pricked.
“Hopefully there is a bit more in the locker. She’s in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and we’ll see how she comes out of this, we might take a punt.
“You’d have to be tempted after that, she’s beaten Saylavee a lot easier than she did here back in November.”
Of the market leader, Mullins said: “Paul thought she ran a bit keen and she was very disappointing, especially after her promising run in Doncaster.
“I haven’t seen anything wrong with her yet, but she was blowing quite hard when she came in. Unfortunately it’s one of those things.”
Gary Moore is looking to Peking Opera to continue his stable’s fine form with the one-time Irish Derby fourth seeking to book his ticket to the Triumph Hurdle in Kempton’s Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.
Moore, whose son Jamie recently announced his retirement from the saddle, enjoyed a big-race double at Haydock last weekend as Salver confirmed himself as one of the UK’s leading juveniles and Botox Has claimed Grade Two success in the Rendlesham.
Lower Beeding-based Moore is now on the hunt for further graded honours with his former Ballydoyle inmate, who made the perfect start over hurdles at Sandown earlier this month.
He showed there he had plenty of speed to go with his staying power and he has forced a change of thinking from his trainer, with Moore conceding he never had a trip to Kempton in mind for the hot juvenile prospect.
“Going into Sandown, on his Flat form, I thought he would want a stiff two miles,” explained Moore.
“The last place I thought I would run him was Kempton, even though the Adonis was probably the obvious race anyway. But I thought he would want a stiff two rather than an easy two and as it worked out, I thought he travelled well (at Sandown) and if they had gone a better gallop it would have helped him more.
“Hopefully the track will suit him and hopefully he will show enough to be a Triumph Hurdle horse – he will need to because it’s quite a good race.”
Moore’s success with Salver this season has seen him clipped into as short as 10-1 for the Triumph Hurdle next month, while it is Peking Opera’s exploits on the Flat combined with his Sandown hurdles debut that are driving his odds, ranging from 16s to 33-1.
Those prices could plummet with a bold showing from the son of Galileo on Saturday, but Moore says he has collected few clues on the gallops as to who may be better, with both kept separate in their work at home.
“I’ve never galloped them together,” continued Moore.
“One is an out-and-out stayer and the other should be as well, but on his pedigree and what he’s done (on the Flat), he (Peking Opera) should have a bit more class.”
Moore could also be represented on the card by Grade One scorer Le Patron, who could attempt to get back on track in the Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase after seeing his jumping fall apart in the Scilly Isles last time.
The six-year-old finished a long way adrift of Nickle Back on that occasion, with Moore having plenty of respect for that rival who is also entered at the weekend.
“My biggest concern in that race is Nickle Back and I don’t know if he will run or not, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to take him on to be honest,” added Moore.
Stuart Edmunds will saddle his first ever runner in Ireland on Thursday when Marsh Wren bids for Listed honours in the Carey Glass Irish EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase at Thurles.
The eight-year-old, who is part-owned by former Cardiff and Coventry City defender Ben Turner, has won two of her three starts over fences to date, with victories at Warwick and Uttoxeter sandwiching a second-placed finish in Listed company behind Nicky Henderson’s Arclight at Wincanton.
Edmunds admits taking on the Irish in their own back yard is a stiff test, but with conditions in Marsh Wren’s favour and Turner and other members of the Far Bihoue Partnership set to make the trip, the trainer is excited by the challenge.
“We thought about going for a previous mares’ race there, but in the end we decided to go for what was not too difficult a race at Uttoxeter,” said Edmunds, who is based near Milton Keynes.
“We just thought she’s already Listed placed, she loves soft ground and the boys are all very excited about going to Ireland, so she’s gone.
“We wouldn’t be going if we thought it was a waste of time, we think she’s gone there in good order and the more rain they get the better, as long as it’s on.
“She loves testing conditions, the trip (two and three-quarter miles) in Ireland is about right and it’s worth a few quid at €30,000, so why not have a go?”
Marsh Wren features in a six-strong field, with Gordon Elliott’s pair of Harmonya Maker and Jumping Jet and Gavin Cromwell’s Law Ella seemingly her biggest threats.
