Dashel Drasher could make his next start over fences after a hurdling comeback at Wetherby.
The popular 10-year-old has switched between the two divisions throughout the last few seasons and has enjoyed plenty of success over both types of obstacles.
He was second to Grand National winner Noble Yeats in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree last December and was then runner-up in a trio of high-quality Cheltenham hurdles, culminating in the Grade One Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival, where he was beaten only three-quarters of a length by Sire Du Berlais.
Jeremy Scott’s charge started the new season at Wetherby this month, contesting the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle and starting as the 7-4 joint-favourite under Rex Dingle.
He led for much of the way and showed plenty of vim, only fading approaching the last and eventually finishing third behind Botox Has and Red Risk.
A switch to chasing could be next on the agenda, with the 1965 Chase at Ascot under consideration if the gelding is ready to go again at the end of the month.
“He’s really well, he probably just got a bit stuck in the mud the other day, maybe it’s just age catching up with him as well,” Scott said of the Wetherby run.
“He’s certainly come out of the race really well and there is a chase at Ascot in a few weeks’ time which is a possibility, but it is quite difficult finding races for him.
“I was very much thinking we’d play it by ear, I’d like to run him back over fences because I think he was just as effective over them.
“It would be nice to find a Grade Two that we could run him in but they’ve taken a lot of them away, last year we ran in the Many Clouds but they’ve taken that away, so it’s difficult to find him somewhere to go unless you run in a handicap.
“He’s never lacking for will, he’s always just a bit stuffy on his first run but I’m very happy with the way he’s come out of the race and we’re just hunting around for the next plan.
“We’ll see how he is when we start doing some proper work – and if we can go to Ascot, that would be great.”
Michael Malone has agreed to a new contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to reports.
Malone has spent the last eight seasons with Denver, who – along with the help of talisman Nikola Jokic – he guided to the NBA championship last season.
And the two-time NBA All-Star coach is now being rewarded with a new deal.
The 52-year-old has agreed to a contract extension that will make him one of the league's highest-paid coaches.
Malone took over in Denver in 2015 following a stint in charge of the Sacramento Kings, where he took up his first head coaching role.
He is the fourth-longest-serving coach in the NBA, and has coached the Nuggets for 647 games – trailing only Doug Moe and George Karl in that regard.
Despite losing to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, the Nuggets top the Western Conference with an 8-2 record.
The Edmonton Oilers struck for three third-period goals to come through with a 4-1 victory over the slumping New York Islanders on Monday to win Kris Knoublach's first game as head coach.
Knoublach was hired Sunday after Edmonton dismissed Jay Woodcroft following a 3-9-1 start for a team that had won a playoff series in each of the previous two seasons.
The Oilers moved ahead on a pair of power-play goals that came nearly two minutes apart in the third. Zach Hyman put Edmonton up 2-1 with 7:35 elapsed in the period, and Connor McDavid scored off a feed from Leon Draisaitl soon afterward to extend the margin to 3-1.
Draisaitl finished with a goal and three assists to back 32 saves from Stuart Skinner, while Evander Kane had the Oilers' final goal with an empty-net tally with 2:27 left.
The Islanders' lone goal came just 40 seconds in when Mathew Barzal scored off an Edmonton giveaway. Draisaitl would tie it later in the first period with his sixth goal of the season.
Ilya Sorokin stopped 28 of 31 shots for New York, which has lost four straight games in regulation and is 0-4-1 in its last five.
Avalanche rout Kraken for Bednar's 300th win
Mikko Rantanen and Cale Maker each had a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche pulled away for a 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken to give head coach Jared Bednar his 300th career victory.
Ross Colton, Jonathan Drouin and Valeri Nichushkin also had goals for Colorado, which scored three times during a dominant third period in which it outshot Seattle by a 12-1 margin. Nathan MacKinnon recorded three assists to help the Avalanche snap a two-game losing streak.
Colorado trailed 1-0 before Rantanen and Colton scored just over two minutes apart in the second period, and Makar increased the lead to 3-1 with just over four minutes elapsed in the third.
Brandon Tanev scored 6:13 into the contest for Seattle's lone goal. Joey Daccord made 26 saves in the Kraken's fourth loss in five games.
Alexander Georgiev finished with 18 saves for Colorado.
