Defending champion Teahupoo will lead a strong Gordon Elliott squad into battle for the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle next month.
The six-year-old became the first horse to lower the colours of Honeysuckle when landing the Fairyhouse Grade One 12 months ago and went on to run a mighty race in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
He had to settle for third on that occasion behind stablemate Sire Du Berlais, but Elliott predicts further improvement this term which could make him one of the leading players in the staying hurdling division.
He said: “He’s in great form, he’s doing really well. He will be in the Hatton’s Grace and Leopardstown (at Christmas) as well.
“If he improved five or six pounds from last year, which with age you would like to think he would have, he would have to be in the mix with all those stayers.
“Even last year he was in the mix and was unlucky in the Stayers’ Hurdle, he ran a great race.”
Elliott holds seven entries for the December 3 event and poised to make his return is stable stalwart and reigning Stayers’ Hurdle champion Sire Du Berlais.
The evergreen 11-year-old got his hands on his third Cheltenham Festival victory when edging out Dashel Drasher for a shock 33-1 success in March and proved that was no fluke when repeating the dose with further Grade One glory at Aintree the following month.
“He’s the horse of a lifetime,” said Elliott. “He’s so unimpressive at home, even to look at, he doesn’t do a stroke.
“He’s not getting any younger, but he’s a great horse and we’re lucky to have him.
“It’s hard to get him fit, it takes a couple of runs to get him fit, he’s so laid back.”
Also in line for an appearance in the two-and-a-half-mile contest is Irish Point, who was a Grade One scorer at the distance at Aintree in the spring.
He made a winning return in the Bottlegreen Hurdle at Down Royal recently and Elliott believes he has the potential to campaign over a variety of distances.
“He’s probably a hard horse to place,” continued Elliott. “He’s in the Hatton’s Grace and I wouldn’t be shocked if I went there with him.
“He could (go over three miles), but I just don’t know if I want to go three miles with him at the moment.
“He’s a good horse, but might just be stuck between a rock and a hard place. He might not have the pace for the really good two-mile races and I think he will stay three miles, but it’s whether I want to be doing it at this stage of his career or not, he’s only a young horse.”
Meanwhile, the Cullentra House handler is already looking ahead to March with Gigginstown’s Brighterdaysahead, who made it two from two over timber when claiming a Grade Three at Down Royal and will be pointed at the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
“If you asked me now, I would say it will be one more run then Cheltenham,” said Elliott.
“She’s had two runs now. She’s got a big engine and she’s looked good.
“She’s not keen, she’s just green. If you look at her in Down Royal, it was like her first run – Thurles was no race. But I was happy with her and how she hit the line.”
He also has high hopes for the owners’ Croke Park who having won the Grade Three Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan on Sunday, could be given the chance to enhance his fine recent record in the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle early in the new year.
Elliott added: “He was good, he’s a big horse. He had a few niggly problems last year and I would imagine I would go to Naas now for the Lawlor’s.
“He’s a three-mile chaser (in the making) and when he got there he wasn’t doing anything, he was a bit babyish.”
Jack Jones is dreaming of Fred Winter glory at the Cheltenham Festival with An Bradan Feasa after the three-year-old performed with real credit behind impressive scorer Burdett Road at the November Meeting.
Saddling what was his first runner at National Hunt’s flagship venue, the three-year-old – who was purchased out of Joseph O’Brien’s yard by owners Christopher and Mary-Ann Middleton – put up a fine display for the Newmarket handler, still holding the advantage when turning for home and approaching the last before ultimately having no answer to the blistering acceleration of the current Triumph Hurdle favourite.
An Bradan Feasa stuck on bravely to pick up a silver medal and although initially trying to convince himself there were options away from the Festival, Jones soon began to eye up a return to Prestbury Park in March for the son of Camelot.
“We will be working back from the Fred Winter,” said Jones.
“It makes sense and we have looked at lots of different angles. I did throw in the comment that Cheltenham isn’t the be all and end all, and then the next sentence we kind of agreed we have got to work back from Cheltenham.
