Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was carted off the field.

Chubb was tackled by Pittsburgh safety Minkah Fitzpatrick’s early in the second quarter, with Fitzpatrick’s torso hitting Chubb’s left knee as Chubb’s left foot was firmly planted in the ground.

Chubb was evaluated by trainers on the field for several minutes while some of his teammates knelt solemnly in prayer, and he was eventually helped onto a cart to be taken into the locker room.

The Monday Night Football production staff declined to show some graphic replays of Chubb’s injury.

The Pittsburgh crowd let out a collective groan when the play was replayed on the Acrisure Stadium jumbotron, and Steelers fans gave their rival’s star player a standing ovation as he was carted off the field.

Chubb was almost immediately ruled out for the rest of the game, typically a sign of a serious injury.

He was replaced at running back by Jerome Ford, who caught a 3-yard touchdown pass on the first play after the stoppage.

While playing for the University of Georgia in 2015, Chubb suffered a devastating injury to the same leg – a dislocated left knee with three torn ligaments and cartilage damage.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Chubb has been a force since he was drafted by the Browns in the second of the 2018 draft.

Chubb has had at least 1,145 yards from scrimmage in each of his first five NFL seasons, and he set a career high in 2022 with 1,525 rushing yards.

Chubb has averaged 5.25 yards per carry during his NFL career, the second most all-time among players with at least 1,000 carries (Jamaal Charles, 5.38).

Chubb is on the first season of a three-year, $36.6million contract and is one of the running backs who met last offseason to discuss better compensation for players at the position.

Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. are the only other running backs on Cleveland’s roster.

Kareem Hunt, with whom Chubb shared work in the Browns’ backfield from 2019-22, remains a free agent.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper expected Callum Hudson-Odoi to have a big impact as his “moment of brilliance” earned a 1-1 draw with Burnley.

Hudson-Odoi reminded the Premier League what he is capable of with a fine debut goal, bringing his side level with a brilliant curling effort in the second half after Zeki Amdouni had put the Clarets ahead.

It is 18 months since the 22-year-old last played in England’s top flight as his promising Chelsea career petered out, but, after a year on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, he was back with a bang.

He was Forest’s brightest spark following his deadline-day move from Stamford Bridge and got his reward.

“Any new player will want to hit the ground running and show what they can do,” Cooper said. “We got Anthony (Elanga) and Callum in really good positions and we could have done more with them.

“I know he has quality and he can have moments of brilliance. We need that at times in the Premier League and we got one tonight. It is great for him, great for us obviously.

“He hasn’t played much football, he has trained well, but I backed him to do well tonight. He ran out of legs, I didn’t think we’d get that long out of him. We have got to push him to do more of that.

“You see goals like that in the Premier League, there is so much quality. It is a brilliant goal. We have had a few of those scored against us but we haven’t had too many of them for us. Beautiful strike, beautiful technique, great for him, great for the team. He will feel good about that.”

The point for Burnley enabled them to get their campaign up and running after three successive defeats, but they might be disappointed they did not leave with all three after they were denied a late winner by VAR as Sander Berge was ruled to have handled the ball.

They then ended the game with 10 men after Lyle Foster elbowed Ryan Yates deep into added time, with VAR also intervening.

Clarets boss Vincent Kompany was pragmatic in his response.

“I have a decent business brain and a decent coaching brain, but when it comes to the laws and legalities I switch off,” he said.

“A handball this way and handball that way, people come in and explain to us all of the time, but I have come to a decision to trust they know what they are doing and that they have the right intentions.

“It’s not something I want to discuss too much because I can’t change it now.”

Having played Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham in their opening three games, Kompany is seeing an improvement.

“You have to fight for every point in this league, but there is a range of teams that we can compete with at the moment from what I have observed,” the Belgian added.

“I thought today was at least even and depending what side of the fence you sit on you probably think you deserved three points.

“But, if we stay in these games, our team has got so much progress still to go and that is the exciting things for us. In these types of games we are there, but in the future there is room for much further improvement.”

Joe Marler has invoked England’s 2003 World Cup heroes in his belief that winning ugly is to be applauded if it results in success.

England have taken a stranglehold on Pool D after delivering comprehensive victories over Argentina and Japan but, for different reasons, neither performance has set the tournament alight.

Against the Brave Blossoms in Nice on Sunday they kicked for 1,175 metres, putting boot to ball 42 times, and while they secured the bonus point in humid conditions that made handling treacherous, the kick-first approach drew boos.

