Connections of Delta Work believe the dual Festival hero has plenty on his plate as he goes in search of a third win around Cheltenham’s cross-country course in Friday’s Glenfarclas Handicap Chase.
The five-time Grade One winner was something of a pantomime villain when denying his stablemate Tiger Roll a fairytale farewell at Prestbury Park in 2022, but punters roared him home when he successfully defended his crown in March at the chief expense of another Elliott-trained runner in Galvin.
The Cullentra pair lock horns again in the Cotswolds on day one of the November meeting – but while their class came to the fore in a conditions race at the Festival, this contest is a handicap, meaning they will have to concede weight to the rest of the field.
With 7lb-claiming amateur Rob James offsetting some of Galvin’s 12st burden, Delta Work will carry top-weight of 11st 13lb under Keith Donoghue – and that hefty load, combined with the rain-softened ground, means Gigginstown House Stud’s Eddie O’Leary is not overly optimistic.
He said: “As expected he’s carrying an awful lot of weight and it’s very hard to fancy him in that ground off that weight.
“We’d be hopeful more than confident, I’d say. There’s a big difference (with the weights) in March on March ground.”
Elliott’s duo are joined on the trip from Ireland by the Mouse Morris-trained Foxy Jacks and Gearoid O’Loughlin’s Whatsyourstatus, while the home team is headed by Martin Keighley’s Back On The Lash, who bids to win the race for a third time.
The nine-year-old struck gold in 2021 and in last season’s renewal when it was run in January. He was subsequently pulled up behind Delta Work at the Festival and again failed to complete in the Grand National or on his recent reappearance at Exeter, but Keighley is hopeful of an improved performance.
“He schooled around there last week and he was really good,” he said.
“Obviously the two Gordon Elliott horses are going to be really hard to beat, but he loves it round there and it’d be great to see him bounce back to form. We could just do with not too much more rain.
“He needed that run (at Exeter), he seems in top form again now. He just comes alive around the cross-country jumps, he loves it round there as long as the ground is not too soft.
“He’s actually 2lb lower than when he last won it. He’s won this race the last two years, so hopefully he can make it a third.”
Diesel D’Allier finished third to Back On The Lash in 2021 before winning at the track the following month and finishing fourth to Delta Work in March.
His last two runs over the fences have not been so positive, but trainer Richard Bandey was encouraged by a comeback run over hurdles at Worcester last month.
He said: “He had a nice run over hurdles the other week, just as a prep run which he hasn’t had before, so it was good to get that into him.
“He’s in much better form than he was last year – we were always up against it last season with a few little issues, but we’ve had a much clearer run this year so hopefully he’ll give a good account of himself on Friday.
“It’s always going to be hard work with Delta Work and Galvin in there, but we’ll give it a go.”
JPR One could have been found the perfect opportunity to showcase his class over the larger obstacles in the SSS Super Alloys Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.
The six-year-old has always been held in high regard by trainer Joe Tizzard and the team at Venn Farm, but injury has hindered his progress and delayed the start of his chasing career by a season.
A winner of four of his eight starts, JPR One now takes the next step up the fencing ladder after a successful debut in his new discipline at Newton Abbot last month.
“He was impressive the last day and this is obviously a step up, but I was quite keen to keep him at two miles as he showed plenty of pace and jumped well at Newton Abbot,” said Tizzard.
“Soft ground over two miles should be ideal for him. He had a school on Wednesday morning and schooled lovely and this is the next step.
“He got an injury last autumn which held us up and stopped us going novice chasing and he’s only a six-year-old now, so it might have been a blessing in disguise.
“He bounced back and won at Taunton and then went to Aintree. He’s a strong horse now who has always jumped well. I’m excited about him.”
Champion Chase winner Put The Kettle On (2019) and Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge 12 months ago have both taken this prize back to Ireland in recent years and looking to join them on the roll of honour is Cian Collins’ Mighty Tom.
The eight-year-old had to settle for second behind Gavin Cromwell’s Letsbeclearaboutit in a Cork Grade Three on his chasing debut and brings some smart hurdling form to the table.
“He probably bumped into a Grade One horse at Cork last time and the drop back to two miles will suit him on Friday,” said Collins.
“The ground will be nicer on Friday which will be to his liking, it is just the 12 days since his last start that is the biggest worry. But I’m happy with him and hopefully he will handle it.”
There are only four going to post for the Grade Two contest with Jonjo O’Neill’s Petit Tonnerre and Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Homme Public completing the quartet.
