Two Cheltenham Festival-winning mares are lining up to take their shot at the rearranged Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle, with You Wear It Well and Love Envoi also proven performers at Sandown.
Whether or not Constitution Hill competes, You Wear It Well is heading back to this venue at the peak of her powers.
Jamie Snowden’s six-year-old tasted Grade Two glory at the track last season before showing all her class to follow up at the Festival in March.
She raised her game once again on her Wetherby reappearance to down Luccia in convincing style and tee-up a crack at this Grade One prize for a yard firing on all cylinders.
“She’s in a great place and obviously had a phenomenal season last year in her novice season, winning two Grade Twos and winning at Cheltenham under a penalty,” said Snowden.
“She had a good summer holiday, came back and put in a really good performance up at Wetherby and perhaps a career best really, again under a penalty in a Listed race, beating Luccia, who came out and ran well in the Greatwood.
“She’s in the form of her life and she’s in great order. She has a run under her belt, which of course helps when running in a race of this nature, but we’re under no illusions taking on some smart horses here that she has a tall mountain to climb.”
Although putting together a highly-respectable sequence of results during her short career to date, You Wear It Well will head to Esher the lowest rated in the field of six, 11lb below the next on the ladder, Not So Sleepy.
However, she does receive a 7lb allowance and the programme book left a vacancy for a December outing, so Snowden was more than happy to take his chance against some of the best operators in the hurdling division.
He explained: “The mares’ programme sets itself out quite easy for November, January, February and March, but lacks a race in December, so in the absence of a suitable race, we thought we would try our hand in a big one and see where we get to.
“She’s a hardy mare and likes soft ground and has winning form round Sandown, but it’s a mighty good race and all of the opposition are very smart.
“On ratings, she has a lot to find with all of them, but I suppose there are a few question marks about a few of them.
“Constitution Hill is a champion and we’re under no illusions about what we have to achieve to win a race of this magnitude.
“However, we are in it for sport and she’s a racehorse and fit and well and there is no point giving horses like Constitution Hill a walkover.”
It was the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle that You Wear It Well landed at Prestbury Park in March, a race won the previous year by Love Envoi, who chased home Honeysuckle at the latest Festival and is another with smart course form to her name.
She suffered an injury in her most recent outing at Punchestown in April, but Harry Fry’s stable star is fit and ready to make her return, as connections eye another profitable campaign from their consistent performer.
“She loves Sandown. Obviously, Constitution Hill is in the race, but she’s ready to run, is in great form and her work’s been very good, so it’s time to get on and run,” said Noel Fehily, in whose syndicate colours Love Envoi runs.
“Everyone is in the same boat taking on a horse like Constitution Hill, but we’re just looking forward to getting our mare started. There’s some good races for her after Christmas and the timing of this race is going to work out well, so we’ll roll the dice and see how she gets on.”
Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy dead-heated with Epatante in this race in 2021 but has a chequered overall record in the race.
Goshen was not in the contest when it was due to take place at Newcastle last Saturday, but with it now staged at a venue where he has won on three of his four visits, trainer Gary Moore was keen to add his enigmatic seven-year-old into the mix when it reopened on Monday.
Soft ground and heading right-handed are both in Goshen’s favour, but Moore is another anticipating the sternest of tests if up against Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten superstar.
The trainer said: “He is a little bit better going round there (Sandown) than anywhere else and it is the first time he has had his ground in God knows how long, really.
“He was fine (after Ascot) and the ground was probably too good for him there.
“I’m well aware he has a near impossible task taking on Constitution Hill and he’s probably running for place money.”
The eagerly-awaited return of Constitution Hill in the rearranged Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle could be in doubt after Sandown called an inspection ahead of their Tingle Creek card on Saturday.
Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten Champion Hurdle hero was due to reappear at Newcastle last weekend before the cold snap saw the Grade One contest switched south and delayed seven days – and it is wet weather that could interfere and scupper best laid plans this time around.
The Esher track will hold a 7.30am inspection in anticipation of a deluge hitting overnight, which could worsen conditions on a hurdles course already described as heavy, soft in places – as well as making things testing on the chase track.
