Oxford coxswain Will Denegri refused to blame illness for why the favourites suffered a disappointing loss in the 169th edition of the men’s Boat Race.
Cambridge, whose women secured a seventh successive trophy, were seen as underdogs despite doing the double last season but took the honours on a sunny Easter weekend where the pleasant conditions were in contrast to the discovery, earlier this week, that high levels of E. coli had been found along the course.
E. coli can cause a range of serious infections and other side-effects and rowers were told ahead of the race not to enter the Thames.
As a result, neither winning crew elected to partake in the tradition of throwing their cox into the river, and while Oxford’s seven seat Leonard Jenkins had earlier revealed to the BBC that he and several crewmates had been plagued by what he branded an E. coli-related illness, his cox was more reluctant to directly blame the bacteria.
Denegri said: “This week we’ve had three people who have had to miss sessions because they’ve had stomach bugs, essentially. Whether that’s related to E. coli in the river I don’t know, but it’s certainly not helped our campaign, and it’s a poor excuse.
“It’s not an excuse, but it definitely hasn’t helped our preparation. We obviously had a bit of a messy start, not the start we wanted. We had a great warm-up, nothing went wrong in the warm-up, so maybe that was not something we were expecting.
“It felt like we never quite got on the rhythm we were hoping to go onto, but at the same time it wasn’t terrible. We were doing a decent job. Cambridge I think today were just a quicker group, and that’s hard to take.”
Earlier, Jenkins had told the BBC: “It would have been ideal not to have had so much poo in the water. But that’s not to take away from Cambridge.”
Cambridge triumphed by three and a half boat lengths in a time of 18 minutes and 56 seconds.
They have now won five of the last six editions and had taken a substantial lead by the final push to the finish, Oxford’s only glimmer of hope coming when winning stroke Matt Edge had visibly been pushed to his limit.
The dark blue boat drew closer, but by then Cambridge had rallied behind their ailing team-mate and their earlier advantage proved too much for their rivals to overcome.
Denegri was more willing to acknowledge the role flooding at their Wallingford base played in Oxford’s preparation, which forced them on several occasions to make the trip to the much-further Caversham Lake.
He said: “It’s obviously affected us a lot, especially through February. Caversham Lake is an hour and 10 minutes’ drive from Oxford, so spending two and a half hours on the bus every day has definitely interrupted our training.”
Cambridge, who train at Ely, faced no such challenges nor, as chief coach Rob Baker later confirmed, did they have any illness concerns ahead of Saturday’s showdown.
Following guidance issued to competitors, Baker did insist Ed Bracey – who initially said he might be willing – did not get dunked in the Thames, arranging instead for a bucket of clean water to be dumped on his cox’s head.
Bracey said of the victory: “It was very noisy through the middle of the race and very quiet those last few minutes there, but we got it done. We got it over the line in the end.
“[The pollution news] didn’t really change the way we handled anything to be honest. The stuff we were being advised to do is what we normally do, so it was business as usual.”
Baker, who was not aware of the illness plaguing Oxford, agreed Cambridge’s flood-free Ely HQ – “the best place to train in the country” – was an advantage, and confirmed Edge, who was attended to by medical staff, needed some fuel and warmth after the race but thought his stroke would be “fine”.
Asked about the E. coli controversy that had marred an another otherwise brilliant weekend for Cambridge, he added: “It’s obviously not a great situation. We’d like cleaner waterways and not have such a risk for our athletes.”
England recorded a second successive bonus-point victory in this season’s Guinness Six Nations as they brushed aside Wales 46-10 at Ashton Gate.
The Red Roses’ pursuit of a sixth title on the bounce continued as they backed up a 48-0 victory over Italy with another try spree.
Watched by a crowd of 19,700 – England’s biggest attendance for a home game outside of Twickenham – Marlie Packer’s team claimed first-half touchdowns from props Maud Muir and Hannah Botterman, hooker Lark Atkin-Davies and lock Zoe Aldcroft.
Holly Aitchison kicked two conversions and, while Wales briefly held the advantage through a Lleucu George penalty, they had a mountain to climb in the second period.
That challenge soon became way too much as quickfire tries from full-back Ellie Kildunne and wing Abby Dow took England past 30 points and confirmed a 39th victory in 41 Tests against Wales since fixtures began between the two sides.
Replacement Keira Bevan touched down for Wales, with George converting, but further England tries followed through lock Rosie Galligan and Kildunne, whose second score matched her double against Italy last weekend, while Aitchison landed one further conversion.
England head coach John Mitchell handed first starts of the Six Nations campaign to Tatyana Heard and Natasha Hunt, but back-row forward Sarah Beckett began a three-match ban after being sent off against Italy.
Mitchell’s opposite number Ioan Cunningham also rang the changes, yet Wales’ preparations were dealt a blow when prolific try-scoring wing Jasmine Joyce withdrew due to a hamstring strain. Lisa Neumann replaced her in the starting line-up.