“It was so special for me there on Saturday, I’ve been going to Cheltenham since I was a small boy, it is my local track from home and where my racing dream originates from.”
He went on: “Unless he takes a massive step forward, which he could do and he’s only had the two runs, then realistically we will let Burdett Road go and win the Triumph and on all known form we shouldn’t be beating that. There’s nothing we can do about that.
“They gave us 127 and I thought the winner would get 140 and we would get 128, so I wasn’t a million miles off and from having a scroll through the last few years that looks a nice rating for the Fred Winter.
“He’s got course form, touch wood he jumps impeccably and to have runners at Cheltenham, let alone the Cheltenham Festival, is a huge dream of mine. He’s exciting and the good day was topped off by Star Mind winning at Wolverhampton that evening.”
Jones is still to finalise An Bradan Feasa’s route to the Festival but is not short of options and is tinkering with a two-race plan that includes a possible trip north of the border before arriving at Cheltenham in the spring.
He added: “As easy as it is to get excited about races in between, I have to be mindful he is still only a baby and that was only his second ever run. He did have the Flat run, but that was a non-event and Joseph ran him over hurdles only 13 days after his Flat debut.
“So I have to be careful just to mind him and I don’t know where, but I think two runs between now and Cheltenham will be sensible and then we can go to Cheltenham fresh and well.
“We’ve got options and I haven’t looked in-depth. There is a Listed race at Aintree in a couple of weeks or he could just go and try and win a midweek juvenile hurdle with a penalty. My vet and Christopher have both mentioned the Musselburgh Triumph Hurdle Trial as well, so that could be a nice option and it might suit him round there.
“We’ve got a lot of exciting options, but maybe a midweek juvenile, Musselburgh, then the Fred Winter would be the potential route.”
Although predominantly associated with training runners on the Flat, Jones has a strong National Hunt grounding having ridden out for Nicky Henderson during his university days as well as serving as pupil assistant to Kim Bailey and Paul Nicholls before attentions turned to Newmarket and the faster thoroughbreds.
Having thrived with the Middleton’s Our Scholar over obstacles throughout the summer months, the young handler is now relishing the prospect of having a top operator to run over obstacles during the winter.
“He’s only been with me around six weeks and we took him for a racecourse gallop two weeks before Cheltenham. We actually took him with a nice horse called Pleasant Man who ran a week later and he finished fourth in the November Handicap.
“For my first runner at Cheltenham it was some thrill to have him still in front turning in. He jumped impeccably, travelled well and Tom (Bellamy) gave him a good ride. He was jumping himself to the front and he’s got a lovely, gorgeous big stride and Tom did the right thing by letting him use himself.
“I was getting very excited between the second last and the last but we were beaten by a good one and Christopher and Mary-Ann were over the moon. He looks a fun horse not only for this year, but you would hope he would be around for a good few years.”
Jamie Moore will be out of action until the new year following injuries suffered in a nasty fall from Mi Sueno at Lingfield on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old was about to mount a serious challenge aboard Paddy Butler’s four-year-old in the two-mile Favourite Goes 7 Days A Week Handicap Hurdle when taking a heavy fall at the second last, which left Moore with a fractured vertebra as well as broken ribs and a broken nose.
With his recovery involving six weeks in a neck brace, the rider will be sidelined during the busy Christmas period, while in the immediate future, his father Gary Moore has had to find a replacement for stable stalwart Goshen ahead of the defence of his Coral Ascot Hurdle title.
“He’s doing well and hopefully will be coming out of hospital today,” said Gary Moore.
“I went to see him last night and he was in good spirits with himself.
“Obviously he has a neck brace on and that’s on for six weeks, so he won’t be doing much for the next six weeks. He’s as good as could be expected.”
Jamie is not the only member of the Moore family in the wars with his brother and leading Flat jockey Ryan Moore forced to give up his ride on defending champion Vela Azul in Sunday’s Japan Cup.
The 40-year-old was stood down after hurting his back in a fall at Kyoto last Sunday and has been replaced on Kunihiko Watanabe’s six-year-old by Hollie Doyle.