Jayson Tatum scored 17 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics pulled away from the New York Knicks and earn a 114-98 win on Monday in a matchup of Atlantic Division rivals.
The Celtics outscored New York by a 62-45 margin in the second half en route to their third straight win, though the outcome was in doubt until Boston put together a pivotal run late in the third quarter.
Boston took control with a 12-2 spurt, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Sam Hauser and Jrue Holiday, and turned a 72-72 deadlock into a comfortable 84-74 lead with the third quarter nearing an end.
Tatum then helped seal the victory by going 6 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Brown added 22 points and six assists for the Celtics, while former Knick Kristaps Porzingis had 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting against his ex-team.
The Knicks had a three-game winning streak snapped and played without leading scorer RJ Barrett due to a migraine. Jalen Brunson paced New York with 26 points and Julius Randle had 25 along with nine rebounds.
Antetokounmpo stars as Bucks beat Bulls to end brief skid
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 35 points and 11 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks got back on the winning track with a 118-109 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Bobby Portis also registered a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds off the bench to help the Bucks bounce back from consecutive road losses to Indiana and Orlando, games in which Milwaukee was without star guard Damian Lillard due to a calf injury.
Lillard returned Monday but shot just 3 of 17 from the field while finishing with 12 points and five assists.
Chicago rallied from a 35-18 deficit after one quarter to take a 70-69 lead with 4 1/2 minutes to go in the third. The Bucks responded with a 12-0 run, however, that Antetokounmpo capped with a running dunk that put Milwaukee back up by double digits with under two minutes left in the period.
Antetokounmpo then scored 14 points in the fourth as the Bucks built a lead as large as 17 points late.
Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine added 20 points but went just 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
Fox returns, helps Kings top Cavaliers for Brown's 400th win
De'Aaron Fox had 28 points and six assists in his return to help the surging Sacramento Kings give head coach Mike Brown his 400th career victory with a 132-120 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Fox finished 11 of 20 from the field and had just one turnover in 36 minutes in his first outing since missing two weeks with a sprained right ankle. The 2022-23 All-Star was part of a balanced attack for Sacramento, which also received 25 points from Keegan Murray and 23 points and 10 rebounds from Domantas Sabonis.
Kevin Huerter went 6 of 9 from 3-point range in Sacramento's third straight win.
Brown improved to 400-254 for his career, with the majority of those wins coming in two stints as the Cavaliers' head coach. He directed Cleveland from 2005-10 and again in 2013-14.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland, which trailed most of the game and was down by a 110-89 margin after three quarters, with 22 points. Caris LeVert added 21 points and Evan Mobley had 16 along with 12 rebounds.
Sebastian Vettel rewrote the record books on this day in 2010 after clinching the Formula One drivers’ championship by winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The German’s success in the season-ending finale saw him claim the mantle of the youngest world champion in F1 history.
Vettel took the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi for his fifth victory of the year, and with title rival Fernando Alonso a distant seventh in his Ferrari, it allowed the the Red Bull driver to make sure of his place in the record books.
At 23 years and 135 days, Vettel beat the mark of Lewis Hamilton – who finished second in Abu Dhabi ahead of McLaren team-mate and outgoing world champion Jenson Button – by 166 days.
It guaranteed Vettel the title by four points from Alonso, with Red Bull completing a championship double after winning the constructors’ crown a week previously in Brazil.
Vettel was clearly in tears on his slow-down lap as he attempted to speak over the in-car radio, with team principal Christian Horner proclaiming: “Sebastian Vettel you are the world champion!”
Vettel would go on to win four successive Formula One world titles before seeing his reign ended by Hamilton in 2014.
Kicker Wil Lutz made the most of a second chance at the game-winning field goal as the Denver Broncos continued their revival with a 24-22 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Lutz, who had earlier hit an upright with an extra point and had another attempt foiled by a poor snap, missed from 41 yards with four seconds on the clock.
But the Bills were penalised for having too many players on the field – the second infringement of the drive – and Lutz made no mistake from five yards closer.
The win was the Broncos third in a row and fourth in the six games since conceding 70 points to Mami.
Lutz’s kick came less than two minutes after the Bills had taken the lead for the first time in the game, Josh Allen’s six-yard touchdown run putting them 22-21 ahead.
Allen had earlier thrown a 22-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid with Latavius Murray going over from three yards, Russell Wilson connecting with Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams for a Broncos touchdown in each half.