There is also British interest in the BoyleSports Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle, with the Willie Mullins-trained Stoke The Fire carrying the colours of Middleham Park Racing.
An impressive winner on his hurdling debut at Tramore, the five-year-old lines up as one of three runners for the champion trainer in the Grade Three contest alongside Largy Hill and What Path.
Middleham Park’s National Hunt racing manager, Tom Palin, said: “He’s the first horse we’ve had with Willie, but we’ve obviously been huge admirers of his for a long time. We like to have our horses with trainers who provide you with the best chance of having good runners on the best days, and there’s probably no finer man than Willie for that.
“We actually bought this horse as a possible Irish Cesarewitch contender, that’s more of a longer-term plan, but he might give us a little bit of fun over hurdles in the interim.
“He certainly gave us a bit more than a little bit of fun on New Year’s Day with a fairly bloodless victory at Tramore, when he seemed to cope with the testing conditions well and we were very taken by how he jumped on debut.
“This feels like the right sort of race to pitch him in and I’m sure whatever happens, he’ll still be a nice horse capable of taking us to Festivals both on the Flat and over hurdles, whether that’s Fairyhouse or Punchestown in graded company or in handicaps, we’ll have to wait and see.”
The likely favourite for the race is Elliott’s Staffordshire Knot, who will carry the colours of Gigginstown House Stud for the first time after being bought to stay in the yard for €510,000 at Andy and Gemma Brown’s dispersal earlier this month.
After another fairly consistent season, Gary Subratie’s classy mare Atomica secured a second-consecutive Horse of the Year, after she was again named the country’s best performer for the 2023 season.
The Don Wehby-owned charged registered a number of outstanding performances for the season, as her five wins from seven starts included the prestigious Jamaica Cup, which all but etched her name in the minds of the 15 individuals –journalists and members of the promoting company –who cast their ballots.
Atomica, a five-year-old chestnut mare, registered her five victories in Grade 1 trophy races last year, namely the Labour Day Trophy, the Clovis Metcalfe Trophy, the Legal Light Trophy, the Menudo, and the Jamaica Cup. Those pushed her earnings to $6.3 million, some ways off the $14 million she earned won the award for the 2022 season, as her connections did highlight a few issues earlier in the season.
As such, Subratie was delighted at her achievement which he labelled as extremely special.
“I’m elated and it’s good to know that you have a horse that repeated horse of the year, only an elite group of horses has ever done that. I’m proud of her and I think we did a lot of work. Last year we went through some tough times with her, but we got through with everything. She’s proven herself last year and she’s going to show herself even stronger this year,” he said shortly after the announcement at Caymanas Park, on Tuesday.
Wehby, owner of Oakridge Farms, shared similar sentiments about the filly, who is said was the pride of his late father, Donald Wehby Sr.
“I’m extremely proud of my horse and extremely happy. She’s a very, very special filly,” said Wehby.
“She’s a very special horse to me and my family. My dad, who was the founder of Oakridge Farms, passed away on August 2, 2022, and she won the derby the week after and she has brought so much happiness to my family that I’m almost speechless,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mouttet Mile winner Rough Entry and Jamaica Derby winner Ability, were the runners-up to the Horse of the Year. Rough Entry was also named champion middle-distance performer, as well as champion foreign-bred runner.
Hughie Morrison reports Not So Sleepy to be firmly on course for next month’s Unibet Champion Hurdle after going up the Lambourn gallops “like a rocket” on Wednesday morning.
The mud-loving veteran has won 11 times over jumps and on the Flat combined, most recently proving the fire still burns bright despite his advancing years when claiming Grade One honours in a rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown in December.
Morrison has since given his 12-year-old a winter break and is now beginning to turn the screw ahead of what will be his fifth tilt at Champion Hurdle glory in just under three weeks’ time.
“I went away last week and I came back and thought he was looking rather fat, which is a good sign because you want them to be doing well,” said the trainer.
“Over the last year or 18 months we’ve taken him to Lambourn the odd time, because we’ve been snowed in or something like that, and he actually had a nice gallop in Lambourn this morning.