It could leave Henderson with a few big decisions to make on Saturday morning and he said: “We’ve got to wait and make our decisions as well and we will wait to see what the morning brings.”
It is poised to be a major afternoon for the Seven Barrows handler, who as well as Constitution Hill and King George-bound stablemate Shishkin in the Fighting Fifth, is also set to saddle heavy Betfair Tingle Creek favourite Jonbon in the afternoon’s feature, plus leading novice hope Willmount.
However, when asked if there is also doubts about their participation on Saturday, Henderson added: “There certainly is and at the moment I’m trying to make numerous telephone calls to various owners to discuss what we do; it’s flat out, flat to the boards.”
Henderson withdrew the well-fancied Immortal from the final race on Friday’s card, citing unsuitable ground.
Andrew Cooper, Sandown clerk of the course, earlier said: “We are racing today on extremely soft ground and with the potential of a good volume of rain in the early hours, I think it is sensible to take stock and see what happens tomorrow morning.
“It can be hard to be too dogmatic as to what the tipping point is, as sometimes you are surprised how much rain the course will take and sometimes you are disappointed how little the course will take.
“My gut feeling is that we will be OK. It is a marvellous day of racing and we will do everything we can to race.”
Edwardstone returns to the scene of some of his finest triumphs to defend his Betfair Tingle Creek Chase crown on Saturday.
Alan King’s nine-year-old has won on this card for the past two seasons, securing his first Grade One when picking up the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in 2021 before returning 12 months ago to take home first prize in the feature event of Sandown’s pre-Christmas meeting in emphatic style.
That nine-length success over Greaneteen is the last time Edwardstone has got his head in front, with four subsequent outings bringing little to cheer about.
However, having blown away the cobwebs behind Jonbon in the Shloer Chase, he will now bid to continue his Sandown love affair, with King confirming his Peterborough Chase declaration at Huntingdon on Sunday is only a back-up plan in case wet weather curtails the action in Esher.
The trainer said: “He goes to Sandown and I only put him in at Huntingdon in case Sandown is abandoned. They have got a lot of rain coming in there tomorrow and it is possible.
“He’s going there and the horse is going to have to do the talking now.”
King had previously seen Voy Por Ustedes finish second in both 2006 and 2007 and then saddled Kumbeshwar to chase home Sprinter Sacre in 2012 before finally getting his hands on the Tingle Creek trophy 12 months ago, but he admits Edwardstone faces a stiff task defending his crown against Jonbon.
He added: “Of course it’s (nice) to go there (as defending champion) but we didn’t have Jonbon to contend with last year.”
Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra was back in third when defending his Shloer Chase crown at Cheltenham and now has to bounce back to the form that saw him down Altior in December 2020 and also finish runner-up in the Champion Chase the following spring.
Meanwhile, Harry Fry had suggested Boothill would wait for the Clarence House Chase at his beloved Ascot for his return to deep waters, but a rethink sees him take another crack at Jonbon on the back of two taking victories this term that justify leaving handicap company.
The eight-year-old was eight lengths adrift of Jonbon when second in last season’s Henry VIII and Fry said: “I think he deserves another go in Grade One company again.
“On ratings, he’s got a bit to find with the likes of Jonbon, and on the form of the Henry VIII last year, but he seems in great order with himself and you’ve got to be in it to stand any chance of winning it.”
Haddex Des Obeaux is the lowest rated of the field on official figures but was an ultra-progressive performer last term and was in contention to make a winning return at Cheltenham last month before falling at the last with the race in the balance.
He now faces an acid test of his ability, thrust into Grade One company, but Gary Moore hopes there is still more to be seen from the likeable six-year-old.
“It’s a massive day for him and if he can do himself justice, then I would be very happy about it,” said Moore.
“I’m fully aware it is not going to be easy for him but he does love soft ground and jumping, so he’s got that on his side, as far as I’m concerned.
“He will have 100 per cent come on for his outing at Cheltenham and he can only improve.
“I go there with an open mind and if you aren’t in them, you can’t win them. If we run into place money, then so be it.”