The winning field goal to end the match followed an NFL record five games in one day being decided by the final kick on Sunday.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson were unanimous winners of Major League Baseball's 2023 Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year awards, which were announced Monday.
Carroll is the first player in Diamondbacks history to win the National League honour. Henderson is the seventh Orioles player to take home the American League award, but the first since pitcher Gregg Olson in 1989.
Both players received 30 first-place votes in balloting from selected members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Carroll was instrumental to the Diamondbacks' surprising 2023 campaign that culminated in the club's first playoff appearance since 2017 and the second World Series trip in franchise history. The speedster produced 25 home runs and 54 stolen bases to become the first rookie with at least 25 homers and 50 steals in a season, and also recorded 116 runs scored, 76 RBIs and a .285 average in 155 regular-season games.
The 23-year-old delivered a solid postseason as well, batting .273 with two homers, 10 RBIs and five stolen bases in 17 games to help Arizona capture its first NL pennant since 2001.
Henderson also played a key role in his team's unexpected success in 2023, as he led all AL rookies in home runs (28), RBIs (82) and runs scored (100) to help the Orioles to an AL-best 101-61 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 2016. The 22-year-old overcame a slow start to hit .276 with 23 homers, 68 RBIs and an .856 OPS from June 1 on.
A second-round pick of Baltimore in the 2019 draft, Henderson also finished second among AL players with nine triples and ended the season with a .255 average, 10 stolen bases and an .814 OPS in 150 games. He was named the AL's Silver Slugger recipient as a utility player as well after splitting his time between shortstop and third base.
New York Mets pitcher and former Japanese league star Kodai Senga placed second in NL voting with 22 second-place votes and 71 points, with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman, Colorado Rockies outfielder Nolan Jones and Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McClain finishing third through fifth.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee finished second behind Henderson in voting with 20 second-place votes and 67 points. Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas was third with 25 points, with Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung and Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz rounding out the top five.
Former Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis has emerged as a newly elected member of the Panam Sports Athlete Commission. The announcement came during a meeting held at the Games, where athletes had the crucial task of choosing representatives from eight candidates over the course of the 22-day event.
Her selection came in part through tireless work behind the scenes from the Jamaica Gymnastics Association, who lobbied on the basis that Francis, who competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has the ability to make significant impact on the careers of athletes from the Pan American region.
Expressing her excitement about this new responsibility, Francis, currently on vacation in Kenya, conveyed her enthusiasm for contributing to the betterment of sports and her adopted country. "I am very excited as sports and Jamaica have done so much for me, so to be able to contribute to a better future is a great opportunity to give back," she shared.
With a sense of gratitude for the opportunities she has received from the world of sports, Francis sees this role as a chance to make a positive impact on the future of athletics. "I have huge aspirations; however, I need to enter discussions and form my objectives from that," she added.
Despite being miles away on vacation, Francis is already planning her immediate steps upon her return from Kenya. She emphasized her commitment to reaching out to Jamaican athletes who have valuable opinions and contributions for the commission. "Once I'm back from Kenya next week, I will find out what the best way to get in touch with Jamaican athletes who have opinions and anything to bring to the commission is," she stated.
Francis is keen on fostering collaboration and ensuring that the voices of Jamaican athletes are heard within the commission. "When the first commission meeting will be, I will base it off that," she affirmed, highlighting her dedication to actively engage with her fellow athletes and make a meaningful impact through her role in the Panam Sports Athlete Commission.
Emma Raducanu will miss her scheduled comeback event in Macau next month.
The former US Open champion, who turned 21 on Monday, has not played since April after undergoing operations on both wrists and one ankle.
Having initially hoped to return to the WTA Tour in the autumn, Raducanu then set her sights on the exhibition Macau Tennis Masters event from December 2-3.
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But organisers confirmed their line-up has changed because of injury, with Raducanu no longer among the players on show.
Now down at 289 in the world but able to play under a protected ranking when she returns owing to her extended absence, Raducanu is now targeting the beginning of next season for her comeback.
She has stepped up her training in recent weeks at the National Tennis Centre in London both in the gym and on court, and spoke last month of her enthusiasm for returning to the circuit.
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“I think the biggest thing from the last few months was how much I missed the sport,” she told BBC Radio 4.
