Rangers manager Michael Beale welcomed the “feedback” after some poor defending contributed to a 3-1 Ibrox friendly defeat against Olympiakos.
Beale started with Robby McCrorie in goal and an experienced back four of James Tavernier, Ben Davies, John Souttar and Borna Barisic.
He told Rangers TV: “The goals we have let in are poor and it’s good we are getting that feedback now. All three of the goals were really, really poor defending. It’s a whole team thing so we need to look at that.
“Some of our approach play and some of the attacking play was good. Listen, it’s really good feedback. We trained hard coming into the game so I knew we would be a bit heavy in the legs so that’s on me.
“The biggest thing in pre-season is to give yourself big challenges to prepare.
“We are not giving up big chances but we are conceding goals. But better now in pre-season when we can continue to work, than in two weeks’ time.”
The front six positions for Rangers were filled with 2023 signings – Nico Raskin, Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell in midfield with summer arrivals Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima ahead of them.
Raskin hit the post from long range early on but Rangers trailed at half-time.
Tavernier levelled from the spot early in the second half and Lammers forced some decent stops but the Greek side eased to victory as Beale made nine second-half changes.
Jamaican rally cross sensation Fraser McConnell praised the Caribbean's young cadre of Karters, who participated in the third Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy (CJKAT) at the Palisadoes International Raceway from July 21 to 23.
The Rally Cross champion and driver for Lewis Hamilton’s X44 Vida Carbon Racing, who was third among the seniors, was impressed with the high level of competition.
"It's good to see Jamaica hosting this competition for the first time, and even better to see the high level of talent at all levels," he said.
After three days of competition, the lone female among the juniors, Trinidad & Tobago's 13-year-old Naomi Jade Garcia, emerged as the new Caribbean Junior Karting Champion, with Jamaica's Zander Williams and Matthew Warmington in second and third, respectively.
"I had a great time watching the young talent from across the region. Congratulations to Naomi Garcia, we need more diversity in the sport at all levels, and she was pretty solid all weekend!" said McConnell.
CJKAT is the Caribbean's version of the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, the first rung on the ladder of the FIA's single-seater path to F1. CJKAT allows more opportunities for Caribbean hopefuls to race. The regional series caters for a more comprehensive age range than in Europe, where the limits are 12 to 14 years.
"Kudos to the FIA and the Jamaica Karting Association for partnering with the Barbados Motoring Federation for this event. It's a reminder of the quality the Caribbean continues to produce in motorsports, and I look forward to coming back time and time again because this is where it started for me, and I'm honoured now to be one of the flagbearers for the sport." McConnell added.
The 24-year-old McConnell is the most competitively successful Jamaican driver in the history of international rallycross racing—with a championship victory in 2019, a supercar victory in 2021, and a fourth-round win in the 2022 season.
He occupies the top spot in NitroCross 2023/24 after winning the season opener in June. He returns to competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, for second-leg action from August 18-to-19.
British billionaire Joe Lewis – whose family trust owns Tottenham – has been bailed by a judge in New York after pleading not guilty to charges of giving insider trading tips.
The 86-year-old, who faces 16 counts of securities fraud and three counts of conspiracy, appeared at an arraignment hearing at Manhattan Federal Court on Wednesday.
After entering a not guilty plea Lewis was released on a bail of 300 million US dollars (£230m), reportedly secured by a yacht and private aircraft equivalent to that amount.
Lewis, and two of his pilots who are also facing charges, must remain in the United States.
Prosecutors say Lewis, who was arrested on Wednesday morning, is alleged to have used his access to confidential information to provide stock tips to individuals close to him, with the indictment referring to one girlfriend having made 849,000 US dollars (£657,000) on one of those tip-offs.
Lewis’ legal counsel David Zornow, from the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom firm, said: “The government has made an egregious error in judgment in charging Mr Lewis, an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment.
“Mr Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court.”
Each of the first 13 counts of securities fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, Manhattan prosecutors said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced on Tuesday that Lewis had been indicted over a “brazen insider trading scheme”.
Prosecutors said Lewis, by virtue of his investments in certain companies, received material and non-public information about these companies.
A release from prosecutors on Wednesday alleged Lewis had “misused and misappropriated this confidential information to provide stock tips to various individuals in his life, including his employees, romantic partners, and friends, as a way to provide them with compensation and gifts”.
It added: “These individuals, in turn, traded on the tips provided by Lewis for vast personal gain.”