George kicked Wales into a sixth-minute lead, but England’s response proved swift and decisive as Muir touched down following a thrilling break by Dow.
England were quickly on the front foot again following a bright start by Wales and quality lineout possession underpinned a try for Aldcroft, meaning that she marked her 50th cap in style.
Aitchison’s conversion made it 12-3 and, although Wales battled hard up front, they were undone by a length-of-the-field attack that led to England’s third try.
Centre Megan Jones was the catalyst, showing great pace as she surged deep inside Wales’ half before quickly-recycled ball saw Botterman charge over. Aitchison’s conversion opened up a 16-point advantage after 24 minutes.
England were on the hunt for a bonus point as the interval approached and it almost arrived when Aitchison kicked to the corner, but Dow narrowly failed to touch down.
Wales then saw their scrum obliterated, allowing England an attacking lineout from the resulting penalty, and pressure inevitably told with a try for hooker Atkin-Davies as the Red Roses took a 24-3 lead into the break.
Kildunne and Dow then put England out of sight and, although Bevan claimed a deserved consolation score for Wales, normal service was resumed through England touchdowns from Galligan and Kildunne.
Mousey Brown caused her second big upset in the space of two weeks when winning the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Series Final at Fairyhouse.
A winner at Down Royal at 25-1 last time out, she was sent off at 33-1 on this occasion for Dermot McLoughlin and Conor Maxwell.
The Gold Cup-winning team of owner Audrey Turley, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend looked sure to collect with Olympic Man when he took the final flight in front, but Mousey Brown stayed on strongly to get home by half a length.
“Everyone said she was lucky the last day in Down Royal but she was nearly knocked down and still won,” said McLoughlin.
“As Conor said, she’s very tough. She wasn’t enjoying the ground but from the back of the last she came home well. He said she started pricking her ears and looking around her.
“It was a good performance in a good race. I thought it might be a bit soon bringing her back after Down Royal, as it was only 13 days.
“She’s hardy, Conor said it’s hard work out there but she’s game.
“I like her, she had to do a lot of work from where she was there, but kept going. She’s a big, strong mare.”
Effernock Fizz was a game winner of the RYBO Handicap Hurdle, also at 33-1.
Having built up a big lead at one stage, she looked sure to be swallowed up at the second last but found plenty on the rail to fend off Conyers Hill for Cian Collins and jockey Carl Millar.
Collins said: “That’s unbelievable, she has the heart of a lion.
“She’s a mare that wants good to firm ground-wise. On the ground, I didn’t think it would happen today at all, I thought she might even pull up on heavy ground.
“She gave me my first two winners and that’s my 20th today. I thought she was gone turning in but she just doesn’t know when to quit. It’s crazy.
“I was very lucky to get her. She just suits the way we train them, I keep her fresh. I actually ride her out every day myself, she’s always in great form and is a pleasure to have. She tries her heart out every day and just loves racing.
“I think we might go for the Scottish Champion Hurdle now. That’s the plan and we’ll probably go straight there, as it’s in a couple of weeks’ time. That’s her 96th run today and her 10th win.”
Mullins and Townend also had to settle for second best in the Listed-class BoyleSports Mares Handicap Chase with Instit after Ardera Ru finished well to prevail by three and threequarter lengths at 18-1 for trainer Eoin Doyle.
Winning rider Shane O’Callaghan said: “She was brilliant. The plan was to drop in, creep around and try to sneak a bit of black-type.
“It’s the best she’s ever jumped for me, she jumped fantastic everywhere and cruised into it very easily.”
Anthony McCann looks to have a hot prospect on his hands after Familiar Dreams galloped on strongly to complete a hat-trick in the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF Total Enjoyment Mares’ INH Flat Race at 13-2 under Aine O’Connor.
The five-year-old was giving weight away all round due to a double penalty but put in a powerful effort from the front to pull five and a half lengths clear of the Mullins-trained favourite Magic McColgan.
Numitor stayed on strongly to record a decisive success in the valuable Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Handicap Chase Finale at Haydock.
Sean Bowen was always travelling strongly on Heather Main’s 10-year-old in the £100,000 contest and sent him on past long-time front-runner Riders Onthe Storm entering the home straight.
A couple of sketchy jumps at the next two fences allowed the chasing pack to close in, but the 100-30 favourite got his act together over the last couple of obstacles and galloped clear to beat Dubai Days by five lengths.
Numitor only recently returned to action after a 340-day lay-off, when finishing fourth at Exeter under Bowen’s brother James.
Championship chaser Bowen told Racing TV: “One thing he did benefit from is that James didn’t knock him around once he was beaten (first time out), he didn’t use his whip once and I think that’s probably been a massive contribution towards winning here.