Yet Marler recalls that two decades ago Martin Johnson’s England resorted to conservative tactics to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, including winning the final against Australia through a Jonny Wilkinson drop-goal.

“Finesse – why do you have to finesse it? You’ve just got to win, haven’t you? What did England do 20 years ago? Find a way to win in the World Cup,” the Harlequins prop said.

“A lot of people talk about style of play. In 2003 they went a couple of phases, Jonny slotted some penalties and some drop-goals.

“They won ugly, a lot of that tournament they won ugly but we don’t talk about that now do we? We talk about them winning the World Cup. You forget about how you did it.

“You don’t talk about South Africa getting pumped in the first game against New Zealand in 2019, you talk about them pumping us in the final and then lifting the trophy.

“We’ll keep trying and taking the lessons from each game and we’ll keep trying to finesse. But ultimately it’s about the win. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves at all.”

Marler played a comical role in the 57th-minute try that swung the game away from Japan, with the ball bouncing off his head and over the line for Courtney Lawes to touch down.

The Sussex native joked that he was influenced by Brighton’s 3-1 victory at Manchester United 24 hours earlier.

“Well it’s just what I’ve been practising for – these moments. I’ve been practising with Dan Cole and Jamie George in activation,” Marler said.

“I took great inspiration from Roberto De Zerbi’s mighty Seagulls doing a demolition job on United, which is my son’s team.

“Four Premier League wins in a row over Manchester United. Only three teams in Premier League history have done that – Brighton, Man City, Liverpool.

“But we’ve won nothing yet, which is quite apt because it brings it back to us (England) having won nothing yet.

“We’ve had two good victories, won in different circumstances, and we’re on to the next one.”

England fans turned on the players in the third quarter when Alex Mitchell kicked the ball dead and the groans persisted until the kitchen sink was thrown at Japan in the final half hour.

“We’re here to win games, that’s our job. We’re here to win Test matches. We want to make every fan and every English fan proud,” man of the match George Ford said.

“We understand the sacrifice and commitment they make to come and support us and we value that so highly.

“But we want to be a winning team and we want them to be proud of a winning team as well.”

Taulupe Faletau has highlighted Wales’ sense of belief and confidence as they close in on a fourth successive Rugby World Cup quarter-final appearance.

Australia’s defeat against Fiji means that Wales are four points clear at the top of Pool C.

They need a maximum of seven points from two more games – against the Wallabies next Sunday and then Georgia – to guarantee a last-eight spot as group winners.

And that would maintain their impressive record under head coach Warren Gatland of reaching the knockout phase in every World Cup campaign he has overseen.

“With the work we have done we are very confident in the group of what we can do,” number eight Faletau said.

“That is our approach going forward with each game – knowing the work we have put in and backing that.

“The togetherness we have built in that time together will put us in good stead.”

While Wales are in total control of their World Cup destiny, Eddie Jones’ Australia have entered the last-chance saloon following a 22-15 loss to Fiji.

It was Fiji’s first triumph against the Wallabies since 1954, and Australia are hovering on the brink of a pool stage exit for the first time.

When it comes to World Cup action, Wales and Australia are familiar rivals, having played each other seven times.

And while Australia lead that particular series 4-3, Wales have won three of the last four in all competitions.

Faletau added: “We have got to concentrate on ourselves. There will be a lot to work on from the Portugal game and we will look to make those improvements going into Australia.

“With the time we have had together there is definitely belief within the group. In each game we believe we can get a result against any team on the day.

“We will take confidence from the two wins, but there is definitely plenty to work on going into Australia.”

Faletau, who has won 102 caps, is two games into his return from a calf muscle injury that ruled him out of Wales’ three-Test preparation schedule.

He highlighted an impressive display against Portugal by claiming Wales’ bonus-point touchdown, while he also made a try-saving tackle earlier in the contest.

A further step up from the 32-year-old can now be realistically expected, and Gatland said: “The more game-time he has and a string of games, he gets better.

“That is why, even with the short turnaround (between Fiji and Portugal) we wanted to give him some more rugby.

“I thought he did some really good things, and he will continue to get better with more rugby.”

Callum Hudson-Odoi reminded the Premier League what he is capable of with a brilliant debut goal to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-1 draw with Burnley.

It is 18 months since the 22-year-old last played in England’s top flight as his promising Chelsea career petered out, but, after a year on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, he was back with a bang.

