The final day of Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival on Sunday is expected to go ahead as planned, although it will be subject to an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday.
The three-day fixture was due to begin with a jumps card on Friday, but a frozen track saw that cancelled. Saturday’s middle day on the all-weather had no issues.
With temperatures rising ahead of Sunday’s National Hunt action, a 2pm inspection was called on Saturday to assess any progress in the condition of the ground, a check which showed conditions had improved significantly.
Charlie Moore, head of clerking at Arena Racing Company, told ITV Racing: “We’ve had difficulty with the forecast this week, it’s been four degrees wrong on two nights. It’s amazing this track has taken minus 8C and minus 7C in the last two nights.
“If we had to race today, we could make this track raceable with some track adjustments. We’re going to pass the inspection, but we are going to put in a precautionary inspection at 8am tomorrow purely because we are aware at around 10/11 o’clock tonight it could get down to just touching freezing.
“If that was wrong and it was minus 2C we could have a moment of sweat in the morning, but if we get what is forecast we’ll be texting everyone around seven o’clock in the morning saying ‘we’re on’.
“I will be very surprised and hugely disappointed if racing did not take place tomorrow.”
The ground is reported to be good to soft, soft in places, but it was not such good news for Fakenham’s Sunday card, as officials were forced to abandon due to a frozen track.
Harvard Guy made it a hat-trick of course wins in taking the Listed Navan Handicap Hurdle.
Running off a mark 22lb higher than when successful in November, the Eddie and Patrick Harty-trained gelding was given a patient ride by Mark Walsh in the JP McManus colours, as Kilbree Warrior bowled along well clear in the hands of Darragh O’Keeffe.
The 7-4 favourite still had work to do over the last, but in the end was able to reel in the gallant Kilbree Warrior for victory by three-quarters of a length, giving the mare 15lb in doing so.
“It was hard fought. In fairness to the second horse I thought he had gone mad on the ground, but he nearly got there,” said Eddie Harty.
“We couldn’t have ridden him any differently with the weights, but he did get there and it was a good performance.
“I’d say myself that would rule him out of Leopardstown (Dublin Racing Festival), I don’t think you could turn out after that run on that ground.
“He’s had a cracking season and if they said to me ‘that’ll do him for the year’, you couldn’t be disappointed with the season.
“We’ll have a rethink now about what is next. It was either here or Leopardstown, unless it had been lovely ground here and he’d won on the bridle. I don’t think he’ll recover enough to go three miles.”
He added: “He’s a lovely horse and he has a future over fences, he jumps very well. He’s improved physically and has improved mentally from race to race. He’s becoming a racehorse now.
“You could make a case for going for a graded novice hurdle somewhere. He likes it here.”
Defending champion Rory McIlroy carded a stunning 63 to surge into contention on day three of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic but will have to get past American Cameron Young if he is to claim a fourth title at Emirates Golf Club.
The Northern Irishman carded seven birdies and a closing eagle to get to 12 under, having entered the weekend 10 shots off Young’s lead after a slow start in the desert.
He was top of the leaderboard as the world number 25 reached the turn in 37 but Young rallied with three birdies on the back nine to sign for a 71 and open up a two-shot lead at 14 under.
Former Dubai resident McIlroy has an impressive record in the emirate, with his first professional win having come in this event 15 years ago.
He has since added two more to match Ernie Els’ record of Desert Classic wins, while also lifting the trophy twice across the city at the DP World Tour Championship.
“I’ve had so much success in Dubai, whether it be at this tournament or over at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Race to Dubais,” he said.
“It’s been a really, really good place to me. I love coming back here. I really enjoy my time here. It would be amazing if I was able to get another win.
“The first player to get my name on it four times, it would be awesome.”
McIlroy hit a brilliant approach to the first, took advantage of the par-five third and then put iron shots inside 10 feet on the seventh, eighth and ninth to turn in 30.
More birdies on par fives followed on the 10th and 13th before he holed a 45-foot putt from off the green at the last for a closing eagle.
Young started with a birdie but found water on the seventh for a double-bogey and dropped a shot on the next, with gains on the 11th, 13th and 17th taking him back to the summit.
“It would be a nice feeling (to win),” said Young, who has yet to register a win on a top-tier tour.
