Majestic Beauty is expected to maintain her unbeaten record in the British EBF Ruby Anniversary Novice Stakes at Musselburgh.

Trainer Alice Haynes is in double figures in terms of juvenile winners this season and this daughter of Havana Grey certainly looked the part on her racecourse debut at Catterick in May.

Majestic Beauty was short odds to make a successful start to her career at the North Yorkshire track and soon recovered from a tardy start to win comfortably by two and a half lengths.

Hindsight tells us that form is not too shabby by Catterick standards, with the runner-up Specific Times since landing a nursery at York and third-placed Harvana now a dual winner.

Assuming Haynes has her filly fit enough to do herself justice after nearly three months off the track, she should prove very hard to beat.

Idilico can open his account for the season in the Stobo Castle Ladies Day Gold Cup Handicap.

Dianne Sayer’s eight-year-old is a regular visitor to Musselburgh and has been placed twice already this term.

He was disappointing over hurdles at Perth on his most recent outing, but a return to Flat on a track that suits may yield a return to form. The booking of Joe Fanning suggests connections mean business.

Not many trainers have their horses in better form than John Quinn and Poet’s Magic is taken to continue the trainer’s hot streak in the Gaynor Winyard Trophy Handicap.

The seven-year-old is only a pound above her last winning mark and is tipped to put a below-par first run of the season behind her.

Nibras Angel is out to double her tally in the Robert (Bob) Vickery Memorial Novice Stakes at Thirsk.

Trainer Ismail Mohammed is no stranger to handling high-class fillies, having saddled Zain Claudette to win both the Princess Margaret and the Lowther Stakes a couple of years ago.

Nibras Angel, who carries the same colours as her stablemate, made a big impression when scorching clear on her Lingfield introduction last month and the subsequent success of the third Time’s Eye gives the form a solid enough look.

Mohammed’s filly holds a Group One entry in the Sun Chariot later in the year and while that may be pie in the sky at this stage, she can keep the dream alive with a second victory.

May Blossom can complete her hat-trick for David O’Meara in the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Handicap following back-to-back wins in July, while the lightly-raced Crow’s Nest looks a good bet in the Star Sports Festival Of Racing Handicap at Brighton.

The latter looked a winner in waiting when third on his debut at Windsor in May and he duly dotted up at Hamilton next time before successfully defying a penalty at Bath.

Softer ground over six furlongs appeared to blunt his speed at Newmarket on his handicap debut, but he still ran with plenty of credit to finish third and with further improvement anticipated, he looks feasibly treated on his return to a sounder surface.

Haydock punters should side with Karl Burke’s Mannerism in the oakflooringman.com EBF Novice Stakes.

The Caravaggio gelding was beaten just a length when third on his introduction on Merseyside three weeks ago and while the winner Paladin did not cover himself in glory at Goodwood last week, Mannerism’s stablemate Ice Max, who finished fourth, outclassed his rivals at Catterick on Tuesday.

With Tom Marquand in the saddle, Mannerism can add to Burke’s considerable juvenile haul.

SELECTIONS:

BRIGHTON: 2.30 Notre Maison, 3.00 Sparklight, 3.30 Miller Spirit, 4.00 Crow’s Nest, 4.35 Lilkian, 5.05 Harry The Haggler.

HAYDOCK: 5.40 Lenny’s Spirit, 6.15 Mannerism, 6.50 Couplet, 7.25 Alshinfarah, 8.00 Sovereign Queen, 8.35 Unequal Love.

MUSSELBURGH: 2.20 Freak Out, 2.50 MAJESTIC BEAUTY (NAP), 3.20 Idilico, 3.50 Poet’s Magic, 4.20 End Zone, 4.53 War Defender.

NEWMARKET: 4.49 Habrdi, 5.25 Us Navy Jack, 6.00 Broadway Act, 6.35 Jayyash, 7.10 Kingori, 7.45 Astral Spirit, 8.20 Champagne Sarah.