Lewis bought a controlling stake in Spurs in 2001 for £22million.
He officially ceded control of the club last year, with Bahamian lawyer Bryan A Glinton replacing him as a director according to Companies House.
His stake in the club – which he held through the ENIC Group alongside Daniel Levy – was formally handed to a family trust last year.
Family members of Lewis remain beneficiaries of the trust.
PA understands the Premier League does not consider Lewis as a person with control at Tottenham, and is therefore not subject to its owners’ and directors’ test.
A Tottenham spokesperson said: “This is a legal matter unconnected with the club and as such we have no comment.”
US prosecutors said Lewis is also alleged to have falsely disclosed the extent of his ownership shares in a pharmaceutical company, Mirati, “through an elaborate array of shell companies and other entities, including an offshore trust purportedly for the benefit of his granddaughter”.
As a result of this alleged false disclosure, prosecutors said he was able to exercise warrants in Mirati that he would otherwise not have been able to exercise, “at vast financial gain”.
Also charged were Patrick O’Connor and Bryan Waugh, two pilots employed by Lewis to fly his private aircraft. In one instance, it is alleged Lewis loaned each of them 500,000 US dollars (more than £387,000) to buy shares in a company before it publicly announced favourable information about some clinical results.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) acting assistant director in charge Christie M Curtis said: “As alleged, Mr Lewis treated material, non-public information at his disposal as though it was something he could give his friends and associates for their benefit.
“This type of behaviour – blatant disregard for the law – is not only illegal but undermines the integrity of our financial markets.
“The FBI is determined to ensure that anyone willing to perpetrate insider trading schemes is held accountable in the United States criminal justice system.”
British billionaire Joe Lewis – whose family trust owns Tottenham – has been bailed by a judge in New York after pleading not guilty to charges of giving insider trading tips, according to reports.
The 86-year-old, who faces 16 counts of securities fraud and three counts of conspiracy, appeared at an arraignment hearing at Manhattan Federal Court on Wednesday.
After entering a not guilty plea Lewis was released on a bail of 300 million US dollars (£230m), reportedly secured by a yacht and private aircraft equivalent to that amount.
Lewis, and two of his pilots who are also facing charges, must remain in the United States.
Prosecutors say Lewis, who was arrested on Wednesday morning, is alleged to have used his access to confidential information to provide stock tips to individuals close to him, with the indictment referring to one girlfriend having made 849,000 US dollars (£657,000) on one of those tip-offs.
Lewis’ legal counsel David Zornow, from the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom firm, said: “The government has made an egregious error in judgment in charging Mr Lewis, an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment.
“Mr Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court.”
Each of the first 13 counts of securities fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, Manhattan prosecutors said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced on Tuesday that Lewis had been indicted over a “brazen insider trading scheme”.
Prosecutors said Lewis, by virtue of his investments in certain companies, received material and non-public information about these companies.
A release from prosecutors on Wednesday alleged Lewis had “misused and misappropriated this confidential information to provide stock tips to various individuals in his life, including his employees, romantic partners, and friends, as a way to provide them with compensation and gifts”.
It added: “These individuals, in turn, traded on the tips provided by Lewis for vast personal gain.”
Lewis bought a controlling stake in Spurs in 2001 for £22million.
He officially ceded control of the club last year, with Bahamian lawyer Bryan A Glinton replacing him as a director according to Companies House.
His stake in the club – which he held through the ENIC Group alongside Daniel Levy – was formally handed to a family trust last year.
Family members of Lewis remain beneficiaries of the trust.
PA understands the Premier League does not consider Lewis as a person with control at Tottenham, and is therefore not subject to its owners’ and directors’ test.
A Tottenham spokesperson said: “This is a legal matter unconnected with the club and as such we have no comment.”
US prosecutors said Lewis is also alleged to have falsely disclosed the extent of his ownership shares in a pharmaceutical company, Mirati, “through an elaborate array of shell companies and other entities, including an offshore trust purportedly for the benefit of his granddaughter”.
As a result of this alleged false disclosure, prosecutors said he was able to exercise warrants in Mirati that he would otherwise not have been able to exercise, “at vast financial gain”.
Also charged were Patrick O’Connor and Bryan Waugh, two pilots employed by Lewis to fly his private aircraft. In one instance, it is alleged Lewis loaned each of them 500,000 US dollars (more than £387,000) to buy shares in a company before it publicly announced favourable information about some clinical results.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) acting assistant director in charge Christie M Curtis said: “As alleged, Mr Lewis treated material, non-public information at his disposal as though it was something he could give his friends and associates for their benefit.
