Andy Murray admitted he wished he had played more lower-level tournaments after making it back-to-back finals at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham.
The former world number one won his second title of the season on the second-tier Challenger Tour in Surbiton last week and is aiming to repeat the feat at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
He is yet to drop a set this week and eased past Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3 6-2 in only 72 minutes for his ninth victory in a row.
It is now four years since Murray returned to action following his hip resurfacing operation and he is pushing to be seeded at a grand slam for the first time since then at Wimbledon in two weeks’ time.
“I probably wish I’d dropped down and played more at this level sooner,” said Murray. “I did play a few Challengers when I came back but maybe I should have stayed there a little bit longer.
“I’ve won against three or four top-100 players in this run. There’s been some good wins against experienced grass-court players.
“For me physically and mentally to get used to being in this situation more again has been really helpful. Now it’s up to me to try and carry that on at the higher level over the next few weeks.”
Murray will return to the top 40 on Monday but will need more wins at Queen’s Club next week to earn a Wimbledon seeding and the concern could be the number of matches he has played in a short amount of time.
The 36-year-old played down those worries, though, saying: “Yes, you could say number of matches is what’s important but it’s also the nature of those matches.
“Today’s match was an hour and a quarter and was not a particularly physical match.
“If I was training at Queen’s, I would have been on the practice court for a couple of hours today and I would have been in the gym.
“There’s obviously the mental stress of the matches and competing but quite a few of the matches have been pretty quick. Physically I feel fine just now.”
Murray had rated his quarter-final win over Dominic Stricker as his best performance of the run and he was clinical in the opening set against Borges, ranked 73.
The second was a little scrappier, with Murray dropping serve and facing break points in other games, but more of the pressure was on his opponent and the Scot managed to avoid making things complicated.
The victory completed another memorable day for the home players after Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage set up a very rare all-British final in the WTA event.
In the final, the Scot will take on 20-year-old Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, who defeated Dominik Koepfer 7-5 6-2.
“I’ve played a lot of youngsters recently and it’s always tough,” said Murray. “We practised with each other recently so hopefully (there are) not too many surprises.”
Andy Murray made it back-to-back finals with his ninth win in a row against Nuno Borges at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham.
The former world number one won his second title of the season on the second-tier Challenger Tour in Surbiton last week and is aiming to repeat the feat at the Nottingham Tennis Centre.
He is yet to drop a set and rated his quarter-final victory over Dominic Stricker on Friday as his best performance of the fortnight.
The 36-year-old carried that form into Saturday’s meeting with Portuguese Borges, ranked 73, to win 6-3 6-2 in an hour and 12 minutes.
It completed another memorable day for the home players after Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage set up a very rare all-British final in the WTA event.
Murray broke Borges’ serve at the first opportunity and was clinical in the first set. The only blip came when he dropped serve after breaking early in the second but he put it behind him quickly and won the final four games.
“I thought the start of the match was really good,” said Murray. “The second set was quite scrappy I think from both ends.
“The second set wasn’t so good but the first set was high level, I was really happy with it. You’re not going to play your best all the time. There are going to be blips and I managed to deal with it OK.”
In the final, the Scot will take on 20-year-old Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, who defeated Dominik Koepfer 7-5 6-2.
“I’ve played a lot of youngsters recently and it’s always tough,” said Murray. “We practised with each other recently so hopefully not too many surprises.”
Max Verstappen finished fastest as Carlos Sainz crashed out of a rain-hit final practice for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Verstappen has won five of the first seven races of the season and even a wet track in Montreal could not slow the Dutchman down.
The world champion, already 53 points clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in the championship standings, finished 0.291 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque was the only driver within one second of Verstappen. Fernando Alonso took third for Aston Martin, 1.3 sec off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton, fastest in Friday’s dry running at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, finished 10th in the rain, 1.98 sec slower than Verstappen, with George Russell 15th in the other Mercedes.
In the greasy conditions, Sainz spun after he stepped on to the white line under braking for the opening left-right chicane.
Sainz was sent out of control and into the wall, sustaining significant damage to the front of his scarlet car.
The Ferrari man escaped unharmed from the high-speed shunt which saw the one-hour session suspended for eight minutes.
But his mechanics will now face a race against time to repair his machine for qualifying which is due to start at 16:00 local time (21:00 BST).
Sainz was also summoned to the stewards for blocking Williams’ Alex Albon at the final chicane. Albon was forced to take evasive action to avoid slamming into the back of the Spaniard.
Hamilton headlined the order here on Friday, but the seven-time world champion was not at ease with his black-liveried car on a sodden surface.
“Grip is very poor,” said Hamilton after he ran off the road at the first corner and failed to trouble the top of the time sheets.
Elsewhere, Kevin Magnussen finished an impressive fourth for Haas, one spot ahead of Sainz, who set his speediest lap moments before his accident.
British driver Lando Norris was 13th, one spot behind his rookie McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, while Perez finished a lowly 17th, 2.7 sec behind Verstappen.
Quickthorn has proved a real money-spinner for owner Lady Blyth in the past few seasons and he took his earnings over the half-million mark when landing the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Grand Cup Stakes at York.
In typically gritty fashion, the Hughie Morrison-trained six-year-old led after three furlongs of the mile-and-three-quarter Listed contest under Jason Hart.
Despite looking like a sitting duck throughout the last half-mile, he had plenty in reserve to fend off market leader Israr and score by a length and a half.
Morrison was cautious about running the crack stayer on quicker ground, but having his hand reluctantly forced, admitted the 7-4 second-favourite coped with the surface at a track on which he was so brilliant in last year’s Lonsdale Cup.
“I think what York do is produce level ground,” said the East Ilsley handler. “You didn’t see any dust kicking up today.
“A lot of horses, jointy horses, you can get away with level ground. They can get jarred up, but you don’t injure them.