THIRSK: 2.10 Chester Le Streak, 2.40 Bint Havana Grey, 3.10 On Borrowed Time, 3.40 Nibras Angel, 4.10 May Blossom, 4.40 Moulin Booj, 5.10 Prince Achille.

TIPPERARY: 4.45 Double Jabbed, 5.15 Harmony Rose, 5.50 Tamazu, 6.25 Andromeda, 7.00 Bremen, 7.35 First Gentleman, 8.10 Chatterbox.

WEXFORD: 4.55 Dutch Schultz, 5.30 Star Official, 6.05 Jesina, 6.40 Midnight Our Fred, 7.15 Gali Flight, 7.50 Look Dont Touch, 8.25 Meet My Loreley.

DOUBLE: Majestic Beauty and Nibras Angel.

Mansa Musa could continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his shock maiden win at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Trained by Irish-based Brazilian Diego Dias, the son of Ten Sovereigns was sent off at 20-1 for the British EBF 40th Anniversary Maiden Stakes over six furlongs, but showed a good deal of ability to repel the well-regarded 4-6 favourite Array at the business end of the contest.

The former jockey, who trains on the Curragh, was keen to add the talented youngster to the line-up for this Saturday’s Keeneland Phoenix Stakes on home soil, but a deal now appears to be done for Mansa Musa to head to the Far East.

“It’s nice to work with horses like him,” said Dias.

“He was showing plenty at home and we thought he was a proper little horse who could win first time out.

“He improved a lot at Goodwood and the form is good. The second horse is a nice horse who they think a lot of and it was a hot maiden.

“I was going to supplement him for the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday, but I think we have sold him and he is probably heading to Hong Kong.”

Even though Mansa Musa will not be seen at the Curragh this weekend, another of Dias’ string is set to take her chance in the Group One contest, with Deauville runner-up Gaenari poised for the go-ahead.

Although still a maiden, she has twice placed in Listed company and the handler is happy with her condition ahead of her foray into deep waters.

Dias added: “She was second in Deauville last time, but she came back home and she’s fresh and happy and we will probably give her a run in the Phoenix.

“She looks fine and the race at Deauville did not take much out of her, so she’s in great form.

“She’s been unfortunate not to get her head in front yet, she’s been second three times now and two times in Listed races.”

Defender Lucy Bronze admitted England “are not happy” with their World Cup performances so far but vowed the Lionesses will step up in Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia.

The European champions crushed China 6-1 in their third group-stage contest, but that match remains an outlier in a tournament that has otherwise seen them score just one other goal from open play.

That winning strike came against Denmark from Lauren James, who will miss the Lionesses’ last-eight encounter while she serves at minimum a one-game suspension after she was sent off in Monday night’s last-16 victory over Nigeria.

“We can give more,” vowed Bronze. “We’re a fantastic team with highly-talented players, but the important thing is we got through to the next round.

“There’s no point in playing our best performances in the first games, we might as well save them for the quarter-finals or further than that.

“We’ve built on every game, we’ve taken something from every game, whether that was the Haiti game that was physical, the Denmark game when we lost our key player in Keira [Walsh], the China game we changed the formation completely, [Monday] we had a red card.

“Everything that has been thrown at us, we’ve dealt with and moved forward.

“I don’t see many other teams who’ve had that adversity and if they had, I don’t think they’ve managed to overcome the way we have. At the same time, we are not happy with our performances.”

The 2023 tournament, expanded to 32 teams for the first time, has already provided host of dramatic and often surprising results.

Double defending champions the United States were denied a shot at an history-making ‘three-peat’ after they were eliminated in the last 16 following a penalty shoot-out with Sweden, who are set to play Japan on Friday in one of the most anticipated quarter-final clashes.

That followed a group stage that saw three top-10 sides in Canada, Brazil and Germany ousted and nations far lower down FIFA’s world rankings advance, results that have largely been celebrated as evidence of progress in the women’s game and setting up the most unpredictable finals in the competition’s 32-year history.