The latter took on an experienced cast when making a successful first start over the larger obstacles on good ground at Wetherby and his training team are hoping for similar conditions at Prestbury Park.
“He definitely seemed to improve for fences (at Wetherby), he just wouldn’t want it too soft,” said Greenall.
“He’ll take his chance and I would say he enjoyed the ground at Wetherby as well. It should be ideal for him.”
Rory McIlroy felt like “something had to give” as he explained his surprise decision to resign from the PGA Tour’s policy board.
McIlroy cited professional and personal commitments for standing down as a player-director in a letter sent to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
The world number two has been LIV Golf’s most vocal critic and admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when a shock deal between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour was announced in June.
Speaking after an eventful opening 71 in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “I just think I’ve got a lot going on in my life between my golf game, my family and my growing investment portfolio, my involvement in TGL [an indoor golf league], and I just felt like something had to give.
“I just didn’t feel like I could commit the time and the energy into doing that. I don’t mind being busy, but I just like being busy doing my own stuff.
“Something had to give and there’s guys that are on that board that are spending a lot more time and a lot more energy on it than I am. It’s in good hands and I felt like it was the right time to step off.”
Competing for the first time since a career-best performance helped Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome, McIlroy carded five birdies and four bogeys in his 71, along with an extraordinary par on the 18th.
His drive on the 650-yard par five bounced off the rocks surrounding a creek which runs the length of the hole and landed in the chip bark off the fairway, from where he pulled his second shot into the creek, only to see it bounce out and on to a bridge.
“I was hoping that my tee shot was going to miss the hazard right but I didn’t exactly think that it would do what it did,” McIlroy, who conceded he was rusty, said.
“And the second shot from the mulch, it just sort of started left on me, and yeah got another stroke of luck by coming back over the bridge.
“I was a bit in two minds about whether to go left and cut it or go right. I felt with the longer club there was a chance of clipping the bridge on the way through. So I took a wedge and just tried to hit it as hard as I could and ended up making a good five.
“The up and down on 17 [from a bunker] and the par on 18 was actually a pretty nice way to end the day.”
Playing partner Jon Rahm was not so fortunate, the defending champion dropping shots on the 17th and 18th to finish level par, five shots off the lead shared by Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolai Hojgaard and the French pair of Julien Guerrier and Matthieu Pavon.
Hojgaard, who was level par at the turn before making five birdies in the next six holes, admitted he had been inspired by being part of Luke Donald’s victorious side in Rome.
“It was huge,” the 22-year-old said.
“Spending time with the best players in the world, fighting for a common goal was amazing, and just being around those guys, seeing what they do, what do I do different, what do I need to work on.
“It gave me a lot of confidence going into the last end of the season here. You want to play with those guys but you also want to beat them.”
Fellow Ryder Cup stars Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton were part of an eight-strong group on three under par.
Sir Alex Ferguson may have one of the most decorated footballing CVs around, but he is attempting to break new ground when his horse Spirit Dancer lines up in the Bahrain International Trophy on Friday.
The Group Two event has a $1million prize fund and Ferguson’s candidate, who is trained by Richard Fahey, booked his ticket when picking up York’s Strensall Stakes in the summer.
Spirit Dancer now faces the toughest assignment of his career as he takes on a strong cast that includes Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale and the Group One-winning Above The Curve among others.
However, despite being known as one of the most fiercest of competitors on the touchline, Ferguson believes he cuts a much more relaxed figure in the paddock before a big race and would relish the chance to get his hands on yet another international sporting trophy with the talented son of Frankel.
“I think my competitive element was left in football,” he told Racing TV’s Raceday.
“I never question the trainer and I never get upset if the horse loses because its a different sport for me – I can’t tell a horse what to do, but at least I could tell my players what to do. In that respect I’m not a critical judge at all, ever.
“I enjoy being there and if a horse wins of course you are excited, especially in big races.
“Spirit Dancer has given us great joy and I’ve started a stud and he’s the first product of the stud.”
Meanwhile Spirit Dancer’s trainer is optimistic the six-year-old’s calm demeanour will be an asset when dealing with the rigours of international competition.
“The target all season was Bahrain because it’s a million dollar race and a good opportunity in trip, track and everything will suit,” Fahey told Great British Racing.
“He’s a very laid-back horse. When you go on about international runners, you’ve got to pick the right horse and this horse’s mind is great and I’m sure he’ll probably drive the plane back on the way home because he’s just so laid back. There’s no issues with him at all.”