Klassical Dream made a faultless start to his career over fences in the Download The BetVictor App Irish EBF Beginners Chase at Thurles.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old has an impressive seven Grade One successes over hurdles on his CV, including three back-to-back wins in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown.
His chasing debut came over two miles and six furlongs at Thurles, where he was the 1-4 favourite under Paul Townend in a field of 11.
Making the running from the start, the gelding was foot perfect at every fence and made incredibly light work of the race to canter home nine and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival with the rest of the field strung out behind him.
“We’d have been disappointed if we were beaten, but he was foot perfect everywhere. He was quick getting from A to B and behaved himself relatively well as well, so maybe he has grown up,” Townend said.
“I never had to interfere as he was lining up his fences from 10 strides away and I only had to encourage him and not fall off. He was good and clever and was able to sort himself out at fences as well, which was a nice thing to take from it.
“He achieved a lot over hurdles and was a high-class horse to be going chasing. He had done plenty schooling and has taken to it really well.
“He hasn’t a million miles on the clock either and has loads of fire in his belly.”
Klassical Dream’s ante-post odds for a range of chasing targets have now been trimmed with Betfair, who make him 10-1 from 20s for the National Hunt Chase, 14s from 25-1 for the Turners Novices’ Chase and 14-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a six-year ban on former West Indies batter Marlon Samuels following his involvement in corrupt behavior during the Abu Dhabi T10 in 2019. Samuels, who was part of the Karnataka Tuskers but did not play in the tournament, was found guilty on four counts, including accepting favors that brought himself and the game into disrepute and concealing information from investigating authorities.
This ban is a result of an independent tribunal's findings, and it comes 15 years after Samuels had previously been punished for a similar offense. The ICC found him in violation of several anti-corruption codes during the Abu Dhabi T10.
"Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes," said Alex Marshall, the head of ICC's HR and Integrity Unit. "Though he is retired now, Mr. Samuels was a participant when the offenses were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules."
The Abu Dhabi T10, being an Emirates Cricket Board-run tournament, operates under its anti-corruption code. The ICC, by their rules, conducts investigations into breaches. Samuels was found guilty on four counts, including failing to disclose the receipt of gifts or benefits that could bring the sport into disrepute, failing to disclose receipt of hospitality with a value of US $750 or more, failing to cooperate with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing relevant information.
Samuels' ban takes effect from November 11, 2023. He was initially charged by the ICC in September 2021, and the verdict was reached in August of this year.
Marlon Samuels, who played a pivotal role in West Indies' T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, announced his retirement in November 2020, having amassed over 11,000 international runs across formats. His career was not without controversy, with a previous two-year ban in 2008 for "receiving money, benefit, or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute."
Evan Williams classes the Coral Challow Hurdle as the obvious next port of call for Minella Missile but is keen to see what others have in the locker before firming up plans for his exciting Cheltenham winner.
An impressive scorer at Chepstow on his rules debut, he immediately took the step into Grade Two company at Prestbury Park during the November Meeting, where he kept on gamely to claim the scalp of Paul Nicholls’ highly-touted Persian War winner Captain Teague.
Having shown he handles undulating tracks, the Welsh handler is refusing to rule out a return to Cheltenham for the talented five-year-old, with Sandown’s Betfair Winter Novices’ Hurdle (December 8) another enticing option.
However, if Minella Missile is to avoid the burden of a penalty, then a move up to Grade One level is in order, which brings Newbury at the end of December into the reckoning.
Williams said: “Going forward, we will be guided by the horse really. It will be very interesting to see how he comes out of that race and we will be guided by him on where we will go from there really.
“The obvious thing, and it’s not as easy as that, but the obvious thing is to avoid carrying a penalty – and the only way to avoid carrying a penalty is in the Newbury race.
“Against that, he does go well around Cheltenham and Chepstow, which are undulating tracks and completely different to Newbury.”
The trainer went on: “Cheltenham has so many of those trials, there is an Albert Bartlett trial at the December meeting, or you could go to Sandown for the Winter Novices’ Hurdle, which is two-and-a-half miles and a Grade Two.