World number four England, who have never reached a World Cup final, have so far managed to survive in the face of adversity.

Before kick-off against Nigeria, the name on everyone’s lips was Walsh, who was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in England’s second group-stage contest with what many feared was a tournament-ending injury, but made a stunning return on Monday night.

Yet 120 minutes later, when Walsh began to feel a cramp and was replaced by Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem, it was clear James would be the player in the headlines after she was shown a straight red for stepping on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie, forcing her team-mates to doggedly battle through extra-time short-handed.

The incident resulted in an automatic one-game suspension for James, though, there is a good chance the 21-year-old’s punishment could be extended to three games, which would include the World Cup final on August 20.

The decision to extend the ban will come from FIFA’s disciplinary committee, who could make the decision after the Colombia contest.

Chelsea forward James, who has since apologised on Twitter, had already contributed three goals and three assists in the group stage so she will be sorely missed for the Lionesses.

“All we can do is go back to training and make sure we are focused on the job at hand. The most important thing is that we’re coming out of games with wins,” Bronze added.

“I think I said that after the Haiti game, and some people thought that was not probably what they wanted. However, we’re the ones who are still in the competition and there’s many top teams who are going home because they haven’t been able to get that point or been able to see the games out in the penalty shoot-out and we have.

“We’ve shown that side of our team that we know what it takes to win.”

Pip Birchall is no stranger to Wembley having cheered on her beloved St Helens at the showpiece venue in each of their last four Challenge Cup final appearances.

But during those big occasions Birchall and her Saints-supporting family never dared dreamed that one day she might be the one chasing silverware on the game’s biggest stage.

The 23-year-old forward, who was born and raised in the town, will finally assume the limelight with her team-mates on Saturday when Saints face Leeds Rhinos in the women’s Challenge Cup final.

“Every time I sat in those stands I was itching to get onto that pitch but I assumed it would never happen because the women didn’t get to play there,” Birchall told the PA news agency.

“I just had the mindset that it would never happen. But I gradually started to wonder if it might be possible, which just shows how far the women’s game has come.

“My parents were at a wedding in Ireland when we won the semi-final, and when I phoned them we were all in tears. They have been with me to so many places in my career and we couldn’t believe we are going to Wembley.”

Birchall started playing for Saints at junior levels but the women’s game was still in its infancy and her and her team-mates had to routinely overcome obstacles just to get onto the playing surface.

“I remember one game at Chorley where they’d left the gates locked and we had to knock on a door and ask a man in his pyjamas if it was all right to climb over his back fence to get to the pitch,” added Birchall.

“We would often have to play four versus four or join the other team just to make up the numbers. If you hurt your leg you just jumped in the car and tried to make it to A&E as quickly as possible.

“It’s been a rollercoaster but being able to be a part of the first-ever women’s final at Wembley is another sign of how far the game has come.”

Saints booked their place in the final when Faye Gaskin kicked the winning drop-goal in their semi-final against York – but hours later the men’s team failed to keep their side of the bargain as they slid to defeat against Leigh.

Birchall could hardly hide her disappointment at that shock result but the hurt is diluted by the knowledge that for once the town will be placing its women’s team at the front and centre.

“It would have been the pinnacle to have both teams there,” admitted Birchall. “But with the men not managing, it’s now about us. We’re who the town is talking about, there’s a buzz about the place and that’s exactly what we need.”

Aidan O’Brien’s multiple Group winner Little Big Bear has been retired due to injury.

The son of No Nay Never was the champion two-year-old in Europe last year, winning a string of races that included the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, the Anglesey Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes – the latter a Group One he took by seven lengths.

He did not run again as a juvenile, and as a three-year-old his 2000 Guineas bid did not go to plan, but he was victorious again when dropped in drip for the Sandy Lane and was then beaten only by Shaquille when second in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot.

