If the confidence exuded by Neveal Hackshaw and Reon Moore is anything to go by, then Trinidad and Tobago are poised to give United States a tough run in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.
Both Hackshaw and Moore, declared the Soca Warriors intentions of taking a positive result off their highly-fancied opponents in their first-leg encounter at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Thursday.
The return-leg fixture is scheduled for four days later at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
The Angus Eve-coached Trinidad and Tobago secured their quarterfinals berth after they finished second in the six-team Group A on nine points. Their last two meetings with United States ended in 0-6 and 0-7 losses.
Despite the United States holding a significant advantage over Trinidad and Tobago based on those scorelines and others in the past, both Hackshaw and Moore rate their chances of upsetting the applecart, highly.
Hackshaw, who has 39 caps and two goals for Trinidad and Tobago, first expressed satisfaction with the preparation heading into the encounter.
“These sessions have been very important as we try to get match fit with these games we have been playing here and I think the guys are playing and doing pretty good. Now we're just waiting to meet up with the rest of the guys and I think it's going to be fun,” Hackshaw said prior to their departure.
“I think with the bunch of guys we have now; I think we're going to give them (United States) a good fight. It's not going to be easy both ways for us and for them, and I think we are going to do good.
“This team we have here is a fighting team. It's a younger group, but I think everyone is always up for the fight, and with the addition of Levi (Garcia), I think we are going to do great,” he added.
Should they pull a surprise in Texas, the midfielder pointed out that it would be a significant boost to ensure local fans are entertained when they return home for the second leg.
"It's not going to be easy for us, but we are going there to give them a show, and we are not going to step short, and we are going to go full hundred,” Hackshaw declared.
Meanwhile, Moore, 27, who has scored seven goals in 24 appearances, echoed similar sentiments.
“I think we will do well in Texas. The training session with the boys have been high intensity so far, we are fully enthusiastic about the task at hand, and we are going to go there and show that we have what it takes to beat the USA,” he stated.
The striker also welcomed the return of captain Levi Garcia, who missed all four matches for the Soca Warriors in the six-team League A qualifiers.
“It will be a big plus for all the guys and the technical staff to have Levi back in the team because what he brings to the table for us is great,” Moore noted.
The other quarterfinals fixtures will see Canada against Jamaica, Mexico against Honduras, and Panama against Costa Rica.
At the end of the two-leg ties, the four winners will progress to the Nations League semi-final in March next year, as well as the Copa America tournament.
The four losing quarterfinalists will engage a single-match direct elimination play-in for the final two spots to next year’s Copa America, which will be hosted in the United States.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero will keep the Grand National in mind for Gesskille following his win in the Grand Sefton over the famous Aintree fences, with the training duo also contemplating a run over the cross-country course at Cheltenham next month.
The seven-year-old has proven a brilliant operator over the famous spruce since joining the Cheshire-based training team, and after a couple of near-misses at the track last term, finally got his moment in the Merseyside spotlight as jockey Henry Brooke bounced out his mount who made every yard in testing conditions.
That victory has seen Gesskille rise to a career-high mark of 144, but with the world’s most famous steeplechase set to have reduced numbers for 2024, Greenall feels he may have to improve further in the ratings to guarantee his spot and is considering a run at Cheltenham on December 15 before firming up plans for the spring.
He said: “He would need to go up a bit to get in (the Grand National), so we will just see and he might go to the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December and see how we go after that really.
“We will keep him fresh anyway for a spring campaign, whether that is Auteuil or the National, we will have to wait and see.”
Gesskille was beaten a nose in the Grand Sefton 12 months ago, before filling the same runner-up berth in the Becher Chase a month later.
However, Greenall credits the application of blinkers as making the real difference for the gelding, who was a game winner at Auteuil in his new headgear prior to his Aintree triumph.
“He seems a little bit more professional with the headgear, it has definitely helped him,” he added.
“People said the loose horse helped him (at Aintree) and I’m sure it did a little bit. But with the headgear, he seemed to be staying on gamely anyway.”
Graham Lee has undergone surgery at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle after a serious fall last week, with his daughter Amy thanking the racing world for its “overwhelming” support.
The Grand National and Group One-winning jockey was unseated from Ben Macdui at the start of an all-weather handicap at Newcastle on Friday, suffering injuries that saw him taken to hospital and admitted to an intensive care unit.
He has since been identified as having an unstable cervical fracture causing damage to his spinal cord, and the racing world has rallied round the rider and his family.