“James said to keep sending him, but every time I sent him, he put down. But he was a good old spin.
“He’s actually not in love with that ground now and I think that on better ground, you probably can send him from anywhere – he’ll keep coming for you.
“But today, on that ground, he’s probably not in love with it – but he’s a tough horse and keeps going through anything.”
Bowen was also in the saddle as Secret Trix plugged on to get the better of Doughmore Bay in an attritional finish to the New Racing TV App Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle.
It was a fourth win of the season for Olly Murphy’s gelding, all gained under the title-chasing jockey, as he prevailed by a length and a quarter at 11-1 following a winter lay-off since the end of October.
Bowen said: “He felt a lot better horse today, he obviously benefited from the break massively. At every point today, I thought I was going to win, apart from when he started pulling up half a furlong from home.
“I was going well turning in and I didn’t really want him to wing three out and two out, as he doesn’t do a whole pile in front, although he was a bit slower than I thought he might be at them. But he went round like the best horse in the race, to be fair.”
Brentford Hope defied top weight in the My Pension Expert Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle, holding off the late challenge of Holly, who could never quite recover from a mistake at the final flight.
Harry Derham’s seven-year-old had won well in a qualifier at Newcastle earlier this month and was sent off the 5-2 market leader under Paul O’Brien, despite carrying 12st.
Laurel River turned the Dubai World Cup into a procession when running out a wide-margin winner for local trainer Bhupat Seemar and jockey Tadhg O’Shea.
Formerly trained by Bob Baffert, the Juddmonte-owned six-year-old was trying the 10-furlong trip for the first time but with two furlongs to run had the race won.
The likes of Derma Sotogake, Ushba Tesoro, Newgate and Kabirkhan had garnered most of the pre-race talk, with Laurel River almost sneaking in under the radar.
It looked a brave decision to step him up in trip, despite winning a Group Three by almost seven lengths over a mile last time out.
O’Shea was allowed to dictate the race from a long way out and under no pressure, he went further and further clear.
Entering the final furlong, he was still 10 lengths ahead and while Laurel River understandably got tired late on, he crossed the line well ahead of Ushba Tesoro and Senor Buscador.
The winning trainer said: “I would like to thank Juddmonte and His Royal Highness for sending me the horse. I was worried that they might be going too fast but Tadhg got the right fractions and also a breather into him.
“It’s the greatest feeling to have won this race, but what he was doing in the mornings made me think, ‘what has this horse got?’
“There is so much stamina in his pedigree but his training was out of this world.”
O’Shea added: “I tell you one thing, I have never ridden one as good as him. I never dreamed I would win the Dubai World Cup, it really is the stuff of dreams.
“He behaved like a pony; he hit the gates and did everything from the front, it was unbelievable. He gave himself every chance to get the distance, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Rebel’s Romance caused a surprise in the Dubai Sheema Classic, in which dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin finished last.
While Charlie Appleby’s six-year-old did win the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022, he was well beaten in the corresponding race 12 months ago and looked to be up against it in a field stacked with quality.
Along with Auguste Rodin, who is developing an all-or-nothing reputation, there was Emily Upjohn, Spirit Dancer and Japanese challengers Liberty Island and Stars On Earth.
The pace was pedestrian, set by Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale, but only William Buick on the eventual winner and Liberty Island were keen to stay close to it.
With half a mile to run, that trio had opened up a sizeable gap on the remainder of the field and when Buick kicked on to take up the running well over a furlong out, the writing was on the wall.
A strong stayer at the trip, Rebel’s Romance, who won the UAE Derby back in 2021, galloped all the way to the line, with Shahryar, Liberty Island and Justin Palace, all from Japan, taking minor honours. Emily Upjohn fared best of the rest just behind but Auguste Rodin offered nothing.
Appleby said: “He’d won a Breeders’ Cup Turf and four Group Ones, yet he was 20-1, which showed just how deep a race it was.
“William told me he had a plan but I told him not to tell me, then I couldn’t roast him if it went wrong!
“We were confident the right thing to do was go forward and heading down the back, I felt confident because I knew the fractions weren’t strong.
“William knows this track so well and did everything right.
“To have a winner tonight, on what has been a really international night, to get one on the board for Godolphin and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is very pleasing.”
The Newmarket handler added: “It was our last throw of the darts, but we were confident he was in as good a place as we could get him. He went to Kempton and then had a great ride in Qatar from William.
“He has travelled a lot but we were confident he was at his best. Plan A was to go forward to give the horse the best chance to run his best race.
“This whole night is a huge space in the racing calendar that everyone will aim for. You’ve got to look after these horses and make sure you don’t give them one race too many.
“We toyed with the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong next, but we will enjoy today and he deserves a bit of a rest.”
Buick commented: “He showed in Qatar that he can still perform from the front or close to it. He has a big stride and we decided to get across and somewhere near the action. We were given an easy lead off easy fractions. I was surprised he was in his comfort zone, going easily.”