“So, I don’t want to be fixated on going to Newbury, but the Newbury race would seem the obvious next target if we had a target.
“The coming weeks will tell us. We are where we are now, but there will be plenty of others that will come out in the next weeks which will be of a very high quality – plenty of stables are yet to run their good novice hurdlers.
“I guess that is part of the fun of it and part of the jigsaw, and we’ll watch what comes out closely and then we can take a view and go from there.”
Minella Missile could become one of the leading players for Williams this season, as he searches for candidates to fill the position of stable star vacated by the now retired Coole Cody.
The strapping bay has already provided his handler with one memorable day, supplying loyal owner Janet Davies with her 100th winner when successful at Cheltenham.
Williams added: “He improved a lot in a very quick time after Chepstow, we were caught out a little bit by him and we were very lucky there was that race at Cheltenham, because the race at Chepstow brought him on significantly.
“It was lovely and it was lovely to get the 100th winner up for Mrs Davies in such a good race
“It’s fantastic; a lot of our nice horses have finished, for whatever reason, and we were a bit light on having a very nice horse, but as is often the case in this old game, things can surprise you in both a positive and a negative way.”
Interim Reggae Girlz Head coach Xavier Gilbert will again be without his more established players for the decisive legs of their Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifying fixtures against Panama and Guatemala on November 29 and December 3.
With the players, who achieved the historic feat of making the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup earlier this year still out, Gilbert has once again assembled a squad filled with more youth than experience where senior international caps are concerned.
In fact, Sashana “Pete” Campbell is the only experienced player called up to join fellow 2019 World Cup veterans Chinyelu Asher and Marlo Sweatman in the team.
The Girlz, who lost 1-2 away to Panama and were held to a 2-2 stalemate at home by Guatemala, are faced with a must-win situation in the League A encounters, if they are to secure an automatic berth to next year’s Women’s Gold Cup.
They currently sit at the foot of the three-team standing with a point. Panama heads the standings on six points, with Guatemala on four. Should the Girlz fail to top the standings, they would at least need to finish second to have another shot at Gold Cup qualification through a playoff contest against a League B group winner.
With that in mind, expectations were that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the World Cup players –who withdrew their services over lack of payment and general “mistreatment” from the governing football body –would have arrived at an amicable settlement, as it is understood that several meetings were planned.
JFF’s General Secretary Dennis Chung explained that meetings were in fact planned but didn’t materialize.
“We had reached out to them and asked them to specify in writing what the details of the mistreatment they allege are, and also to advise us of two dates they want to meet and who the representatives are from their end to discuss, as per the grievance procedures under the contract, as we want to ensure that we do everything according to contract for the protection of all. We didn’t receive any feedback on proposed dates, so we proposed December 8,” Chung told SportsMax.TV.
“Someone said to us they would speak to the players about meeting earlier (Tuesday), but this was not official communication from the players and there was no confirmation from them. And there is still no response to the December 8 proposal, so we have to wait on the feedback,” he added.
However, SportsMax.TV has been reliably informed that the reason for the Girlz silence is due to the fact that they are still yet to be paid in full.
This is contrary to a JFF release on October 27 which states: “The JFF is pleased to advise that, as committed, we have now paid in full balances due to the Women’s World Cup team.”
A source close to the situation denied the claims.
“The players have not received their money and they want it to be made public,” the source shared.
But Chung rebutted.
“As far as we know we have paid all the monies due. I have heard people say that players are due money still, but no one has come to us and say what is outstanding. So, persons outside can say anything, but I have to go by the records we have. If there is money outstanding, then it should be for the players to state what is outstanding, not for people in the public to say money is outstanding. That is not something anyone can act on,” Chung argued.
“Our focus right now is on the upcoming games, while we wait on the response to the proposed date, as we of course want to understand the allegations of mistreatment so that if it is something we need to address then we ensure that it is dealt with for all our players, current and future,” he noted.
The Girlz will face Panama at the National Stadium next Wednesday, before travelling to lock horns with Guatemala a few days later.