“It’s one of those times that you feel like kind of at peace with what you’ve done and it’s something I would love to do tomorrow. I’ve put myself in another great place to have a chance and I’m happy with that.”
Pole Adrian Meronk was alongside McIlroy at 12 under after a 70, three shots clear of Dane Rasmus Hojgaard and China’s Li Haotong.
Dan Skelton is willing to bide his time before deciding whether Warwick winner Grey Dawning heads to the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Chase next or goes straight to the Cheltenham Festival.
A drop back in trip for the Sandown Grade One had been mentioned as a potential next stepping stone for the versatile Hampton Novices’ Chase victor, but his handler would like to wait a little longer before deciding if that would be the right thing to do by his likeable charge.
The Grade Two scorer could instead head straight to Prestbury Park where the three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase has been nominated as the likely port of call at the Festival in March.
“I’m going to have a think about Grey Dawning,” said Skelton.
“Immediately after the race I thought we would go to Sandown. Whether that is clever or not, I will give it a week to think about.
“I think we would just go for the three-mile race at Cheltenham if we didn’t (go to Sandown), but that’s not me looking to not run.
“I want to run him because he’s a horse who loves racing, but I would only run him if I was really, really certain it was the right thing to do.”
Stablemate Galia Des Liteaux was also in action at Warwich, where she was stayed on strongly in vain when second in the Classic Chase.
The classy eight-year-old will now be pointed towards the Randox Grand National, with Skelton following the same route he took to Aintree with Le Milos 12 months ago by stopping off at Kelso’s bet365 Premier Chase in March first.
“Galia Des Liteaux will go for the Listed chase up at Kelso on March 2 before going for the Grand National,” continued Skelton.
“We tried it with Le Milos last year and it didn’t quite come off, but it doesn’t mean we won’t try it again.”
Asian Master earned Cheltenham quotes in taking his record to two from two under rules in the Race Displays Rated Novice Hurdle at Navan.
A point-to-point winner for Tony Costello, he switched to Willie Mullins for his hurdling campaign and struck at the first time of asking at Thurles.
Made the 4-6 favourite to follow up in the hands of his amateur rider Thomas Costello, the market leader was always moving well on the heels of pacesetter Better Days Ahead.
Ridden to take over going to the last, Asian Master quickly went clear to score by 10 lengths from Better Days Ahead.
The seven-year-old was introduced at 40-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by Betfair and Paddy Power.
“I thought my horse travelled very sweet and I could see Jack Kennedy niggling his lad (Better Days Ahead) to stay in front,” said Costello, who is the grandson of the renowned late bloodstock dealer Tom Costello, whose graduates included such luminaries as three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate.
“I thought he travelled way better than him everywhere and jumped better. I fancied him today and thought he’d win to be honest. His work at home was very good, he has a fantastic attitude and takes everything in his stride.
“Jack’s horse was the horse to take out of it and I thought he’d beat him.
“We’re enjoying every day we have with him and fingers crossed, if he stays safe and lucky, we’ll have another few days out of him.”
Costello is extremely tall for a jockey and said: “I’d like to say I’m 6 (foot) 4 (inches) but I wouldn’t like to measure myself at the same time in case I got a fright!”
Allaho bids to bounce back from King George defeat in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles on Sunday.
The Grade Two contest has twice proved a springboard to Cheltenham Festival glory for the Willie Mullins-trained gelding, with his 2021 and 2022 triumphs preceding a pair of stunning front-running victories in the Ryanair Chase for owners Cheveley Park Stud.
He was similarly jaw-dropping when winning the 2022 Punchestown Gold Cup, but having since spent 19 months on the sidelines, there is a question mark over how much of his former brilliance he retains.
The 10-year-old was solid rather than spectacular when making a successful comeback in November’s Clonmel Oil Chase and could finish only third as a hot favourite for Kempton’s Boxing Day showpiece.
“Allaho came out of his last race fine,” said Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson.
“I think it’s fair to say we were hoping for a bit more from him (in the King George), maybe the ground was a bit lively and there is maybe a slight question mark whether he really stayed the three miles.
“I think coming back in trip will suit him well, so hopefully he can run well on Sunday and then we can head back for the Ryanair again.”