“When it is rough fast ground, that is when you can get problems with these horses.
“He likes a bit of cut in the ground and you want to do right by the horse.
“At least he’s won a stakes race this year. He drilled them really. He outstayed the second, I think. He went away in the last 20 yards.”
Quickthorn is set to follow a similar path to last season after recording the eighth success of his 21-race career.
“I would imagine we will look at the (Group Two) Prix Maurice de Nieuil, a race which he won last year at Longchamp, then I think back to York. Then he deserves a rest, I think.
“I’d love the handicapper to drop him 3lb and then we’d go to the Ebor. I suspect that won’t happen, though!
“I thought Jason gave him a really good ride today. He let the horse find his rhythm, not force him.
“Over a mile and six, given that two miles is his trip really, he found the right rhythm.
“I thought he was good and I thought he was going to get swallowed up several times, but he just kept going.”
Quinault (15-2) made it a five-timer for Stuart Williams, taking the Oakmere Homes Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap.
Connor Planas’ mount had a head to spare over Washington Heights as he continued his upward curve.
His winning spree started in a lowly Class 6 handicap at Chelmsford in April, and after wins at Brighton and two more at Newmarket, he overcame his biggest test thus far with flying colours.
Though entered in the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes at Royal Ascot next week, he is unlikely to make a quick return.
Explaining his improvement, Williams said: “He was in the Horses In Training Sale after Godolphin bought him from the breeze-ups for quite a lot of money.
“He was very difficult to settle and basically ran away in his only race for them.
“He was being awkward at home. I think they gelded him and tried to start with him again, but he was still being awkward, so they put him in the sales – rightly, in my opinion. They have so many good horses, they don’t want one who is being a pain in the backside.
“We quite liked him, so we decided to take a punt on him. We spent two months on the treadmill with him and took baby steps, trying to settle him.
“It was the same in his first two races for us, tearing away. He was keen early and not relaxing at all, but we have just taken things very quietly and now it is paying off. He is repaying us handsomely.
“He is getting better and it was a big day for him today, with a big crowd, walking across the middle of the track and it was a big field.
“His run at Newmarket helped him, but it wasn’t like the hustle and bustle of York.”
Options are no open for the son of Oasis Dream, although a trip to the Royal meeting looks doubtful.
“It is very unlikely he will run next week. It was just to tick a box in case we didn’t manage to get to the races,” Williams added. “He is in the Bunbury Cup and he’ll definitely get seven furlongs, no problem. Seven furlongs on the July course might suit him.
“But I might try to find another three-year-old race for him before we step him up to older company.”
Saeed bin Suroor advertised the good form of his yard ahead of Royal Ascot when Wild Lion (8-1) took the seven-furlong Sky Bet Handicap by half a length under Kieran O’Neill.
“It was a good performance,” said the trainer. “I think the cheekpieces may have helped him today.”
Sami Depass, the reigning champion of the National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica (NPAJ), had been eagerly anticipating her first-ever appearance at the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships.
Held in St. Julians, Malta, on June 16, 2023, this prestigious event brought together powerlifters from 65-member nations taking part and over 400 lifters, 37 referees, and 257 other officials, the largest and most diverse participation in any Open Classic World Championship ever.
Competing in the highly competitive female -76kg weight class, Depass faced formidable opponents from around the world. The category initially had 26 entries, but unfortunately, one lifter was unable to participate, reducing the number of contenders to 25.
Placed in Group B along with 16 other talented athletes and Group A consisting of 9 athletes, she approached the championship with determination and confidence. Having clinched the NPAJ 2021 and 2022 titles as well as the NAPF 76kg female championship in Panama 2022, she was no stranger to the thrill of victory.
However, the IPF World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships marked a new level of competition for her. With the support of her coach, Arian Khamesi, her teammate and her father, and the entire NPAJ community watching from all over the world, Depass embraced the intense training and preparation required for the tournament.
Her hard work and dedication paid off as she dominated her group, emerging as the top performer in Group B. Depass, a determined and dedicated powerlifter, stepped onto the stage for the Squat - 76kg Group B competition.
With unwavering focus, she pushed herself to new heights. As the competition unfolded, Sami's strength and skill were on full display. With her first attempt, she lifted an impressive 175kg/365 lbs., setting the tone for her performance.
Undeterred by the weight, she advanced to her second attempt, surpassing her previous lift by adding 10kg to the bar. The crowd erupted in applause as she successfully lifted 185kg/407 lbs. showcasing her exceptional power and technique.
Emboldened by her earlier triumphs, Depass prepared for her third and final attempt. She approached the bar, determination radiating from her every pore. With sheer determination and raw strength, she conquered the weight, hoisting an astonishing 195kg/429 lbs.
The arena was engulfed in thunderous cheers as Sami not only secured her victory but also set a new NPAJ National Record, etching her name in the annals of powerlifting history. Buoyed by her success in the squat event, Sami eagerly embraced the next challenge the Bench Press. Despite facing formidable opponents, her resolve remained unyielding.
She opened her campaign with a solid 100kg/220 lbs. bench press, setting the stage for her ascent. As the competition intensified, she gathered her strength and tackled her second attempt with conviction. The weight of 105kg/231 lbs. proved to be no match for her as she flawlessly executed the lift. The crowd watched in awe as she continued to shatter records and push her limits. With her final bench press attempt, Sami faced the bar loaded with an awe-inspiring 110kg/242 lbs.
Summoning every ounce of strength within her, she powered through the resistance, conquering the weight and securing yet another triumph. The air buzzed with exhilaration as Sami not only clinched a remarkable third-place finish in her group but also achieved a new NPAJ National Record, further cementing her legacy.
Undeterred by her previous achievements, she embarked on the final leg of her journey, the Deadlift.