Cambridge extended their dominant run in the Boat Race with victory in both the men’s and women’s showdowns.
The men claimed a fifth trophy in six years, while the women cruised to a seventh straight triumph.
Crews were blessed with sunny conditions, with temperatures reaching the mid-teens and just a light breeze blowing ahead of launch time for the women’s race at 2:46pm.
Those pleasant conditions were in contrast to the news earlier this week that high levels of E. coli, which can cause a range of serious infections and other side-effects, had been found along the championship course.
All crews were issued safety guidance on a range of preventative measures, from covering up scrapes with waterproof plasters to ensuring rowers avoided swallowing any water that splashed up from the Thames.
Oxford won both coin tosses but opted for different starting points, with the women choosing Middlesex on the Fulham/Chiswick side of the course and the men beginning their quest at Surrey station on the Putney/Barnes side.
Both dark blue Oxford boats were seen as favourites for the 78th women’s and 169th men’s races.
The latter, umpired by Matthew Pinsent – himself a two-time Boat Race champion with Oxford – saw Cambridge take an early lead before Oxford quickly drew level as the four-time Olympic champion dished out early warnings as the boats drew close.
Cambridge took a narrow lead, which saw them ahead by half a length and 1.52 seconds at Hammersmith Bridge, but settled into a smooth rhythm that left Oxford even further behind.
Oxford, with just one returning crew member from last year’s loss, had fallen behind by more than 10 seconds by the time the crews reached the Chiswick steps, but it was not completely smooth sailing for the eventual victors.
Stroke Matt Edge was clearly flailing, his oar only just dipping in the water, but Cambridge’s lead proved too big an ask for Oxford as Edge’s crew rallied around their tiring team-mate to claim another victory.
Facteur Cheval just held off the late lunge of Japanese challenger Namur to win the Dubai Turf, in which Lord North was unplaced in search of his fourth win in the race.
Trained in France by Jerome Reynier, the winner was last seen finishing second to his compatriot Big Rock in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day.
It has previously been suggested that Facteur Cheval needed soft ground to be seen at his best, as he arguably showed his top form in testing conditions when second to Paddington in the Sussex Stakes, but he showed his versatility on this occasion.
Hollie Doyle somehow managed to get Nashwa to the front from her wide draw in stall 14 but with a furlong to run, she had run her race.
Her John and Thady Gosden stablemate Lord North looked threatening at one point but age may have finally caught up with the eight-year-old as he found disappointingly little.
Measured Time burst through with a challenge on the inside and briefly hit the front but Facteur Cheval and Namur came powering down the centre of the track.
The pair crossed the line together but it was Facteur Cheval and Maxime Guyon who got the verdict on the nod.
“He’s amazing because he’s just as good when the ground is heavy or soft,” said Guyon
“But he’s never been the same as he was today. The turn of foot he showed was better than he’s ever shown.”
In the closing stages, Christophe Lemaire suffered a nasty fall from Catnip and was stretchered off the track and taken to hospital for observation.
Forever Young booked his ticket for the Kentucky Derby with a smooth success in the UAE Derby.
Advertising once again Japan’s standing on the world stage, Forever Young was following up his victory in the Saudi Derby last time out.
His sights will now be set on the Race For The Roses after he wore down Auto Bahn close home to win with authority for Yoshito Yahagi, no stranger to winning on Dubai World Cup night after his treble two years ago.
Yahagi explained how it was a poignant success: “This is after my master trainer my father passed away this morning.
“He is potentially very high class and he did not enjoy the travel to Saudi but he still performed very well.
“He travelled better to Dubai. I really believe my team will keep him in good order to go for the Kentucky Derby.”
Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai added: “His condition has improved since Saudi. I really trusted him to perform to his best today.
“I believe this horse is unbeatable at the moment. A lot of good owners and trainers have given me good opportunities, like they did on this horse.”
Ryan Moore almost pulled up Henry Adams, who failed to face the kickback, while stablemate Navy Seal finished fifth under Wayne Lordan.
The Godolphin Mile went the way of outsider Two Rivers Over for Doug O’Neill and Edwin Maldonado, in which Simon and Ed Crisford’s Swing Vote finished eighth.
“Turning for home, I was trying to get him out and in the clear,” said Maldonado.
“This means such a lot, I’m super grateful to the owners and couldn’t ask for more.”
Tadhg O’Shea was seen to great effect on Tuz in the Golden Shaheen.
O’Shea, who has made a great career for himself in the UAE, won the race two years ago on Switzerland and was a nose from victory last year on the same horse when beaten by Sibelius.
Japan’s Don Frankie made a bold bid but O’Shea spied a gap up the rail and Tuz quickened up in impressive fashion to run out a wide-margin winner.