Henry de Bromhead’s Envoi Allen, who proved a super-sub for Allaho when winning last season’s Ryanair Chase, has also been declared for the Cheveley Park team.
Allaho is one of four runners for the champion trainer alongside Appreciate It, Capodanno and Stattler, with the Mouse Morris-trained French Dynamite completing the field.
The latter has been kept fresh since finishing third behind Classic Getaway, trained by Mullins and owned by Cheveley Park, at this track in November.
“He’s grand, the ground is good so I’d be hoping for a good run,” said Morris.
“It’s a good race, they always are but this is the right race for him. It’s a Grade Two on good ground and I don’t have a lot of options.
“I still have to get him qualified for the National, he needs to be in the first four over three miles so I don’t know just yet. I’m hoping for a big run this weekend anyhow.”
Teenager Linda Noskova blew the women’s draw wide open at the Australian Open by stunning world number one Iga Swiatek in the third round.
There are no top-10 seeds left in the top half after 19-year-old Czech Noskova came from a set down to claim a 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory on Rod Laver Arena.
Swiatek had dug herself out a major hole in the second round against Danielle Collins but she was unable to repeat the trick here.
“Physically, I didn’t feel anything,” said Swiatek. “Mentally, as well, I felt like actually I came back in my match against Danielle and I could kind of start over and not expect a lot, just try to play my game.
“I would say that I wasn’t returning overall in this tournament the same way as usual, especially the second serves.
“But still, I know that I did everything I could to try to make it work. Technically it didn’t work. But I know I did everything I could. I have no regrets.
“For sure I wish I could have played a little bit better in this tournament.
“I just want to get back to work. I know I’m going to have plenty of chances during the season to show my game.”
The never-ending production line of Czech female talent is one of the wonders of tennis, and 19-year-old Noskova is at the head of a new generation.
Ranked 50 but set to rise rapidly, she showed superb maturity to turn the match around after losing the first set, hitting 10 aces in a tally of 35 winners.
Swiatek speculated that Noskova would feel she had nothing to lose, but the teenager denied that, saying: “I know my game. I know that I have improved a lot in the last year-and-a-half. I just believed my game tonight.
“I just really wanted this win because I didn’t really come to that court with the thought of ‘I have nothing to lose’. I took it very seriously. It was like a match as any other. I just know that, when I’m going to be aggressive, I can play with anyone.”
She is the first teenager to beat a world number one at the Australian Open since Amelie Mauresmo defeated Lindsay Davenport in 1999.
Noskova next plays 19th seed Elina Svitolina, who was a comfortable 6-2 6-3 winner over Viktorija Golubic and will fancy her chances of reaching a first grand slam final.
So, too, will 12th seed Zheng Qinwen, who is the highest-ranked player left in the top half and is making waves, 10 years on from Li Na’s historic triumph.
Zheng needed two hours and 40 minutes to make it past countrywoman Wang Yafan 6-4 2-6 7-6 (8) on Friday as China took centre stage in the day session on Rod Laver.
But her power hitting eventually got her over the line and there was a special treat after the match when she was congratulated by Li, who is here to play in the legends event.
“That was totally a surprise for me,” said Zheng. “She just went to me, say congratulations. I was feeling super happy to meet her and have the chance to talk with her because I never talked with her in person.
“She said to me ‘don’t think too much, just keep (it) simple’. I think that’s – right now – what I need to do as well.”
Zheng revealed in her on-court interview that she had watched Li’s final victory over Dominika Cibulkova here in 2014 10 times.
Li remains the only Chinese winner of a grand slam singles title having become the first Asian champion when she claimed the French Open crown in 2011.
There is a growing number of Chinese players, both men and women, pushing towards the top of the game, but Zheng is at the head of the queue.
In the last 16, she will take on Oceane Dodin, who defeated fellow unseeded French player Clara Burel 6-2 6-4 to reach the fourth round at a slam for the first time.
One of Zheng, Dodin, 26th seed Jasmine Paolini and Russian Anna Kalinskaya is guaranteed to make a first slam semi-final.
Paolini ended the run of Anna Blinkova, who knocked out Elena Rybakina in round two, while Kalinskaya beat former finalist Sloane Stephens 6-7 (8) 6-1 6-4.