The intensity in her eyes matched the weight on the bar as she prepared for her first attempt. Without a hint of hesitation, Depass lifted an astounding 205kg/451 lbs. igniting the crowd's fervor before advancing to her second attempt.
Depass then a new personal best by deadlifting an astonishing 217.5kg/478.50 lbs. The audience marveled at her incredible display of power, knowing they were witnessing something truly extraordinary.
With her final lift of the day, Depass stood before the bar loaded with a mind-boggling 227.5kg/500.50 lbs. which she failed to lift in 2022.
The arena fell into hushed anticipation, fully aware of the historic feat that was about to unfold. In a moment that seemed to defy human capability, her muscles surged with energy, lifting the colossal weight with unparalleled prowess.
The crowd erupted in jubilant celebration as Sami claimed her victory in the group stage and secured a remarkable seventh-place finish overall in the standing. Her accomplishments did not end there, however.
Her awe-inspiring performance in the deadlift event also set a new NPAJ National Record, further solidifying her status as a force to be reckoned with in the world of powerlifting.
With her remarkable performance, Sami was the winner of the 76kg Group B. Depass' achievement of a perfect 9 out of 9 lifts during the event and the subsequent medal she received are a testament to her hard work and talent in powerlifting.
She shattered three new NPAJ records, surpassing even her previous accomplishments. After the completion of Group A, Sami Depass secured the seventh position overall in the female -76kg weight class at her first event IPF World Classic.
Her exceptional performance at the IPF Open Classic World Championship in Malta solidified her status as a rising star in the world of powerlifting. Her achievements served as an inspiration to aspiring powerlifters in Jamaica and beyond.
The National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica proudly celebrated her success, recognizing her as a true representative of their organization and the embodiment of strength and resilience. The competition was fierce and the stakes were high.
Karlina Tongotea, hailing from New Zealand, emerged as the ultimate champion. She pushed herself to new heights. Tongotea shattered the world record in the squat, impressively lifting 225.5kg (496.10 lbs.). Her incredible performance continued with a bench press of 122.5kg (269.50 lbs.) and a deadlift of 245kg (539 lbs.). With a total of 593kg (1,304.60 lbs.), she dominated the competition, claiming the gold medal and the title of world champion. Her achievement was further acknowledged with an impressive GL Points score of 117.17.
Agata Sitko, representing Poland, proved to be a formidable competitor. Her strength and determination were evident as she showcased her skills. She achieved a squat of 197.5kg (434.50 lbs.) and a bench press of 240kg (528 lbs.), setting a new world junior record. Her exceptional performance continued with a total of 590.5kg (1,299.10 lbs.), another world junior record.
Her outstanding performance secured her the runner-up position and a well-deserved silver medal. Her GL Points stood at an impressive 116.71.
Jessica Buettner, from Canada, also displayed her exceptional powerlifting abilities. With a powerful squat of 220kg (484 lbs.) and a bench press of 107.5kg (236.50 lbs.), she showcased her strength and determination. Her deadlift of 240kg (528 lbs.) further solidified her position in the competition. With a total of 567.5kg (1,248.50 lbs.) and a commendable GL Points score of 112.34, she secured the third-place position on the podium, earning a bronze medal.
Alan King expressed his delight after the victory of Westerton at Sandown gave him his 2,000th career victory.
Undoubtedly in the top echelons of dual-purpose trainers, the Barbury Castle handler has trained major winners over jumps and on the Flat.
His Cheltenham Festival heroes include the likes of Voy Por Ustedes, My Way De Solzen, Katchit and Edwardstone, while Trueshan has been a real star on the level of late – landing the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day three times to go with wins in the Prix du Cadran and Goodwood Cup.
Sent off at 100-30, Westerton was given a positive ride by Ryan Moore in the Darley British EBF Maiden Stakes, making all to beat Middle Earth by an emphatic four and a half lengths, with Frankie Dettori and favourite A Dublin Lad back in third.
“It’s a bit special, as that’s number 2,000,” King told Racing TV.
“We’ve kept it quiet. We’ve been working away – it’s been a long time coming these last few weeks, and then suddenly we’ve had four winners in two days. I’m very proud of it.
“We’ve been lucky to have some great horses at Cheltenham, Royal Ascot, I can’t single any out. It’s a great achievement for everyone at home as well. We’ll have a few tonight.
“I think we’ve had about 350 on the Flat, everyone thinks it’s something fairly new but we’ve been on the Flat a long time.
“I’m delighted with today and this horse has wonderful owners, they flew down from Aberdeen this morning and are a delight to train for. I’m chuffed for them.”
Asked for his drink of choice when celebrations begin, the Scot quipped: “It will be a mix!”
Elsewhere on the Esher card, the feature Molson Coors Scurry Stakes saw another significant juvenile success for trainer Karl Burke, as Lady Hamana (9-1) took the Listed spoils in the hands of Clifford Lee.
Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage will contest a first all-British WTA Tour final for 46 years at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham on Sunday.
Britain’s leading women have responded in style to criticism of the fact none of them were in the main draw at the French Open with the sort of week not seen since the 1970s when Virginia Wade and Sue Barker were at the top of the game.
Three home players were in the last four for the first time on the main tour since 1975, and Boulter defeated compatriot Heather Watson 6-4 7-5 before Burrage saw off France’s Alize Cornet 7-5 7-5.
In the 50 years of the WTA Tour, the only previous all-British finals saw Barker and Wade split victories in Paris in 1975 and San Francisco two years later.
Boulter has cemented her new British number one status this week, beating Harriet Dart in the quarter-finals on Thursday and now getting the better of Watson.
The 26-year-old, from nearby Leicestershire, went into the week ranked 126 but has guaranteed she will be back in the top 100 next week for the first time since 2019.
At that stage, Boulter looked set to push on towards the top 50, only for a stress fracture in her back to rule her out for seven months, and it has been a long road back.