“This type of behaviour – blatant disregard for the law – is not only illegal but undermines the integrity of our financial markets.
“The FBI is determined to ensure that anyone willing to perpetrate insider trading schemes is held accountable in the United States criminal justice system.”
Kylian Mbappe and his representatives refused to meet with Al Hilal officials in Paris on Wednesday to discuss a possible world-record transfer to Saudi Arabia, it has been reported.
Mbappe’s club Paris St Germain are understood to have given the Saudi Pro League side permission to speak with the France striker over personal terms after receiving a £259million bid for the player in writing.
An Al Hilal delegation was reported to have been hoping to sell their project to Mbappe in Paris while finalising the signing of Brazil striker Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg.
But, according to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Mbappe and his team have refused to enter into any discussions with the Saudi club and he has never considered the option.
Mbappe’s PSG future has been in serious doubt since it emerged in June that he would not extend his existing deal through to 2025, meaning he would become a free agent next summer and be able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club as early as January.
PSG have not confirmed the reports that Mbappe has snubbed Al Hilal’s approach, but are understood to be convinced that Mbappe has already agreed a free transfer to Real Madrid next summer.
Parisian sources have said the 24-year-old would benefit from a 160m euro (£138m) signing-on fee if he wound down his existing contract and moved to the Spanish capital in 2024.
Jofra Archer is “on course” to be fit for England’s 50-over World Cup defence in October, according to Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace.
The 28-year-old fast bowler burst onto the scene to star as England triumphed on home soil four years ago, before playing a key role in the Ashes series that summer.
But injuries have plagued the Sussex bowler since, undergoing several bouts of surgery on his elbow, as well as a stress fracture of the back which derailed his planned comeback last year.
Archer made his first tentative steps towards full recovery earlier this year, featuring in England’s limited-overs tours to South Africa and Bangladesh, before he had to cut short his spell with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
He was subsequently ruled out of this summer’s Ashes series back in May due to another stress fracture in his right elbow, but Farbrace says he is making progress as he bids to make the England squad for the tournament in India.
“He’s going well. I think he is on course for the World Cup which is fantastic news,” Farbrace told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He is going nicely. I think England will need to work out how to get the best out of him over the next few years if he is to go to that next Ashes series.”
Tom Latham and Will Jacks were both dismissed for 99 as leaders Surrey built a first-innings lead of 198 on the second day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.
New Zealand’s Latham and Jacks fell just short of centuries as Surrey made 368 all out on a rain-shortened day in response to Somerset’s first-innings total of 170 all out. The hosts’ seamer Matt Henry finished with six for 80.
Surrey began the day on 138 for four, 32 runs behind, with Latham on 67 and Jacks on 13.
Nick Gubbins gave Hampshire a sniff of saving their fixture with Essex as they lead by 73 runs with four second-innings wickets remaining at the Ageas Bowl.
Hampshire looked on the brink of a fourth defeat of the season, which would have all but ended their title hopes, having given up a 49-run first-innings lead and lost four second-innings wickets before wiping out the deficit.
Jamie Porter was the main architect of their destruction with another three wickets to go with his first innings five for 37, but Gubbins made 44 – the highest individual score of the match so far – as Hampshire were 122 for six at the close.
Middlesex’s first-day charge towards victory over Warwickshire was slowed first by stubborn batting and then by bad weather on the second day at Edgbaston.
After a frenetic opening day of 312 runs for 22 wickets, Warwickshire, bowled out for 60 on the first morning, closed the second day on 189 for four in their second innings, leading by 50.
Sam Hain and Dan Mousley dug in to add 110 in 45 overs, hitting 66 not out and 58 respectively, as Warwickshire clawed their way back into the game, but Middlesex remain very strongly placed.
An unbeaten 61 by opener Luke Wells helped Lancashire have the best of a rain-affected second day against Northamptonshire at Emirates Old Trafford.
When the wet weather brought an early end to play, the home side were 121 for one in reply to Northamptonshire’s 342 after the visitors had begun the day on 302 for five.
Northamptonshire’s lower order squandered their first-day advantage, losing their last five wickets for 40 runs in less than 80 minutes’ play – the final four of them to the spinners, Jack Morley and Tom Hartley, for 13 runs in 28 balls.
Injury-kit Kent finished on 102 for two in reply to Nottinghamshire’s 350 all out on another rain-hit second day at Trent Bridge.