It is turning into an excellent tournament for Ukraine, with Dayana Yastremska joining Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk in the last 16, thanks to a 6-2 2-6 6-1 upset of 27th seed Emma Navarro.
She next faces two-time former champion Victoria Azarenka, who is again looking strong in Melbourne and came from 2-5 down in the second set to beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-1 7-5.
Teenager Linda Noskova pulled off a huge upset to knock world number one Iga Swiatek out of the Australian Open in the third round.
Swiatek had dug herself out a major hole in the second round against Danielle Collins but she was unable to repeat the trick against Noskova, going down 3-6 6-3 6-4.
The never-ending production line of Czech female talent is one of the wonders of tennis, and 19-year-old Noskova is at the head of a new generation.
Ranked 50 but set to rise rapidly, she showed superb maturity to turn the match around after losing the first set.
Noskova began to outhit her illustrious rival through the second set and into the third, where a break of serve for 5-3 proved the crucial moment.
She looked stunned after converting her first match point, and said: “I’m speechless, obviously.
“I knew it’s going to be an amazing match with the world number one and such a player. I didn’t really think it would end up like this but I’m just really glad to get through this round.”
She is the first teenager to beat a world number one at the Australian Open since Amelie Mauresmo defeated Lindsay Davenport in 1999.
Noskova hit 10 aces in a tally of 35 winners, with a forehand return drilled over the baseline from Swiatek sealing her fate.
It is only the second time in the last 13 grand slam tournaments that Swiatek has failed to make it beyond the third round but it represents a second early exit in a row after she lost in the fourth round of the US Open.
She is guaranteed to hang onto top spot in the rankings, though, with her nearest challenger Aryna Sabalenka unable to gain points having won the tournament last year.
Nikola Jokic honoured the memory of his former mentor Dejan Milojevic by starring in the Denver Nuggets' crucial road win over the Boston Celtics on Friday, says coach Michael Malone.
Golden State Warriors assistant coach Milojevic died at the age of 46 on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack, prompting an outpouring of emotion across the NBA.
Before his arrival in San Francisco, Milojevic was credited with kickstarting the career of two-time NBA MVP Jokic when the duo worked together at Belgrade-based team KK Mega Basket.
On Friday, Denver had the daunting task of attempting to halt Boston's 20-0 run at TD Garden this season, and Jokic's 34 points helped them on their way to a huge win over a fellow championship contender.
Jokic also added 12 rebounds and nine assists while Jamal Murray finished with 35 points as the defending champions improved to 29-14.
Speaking after the game, Nuggets coach Malone expressed pride in Jokic and said the events of recent days made his dominant performance all the more impressive.
"As I mentioned to our team after the game, I couldn't be more proud of Nikola for playing the way he played with the tragic passing of Deki," Malone said.
"That's what you do, though. That's why I'm proud of Nikola. You just lost somebody that you love and you care about that meant a lot to you, that was a mentor and a coach to you.
"So go honour him. You know what I mean? Nikola went out there, he honoured Deki's memory and his legacy by playing at the level he played at.
"It's not easy to do with a heavy heart, but Nikola is a special person, obviously. It was incredible to watch him play with that heavy heart, when you consider who we were playing and you add everything else to the mix.
"That's why Nikola is the best player in the world."
The Celtics found themselves 98-95 up with just under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but they missed eight of their final nine shots – four of them from Jayson Tatum – to allow the Nuggets back in.
Malone feels the victory amounted to a statement from his team, saying: "You're playing against the best team in the NBA. It was like a playoff game.
"I know this is only Game 43, 44, whatever it is, but it was kind of like a playoff game, a playoff atmosphere and two really good teams.
"They were in the Finals two years ago. They were in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They have high hopes, as do we.
"It was a game that we were all in. We put all of our chips in and we were lucky enough to get the outcome that we desired."
Ten years on from Li Na’s historic win at the Australian Open, China’s Zheng Qinwen is making waves at Melbourne Park.
The 21-year-old 12th seed is considered one of the rising stars of the game and she is now the favourite to reach the semi-finals in a wide open section of the draw.
Zheng needed two hours and 40 minutes to make it past countrywoman Wang Yafan 6-4 2-6 7-6 (10/8) on Friday as China took centre stage on Rod Laver Arena.