“I think that was the standout thing – how much I missed training, how much I missed my body hurting and feeling tired and dragging yourself through certain exercises when you don’t feel like it.”
Raducanu remains without a coach having split from Sebastian Sachs at the beginning of June and is currently working with Lawn Tennis Association staff.
William Buick is keen to get his hands on the Bahrain International Trophy for the first time as his mount Nations Pride bids to give Godolphin further success in the $1million contest.
It was Saeed bin Suroor’s Dubai Future who led home a one-two for Sheikh Mohammed’s racing operation 12 months ago and he is joined in the final field by stablemate Real World this time.
However, it is Charlie Appleby’s Nations Pride that sets the standard following big-race victories at Munich and Woodbine this season and Godolphin number one jockey Buick has elected to partner the four-year-old over fellow Moulton Paddocks candidate Highland Avenue.
Buick said: “Nations Pride is a very good horse. He was a classy three-year-old and went into the 2021 Derby as a genuine contender, but on the day he probably didn’t stay.
“But he has always been held in high regard and he has performed really well since.
“When he won the Group One in Germany, he gave me a really good feel. He beat the German Derby winner in good style. Then, last time out in Canada, the soft ground was not to his liking, but he still won.
“He’s a very straightforward horse to ride. I have not had much luck in the race previously but this fella is different, he’s a mile and quarter specialist and I think he is a real good candidate.
“Nations Pride is the best chance I have had in the Bahrain International Trophy but it is a strong line-up, a really competitive field, and on good, fast ground, you are going to need to have the margins in your favour.”
There is further Godolphin representation provided by Andre Fabre’s Birr Castle, while Andreas Schutz’s French 2000 Guineas hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi also represents France in a race that has a truly international feel.
Aidan O’Brien is poised to saddle Point Lonsdale in a contest that this year carries Group Two status for the first time, with Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve and Noel Meade’s Layfayette other Irish challengers.
John and Thady Gosden’s Israr, Daniel and Claire Kubler’s Astro King and Richard Fahey’s Spirit Dancer are also set to line up for the fifth running of the contest at the Sakhir Racecourse.
A bruised foot has scuppered hopes of Tommy’s Oscar lining up in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday, with a trip to Ireland over the Christmas period a possibility providing he returns to full fitness in good time.
Ann and Ian Hamilton’s stable star made a brilliant return to action when giving weight and a beating to his rivals at Kelso last month and then wasn’t disgraced when stepping up in trip at Aintree for the Old Roan Chase, where he finished a valiant fourth.
With connections still not convinced he truly stays the two-and-a-half miles and minimal options being available back down in trip, Tommy’s Oscar was poised to take on a cast that could include Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon at Prestbury Park before injury struck.
“He was supposed to go to Cheltenham, but he has a bruised foot,” said owner Ian Hamilton.
“He gets them all the time and it is what curtailed his season last season, so it will be a bit before he runs, but there’s not many races for him anyway. That’s the only race there was for him because he’s a two-miler.”
A lack of suitable races has seen the Hamiltons toying with the idea of a trip to Leopardstown on December 27 for the two-mile Grade One event that Nicky Richards’ Simply Ned claimed in 2017 and 2018.
For that tentative plan to come to fruition, Tommy’s Oscar will need to both overcome his foot injury and have time to squeeze in a tune-up run, which could come in the Peterborough Chase on December 10 if conditions are suitable.
“Ann was thinking of going to Huntingdon but that is two-and-a-half and he doesn’t stay, but we will have to see. If it was fast ground, then fair enough,” continued Hamilton.
“We were thinking about going to Ireland for the one Simply Ned won at Leopardstown, but he needs a run before that if his foot comes right.
“There are no two-mile chases in the north, apart from the odd handicap like the one he won at Kelso. That’s why we ran him at Aintree and at two miles he was playing with them, but he just didn’t get home.”
Kerry Lee is respectful of the opposition as Nemean Lion remains on track for the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham but reports her charge in fine spirits.
The six-year-old is among the favourites and a 6-1 chance with the sponsors for the prestigious handicap, having backed up some smart novice hurdles form with a win in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on his reappearance.
That victory means Nemean Lion will have to carry top-weight at Prestbury Park but although his handler is not one for bullish predictions, she has been delighted with her charge since his return to action last month.