Defending champion Dubai Future is one of two in the race for Saeed bin Suroor, who also saddles Real World.
They are just two of a strong Godolphin challenge which also features Andre Fabre’s Birr Castle and two from Charlie Appleby’s stable, Nations Pride and Highland Avenue.
John and Thady Gosden’s Princess Of Wales’s Stakes winner Israr and Noel Meade’s Layfayette are other familiar names taking part, while Cambridgeshire winner Astro King has been in great form this term and bids to cap a fantastic year for Daniel and Claire Kubler.
Claire Kubler said: “He is going to be our biggest runner outside of Europe which is incredible. It’s very exciting.
“It’s great having Bahrain putting on a race like this to attract international contenders and hopefully Astro King can put his best foot forward and do us proud.”
Sports clubs can play a vital role in breaking down barriers for vulnerable young people to help develop their life skills on and off the court, according to Plymouth City Patriots coach Paul James.
The 59-year-old recently celebrated his 500th victory as a head coach in the British Basketball League when the Patriots inflicted a first defeat of the season on runaway championship leaders London Lions.
As well as his continued focus at the elite level, James also helps the club run sessions in the community, offering free coaching for young and vulnerable children.
The Patriots are part of a programme which is being delivered locally and supported by nationwide sport for development charity StreetGames, in partnership with the Plymouth Drake Foundation’s children in poverty initiative.
The community organisation projects are designed to help steer young people away from crime and into positive activities aimed at teaching teamwork, resilience and discipline.
James’ professional playing career started as a 17-year-old at his hometown club Leicester then with Bracknell before moving into coaching, which eventually led to a spell in charge of England men’s senior national team.
While some of the youngsters within the Patriots’ community programmes may also have aspirations to get to the top of the sport, James believes just giving someone the chance to develop themselves within a team environment could prove the biggest lasting impact.
“We have got a lot of people playing who ordinarily would not have had an opportunity to play basketball, let alone sport,” James told the PA news agency.
“I look at these kids who are walking around now who have good friendships and a lot of confidence, they are starting to understand teamwork. It is something that they have never really had before.
“A lot of kids have barriers that they face to accessing sport, because they can’t afford it, so StreetGames have a ‘doorstep fund’, which allows us to offer free places for children at our basketball camps.
“It is a chance for them to come out and gives them an opportunity to play basketball, something they normally wouldn’t have an opportunity to do, so we are very proud to partner with StreetGames to be able to offer this to vulnerable kids.”
James feels playing sports can only help provide a positive outlet for youngsters to grow, both physically and also for their own mental health.
“I think it was different back then (when I started out) – you could be outside playing whatever sport all day, every day,” James said.
“That is not the case now and I certainly see that in some of the children that we are working with. I think a lot of that is down to not having access to sports or access to do things.
“But I feel that it is not just about coaching, it is about life skills.
“Yes basketball is there, it is a facility to get people off the street and get them involved in sport – but it is about your mental health and actually being a good person, treating people how you want to be treated.
“There is an important part for us coaches to play in just general life skills and advising kids of the way to be, how to handle yourself.
“It is definitely more than just having an hour session coaching – it is spending time with them, asking ‘how are you feeling today? How is school doing?’
“It is asking all those questions, just really trying to help and guide them, give them confidence to be able to speak out and just talk about how they are feeling.”
On the court, James is hoping the Patriots, currently a couple of points behind eighth place, can build some momentum to make a late run for the end-of-season play-offs.
“We have got a really good group of guys and are working exceptionally hard. It is just trying to find that consistency,” he said.
“Our aim for the season is to make the play-offs if we can, so we have still got time to do that.”
Aidan O’Brien’s St Leger winner Continuous will miss the Japan Cup next weekend due to stiffness.
His scheduled run at Tokyo racecourse on November 26 had garnered plenty of interest amongst the locals.
Not only was he due to take on the brilliant Equinox, currently rated as the best horse in the world, but Continuous is a son of Heart’s Cry.
Heart’s Cry was a quality performer in Japan and beat Deep Impact, the sire of O’Brien’s dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin, in the Arima Kinen of 2005 as well as winning the 2006 Sheema Classic in Dubai.
Continuous was far from disgraced in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when a little over three lengths behind Ace Impact in fifth, however, his trip to the Far East has now been scuppered.
O’Brien said: “Unfortunately Continuous was stiff after his latest exercise which means he won’t be going to Japan.”