He was Forest’s brightest spark following his deadline-day move from Stamford Bridge and brought his side level with a brilliant curling effort in the second half after Zeki Amdouni had put the Clarets ahead.

Hudson-Odoi is reunited with Steve Cooper, who managed the winger when he was part of the England Under-17 World Cup-winning squad, and England boss Gareth Southgate will hope the Welshman can get the best out of a player he has not used since 2019 and who is considering changing his allegiance to Ghana.

The point for Burnley enabled them to get their campaign up and running after three successive defeats, but they might be disappointed they did not leave with all three after they were denied a late winner by VAR, while they ended the game with 10 men after Lyle Foster elbowed Ryan Yates.

Forest, handing debuts to Hudson-Odoi and Ibrahim Sangare, looked vibrant in the opening 20 minutes and were causing Burnley problems with their pace on the break.

Hudson-Odoi, playing his first Premier League match since January 2022, was enjoying himself and saw a shot blocked after cutting inside from the left.

He came even closer in the 16th minute as Taiwo Awoniyi teed him up and his 20-yard effort was palmed away by Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford.

Burnley weathered the storm and began to come into the game.

They fired a warning shot in the 25th minute when Amdouni fired a low shot toward the bottom corner, but Matt Turner got down well to keep the ball out.

But the Clarets did take lead in the 41st minute as Luca Koleosho skinned Joe Worrall down the left and pulled the ball back for Amdouni to fire into the bottom corner.

Hudson-Odoi had looked Forest’s most dangerous player and he brought the City Ground to life just after the hour mark.

Awoniyi did well to control a high cross and he laid it off to the former Chelsea winger, who cut inside and sent a 20-yard curling effort in off a post, with the goal surviving a VAR check.

Burnley were not so lucky as they thought they had regained the lead in the 76th minute when Sander Berge got past Scott McKenna and teed up Foster, but the Norwegian was ruled to have used his hand and the visitors were denied.

And Foster’s experience with VAR did not get any better as he was shown a red card in added time after referee Robert Jones was invited to check the pitchside monitor after the forward was caught elbowing Yates.

Callum Hudson-Odoi reminded the Premier League what he is capable of with a brilliant debut goal to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-1 draw with Burnley.

It is 18 months since the 22-year-old last played in England’s top flight as his promising Chelsea career petered out, but, after a year on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, he was back with a bang.

He was Forest’s brightest spark following his deadline-day move from Stamford Bridge and brought his side level with a brilliant curling effort in the second half after Zeki Amdouni had put the Clarets ahead.

Hudson-Odoi is reunited with Steve Cooper, who managed the winger when he was part of the England Under-17 World Cup-winning squad, and England boss Gareth Southgate will hope the Welshman can get the best out of a player he has not used since 2019 and who is considering changing his allegiance to Ghana.

The point for Burnley enabled them to get their campaign up and running after three successive defeats, but they might be disappointed they did not leave with all three after they were denied a late winner by VAR, while they ended the game with 10 men after Lyle Foster elbowed Ryan Yates.

Forest, handing debuts to Hudson-Odoi and Ibrahim Sangare, looked vibrant in the opening 20 minutes and were causing Burnley problems with their pace on the break.

Hudson-Odoi, playing his first Premier League match since January 2022, was enjoying himself and saw a shot blocked after cutting inside from the left.

He came even closer in the 16th minute as Taiwo Awoniyi teed him up and his 20-yard effort was palmed away by Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford.

Burnley weathered the storm and began to come into the game.

They fired a warning shot in the 25th minute when Amdouni fired a low shot toward the bottom corner, but Matt Turner got down well to keep the ball out.

But the Clarets did take lead in the 41st minute as Luca Koleosho skinned Joe Worrall down the left and pulled the ball back for Amdouni to fire into the bottom corner.

Hudson-Odoi had looked Forest’s most dangerous player and he brought the City Ground to life just after the hour mark.

Awoniyi did well to control a high cross and he laid it off to the former Chelsea winger, who cut inside and sent a 20-yard curling effort in off a post, with the goal surviving a VAR check.

Burnley were not so lucky as they thought they had regained the lead in the 76th minute when Sander Berge got past Scott McKenna and teed up Foster, but the Norwegian was ruled to have used his hand and the visitors were denied.

And Foster’s experience with VAR did not get any better as he was shown a red card in added time after referee Robert Jones was invited to check the pitchside monitor after the forward was caught elbowing Yates.