“I’ve got all the feelings right now,” said Boulter. “I feel like I’ve really worked for this. It’s not something that I’ve just been given and I feel proud of myself for that because I’ve worked above and beyond for these moments.
“I haven’t had many of them and that’s why it makes this one extra special. Hopefully I’m not done yet and I’ve got one more to go. I’m hungry for more, which is pretty exciting for me.
“I’m hungry to go play Birmingham, I’m hungry for the tournaments after that. I don’t want to stop. I don’t want to just win a couple of matches, I’ve got more to come.
“It’s so good to be back (in the top 100) and I really hope it’s a stepping stone to pushing back in and really giving it a shot, because I felt I didn’t get a full chance when I was ranked 80. I wanted to play a full year where I could have a swing and see what happens.”
Grass suits Boulter’s hard, flat hitting and she claimed a first set disrupted by a rain delay before fighting back from 4-1 down in the second to clinch victory over Watson, who has also had a confidence-boosting week.
There had been tension between Boulter and Dart at the net over the former’s celebration – which Boulter insisted was water under the bridge now – but here the two players shared a lengthy hug.
Boulter can set a new career-high ranking in the top 80 if she can emulate Johanna Konta and the late Elena Baltacha – after whom the trophy is named – by winning the title.
But Burrage is also having the best week of her career and impressed again with the quality of her groundstrokes in taking out the hugely experienced Cornet, who ended Iga Swiatek’s 37-match unbeaten run at Wimbledon last summer.
“I wasn’t expecting this coming into this week,” said Burrage, 24. “But I’m very, very happy with my performance today. It’s going to be an amazing day tomorrow. What an amazing tournament for both of us.”
Burrage would break the top 100 for the first time and overtake Boulter as British number one should she lift the trophy.
That would put both in a strong position to qualify for future grand slams by right, and Boulter said: “We were maybe a little bit too early to put some negative stuff out.
“It’s very easy to focus on one or two tournaments but I think, bigger picture, we’re in a great place and I’m happy to say that and stand by it.”
World champion Remco Evenepoel pointed to the sky in tribute to Gino Mader as he won stage seven of the Tour de Suisse a day after the Swiss rider died as a result of injuries suffered in a crash at the race.
Mader, who was 26, was unable to recover from injuries sustained in a high-speed crash on a descent on Thursday and died in hospital.
Friday’s stage was cancelled, replaced by a 20km group ride along the final part of the route in memory of Mader, but on Saturday the racing was back on in line with the wishes of Mader’s family.
However, the stage to Weinfelden was inevitably a subdued affair.
Mader’s Team Bahrain-Victorious, who had ridden across the line in unison on Friday, withdrew from the race before the start, as did the Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert and Tudor Pro Cycling teams and 17 other riders, leaving 113 in the race.
Organisers had announced the time gaps for the general classification would be taken with 25 kilometres to go, removing any pressure on those riders involved in the fight for yellow before Sunday’s closing time trial.
There were no attacks until the peloton had passed that point and when they did begin, Evenepoel launched a move with 17km remaining and rode home solo, blowing a kiss and pointing to the sky as he crossed the line.
Prior to the stage, there had been questions over whether the Tour would be completed and also whether or not the women’s edition – which started on Saturday – would begin.
Race director Olivier Senn said: “After consultation with all the people involved, we as the management stand united behind this decision and are trying to hold the last two stages of the men’s race in an appropriate setting.”
Running Lion will bid for Classic redemption when she attempts to give John and Thady Gosden back-to-back victories in the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly.
A daughter of Clarehaven’s multiple Group One winner Roaring Lion, she has been unbeaten in four since finishing fourth on debut last summer and took her form to the next level when claiming the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month.
That earned her a shot at the Betfred Oaks, but she got upset in the stalls and was ultimately withdrawn, meaning a frustrated Oisin Murphy could only watch on as stablemate Soul Sister stormed to Classic glory.
She is reported to be none the worse for that eventful few moments at the start at Epsom and will now get a second chance to secure Classic honours and follow in the footsteps of Star Of Seville and Nashwa, who have both won this race for the Gosden team in the past.
“It was a very unfortunate freak incident at Epsom when she kicked out and broke the back gate of the stalls which meant they weren’t able to open,” said Thady Gosden.
“But obviously she didn’t have a race there and came out of it with nothing serious fortunately. She has been in good form since.
“We are drawn 12 of 15 which isn’t ideal at Chantilly, of course, although in terms of ground it’s quick there at the moment and even though there may be some thunderstorms around Sunday, she is probably a versatile filly when it comes to ground.
“Her father liked top of the ground and she is out of a Dansili mare and they normally like top of the ground. However, she won the Pretty Polly really well on slower going.
“After her first run all she has done is improve and has done nothing wrong – she has a great mind on her and always puts her best foot forward.”
Fellow British raider Novakai brings solid Group-race form to the table having chased home Polly Pott and Commissioning in the May Hill and Fillies’ Mile respectively last term. She returned to finish second to Soul Sister in the Musidora Stakes at York.
This has always been the target for Karl Burke’s filly who runs in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and will attempt to give the Spigot Lodge handler his second triumph in the race after Laurens in 2018.
Joseph O’Brien’s Caroline Street finished second to Derby hero Auguste Rodin in the Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown as a two-year-old and has won her sole outing this season when upped to 10 furlongs at Naas.
Brother Donnacha and father Aidan have won this prestigious contest in two of the last three years and it would be fitting if he could add his name to the roll of honour with the talented daughter of No Nay Never.
“She’s in good nick and she got a very good draw,” said the Owning Hill handler. “It’s a super hot race, but she goes there with a chance.
“I thought it was a great run in Naas, she sat back and hit the line really well – I thought she was impressive. This race has been the target since then, it was going to be the Diane or the Pretty Polly (at the Curragh).”