Ruth Jefferson’s classy chaser Sounds Russian is on the road to recovery after an injury sustained when he was brought down in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
The gelding had a fruitful season prior to the fall, winning the Edinburgh Gin Chase at Kelso on debut and then finishing second by narrow margins in both the Rowland Meyrick and the Cotswold Chase.
His next start was a return to Prestbury Park for the Gold Cup, where he started at 50-1 under Sean Quinlan in a field of 13.
Six fences from home he was still in contention when the leader, Ahoy Senor, fell and knocked him off of his feet as he followed on behind.
The resulting knee injury has required an operation and Sounds Russian has now started the pre-training phase of his return to action.
Jefferson said: “He’s in pre-training so he’s been doing some treadmill work, he’s seen the physio, he’s been doing a lot of flat work and fitness work at the moment. He’ll probably be back with me in the next month or so.
“He’s not always behaved himself so he might not be as fit as I was hoping he’d be when he gets back to me, which will push me back to February.
“He doesn’t take a lot of getting fit, that’s one thing about him, but it does mean everything has to slow down a stride.
“He damaged his knee and had to have it operated on, they took 12 chips of bone out. It was a funny injury really but he’s been sound on it, that’s the main thing. Ridden or otherwise, he’s been very sound on it.”
Jefferson predicts the bay will not make it to the racecourse before February and when he does a switch to hurdling is open to him as he is still a novice over smaller obstacles.
She said: “I’ve got no idea what he’ll be doing, he’s still a novice over hurdles so it’s possible we could revert to hurdling for the rest of the season because I don’t know what there’ll be for him when he comes back chasing-wise.
“He’s only rated 111 over hurdles so if the handicapper leaves him at that I’ll be delighted, it might make more sense to do that but there’s a few more bridges to cross before then.”
Lewis Hamilton has told Max Verstappen to stop complaining after his rival criticised Formula One’s maiden race on the Las Vegas strip as “99 per cent show, and one per cent sport”.
Verstappen’s controversial remarks – which will irk F1’s American owners’ Liberty Media following their estimated £400million gamble to bring the sport back to Sin City for the first time in 41 years – arrived just moments after a glittering Superbowl-style opening ceremony on Wednesday night.
John Legend and Kylie Minogue were among a number of high-profile artists to perform in a dazzling 30-minute show designed to kick-start the penultimate round of the season, billed as the greatest show on earth.
The grid’s 20 drivers were also presented to the crowd ahead of Saturday night’s 50-lap race which F1 executives are using to build on the sport’s growing popularity in the United States. The race in Nevada joins Austin and Miami as the third in America.
But moments after a fireworks display brought the curtain down on the glittering welcome party, Verstappen, crowned triple world champion in Qatar last month, was quick to pour scorn on the event.
“It is 99 per cent show and one per cent sporting event,” said the 26-year-old. “I was just standing up there, looking like a clown.
“I guess they (F1) still make money whether I like it or not. So it’s not up to me. But I’m not going to fake it.
“I voice my opinion on positive things and negative things. That’s just how I am. And you know, some people like the show a bit more. I don’t like it at all.
“I grew up just looking at the performance side of things. And that’s how I see it as well. I like to be in Vegas, but not so much for racing.”
However, responding to criticism, Hamilton, 38, said: “I hear there are a lot of people complaining about the direction that (F1 CEO) Stefano (Domenicali) and Liberty has gone. But they are doing an amazing job.
“The sport continues to grow. It is a business and you will still see good racing here. It is a country to tap into and really captivate the audience.
“We needed to have at least two races in the US, one wasn’t enough, and this is one of the most iconic and unique cities that they have here.
“It is a big show for sure, and it is never going to be like Silverstone, but maybe over time, the people in this community will grow to love the sport.
“Maybe the track will be good, and maybe it will be bad. It was so-so on the simulator. But don’t knock it until you try it.”
The debut race on the strip, which starts at 10pm local time, comes after three consecutive rounds in Austin, Mexico and Brazil and ahead of next weekend’s concluding race in Abu Dhabi – a weary time swing of 12 hours.
The circuit itself features 17 corners over 3.8 miles along the famous Las Vegas Boulevard, and against the backdrop of Caesars Palace, the Venetian and the Bellagio.
It is expected that the drivers will hit speeds in excess of 210mph, but Verstappen said: “The track is not very interesting with not many corners.
“It will depend a little bit on how grippy it is. It doesn’t look like there’s much grip.”
