West Indies survived a middle-order collapse to eke out a two-wicket win with seven balls to spare over India and take a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20I series at Guyana’s National Stadium on Sunday.
After restricting India to 152-7 from their 20 overs, the West Indies scored 155-8 from 18.5 overs.
India won the toss and chose to take first strike but lost wickets early as Alzarri Joseph dismissed Shubman Gill for seven and Kyle Myers ran out Shuryakumar Yadav for one to have the tourists at 18-2 in the fourth over.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma added 42 for the third wicket before Kishan was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27. Sanju Samson was next to go, dismissed by Akeal Hosein for seven. India were then 76-4.
Varma and Karthik Pandya built a 42-run partnership that was broken at 42 when Hosein picked up his second wicket when he had Varma caught by Obed McCoy for 51. Pandya carried on before he was bowled by Joseph for 24.
Axar Patel made 14 that helped India approach 150. However, any chance of India making much more ended when he was bowled by Shepherd. Ravi Bishnoi raced to eight from four and Arshdeep Singh, six from three as India’s innings closed at 152-7.
Shepherd and Joseph had identical figures of 2-28 while Akeal Hosein took 2-29.
Needing to score at just over 7.5 runs an over, the West Indies were in dire straits losing two wickets in the opening over.
Brandon King was dismissed by Panda first ball. Three balls later, Pandya removed Johnson Charles for two to leave the West Indies 2-3. Kyle Mayers was trapped lbw by Singh for 15 and the West Indies were looking at a collapse at 32-3 in the fourth over.
Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell fought back against the Indian attack partnering for 57 from 37 balls when Powell was caught at deep third man for 21 to give Pandya his third wicket of the match. Pooran continued to plunder the bowling while Shimron Hetmyer, who has replaced Powell, got his eye in.
Together, they took the West Indies to within 27 runs of their target. However, as is often the case with the West Indies, the game was turned on its head when Pooran was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar, caught at cover-point for 67 that included six fours and four sixes.
His dismissal triggered a collapse in which the West Indies lost four wickets for three runs in 13 balls. It was Yuzvendra’s Chahal’s third over, the 16th of the innings where things went pear-shaped for the West Indies. Shepherd was run out for nought off the first ball, he then had Holder stumped off his fourth and Hetmyer trapped lbw for 22 on the final ball.
It was left to Akeal Hosein, who ended unbeaten on 16 and Alzarri Joseph at the other end on 10, to see the West Indies to a nail-biting victory.
Pandya took 3-37 and Chahal 2-19 were the main bowlers for India.
Roy Keane has told Arsenal they paid too much for England midfielder Declan Rice when they handed West Ham £105million for his services.
Keane, who worked with Rice as Martin O’Neill’s assistant when the player won his three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, rates him highly, but is not convinced he is worth his price tag.
Asked about the midfielder’s prospects in north London ahead of the Gunners’ Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Sunday in which he made his competitive debut, Keane told ITV1: “He is obviously going to be surrounded by better players, different demands.
“If he is going to play a little higher up the pitch, I think he definitely has that quality in terms of adding more goals. He’s obviously got that physical strength, he can get in the box.
“They have obviously paid way too much for him. He’s certainly not worth over £100 million, Declan Rice, but a really good player.
“We’ll find out over the next year or two how good Declan is. He turns up every week, he is a big strong boy – again, you talk about that physicality, they lacked that in the last month or two (of last season).
“Has he got that really top quality in terms of seeing a pass and getting nine, 10 goals? We’ll soon find out.”
Rice’s move to the Emirates Stadium last month after he had helped the Hammers win the Europa Conference League set a new British transfer record.
The London-born player, whose paternal grandparents are from Cork, has been capped 43 times by England, but made his senior international debut for Ireland, playing in friendlies against Turkey, France and the United States in 2018 before switching allegiance.