“This makes up for a narrow defeat last year in a race that’s been lucky for me,” said the jockey. “He needed his race last time but put this to bed in a matter of strides. Back in his own back yard, he was a different horse tonight.”
Paddy Twomey’s One Look maintained her unbeaten record with a workmanlike display in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race at Cork.
Sent off the prohibitively priced 1-20 favourite to beat four rivals, she did so with the minimum of fuss but failed to shake up the ante-post Classic markets.
Having won the Goffs Million on her racecourse debut, the daughter of Gleneagles went into the winter as a big fancy for the 1000 Guineas.
Twomey carefully selected her reappearance run and her starting price suggested the calibre of opposition she was up against, although in the heavy ground, Billy Lee had to shake her up.
While she ultimately won by three lengths, Coral left her unchanged at 9-1 for the Newmarket Classic.
“She did exactly what we were hoping she would do. We got her out, got her some exercise and education and it has gone to plan, so I’m very happy,” said Twomey.
“We had the plan in our head that we were coming (regardless of the heavy ground), she settled and quickened and it was pretty straightforward. I don’t think I’ve trained many 1-20 shots!
“That was her first piece of work for the year, so we’ll sit down and make a plan. We have a couple of more fillies to run, so we will see where we go but she is in the Irish, English, French and German Guineas.
“If she runs in Newmarket (English 1000 Guineas), she would go straight there, but if she runs in Ireland, she might run again.
“She is a lovely-actioned filly, was ready to run today and I think she’ll progress plenty.”
There was a mild surprise in the opening Welcome To The Racing Home For Easter Festival 2024 Fillies’ Maiden, which went the way of Johnny Murtagh’s debutante Wide With Delight (20-1).
Winning jockey Shane B Kelly said: “She is a lovely filly with a really good attitude. Her work has been good at home but we thought she might need the run. I’d say she isn’t too bad.
“We hacked early in the race and I took back to be behind Colin (Keane, on favourite National Lady), as he would bring me where I needed to be if mine was good enough – and it worked out well.
“She pricked her ears out of greenness and had a good look around but she was still going forward. She was a lovely ride, has a great attitude and is really likeable.”
Wales rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit has taken a step closer to realising his long-standing ambition of competing in the NFL by signing a three-year deal with Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs.
Here the PA news agency examines the key questions around his move.
So Rees-Zammit is now an NFL player?
Not yet – and this is where the hard work really begins. Having impressed on the NFL’s international player pathway (IPP) program, the 23-year-old former Wales wing has secured a place on the Chiefs’ practise squad and must now prove he is worthy of selection for their active 53-man roster ahead of the new season, which begins on September 5. Even if he fails to make the initial cut, rules allow for an international player to be elevated to the active roster three times in a season.
What will be his position?
It is still early days but there are a number of options – running back, wide receiver, a hybrid of the two and kick returner. The last of these offers his best route into the NFL, at least in the early stages. Rule changes for the upcoming season have been designed to increase the number of kick returns and it is here that Rees-Zammit’s instinctive running skills, identification of gaps in the defence and athleticism will find their natural home. Apart from the presence of blockers and having to wear extensive padding, it would be the closest he comes to playing rugby on a gridiron field.
What are the odds of making it?
Even for a player with the physical attributes of Rees-Zammit, it will be incredibly hard to actually break through into the NFL. His speed over 40 yards, footwork and hands are valuable assets, but he is competing against rivals who have grown up playing a sport which is new to him. The instincts honed from gridiron exposure at an early age will be missing, while other aspects such as running routes, learning the playbook, experience of a different size ball and adapting to a whole new sporting culture are also obstacles to be navigated. Successfully swapping codes between rugby league and union is a challenge, never mind adapting to a new game altogether.
Which other rugby union players have made it?
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From these shores, none. Christian Wade is the highest-profile example after he was recruited for the Buffalo Bills in 2019, also via the IPP. The electric former Wasps wing made an impressive start by scoring a stunning 70-yard touchdown in a pre-season game but he never made the active roster and returned to rugby union in 2022 by signing for Racing 92. Australian-born Hayden Smith and well-travelled Kenyan Daniel Adongo actually made appearances in the NFL, but only a handful between them. If Rees-Zammit is a success, he will be the first.
What happens if the move does not work out?
Moving to the NFL is a win-win scenario for the former Lions and Gloucester sensation. If he makes an impact for the Chiefs, he will become a superstar in British sport. Should it prove too hard a conversion even for an athlete of his quality, he can return to rugby knowing clubs will be queuing up to sign a finisher who has plundered 14 tries in 32 caps for Wales. And if he sees out his Chiefs contract, he will still only be 26-years-old.
Patrick Mullins will be reunited with Fun Fun Fun when his father Willie Mullins fields a strong squad for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Honeysuckle Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.
