Shohei Ohtani was listed second on the Los Angeles Angels’ lineup card and slotted as the designated hitter Friday against the New York Mets despite his serious elbow injury.

Ohtani was removed from the mound in Wednesday’s start against the Cincinnati Reds after 26 pitches, and the Angels announced after the game that he will not pitch again this season due to a torn ligament in his right elbow.

Ohtani previously had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after the 2018 season. The two-way superstar will seek a second medical opinion before making a decision regarding another potential surgery that would surely affect his upcoming free agency this offseason.

Until Ohtani’s recovery plan is set, the major-league home run leader plans to continue playing as a designated hitter.

“He’s going to play. So, as far as a second opinion goes, they’re still working on that,” general manager Perry Minasian told reporters. “Him and his representation are going to come up with a plan but as we sit here today, he’s going to play until he tells us he’s not.”

Ohtani finishes the year as a pitcher with a 10-5 record and an ERA of 3.14 with 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.

Ohtani is batting .304 with a 1.069 OPS, and his 44 home runs are two shy of his career high.

Star teammate Mike Trout returned to the injured list Friday as he continues to recover from a fractured bone in his left wrist.

Trout returned from a 38-game absence to go 1 for 4 on Tuesday but has not played since due to lingering soreness.

Robert Helenius failed a pre-fight drugs test prior to his recent heavyweight fight with former world champion Anthony Joshua, it has been revealed.

The 39-year-old Finn, knocked out by Joshua in the seventh round at London’s O2 Arena on August 12, had stepped in as a late replacement for Dillian Whyte, who had failed a drugs test himself.

Fight promoter Matchroom Boxing confirmed in a statement on Twitter that Helenius had “returned an adverse analytical finding” after being voluntarily tested on August 11.

Matchroom Boxing said: “Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has informed Matchroom and the British Boxing Board of Control that Robert Helenius has returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a random anti-doping protocol.

“Helenius was voluntarily tested on Friday, 11 August before the heavyweight fighter’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in London on Saturday, 12 August. The result was made known to Matchroom today.

“Matchroom defers to the relevant regulatory authorities on next steps. We vehemently continue to support voluntary anti-doping testing. We are committed to promoting a clean and fair sport for all athletes.”

Joshua had been scheduled to fight British rival Whyte at the O2 Arena on August 12 before the latter returned an adverse finding from a doping test.

Whyte later said he was “shocked and devastated” to learn of VADA’s findings and intended to prove his innocence.

Lando Norris said Max Verstappen’s dominance should not be taken for granted, hailing the Red Bull star as one of the greatest Formula One drivers that has ever lived.

Verstappen has won 10 of the 12 rounds so far and he will match Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive victories if, as widely expected, he triumphs again in front of 105,000 supporters at his home race in the Netherlands on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has starred since F1’s regulations were overhauled at the start of last season, with his comfortable victory at the concluding round before the break in Belgium his 19th from his last 23 outings.

He is a staggering 125 points clear in the standings as he closes in on a hat-trick of titles.

But it has been suggested that Verstappen’s reign in his all-conquering Red Bull machine – akin to Michael Schumacher’s emphatic dominance for Ferrari at the turn of the century – has been a turn-off for the sport’s booming fanbase.

However, McLaren’s Norris, a close friend of Verstappen’s, said: “We should definitely enjoy witnessing something like this. That’s better then just complaining because he’s doing so well.

“Of course, it would be nice to see him battle a bit more and work for a living more, but he proved enough of that when he raced Lewis (Hamilton) for the championship in 2021.

“He showed what a fighter he is and I can say without doubt that he is easily one of the best drivers ever. We shouldn’t take him for granted.”

In the build-up to this weekend’s event, Lewis Hamilton raised the prospect that Verstappen could win the 10 concluding races of the season.

There is even an outside chance that the Dutchman could wrap up the title at the Japanese Grand Prix on September 24, with half-a-dozen rounds still to run.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez started the year with two wins from four but his challenge faded rapidly.