Mikel Arteta was the first victim and the first beneficiary of the new law changes after Arsenal won the Community Shield 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw against Manchester City.
Gunners boss Arteta was booked in the first half by referee Stuart Attwell for protesting a decision, part of the new clampdown on the touchline behaviour of managers.
But the fiery Spaniard was celebrating after the new law on timewasting and keeping the ball in play – meaning extended periods of stoppage time – allowed his side to equalise with 101 minutes on the clock.
“It is really good to do that,” he said. “It was going too far and now teams are going to have to think twice. We have to prepare to play 100 minutes. It is going to happen every single week.”
On his yellow card, Arteta added: “I cannot change my behaviour in three days and I can’t say tomorrow that we play with no offsides and what is the linesman doing? I try my best.”
Pep Guardiola felt the amount of stoppage time was excessive even before the initial eight minutes stretched to 13 after a clash of heads between Kyle Walker and Thomas Partey.
City’s treble-winning boss now also expects matches to regularly extend to 100 minutes and even longer.
“We have to get used to it,” he said. “I had the feeling, not because we were winning 1-0, but that not much happened to extend it for eight minutes.
“It’s a good question for the international board and people because they don’t consult with managers and players and we have to accept it with this amount of games.
“Now the games will be 100 minutes. Nothing happened today and there was eight minutes. They extend for goals. If the score is 4-3, you put 45 seconds on for seven goals, tomorrow morning I am (still) here playing.”
Young forward Cole Palmer, who was on as a substitute for the quiet Erling Haaland, appeared to have won it for City in normal time after a fine curling finish.
But Leandro Trossard’s shot deflected in – off Manuel Akanji – to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw and take the game to a penalty shoot-out.
The Gunners scored all four of their spot-kicks, while Kevin De Bruyne fired against the crossbar and Rodri’s weak effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale.
Fabio Vieira stepped up to hit the final penalty with Arsenal winning the shootout 4-1 to land the first piece of silverware of the campaign and go some way to lifting a mental block after last season’s disappointment at losing the title to City.
“It feels great. I don’t think it gets much better than winning a trophy at Wembley against the best team in the world, and especially the way we have done it,” added Arteta.
“It’s great if the players are convinced they can beat every team. I think we showed a real determination and fight to win the game.
“The reason why we are here to win trophies for this club and make it successful. I have seen so many happy and proud people.”
City lost last year’s Community Shield to Liverpool and although they did not do too badly over the rest of the season, Guardiola was still irritated by the defeat.
“(We’ve lost) three in a row,” he added. “We came here to win it. We were so close, but winning or losing, I know the position of the team.
“We would love to win today but sometimes you have to accept that.”
Ipswich made a winning return to the Sky Bet Championship as they claimed a 2-1 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Former Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time before turning provider eight minutes into the second half as he set up George Hirst to double the visitors’ lead.
Sunderland were reduced to 10 men when Trai Hume was sent off for a second booking, but Tony Mowbray’s side set up a tense finale when Dan Neil converted Dennis Cirkin’s cross with four minutes left.
Ipswich saw things out, though, to ensure a winning start to life in the second tier in the wake of last season’s promotion from League One.
The visitors created the game’s first clear-cut opportunity shortly after the quarter-hour mark.
Wes Burns picked out Leif Davis with a deep cross from the right and the wing-back’s first-time effort looked to be heading in until a covering Luke O’Nien produced a superb goal-line clearance.
Burns fired in a low strike that Anthony Patterson saved moments later, but Sunderland should have opened the scoring midway through the first half, only for Jobe Bellingham to be found wanting.
Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky could only push Pierre Ekwah’s low drive into the path of the 17-year-old, who joined Sunderland in a summer move from Birmingham, but, while he appeared to have the goal at his mercy, his first-time prod flew over the crossbar.
Neil dragged a shot wide of the target as Sunderland continued to probe in and around the 18-yard box, but Ipswich remained a threat on the break and went close themselves 10 minutes before half-time.