“Thanks to the people in Lambourn who accommodated us, he had a spin up The Long gallop and he went up there like a rocket.”
Not So Sleepy was pulled up in his first Champion Hurdle four years ago and has finished fifth in the last three renewals, twice behind Honeysuckle and once behind Constitution Hill.
With Constitution Hill and last year’s runner-up State Man again set to be in opposition, Morrison is under no illusions about the task facing his charge on March 12, but he is happy to roll the dice and will be praying for testing conditions on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
“I’m sure they will start quivering in their boots when they hear Sleepy is running,” he joked.
“We’d like a day like today on Tuesday March 12! Hopefully we get wet ground to make it hard work so the speed horses can’t quicken away from him. We also need Constitution Hill and State Man probably to have a day off.
“We are realistic, but at this moment in time I’m very happy with him.”
He added: “He’s lucky he’s not in a Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott yard as he probably wouldn’t be running, would he? He’d be running in a County Hurdle or being saved for an egg and spoon race the week before or something.
“I know that sounds cynical, but I think the interest in Cheltenham is waning a bit because of the monopolisation. When you watch the Grand National weights yesterday, I found that deeply depressing.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called for Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner to be transparent – and said the controversy is “an issue for all of Formula One”.
Horner is under investigation by the racing team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH following a claim of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague.
The 50-year-old emphatically denies the accusation and remains in his role as Red Bull team principal.
He is in Bahrain for this week’s three-day test ahead of the opening race, also in the Gulf Kingdom, on March 2.
And Horner has stated it is his intention to be in his post for the start of the new campaign.
“It is clear,” Wolff said when asked to address the allegations during the lunch interval on the first day of testing.
“Formula One and the teams stand for inclusion, equality, fairness and diversity, and that is not only about talking about it, but living it day in, day out. These are just standards we set ourselves.
“We are a global sport and one of the most important sport platforms in the world and role models, too.
“But having said that, there is a lot of speculation that has been happening over the past weeks, and lots of things that are going on.
“What is important at that stage is for a process with rigour. I think what Red Bull has started as an independent investigation, if this is done in the right way, with transparency, that is something we need to look at.
“What the outcomes are, what it means for Formula One, and how we can learn from that because we want to talk about racing cars, and we want to talk about the sport, rather than these very, very critical topics that are more than just a team issue.
“It is phenomenon, and an issue for all of Formula One, and every individual that works out there.”
Horner is due to be in the media spotlight at an F1 press conference alongside four other team principals on Thursday.
Speaking at Red Bull’s car launch, last week, Horner said he was unable to provide a timeline as to when the investigation will be completed.
It is understood both Red Bull and Horner are keen for a swift resolution, but sources have indicated that a conclusion is not imminent. F1 bosses have called for the controversy to be “clarified at the earliest opportunity”.
Max Verstappen put Red Bull’s off-track troubles to one side by setting the pace in the opening session on Wednesday.
The three-time world champion ended the running nearly seven tenths quicker than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in third, eight tenths back, and the only other driver within one second of Verstappen.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, 1.68 secs off the pace. Lewis Hamilton gets his first taste of the final Mercedes he will drive on Thursday ahead of his blockbuster switch to Ferrari next year.
Eydon will bid to honour his sire Olden Times when he makes his eagerly-awaited return from 665 days off the track in the BetUK Winter Derby at Southwell.
An impressive winner of the Feilden Stakes when trained by Roger Varian in 2022, he was last seen finishing fourth to Coroebus in that year’s 2000 Guineas, with an injury sustained in the build-up to the 2022 Derby the start of a plethora of issues that have kept him sidelined for almost two years.
Now in training with Andrew Balding, he sat out the whole of the 2023 season, but is reported to be in rude health following a recent racecourse gallop at Kempton and will be partnered for the first time by Kevin Stott when lining up in the Group Three event, which for the first time will be run over 11 furlongs.
“He went for a racecourse gallop the other day with Andrew and it seemed to go satisfactory,” said Ted Voute, racing adviser to Eydon’s owner Prince Faisal.