The Injured Jockeys Fund have been heavily involved in those efforts, and on Wednesday afternoon released an update which read: “Jockey Graham Lee had surgery yesterday at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle to stabilise the fractures in his cervical spine and further protect his spinal cord.
“He also had a tracheostomy performed to allow him to be more comfortable and improve communication.
“Whilst Graham has recovered from the surgery well, the extent of his long-term recovery remains uncertain.”
The statement added: “Graham’s family would like to thank everyone for their best wishes and for their support of the JustGiving page set up by Graham’s 18-year-old daughter Amy, who says: ‘I am personally writing down each and every message and donation that comes through and I share all of these with dad. To be honest it’s simply overwhelming and we can’t believe that so many people are thinking of us. I wish I could explain how much of a difference it will make to dad’s recovery knowing that he has your support – thank you from the bottom of my heart’.”
The JustGiving page created by Amy Lee is now approaching £80,000 in donations that will go to the IJF.
Conflated is likely to bid for back-to-back victories in next month’s Savills Chase following a pleasing effort at Down Royal last weekend.
Gordon Elliott’s eight-year-old was a comfortable winner at Leopardstown last Christmas, his second Grade One victory at the Foxrock track having also landed the 2022 Irish Gold Cup.
He finished third behind Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, but subsequently failed to fire at Aintree and again disappointed on his return at Punchestown last month.
However, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding roared back to form in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase, making much of the running and looking the likely winner at the top of the home straight before being mowed down late on by both stablemate Gerri Colombe and Envoi Allen.
Gigginstown’s racing manager Eddie O’Leary expects Conflated to be an even stronger force back at Leopardstown on December 28.
“He ran an absolute cracker and he’s entitled to go on to Leopardstown after that,” O’Leary said.
“He’s much better going left-handed, so if he’s kicked out of the way at Leopardstown then we’ll look at different options.”
Conflated holds an entry in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday week, but O’Leary all but ruled out a trip to Merseyside, adding: “We travel for Cheltenham and Cheltenham only!”
Middleham Park hurdlers Red Risk and Marie’s Rock are likely to cross paths in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury next month.
Both horses run in the silks of the ownership group, and Marie’s Rock has won at the highest level for connections, taking both the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last year.
The Nicky Henderson-trained mare was second to Sire Du Berlais in the Liverpool Hurdle on her final start last season and will reappear for the new campaign over the staying trip.
There she will encounter Paul Nicholls’ Red Risk, an eight-year-old who has been moving out of handicap company in recent starts and made a promising start to the season when second in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall meeting.
Tom Palin of Middleham Park said of the two horses: “I think they’re going to do battle, they’ll be taking each other on at Newbury in the three-mile Grade Two there (December 1).
“That’s been Marie’s Rock’s target for a while, that was the logical starting point for her.
“Red Risk ran a cracker at Wetherby, I thought we were going to go past the other horse but he really toughed it out as well. We were delighted with the run.
“He does go very well fresh, we’ll run at Newbury but the one question we have is whether it’s a bit too soon after Wetherby.
“Then we’d just look at giving him a bit of a freshen up going into something ahead of the spring, maybe a Cleeve Hurdle or something akin to that.
“They’ll probably end up taking each other on at Newbury in that Grade Two and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top.”
Marie’s Rock will proceed from Wetherby in the direction of the top staying contests, with the big festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree pencilled in for the spring.
“She’s obviously got that useful weight allowance and I think she has a pull as it is on official ratings but that performance (by Red Risk) the other day was a very, very good performance,” Palin said.
“We’ve just got Red Risk figured out and Marie’s Rock is in great form. Her campaign kind of plans itself; Newbury, Ascot, Cheltenham for the Cleeve, Cheltenham for the Stayers’ and Aintree again.”
Martin Keighley’s Found On will bid for black type as she returns to Market Rasen for the Rhino.Bet Bud Booth Mares’ Chase on Thursday.
The eight-year-old has been consistent in recent seasons, winning six of her last eight starts over distances varying from two and a half miles to three.
She hit the ground running this season when making her yearly reappearance at this track in October, winning a competitive handicap chase by four lengths under Sean Bowen.
The mare will now return to the Lincolnshire circuit at Listed level, where she is set to join four rivals over an increased trip of three miles.
“It was a really good performance, her first run of the season at Market Rasen,” said Keighley.
“That was quite a strong handicap and she did it well, as soon as she won there we had this in mind as we’re desperate to get her some black type.