“Everyone has their days when they are beatable and I think Max has that, too,” added Norris.

“But it’s just that no one is able to prove it because no one is close enough. The closest guy should be his team-mate and he isn’t doing it.

“So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he won the rest of the races this year. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to be honest with you.

“It would be an incredible achievement to win nine in a row and he is definitely capable of doing it.

“Max has said many times that his career might not last long. He’s a guy that just wants to do what he enjoys. As soon as he doesn’t enjoy it he could be out of here. That’s just the kind of guy he is.”

South Africa laid down a marker ahead of their World Cup title defence by hammering New Zealand 35-7 in a warm-up clash at Twickenham.

The reigning world champions dominated from the first whistle on a chastening night for World Cup favourites New Zealand, who had Scott Barrett sent off in the first half, leaving his tournament participation in doubt.

South Africa hammered Wales 52-16 in Cardiff last weekend and started in the same vain, with relentless early pressure leading to a 13th-minute sin-binning for Barrett – who paid the price for repeated New Zealand infringements.

Prop Tyrel Lomax was then forced off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury before skipper Sam Kane was also shown a yellow card in a disastrous first 15 minutes for the All Blacks.

New Zealand, who were imperious in securing the 2023 Rugby Championship title last month, defended resolutely but Siya Kolisi forced his way over for the opening try after 18 minutes.

Richie Mo’unga hit the post with a simple penalty and Kurt-Lee Arendse ran in South Africa’s second try from an interception to make it 14-0.

Things went from bad to worse for the All Blacks as Barrett was shown a second yellow and sent off just before half-time for dangerously flying into a clearout – meaning he is likely to miss their World Cup opener against France on September 8.

The Springboks hit the ground running again after half-time as Malcolm Marx scored following a line-out.

Pieter-Steph Du Toit was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle but a fresh forward pack, after seven substitutions, powered over for a fourth Springboks try as Bongi Mbonambi touched down.

New Zealand had no answer to South Africa as Kwagga Smith added a fifth, with Manie Libbok flawless with the boot, before Cam Roigard’s first Test try offered New Zealand’s only moment of joy.

Daniel Ricciardo has been ruled out of Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix after he suffered a broken wrist in Zandvoort.

Ricciardo, who was due to take part in only his third comeback race, crashed out of practice on Friday and was in obvious pain when he emerged from his AlphaTauri cockpit.

The 34-year-old Australian was immediately taken to the medical centre before he was transported to a nearby hospital with his left arm in a sling.

A subsequent X-ray confirmed Ricciardo had sustained a break to the metacarpal on his left hand.

He will be replaced by Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson, 21, with the New Zealander to make his Formula One debut.

A statement from Ricciardo’s AlphaTauri team read: “After today’s incident during Free Practice 2 in Zandvoort, in which Daniel Ricciardo hit the barrier at Turn 3, he was brought to the local hospital and further examinations were carried out.

“An X-ray confirmed he sustained a break to a metacarpal on his left hand, and this injury will not allow him to continue his duties, so he will be replaced by the team’s reserve driver Liam Lawson for the remainder of this weekend. The team wishes him all the best for the quickest possible recovery.”

The flashpoint happened just 10 minutes into the second running when Oscar Piastri and Ricciardo crashed at relatively low speed within moments of each other at the same corner.

Australian Piastri, who has enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign, lost control of his McLaren through the banked left-handed Turn 3 before slamming into the barriers.

Moments later, Ricciardo, who appeared distracted by the sight of Piastri’s wounded machine, locked up under braking before following his compatriot into the tyre wall. He was still holding the steering wheel when he made impact with the Armco.

“Ah f***, my hand, f***,” he said over the radio.

Following Ricciardo’s dismissal by McLaren at the end of last season, and his career in apparent tatters, Ricciardo was handed a second chance by AlphaTauri, racing in Hungary and Belgium before the sport’s summer break.

Ricciardo, an eight-time grand prix winner, was hopeful of using the concluding 10 rounds to prove he was worthy of a promotion back to Red Bull in place of Sergio Perez.