Lee said: “He’s been amazing, really good. I think he had a harder run than we first thought (at Ffos Las), but he has bounced back well and I’ve been really happy with his work the last week and fingers crossed he can continue to improve and progress.
“I will never say I’m confident and we always go with hope rather than confidence. The Kelso form is there to be respected, but there is lots of other good horses in the race with decent form as well themselves.
“It’s a hot race and there is no way you can go into it with any confidence and expectation, we’ll just go there, give it a crack and hope for the best.”
Nemean Lion is one of 18 confirmed for Sunday’s contest, with Dan Skelton’s recent Ascot winner Knickerbockerglory and stablemate L’Eau Du Sud, as well as Nicky Henderson’s Luccia, among those towards the head of the sponsor’s betting.
Unibet have Irish raider Onlyamatteroftime as their market leader, with the seven-year-old set to make his first start for Willie Mullins, while recent track-and-trip winner Lookaway and last year’s runner-up Gin Coco are other notable names among the list of possibles.
Jonbon is the headline attraction in the supporting Shloer Chase, which has attracted a maximum field of six.
Nicky Henderson’s star chaser stepped out of novice company to win Sandown’s Celebration Chase in the spring but could face a sterner examination here, with former Arkle winner Edwardstone and fellow 2022 Cheltenham Festival scorer Banbridge both joining defending champion Nube Negra among the potential runners.
Gary Moore’s Clarence House Chase winner Editeur Du Gite and Henry de Bromhead’s recent track-and-trip victor Dancing On My Own complete the entries.
Tyrese Maxey said his career-high points total was for his Philadelphia Sixers teammate Kelly Oubre Jr.
Maxey had 50 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Sunday's 137-126 victory over the Indian Pacers, as the Sixers moved to 8-1 for the season.
The Sixers won the game without Oubre Jr, who was struck by a vehicle on Saturday. The 27-year-old suffered a fractured rib, and is set to miss a significant amount of the season.
And Maxey, who has become a regular starter following James Harden's move to the Los Angeles Clippers, paid tribute to his teammate following his game-winning turn against the Pacers.
"This had nothing to do with me," Maxey said. "This is all Kelly Oubre. We're praying for him. Love my dawg [sic]. I just met him, but I love him. I hope he gets well soon."
Maxey added that reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid had been pushing for him to score big.
"Joel wanted me to get 50 more than even I did," Maxey quipped.
"When he gave me the ball, he said, 'You are going to shoot this basketball.' And that's why I appreciate my teammates, my coaches and the fans. It was a great night and we got the win, which is what matters most."
The 76ers have made their best start to a season since 2000-01.
"We are playing together and trusting each other," Embiid said.
"It may look like we didn't play defense tonight, but [Indiana] plays so fast, it's incredible with the pace. So they are going to score a lot, but we just competed. We lowered our guard for a bit, but we had Tyrese to help close it out."
On Oubre Jr, Embiid added: "The game today, I'm sure Tyrese was thinking about it and we were all thinking about it.
"We just want [Oubre] to take his time, recover and know that we have his back. He's needed because he's a big part of us. We missed him tonight, but he should take his time."
Harry Derham will work back from the Cheltenham Festival with Queens Gamble following her successful reappearance at Kempton on Monday.
The five-year-old was hugely impressive in winning twice in the bumper sphere at Cheltenham for Oliver Sherwood, who subsequently retired from the training ranks and became Derham’s assistant.
Queens Gamble disappointed in the Champion Bumper in March but bounced back with a debut win over hurdles at Warwick in May before being given a summer break and switching stables.
Jonathan Burke’s mount was an 8-13 favourite to make a winning return in the Watch Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle and was not hard pressed to score by two and a quarter lengths from Classic King.
Derham said: “That was good and she is obviously a good mare. I’m always nervous when you bring a horse to the races that is not fully wound up that it will catch them out. Johnny (Burke) and I said last night if she is as good as we hope then she won’t need to be fully wound up today.
“Today she was much better jumping. Oliver will tell you himself that before that run at Warwick she hadn’t had the best prep, as she hadn’t been out on the grass as it was a bit quick, but her jumping won’t be an issue.
“She jumped really nicely today and over the last two, when Johnny asked her to lengthen, she jumped very well. She is a high-class mare that is professional and she went about it spot-on.”