“His last run was in the Guineas when he was fourth. It will be some training feat to get him back and to the level of fitness required to run creditably after such a length of time off. But, touch wood, Andrew is pleased with him and thinks he will run a nice race.
“It’s a pretty even field and they are all rated around the same figures apart from Lord North and we will see.”
Connections will not only be hoping Eydon’s Rolleston appearance can book a trip to the Middle East for Dubai World Cup night next month, but also that the five-year-old can pay an on-course tribute to his sire, who died earlier this month at the age of 25.
“He has an entry in Dubai (in the Sheema Classic), but that is rather far-fetched at the moment. He would have to beat Lord North or run very respectably against him, but we will see how we get on,” said Voute.
“We keep our fingers crossed and his owner has had incredible faith in him and patience which in this day and age is quite unusual.
“He loves the sire line and sadly Eydon’s father Olden Times passed away two weekends ago from old age. It would lovely if he could replace him somehow, but he’s got a lot to do before he does that.”
Gareth Thomas believes a fast start is vital for Wales in their quest to claim an odds-defying victory over Guinness Six Nations title favourites Ireland on Saturday.
Wales have been largely written off, heading to Dublin after suffering nine defeats in their last 10 Six Nations games to face an Ireland side chasing successive Grand Slams.
Andy Farrell’s team have won 38 of their last 40 Tests at home, being beaten only by England in 2019 and France two years later during that time.
They are also closing in on a Six Nations record-equalling 11 successive wins, remaining undefeated since France toppled them two years ago.
And Wales must halt a poor recent Dublin record, having not landed a Six Nations win there there for 12 years when Leigh Halfpenny’s late penalty secured a 23-21 triumph.
“It is obviously going to be a challenge for us,” Wales prop Thomas said.
“But talking to the boys in the week and last week and saying how exciting it is if we get it right in terms of what we need to do, it will be a class challenge for us.
“It is going to hurt, but it is going to feel good if we get those bits right.
“I think starting fast, just going at them, not accepting their style of play, because if they get what they want they will be very good.
“I think just going after them, going at them, beating them physically, if we don’t start like that then we have no chance.
“They are playing some really good rugby at the minute, but watching the first two games (against France and Italy), people are letting them play like that.
“So it is up to us to go at them defensively and stop that smooth kind of attack they have got.”
Much has been made of a new-look Wales Six Nations squad, with Test rookies like Cameron Winnett and Alex Mann performing impressively during narrow defeats against Scotland and England.
Bath prop Archie Griffin joined them in making an international debut during the tournament, and 20-year-old Cardiff forward Mackenzie Martin will follow suit if he features off the bench this weekend.
And while Wales might no longer have the services of players like Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit and Dan Biggar available – or, for the current Six Nations, injured trio Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau – green shoots are evident.
Thomas added: “We have lost a lot of senior boys, which is always difficult, but I am enjoying trying to help the younger boys who haven’t had that experience yet.
“We have got a group of young boys who are listening, learning and working really hard, so there is a good energy about the place.
“It is such a fine margin in terms of getting those two games to be wins (Wales lost to Scotland and England by a combined margin of three points).
“Give us those two wins, and we are in a very good place.
“The amount of effort that has gone into those first two games, we are going to need the same again, but close the game off a little bit better as well.”
England are confident they have the composure to cope with any mind games played by Scotland in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash.
The rivals collide in round three of the Guinness Six Nations, with Gregor Townsend’s hosts aiming to continue their recent dominance of the fixture that reads three successive victories.
Adding to the challenge of facing one of the most talented sides in Scottish history is the hostile atmosphere awaiting England at Murrayfield.
England fly-half George Ford was targeted in the tunnel by Ryan Wilson in 2018, sparking a brawl when Owen Farrell intervened, and the team bus is customarily held up by bagpipers.
Other tactics used in the past to unsettle the ‘Auld Enemy’ have been turning off the hot water in the changing room and disruption to their warm-up by entertainers.
England are on alert for niggle during the build up to the match and on the pitch itself, but number eight Ben Earl is backing his side to take any Scottish machinations in their stride.