The 0-2 Cincinnati Bengals' next opportunity to secure their elusive first win comes next Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams.

It's uncertain if Joe Burrow will be able to play in that game.

Burrow re-aggravated a calf injury in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Monday he was unsure if he'd be ready to play in Week 3.

"He's still sore today," Taylor said. "He did it really one of the last three plays of the game probably, so it's just sore."

The team's medical staff is still evaluating the injury, and Taylor told reporters it was hard to say if he'd be ready to face the Rams.

A strained right calf muscle forced Burrow to miss most of training camp, and he was limping at the end of the loss to the Ravens.

Burrow and the Bengals agreed to a five-year, $275million contract extension right before the start of the 2023 season, but little has gone right since he became the highest-paid player in league history.

After throwing for a career-low 82 yards in a 24-3 season-opening loss to the Cleveland Browns, Burrow had just 35 passing yards at half-time against the Ravens. On Cincinnati's first drive of the second half, he then threw an interception near the end zone.

He was able to engineer a pair of scoring drives culminating in touchdown passes to Tee Higgins to pull within three points, but the Bengals were unable to get any closer.

Cincinnati also opened 0-2 last season and still ended up reaching a second straight AFC title game, but if Burrow is forced to miss time rehabbing his calf, another march to the playoffs would appear to be unlikely.

Jake Browning is No. 2 at quarterback on Cincinnati's depth chart. He has attempted one pass in his pro career.

Eddie Howe has insisted the weather which delayed Newcastle’s arrival in Italy will not derail their Champions League adventure.

The club’s latest European mission hardly got off to the most auspicious of starts when, having been given special dispensation to train on Tyneside on Monday morning rather than at the San Siro later in the day, they remained on the ground for more than two hours.

However, speaking at a press conference which finally got under way at around 9pm local time when it had initially been scheduled for 7pm, Howe was adamant preparations for a tough opening encounter with AC Milan would not be hampered as a result.

He said: “It’s just part and parcel of the job that we do. It’s not out of the normal that that can happen. This was a weather problem, but we’ve been in similar situations.

“It’s something we’re used to, although it’s a slightly later arrival time than we would have liked for the players. It’s no big deal though.”

Howe and his players were due to leave Tyneside at around 2.30pm, but eventually took off closer to 5pm and, as the media gathered at the stadium to await the 45-year-old and former Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, a plane-tracking app suggested they were still somewhere above France.

They finally made it to the stadium at around 9pm, with article 73 of governing body UEFA’s regulations stating: “Press conferences must start between 1200 and 2000 local time. Exceptions to these timings must be agreed in advance with UEFA.”

However, the PA news agency understands a first offence is likely to be met with a warning rather than more stringent punishment.

Had Newcastle arrived on time, they would have done so in torrential rain as thunderclouds gathered over the Italian city as a sultry day drew to a close.

Tuesday night’s game, which will be played 26 years and two days after the Magpies famously beat Barcelona 3-2 in the same tournament, comes more than two decades after their last appearance in Europe’s premier club competition.

For Howe, it will be the first Champions League game he has attended, and one he is relishing against a side which suffered a 5-1 derby drubbing at the hands of neighbours Inter on Saturday.

He said: “I’ve never attended one. I’ve always been too busy working to take one in. But it’s not something I’ve given any thought to. It’s a game of football.

“Yes, it will be a very proud moment for me. I think it will be a very proud moment for everyone connected with Newcastle to be back in the Champions League after a long period away.

“But it is a game of football and I think that’s just how we have to approach it. Yes, it’s a special game and we have to be at our best. There are slight differences in terms of where we’ve travelled, but the game will be the same and it will be a very difficult one.

The club’s last fixture in the competition, a 2-0 home defeat by Barcelona in March 2003, saw the likes of Shay Given, Kieron Dyer and Alan Shearer go up against Frank de Boer, Xavi and Patrick Kluivert.

This time around £53million summer signing Tonali, a semi-finalist with Milan last season, will be part of a new generation trying to write a new chapter in the club’s history.

The Italy international said: “It will be the most thrilling feeling to come out into the stadium packed with people again.

“They let me live my dream here at AC Milan, but now I come back as a rival. I will have a lot of feelings tomorrow.

“Everything happened so fast with the transfer, I was overwhelmed at first, but I have come across a wonderful team, wonderful staff and play for people who love football. The people of Newcastle will help anyone.”