After Ben Slater’s opening-day century, wicketkeeper Tom Moores made 94 as Nottinghamshire secured three batting points – 20-year-old Jas Singh finishing with four for 87 as Kent collected three for bowling.
Division Two leaders Durham trail Yorkshire by 234 runs with nine first-innings wickets remaining after the second day in Scarborough.
Durham responded to the hosts’ commanding first-innings total of 340 by reaching 106 for one from 33 overs with former Yorkshire opener Alex Lees unbeaten on 65.
Yorkshire advanced from 142 for two overnight thanks to Adam Lyth’s 111 off 188 balls and Jordan Thompson’s 54 off 52 deliveries, including four fours and as many sixes.
Derbyshire reached 95 without loss to trail by 426 runs in reply to Glamorgan’s first-innings total of 521 for eight declared.
Luis Reece (52 not out) and Harry Came (37no) shared an unbroken opening stand in 40 overs before rain prevented any play after tea.
In Cheltenham, Worcestershire fought back from 182 for seven to end the first day on 265 for seven against Gloucestershire.
Brett D’Oliveira (53no), Gareth Roderick (53) and Matthew Waite (64) contributed half-centuries as wickets fell regularly, with the former sharing an unbroken partnership of 83 with Josh Baker (40no).
Bryce Young's tenure as the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback will begin right away, as head coach Frank Reich announced Wednesday that the 2023 No. 1 overall pick will start the team's season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 10.
Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, will become the first rookie quarterback to start for the Panthers in Week 1 since former NFL MVP Cam Newton in 2011.
“When we decided to pick Bryce we imagined and saw the vision that we would be standing here today saying he is the QB1,” Reich told reporters.
Reich's decision was not unexpected, as Young took over first-team reps from veteran Andy Dalton near the end of Carolina's organised team activities in June.
"I think Bryce has made good progress. You can just tell, he and the whole group on offence ... you can just tell everybody is feeling more comfortable with it. Certainly, Bryce is as well. So we feel good about where he's at."
The Panthers traded two first-round picks, including the No. 9 overall selection in this year's draft, and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears in March in order to move up to No. 1 and take the diminutive but dynamic Young as their intended franchise quarterback.
Young earned that honour with a stellar three-year career at the University of Alabama in which he completed nearly 66 per cent of his attempts while totalling 8,356 passing yards and 80 touchdown passes with just 12 interceptions.
The 5-foot-10 California native won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore after throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns in 15 games and leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff championship game.
"That's a huge blessing," Young said in being named the Week 1 starter. "For me, it doesn't change my approach. I want to make sure I take things day by day. There are a lot of things that I want to keep growing in, keep improving in.
"We are all as a team in this together."
Young takes over a Carolina team that recorded its fifth consecutive losing season by going 7-10 in 2022. The Panthers' streak of five straight non-playoff seasons is tied with the Falcons for the second-longest active drought among NFC teams.
Hibernian manager Lee Johnson believes standing David Marshall down as captain will suit the goalkeeper as well as the team.
Paul Hanlon has been restored as Hibs captain after Marshall wore the armband in Johnson’s first season in charge.
The 38-year-old faces fresh competition for the gloves with former Swindon keeper JoJo Wollacott, who joined on a three-year deal this summer.
But Johnson confirmed that Marshall would start in goal on Thursday when Hibs face Inter Club d’Escaldes in the first leg of the Europa Conference League second qualifying round in Andorra.
Johnson added: “It allows Marsh to concentrate on that goalkeeping battle.
“One of the big things is positionally on the pitch, you are trying to get information to players and it’s not easy to go by your captain when he’s in goal and 50-60 yards away.
“When I came through the door, don’t forget, Paul Hanlon was injured. I didn’t know anybody and at that point David Marshall was probably the only one in the squad I could guarantee would play.
“Marsh is a leader anyway, that’s a factor in this after having a discussion with Marsh.
“And also both ways, Marsh is also taking on an awful lot in terms of his future. He is doing a sporting directorship, he is doing his coaching badges as well, and being captain of a football club like this takes an awful lot of time up.
“You’d be surprised, just the little things like arranging the bonuses, the tickets, all that type of stuff, is a really important factor.”
Hanlon has played 535 times for Hibs and sits fifth on the club’s all time appearance holders list.
“With Paul having been here a while, it probably suits him best this season,” Johnson added.