Verstappen has won 17 of the 20 rounds so far, while it is approaching two years since Hamilton, in his Mercedes, has tasted victory.
Hamilton, who will get his first taste of the street track in opening practice at 8:30pm local time on Thursday (4:30am GMT on Friday) continued: “From a racer’s perspective, you want to have the best show here.
“If the track provides a race like Baku – which is one of the best races with lots of overtaking – than that would be amazing, rather than just one car disappearing into the distance.
“Everybody I know in Hollywood is coming and there will be a lot of business going on this weekend.
“It will be a good spectacle to watch, even for those back home who have never been to Vegas. They will get to learn what it is all about.”
Lewis Hamilton has told Max Verstappen to stop complaining after his rival criticised Formula One’s maiden race on the Las Vegas strip as “99 per cent show, and one per cent sport”.
Verstappen’s controversial remarks – which will irk F1’s American owners’ Liberty Media following their estimated £400million gamble to bring the sport back to Sin City for the first time in 41 years – arrived just moments after a glittering Superbowl-style opening ceremony on Wednesday night.
John Legend and Kylie Minogue were among a number of high-profile artists to perform in a dazzling 30-minute show designed to kick-start the penultimate round of the season, billed as the greatest show on earth.
The grid’s 20 drivers were also presented to the crowd ahead of Saturday night’s 50-lap race which F1 executives are using to build on the sport’s growing popularity in the United States. The race in Nevada joins Austin and Miami as the third in America.
But moments after a fireworks display brought the curtain down on the glittering welcome party, Verstappen, crowned triple world champion in Qatar last month, was quick to pour scorn on the event.
“It is 99 per cent show and one per cent sporting event,” said the 26-year-old. “I was just standing up there, looking like a clown.
“I guess they (F1) still make money whether I like it or not. So it’s not up to me. But I’m not going to fake it.
“I voice my opinion on positive things and negative things. That’s just how I am. And you know, some people like the show a bit more. I don’t like it at all.
“I grew up just looking at the performance side of things. And that’s how I see it as well. I like to be in Vegas, but not so much for racing.”
However, responding to criticism, Hamilton, 38, said: “I hear there are a lot of people complaining about the direction that (F1 CEO) Stefano (Domenicali) and Liberty has gone. But they are doing an amazing job.
“The sport continues to grow. It is a business and you will still see good racing here. It is a country to tap into and really captivate the audience.
“We needed to have at least two races in the US, one wasn’t enough, and this is one of the most iconic and unique cities that they have here.
“It is a big show for sure, and it is never going to be like Silverstone, but maybe over time, the people in this community will grow to love the sport.
“Maybe the track will be good, and maybe it will be bad. It was so-so on the simulator. But don’t knock it until you try it.”
The debut race on the strip, which starts at 10pm local time, comes after three consecutive rounds in Austin, Mexico and Brazil and ahead of next weekend’s concluding race in Abu Dhabi – a weary time swing of 12 hours.
The circuit itself features 17 corners over 3.8 miles along the famous Las Vegas Boulevard, and against the backdrop of Caesars Palace, the Venetian and the Bellagio.
It is expected that the drivers will hit speeds in excess of 210mph, but Verstappen said: “The track is not very interesting with not many corners.
“It will depend a little bit on how grippy it is. It doesn’t look like there’s much grip.”
Verstappen has won 17 of the 20 rounds so far, while it is approaching two years since Hamilton, in his Mercedes, has tasted victory.
Hamilton, who will get his first taste of the street track in opening practice at 8:30pm local time on Thursday (4:30am GMT on Friday) continued: “From a racer’s perspective, you want to have the best show here.
“If the track provides a race like Baku – which is one of the best races with lots of overtaking – than that would be amazing, rather than just one car disappearing into the distance.
“Everybody I know in Hollywood is coming and there will be a lot of business going on this weekend.
“It will be a good spectacle to watch, even for those back home who have never been to Vegas. They will get to learn what it is all about.”
Evander Kane scored twice in the third period and completed his hat trick in overtime, rallying the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.
Connor McDavid also scored and Evan Bouchard had three assists as the Oilers came back from a two-goal deficit to win their third straight.
Jared McCann, Alex Wennberg and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare all scored in the second period, but Seattle lost for the fifth time in six games (1-3-2).
Kane’s first goal of the game came with 6:32 left in regulation and drew the Oilers within 3-2. He scored the equaliser with 46 seconds left and goalie Stuart Skinner pulled for an extra attacker.