But his plans now hang in the balance. The races come thick and fast, with the Italian Grand Prix to follow next weekend, and it is unclear at this stage when Ricciardo will be able to return to the cockpit.

When the action resumed after Ricciardo’s crash, Lando Norris denied Max Verstappen a practice double by setting the pace.

More than 300,000 spectators will descend on the coastal town of Zandvoort, 30 miles outside of Amsterdam, as the sport emerges from its summer slumber.

The majority of whom will do so in the expectation of watching Verstappen march to his ninth consecutive victory – equalling a record set by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull in 2013 – as he closes in on a hat-trick of world championships.

But McLaren’s Norris raised the suggestion he could spoil Verstappen’s homecoming party after he ended the day with the fastest time.

While practice speed is treated with caution, the British driver edged out Verstappen, who was fastest in the first running, by just 0.023 seconds. The impressive Alex Albon finished third for Williams, one place ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion finished three tenths adrift in his Mercedes with team-mate George Russell only 14th in the order.

Ricciardo’s team-mate, Yuki Tsunoda, finished fifth with Pierre Gasly sixth and Sergio Perez, 125 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, seventh.

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 August 25.

Gary Neville had an idea who could Phil in at left-back for United.

Prediction or concern from KP?

Tyson Fury issued a warning.

Four years ago today Ben Stokes hit his remarkable 135 not out at Headingley to level the Ashes series at 1-1.

And three years ago James Anderson also achieved something special.

The Rocket delved into the archives.

Daniel Ricciardo hurt his hand during Dutch GP practice.

Lando Norris was fastest for McLaren.

Stroopwafels were proving popular.

AJ was in attendance.

Williams were ready for the race weekend.

As was Valtteri Bottas.

Niki Lauda was remembered.

A fashion statement from Zhou Guanyu.

Daniel Ricciardo has been ruled out of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix after suffering a broken wrist in practice, the PA news agency understands.

The 34-year-old Australian, in only his third race back on the grid, crashed out of second practice in Zandvoort.

It is believed he will be replaced by Liam Lawson with the New Zealander to make his Formula One debut.

Lando Norris denied Max Verstappen a practice double by setting the pace for Sunday’s grand prix – after Ricciardo crashed out and was taken to hospital.

More than 300,000 spectators will descend on the coastal town of Zandvoort, 30 miles outside of Amsterdam, as Formula One emerges from its summer slumber.

The majority of whom will do so in the expectation of watching Verstappen march to his ninth consecutive victory – equalling a record set by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull in 2013 – as he closes in on a hat-trick of world championships.

But McLaren’s Norris raised the suggestion he could spoil Verstappen’s homecoming party after he ended the day with the fastest time.

While practice speed is treated with caution, the British driver edged out Verstappen, who was fastest in the first running, by just 0.023 seconds. The impressive Alex Albon finished third for Williams, one place ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion finished three tenths adrift in his Mercedes with team-mate George Russell only 14th in the order.

“That was a great day for me,” said Hamilton. “I woke up this morning so excited to get back in the car and from the first lap it felt like we had a good starting point to work from.

“The car is feeling more competitive here, so we want to hold on to that and see if we can extract more for tomorrow.”

The second session was suspended after just 10 minutes when Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri and AlphaTauri’s Ricciardo crashed out at the same corner.

Australian Piastri, who has enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign, lost control of his McLaren through the banked left-handed Turn 3 before slamming into the barriers.

Moments later, Ricciardo, who appeared distracted by the sight of Piastri’s wounded McLaren, locked up under braking before following his compatriot into the tyre wall.

“Ah f***, my hand, f***,” the 34-year-old said over the radio after the incident.

Both men played no further part in the running as their damaged cars were towed back to their respective garages.

Ricciardo was still holding the steering wheel as he hit the wall and he was taken to the medical centre. He was then pictured leaving with his left arm in a sling, and was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for further checks on his wrist.