The Closutton operation are responsible for 10 of the 18 runners in the Grade One event – including betting favourite Jade De Grugy – with the Irish champion trainer saddling the winner in six of the last 10 renewals.
Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Fun Fun Fun was in fact bred by the trainer’s son, who was regularly the man in the saddle last season when the duo secured Grade Two honours at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The decorated amateur was aboard for Fun Fun Fun’s winning hurdles bow at Thurles but has since given way for Paul Townend and Daryl Jacob to undertake steering duties in her next three outings.
However, fresh from landing the Grade Three Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle at Naas under Townend earlier this month, Mullins is back in the plate for her shot at the big time.
He said: “I bred Fun Fun Fun and it’s great to get back on her. Her pedigree suggests the ground and trip will be no problem, she’s a relation to The Listener and Yorkhill.
“She’s stepping up in trip and she’s usually a fast horse, so there is a question mark, but her pedigree suggests she will be fine.”
Stablemate Jade De Grugy sports the colours of leading owner Kenny Alexander, who claimed this prize with his star mare Honeysuckle in 2019, before the race was renamed in her honour.
Jade De Grugy went to the Cheltenham Festival with a big reputation and expectations to match, but having disappointed when only fourth in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, she is being backed to show her true colours as she quickly reappears.
“Jade De Grugy will probably be hard to beat,” continued Mullins.
“I think Cheltenham very much turned into a sprint and it was a Flat-bred horse that won the race. We would be disappointed if we don’t see better from her on Sunday.”
Away from the Mullins battalion, Jessica Harrington has a live contender in the form of second-season novice Jetara, who was pulled up here last year but has won three times this term and was last seen hitting the frame at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Gavin Cromwell’s Bioluminescence arrives in search of a hat-trick in the colours of JP McManus, having won a Limerick Grade Three earlier this month, while stablemate Only By Night has some smart form to her name also.
There is UK interest in the form of Fergal O’Brien’s Springtime Promise, who is unbeaten in three starts since switching to the Ravenswell Farm handler and beat some useful opponents when claiming the Grade Two Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown last month.
“We’re very pleased with Springtime and she surprised us first time up and has just progressed from there,” said O’Brien.
“Sedgefield wasn’t pretty but she got the job done and then she was very good at Sandown in the Jane Seymour, which I think was a deep enough race. Springtime and the Skelton horse (Cherie D’Am) pulled a long way clear from everything else and we’ve been very pleased with her.
“She won’t mind the ground, so we keep our fingers crossed. Willie Mullins has declared 10, but we always just do our own thing and whatever turns up, we do our best to try to beat them.
“In these graded races, you have to worry about yourself and, touch wood, she is in great form, she’s schooled well and had a little breeze on Friday – and I’m very happy with her.”
Hong Kong star California Spangle shattered the track record when seeing off Star Of Mystery and Diligent Harry in a red-hot Al Quoz Sprint.
Trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by Brenton Avdulla, the six-year-old has spent the majority of his career racing over seven furlongs and a mile and even finished second in the 2022 Hong Kong Derby over 10 furlongs behind Romantic Warrior.
He has locked horns with Golden Sixty on many occasions but having his first start over six furlongs since January 2022, he displayed blistering speed.
The winner was never far from the pace but had Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry for company for most of it.
California Spangle’s superior stamina kicked in close home as he stamped his authority on the contest, as Charlie Appleby’s three-year-old filly Star Of Mystery made late headway under Frankie Dettori to beat Diligent Harry for second.
“We came here knowing we had a good chance,” said Cruz.
“But we also knew that giving 13lb to Star Of Mystery would be tough. When he hits the front, nothing can catch him, and we were all over the moon when he took the lead.
“He broke a record on his debut over 1,000 metres (five furlongs), then we stretched him out to a mile, but in this 1200m you have to run at 1400m to win it.
“He’s a horse I think that can go places. I believe his ability is better than the others. It’s 10th time lucky for me in Dubai.”
Cox was understandably delighted with the performance of Diligent Harry and said: “We’re really pleased he’s been placed in a Group One.
“He’s repeated what we were seeing at home and it is very important that he travelled out here so well. He doesn’t like soft ground, so his season will be governed outside that.”
Tower Of London once again displayed a smart turn of foot to win the Dubai Gold Cup.
Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old had come from the back of the pack to win in Saudi Arabia last time out and once again Ryan Moore dropped him out at the rear.
His task was made somewhat easier as Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov was withdrawn at the start on veterinary advice.
The field only went at a sedate pace and it might not have looked the right place to be, especially with John and Thady Gosden’s Champions Day winner Trawlerman helping to dictate matters.
When Kieran Shoemark kicked on early in the straight it briefly looked as if he may have slipped the field.
However, his backers soon knew their fate as Al Nayyir loomed up on the bridle looking the likely winner.
Unfortunately for him, Tower Of London was just about to hit top gear down the centre of the track and the Galileo colt came with a sweeping run, looking a stayer very much on the upgrade.