“It’s clear for everyone to see that Paul is extremely trusted, that he has strong leadership and communication skills, and by playing in the centre of defence it allows him to get messages around the whole team quickly and effectively.”
Hanlon is one of several players Johnson has been mining for information ahead of his own European debut.
“I will have to lean on the experience of the boys,” the former Sunderland manager said.
“I have had a lot of conversations with the lads that have played in these European games because I didn’t play in European competition and nor have I managed in that.
“You can do all the work in the world in terms of studying the opposition but inevitably experience is always welcome. I don’t feel like we are short of it, the lads are well versed in foreign competition.”
Johnson revealed Martin Boyle would be on the bench in Andorra in a “cheerleading” capacity and would not feature as he continues his comeback from a serious knee injury.
Sebastian Aho has received quite the gift on his 26th birthday.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced Wednesday they have signed their standout center to an eight-year, $78 million extension that will keep him under contract through the 2031-32 season.
Aho was entering the final season of a five-year, $42.3 million contract signed in 2019, when the Hurricanes matched an offer sheet the Montreal Canadiens gave the then-restricted free agent.
That has proven to be a shrewd move for Carolina, as Aho's 135 goals over the last four seasons rank eighth among NHL players and he's one of only nine players to score 30 or more goals in four of the last five seasons.
Aho has been a core member of a Hurricanes team that reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2022-23 and has won at least one playoff series in five consecutive seasons.
"Sebastian has developed into one of the best two-way centers in hockey," Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "He's a tremendous leader on and off the ice who sets a great example for our younger players. We're grateful that he's decided to stay in Carolina for the foreseeable future."
Aho has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with Carolina after being taken by the Hurricanes in the second round of the 2015 draft. The two-time All-Star's 218 goals and 468 points both rank fifth in franchise history.
The native Finn owns club postseason records for career goals (23), assists (35) and points (58), while his 16 career shorthanded goals are tied for the most in franchise history.
Aho is coming off another outstanding campaign in which he compiled 36 goals and 31 assists in 75 regular-season games before contributing five goals and seven assists in 15 games during Carolina's playoff run.
Max Malins denies that England have suffered from the high turnover of attack coaches since he made his Test debut almost three years ago.
Eddie Jones, Simon Amor, Martin Gleeson, Nick Evans and Richard Wigglesworth have each filled the role during Malins’ 17-cap Test career that began against Georgia in 2020.
England’s attack has functioned only sporadically during that time, but Malins believes the frequent changes are not the reason for any shortcomings.
“Every attack coach has their own ideas but it doesn’t vary too much,” the Saracens wing said.
“It’s not like we’ve gone from trying to play wide to hitting everything through the middle. As a general picture, it’s been pretty similar.
“There’s a solid foundation and solid coaching group that can take us forward. It hasn’t held me back.”
Wigglesworth has been placed in charge of England’s attack after joining Steve Borthwick’s coaching team from Leicester at the end of the season.
With the World Cup opener against Argentina on September 9 looming large, the four warm-up Tests that start against Wales on Saturday week will provide precious opportunities to lay some foundations.
While Wigglesworth oversees the attack, he is given assistance by fly-half generals Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith.
“It’s very collaborative. Richard will give his thoughts on the system and how we want to play,” Malins said.
“But once we’re out on that field there’s a lot of talk: Owen, George and Marcus all pitch in with ideas on different plays as they unfold.
“It’s on the go, in the moment, out on the field, fixing things or appraising things as we do them.
“Owen and George are both students of the game. If you see them chatting in the corner, you know what they’re chatting about. Two unbelievable rugby minds.
“To have those two – and Marcus, who brings a different spin on things – it’s brilliant for the team.”
England captain Ben Stokes is ready to have “serious conversations” about an operation on his troublesome knee injury in a bid to set him on course for another tilt at the Ashes in 2025/26.
Stokes has been struggling badly with a chronic left knee problem for the past year and has been in visible pain throughout the current series against Australia.
Having set his heart on playing a full all-rounder’s role this summer, he has been able to offer just 29 overs with the ball and has not bowled at all in the last two Tests. Batting and fielding also appears to push him to the limit at times and, at the age of 32, a solution needs to be found.
This week’s Ashes finale at the Kia Oval, which England must win to square the scoreline at 2-2, is England’s last red-ball game for six months – a window that offers Stokes the chance to tackle the issue head on.
He had a cortisone injection ahead of this year’s Indian Premier League to help manage his symptoms and, asked if he would now consider going one step further with surgery, he said: “Yeah, it’s something I obviously want to get sorted.