The Australian will now sit out the remainder of the weekend.

Red Bull motorsport adviser Dr Helmut Marko said after the crash: “We don’t know exactly what it is yet, but he was in a lot of pain. His wrist has suffered damage, but we have to wait for the diagnosis.

“This is a new situation for us. We will first wait to see how Ricciardo is doing and whether he can drive or not, and then we discuss who gets in the car.”

Ferrari have endured a lacklustre campaign and there was little for the Italian giants to cheer on Friday, with Charles Leclerc 11th and team-mate Carlos Sainz 16th.

Ricciardo’s team-mate, Yuki Tsunoda, finished fifth with Pierre Gasly sixth and Sergio Perez, 125 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, seventh.

Courtney Lawes credits Eddie Jones for giving his career a second wind as he prepares to joins the ranks of England’s Test centurions.

Lawes leads England into Saturday’s World Cup send-off against Fiji at Twickenham playing for the head coach – Steve Borthwick – who was also his captain when he made his debut against Australia in 2009.

The 34-year-old back row warrior has shown tenacity to overcome a host of significant injuries, but his reinvention from defensive hitman to model blindside flanker was not reward for his efforts alone.

First inspired by Northampton forwards coach Dorian West as he was finding his feet as an 18-year-old second row, it was not until Eddie Jones took charge of England in 2015 that his game evolved again.

“In my early days it was Dorian West who had the biggest impact. I say that begrudgingly because he’ll love that!” Lawes said.

“Dorian was a big influence on me, helping me get that bit of edge and to become a tough player. He really built that into me. Then later on it was definitely Eddie.

“When I stopped progressing as a player he was the one who came in and really gave me the boot to push me on to be the player I could be. And I’m very thankful for that.

“He dropped me first, but then he gave me a couple of ultimatums that I took away and worked at.

“He told me I needed to keep hitting people and I needed to carry better, become the ball-carrier I was when I was younger.

“I just started carrying more and in training I would do a lot more extras with footwork and handling tips out the back.

“I’m not as heavy as the big boys like David Ribbans who is 124kg and can run straight over you.

“I’m not quite that. I like to use a bit of footwork, hit better lines and use the big lads when they are available.”

Lawes will be hoping that his jubilation at becoming the fifth man to win 100 England caps is matched by evidence of improvement in a side that is reeling from four defeats in five matches.

Borthwick’s England have lurched from a disappointing Six Nations to a poor Summer Nations Series and need a morale-boosting win against Fiji ahead of their critical World Cup opener against Argentina on September 9.

Lawes insists squad and management are operating with a unified purpose in the hope of turning the ship around with the players now having more input.

“When you have a coaching staff like we have, you get on board quite quickly with the strategies being put in place,” Lawes said.

“What we have started to do is get the players’ perspective on it and how we can tweak and change it to best suit our strengths.

“We will continue to press on, especially in attack which we have not been good in yet. We really think we will come good.

“The only thing I can really say is the truth, which is we are literally giving absolutely everything we have got to better this team and to become the squad we can. And sometimes that can even make you not play as well.

“You can stiffen up, but we’re learning as a team how to work together, what our strengths and weaknesses are and how we can put that on our opposition and drill it home.

“When they do that ball is going to start rolling in our favour because everybody is pulling in the same direction. That’s not always the case, unfortunately.

“You understand when a team is only out for the team, when you’ve got a number of individuals that are only out for themselves.

“And that’s when you know you’ve got an issue, and that is not an issue that this team has.”

If ever a horse was aptly named it is Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winner Live In The Dream, who propelled trainer Adam West and jockey Sean Kirrane into the limelight at York.

West is far from one of the smallest trainers around with around 45 horses – but he is certainly not one of the biggest, either.

For Kirrane, though, based in the north of England and who principally rides for Tim Easterby, he will be hoping this is the success that takes his career to the next level.

Just like former champion Paul Hanagan, who retired on Friday, the 22-year-old is from a non-racing background. But he certainly had some connections as his uncle managed to get him his first job in racing with none other than the all-conquering Willie Mullins.