But her power hitting eventually got her over the line, and there was a special treat after the match when she was congratulated by Li, who is here to play in the legends event.
“That was totally a surprise for me,” said Zheng. “She just went to me, say congratulations. I was feeling super happy to meet her and have the chance to talk with her because I never talked with her in person.
“She said to me don’t think too much, just keep simple. I think that’s right now what I need to do as well.”
Zheng revealed in her on-court interview that she had watched Li’s final victory over Dominika Cibulkova here in 2014 10 times.
Li remains the only Chinese winner of a grand slam singles title having become the first Asian champion when she claimed the French Open crown in 2011.
There is a growing number of Chinese players, both men and women, pushing towards the top of the game, but Zheng is at the head of the queue.
In the last 16, she will take on Oceane Dodin, who defeated fellow unseeded French player Clara Burel 6-2 6-4 to reach the fourth round at a slam for the first time.
One of Zheng, Dodin, 26th seed Jasmine Paolini and Russian Anna Kalinskaya is guaranteed to make a first slam semi-final.
Paolini ended the run of Anna Blinkova, who knocked out Elena Rybakina in round two, while Kalinskaya beat former finalist Sloane Stephens 6-7 (8) 6-1 6-4.
Jamal Murray scored 35 points and Nikola Jokić had 34 with 12 rebounds and nine assists as the Denver Nuggets held on to send the Boston Celtics to their first home loss of the season, 102-100 on Friday.
Jayson Tatum had a chance to hit the tying basket in the closing seconds, but he missed a one-legged fadeaway off the rim.
Denver ended Boston’s streak of 20 consecutive home wins this season and a 27-game run dating to last season.
Derrick White scored 24 points, Tatum finished with 22 and eight rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis had 21 for the Celtics, who will visit the defending NBA champions on March 7.
Booker scores 52 to lift Suns
Devin Booker poured in a season-high 52 points for his second straight 50-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns won their fourth straight, 123-109.
Booker, who had 25 points in the first quarter, had 58 points in a win over the Pelicans on Dec. 17, 2022. In this one, he shot 18 of 30 from the field, 6 of 11 from 3-point range and hit all 10 free throws.
This was the sixth 50-point game for Booker, who scored a career-high 70 at Boston on March 24, 2017.
Kevin Durant added 26 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 15 rebounds for the Suns, who led by 30 in the second half.
Zion Williamson scored 24 points for New Orleans, which has traded wins and losses in its past six games.
Pacers’ Siakam debuts in loss to Trail Blazers
Jereami Grant scored 37 points and Malcolm Brogdon added a season-high 30 as the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled Pascal Siakam’s debut with the Indiana Pacers in a 118-115 win.
Siakam scored 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting with five rebounds in his debut after he was acquired from Toronto on Wednesday.
Myles Turner had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 17 assists in his return after missing five games with a hamstring injury.
Kirill Kaprizov scored two of the Wild’s franchise record-tying five power-play goals and Ryan Hartman also tallied twice to lead Minnesota to a 6-4 win on Friday over the Florida Panthers.
Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello also scored on the power play and Brock Faber had three assists for the Wild, who have won two of three following a four-game skid.
The Wild had five power-play goals for the fourth time and first since Nov. 29, 2008, against Nashville.
Minnesota’s Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 10 of 11 shots before leaving with an injury midway through the second period. Filip Gustavsson finished with 21 saves for the win.
Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled at the same time Fleury left, allowing four goals on 15 shots.
Florida lost its fourth straight after a nine-game winning streak.
Svechnikov lifts Hurricanes over Red Wings
Andrei Svechnikov scored on the Hurricanes’ only power play of the game in the third period and Carolina allowed just 12 shots in a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Jordan Martinook and Martin Necas also scored and Sebastian Aho tallied into an empty net as the Hurricanes won for the eighth time in 10 games (8-1-1).
Antti Raanta needed to make only 10 saves as Carolina held a 14-4 shots advantage in the third period and 30-12 overall.
Devils score 4 in 2nd period in win
Alexander Holtz, Nico Hischier and Nathan Bastian scored 6:03 apart during a four-goal second period and the New Jersey Devils defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1.