His final run came in the July Cup, where Shaquille was the winner but Little Big Bear finished last of all when eased up by Ryan Moore having been hampered two furlongs out.

A late setback meant he missed last weekend’s Prix Maurice de Gheest, and the discovery of a condylar fracture on the right-front fetlock now means he will not race again.

O’Brien said via the website of owners Coolmore: “Little Big Bear is a super horse; that’s the long and the short of it.

“Different class, different gear and matured very early for a big horse.

“He’s big, scopey, strong, clear winded and very, very fast – a class sprinter.”

Scarlets centre Joe Roberts will make his Wales debut in a team showing 15 changes for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash against England at Twickenham.

Roberts, 23, is partnered in midfield by Nick Tompkins, while there are also starts for the likes of wing Tom Rogers, fly-half Owen Williams, lock Rhys Davies and flanker Tommy Reffell.

Hooker Dewi Lake captains a side that sees Taine Plumtree, who lines up at number eight, handed his first Test start following an impressive performance off the bench in Wales’ 20-9 victory over England last weekend.

Wing Josh Adams, who was top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, wins his 50th cap.

George Scott is readying Watch My Tracer for a valuable sales race at Newmarket after soft ground scuppered an intended outing at Goodwood last week.

The Dandy Man gelding was a winner on debut at Yarmouth in May and ran a creditable race to finish just under five lengths behind the unbeaten River Tiber when seventh in the Coventry at Royal Ascot.

He got back on the winning trail with a three-length success at Windsor last month and Scott had been targeting the Group Two Richmond Stakes at Goodwood before conditions went against him.

Watch My Tracer holds an entry in the Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 25, but is more likely to head to the July Course the following afternoon for the Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes, a six-furlong contest worth £100,000 to the winner.

“We took him out of Goodwood on account of the ground. I think he’d have been OK with some rain, but it was almost specialist conditions,” Scott said.

“He’s a gelding so we’ll go to the Tattersalls sales race, which is two weeks on Saturday, and he can hopefully go on to the Mill Reef after that.

“He’s a nice horse, he keeps improving at home as well.

“Ascot came too soon for him really and we feel the best is yet to come.”

The trainer added: “He’s quite an exciting horse and I think the sales race will be a very sensible step for him as the Gimcrack is going to be particularly hot.

“With such good money on offer in that sales race, it’s going to be a good stepping stone back into stakes company.”

The grey has both a long stride and a good turn of foot, meaning his limitations with regards to trip are not immediately obvious from his efforts so far.

“It’s hard to know with regards to his trip. He’s not just visually long-striding, he’s clocking a big stride length relative to other horses,” Scott went on.

“If you gave me an option I’d rather an easy six furlongs than a stiff six because he’s got plenty of pace, hence why I was always wanting to go to Goodwood with him.”

Scott believes he has another promising juvenile on his hands in Piz Nair, a Bated Breath colt who won the second division of the same Windsor novice that Watch My Tracer landed in mid-July.

A move into Group-race company is now on the agenda, with the Acomb Stakes at York identified as a suitable target.

“I’m pleased with how he’s working in the morning, I’m really considering the Acomb for him,” said Scott.

“He’s doing very well physically and he’s got a lovely pedigree – he’s out of a winning Galileo mare and he should just keep improving.

“If he sticks his hand up in the next couple of weeks we’ll go for the Acomb, but if there’s any sign that he’s not ready for that then we’ll run in another novice and look to step into that company further down the line.”

The Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September was mentioned as a long-term objective after Piz Nair’s Windsor win and that Group Two contest remains on Scott’s radar.

“He’s got a bit of racing to do before we make a plan on that but I think he’s a nice horse,” he said.

“It would be lovely to think we could put him away for the winter and dream of some nice races next year. I don’t want to get carried away but I do quite like him.”

The company responsible for creating the new font on Premier League kits believe they have come up with a design that will sit alongside previous era-defining styles.