“I’ve got no background in racing. I lived about a 10-minute walk from Leopardstown where I’m from in Dublin. My parents took me there as a child and that is where my interest came from,” said Kirrane.

“I had lessons on ponies, but my first opportunity to ride out was at Willie Mullins’ when I was 15. I took an apprentice licence out with Johnny Levins on the Curragh when I was 17 or 18 and still at school and that was when I realised it was what I wanted to do after my first couple of winners.

“It was a chance contact through my uncle how I got to Willie’s, he knew someone there who got me the job and that was where I learned to ride a racehorse, that was the very start of it and it’s the old cliche, I got bitten by the bug there.”

As with so many young jockeys starting out in Ireland, they become attracted to the sheer volume of racing in the UK which opens up so many more opportunities.

He went on: “I had a conversation with my boss Johnny Levins as he had about 25 horses, but he had a stable jockey and I was a 10lb claimer at the time. He thought when I finished at school there’d be more opportunities for me in England with more racing.

“I came over and the rest is history.”

That only tells half the story of how he came to pick up the ride on what is now one of the fastest horses in Europe.

“My association with Adam is strange I suppose, a northern-based jockey riding for a trainer from Epsom,” said Kirrane.

“I was riding down south one day and stayed over as I had a ride at Goodwood the next day so I rang Adam on the off chance he needed someone to ride out.

“I went in and rode two lots and the first horse he put me on won three or four on the bounce and the association has grown from there.

“I rode this lad a couple of years ago, it went well and then I got back on him earlier this year. Let’s not beat around the bush, he probably had lots of opportunities to get a top jockey on but he stayed loyal to me, despite my inexperience, and I’ll be forever grateful.”

Quite often the Nunthorpe, more than any other top sprint, is simply won by the fastest horse.

While that may sound a quite simplistic thing to say, York’s flat five furlongs seems to lend itself to out-and-out speedsters. Think of Sharpo, Lochsong, Dayjur, Oasis Dream, Mecca’s Angel and Battaash.

Not many would have argued had you said Live In The Dream would be leading at halfway, as he showed great pace in the Palace House at Newmarket earlier this year, but his 28-1 starting price showed not many thought he would hang on.

“It’s a surreal feeling and it hasn’t really sunk in yet, it just feels like winning another race at the moment,” said Kirrane.

“The feeling in the last 60 yards when I could hear the cracks of the whips behind me but I knew I wasn’t going to get caught was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

“A massive amount of credit goes to the horse, he’s really stepped up this year and it’s been an incredible journey for all of us.

“Adam has produced this horse brilliantly in top form today. He needed the run out in France last time in a Listed race as he’d had a month off. It brought him forward perfectly.

“Every time you go out on him you quietly fancy him as he is so effective over a fast five and York can play into the hands of front runners on this ground.

“It’s no secret how we ride him. We make lengths out of the gate and ride him aggressively, but he has a turn of foot as well. We try to take them off their feet in the closing stages, but today I was able to keep him on the bridle longer than I ever have as nothing ever came to me at the furlong pole. When I took him off it he found another gear again. What a performance.

“It’s lovely fast ground here today and he just skips across it, he’s amazing and is obviously a seriously talented animal.”

Victory in the Nunthorpe has earned Live In The Dream an automatic spot at the Breeders’ Cup – and Kirrane feels he will be perfectly suited to American sprinting.

“Adam is talking about America. I’d probably have to get in the sauna to lose a couple of pounds to ride him over there, but that would really suit him as he’s won around Chester and won at Lingfield. He was obviously good here today, but he’s better round a bend,” he said.

“If they go out there off the back of this he’d be seriously competitive.”

Lando Norris denied Max Verstappen a practice double by setting the pace for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix – after Daniel Ricciardo crashed out and was taken to hospital.

More than 300,000 spectators will descend on the coastal town of Zandvoort, 30 miles outside of Amsterdam, as Formula One emerges from its summer slumber.