Squad: Lauren Reid, Malikae Dayes, Zoe Vidaurre, Chinyelu Asher, Israela Groves, Ricshya Walker, Marlo Sweatman, Davia Richards, Mikayla Dayes, Shaneil Buckley, Melissa Johnson, Aliyah Morgan, Theanna Burnett, Serena Mensa, Shanice Foster, Destiny Powell, Njeri Butts, Sashana Campbell, Shania Harris, Sydnie Street, Javanae Jones, Lachante Paul, Maliah Atkins.
Naggo Head Primary registered the biggest win as the Institute of Sports’ All-Island Primary Schools netball competition got going beating Southborough Primary 25-0.
Jamaica Squash Association president Karen Anderson says her tenure as regional vice president of the Caribbean for the Federation of Pan-American Squash board, will be used to forge new partnerships, as well as to strengthen to federation's governance structure to drive growth and improve the region's competitiveness in the sport.
Anderson, who is currently serving a second term at the helm of the Jamaica Squash Association, was recently appointed second in command of the Caribbean for the Federation of Pan-American Squash board during an election in Santiago, Chile. Her four-year term began earlier this November.
She welcomes the new position and is ready to stamp her ideas on the association for the betterment of the sport locally and regionally.
"It is a true honour to serve the Caribbean on the Federation of Pan-American Squash board. We shall be directing policy for squash in the region over the next four years which is a great opportunity and great time as Olympics is in that five-year window, so it really will shape and determine the policy for squash in the region," Anderson said.
Anderson is an accomplished squash player, who represented Jamaica up until recently. As a professional player she attained a career high world ranking of number 94 in 2005. She joined the Women's Squash Players Association in the same year. She is a squash coach locally and has guided many players to national and regional representation.
She is currently leading the charge for the Jamaica Squash Association to attain full charitable status and be known as Jamaica Squash, along with an aggressive governance transformation with the expectation of a more robust organization financially and competitively in the region and beyond, to include qualifying players for the 2028 Olympics where squash will feature as a new sport on the schedule.
"It will factor and feature in a number of things such as referring (and) coaching, so we are very excited and looking forward to see how we can forge some partnerships with our other counterparts in the region to really grow and strengthen our governance structure and our competitiveness in the region but on an international scale as well. I am really looking forward to the next four years as regional VP for the Caribbean on the Federation of Pan-American Squash board," Anderson noted.
The only other Jamaican to serve on the Federation of Pan-American Squash board is Douglas Beckford.
Fifties from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kavem Hodge helped the West Indies “A” build a small 24-run lead over South Africa “A” at stumps on Wednesday’s day two of their first unofficial four-day “Test” match at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
The West Indians made 314-9 declared from 93.2 overs after starting day two 46-0 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 28 and Zachary McCaskie on 17.
The pair put on a further 20 runs before McCaskie was the first man to fall for 31 in the 17th over.
Kirk McKenzie then came and went quickly for a duck bringing Kavem Hodge to the crease to partner Chanderpaul.
The pair put on an excellent 110-run third wicket partnership before Chanderpaul fell for a top score of 78 off 150 balls in the 54th over. Chanderpaul’s knock included 12 fours. Vice-captain Tevin Imlach was next to go for 16 to leave the West Indies 196-4 in the 60th over.
Hodge was then joined by captain Joshua Da Silva and the pair added 17 before Hodge was the fifth man to fall, going for a well-played 73 off 151 balls including nine fours.
Da Silva (20), Kevin Sinclair (39) and Akeem Jordan (40) then all added crucial contributions as the innings eventually ended with the tourists leading by 27 runs.
The South African bowling was led by Tshepo Moreki with 3-56 from 19 overs while Dane Piedt took 2-60 from 23.2 overs and Hardus Viljoen took 2-91 from 21 overs.
South Africa “A” were 3-0 off three overs at stumps.