New Jersey’s other goal came from John Marino and Vitek Vaneck stopped 28 shots as it moved two points behind Tampa Bay and Detroit for the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference.
Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four of five and haven’t won consecutive games since Nov. 22 and 24.
Sam Burns shot a second round 61 as he took a one-shot halfway lead at The American Express tournament in California.
Burns’ career-low round leaves him on 17 under par, one shot ahead of fellow American Michael Kim with South Korean’s KH Lee and American amateur Nick Dunlap a further shot back.
A pair of eagles and seven birdies had put Burns in with a chance of breaking 60, but he could only par the last two holes.
Dunlap, who plays at the University of Alabama, fired a 65 at the Stadium Course – one of three being used for the tournament – to follow his opening 64.
A group of six, including American Ryder Cup star Patrick Cantlay and joint overnight leader Alex Noren of Sweden, sit on 14 under par.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry shot a second round of 67 to lie seven shots off the lead.
The Las Vegas Raiders are close to a deal that would remove the interim tag from Antonio Pierce’s title and make him the franchise’s next head coach, multiple media outlets reported Friday.
The move to stick with Pierce comes amid a pivotal coaching carousel cycle with former Patriots legend Bill Belichick and the University of Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh representing the top prizes.
Pierce, however, went 5-4 after he replaced Josh McDaniels mid-season, and many of the Raiders’ best players – including Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby and Josh Jacobs – have publicly lobbied to keep Pierce.
Last weekend, a report surfaced that Crosby would seek a trade if Pierce wasn’t hired as the team’s full-time head coach.
“Why wouldn’t we keep going the direction we’re going?” Crosby said after the Raiders’ final game. “The fact we’ve come together and done something special in such a short time is hard to do.
“We’ve got a guy who’s played at the highest level, won a Super Bowl, he’s been a captain, and now he’s a great coach and he’s a leader.”
Pierce, 45, played nine seasons in the NFL for Washington and the New York Giants. He was a starter on the Giants team that won Super Bowl XLII, beating the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
Among Pierce’s first decisions will be whether to retain interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree.
The Raiders face a crossroads at quarterback after Jimmy Garoppolo’s forgettable season. Rookie Aidan O’Connell finished the season as the team’s starter and had eight touchdowns with no interceptions in his last four games.
Las Vegas will also need to decide on the future of running back Josh Jacobs, who ended last summer’s contract dispute after training camp by signing a one-year deal.
“With AP, I am definitely 100 percent in,” Jacobs told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “However it looks, whatever it looks like.”
The Raiders hold the 13th overall pick in April’s draft as they look to return to their title-winning past.
The Houston Astros have agreed to a five-year, $95 million contract with five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader that will be the largest in present-day value for a relief pitcher in MLB history, multiple outlets reported Friday.
Hader's new deal will technically surpass the six-year, $102 million contract the New York Mets gave closer Edwin Diaz in November 2022, as Diaz's pact includes deferred payments that lowers its present-day value to around $93.2 million.
The bold move also gives the Astros potentially one of the game's most dominant back ends of the bullpen by teaming Hader, a three-time winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award honouring the National League's best reliever, with two-time All-Star Ryan Pressly.
Hader is coming off an outstanding 2023 season with the San Diego Padres in which the left-hander recorded 33 saves and a 1.28 earned run average while striking out 85 batters in 56 1/3 innings.
The 29-year-old has averaged 15.01 strikeouts per nine innings over the course of his seven major league seasons, the highest rate in MLB history among pitchers with at least 350 career innings pitched. Diaz ranks second at 14.81 per nine innings.
Hader also returns to an organisation he was a part of from 2013-15 as a minor leaguer, though he didn't make his major league debut until after being traded by the Astros to the Milwaukee Brewers in July 2015.
The hard-throwing lefty had a dominant six-year run in Milwaukee, making four NL All-Star teams and winning the Hoffman Award in 2018, 2019 and 2021 while helping the Brewers to four consecutive post-season appearances from 2018-21.
Milwaukee traded Hader to the Padres during the 2022 deadline in a surprising move, and he struggled with his new team over the remainder of that season before bouncing back with a strong 2023 campaign.
Hader has recorded 165 career saves along with a 20-21 record and a 2.50 ERA in 349 major league appearances, all in relief.