“We’re delighted, we felt he would come on from Saudi – all the staff have been very happy with him out here,” said O’Brien.
“Ryan gave him a beautiful ride, he got it spot on. What can you say about him, he’s so cool. He saved ground on him and then dropped him on the line.
“I Imagine he’s an Ascot-type horse, the Hardwicke or maybe the Coronation at Epsom.”
Moore said: “We had a position down the back and I tracked Jim Crowley’s horse (Sea Stone). He picked up well in the straight and put up an impressive performance.”
Part-owner Michael Tabor was enjoying his first trip to Dubai and said: “I just felt that throughout the whole race, he had plenty in hand, everything suited him.
“He didn’t have the greatest of draws, but Ryan is Ryan.
“Two miles is as far as he wants to go and he’s possibly better at a mile and a half. Ryan was adamant, don’t be frightened to go back to a mile and a half. All those races are open to him.”
Blood Destiny will clash with Spillane’s Tower once again when he is tasked with extending Willie Mullins’ excellent record in the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.
The master of Closutton has a stranglehold on this Grade One event, winning the last five runnings – with Cheltenham Gold Cup heroes Al Boum Photo and Galopin Des Champs both on the roll of honour.
Currently locked with Jim Dreaper on five victories in the race, Blood Destiny has the chance to make Mullins the outright leading trainer in the two-and-a-half-mile event if building on his impressive success in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan earlier this month.
Blood Destiny put six and a half lengths between himself and Spillane’s Tower on that occasion, but the scoreline between the duo is one-one, with Jimmy Mangan’s likeable six-year-old gaining the upper hand when they met over the WillowWarm Gold Cup trip at Punchestown in January.
“Blood Destiny and Spillane’s Tower are having round three and I think conditions are probably going to suit Spillane’s Tower better with it being back up in trip and level weights,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father.
“But we’re probably going to use the same change of tactics with Blood Destiny as we did the last day. We had been riding him forward, but we’re now riding him more conservatively and maybe that will help Blood Destiny turn the tables from the last time they met over this trip anyway.
“We were hoping he was going to be an Arkle horse, but just the way the season started with him, we changed tack. This is a very valuable race at a prestigious meeting, so it worked well.”
Only Galopin Des Champs of the five Closutton winners of this race has been favourite and also classed as the Closutton first string, so it could prove wise to pay attention to the all-conquering stable’s second runner in the line-up, Tactical Move.
Second to Irish Grand National fancy Nick Rockett here on New Year’s Day, he has since impressed in two further starts over the larger obstacles and justified odds-on favouritism in good style when claiming a Naas Grade Three most recently.
“Tactical Move is out of a sister to Denman and is a horse of huge ability, just very fragile,” continued Mullins.
“You couldn’t rule him out either and he’s a horse with a huge engine. He’s obviously a lot older than your usual novice, but he has Grade One potential without doubt.”
Mangan won this with Conna Castle in 2008, while Gordon Elliott is also seeking a second WillowWarm Gold Cup and will rely on Cheltenham Festival fourth Zanahiyr and Saint Felicien.
Noel Meade was the last trainer to win this before the recent Mullins dominance and he will attempt to break the Closutton streak with Flanking Maneuver.
Denis Hogan’s Thecompanysergeant completes the field following his second to Mister Policeman in the Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase at Thurles.
Victor Wembanyama wants to be part of "greatness" after his San Antonio Spurs team overcame Jalen Brunson's 61-point effort to beat the New York Knicks on Friday.
Brunson became just the third Knicks player to ever score more than 60 points in a game, 38 of which came in the second half to lead his team on a 21-point comeback, but it ultimately counted for little as the Spurs took a 130-126 victory after overtime.
Wembanyama had a career-high effort of his own, scoring 40 points and collecting 20 rebounds to lead his team to a win that moves the Spurs to 18-56 on the season, still bottom of the Western Conference, while the Knicks slip to 44-29.
Wembanyama managed 13 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter to hold off the Knicks' comeback before scoring five points and collecting two rebounds in overtime to ensure Brunson's huge game was in vain.
The Spurs rookie was appreciative to have prevailed in the face of Brunson's brilliance, telling reporters: "I've never seen so [much] greatness before this season.
"I've just witnessed so much greatness and I want to be a part of it.
"I always wanted to, but more and more seeing that [I am] already able to compete with those guys. I'm not near [them] but I'm on the right path. I know it and I'm going to get there one day soon."
Brunson has full faith that Wembanyama will go right to the top, also stating that he would only enjoy having had the second-highest scoring game in Knicks' history when he retires due to coming out on the losing end.
"He's going to be one of the greatest players this game has seen," Brunson explained. "[It is] just the way he's built and what he's been able to do so far.
"I've got a lot of respect for him, and it's definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him."