Broadhead backheeled the ball into Conor Chaplin’s path, but the forward’s shot deflected wide off Dan Ballard.
The visitors did not have to wait much longer for a breakthrough, though.
Janoi Donacien’s long throw reached Davis, who fired in a shot from just outside the area, and Broadhead stole ahead of his marker to deflect the ball into the net.
Ipswich doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half, with Broadhead once again heavily involved.
The Wales international played Hirst in on the right-hand side of the area and, after breaking across O’Nien, the striker drilled a rising drive into the roof of the net.
The visitors almost added a spectacular third within seconds of Sunderland kicking off, but Chaplin’s 40-yard chip cannoned off the crossbar.
The hosts’ task became much tougher with 18 minutes remaining as they were reduced to 10 men.
Hume had already been booked for a foul in the first half and he deservedly received a second yellow when he pulled back Davis to prevent the wing-back breaking down the flank.
However, the hosts rallied and clawed a goal back in the 86th minute.
Cirkin delivered a low cross from the left and Neil steered home a first-time finish.
With 13 minutes of added time indicated, Sunderland almost claimed a dramatic equaliser in the 101st minute, but Hladky turned Neil’s goal-bound effort on to a post.
Kyle Sinckler insists missing out on Lions selection was like being dumped by a girlfriend in an experience that has left him uncertain of his place in England’s World Cup squad.
Sinckler is set to be picked in Steve Borthwick’s 33-man group that is announced on Monday morning with little doubt over his inclusion given he is first choice tighthead prop.
But the 30-year-old refuses to assume he will take part in his second World Cup after he was excluded from Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions squad in 2021 despite being considered a certainty to tour South Africa.
Andrew Porter was picked by Gatland, only for the Ireland front row to be ruled out by a toe injury, offering Sinckler a reprieve.
“The Lions experience taught me never to… I can’t really find another word for ‘granted’ because I don’t want to say I took it for granted… but I was like, ‘I’ve got a pretty good shot here’. And I ended up missing out on the squad,” Sinckler said.
“I was absolutely devastated and I was like, ‘I’m never going to have that little voice in my head ever saying ‘You’ll be all right’.
View this post on Instagram“That experience in itself was just crazy. Because obviously I initially didn’t make the squad and then you come to terms with that, you wish the boys the best of luck and you are focused on what you need to do.
“Then unfortunately for Andrew, he picked up an injury and that means I’m in – just as I was getting over it.
“It was like an ex dumping you and just as you’re getting over it all of a sudden she wants you back. You’re messing with my head! So it was a strange one.
“It’s about having that humility and respect for the game because rugby can humble you very quickly.”
Saint Sam starred in final day double for Willie Mullins as the champion trainer ended another excellent week at the Galway Festival with 10 winners.
The Closutton handler has once again proved the dominant force at Ballybrit, with Zarak The Brave’s success in Thursday’s Galway Hurdle the obvious highlight of his double-figure haul.
Saint Sam was the 4-7 favourite to notch a fourth win from seven starts over fences in the the Eileen Kelly Memorial Chase and the result was never really in any doubt – quickly opening up a big lead under Paul Townend and coming home with 13 lengths in hand over Born By The Sea.
“That was a huge performance from him over that trip the way he did it. Paul never got a chance to settle him, he just galloped and jumped the two-mile-and-six,” said Mullins.
“I thought that was way better than anything he has shown. He’s given himself a very hard race, but it’s the way he likes to race.
“I think we’ll be looking at conditions races for him, but the Kerry National is worth a lot of money. We’ll think about it and he may be entered for it.”
Mullins teamed up with son Patrick to complete his brace as 4-9 favourite You Oughta Know followed up his debut bumper success at Kilbeggan with a straightforward win in the Fr. Breen Memorial (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.
Mullins said: “It was a good performance giving the second horse a stone (including rider’s claim).