The majority of whom will do so in the expectation of watching Verstappen march to his ninth consecutive victory – equalling a record set by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull in 2013 – as he closes in on a hat-trick of world championships.

But McLaren’s Norris raised the suggestion he could spoil Verstappen’s homecoming party after he ended the day with the fastest time.

While practice speed is treated with caution, the British driver edged out Verstappen, who was fastest in the first running, by just 0.023 seconds. The impressive Alex Albon finished third for Williams, one place ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

The seven-time world champion finished three tenths adrift in his Mercedes with team-mate George Russell only 14th in the order.

The second session was suspended after just 10 minutes when Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri and AlphaTauri’s Ricciardo crashed out at the same corner.

Australian Piastri, who has enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign, lost control of his McLaren through the banked left-handed Turn 3 before slamming into the barriers.

Moments later, Ricciardo, who appeared distracted by the sight of Piastri’s wounded McLaren, locked up under braking before following his compatriot into the tyre wall.

“Ah f***, my hand, f***,” the 34-year-old said over the radio after the incident.

Both men played no further part in the running as their damaged cars were towed back to their respective garages.

Ricciardo was still holding the steering wheel as he hit the wall, and he was taken to the medical centre. He was then pictured leaving with his left arm in a sling, and was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for further checks on his wrist, raising some doubt over his participation for the remainder of the weekend.

Ferrari have endured a lacklustre campaign and there was little for the Italian giants to cheer on Friday, with Charles Leclerc 11th and team-mate Carlos Sainz 16th.

Ricciardo’s team-mate, Yuki Tsunoda, finished fifth with Pierre Gasly sixth and Sergio Perez, 125 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, seventh.

Epsom trainer Adam West enjoyed a breakthrough big-race victory as Live In The Dream blazed his way to a shock Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes success at York.

The progressive four-year-old was steadily improving through the ranks this term, having started the season by winning a pair of handicaps, but he was lining up in Group One company for the very first time on the Knavesmire.

Pinging the gates and sent straight to the front in the hands of Sean Kirrane, the son of Prince Of Lir surged his way up the five-furlong track and was not for catching as defending champion and 7-5 favourite Highfield Princess tried in vein to hunt down the surprise 28-1 scorer.

It was not only a first Group One triumph, but a first Group-level victory of any kind for both West and Kirrane as they enjoyed their finest hour in one of the season’s fastest-run contests.

West said: “I never thought it was possible to win. We were laughing about there being six places and how his odds were so skinny. We should have backed him to win!

“I’ve had a Group One winner, it’s amazing. I think we’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup as I think he’s 10lb better on a turning track. That’s a big statement, but I do. He can get a breather round a bend whereas on these straight courses he usually can’t, but he just nicked enough today.

“We were going to take him for a race at Del Mar but we costed it, we’re not a big yard and it was too expensive to go.”

Pace has always been Live In The Dream’s number one asset and following placed efforts when getting a taste of Group action earlier in the season in both the Palace House Stakes and Temple Stakes, York was tailor-made for the Epsom-based speedster.

West added: “In the Temple Stakes we think the ground might have been a touch too quick for him and he hung a little bit away from the rail. Today with that tiny bit of rain he has been able to fully let himself down and keep straight.

“This is incredible I never thought anything like this would happen. Seven years I’ve been training and we’ve had him from a yearling and the journey has been incredible.

“I have to do what I have to do and if a horse shows the ability I will stick them in the races. That’s what I have always done. It’s a really tough game at the moment and you look at how things are and you think ‘is this a future’ and then you get something like this and it changes everything.

“I’ve always joked that we had the fastest horse in the south of England and we’ve just gone and proved it I think.”

The Nunthorpe serves as a ‘win and you’re in’ for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and West is now relishing a trip to Santa Anita in early November.

“I can’t wait, let’s take them on,” he said. “It is an amazing opportunity and something we never ever thought we would get.