Flyers’ Hart sharp in return
Carter Hart made 31 saves in his first start in two weeks and the Philadelphia Flyers won their third straight, 3-1 over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hart missed the previous two games after a bout with food poisoning and the three games prior to that due to a mid-body injury.
Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny scored in the first period and Ryan Poehling added a third-period goal as the Flyers closed their road trip 3-1-0.
Stefan Noesen had the lone goal for Carolina, which suffered its first loss in five home games this season.
Hughes’ OT goal finishes Canucks’ comeback
Quinn Hughes scored in overtime and the Vancouver Canucks rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 4-3 win over the reeling New York Islanders.
J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek scored power-play goals for the Canucks, who have won seven of eight overall and are 6-0-1 at home.
Pierre Engvall, Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat had goals for the Islanders, losers of six straight (0-4-2).
Horvat scored in his return to Vancouver, where he spent eight seasons before he was traded to the Islanders in February.
World Cup-winner Martin Johnson resigned from his role as England rugby union team manager on this day in 2011.
Johnson departed following a poor World Cup campaign, which was mired in controversy off the pitch and saw England exit in the quarter-finals in disappointing fashion to France.
Captain for England’s 2003 triumph, Johnson took on the manager role in 2008 despite no previous coaching experience and guided his country to the Six Nations title six months before a World Cup to forget in New Zealand.
England arrived with optimism, but struggled to a 13-9 victory over Argentina in their opener after a late try by Ben Youngs.
A four-point win over Scotland confirmed England’s passage into the last eight, but their luck ran out with another error-strewn display resulting in a 19-12 loss to France in the quarter-finals.
With Johnson’s contract due to expire before the end of the year and after a string of incidents involving his players in New Zealand, the ex-captain confirmed his resignation five weeks after their World Cup ended.
“I think it is in the best interests of both the England team and myself not to carry on,” Johnson said.
“While we’ve had our most successful season with 10 wins from 13, we are disappointed with how we ended it with the World Cup. I think it’s the right decision at this time
“The cycles are from World Cup to World Cup and you have to decide whether you are prepared to jump in for four years and wholly commit yourself to that job and weigh it up. I’m not.”
Devin Booker gave the Suns a huge boost with 31 points in his return and Phoenix snapped the Minnesota Timberwolves’ seven-game winning streak, 133-115 on Wednesday.
Kevin Durant also scored 31 points and Eric Gordon added 15 as Phoenix avoided a third straight loss.
Booker returned after missing five games with a strained calf, but Bradley Beal was a late scratch with a sore back.
The Suns have yet to have their three stars - Booker, Durant and Beal - play a game together.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points on his 28th birthday and Mike Conley added 14 points for Minnesota, which lost its first game in November.
Phoenix was never seriously threatened, taking a six-point lead after one quarter, a 22-point lead at halftime and a 28-point advantage entering the fourth.
White leads surging Celtics past 76ers
Derrick White scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to propel the short-handed Boston Celtics to a 117-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of Eastern Conference heavyweights.
Jayson Tatum had 29 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 with 10 rebounds to help Boston win its fourth straight despite missing Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee contusion).
The 76ers got 20 points apiece from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in its second consecutive loss following eight straight wins.
Sam Hauser and Al Horford filled in for Brown and Porzingis and combined for 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six blocks.
Lillard stars as Bucks win without Antetokounmpo
Damian Lillard poured in 37 points to go with 13 assists and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence in a 128-112 win over the Toronto Raptors.
Lillard was 9 of 18 from the field and 15 of 16 from the free throw line while hitting four of Milwaukee’s season high-tying 20 3-pointers.
Antetokounmpo missed his first game of the season due to a strained right calf.
Malik Beasley scored a season-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting – including 8 of 11 from long range – as the Bucks avenged a loss at Toronto earlier this month.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 29 points and Jakob Poeltl had 13 and 11 boards.
The NBA has handed Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green a five-game suspension for his involvement in Tuesday's altercation with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The league announced the ban Wednesday, penalising Green for "escalating an on-court altercation and forcibly grabbing Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner."
Gobert, his Timberwolves teammate Jaden McDaniels and Warriors guard Klay Thompson were all fined $25,000 for their roles in the incident.
Green was given the harshest punishment and will lose $769,704 in game salary because of his prior track record.
"The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts," the statement read.
The incident occurred in the opening minutes of the Timberwolves' 104-101 win, when Thompson and McDaniels "became entangled and were grabbing and pulling at one another’s jerseys."