Stay Away Fay’s star continued to rise over fences as he took the Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Paul Nicholls’ bay was the winner of the Albert Bartlett over hurdles last season and made a winning start to his chasing career at Exeter last month.
He stepped up to Grade Two level at Sandown in a field of four, including the horse he beat by a length and three-quarters at Exeter – Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man.
Stay Away Fay was the 8-11 favourite under Harry Cobden and made the running with an athletic round of jumping, only running into trouble when The Changing Man unseated Brendan Powell and caused a bit of mischief when running loose.
Nicholls’ runner and Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco shared the lead in the latter stages but it was the former horse who eventually came out on top to secure a length-and-a-half victory.
The winning trainer said: “He digs deep and stays and gallops. He is a proper horse. I knew he would stay and gallop all the way to the line. It is hard in front as he doesn’t do a whole heap in front.
“In those better races, when you have loads of company and they go a true gallop, it helps him. No one was going to take us on, so we were left in front and we had to do the donkey work and you are a sitting duck, but one thing he does is gallop all the way to the line and he stays on strong. He is a good horse.
“I’m definitely not going for the National Hunt Chase and if he runs anywhere it will be the Brown Advisory at the Festival.
“We might look at something like the Reynoldstown at Ascot, but there are no real plans. He will not go to Kempton (for the Kauto Star), that is for sure, as he will have a little break now.”
Stay Away Fay is jointly owned by Dave Staddon and Chris Giles, the latter of whom said: “He had a lot of work to do. He did a lot of work by himself. It was a tough race for him, but it was a nice, staying finish and that is what you want up the Sandown hill.
“I think the second is a good animal and that is a nice race to win. We are very happy, especially as he was giving 3lb away.
“It was lovely to see him do it over those fences. Around the railway fences down the back straight twice meant there was a lot of jumping involved. He did not miss a fence. I think Harry thinks he would be better with a lead.
“He stays as he has got the stamina. I don’t think he is ever going to be a horse that wins by 10 or 15 lengths, but more so by two or three lengths. He will give us a lot of fun.
“We will miss the Kauto Star Chase for sure, but you wouldn’t be afraid to go straight to Cheltenham. I think he is proper horse and it was lovely to see him do that today.
“Listening to Paul, he thinks he is a proper horse and he doesn’t want to over race him in his novice season as there is more to come. You have got to (think of the Gold Cup next season) when you go and see him do that.”
Captain Joshua Da Silva hit a fourth first-class hundred but it proved to be not enough as the West Indies “A” suffered a 76-run loss in the third “Test” against South Africa “A” to lose the series 1-2.
The West Indians began Friday’s fourth and final day at the Manguang Oval in Bloemfontein on 47-1 off 20 overs, needing a further 374 runs for victory with Kirk McKenzie (26) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (11) at the crease.
The pair started day four excellently, putting on a further 79 for the second wicket.
McKenzie was the aggressor throughout, riding his luck and producing some excellent shots on his way to a 94-ball 81 before he fell to Duanne Olivier in the 40th over. His knock consisted 13 fours and two sixes.
Just one over later, Chanderpaul fell for a toiling 31 off 128 balls including three fours.
18-year-old debutant Jordan Johnson was next to go for nine, bringing Da Silva to the wicket to join Kavem Hodge.
Hodge and Da Silva made things very nervous for the South Africans with an 84-run fifth wicket partnership before Hodge fell for a well-played 47 with the score on 233 in the 68th over.
Kevin Sinclair (23), Akeem Jordan (13) and Shamar Joseph (0) all fell in relatively quick succession to leave West Indies “A” on the brink of defeat, especially because they were batting with 10 due to an injury sustained by Jayden Seales.
Nevertheless, Da Silva continued on his merry way, bringing up a fourth first-class hundred off the fifth ball of the 90th over.
In the end, he was the last batsman dismissed for a top score of 110 from 138 balls including eight fours and two sixes.
Dane Paterson led the way with the ball for the South Africans once again with 4-66 from 20.1 overs while Ruan de Swardt took 2-45 from 15 overs.