Only a trained eye may notice that the typeface for the players’ names and numbers, as well as the Premier League logo on the sleeve, will be different this season as the league ordered an update for just the fourth time since a uniform font was introduced in 1997.

Avery Dennison, a global materials science and digital identification solutions company, were tasked with the redesign and came up with a “fresh and modern” take, while also increasing visibility.

After being given the seal of approval by commentators such as Martin Tyler and Jim Proudfoot at a test event at Brentford’s stadium, the design was revealed in March.

With famous moments in Premier League history intrinsically linked to the kits players were wearing, Avery Dennison believe they have struck the right note with this design.

“It was just the fourth time the Premier League has changed them so we wanted to create something that would stand the test of time,” senior marketing manager John Ellison told the PA news agency.

“We are confident we have done that. Names and numbers are part of the identity of supporting a football club and we believe our design will create memories that are associated with this design for fans for many years to come.”

With some instantly-recognisable designs of the past, whether it be the shadow-effect of the 1997 design or the more sleek version that was introduced in the late 2000s, it would have been easy to head down memory lane.

But that was never an option as the Premier League brief was an “evolution not a revolution”.

“It’s important to look at the historical designs but they did not heavily influence the final outcome,” Ellison added.

“The Premier League have only changed the design a number of times and when you look back over 30 years, you can see they were right for the time but that doesn’t mean you’d draw too much from those historical designs.

“We knew we wanted something fresh and modern. We tried to run in line with the evolution but the underlying principles were that it would be easily legible and all about visibility at distance.

“It quickly became apparent they weren’t after a revolution, they were after an evolution.

“They wanted to move on from where they are but not flip things on their head. They wanted to build an identity that stayed true to the look of their current branding.”

Avery Dennison, who used automation in the manufacturing process to reduce waste, were also committed to sustainability, with their plant in Norway powered by renewable energy from a nearby glacier.

Ellison added: “Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. At Avery Dennison we use many pioneering and proprietary processes to produce our names and numbers.

“We are committed to sustainability and aim to exceed all industry standards.”

The design was debuted in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States recently and will get its first UK airing when the new campaign kicks-off with Manchester City’s visit to Burnley on Friday.

The mastermind behind the greatest day in Leigh’s history is convinced the club are on the brink of eclipsing his Wembley miracle.

Alex Murphy was the inspirational and charismatic player-coach who led the north-west minnows to an unexpected Challenge Cup triumph in 1971.

In one of the competition’s greatest upsets, Murphy’s well-drilled side defied the odds to overpower a much-fancied Leeds 24-7 in the final at the national stadium.

Now, 52 years on, the recently-rebranded Leopards have a chance to emulate those achievements having plotted a similarly unlikely route to the showpiece match in their first season since returning to the top flight.

After years of struggle, mostly in the lower divisions with financial crises a recurring theme, the club are enjoying an extraordinary campaign. They sit third in Super League and on Saturday they take on Hull KR for one of the sport’s most prestigious prizes.

“They’ve had a good start to the season and it’s a great achievement to get there,” Murphy, now 84, told the PA news agency.

“There have been a lot of very tough times but Derek Beaumont, the chairman, deserves a big pat on the back. He has steered them through thick and thin.

“I think it will be a magnificent occasion. When I took Leigh to Wembley, there was nobody left in the town. It was a tremendous turnout but I think this one will be even better.

“I think it will be a hard game – Hull KR are a physical side – but the way Leigh are playing at the moment, they look as though they have got the ability to win. With the supporters’ help, they’ll do it.”

Murphy was one of greatest players the British game has ever produced, a dynamic scrum-half blessed with pace, vision and an astute tactical acumen that also made him a natural leader.

He burst onto the scene as a precocious teenager with hometown St Helens in the 1950s but, cocksure and not afraid to speak his mind, controversy was never far away.

He fell into dispute with Saints in 1966 and was placed on the transfer list. Leigh could not afford his fee but audaciously offered him their head coach’s job, which Saints were powerless to prevent.