“There’s a resilience in us, for sure,” said Earl, who is set to continue in the back row when Steve Borthwick names his team on Thursday afternoon.
“There is a good group of experienced players in this team now – Jamie (George), George Ford, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, Ellis Genge. Those guys are all different characters, but they’ve seen all the curve balls in the past.
“And then you’ve also got a group of lads who might not have played a load of Test rugby but who have played a lot of club rugby in some great games and in some great stadiums.
“So I’d say the group, in terms of expectation, is probably as prepared as any to deal with anything that’s thrown at us.
“You have to love it. If you don’t love it, then you’re playing the wrong sport at the wrong level. I absolutely love it.
“We’ve certainly spoken about the kind of Scotland are, what a good team they are, how good they are at home.
“It’s a tough place to play and we’ve definitely touched upon the trend of results over the last three or four years.
“But in terms of motivating factors, that’s one of many that we’ve got. We know the journey that we’re on as a team, in terms of what we’re trying to grow and evolve into. And that’s as much of a motivating factor as playing those guys.”
In a groundbreaking moment for Caribbean motorsport, Jamaican race driver Chris 'Teach' McFarlane clinched victory in Round 1 of the 2024 Barbados National Autocross Championship at Bushy Park, steering an all-electric MG MG4 XPower.
The seismic shift came as the Barbados-domiciled ‘Teach’, known for his six consecutive Barbados championships in gas-powered machines, showcased the potential of electric racing, outperforming traditional rivals with a stock 430-hp electric SUV. The win signals a paradigm shift in the region's racing scene, challenging the status quo and setting the stage for a new era in Caribbean motorsports.
The competition, traditionally dominated by roaring petrol engines, witnessed Teach navigating the challenging autocross course in the stock 430-horsepower electric SUV. The crowd at Bushy Park was treated to the silent yet powerful hum of the MG as ‘Teach’ smoothly maneuvered the course without the aid of a handbrake, showcasing his adaptability and skill in embracing cutting-edge technology.
The victory challenges the established dominance of internal combustion engines, introducing the potential of electric vehicles to the forefront of racing in the region.
Further north, the Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) extended its congratulations to Teach McFarlane for this groundbreaking achievement.
The next autocross in the championship series scheduled for April 14th.
Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King will fly the flag for his upwardly-mobile stable in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh on Saturday.
The gelding had a successful campaign last season, winning two good handicap pots in both the Sky Bet Finale at York and the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket.
There was also a near-miss as the horse was narrowly outdone in the John Smith’s Cup on the Knavesmire in July, and at the end of the season he headed out to the Middle East to contest the Group Two Bahrain International Trophy.
The seven-year-old had a luckless passage through the race when trapped on the inside rail, but he still ran with credit in sixth and set a precedent for further travel after taking the journey in his stride.
With that in mind, his first start this year will be in the Neom Turf Cup at the Saudi Cup meeting, a race upgraded from Group Three to Group Two status and run for an exceptional prize fund of $2million.
Daniel Kubler reports the bay to have landed in the desert in good form and though his draw in stall 11 is less than ideal, he is still hopeful the horse will do the yard proud at the meeting.
“He travelled over to Saudi last Saturday and he seems to have travelled very well,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to it, I understand he’s been drawn in stall 11 and we would have preferred a bit lower but there’s not much we can do about it.
“We haven’t overly pushed him but we’re happy with how he’s trained going into it, his preparation has been pretty similar to when he went to Bahrain and we were pretty happy with how he ran there.
“He was a little bit unlucky with how the race panned out but hopefully he’ll have a bit more luck in running this time and he can come home with some prize-money – the money out there is pretty ridiculous!”
Luke Littler has dismissed as “crazy” predictions that he could be bigger than Phil Taylor.
The teenager has not only taken the darts world by storm but become a household name since his stunning run to the final of the World Championship as a 16-year-old in January.
Such has been his impact that Michael Smith, the current world number three, recently claimed Littler could go on to achieve even greater things than record 16-time world champion Taylor.