Full scores: South Africa “A” 287-9 dec. off 78.5 overs (Keegan Petersen 59, Tony De Zorzi 55, Clyde Fortuin 53, David Bedingham 47, Jayden Seales 3-23, Akeem Jordan 3-61, Kevin Sinclair 2-64) & 3-0 off 3 overs
West Indies “A” 314-9 dec. off 93.2 overs (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 78, Kavem Hodge 73, Akeem Jordan 40, Kevin Sinclair 39, Zachary McCaskie 31, Tshepo Moreki 3-56, Dane Piedt 2-60, Hardus Viljoen 2-91)
A nomination to star colt Paddington is set to be auctioned off at Tattersalls early next month to raise funds for injured jockey Graham Lee.
The Grand National and Ascot Gold Cup-winning rider remains in Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle after suffering serious neck and spinal injuries in a fall on the all-weather two weeks ago.
A JustGiving page set up by Lee’s daughter Amy for the Injured Jockeys Fund recently passed the £150,000 mark – and the Coolmore team are keen to add their support by auctioning a nomination in their top-class three-year-old Paddington before the first ‘Sceptre’ lot at Tattersalls on December 4.
“Our partners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, George Von Opel and Peter Brant along with everyone here at Coolmore and Ballydoyle wish Graham and his family all the very best,” said Coolmore’s MV Magnier.
Paddington rattled off four straight Group One victories in the space of 68 days earlier this year, landing the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
The recently-retired son of Siyouni will stand his first season at Coolmore next year with a stallion fee of €55,000.
Changes to the rules on declaring horses as non-runners could be introduced in 2024, with year’s Epsom Dash used as an example of where stewards could have more discretion.
Four runners in the richly-endowed five-furlong sprint were impeded as their stalls opened fractionally later than the rest of the field, including that of the 6-1 favourite Live In The Moment.
The raceday stewards allowed the result to stand after concluding the four horses’ chances were not “materially impacted” by the issue, but the British Horseracing Authority has subsequently reassessed how non-runners are determined in such circumstances, as well as consulting with various parties.
On a BHA briefing call on Wednesday, director of integrity and regulatory operations Brant Dunshea explained: “We are working through a process of drafting some amendments to the rules that would enable the stewards slightly broader powers to declare a non-runner.
“In the event of the Dash for example, it would empower the stewards under those circumstances to declare the four horses that were unable to start on equal terms with the other runners as non-runners and ensure those who had bet on those runners could receive a refund.
“There is no perfect solution to this, nobody is happy with every decision all of the time, but on balance, shifting closer to the way the international model is framed is the best way of trying to deal with what are complex issues.
“What we are looking to include in the draft amendments are ensuring that where a horse is prevented from starting on equal terms with all other runners, the stewards have the powers to declare such a horse a non-runner and whilst not limiting it to only a very narrow, specific set of circumstances, we wish to include reference in the rule to where a horse’s chances are materially affected.
“We are in the drafting phase, we will write back to all those we engage with and seek their views on where we are heading and look to present any potentials changes to the rules to the BHA rules committee in the early part of next year with a view to implementing any reforms in the summer Flat season.”
The BHA also announced an imminent fourth survey for trainers and stable staff to give their views on improving recruitment, skills and retention of staff, following previous consultation in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
Commissioned by the newly-formed Industry People Board, the survey aims to provides robust data to measure progress of initiatives and identify new issues for employees and employers working on training yards, with the results playing a part in defining the strategy of the newly-formed group, which is leading the development of racing’s long-term plan for its workforce.
Neil Hayward is chairman of the IPB and he underlined ongoing work in relation to Dr Eleanor Boden’s 2021 Racing Foundation conference talk entitled ‘Where did all the girls go?’, which detailed what it said were incidences of unacceptable behaviour towards women in the sport.
A code of conduct was introduced by the BHA in September 2022, but Hayward is anticipating further developments in that area.
He said: “It was the sort of report that once seen could not be unseen and the conclusion I reached was that it needed a really firm steer from the Industry People Board and action.