Meanwhile, the all-conquering master of Ballydoyle saddles Poule d’Essai des Pouliches fifth Never Ending Story, with her big-race pilot Ryan Moore expecting her to improve on that showing now upped in distance.
“This is about as deep and competitive a Classic as you will find, with a lot of talent on show and of course, with 15 runners, you are going to need all the luck going in here,” he told Betfair.
“I don’t think we saw the best of my filly at all when she was fifth in the French 1000 Guineas last time. She didn’t run badly but she didn’t fire and pick up as I was expecting, as I thought she had a big shot at winning that race.
“However, I think she remains a Group One filly and I hope she can prove it over a trip that she is bred to get. She could just surprise some fillies with more obvious claims.”
Royal runner Circle Of Fire will be considered for both the Queen’s Vase and the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot next week.
There could be as many as eight horses carrying the famous purple and scarlet colours of the King and Queen at the five-day meeting, although connections are still weighing up the options for a couple of them.
Among those is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Circle Of Fire, an unexposed three-year-old who finished third in the Lingfield Derby Trial on the second run of his Classic campaign.
The Almanzor colt holds entries in a pair of Group Two contests, Wednesday’s Queen’s Vase over a mile and three-quarters and Friday’s King Edward VII Stakes over a mile and a half.
The King and Queen’s racing and bloodstock adviser, John Warren, said: “We are going to look at the King Edward VII for Circle Of Fire, just because Sir Michael Stoute holds him in high regard. We think he is a stamina horse.
“He has just been a big, physical improver, so we think he is one of those horses, typically trained by Sir Michael, that has potentially got some improvement in him. He prefers to bring them along very quietly and nicely.
“He is a galloper and there is a great temptation to go for the Queen’s Vase, but before the commitment is made, we are just going to look at the Edward VII and get our heads around it.
“Hopefully, he is a horse on the up, as it were. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. We hope he has a bright future.”
The rare prospect of two royal runners in the same race could occur, with Market Value also entered in the Queen’s Vase.
Trained by William Haggas, the daughter of Siyouni is out of Estimate, the mare who made history by becoming the first to win the Ascot Gold Cup for a reigning monarch, when famously obliging for the late Queen a decade ago.
“We have made an entry for Market Value in the Queen’s Vase,” said Warren. “She is the daughter of Estimate, but she is more of a free-going type. She is a filly who is only just coming to hand now.
“She is totally unexposed and she is only rated 82, so you could argue that on face value, she shouldn’t be qualified for anything at the moment. She is only on the up and learning her trade. She is a filly with plenty to come, we hope.”
Market Value has only had three outings in her career. Yet she has improved on each occasion and on her second run this term, the three-year-old relished the step up to 10 furlongs in romping to a three-and-a-half-length success in a fillies’ maiden at Ripon.
“The further she went, the more she looked like she was liking it,” Warren added. “If she wasn’t such a free-going sort, you’d have to feel confident she’d stay a mile and three-quarters, being a daughter of a Gold Cup winner and Siyouni, who is well capable of getting something to stay. That will be the caveat.
“This is the only real race for her and we are going to take it to the wire and see if she does get in.
“If William Haggas is happy with her on the morning of declarations, which at the moment he is, as she worked nicely on Thursday morning with an older filly, he’s confident she will run a nice race.
“She’ll take her chance if she can get in and if he’s happy running to the wire.
“So, we have potentially two for the Vase. There was a back-up plan for her to run somewhere else on Saturday if she doesn’t get in.
“It will be very interesting. She is on very good form, so wherever she goes, she’s going to run a nice race, but that’s the caveat, whether she will really stay if she is able. If she runs, she will almost certainly be ridden by Tom Marquand.”
Desert Hero, also trained by Haggas, will will head to the King George V Handicap on Thursday, on the back of being a beaten favourite in the London Gold Cup on his seasonal bow at Newbury last month.
“I think we think he wants a mile and a half,” said Warren. “He is by Sea The Stars and I think this race will suit him very nicely.
“He has the right profile for the race. I’d be hopeful he will run a nice race and I think Tom Marquand will ride, if he can do the weight.”
The John and Thady Gosden-trained pair Saga and Reach For The Moon will respectively run in the Wolferton Stakes on Tuesday and Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday, with Frankie Dettori aboard.
There will also be a chance for young jockey and 3lb claimer Harry Davies, who comes in for the ride on the Andrew Balding-trained King’s Lynn in the Wokingham on Saturday. The six-year-old was seventh in the King’s Stand in both 2021 and 2022.
“Andrew is really happy with where he is,” said Warren. “He has run some very nice races at Ascot without getting right on top of them, but nothing would surprise us.
“It’s a handicap – anything can happen in a handicap. The horse is on good form, he likes the track well. He’s got lots of things going for him and a 3lb claimer might help.”
Educator represents Haggas in Friday’s Duke of Edinburgh Handicap over 12 furlongs.
Warren said: “He is in the Copper Horse, but we don’t really want to experiment over a mile and six furlongs, so if he can get into the Duke of Edinburgh that would be his race. Gelding has definitely helped him.
“He has been threatening for some time and his last race proved he does stay a mile and a half. I think he has grown up a lot now and I think he is a nice prospect, a lovely sound horse, who is just coming of age now.”
Candle Of Hope completes the royal team and goes over a mile in the Sandringham on Friday.
Her trainer Richard Hughes said: “She won her maiden at Newbury and then was Listed-placed when third in the Denford there. Then she was unlucky at Lingfield at the start of the year in the Listed Spring Cup.
“We go there claiming three pounds off a mark of 91. She might be competitive, although a stiff mile might catch her out.
“I’m very honoured to be training for the King. I’m the first Irishman to train for him, which makes me very proud.”