Full Scores:
South Africa “A” 274 off 67.4 overs (Khaya Zondo 70, Neil Brand 62, Zubayr Hamza 30, Kevin Sinclair 5-44, Shamar Joseph 3-65, Shermon Lewis 2-68) & 272-5 dec. off 66 overs (Zubayr Hamza 110*, Ruan de Swardt 86, Khaya Zondo 31, Raynard Van Tonder 30, Shamar Joseph 5-76)
West Indies “A” 126 off 42.5 overs (Kevin Sinclair 50, Jordan Johnson 33, Dane Paterson 4-34, Hardus Viljoen 2-43) & 344-9 off 91.1 overs (Joshua Da Silva 110, Kirk McKenzie 81, Kavem Hodge 47, Dane Paterson 4-66, Ruan de Swardt 2-45)
Deafening Silence showed plenty of stamina when taking the Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.
Dan Skelton’s six-year-old was one of a field of five for the Grade Two event, starting at 6-1 as Nicky Henderson’s previously unbeaten Southoftheborder was the was the 11-8 favourite.
The latter horse unseated late on and so too did the rallying Josh The Boss, leaving Deafening Silence and Harry Skelton to pass Paul Nicholls’ Insurrection on the run in to the line to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.
“The two six-year-olds have come a long way clear and I think that is the type of day it is,” Skelton said of the first two home.
“That bit of strength on this ground, around this track is so important. He is obviously a very strong stayer.
“I wouldn’t say Harry was off the bridle, but he was a bit cold on him the whole way round. He has got a fabulous attitude, and he wants to keep doing it. There is not a lot not to like about him.
“We had a sloppy jump two out and I thought is that our chance gone, but he is a tenacious horse.
“I got him out of an English point-to-point so it is nice to fly a flag for the English pointers. I think he is a horse with a massive future. I said beforehand that he didn’t have to win today to think he has a big future, but that obviously cements that. A big bag of carrots is next for him.”
Following the race, Deafening Silence was introduced at 20-1 by Unibet for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with that race likely to be his long-term target according to Skelton.
He added: “You would have to go up to three miles with him. Two and a half miles around here is three and more at most venues. We will just pick and choose.
“He could run at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day over two and a half miles, but it would want to be really soft or he could go to Doncaster over three miles (River Don) or there is Haydock Park two weeks later (Prestige) over three miles.
“It is an acceptable dream to have (to go to the Cheltenham Festival). You wouldn’t want to be going to an Albert Bartlett at a tender age, but with his age and strength and the form to back it up, I think it is an acceptable situation to go there.”
JPR One has a golden opportunity to provide Joe Tizzard with his first Grade One success as a trainer in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
The six-year-old has always been held in high regard by the Tizzard team and made a winning chasing debut at Newton Abbot in October.
JPR One was in the process of enhancing his reputation in supreme style in the Grade Two Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last month, before a stumble at the last saw him unseat Brendan Powell with the race at his mercy.
He now has the chance to gain some big-race compensation and establish himself as one of the leading two-mile novice chasers heading into the second half of the season.
“It’s a nice race for him and he’s come out of Cheltenham really well,” said Tizzard.
“It’s not a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination, but on ratings he looks about right and I’m excited to run him in a Grade One.
“I think it happened at a stage at Cheltenham where we knew he was going to be impressive and I’ve been excited about running him over fences for a while now. It’s exciting that he can go there with a decent chance.”
Jamie Snowden has his string firing on all cylinders and has always felt Colonel Harry would eclipse his hurdles achievements once tackling the larger obstacles.
The course winner created a taking impression at Chepstow on his fences bow and is set to relish testing conditions at the Esher track on Saturday.
“He was obviously a very smart novice hurdler last season, winning twice and placed in two Graded races,” said Snowden.
“He’s always promised to be a better chaser and jumped really well down at Chepstow when beating Tahmuras, who had beaten him over hurdles in the Tolworth.
“Tahmuras probably disappointed that day, there is no doubting that, but we did a lot of things right and it has always been our plan to come here since.
“He handles testing ground and is a thorough stayer at this trip – and I thought his comeback run was great. Fingers crossed, he can run a big race.”