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 September 18.

Two England greats celebrated their birthdays.

Roberto de Zerbi celebrated one year in charge of Brighton.

Tyson Fury welcomed a new addition to the family.

A post shared by Tyson Fury (@tysonfury)

Another World Series of Darts title for Michael van Gerwen.

Sonny Bill Williams celebrated with Fiji.

Joe Marler with the assist of the World Cup so far?

Ryan Fox felt honoured.

Danny Willett was grateful.

Tim Murtagh was hanging up his boots.

KP makes his World Cup predictions.

Celtic have announced record annual profits of more than £40million ahead of their latest Champions League campaign.

The club made a profit of £40.7m last season and had £72.3m in the bank “net of bank borrowings” on June 30 this year.

Group revenue was up by more than a third to £120m and the club reported a gain in the transfer market of £14.4m.

The figures were published just after their pre-match media conference in Rotterdam ahead of their Group E opener against Feyenoord.

In a statement, chairman Peter Lawwell stated that factors in a £32m increase in revenue included Champions League football – after the Europa League campaign the previous year – plus a tour of Australia and record retail figures.

He added: “The £34.6m increase in profit before tax resulted from the significant revenue increase outlined above along with a £14.4m gain on sale of player registrations, predominantly from the sales of Jota, (Josip) Juranovic and (Giorgos) Giakoumakis.

“In addition, we recorded £13.5m of other income that came from a combination of compensation received following the departure of Ange Postecoglou and a business interruption insurance recovery in relation to Covid-19, with the two items mentioned being one off in nature and typically non-recurring.”

Lawwell stated that the cash reserves were used to fund the summer transfer plans for the last two seasons, with fees “typically paid in instalments”.

The former Celtic chief executive added: “This sum also contains the cash required to fund the significant investment that the club is planning to make in developing our Barrowfield training facility.

“It is important to highlight that, given the increasing gap between the sums able to be earned between the Champions League and the Europa League, it is vital that we retain a cash buffer in reserve.

“History tells us that we will not always qualify for the Champions League and the benefit of holding cash reserves affords us the optionality of managing through seasons where we participate in the Europa League with the ability to retain our squad as opposed to selling key players to bridge the income shortfall between both competitions.

“The financial sustainability rules are also a key feature of UEFA licencing and we need to be cognisant of running our club accordingly.”

Lawwell stated that a £13m transfer spend took their total outlay to £51.4m over two years and that a further £15m had been invested since the end of June.

Celtic signed seven players on permanent deals this summer – Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Marco Tilio, Yang Hyun-jun, Odin Thiago Holm, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Luis Palma – and brought in Paulo Bernardo and Nat Phillips on loan.

Brendan Rodgers has stressed that Celtic’s unbreakable spirit can help them defy the odds in the Champions League.

Rodgers admitted his side have not been at their best so far this season and they have ongoing issues in central defence ahead of Tuesday’s Group E opener against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

Nat Phillips is a doubt with an ankle issue, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh are all ruled out, leaving Liam Scales and recent signing Gustaf Lagerbielke as the only two definite options for Rodgers.

Celtic are the group outsiders behind Atletico Madrid, Lazio and the Dutch champions but Rodgers is targeting progression of some sort and possibly in the Champions League.

“I think success for us as a club is to be in Europe after Christmas,” he said. “That is what our aim is. Whatever competition that is in, as long as we are in Europe after Christmas, that is our aim.

“But anything is possible in the group. We look to be competitive in all the games.

“I think it’s one where anything is possible.

“People ask you to forecast what it is you want to do and what you want to achieve but I think that how we want the play the game with our competitive spirit, that’s important in the Champions League because you are playing against top teams.

“We have seen already this season that the spirit of this team will never be broken.

“You have to have that at this level when you are a team like ourselves coming into it, when people want to dismiss you in the tournament.

“It’s about being competitive, you have to work very hard, you have to work very smart, and let’s see where it takes us.”

Rodgers was not one to play defensively in Europe in his first spell as Celtic manager and predecessor Ange Postecoglou did not compromise any of his attacking principles last season as Celtic collected two points from a group campaign that promised more.

When asked whether he would adapt on European nights this season, the former Leicester manager said: “We are not at peak Celtic, I would say.

“We have got a long way to go before I think we will be where I am happy where I want us to be.

“However, what the players have shown is that flexibility.