Katie Boulter booked her place in her first WTA Tour final and ensured she will return to the top 100 by beating compatriot Heather Watson at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham.
Boulter has cemented her new British number one status this week, beating Harriet Dart in the quarter-finals on Thursday and now getting the better of Watson with a 6-4 7-5 victory.
The 26-year-old, from nearby Leicestershire, went into the week ranked 126 but has guaranteed she will be back in the top 100 next week for the first time since 2019.
At that stage, Boulter looked set to push on towards the top 50, only for a stress fracture in her back to rule her out for seven months, and her progress has been stuttering since.
This was the first all-British semi-final at tour level since Sue Barker and Virginia Wade used to meet regularly in the latter stages of tournaments in the 1970s.
And it could yet be only the third all-British WTA final, with Jodie Burrage taking on Alize Cornet in the other semi-final.
Grass suits Boulter’s hard, flat hitting and she broke the Watson serve to lead 3-2 before a rain delay of an hour-and-a-half disrupted things.
Watson immediately broke back on the resumption, but, with both women complaining about line calls, Boulter moved ahead again before clinching the set.
Watson looked set to take it to a decider when she led 4-1 in the second set, but Boulter saved four break points in the sixth game to stay in contention and won six of the last seven games.
There had been tension between Boulter and Dart at the net over the former’s celebration, but here the two players shared a lengthy hug.
Boulter said: “It means so much to me, especially here. It was a really tough match. I just tried to put my heart on the line and managed to get through it in the end.
“I’ve worked so hard for this, me and my team. I’m just going to keep plugging away and, even if this isn’t my moment, that’s OK.”
Frankie Dettori would “love nothing better” than to ride a winner for the King and Queen at Royal Ascot.
Racing’s poster boy, in his last year in the saddle before retirement, will wear the famous purple and scarlet colours at least twice at the five-day meeting which starts on Tuesday.
And he hopes to raise the roof in front of the royal party, who are expected to attend each day.
“It was an honour to ride for the (late) Queen. I always wore those silks with pride and nothing has changed,” said Dettori.
“I am excited to ride for King Charles and Queen Camilla. I would love nothing better than to ride a winner for them next week. A royal winner would raise the roof. It would be fantastic and I’m obviously really looking forward to the meeting.”
One of the late Queen’s greatest loves was the thoroughbred and she took a keen interest in racing and breeding throughout her life.
She had 24 winners at Royal Ascot, the last of which came in 2020 when Tactical landed the Windsor Castle Stakes. Her first came just days after her coronation in 1953 with Choir Boy beating 20 rivals to land the Royal Hunt Cup.
Following her death in September, this will be the first Royal Ascot for the King and Queen, with the potential for eight runners in the 35 races.
John Warren, the King and Queen’s racing and bloodstock adviser, says the excitement is building in royal circles.
“We are hopeful the King and Queen will race through the week and they will be very much following their runners. They are really very much looking forward to a wonderful week’s racing, which is tremendous,” Warren told the PA news agency.
“Everyone is excited by their participation and the fact they are really engaged and looking forward to it.
“The King understands the bigger picture. He is more than interested in racing. It is something he’d heard in osmosis all his life.
“What with the Queen’s enthusiasm, racing is lucky to have two great advocates, people who are engaged in the sport we all love.”
Dettori will ride royal runners Saga and Reach For the Moon, who are trained by John Gosden in partnership with son, Thady.
At last year’s meeting, Saga ran a cracker under Dettori in the Britannia Stakes, finishing a head second to Thesis.
The son of Invincible Spirit is again among the main hopes for the royals, having opened his four-year-old campaign with a head defeat to King Of Conquest over nine furlongs at Newmarket.
Warren said: “On day one, we have Saga in the Wolferton Stakes.
“It was a nice run last time at Newmarket. It will be interesting. We don’t have too many fears about him staying a little bit further, so we feel the mile and two (furlongs) should be fine for him.
“The Royal Hunt Cup was a back-up as we didn’t know he would get into the Wolferton, as there are only 16 who can get in, so you have to give yourself a second string to the bow.
“He ran jolly well last year, so he is a capable horse.”
Dettori will also partner Reach For The Moon, who was expected to land the Hampton Court at the meeting last year, only for the 2-5 favourite to be downed by Claymore. He was also second at Royal Ascot in 2021, to Point Lonsdale in the Chesham.
After being gelded over the winter, the one-time Derby hope was last of seven on his seasonal bow in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.
He drops back to a mile for the Royal Hunt Cup on Wednesday.
“He will take his chance,” said Warren. “He has been rusty in a way and we just haven’t quite got him where the trainer wants to have him, but is on very good form now, so we are hopeful.
“Probably a mile is the right trip for him. A big field might help him, cover him up and be kidded along a little bit, and hopefully he’ll just get into his rhythm and then use his ability when it matters. Frankie will ride both.”
Richard Kingscote is looking forward to arguably his best ever book of rides at Royal Ascot.
Despite having originally being overlooked for Desert Crown – who now does not run – in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, he will be on Bay Bridge for Sir Michael Stoute as long as the ground is not considered too quick.
As well as the Champion Stakes winner, Infinite Cosmos is among the favourites for the Ribblesdale, Astro King heads the market for the Royal Hunt Cup and there will be several others trained by Stoute for Kingscote when Ryan Moore is required by Aidan O’Brien, including the promising Perfuse.
Kingscote said: “I’ve got plenty to look forward to next week, I’ll be very busy and hopefully I can get something on the board.
“I’ve got a few good chance, but I don’t know what is 100 per cent going to run.
“If Bay Bridge runs in the Prince of Wales’s he’ll run a great race and the filly in the Ribblesdale (Infinite Cosmos) would look to have a good chance.
“Then there’s the likes of Perfuse in the King George V and a few that look to have a good chance, but at this stage I’m just not sure if they’ll get in.