“Trying to make ends meet to try to get that money together and both get him over there and get him back is just all taken care of and it’s some rollercoaster.”

Although securing a first top-level success, West does not envisage it causing a massive upturn in his fortunes and he is more than content to continue plying his trade on the smaller scale in Epsom.

He explained: “Epsom is the perfect mix of town and country for me, I can be out with my ferrets in 20 minutes one way and out in town with my owners 20 minutes the other.

“It’s the perfect place for me and I’m very happy. The owners in that tight-knit community have been fantastic. All this week and the last six months Epsom has been quoted saying it needs a Group One winner and they have just had one.

He went on: “It’s not viable (training), it is simply not viable. The BHA do their best to govern and mind us as trainers, but realistically unless you are on the top, top scale, training is not a viable option.

“But money is not why any of us do it, we do it because we love the animals and we love the whole sport. Ultimately grassroots will always be there because of the passion, but we are under serious strain and any help we would be grateful of.

“But we will take this as one of the peaks.”

John Quinn was making no excuses for Highfield Princess after the superstar mare had to make do with minor honours in her bid for back-to-back victories in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe at York.

Success in the five-furlong contest was the middle leg of a Group One treble for the the six-year-old last summer, with her Knavesmire triumph sandwiched by two other top-level wins in the Prix Maurice de Gheest in France and the Flying Five in Ireland.

Having twice run well in defeat at Royal Ascot in June, Highfield Princess enjoyed a confidence-boosting win at Goodwood three weeks ago and hopes were high that she could successfully her crown – but in Live In The Dream she faced a rival who had failed to read to script.

With her regular partner Jason Hart in the saddle, Quinn’s ace looked to be perfectly positioned throughout as she tracked a fierce pace set by the Adam West-trained outsider.

But try as she might, Highfield Princess was unable to reel in the all-the-way winner, with a length separating them at the line.

“She ran a great race, well done to the winner – that’s racing,” Quinn said.

“The winner got away and well done to them. She’s run a fantastic race and she’s a horse of two lifetimes.

“As long as she’s all right we’ll go to the Curragh (Flying Five), that’s the plan.”

Three-quarters of a length behind Highfield Princess in third was her Royal Ascot conqueror Bradsell, who had been kept fresh by Archie Watson since that victory in the King’s Stand.

There is every chance the pair will lock horns again before the season is out.

Watson said: “Probably the draw has probably worked against us, because the winner has blazed a trail and stuck on really well and that has probably favoured Highfield Princess in our battle for second.

“Hollie (Doyle) was very happy when the two-year-old has gone quick on our side, Big Evs, but she’s had to tack across to try and latch on to the other two.

“He’s rUn a huge race and I would imagine the Flying Five and possibly the Abbaye, but we will see and the Flying Five will be next.”

On the possibility of encountering more testing conditions in France, the trainer added: “The Abbaye would probably be my less favoured race, I would prefer to go Ireland and then America (Breeders’ Cup), but we’ll see.

“Ground-wise, until he runs on it we don’t really know, but when I was at William Haggas’ we had Tasleet (SIRE) and he loved it heavy so until he runs in it and tells us he doesn’t like it we don’t know.”

Fallon Sherrock has made more darting history by becoming the first female to produce a televised nine-dart finish.

The 29-year-old rose to prominence in 2019 by winning two matches at the PDC World Championship, becoming the maiden woman to taste victory at Alexandra Palace.

She then achieved the best result by a woman at a major tournament by making the quarter-finals of the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts and reached the Nordic Darts Masters final the same year before losing to Michael Van Gerwen.

After becoming the first female to hit a perfect leg in PDC history at the Winmau Challenge Tour event in Germany in March, she did it again in front of the cameras at the Modus Super Series on Friday.

Sherrock hit back-to-back maximums to leave 141, which she checked out by following a seventh consecutive 180 with a treble 19 and double 12.

That levelled up her match with Adam Lipscombe at 3-3 before she took the deciding leg to secure a 4-3 victory in Portsmouth.