Gobert rushed in and grabbed Thompson and Green promptly entered the fracas to defend his teammate, pulling Gobert away from behind with his arm around his neck.
Thompson’s jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green’s second ejection of the season and two free throws by Gobert.
Thompson and McDaniels were each assessed a technical foul and ejected, while Green was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected.
Green will begin serving his suspension Thursday, when the 6-6 Warriors host the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he'll be eligible to return November 28 against the Sacramento Kings.
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole won his first American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, while the San Diego Padres' Blake Snell won his second Cy Young - and first time in the National League.
Cole was the runner-up twice for the AL Cy Young (in 2019 and ’21) but received all 30 first-place votes by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, becoming the 11th unanimous AL winner.
The right-hander led the league in three of the most important pitching statistics, finishing first in ERA (2.63), WHIP (0.98) and innings pitched (209). His 222 strikeouts were third in the AL behind Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman's 237 and Minnesota Twins righty Pablo Lopez's 234.
Gausman finished third in voting, while Lopez's Twins teammate, Sonny Gray, finished second.
Cole went 15-4 and yielded fewer than four runs in 28 of 33 starts in 2023. He was dominant over the season’s final five weeks, going 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.68 WHIP with the Yankees winning all seven of those games.
He's the first Yankee to win the award since 2001, when Roger Clemens won it.
Snell becomes the seventh pitcher to win the award in both leagues after winning the AL Cy Young as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.
The left-hander led all of MLB with a 2.25 ERA and .181 opponents' batting average, while his 234 strikeouts trailed only Atlanta Braves righty Spencer Strider's 281 for the most in the NL.
Snell also led the majors with 99 walks, becoming the first pitcher since Early Wynn for the 1959 Chicago White Sox to win the Cy Young despite leading MLB in base on balls.
Voters looked past his control issues and evidently focused on his incredible stretch from late May through the end of the season. In his final 23 starts, Snell recorded a 1.20 ERA - only Bob Gibson in 1968 posted a lower ERA in as many starts.
Snell, who finished the season 14-9 with a 1.19 WHIP, received 28 of 30 first-place votes to finish ahead of the San Francisco Giants' Logan Webb and Zac Gallen of the NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Daniil Medvedev reached his third ATP Finals semi-final after beating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in Turin.
The 18th ATP meeting between the pair was a tight encounter as Medvedev came from behind in a first-set tie-breaker to snatch victory before edging ahead in the second to secure his spot in the final four with a 7-6(7) 6-4 success.
The stakes were already high as both players entered the clash with one win under their belts already in the Red Group. Zverev had beaten Carlos Alcaraz and Medvedev got the better of Andrey Rublev in straight sets.
A thrilling start to the opening set saw Medvedev break in the first game before clinching the second, but Zverev held his serve to pull one back in the third and managed to break in the sixth to tie 3-3.
The score went back-and-forth before Medvedev held in the 12th to force a tie-breaker and the drama continued as the world number three came from 1-4 down to save two set points, going on to win 7-6(7).
Aiming to continue the momentum in the second, he took the opening game before Zverev served up two aces to tie and both players held serve in another tightly-contested set.
The set looked destined to boil down to another tie-break as Medvedev held in the ninth but managed to break in the following game to earn his spot in the semi-finals.
Anthony Joshua has vowed to deliver a “demolition job” on Otto Wallin when the British heavyweight fights on the same bill as Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Joshua, who is looking to insert himself back into the world title picture, will face the Swede as part of a stacked card in Riyadh.
The 34-year-old Joshua, who beat Robert Helenius in his last bout in August, will fight after Wilder, who faces Joseph Parker on the undercard.
The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is on a quest to become a three-time heavyweight champion and he sees Wallin, who claimed a points victory over Murat Gassiev in September, as the next step.
“I’m looking forward to delivering my message to Otto Wallin on December 23,” Joshua told a press conference.
“I can’t predict the future but I know what I want to do. I believe I’m going to be three-time heavyweight champion and the first step is to put a demolition job on Otto Wallin.
“It’s going to be a really good time to go to Saudi. It’s going to be big, we haven’t seen a card like this before.
“This is not a one-stop shop. This is a vision, this is my first stop and I will deliver the message. I’m determined to win and get back to my peak.”
Joshua lost his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and he fell short in their rematch the following year.
Eddie Hearn, his promoter, believes the best is still to come for Joshua, who will step into the ring for a third time this year after victories against Jermaine Franklin and Helenius.