Littler, who turned 17 shortly after his headline-grabbing heroics at Alexandra Palace, told the PA news agency: “I don’t think anyone’s beating that record! It’s just crazy, crazy to think of me being bigger than Phil.
“I’ve said to many people I’ve not really set any goals. I just get on with it. I just have to throw my darts and see where they go.
“I’m still gobsmacked that I’m here, getting all these opportunities. I’m just taking it in my stride as I do.”
Littler has proved his World Championship performance was no flash in the pan, throwing nine-dart finishes on the way to tournament victories at the Bahrain Masters and Players Championship in Wigan.
He also now has a PDC tour card, a place in the Premier League and has risen to 30th in the world rankings.
The Warrington-based youngster has coped impressively with his whirlwind introduction to the sport at the elite level and is relishing competing against the best.
“I just love playing in front of a crowd,” said Littler, who signed a new multi-year partnership with Target Darts on Wednesday.
“I enjoy trying my best to put on a performance and I know I can play against the best. I’ve broken into the top 32, so hopefully I’m here for many years to come.”
Littler’s agreement with Target coincides with the launch of a new range of “The Nuke” products by the company, including darts sets designed, at affordable prices, for players new to the game.
Littler recognises the effect he has had on darts at grassroots level and hopes he can continue to encourage new people to take up the sport.
He said: “It’s just been crazy how many people have got into darts, and how many people have been in my local shop in St Helens. There’s been queues outside.
“I’m just glad to be a part of it all. Hopefully it gets more people involved.”
:: Luke Littler’s new “The Nuke” range, including his 2024 World Darts Championship Playing Shirt, is available to buy now at www.targetdarts.co.uk
Max Verstappen put Red Bull’s off-track troubles to one side by setting the pace in the opening testing session in Bahrain.
Red Bull’s preparations for the new campaign have been overshadowed by allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” against team principal Christian Horner.
Horner, who is in Bahrain for this week’s three-day test ahead of the opening round, also in the Gulf kingdom, on March 2, emphatically denies the accusations made by a female colleague.
Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races last season as he wrapped up his third world championship, and the Dutch driver laid down an early marker by topping the time charts in his heavily revised Red Bull.
The 26-year-old ended the running nearly seven tenths quicker than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in third, eight tenths back, and the only other driver within one second of Verstappen.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fourth, while George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, 1.68 secs off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton gets his first taste of the last Mercedes he will drive on Thursday ahead of his blockbuster switch to Ferrari next year.
Although headline times in testing have to be treated with a degree of caution – as the teams trial different fuel loads and tyre compounds – Verstappen appeared settled in the machine he hopes will carry him to a fourth consecutive title.
His lap count of 65 was more than a race distance in Bahrain. Alonso (77 laps) managed the most miles of the 10 drivers on track.
During a relatively trouble-free first session for the majority of the field, Alex Albon broke down in his Williams following a reliability failure with 20 minutes remaining.
The final four hours of the opening day begins at 1500 local time (1200GMT).
Clive Cox has the Qipco 2000 Guineas in mind as an early goal for his exciting unbeaten colt Ghostwriter.
The three-year-old is by Invincible Spirit and runs in the familiar purple and blue silks of Jeff Smith, whose most recent top-class performer was the multiple Group One winner Alcohol Free.
Ghostwriter made his debut at Newmarket in a July course maiden last August, prevailing by three and a half lengths over seven furlongs.
He then headed to Ascot for a novice event over the same trip, again winning comfortably when making the running and coming home a length and a quarter ahead of the runner-up.
His third and final outing of the season was on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket, where he stepped up in grade to contest the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes.
There he encountered some promising rivals, including the Ballydoyle contender Capulet – a Group Two runner-up ahead of the race having finished only half a length behind stablemate Diego Velazquez in the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.
Cox’s runner was well able to step up to the mark, however, succeeding by a length and a quarter in a taking run under Richard Kingscote.
Naturally that performance has brought the Classics into focus for connections, particularly now the bay is proven over the Rowley Mile – home of the 2000 Guineas in May.