Iceo has 13 lengths to find with JPR One from when they met in the autumn, but he was an odds-on favourite that day despite conceding 15lb to the winner and is given the chance for revenge by Paul Nicholls at the scene of his impressive Imperial Cup triumph over hurdles.
“He was always going to be a chaser and made a lovely start over fences with a cosy success at Newton Abbot early in October, before finishing third giving plenty of weight to two decent horses at the same track three weeks later,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“I don’t think he was quite right that day, perhaps I ran him a bit too soon, and I’ve put a line though that run. He is fine now and I’ve always had this Grade One chase in mind for him.”
Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party claimed the scalp of Ditcheat’s Knappers Hill at Chepstow before running a creditable fifth in a high-class renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, while Petit Tonnerre picked up some pieces following the unseat of JPR One at Cheltenham, battling on for second.
The field is completed by Le Patron, who has won by a combined 30 lengths in two chasing appearances and Gary Moore hopes his stamina could prove an asset dropping back in trip.
“He’s probably an improving horse but whether he is up to that grade, I don’t really know,” said Moore.
“He will probably be better going a bit further but in soft ground, as long as they don’t get him at it down the back too much where the ground is a bit better, I think he will be OK. I see him coming into his own in the straight, hopefully.
“I just hope his jumping keeps him in the race.”
Gordon Elliott’s Coko Beach will bid to maintain his recent good form in the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.
The grey gelding may have been pulled up in the Grand National last season, but he was eighth the year before and has returned to action this term clearly in good heart.
His reappearance came in the Munster National at Limerick over three miles, where he was third when beaten just two and three-quarter lengths.
The eight-year-old then headed to Navan for the Troytown Chase and was the winner there from a field of 20, beating Limerick Lace and a whole host of Elliott stablemates in a tough staying victory.
Naturally, the handicapper has taken note and the gelding will now return to Aintree off a British mark of 162, a career-high that will see him carry top-weight of 12st.
Eddie O’Leary, of owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: “He’s got an awful lot of weight.
“He’s up to 161 now (in Ireland, running off 162 in UK) and that is going to be very tough because he’s far from that.
“He’s going for the Becher because he will enjoy the fences, he’s run in the National the last twice and he just hasn’t quite got home.”
The burden he will carry is eased by the booking of jockey Danny Gilligan, who claims 5lb and has ridden Coko Beach in his two prior starts this season.
“Danny is taking 5lb off his back, which will help,” said O’Leary.
“There is no point in him running in something like the Savills Chase (at Leopardstown), because he’d get lapped.
“He’s a lovely horse, he’s only eight, he was second in a Fred Winter as a juvenile but unfortunately he’s got no chance competing against those good horses and his mark now is very tough in handicaps.”
Joe Tizzard has a real chance with The Big Breakaway, fifth in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on his first run of the campaign.
The chestnut ran in the Grand National itself in April, but his bid was cut short when he fell at the second obstacle.
Tizzard believes he will have no issue taking to them this time around, however, and his chances are helped by the drop in his handicap mark to 147.
“I’m looking forward to running him over the Aintree fences and he was unlucky in the National, he just got knocked over at the second,” the trainer said.
“This has always been the plan with him, to get a run into him and then have a crack at these fences and make sure that he takes to them as we expect him to. He’s in lovely form at home.
“The handicapper has given him a chance, that is for certain, and for a horse who has only won one chase, we always felt he was a little bit high. That was a serious run at Chepstow (second in the Welsh National) and that sort of warranted his mark, but now he’s been given a bit of a chance.
“He’s a beautiful jumper of a fence at home and when he is on song. I think he will take to the fences well and if he gives us an answer to the question, then we will give him a proper Grand National campaign.”
Harry Cobden will ride instead of stable jockey Brendan Powell, who heads to Sandown instead, with Cobden having already taken the ride on the horse twice in his earlier career.
Tizzard said: “Harry won two Tophams for us and has actually ridden The Big Breakaway at Cheltenham in his novice days and has schooled him plenty of times, so it’s all worked out perfectly for me because I was worried I was going to have a headache and then got the phone call that Harry could ride all ours up there.”