Having watched Brunson and Wembanyama go blow for blow before his team ultimately came out on top, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich stated he had never seen a game quite like it, while heaping praise on his star player.
"It just shows what [Wembanyama] is going to be when he understands all the physicality that's coming at him all the time and what to do about it," Popovich said.
"Fortunately, he's also a hell of an instinctive passer and he's willing to do what he needs to do in that regard. So, he's pretty special."
Jalen Green scored 30 of his 34 points in the second half, including a pair of late free throws, and the Houston Rockets edged the Utah Jazz for their 11th consecutive NBA win on Friday.
Fred VanVleet added 22 points and Amen Thompson had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who have won 12 of 13 games to remain one game behind the Golden State Warriors for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
Houston trailed the entire first half but swung momentum their way during a third-quarter scoring outburst from Green.
He had five of the Rockets' first six baskets of the second half to power a 20-7 run that put Houston up 61-54.
Green scored 20 of his team's 28 points in the quarter and Houston ultimately edged it 101-100.
Timberwolves win showdown with Nuggets
Anthony Edwards scored 25 points and Mike Conley added 23 with eight assists as the surging Minnesota Timberwolves moved atop the Western Conference with a 111-98 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 11 rebounds while Jaden McDaniels contributed 17 points as the Wolves won their fourth straight and seventh in eight games to tie Oklahoma City for first place in the West.
Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who lost their second in a row and were without star point guard Jamal Murray for a fourth consecutive game.
Lakers' winning streak ends at five
Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton thrived as the Indiana Pacers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-90 in a game which had playoff implications for both teams.
The Lakers came into the game having won their last five, but Siakam finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Haliburton added 21 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the victorious hosts.
Indiana has won four of six to retain the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Lakers are trying to improve their playoff positioning from the No. 9 seed in the West.
All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis both started despite being injury doubts.
Davis finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while James had 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. But the Lakers struggled from deep, going five of 29 on 3-pointers and committing 16 turnovers. five of which came from James.
The Pacers led for almost all the game and it was a sweet result for coach Rick Carlisle after his team had previously lost to the Lakers in the final of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament and again been beaten 150-145 in Los Angeles five days before this contest.
Ben Whittaker revealed he missed his grandmother’s funeral in the lead up to Tokyo 2020 and feels his sacrifices are paying off ahead of his light-heavyweight clash with Leon Willings.
The 26-year-old, who continued his unbeaten start to his professional career with a stylish victory over Khalid Graidia in February, returns to action on the undercard of Fabio Wardley v Frazer Clarke at the O2 on Sunday.
Ahead of his seventh professional bout, Olympic silver medallist Whittaker revealed some of the difficult choices he has had to make in his life away from the spotlight.
“Not many people have seen the sacrifices I’ve made,” Whittaker told the PA news agency.
“The little things like when I ran before school, my dad would wake me up in the morning for swimming.
“Even more recently leading up to the Olympics I had to miss my grandmother’s funeral and not a lot of people see that. It’s a sacrifice and it’s paying off.”
Whittaker has amassed over 1 million Instagram followers after his showboating antics last time out gained the attention of supporters.
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He reiterated that despite wanting to entertain, he is looking to “win by any means” this weekend.
“I’m professional so I know when and when not to do it and at the end of the day a win is all that matters,” Whittaker added.
“If I start hopping on one leg, doing flips and I lose, the fans will be entertained. You’ve got to win and that’s what I’ll do. Anything else is a bonus.
“I predict a win. A win by any means.”
The undefeated Whittaker faces Widnes fighter Willings, who has a 7-1 career record, in what will be his second fight of 2024.
The Midlands man believes his ability will be too much for his opponent in London.
“I’m as confident as ever,” he said.
“He’s young and hungry and he’s got a winning mentality but I believe I’m just levels above and that will show on Sunday.
“If you don’t have confidence in this game there’s no point being in it because it’s a dangerous sport. I get my confidence from the work I put in and I make it look so easy because I train two to three times a day and cut no corners.
“I’m better than him in all compartments.”
Dual Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle has given birth to her first foal, a filly by Walk In The Park.
The news was announced on social media by Peter Molony, racing manager to Honeysuckle’s owner, Kenny Alexander, who said: “It’s a girl! Honeysuckle has foaled a bay filly by @coolmorestud @grangestud Walk In The Park at 11:30 last night!! Mother & daughter reportedly doing well.”
Honeysuckle was trained expertly by Henry de Bromhead to win 17 of her 19 races including the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021 and 2022.
She met with the only defeats of her career at the beginning of the 2022-23 in the Hatton’s Grace and Irish Champion Hurdle but went out in a blaze of glory when winning the Mares’ Hurdle last March.
Now 10, Honeysuckle is slated to visit Blue Bresil for her next covering, the sire of Constitution Hill.
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