The signing is the first major move of the offseason for the Astros as they attempt to keep pace with the in-state and American League West rival Texas Rangers.
Houston reached the World Series four times in a six-year span from 2017-22 but was ousted by Texas in seven games in this past season's AL Championship Series, with the Rangers going on to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks and capture the franchise's first World Series title.
Jamaica's Oshae Haye and Zandre Roye found the going tough in the opening round of the ninth Latin America Amateur Championship and were hoping to play catch up in the second round of action in Panama.
With some 108 golfers from Latin America and the Caribbean parading their skills at the Santa Maria Golf Club, Roye and Haye are faced with a daunting task of ascending up the order from seven over par 77 and nine over par 79 respectively. Both are now in danger of not making the cut, as the cut line will be announced at the end of the second round.
Oral Morales and Santiago De la Fuente, both of Mexico, and Guatemala's Jose Arzu of Guatemala, all locked on one under par 69 at the top of the standing.
Roye, who started out well and was in 17th position at one point, had some issues as he approached the end of the round, which resulted in a slip down the leaderboard.
"Day one completed. I shot a 77 today with a bogey and a triple bogey on the last two holes. Not the ideal finish, very bad finish, but all in all, I really hit the ball today. Hit a lot of greens, made a lot of putts. In a positive trend going into tomorrow, I think we can better that score tomorrow definitely," Roye said.
Both golfers are representing Jamaica at the championship for the first time. Justin Burrowes, who turned pro late last year, and William Knibbs have represented Jamaica in recent times.
Other representatives include Ian Facey, who is also now among the professional ranks, as well as Sean Morris and Jonathan Newnham. The island’s best placed golfer in the championship to date is Facey, who tied for 24th position in 2015 with a best round of 68 on the first day.
Teenage sensation Luke Littler powered his way past three-times world champion Michael Van Gerwen to claim his first senior PDC title on a perfect day at the Bahrain Masters.
The 16-year-old, who lost to Luke Humphries in the World Darts Championship final earlier this month after a thrilling run which catapulted him into the limelight, beat the world number two to seal an 8-5 victory after earlier producing a nine-dart finish and a maximum 170 check-out.
Asked afterwards what he had just achieved, the teenager who beat Nathan Aspinall in the last eight and Gerwyn Price to reach the final, told ITV4: “You tell me. I don’t know. I’m happy to win.”
Teenage sensation Luke Littler started with a nine-darter as he dispatched Nathan Aspinall in the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters before brushing aside Gerwyn Price to reach the final.
The 16-year-old World Championship runner-up needed just three visits in the opening leg against fellow Englishman Aspinall.
Littler’s first three darts found the treble 20 bed and he repeated the feat on his return before a seventh dart set up a treble 19, double 12 finish.
The teenager was playing in just his second PDC event after becoming the youngest player to reach World Championship final at Alexandra Palace, where he eventually lost to Luke Humphries, earlier this month.
Littler won the second leg against the darts to take a 2-0 lead, only for Aspinall to break back in the third and then hold to make it 2-2.
However, Littler was not to be denied and eventually ran out a 6-3 winner with a 116 check-out to book a last-four showdown with former world champion Price.
There were further fireworks when the youngster, who turns 17 next week, returned to action, landing a maximum 170 finish on his way to a 7-3 semi-final victory over Price, who himself hit 124 and 146 check-outs as he attempted to keep pace.
Teenage sensation Luke Littler started with a nine-darter as he moved into the semi-finals of the Bahrain Masters with a 6-3 win over Nathan Aspinall.
The 16-year-old World Championship runner-up needed just three visits in the opening leg against fellow Englishman Aspinall.
Littler’s first three darts found the treble 20 bed and he repeated the feat on his return before a seventh dart set up a treble 19, double 12 finish.
The teenager was playing in just his second PDC event after becoming the youngest player to reach World Championship final at Alexandra Palace, where he eventually lost to Luke Humphries, earlier this month.
Littler won the second leg against the darts to take a 2-0 lead, only for Aspinall to break back in the third and then hold to make it 2-2.
However, Littler was not to be denied and eventually ran out a 6-3 winner with a 116 check-out to book a last-four showdown with former world champion Gerwyn Price.
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