Dan Skelton’s Ashtown Lad is the reigning champion in the race, having won by two and a quarter lengths from Gesskille in the contest last season.
He was pulled up in the Badger Beer when returning to action this season but has been well-fancied in the ante-post markets to return to form and retain his title.
Laura Morgan’s Percussion, second in the Grand Sefton over these unique obstacles, is another leading contender, alongside Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s Celebre D’Allen and Fergal O’Brien’s Highland Hunter.
There will be a 7.30am inspection at Sandown on Saturday morning ahead of day two of the Betfair Tingle Creek Festival.
The going on the opening day of the meeting was described as soft, with good to soft places on the chase course and heavy, soft in places on the hurdles track, but there is significant rain forecast through the night and into the morning on Saturday.
Tomorrow’s card includes the Tingle Creek itself, along with the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and the relocated Fighting Fifth Hurdle – all Grade One events.
Andrew Cooper, clerk of the course, said: “We have just been waiting for the latest weather outlook for tomorrow which does confirm that it looks like we are going to have a spell of potentially heavy rain from 4am until 9am.
“Most forecasts are giving around 10 millimetres in that time period, with some forecasts suggesting we could get either side of that.
“We have changed the hurdles course before the first race today to heavy, soft in places, while the chase course has been left as soft, good to soft in places.
“We are racing today on extremely soft ground and with the potential of a good volume of rain in the early hours, I think it is sensible to take stock and see what happens tomorrow morning.
“It can be hard to be too dogmatic as to what the tipping point is, as sometimes you are surprised how much rain the course will take and sometimes you are disappointed how little the course will take.
“My gut feeling is that we will be okay. It is a marvellous day of racing and we will do everything we can to race.”
Anticipated heavy rain has also prompted Chepstow to call a 7.30am precautionary check ahead of Saturday’s card, which features the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial.
The meeting at Wetherby has already been abandoned due to a waterlogged course.
Huntingdon passed a second inspection on Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s Peterborough Chase card.
Officials initially inspected on Thursday afternoon after the track was waterlogged earlier in the week, but conditions had improved with another check called ahead of declarations.
The track was found to be raceable, with the going reported as soft, heavy in places with further rain possible ahead of the fixture.
Kelso is due to stage Sunday’s other jumps action, with the Scottish Borders National the highlight, but the course will have to pass a 4.30pm precautionary inspection on Saturday due to forecast rain.
Despite failing to secure a spot in neither the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup group stage nor preliminary round, Jamaica's Reggae Girlz made somewhat of a mark in the final window of League A of the qualifying campaign, as Malikae Dayes and Davia Richards etched their names in the Best XI squad from the just-concluded window.
The two were just a few of the standout players for interim Head coach Xavier Gilbert in the failed campaign where they lost 1-2 and then drew 1-1 with Panama, and also registered 2-2 and 1-1 stalemates against Guatemala.
Dayes, 24, vein of form will boost her prospects at Danish club AaB Fodbold, while 19-year-old Richards will continue to hone her craft at Hill College, where she netted 23 goals, complemented by 12 assists, in the season. It is interesting to note that Richards placed her versatility on display by filling the left full-back position at times.
Here are the 11 players that stood out the most at their respective positions on the road to the inaugural Women's Gold Cup.
Goalkeeper
Alexia Estrada, Guatemala
Guatemala advanced to the Gold Cup Prelims with Estrada making five saves and four clearances in the 1-1 draw with Jamaica.
Defenders
Maria Elizondo, Costa Rica
Elizondo went the distance in both Costa Rica matches, making four clearances and helped keep a clean sheet against Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Davia Richards, Jamaica
Richards was tireless for the Reggae Girlz with a goal from four shots, while making a clearance in the back.
Araceli Torres, Mexico
Torres was very solid for Mexico in making a clearance in 95 minutes of action, helping her side qualify for the Women's Gold Cup group stage.
Cristina Ferral, Mexico
Ferral’s sensational strike earned Mexico a 1-0 win at Trinidad and Tobago, giving El Tricolor a perfect RTWGC campaign.