“Patrick felt the ground was fast enough for him so we might put him by now before going jumping.
“It’s been a great week and the ground here is fantastic.”
The tough-as-teak Teed Up won the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for the second year in succession on what was his third appearance at this year’s festival.
The Emmet Mullins-trained course favourite won the Connacht Hotel (Q.R.) Handicap on Monday night and was only narrowly denied a major double on the Flat by Brazil in Friday’s Guinness Handicap.
Reverting to obstacles, Teed Up was the 4-6 favourite in the hands of Conor Clarke and got the job done with a three-and-a-half-length success.
Mullins said: “He has a serious appetite for racing and is an unbelievable horse to have in the yard.
“He loves it here. It might not have seemed that likely in the dip, but as soon as he meets the rising ground, he grows another leg.
“He’s had a tough week and he could tell you what the traffic has been like coming up here this week! I’d imagine he’s earned a little break now and we can start planning for next year.”
My Design struck of odds of 14-1 in the Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle for trainer Declan Queally and amateur rider Ray Barron, while Philip Dempsey’s Fighting Fit was a shock 33-1 winner of the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase.
“Last year just didn’t go right, he had niggly problems the whole time. He never got a proper run at it last year and it’s great to get him back today,” said Dempsey.
“He could go to Listowel and it looks like he’ll probably get further judged on that. He didn’t travel early and lost his position a bit, but his jumping was very good and kept him in it.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins bolstered their blue line on Sunday by acquiring three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in a trade that also involved the Montreal Canadiens.
The 33-year-old Karlsson heads to Pittsburgh along with forward Rem Pitlick, forward Dillon Hamaliuk and San Jose's 2026 third-round draft pick.
The Sharks acquired forward Mikael Granlund, defenseman Jan Rutta, forward Mike Hoffman and Pittsburgh's 2024 first-round draft pick (top-10 protected).
Montreal landed defenseman Jeff Petry, goaltender Casey DeSmith, forward Nathan Legare and Pittsburgh's 2025 second-round draft pick.
Karlsson was the 15th overall pick in 2008 by Ottawa and spent his first nine seasons with the Senators after making his NHL debut in 2009-10.
He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2011-12 and 2014-15.
The Senators traded Karlsson to San Jose prior to the 2018-19 campaign, and the seven-time All-Star had a career season in 2022-23.
Karlsson set personal bests with 25 goals and 76 assists to become the first NHL defenseman to record 100 points since Brian Leetch accomplished the feat for the New York Rangers in 1991-92.
In 920 career games, Karlsson has recorded 178 goals and 583 assists. His 761 points rank 21st in the history of the NHL among defensemen.
Dunum delighted favourite-backers with a clear-cut victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ahonoora” Handicap on the final day of the Galway Festival.
A winner at the track last season, Natalia Lupini’s five-year-old was making his second appearance of this year’s meeting after finishing a close-up third in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile on Tuesday.
With Billy Lee in the saddle, Dunum was the 100-30 market leader to go a couple of places better in this €110,000 feature and came home with two lengths in hand over Snapraeterea.
Lee said: “I thought it was going to be a big ask from stall 17 in a competitive handicap, but I got across nicely and he got me into a good position. I never really had any worries from there on.
“I was in front long enough and he was just doing enough in front. For a big handicap like that it was fairly straightforward.
“He gets a mile well and I just thought they didn’t go quick enough for him the other day and he was a bit keen. He’s an uncomplicated horse and just wants a nice gallop in front of him.”
Stromberg landed prohibitive odds in the Kinlay Hostel Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.
Joseph O’Brien’s colt was a 1-5 shot to build on a promising debut when second at Leopardstown and did so in some style, pulling 10 lengths clear of his rivals under Dylan Browne McMonagle, who was confirmed as the week’s leading Flat rider with five winners.