“I’ve got some nice rides, including the favourite in the Hunt Cup (Astro King) for Dan and Claire Kubler.”
Mawj and Tahiyra remain in the running for a Royal Ascot rematch after featuring in the nine fillies to stand their ground for the Coronation Stakes on Friday.
Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj was a popular winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, providing a welcome return to the big stage for her trainer, who has enjoyed so many great days in the past.
A daughter of Exceed And Excel, Mawj held off Tahiyra by a determined half-length under Oisin Murphy – form well advertised when the Dermot Weld-trained runner-up lifted the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
Aidan O’Brien still has Breeders’ Cup winner Meditate in contention, after she finished sixth at Newmarket and immediately behind Tahiyra at the Curragh. Jackie Oh is another for Ballydoyle, with Mammas Girl (Richard Hannon), Queen For You (John and Thady Gosden), Remarquee (Ralph Beckett), Sounds Of Heaven (Jessica Harrington) and Comhra (Jim Bolger) also in the mix.
Star attraction in the 16 left for the Commonwealth Cup promises to be O’Brien’s Little Big Bear, who showed he is set to be a real force over sprinting trips when winning at Haydock, having returned to action over a mile in the 2000 Guineas.
In the 20-strong King Edward VII Stakes, all eyes will be on King Of Steel – second only to Auguste Rodin in the Derby.
Among the rivals to Roger Varian’s charge could be Arrest, who was sent off favourite at Epsom for Frankie Dettori and the Gosdens, but failed to handle the track on the fast ground and finished down the field in 10th place.
Dubai Mile (ninth), Adelaide River (eighth), Artistic Star (seventh), Military Order (14th) and San Antonio (11th) also ran at Epsom and could return next week.
The exciting Enfjaar could drop back to seven furlongs for the Jersey Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot.
The Roger Varian-trained son of Lope De Vega downed Charlie Appleby’s Military Order amongst others over that trip in a red-hot Newmarket maiden in October – and confirmed the promise of that debut performance on his seasonal return when upped to a mile at Chelmsford, galloping to a professional six-length victory.
It was thought the Shadwell-owned son of Lope De Vega would head up in distance at the Royal meeting, with the Hampton Court mooted as a possible option.
But his name was missing from the six-day entries for that contest and with his handler keen to utilise the unbeaten colt’s proven speed, connections are considering a tilt at the seven-furlong Group Three which takes place on the Saturday of the summer showpiece.
“We didn’t feel it was the right time to go up in trip,” said Varian.
“You will see him in the entries for the Jersey and he is probably a miler as things stand. But having only had two runs he doesn’t qualify for the Britannia and he wasn’t in the St James’s Palace.
“He looks promising and he’s not short of pace and that is why we were reluctant to go 10 furlongs straight away with him. If he is a miler I think you get a kinder experience dropping back a furlong rather than racing over too far. Only time will tell if that is the right decision or not, but if he runs at Ascot it will be in the Jersey.
“You will see him entered for the race on Monday morning, but we’re still nine days away from the race and that is quite a long time in a horse’s life and a lot can change. I wouldn’t say it’s quite confirmed, but is possible you could see him in the Jersey.”
Meanwhile, The Platinum Queen will not be seen until next month at the earliest following a disappointing return at Haydock in the Temple Stakes.
Last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye winner did hold an entry for the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of the Royal meeting, but will be given all the time she needs following her lacklustre display on debut for the Carlburg Stables handler.
Varian continued: “She’s fine, she obviously didn’t run very well at Haydock and the feeling is for whatever reason she needs a bit of time to get her racing head and her racing body back to where it needs to be.
“She might run in July, but she won’t run again in June.”
Team Bahrain-Victorious have withdrawn from the Tour de Suisse following the death of rider Gino Mader on Friday.
Mader, who was 26, died as a result of the injuries he suffered in a high-speed crash on a descent in Thursday’s stage five.
Friday’s stage six was cancelled, with the peloton instead riding the final 20 kilometres of the route in a neutralised group ride in memory of Mader.
Late on Friday, race organisers announced the final two stages of the race will go ahead this weekend – a decision reached in consultation with Mader’s family.
However, his team Bahrain-Victorious will not take part in the final two stages.
“Following the tragic loss of Gino Mader, Team Bahrain Victorious has taken the decision to withdraw from Tour de Suisse @tds,” the team said on social media.
There had been questions over whether the Tour would be completed, and also whether or not the women’s edition, which starts on Saturday, would begin.
Race director Olivier Senn said: “After consultation with all the people involved, we as the management stand united behind this decision and are trying to hold the last two stages of the men’s race in an appropriate setting.”
Justin Turner homered twice and tied a career high with six RBIs and Masataka Yoshida had two of Boston’s eight doubles as the Red Sox pounded the rival New York Yankees 15-5 on Friday.
Turner’s two-run homer off Domingo German in the second inning extended Boston’s lead to 4-1 and he capped a six-run third with a grand slam - a 429-foot blast to center - to make it 10-1.
Turner fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in six runs for the second time in his career, also done against the Atlanta Braves while with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 7, 2019.
Yoshida put Boston ahead to stay with a two-run double in the first inning, singled in the six-run third and doubled again and scored in the sixth. The Japanese rookie had his first four-hit game in the majors.
The Red Sox tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run single by Connor Wong and an RBI hit by Pablo Reyes.
Josh Donaldson homered and Anthony Rizzo knocked in three runs for New York.
There was a scary incident in the fifth inning when Boston starter Tanner Houck was struck on the face with a line drive off the bat of Kyle Higashioka. Houck immediately went to the ground and stayed down for a few minutes but was able to leave the field under his own power with a towel covering his cheek.
The Red Sox later announced that Houck received stitches and was checked out at a hospital.