Midfielders
Gloriana Villalobos, Costa Rica
Villalobos had a goal in each game for Costa Rica, totaling six shots. Her biggest contribution was her playmaking, as she chipped in with four assists.
Alexa Herrera, Costa Rica
Herrera scored a goal that will forever live in Costa Rican football lore, as she found the back of the net on the last kick of the game versus Haiti in the 2-1 win. She finished the window with three goals.
Malikae Dayes, Jamaica
Dayes was a workhorse in midfield for Jamaica in their two matches and had six clearances in the 1-1 draws with Panama and Guatemala.
Forwards
Maria Paula Salas, Costa Rica
Salas set a Costa Rican Women’s National Team record with a seven-goal performance in the 19-0 victory over St Kitts and Nevis.
Kiana Palacios, Mexico
Palacios came off the bench and scored two goals to help Mexico secure a 3-0 win at Puerto Rico, qualifying her side for the Gold Cup group stage.
Melissa Herrera, Costa Rica
No player created more scoring chances than Herrera, whose five assists led all players in all leagues during the window. She also had a goal.
With over 20 major trophies to his name and nearing the end of an illustrious playing career, 39-year-old Giorgio Chiellini could be forgiven for enjoying the latter part of his career in the heat of Los Angeles.
But the fire for another trophy to add to his cabinet still burns true ahead of Los Angeles FC's MLS Cup showdown with Columbus Crew on Saturday.
It does perhaps not have the pressure of a European Championship final against England at Wembley, or the annual tussles Chiellini's Juventus had with Milan and Inter in Italy in Serie A, but the veteran defender did not come to LA for everything Hollywood brings with it.
Opta's predictive model suggests the final is too close to call, with LAFC and the Crew both given a 34.5 per cent likelihood of coming out on top.
Chiellini helped LAFC, who were inspired by Gareth Bale, win MLS Cup last year, and despite his countless honours, he is full of desire to make it two titles in the space of two years in the United States.
"We are so happy because last year was a different journey," he told Stats Perform. "We were top of the league for all the season, the play-off for just three games before the World Cup. That was easier. We skipped the first round.
"We played all the games at home and was very different. This year we pushed it hard until June because of the [CONCACAF] Champions League, [but] then we lost the final. We spent a lot of energy on that, and we had some injuries, some periods where we were not so focused, but we came into the playoffs in good condition.
"We fought until the end. We won in Vancouver, we won in Seattle.
"And now in order to win, to take the cup, we have to win in Columbus. And we know how hard it will be, but we are very happy to be here.
"We respect Columbus a lot and the way they play, that style of play, but for sure we want to go there and try to go all the way to win."
Chiellini has a plethora of trophies to his name, including the European Championship with Italy and nine Serie A winners' medals with Juve, but there is room for another one in his cabinet.
"I'm enjoying every day I spend here, training and everything. It's my life. I love what I do," he said when asked if he was considering retirement or leaving LAFC.
"I watch more MLS games than most of my team-mates in their career in this year and a half and I love that. But it's not something I do for me. It's something normal. It's my way of life, this job, I live this life.
"I will see, but I'm enjoying it a lot and there's no heavy situation for me about this stuff, I just enjoy it and it's very fun."
Even though the Italian has been coached by the likes of Roberto Mancini and Massimiliano Allegri, Chiellini does not see his future in the dug-out, though he hopes to remain in the game in some capacity.
"I did a degree in economics and the NBA, and I always had that type of management in my mind," he said.
Digicel is spearheading an initiative to showcase the outstanding achievements of some of the “Star Ballas” -outstanding high school football players emerging from the 2023 ISSA Digicel Manning Cup and Walker Cup Football season.
These exceptional student-athletes, identified by their coaches, strike a commendable balance between excelling in sports and maintaining high academic standards. The Digicel Star Balla series aims to recognise athletes from the top teams for their exceptional abilities. In this inaugural Star Balla feature, St George’s College’s Brian Burkett stands out as a shining example of what Digicel seeks to celebrate.
The 18-year-old Burkett boasts 13 subjects, contributed 20 goals to his school’s success, leading his team to the semi-finals of the Manning Cup - an achievement that Digicel’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tari Lovell, describes as remarkable.