Paddy Power trimmed Queens Gamble’s odds for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival to 14-1 from 16-1 and Derham confirmed that Grade Two contest will be her ultimate target.
He added: “A day in March is the time we need to have her right, as the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival will be absolutely made for her. She has won at Cheltenham before, so we just need to plot our way there.
“I wouldn’t want to over-race her beforehand so I will speak to her owners and make a plan.”
Derham doubled up with the Paul O’Brien-ridden 2-1 favourite Dargiannini in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson’s East India Express impressed in the Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle.
The Milan gelding was a 10-11 shot to supplement a debut success in a bumper at this venue in February and eased five lengths clear of his rivals in the hands of Nico de Boinville.
Henderson said: “I tried to get him ready for the Newbury bumper after he won here, however after that he coughed and coughed for months and I couldn’t get him out again.
“It has taken a bit of work to get him there. He wouldn’t show you anything at home and that is why he was probably the second string here last time.
“He has a lovely temperament and a lovely attitude to it, but he is only a baby as he is only four years old.
“He jumped really well. We have all had to work a little bit hard on his jumping and it wasn’t the most natural thing to him, but he has got the hang of the last few weeks and he was very good out there. I went this trip just to give him a little more time to work it out.
“I think he is too young to go further, and he is not quick enough to come back in trip. So, a good old Henderson tactic is if you don’t know what to do, just stick in the middle!”
Injured Jockeys Fund president Sir Anthony McCoy and vice-president Jack Berry have issued a joint-statement underlining the organisation’s support for Graham Lee, however long his recuperation takes.
McCoy shared the weighing room with Lee during the 47-year-old’s first part of his career, during which he was a Grand National-winning jump jockey.
Lee then turned his attentions the Flat, where he won an Ascot Gold Cup on Trip To Paris and the Nunthorpe on Alpha Delphini.
It emerged on Sunday that the injuries Lee suffered in a fall at Newcastle on Friday were very serious, with an MRI scan showing an unstable cervical fracture which was causing damage to his spinal cord.
The statement read: “Like everyone in racing, we at the Injured Jockeys Fund are all devastated with the news of the injuries Graham Lee sustained from his horrific fall at Newcastle on Friday.
“All our thoughts are with Graham, his wife Becky, and their family.
“As bad as Graham’s injuries are, please do rest assured that our team at the IJF will look after his needs to assist him in his recovery and predicament for as long as it takes.
“Whatever help he and his family needs, we will be there to provide it.”
Julie Harrington, the chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, also sent her best wishes.
She said: “We are shocked to hear the distressing news regarding the injuries suffered by Graham Lee. Our thoughts are with his family and friends and the whole sport is praying for one of its finest ambassadors.
“We are doing everything we can to support Graham and his family, and we ask that everyone respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Wednesday’s meeting at Bangor has become the latest victim of Storm Debi, with officials left with no option but to call off the course’s most high-profile fixture of the season due to a waterlogged track.
The Wrexham circuit was due to stage a seven-race card featuring the Listed Yorton’s “Postponed” Mares’ Novices’ Chase and a handful of competitive handicaps.
But with Storm Debi bringing significant rainfall, there is now standing water on parts of the course and, with no prospect of sufficient improvement, the meeting has been abandoned.
Carlisle’s Monday fixture and a quality card at Fairyhouse on Tuesday also fell to the wet and wild weather that is sweeping across Britain and Ireland.
Fairyhouse was set to play host to the chasing debut of the top-class Gaelic Warrior, but torrential rain overnight has left the course unraceable.
Uttoxeter, which has been unable to host any racing since October 8, is hoping to stage an all-hurdle card on Saturday after an inspection of its chase track concluded that the two races over fences would be unable to take place.
The news that Auguste Rodin will remain in training as a four-year-old has prompted much excitement, but he will need to buck a worrying trend to justify that brave decision.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge is set to become the sixth straight Derby winner from Epsom to race on the following season – and things have not exactly worked out well for the previous five.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how those Classic victors fared:
DESERT CROWN
Sir Michael Stoute’s charge was a classy scorer at Epsom last year but failed to reappear that season due to injury setbacks. He made a promising return to action the following May when going down by just half a length to Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown but then struggled to stay sound again and was sadly put down after fracturing a fetlock on the gallops.