Rays’ McClanahan first in majors to 11 wins
Shane McClanahan became the first pitcher in the major leagues to win 11 games, pitching into the seventh inning in the Tampa Bay Rays’ 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.
McClanahan, who entered as the only MLB pitcher with 10 wins, held the Padres to one run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts. He won his third consecutive start and lowered his ERA to 2.12.
Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run and Randy Arozarena added a three-run shot and four RBIs to help major league-leading Tampa Bay win its third straight.
Arraez goes 5 for 5 with home run in Marlins’ win
Luis Arraez ended an 0-for-15 slump with a 5-for-5 performance that included a home run and three RBIs as the Miami Marlins topped the Washington Nationals 6-5.
Arraez had four singles and his first home run since April 11, ending a 52-game stretch without one. The five hits matched his career high, set June 3 against Oakland.
The Marlins won for the 10th time in 13 games to improve to 39-31, their best 70-game start since they went 42-28 in 1997, when they won the World Series.
Rory McIlroy vowed he would never give up seeking more major titles after heading into the third round of the 123rd US Open just two shots off the lead.
McIlroy covered his last nine holes in five under par to card a second round of 67 at Los Angeles Country Club, where Rickie Fowler set the pace after a rollercoaster 68.
Fowler, whose opening 62 equalled the lowest score in any men’s major, made eight birdies, six bogeys and just four pars to post a 10-under-par halfway total of 130, equalling the lowest in a US Open set by Martin Kaymer in 2014.
Fowler’s 18 birdies over the first two days are also the most in championship history and kept the 34-year-old in pole position to claim a first major title.
McIlroy, who is seeking his fifth and a first since the US PGA Championship in August 2014, said: “No-one wants me to win another major more than I do.
“The desire is obviously there. I’ve been trying and I’ve come close over the past nine years and I keep coming back.
“I feel like I’ve showed a lot of resilience in my career, whether I get rewarded or punched in the gut I’ll always keep coming back.”
Quote of the day
Rickie Fowler responds to a fan’s query of ‘What are you doing?’ with a shrug, despite three-putting the seventh.
Shot of the day
Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick did not see it go one, but definitely DID make the third hole-in-one of the week on the short 15th.
Round of the day
Australia’s Min Woo Lee carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in a second round of 65.
Statistic of the day
Halfway leader Rickie Fowler’s mistakes have been offset by a record 18 birdies over the first 36 holes.
Easiest hole
The reachable par-four sixth hole played to an average of 3.670 as 68 of the 156-man field made birdie, although evidence suggested it was better to play the hole conventionally rather than attempt to drive the green.
Hardest hole
The easiest hole was immediately followed by the hardest as the 299-yard, par-three seventh played to an average of 3.510. Just seven players made birdie and 13 made a double bogey.
Weather forecast
Fog could greet the early starters on Saturday, but mostly sunny skies should take over before lunchtime with temperatures climbing well into the 70s. That will cause southwest winds to pick up to possible highs of 18mph.
Key tee times (all BST)
2307 Sam Bennett, Min Woo Lee
2318 Dustin Johnson, Harrish English
2329 Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy
2340 Wyndham Clark, Rickie Fowler
Rory McIlroy vowed he would never give up seeking more major titles after a flying finish left him just two shots off the halfway lead in the 123rd US Open.
McIlroy covered his last nine holes in five under par to card a second round of 67 at Los Angeles Country Club, where Rickie Fowler set the pace after a rollercoaster 68.
Fowler, whose opening 62 equalled the lowest score in any men’s major, made eight birdies, six bogeys and just four pars to post a 10-under-par halfway total of 130, equalling the lowest in a US Open set by Martin Kaymer in 2014.
Fowler’s 18 birdies over the first two days are also the most in championship history and kept the 34-year-old in pole position to claim a first major title.
McIlroy is seeking his fifth and a first since the US PGA Championship in August 2014, a month after he had won the Open at Royal Liverpool with a performance which has inspired this week’s approach.
“For whatever reason I went on to YouTube a few weeks ago and was looking back at Hoylake 2014 and I could not believe how many irons and three woods I was hitting off the tee and it set something off in my mind,” McIlroy said.
“You know how to do this, you know how to play smart. You don’t have to take driver – yes it’s a big weapon but I feel like I have more weapons in my arsenal than I did then so I may as well use them.”
Asked how much he wanted to win another major after a drought of almost nine years, McIlroy added: “I started thinking about winning this thing on Monday and no-one wants me to win another major more than I do.
“The desire is obviously there. I’ve been trying and I’ve come close over the past nine years and I keep coming back.
“I feel like I’ve showed a lot of resilience in my career, whether I get rewarded or punched in the gut I’ll always keep coming back.”
Fowler had failed to qualify for the last two US Opens as a loss of form saw him tumble to 185th in the world rankings, but came into the week on the back of successive top 10s on the PGA Tour and ranked 45th.
“I sure hope everyone can relate to struggles because everyone deals with them. No one’s perfect,” the Californian said.
“I think you’d be lying if you haven’t been through a tough time, especially if you play golf.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this good in a tournament, let alone a major. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
American Wyndham Clark was a shot behind Fowler following a 67, with Xander Schauffele alongside McIlroy on eight under after only managing to add a 70 to his opening 62.
Harris English held outright fifth place on seven under with Dustin Johnson recovering from a quadruple-bogey eight on the second to remain six under, a total matched by Australia’s Min Woo Lee thanks to a superb 65.
Tournament officials had earlier insisted they would not respond harshly to the record low scores on day one, although the par-three 11th measured 297 yards and water had only been applied to “isolated spots on the greens for turf health”.
John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer of the USGA, told NBC: “(On Friday), as planned, we will play the golf course longer. We could do things that could make it stupid hard. We’re not going to do that.”
Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick made a hole-in-one on the 15th as he carded a 70 to lie one over par and make the halfway cut with a shot to spare.
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