Saints eventually had to cut their losses and release his playing registration too and Murphy went on to lead Leigh with verve and distinction on and off he field. That culminated with his Lance Todd Trophy-winning heroics in front of 85,514 at Wembley.

“The ’71 final was the greatest achievement of my career,” said Murphy, who had previously won the cup with Saints and later did so again with Warrington.

“They were big favourites but I never had any doubt whatsoever. One thing I had in life was confidence and all you’ve got to have with confidence is ability, and we had a lot of it. They didn’t realise that.”

The game is also remembered for featuring the first sending-off in a Challenge Cup final and, typically, Murphy was at the heart of events as Leeds captain Syd Hynes was dismissed.

What occurred has been the subject of dispute ever since, with the alleged off-the-ball headbutt from Hynes that left Murphy motionless on the turf frustratingly just out of the TV camera shot.

Folklore has it that Murphy winked as he was carried off on a stretcher before returning to the action seemingly unhurt a few minutes later. He has always denied he milked the situation but, with Hynes never backing down in his insistence he did little untoward, the argument continues to rumble.

“All I could see was him standing over me, telling me what he was going to do to me if I went back (on the field),” Murphy said.

“A lot of people said I winked at him when I was going off but the only thing I did was close my eyes.

“I think that made me more determined than ever. I thought, ‘We’ll see. You’ll be sorry you’ve done that’. And he was. He finished up getting a loser’s medal, so it kind of put it right.”

Scotland prop Zander Fagerson could play in his country’s opening World Cup match after receiving a reduced ban for his sending-off against France.

Fagerson was dismissed following a high challenge on Pierre Bourgarit in the 50th minute of Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match at Murrayfield.

The Glasgow forward was effectively handed a two-match suspension following a hearing in front of an independent judicial committee on Tuesday.

That rules him out of this Saturday’s return against France and the meeting with Georgia on August 26 but potentially frees him up for the World Cup meeting with South Africa on September 10.

He has officially been banned for three weeks – a schedule that includes the Springboks game – but he has been given the option to replace the last match by joining the “Coaching Intervention Programme” to work on his technique.

Fagerson’s initial citing for charging was amended to “dangerous play in a ruck or maul”, for which World Rugby’s minimum punishment is four weeks, but this was reduced to three after the player admitted guilt “at the earliest opportunity” and showed “remorse”.

The use of artificial intelligence in sport will become more powerful and lead to an increased standard of performance, an expert in the field believes.

AI-powered machines have been present in sport for some time in a number of ways, from the collection of human-generated statistics made famous by the ‘Moneyball’ concept to the development of Hawk-Eye and VAR.

But with more powerful machine-learning programmes and an increased pool of data to use, a whole range of techniques that can help athletes will be unlocked.

“Absolutely, it will increase the standard,” Alex Bonnet, a machine-learning solutions engineer at Encord – a company specialising in AI model development, told the PA news agency.

“It is going to become more powerful because these AI techniques rely on a large amount of data and a lot of that hasn’t been structured and labelled for training machine-learning models.

“Through the fact there are more powerful models that can do more interesting things, companies will find new techniques and applications for AI in sport.

“There is going to be a boost in the kind of things that are possible because of the increase of exposure.”

There are a number of ways performance might be enhanced, whether that is an improvement to training techniques and nutrition or a development in tactics and strategies based on intelligence.

“Although it might not be a traditional sport, we have seen that in chess, the use of AI has actually made players find new ways to play,” Bonnet added.

“They train a lot against computers, and computers don’t always play moves in the same way a human will, so now the style of chess is different to what it used to be.

“That is also true for traditional sports, such as football, tennis, rugby, where you can discover new strategies, with new AI tooling you can explore different scenarios and how new techniques will play out in the real world.

“For example in cycling, how would you dose your effort across long races? A lot of athletes use stickers on their bikes to tell them when to eat and drink, but using AI that can be done for you.

“You can start to do things people have never done before.