“He’s done really well, he had a super break and he’s been back cantering for three or four weeks,” Cox said.
“We’re thrilled with the way he’s developed over the winter, he’s looking even stronger.
“We were delighted with the campaign we enjoyed with him last year and we’re all looking forward to this season.
“I’m very much hoping to go to the Guineas, the first week in May is uppermost in our minds.
“Especially with him winning on the track at Newmarket, on the July course, of course, but crucially the Rowley Mile.
“We would be very excited about him with those Classic races in mind.”
Igor Shesterkin made 17 of his 41 saves in a perfect third period and the New York Rangers beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 Tuesday to extend their winning streak to eight games.
Adam Fox, Kaapo Kakko and Vincent Trocheck each scored for the Rangers, who improved to 9-1-1 over their last 11 games.
New York (36-16-3) expanded their lead in the Metropolitan by defeating a fellow division leader. The Rangers’ current streak includes wins over contenders Dallas, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche.
Miro Heiskanen had the lone goal for the Stars (34-15-8), a second-period power play tally, despite Dallas carrying a 42-26 advantage in shots on goal.
MacKinnon, Avs win West showdown over Canucks
Nathan MacKinnon extended his home point streak, Ryan Johansen scored two goals to end his scoring slump and the Colorado Avalanche beat the NHL-leading Vancouver Canucks 3-1.
MacKinnon assisted on Artturi Lehkonen’s empty-net tally, giving him at least one point in each of Colorado’s 27 home games. MacKinnon pulled into a tie with Guy Lafleur (1979-80) for the seventh-longest home-point streak in league history.
J.T. Miller put the Canucks up 1-0 mid-way through the first period, but Colorado net-minder Alexandar Georgiev held up the rest of the way and finished with 24 saves.
Johansen lit the lamp for the first time since Dec. 29, tying the game early in the second period. He scored the game-winning goal 1:35 into the third period, putting the Avs up for good.
Colorado (35-18-4) picked up two points on the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars, while Vancouver (37-15-6) still leads the league despite a third straight regulation loss.
Panthers take over top spot in East
Anton Lundell scored at 1:36 of overtime to lift the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, their sixth consecutive victory.
The win catapulted the Panthers (37-15-4) ahead of the idle Boston Bruins for the top record in the Eastern Conference.
Florida led 2-0 at the second intermission with goals by Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, but Thomas Chabot and Tim Stuetzle scored in the third for Ottawa to even the score, setting up Lundell’s thrilling game-winner.
“It must have been one of the coolest moments in this building (for me) for sure,” Lundell said. “Out there in overtime, I just waited for my opportunity, got the puck, saw the short side was open, so I tried to pick the corner.”
Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers, who improved to an NHL-leading 19-3-2 since Dec. 23.
World number two Carlos Alcaraz has retired hurt after twisting his ankle in the first round of the Rio Open.
The two-time grand slam winner hurt his ankle after just two points while playing Brazilian Thiago Monteiro before the Spaniard went on to break his serve.
But just one game later, Alcaraz had his serve broken, shook Monteiro’s hand, and left the court shortly after, retiring from the match.
It comes a week after the 20-year-old lost to Chile’s Nicolas Jarry in the semi-finals of the Argentina Open.
After the match, world number 117 Monteiro said it was “strange” for an injury to occur so early in the match.
“On the court it didn’t look so serious, but then I saw it in the big screen and it was a bad twist,” he said.
“Now I can only cheer for him to recover. He is a star, a dominant one in the new generation.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan reeled off five frames in succession to beat Zhou Yuelong 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals of the Players Championship.
Competing for the first time since withdrawing from the Wales Open due to anxiety, O’Sullivan was far from his fluent best in the early stages but improved markedly after the interval in Telford.
The seven-time world champion produced a superb total clearance of 136 in the sixth frame, won the next after Zhou inexplicably missed a simple green and wrapped up the win with a run of 73.
O’Sullivan was in no mood to give any insight into his performance, however, telling ITV4: “I don’t assess my performances really, I make that a golden rule. Bit of match practice, take what I can from the tour and move on.