He said: “It was a very messy race. I jumped a tad slow and the pace was low. Coming down the hill I didn’t know whether to switch in or come around them but I knew my lad would pick up good and I didn’t want to get into any trouble.
“When I did get him out he picked up really good. He’s sharpened up well from his first run and gets through that ground really well. I loved the way he galloped through the line.
“Five winners on a big week like this means a lot.”
Vauban is the star attraction at Naas on Monday, as the top-class hurdler bids to follow up Royal Ascot success in the Ballyroan Stakes and seal his ticket to the Melbourne Cup.
The 2022 Triumph Hurdle hero spent the last season plying his trade in top-class two-mile races over obstacles, chasing home stablemate State Man in three Grade One events as well as finishing fourth behind the mighty Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Rich Ricci-owned five-year-old successfully reverted to the Flat at the Royal meeting in June, making much of the running and powering seven and a half lengths clear in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Vauban steps up to Group Three level for this latest assignment, in what is an important next step for the ante-post favourite on the road to the ‘race that stops a nation’ in Flemington on November 7.
Mullins said: “He’s in good form after his race at Ascot. Naas is only up the road rather than having to travel him to England and hopefully he’ll run well enough to qualify for the Melbourne Cup (needs to be placed in a Group race).
“It’s a shorter trip and probably different ground to Ascot. It also gives us time if things don’t go right to run again.
“All being well, Melbourne is the plan.”
Vauban’s rivals include Noel Meade’s Group Three and Group Two winner Lafayette and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Valiant King, who was beaten just a head by the King and Queen’s subsequent Gordon Stakes winner Desert Hero in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The most valuable race on the card is the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes, with a total prize fund of €300,000 unsurprisingly attracting a strong challenge from Britain.
Among the raiding party is Innvincible Friend, who has only won one of his six starts to date but has finished second on three occasions. Trainer Tom Dascombe is hoping the application of cheek pieces will enable him raise his game.
“Innvincible Friend is a very experienced and very genuine horse and I’m sure he will run to his best,” said the Lambourn handler.
“We’ve just put cheekpieces on him for Monday as he can be a little bit lazy and I suppose that is why we’ve been able to run him so often.
“The ground doesn’t bother him at all – you could run him down the M4 motorway or in a bog and it would be all the same to him.
“It is a wonderful race and the owners are keen to go. Owning racehorses is about having fun and if you can pay for it along the way it’s a bonus. I don’t think this horse will be out of the prize-money.”
King Gold lunged late to deny British raiders Spycatcher and Saint Lawrence top-level success in a thrilling renewal of the Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.
A field of 10 sprinters went to post for the Group One contest and the market was dominated by the raiding party, with the Karl Burke-trained Spycatcher the narrow favourite to supplement his course victory of four weeks ago.
Burke had a major second string to his bow in Cold Case, Tim Easterby also sent Art Power from Yorkshire following his latest win at the Curragh a fortnight ago and the Archie Watson-trained Saint Lawrence was out to supplement Royal Ascot success in the Wokingham Stakes.
In the end, though, the prize stayed at home.
Art Power soon adopted his customary pacesetting role in the hands of David Allan, but was a spent force entering the final furlong, at which stage Spycatcher looked likely to oblige in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing colours after taking over the lead.
But having settled his mount out the back for much of the six-and-a-half-furlong journey, Stephane Pasquier produced Nicolas Caullery-trained grey King Gold with a late challenge and he held on to deny Spycatcher in the shadow of the post by a short head.
Saint Lawrence was just a neck further behind in third and may well have been even closer had he enjoyed a clearer passage.
Highclere’s managing director, Harry Herbert, said of Spycatcher: “Maxime (Guyon) said he was in front just before the line and after the line.
“He’s run an absolutely fantastic race. It’s extraordinary what Karl and his team have done. The vet said last year we should retire him and he’s not only come back but he’s come back to within a fraction of winning a Group One.