“In terms of style, I don’t think there is a massive difference in terms of how the players have been asked to work. I just think it takes time and understanding for that to grow, and obviously of course it’s about players as well.

“You bring players back into the squad who are out of injured and of course the football can look different because you maybe have more dynamism and more flexibility and more movement.

“But stylistically at this level, we want to play the game to our DNA, which is be aggressive when we are attacking and have that conviction when we attack.

“And that all comes from when you defend. You have to have that collective responsibility and collective resilience and, if you have that in your defending, then you can look to show that in your attacking play.

“We know there’s times we are going to be under pressure, especially away from home, but of course we want to give Feyenoord a problem when we have the ball as well.”

Phillips saw his debut cut short on Saturday when he injured his ankle towards the end of the first half against Dundee.

The on-loan Liverpool defender was replaced by Lagerbielke at half-time, although he was only scheduled to play an hour in his first appearance since his move.

He trained at Celtic Park on Monday but Rodgers later said at the De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam: “Nat has rolled his ankle so we will just have to see on that.”

Patrick Mullins reached another landmark in riding his 800th winner courtesy of Luckinthecity at Listowel on Monday evening.

Partnering the 6-5 favourite for his father, Willie, he came with a wet sail to land the Eric Browne Memorial INH Flat Race going away in the end, by a length and quarter from Big Dee.

It marks another fine achievement for the County Carlow native, who has been crowned champion amateur jockey in Ireland a record-breaking 15 times. In 2012, he beat the record of 72 winners for an amateur rider in a calendar year in Ireland, which had been set by Billy Parkinson in 1915, setting the new mark at 74. His best seasonal tally is 68 winners in the 2012/2013 season.

He beat Ted Walsh’s long-standing amateur record of 545 winners in July 2018 at Sligo when taking the bumper on Queens Boulevard.

Mullins said: “I probably should have a few more, but the aim is to get to 1,000 so I have a few more years to go.

“We have had a huge amount of summer bumper fillies in this year and obviously with Jamie (Codd) taking the summer off it is a big help.”

Regarding the Roger Brookhouse-owned Luckinthecity, he added: “He just shied at the tape although doing a circle at the start was probably a good idea! For luck nobody wanted to make the running so we were able to make up the ground quite easily.

“We went steady so didn’t lose much ground and he showed a great turn of foot, which he doesn’t show at home. Obviously on grass he is better and the owner stands the stallion and he looks a nice type.”

Elsewhere on the card, Samui may have earned himself a trip to Cheltenham later in the year after lunging late to secure top honours in the Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle.

A field of 18 runners went to post for the €60,000 feature on day two of the Harvest Festival, with Samui the 4-1 favourite as part of a four-strong team for trainer Gordon Elliot.

With heavy rain before the race ensuring conditions were testing, plenty had cried enough by the time the leaders rounded the home turn, at which point Dark Note appeared to be travelling best of all.

But Samui was delivered with a well-time challenge by 5lb claimer Danny Gillian and got up in the dying strides to prevail by a head.

“I was worried about the ground, which is yielding, but he went through it better than most. I was actually very nervous about my four runners due to the rain which came,” said Elliott.

“Whatever happened he choked with Jack (Kennedy, jockey) the last day at Ballinrobe, but it worked out today.

“I don’t think he is a winter horse but is definitely a type to head to Cheltenham in November. We might then put him away as he could also run on the Flat next year.”

Mayor’s Walk had earlier impressed on her rules debut for Henry de Bromhead in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Bought after winning a point-to-point for Colin Bowe, the 5-1 shot looks a promising recruit judged on this six-and-a-half-length success in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

“She won a point-to-point for Colin Bowe and is really nice. She a lovely mare and hopefully that’s just the start of her now,” said the jockey.

“She had done a nice bit of work at home but at this time of year they will always improve and she gave me a lovely feel. Her jumping is really good and professional and she was very straightforward for me.”

Aeros Luck (3-1) led home a one-two for Gavin Cromwell in the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle, with his stablemate Pampar Lady (66-1) clear of the remainder in second.

“Aeros Luck deserved that as he had been banging on the door. He was very keen the last day but is learning and settled lovely on the flat track today,” said Cromwell.

“Pampar Lady ran a cracker and I fancied her to run a cracker. I told one of the owners to have a fiver each-way and he did the forecast!”

Cromwell doubled up in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle with Patrick O’Brien steering 5-1 shot The King Of Prs to a clearcut win.