Hearn said: “This is a tough fight. We saw (Wallin) against Tyson Fury, he’s a good southpaw and we have seen something different from AJ (Joshua).
“I think the best chapter is still to write for AJ. He changed the face of Saudi boxing and this is a challenge he wants to take.
“He wants to be heavyweight champion again and I think this will be a destructive performance from him.”
Hearn talked up a potential showdown between Joshua and Wilder next year, saying: “Wilder is potentially a massive fight to bring in 2024.
“This lines everything up for AJ and this lines up his whole career. I can’t wait to see him shine on December 23.”
The date was initially reserved for Tyson Fury and Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight showdown, which has since been postponed following the Briton’s lacklustre performance against Francis Ngannou last month.
Wallin, whose only defeat came against Fury, admitted the fight against Joshua was a bit of a surprise.
He said: “It’s an easy fight to make for us. I didn’t expect to fight again this year. I’m in a great position and feel on top of the world.
“I have been waiting for this for a long time and I’m blessed to be in this position.”
British heavyweight Daniel Dubois will take on American Jarrell Miller on a stacked undercard, which also features Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur challenging WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and London’s Ellis Zorro taking on IBF cruiserweight holder Jai Opetaia.
Anthony Joshua will fight on the same bill as Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
The Briton, who is looking to insert himself back into the world title picture in the heavyweight division, will face Sweden’s Otto Wallin in the Middle East.
Joshua, who beat Robert Helenius in his last bout in August, will fight after Wilder, who faces Joseph Parker on the undercard.
December 23 was initially reserved for Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight showdown, which has since been postponed following Fury’s lacklustre performance against Francis Ngannou last month.
Carlos Alcaraz snapped a three-match losing streak as he beat Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-2 in his penultimate round-robin contest of the ATP Finals in Turin.
It was the first encounter between the Spaniard and Russian, with the latter hoping to bounce back from Monday’s loss to compatriot Daniil Medvedev.
Instead he found himself pinned back by world number two Alcaraz, who never faced a break point and kept his hopes of advancing from the the Red Group alive with his first win at the year-end event after missing the last edition with an abdominal injury.
Alcaraz’s critical break came in the 11th game of the first set, during which he dropped just one point on his first serve and soon his opponent began to unravel.
Rublev dropped his serve to start the second set and could not rein in his reaction as he slammed his racquet against his knee with such force he drew blood, mopping it up with a towel at his chair before returning to the court.
It was all too much to overcome as Alcaraz, who finished with 21 winners to 11 unforced errors, sealed the 74-minute victory with his first match point.
The 20-year-old, who improved to 1-1 following his opening loss to Alexander Zverev, will face Medvedev to conclude the group stage on Friday while Rublev will take on Zverev.
Alcaraz told the ATP website: “It was a totally different match and level from me. This is the level I have to play if I want to give myself a chance in this amazing tournament.
“Yesterday was a good day for me in practise to find the level I needed to show today and I think I did pretty well. I am very happy with my level.”
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero will keep the Grand National in mind for Gesskille following his win in the Grand Sefton over the famous Aintree fences, with the training duo also contemplating a run over the cross-country course at Cheltenham next month.
The seven-year-old has proven a brilliant operator over the famous spruce since joining the Cheshire-based training team, and after a couple of near-misses at the track last term, finally got his moment in the Merseyside spotlight as jockey Henry Brooke bounced out his mount who made every yard in testing conditions.
That victory has seen Gesskille rise to a career-high mark of 144, but with the world’s most famous steeplechase set to have reduced numbers for 2024, Greenall feels he may have to improve further in the ratings to guarantee his spot and is considering a run at Cheltenham on December 15 before firming up plans for the spring.
He said: “He would need to go up a bit to get in (the Grand National), so we will just see and he might go to the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December and see how we go after that really.
“We will keep him fresh anyway for a spring campaign, whether that is Auteuil or the National, we will have to wait and see.”
Gesskille was beaten a nose in the Grand Sefton 12 months ago, before filling the same runner-up berth in the Becher Chase a month later.
However, Greenall credits the application of blinkers as making the real difference for the gelding, who was a game winner at Auteuil in his new headgear prior to his Aintree triumph.
“He seems a little bit more professional with the headgear, it has definitely helped him,” he added.
“People said the loose horse helped him (at Aintree) and I’m sure it did a little bit. But with the headgear, he seemed to be staying on gamely anyway.”
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