“It’s disappointing not to win, but at the same time we’re so thankful he’s doing what he’s doing, and on the right ground and the right conditions he’s pretty special.”
Bookmaker reaction to Spycatcher’s run was positive with the Sprint Cup at Haydock in mind, Coral cutting him to 10-1 from 16-1.
Herbert added: “We’re all pretty competitive so getting beaten in a Group One by a short head is agony right now – but he’s absolutely lethal when ground conditions are as easy as they are here and hopefully next time the nod goes our way.”
Caullery, saddling his first Group One winner, told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s a beautiful moment – it’s unbelievable. The owner is also the breeder and it’s a magic day.
“He started (the year) in Dubai and ran well in Dubai. When he came back to France he won a handicap and a Group Three and now a Group One, it’s fabulous.
“He can do a lot of things, six or seven furlongs. He’s a strong horse with a great mind.
“Life is too short, you have to enjoy every day and we do.”
Stand-in Scotland captain Finn Russell expects France to restore their big-hitters for next weekend’s rematch in Saint-Etienne.
A second-string Les Bleus side were ripped apart by the rampant hosts in the second half of Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match at Murrayfield.
French head coach Fabian Galthie started debutant trio Paul Boudehent, Emilien Gailleton and Louis Bielle-Biarrey in Edinburgh, while Antoine Dupont, Gael Fickou and Romain Ntamack were among a raft of established players given the day off.
The experimental nature of the team did not hinder the visitors in the first half as they raced into a 21-3 lead at the interval.
But Scotland, despite having prop Zander Fagerson sent off in the 50th minute, roared back to win the second half 22-0 and claim a morale-boosting 25-21 victory five weeks ahead of their World Cup opener.
“It was not their strongest team, a lot of their players will come back next week,” said Russell. “It will be a different team we face.
“It was tough to prepare as a lot of the (French) boys have not played before, especially against us in the Six Nations, so we focused mainly on ourselves this week.
“Next week against them we can look at their players that come back and look back to the game from the Six Nations (in February) and analyse how they play and we will go from there. Next week will be a very different French team we face.”
Despite the fact it was not against France’s strongest side, Russell feels Scotland’s relentless second-half performance – in which Darcy Graham, Pierre Schoeman and replacement Dave Cherry got the game-changing tries – will stand them in good stead ahead of the World Cup.
The Scots will spend this week at their tournament training base near Nice before travelling to Saint-Etienne on Thursday for their next warm-up match against the hosts.
“The first half we did some good things but gave away some soft penalties and turnovers and the skills weren’t there,” said Russell. “In the second half we got a try early on that got us back into the game and got the momentum for us.
“It was great to have had that second half and play the way we wanted to. It showed the rugby we can play.
“From last week it was a step forward and we go to France next week. It will be a very different French team we face but it will be a very good challenge for us heading towards the World Cup.”
Russell was captain in the absence of injured skipper Jamie Ritchie, who hopes to return in Saint-Etienne following a calf issue. The 30-year-old stand-off enjoyed leading his country for the first time.
“It was good fun,” he said. “As a 10 on the pitch you tend to talk a lot and chat with other leaders.
“In terms of speaking on the pitch and having leadership, it was similar to previous occasions.
“It was more the relationship with the referee and having those key decisions at certain times such as ‘do we go for the posts, or the corner?’ That was the main difference.
“At half time it was maybe not the most enjoyable but the second half it was good.”
Reigning champions the United States were knocked out of the Women’s World Cup after the VAR intervened in a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Sweden.
Lina Hurtig’s winning penalty was found to have crossed the line following a check with the VAR officials after USA goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher appeared to have saved the effort.
Replays showed the ball had just crossed the line and Sweden were able to celebrate a 5-4 win on penalties after a goalless draw in the last-16 clash in Melbourne.
The back-to-back defending champions led 3-2 in the shoot-out but misses by Megan Rapinoe and Sophia Smith opened the door for Sweden to take it to sudden death.