“AI can also play a part in planning optimal training sessions for athletes.

“That can boost performance but also reduce injury, especially in sports like tennis and football where there are movements that occur that might make the athlete more prone to injury.

“You can analyse those and make training better, which ultimately means less injuries and more player availability and performance.”

The use of AI is not restricted to professional sport as products are available for recreational use, with the emergence of in-play apps that analyse performance in a number of activities such as tennis, badminton and golf.

And Bonnet believes that could make playing sport more fun.

“It will become more democratised and it will make sport more engaging, you can build gamified experiences,” he added.

“You can add an extra layer and it will get people excited about playing sport.”

Kyle Tucker came through with a grand slam off All-Star closer Felix Bautista in the ninth inning as the Houston Astros rallied for a stunning 7-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Bautista was called on to protect a 6-3 lead in the ninth but promptly walked pinch-hitter Jon Singleton before Jose Altuve blooped a single.

After Alex Bregman struck out, Yordan Alvarez followed with a deep drive to centre that Jorge Mateo – a shortstop making only his second start of the year in centre field – failed to make the play on, and the ball bounced off the wall for a very long single.

Tucker battled Bautista for nine pitches, finally hitting a 100-mph fastball into the seats in right-centre for his 20th home run and second grand slam this season.

Bautista had allowed only five earned runs all season before Houston scored four on him in two-thirds of an inning.

Baltimore had a four-game winning streak snapped and its lead in the AL East was cut to two games over Tampa Bay.

Ryan Mountcastle hit a first-inning home run – a two-run blast – and Adley Rutschman added a two-run shot of his own in the second to put the Orioles up 5-0.

Houston starter Framber Valdez, who threw a no-hitter in his previous start, allowed a season high-tying six runs and eight hits in seven innings.

Scherzer pitches Rangers to eighth straight win

Max Scherzer pitched seven strong innings and Corey Seager had three hits with a home run to lead the Texas Rangers to their season-high eighth straight win, 6-1 over the Oakland Athletics.

Scherzer limited last-place Oakland to three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in his second start with the Rangers.

Robbie Grossman doubled home a run in the second inning and scored on Sam Huff’s double to trigger a three-run fourth.

Seager capped that outburst with an RBI double and hit his 19th home run in the seventh inning – his sixth homer in his last eight games.

The win was the 68th for the Rangers, equalling their total from all last season. The eight-game streak is their longest since winning 10 straight from May 9-19, 2017.

Gilbert shuts down Padres as Mariners stay hot

Logan Gilbert pitched one-hit ball and struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the San Diego Padres 2-0 for their sixth consecutive win.

Gilbert retired 21 of the 22 batters he faced, allowing only an infield single to Xander Bogaerts in the second inning.

Matt Brash struck out Trent Grisham with runners on the corners in the eighth and Andres Munoz worked the ninth.

Seattle moved a season-high nine games over .500 and pulled within two games of Toronto for the third and final AL wild-card spot.

The Mariners scored the game’s first run in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded walk to Cal Raleigh and Dylan Moore tripled home another run in the sixth.

Nicola Adams punched her way into the history books on this day in 2012 as she became the first woman boxer to be crowned an Olympic champion.

The then 29-year-old from Leeds beat her arch-rival, China’s Ren Cancan, 16-7 to win flyweight gold in London.

Adams knocked Ren to the canvas in the second round and was roared to victory by a patriotic home crowd.

A delighted Adams said afterwards: “I am so happy and overwhelmed with joy right now. I have wanted this all my life and I have done it.”

It was a landmark moment for women’s boxing, with three weight categories included for the sport’s Olympic debut, a number which has since increased to six.

Adams’ glittering amateur career continued with Commonwealth gold in 2014 before she successfully defended her Olympic title in Rio.

The Yorkshire fighter turned professional in 2017 and went on to be crowned WBO flyweight world champion before retiring in November 2019 after sustaining an eye injury.