“I took that report with Eleanor to the BHA board in the summer and since then Lucy (Attwood of the IPB) and team and Greg (Swift, BHA’s director of communications and public affairs) and team have been working on the launch of an industry-wide commitment and action plan and I’m expecting that to be discussed and agreed and launched sometime very soon, if not at the December 13 IPB it will be around or just after Christmas.
“I can only reassure you that actually I see this as being at the heart of one of the things we have to do to improve how our sport actually is at the grassroots level.
“We want people to be good employers, we want to provide them with support on being the best employers they can be and we want this to be a safe place to work for young people and all people in our sport.
“I know there’s a lot of work going on in the safeguarding space that is wrapped up into this too to create an integrated, joined up BHA-wide approach.”
Keith Donoghue will maintain the partnership with Flooring Porter when he heads to Punchestown for the Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase on Saturday.
Gavin Cromwell’s dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero made the perfect switch to fences at Cheltenham last month, readily beating Broadway Boy who gave the form a really strong boost when scoring at Prestbury Park last weekend.
He is now being prepared to go right-handed for the first time in over two years when he makes a long-awaited return to Punchestown for Grade Two action over three miles and the chance to confirm himself as a leading player in the staying novice chase division.
“He’s in great shape and we’re looking forward to getting him out,” said Cromwell.
“It is obviously his first time going right-handed since he ran in Punchestown in the Stayers’ Hurdle the year he won his first Stayers’ at Cheltenham.
“He’s a lot more mature now and hopefully an easier ride. It’s on the chase track at Punchestown and we know it’s a true track.
“If we’re ever going to try it, I think we should try it now. We can still go to Leopardstown at Christmas and it looks an obvious race.”
Flooring Porter was masterfully ridden in his two Cheltenham Festival victories by Danny Mullins, but steering duties for his chasing bow back in Gloucestershire belonged to Donoghue who, as a key part of the Cromwell operation, will retain the ride on the handler’s stable star.
“Keith will ride him and has done all the schooling on him,” continued Cromwell.
“Danny has had a great association with the horse, but Keith is in almost all the time. It was a difficult phone call to make to Danny and touch wood nothing happens to Keith.”
Reggae Boyz central defender Damion Lowe has described defeating Canada to advance to the 2024 Copa America and the Concacaf Nations League semi-finals as a top two moment of his national team career along with their 1-0 win over Mexico at the Rose Bowl in the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Lowe was instrumental in helping the Boyz defeat their rivals 3-2 at the BMO Field in Toronto on Tuesday to secure a spot in the semis as well as next year’s Copa America.
The final score over the two legs was 4-4 with Jamaica advancing based on the away goals rule.
“It’s up there. I think top two. I think beating Mexico 1-0 at the Rose Bowl is still the best moment of my national team career but this one is up there for sure especially with all the talking that has been going on from the Canadian team but the guys showed real heart today,” Lowe said in an interview after the game.
In what can only be described as a masterstroke by head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, Lowe, who started the game at his preferred centre back position, was moved into the midfield in the second half, a move that completely changed the game in Jamaica’s favor.
The first of Shamar Nicholson’s two goals on the night came after an excellent assist from Lowe after winning the ball in the final third.
“Nothing too hard for me to think about because I’ve played there and have experience there,” said Lowe about the move to midfield.
“I just tried to analyze the spots that I should be in and just try to help the team as much as possible. I didn’t really think about it at all. Coach just told me I’m playing central midfield and I said okay then just went in and gave my all,” he added.
A national team member for over seven years, the 30-year-old hopes that this is the first step of Jamaica consistently getting over the line and qualifying for big tournaments.
“It’s big! As I said to the guys, it’s no more almost. Every year, every two years it’s almost getting to the finals; almost getting to the semi-final; almost getting to the world cup. Now it’s time to get over the line and we’ve achieved one goal in getting to the Copa America. We’re in the semi-finals of the Nations League so I’m grateful,” he said.
Lowe will now turn his attention to an MLS Cup Conference Semi-final for his Philadelphia Union as they are set to take on FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
“That’s the focus right now. We’re going back into camp tomorrow to prepare for that and get some recovery done and Saturday we have a big semi-final against Cincinnati,” he said.
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