ADAYAR
Godolphin’s son of Frankel stayed on strongly to romp home by four and a half lengths in the 2021 blue riband event at 16-1 and followed up with victory in the King George at Ascot becoming the first since Galileo to do the double. However, he could only land a low-key Doncaster conditions race at four before finishing second in the Champion Stakes. At five, Adayar won the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes at Newmarket but was then third in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and was beaten at 1-3 in Group Two company at Newmarket on his final start before retirement.
SERPENTINE
Aidan O’Brien’s Galileo colt sprang a 25-1 surprise in the 2020 Derby and his subsequent exploits have certainly suggested that was a flash in the pan. After finishing well beaten in three starts at four, he was gelded and sent to Australia, where he has failed to win in 12 outings. Although placed three times in Group-class company, Serpentine has been tailed off in both of his attempts at Melbourne Cup glory.
ANTHONY VAN DYCK
Another Ballydoyle charge who showed plenty of spirit to prevail at Epsom in 2019 but that proved to be his sole Group One success. His four-year-old campaign began brightly enough with second place behind Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup but he was a disappointing favourite in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot. The son of Galileo did do well to edge out Stradivarius in the Group Two Prix Foy at Longchamp and only went down by a head in the 18-runner Caulfield Cup in Australia, but he was then fatally injured during the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
MASAR
Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin colt stayed on strongly to land the 2018 Derby at 16-1 but injury problems then kept him off the track for 385 days. When he returned to action at four, the son of New Approach was a moderate fifth in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot and then finished last of six at Group Two level at Newmarket before being sent to stud.
Trainer Richard Hobson is confident he has his stable star Fugitif “spot-on” for Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The eight-year-old may have only managed a solitary victory in testing conditions at Chepstow last season, but he did also finish second three times at Prestbury Park, including when chasing home Seddon at the Festival in March.
Fugitif will make his reappearance 22lb higher in the weights than when filling the runner-up spot at this meeting 12 months ago, but Hobson believes he is better than ever and did not feel it necessary to give him a prep run ahead of his latest bid for big-race glory.
He said: “Fugitif is in good shape. He’ll have his final bit of work tomorrow (Tuesday), he’ll have a pop (over fences) on Thursday and as long as that all goes smoothly we’re all set for Saturday.
“We decided we’d go straight there. I was thinking he was going to get there too soon fitness-wise, but actually he’ll just be spot-on.
“He ran lovely over two miles first time out last season and wouldn’t have been as fit as he is this time round, but he’s gone up a few pounds since then.”
On the prospect of potentially encountering testing conditions this weekend, Hobson added: “The wetter the better for him – you saw him at Chepstow last year. I think it’s just going to be nice, soft ground and that will be fine.
“He’s a strong horse and not far off 18 hands. He’s a weight carrier, he’s improved through the summer and he’s got a beautiful weight (11st 5lb) – I could nearly ride him myself!”
Fugitif is one of 17 horses in contention for the Paddy Power Gold Cup following Monday’s confirmation stage, with ante-post favourite Stage Star and top-weight The Real Whacker also still in the mix.
Stage Star won twice at Cheltenham last term, including the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival, and he is well fancied to provide champion trainer Paul Nicholls with a third victory in this weekend’s feature handicap following the previous triumphs of Al Ferof (2012) and Caid Du Berlais (2014).
The Real Whacker is also a Festival hero, having edged out Gerri Colombe in a thrilling Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in March, taking his course record to three from three over fences for Patrick Neville.
The seven-year-old will, though, have to concede upwards of 7lb to each of his rivals on Saturday under the welter burden of 12 stone.
Dan Skelton will have high hopes for Unexpected Party, who unlike many of his major rivals does have the benefit of a recent run, having made an impressive return at Chepstow last month.
Laura Morgan’s pair of Notlongtillmay and Whistleinthedark, the Sam Thomas-trained Angels Breath and Authorized Art from the Willie Mullins yard have also stood their ground.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has claimed he could be back in action as early as December, according to reports.
Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP, has been out since he tore his Achilles tendon while making his Jets debut on Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.
The 39-year-old has since undergone a surgical procedure known as a "speed bridge", as he looks to quicken up his recovery.
And according to NBC's Melissa Stark, Rodgers could be back in action in time for the playoffs.
"I know it sounds insane but you do a good surgery, you have a good patient, it makes this possible," Rodgers told Stark.
The Jets are 4-5 for the season following a 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
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