Goalkeeper Naeher scored for the United States but with their next effort Kelley O’Hara hit the right post to give Hurtig the chance to win it.
Her shot was blocked by Naeher, who then reached behind her to claw the ball away as it looped up in the air, but she was a fraction too late to stop Sweden moving on to the quarter-finals.
Shark Hanlon is in no rush to firm up the next plan of attack with Hewick after he finished down the field under a big weight in the Tote Galway Plate on Wednesday.
The eight-year-old was bidding for back-to-back wins in the Ballybrit feature, but after racing prominently he weakened to finish 14th of 20 finishers.
Hanlon believes the rain-softened ground was to blame for his stable star’s below-par performance and he will now give him a short break before returning him to competitive action later in the year.
“He’s come out of it perfect, the ground was just softer than he wants it and that’s it,” said the Bagenalstown handler.
“He obviously had a lot of weight and you can give away weight on good ground, but you can’t give away weight on soft ground.
“He ran a cracker until they came down the hill when the ground got soft.”
Following his Galway Plate success 12 months ago Hewick looked set to land another major handicap in the Kerry National at Listowel until unseating his rider at the final fence.
He famously sparked scenes of wild celebration by winning the American Grand National before being saved for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he was still going well when falling two from home.
And while Hanlon is unsure on the route, he is keen to head back to Prestbury Park in March for another crack at National Hunt racing’s blue riband prize.
He added: “I don’t think we’ll go to Listowel this year as he’d have to give a lot of weight away again, maybe we’ll go back to America but we’ll see.
“We’re going to plan back from the Gold Cup, that’s what we’re doing. America might be in the plan and a run at Leopardstown over Christmas might be in it.
“I want to give him a bit of a break now. He’s gone back to the owner for a couple of weeks and we’ll see where we are after that.”
James Tavernier admits Rangers’ opening day defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park was “unacceptable” as he looks for a response in Europe in midweek.
The Light Blues were under some pressure after Celtic began the defence of their cinch Premiership title with a 4-2 win over Ross County on Saturday lunchtime but Michael Beale’s new-look side failed to get going.
Killie midfielder Brad Lyons scored the only goal of the game after 65 minutes to put an early dent in the Gers title hopes as they quickly turn their attention to the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Servette at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
The Light Blues skipper told RangersTV: “It was disappointing.
“Obviously to come away with zero points is unacceptable for us as a team, no matter what opposition it is, it is unacceptable for us as a team to come to a place like this and not create the chances that we wanted to and obviously to lose the game the way we did.
“But obviously it is the first game of the season. We didn’t want to start the season off like this but we have to learn from this and we’ve got a massive game on Wednesday.
“As players we have to pick ourselves up.
“We have to brush ourselves down and put in a performance that not only us as a team accept but put on a performance that the fans accept as well.”
Beale is also looking for early redemption following a damaging defeat. He said: “Really, really disappointing day, it couldn’t be any more disappointing.
“We expected a hell of a lot more, me, the players, the staff, and most importantly, the fans so we will apologise to them and we’ll come back strong in midweek.”
Killie boss Derek McInnes was delighted with the win but was wary of extrapolating too much from it in terms of the rest of the season.
He said: “The time to judge and reflect on the merits of the squad will be at the end of the season.
“We’ve tried to bring in a level of player as there was a lot of work needing done.
“A lot of good players and people have left the building and it was with a heavy heart that some moved on.
“But there was scope there to try to change the squad. We’ve brought 11 in and we’d still like to do one or two more.
“I’d like to bring in a bit more firepower but we had more senior ones coming back like Rory McKenzie and Kyle Vassell.
“Joe Wright should be part of that next week too so we’ve got decent strength there when everyone is fit and available.
“But I’d still like to carry a bit more of a punch at the top end of the pitch. If we can replicate what we served up on Saturday, I’ll be encouraged.”
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