“I’m just trying to get away with playing as least as I can, I feel happier doing that.
“This is all icing on the cake for me, whatever I get off this tour. I’ve got my exhibitions, my ambassador work and that’s my main thing – I just fit in a few tournaments around that.”
Mark Allen earlier made three consecutive centuries, including a tournament record 146, on his way to an impressive 6-3 win over three-time world champion Mark Williams.
Allen followed his 146 in the opening frame with breaks of 112 and 102, restricting Williams to a solitary point in the process, and also made breaks of 94, 70 and 68 to ease into the quarter-finals.
“Any win against Mark is a good win, but to play like that and score like that, that’s what I needed because I haven’t been doing that much,” Allen told ITV4.
“I’m not going to go into it, but I am trying something a bit different this week so we’ll see if it works. It is a timing issue that I feel like I’ve had in recent months so the technical change I’ve made I’m hoping will correct that.
“I started the match as good as you could with three centuries and disappointed not to make four, but that’s the way you need to play.
“I lost a few (against Mark) early on when I first turned pro and I think that’s nine of the last 10 I’ve won now so maybe that’s in his head a little bit as well.”
Allen will play Gary Wilson in the quarter-finals after he came from 2-0 down to beat Hossein Vafaei 6-4, the Welsh Open winner sealing victory with a break of 95.
Ali Carter will take on Judd Trump after breaks of 116, 97, 66 and 69 helped secure a 6-2 victory over Tom Ford.
England are considering unleashing Manu Tuilagi against Scotland amid a warning from Kevin Sinfield that the midfield powerhouse remains a potent force.
Tuilagi is in contention to make his first appearance of the Guinness Six Nations at Murrayfield on Saturday, having been sidelined since December because of a groin tear.
It is the latest of many injury setbacks for the 32-year-old Sale Sharks centre, who broke his hand twice at last autumn’s World Cup, ruling him out of the start of the club season.
Tuilagi’s return would provide the ball-carrying muscle missing from England’s back line – Ollie Lawrence is also an option for the role – and Sinfield insists he still has plenty to offer the national side.
“I would say this without any doubt – don’t write him off yet,” the assistant coach said.
“He’s still got some really good years ahead of him and he’s very much a big part of how we move forward and what we are doing here.
“When you play like he has done for so long, and you are so physical, it is inevitable that at some point in your career you will have a run of injuries.
“What you find with the powerful-type guys, one injury tends to lead into another.”
Also back in contention for the pivotal round-three encounter in Edinburgh is George Martin, the star of England’s heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeat to South Africa who is fully fit after tweaking his knee.
The 22-year-old enforcer, who can operate at lock or blindside flanker, stood toe to toe with the Springboks and his physicality will be a valuable asset against Scotland.
“Big. Physical. Aggressive. Great ball carrier and he’s one of our better defenders,” Sinfield said.
“In the semi-final he really stood out on the international stage against some of the biggest, nastiest, most aggressive forwards in the world. He was in and amongst it.
“If selected I have no doubt he’ll leave a mark on somebody. He’s already a top player, but he’s going to get better and better.”
England have won only one of their last six meetings with Scotland and visit Murrayfield knowing it is the most hostile of all opposition venues for Red Rose teams.
Fly-half George Ford has braced his side for a “niggly game” – he was targeted in the tunnel by Scotland number eight Ryan Wilson in 2018, sparking a brawl with Owen Farrell – and Sinfield insists frayed tempers are inevitable.
“There’s certainly going to be some niggle. When you’ve got two angry, nasty forward packs wanting to go at each other, there will be some niggle,” he said.
“It’s a Test match, there’s a lot at stake and we haven’t won against them for a number of years, so no doubt there’ll be some niggle.
“There will be some bits thrown at us over the next couple of days that we haven’t planned for or we haven’t quite expected.
“But that’s the nature of being in top-level sport and we meed to make the best of some of the circumstances we are faced with.
“The history is important for us to understand but it won’t change anything – we’re not going up there with any fear.
“We know how dangerous they are, we know they’re a good team, we know they’ve got some great players. But so have we.”
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