“The times I’ve seen specialists and stuff like that, there has been cricket around, so as it’s been manageable we’ve just cracked on.
“I was pretty broken after the Lord’s game, but I still managed to walk out. I think this is a good time to have some serious conversations with medics around what I could potentially do to get a role in which I can bowl without having to worry about my knee. Those are conversations we will be able to have in that time off.
“It has been frustrating in the last couple of years, not being able to have the same impact and play the same role that I have done for the last 10 years.
“So it’s obviously something that I want to be able to do and hopefully I can get sorted. I keep forgetting that I’m ageing every day.”
Regardless of what happens in the next five days in south London, Stokes knows it will be Pat Cummins lifting the urn instead of him at the end of the game.
That means England are now guaranteed at least a decade between Ashes wins, having last triumphed in 2015, and Stokes would love to be fit and firing to lead the charge Down Under next time around.
“It’d be nice to go out to Australia in 2025 and have a good chance of winning,” he said.
“How this series has gone and how close we were, it does make you think when we next go to Australia do we have a better chance than the last few times?
“The way in which Australians and England players speak about the Ashes, it’s obviously the big one. The Ashes is such an important series for English and Australian cricket and it would be nice to say I’ve won it twice.”
In the short term, Stokes has to work out how to spend his time away. He and head coach Brendon McCullum have worked hard bonding the Test team together over a hectic 12-month period and now face a hiatus before touring India in January.
Stokes has an open invitation to throw his hat back into the ring for England’s 50-over World Cup defence this autumn, but insisted he had no second thoughts about about leaving ODI cricket behind.
“I’m retired,” was his unambiguous response to the idea.
“I’m going on holiday after this game. That’s as far as I’m thinking. But there’s only so much ‘break’ you can cope with. You really do miss that environment, when you’re around the other lads.
“In two or three weeks I’ll probably get bored and just schedule a squad game or something like that.”
Group One winner Dubai Mile has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.
The three-year-old was expected to make his debut for Martyn and Freddie Meade in Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire having joined from Charlie Johnston.
However, last season’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner suffered an injury during his final piece of work on Tuesday.
“We were preparing him to run in the Sky Bet York Stakes when he suffered a conjugal fracture on his near-hind fetlock, so it is an absolute tragedy,” Martyn Meade told the Press Association.
“We were giving him his last bit of work yesterday on our watered peat moss gallop, which was absolutely perfect for him, but it was just a complete freak accident.
“We managed to get him straight up Newmarket, where he has been operated on and it has been pinned. That appears to be a success.
“However, he is clearly out for the rest of the season, I would think. It always happens to the best horses. You wouldn’t believe it.”
The son of Roaring Lion progressed nicely through his juvenile campaign for Charlie and Mark Johnston.
Yet he had failed to build on that success in three starts this term. Although fifth to Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas, he was subsequently ninth in the Derby and finished eight lengths behind King Of Steel in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Thereafter, he joined the Meades’ Manton Park Stud after a deal was secured to purchase a half-share in the colt from owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, with a view to a stallion career.
“We will have to assess how he recovers from that surgery and assess whether or not he will have a racing career or whether he will be going to stud,” Meade went on.
“It is heartbreaking really, also for Ahmed who is our joint-owner, who has been very good about it, I have to say. He has been very understanding.
“When it happens, it affects everyone, the lads who do them, they get very upset by it, understandably so. It is terrible for everyone. A huge blow.”
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from July 26.
Football
Harry Kane reflected on Spurs’ trip to Asia.
View this post on Instagram
A bittersweet game for Ryan Reynolds.
Jill Scott will be immortalised in comic-book form.
Ray Parlour enjoyed himself.
Erling Haaland thanked Japan.
Ian Wright was made to feel welcome in New Zealand.
President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema praised the women’s football team for their efforts at the World Cup.
Cricket
Ben Stokes was rudely interrupted by Mark Wood’s choice of music.
Kevin Pietersen was on safari.
Azeem Rafiq urged the rain to stay away from The Oval.
Stuart Broad reminisced.
MMA
Conor McGregor caught World Cup fever.
Cycling
Sir Chris Hoy was a proud husband.
Golf
It was a dog’s life for Padraig Harrington ahead of the Senior Open.
Athletics
Usain Bolt geared up for the 2024 Olympics.
Boxing
Alexander Usyk was ready for battle.
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