Lovell explained, "Brian is a phenomenal student-athlete and a true inspiration to his peers. It’s not always easy to balance the books while staying ahead of the game. This why we salute Brian for his dedication and discipline.”
Burkett already holds nine CSEC passes in Mathematics, Principles of Accounts, English A, English B, Biology, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Information Technology and Physical Education. Additionally, he achieved four CAPE subjects in Spanish, Communication Studies, Physical Education, and Information Technology.
For Burkett, it’s all about priorities: “I balance schoolwork and football with time management and being disciplined. My parents encourage me to be disciplined, hard-working, and responsible.”
He hopes to pass on his winning approach to his peers: “Through Christ all things are possible. I think we have a good team with a lot of quality, but we just have to remain focused and humble and take it one game at a time,” Burkett noted.
Despite finding time to play for Dunbeholden FC in last season’s Jamaica Premier League, where he scored one goal, Burkett remains steadfast in his ambition to play football at the highest level in the future. “Have a plan. Set small objectives that will help you to improve yourself and help you achieve your main goal or dream. Above all, be disciplined and focused,”
advised Burkett.
Huntingdon passed a second inspection on Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s Peterborough Chase card.
Officials initially inspected on Thursday afternoon after the track was waterlogged earlier in the week, but conditions had improved with another check called ahead of declarations.
The track was found to be raceable, with the going reported as soft, heavy in places with further rain possible ahead of the fixture.
Kelso is due to stage Sunday’s other jumps action with the Scottish Borders National the highlight but the course will have to pass a 4.30pm precautionary inspection on Saturday due to forecast rain.
Anticipated heavy rain has also prompted Chepstow to call a 7.30am precautionary check ahead of Saturday’s card which features the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial.
Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s Head coach Angus Eve pulled no punches, as he opened up about the lack of support received during his tenure.
Eve’s revelation came during a recent interview on the I95 sports radio programme, where he also disclosed that he was without a contract and was yet to have discussions with the Normalisation Committee (NC) regarding an extension, at that point.
“They (NC) are a little bit finicky to do something about it (the contract) because, the football fraternity, I don’t know if they want me to sign a new contract. I have not heard from any of them since I have been doing this job,” Eve said, referring to the lukewarm response from the TTFA Zones.
The tactician, who led the Soca Warriors to a fairly successful Concacaf Nations League campaign, where they got to the quarterfinal and registered an historic win over United States but lost the two-leg tie on aggregate. Still, they have a second shot at Copa America qualification via a playoff fixture against Canada scheduled for March 23.
“But they are a little bit hesitant to do anything because they are studying what the members will think. So, the members have not really shown me any support. Except the president of the South Zone Dennis Latiff and Ross Russell (North Zone president) who is my friend, no other president has reached out to me or spoken to us,” Eve disclosed.
Eve believes it would be prudent if he signed a contract before the Canada game, having achieved objectives, which also included Gold Cup qualification.
“We have never been in this place before. We have never reached out of the group stage and into the knockout stage and try to reach in the quarterfinals and semi-finals of the Nations League before. So, I think we have achieved all of our targets, all of our objectives that have been placed in front of us,” he said.
“Win, lose or draw. I could possibly not be the coach (after March). Through the whole tenure it has been like that. I think there is a distinct lack of support. A lot of the things you read on social media is like if people don’t want me in the job, so I tend to want to focus on the guys,” Eve noted.
The outspoken coach also alluded to the challenges faced with getting the twin island republic back to this point of competitiveness.
“It has been a re-building process, and it has gone pretty much better than we expected. Nobody expected us the way we got into the A, nobody felt that we belonged, and we were under pressure from the first match,” Eve shared.
“Also, there was some other stuff happening behind the scenes with some of the older players and it probably took a little of the focus away from the homing in on the games. We were fighting against a lot of stuff, and I think that the staff and the Normalisation Committee pulled together, the people who support us.
“We insulated ourselves and I think you saw the fruit of that re-building where we won three of the four games and that was fantastic,” he ended.
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