“We’ve saved her for this race and hopefully she can, she’s been to the track twice and won there twice, she’ll like the decent ground so I’m hoping for a big run.
“The Dan Skelton horse will be a hard one to beat, but she’s in good form and if she doesn’t win and is in the first three, it will be great to get her black type.”
The Skelton horse in question is Galia Des Liteaux, a Grade Two winner last season who was most recently seen coming home fourth behind Gerri Colombe in the Mildmay at Aintree.
Nicky Henderson’s Tweed Skirt, Sue Smith’s Burrows Diamond and Jedd O’Keeffe’s Fairfield Ferrata complete the line up.
Tom Cannon cannot wait to be reunited with Edwardstone when he makes his seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.
Alan King’s nine-year-old has shared many memorable days with the rider, none more so than their decisive Arkle victory at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022.
Last season included another Grade One success, this time in the Tingle Creek, and the bay was beaten just a head in the Clarence House in January.
There was no repeat Cheltenham Festival success as Edwardstone posted an uncharacteristic performance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but Cannon is happy to draw a line through that run as the duo return to the same track at the weekend.
He said: “Edwardstone has been good at home. I schooled him on Monday, and I schooled him last Monday as well. He seems very fresh and well in himself and I’m looking forward to Sunday.
“It is going to be a good race, but he doesn’t have any easy races now with the level he is at. He was meant to run in this race last season, but the ground was on the quicker side so he swerved it. He won first time out last year and he will be ready to go and do his best.
“He enjoyed it on Monday when I gave him a jump and he is a pleasure to have around and be involved with. He is a magnificent horse, not just to sit on but to look at as well.
“You get some horses that are good that might be small, but when you get on top of him it is like riding a horse into battle. He is a big strong brute of a horse that has got all the power in the right places.”
The Shloer Chase is run over a trip of two miles, Edwardstone’s usual trip, but there are discussions about stepping up in distance at a later point in the season and Cannon believes connections may find this outing helpful in making that decision.
“His pedigree suggests he will get further, and he ran further than two miles over hurdles and ran well. On his day he is a very quick two-miler which he showed in the Tingle Creek last season,” Cannon said.
“He probably wasn’t at his best after that, but we will see how we go in the race on Sunday and go from there.
“As he is getting bit older now, and with a few younger horses coming through, it might give us options if we go up further in trip.
“This is a case of testing the water with him and it is a nice place to go. I’m sure this will answer a few questions about where he will go for the rest of the season.”
Head Coach Andre Coley welcomed the West Indies A team tour of South Africa as a significant assignment to not only define, but more importantly, develop the region’s depth of talent in the longer formats of the game.
The Joshua Da Silva-captained team will engage their South African counterparts in three Tests between November 21 and December 8.
“It will give us an opportunity to boost our red-ball opportunities outside of the Caribbean. Earlier this year, we went to Bangladesh, and we did well there, and now we are going to another part of the world – South Africa. It will give us an opportunity to explore the brand of cricket that we want to play,” Coley said in an interview with CWI Media.
“Our next international assignment is in Australia, and six months after that we go to England, so this A team is positioned to offer red-ball playing opportunities on the back of the just-concluded Super50 Cup,” he added.
Coley, who is also Head coach of the senior West Indies Test side, is no stranger to South African conditions, having guided a Kraigg Brathwaite-led squad on last year’s tour.
“The South Africans are a team that want to play a specific way, and they always look to challenge you, but they respect our players. The pitches have offered pace, have offered bounce, so you will have pitches on which you can trust the bounce,” Coley reasoned.
“Players can, therefore, express themselves, whether they are batting or bowling, but it has never really been a place where the spinners have excelled. So, it’s also an opportunity for our spinners to learn to be effective in those conditions, and I am looking forward to being there,” he noted.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Da Silva will have Tevin Imlach as his deputy in a squad that also boast the experience of left-handers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie, as well as fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Shermon Lewis.
Kevlon Anderson, fast bowler Shamar Joseph, and Jamaican spin bowling all-rounder Abhijai Mansingh, are also in the squad.
Coley, a former Jamaica wicketkeeper-batsman, pointed out that while the main objective is to come away from the tour victorious, there are other goals that are equally important for the development of the West Indies squad.
Coley will be assisted by former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams and former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait.
“You learn to win over time. We want to see our primary batsman scoring loads of runs, as well as the all-rounders and bowlers averaging above 20 or 30 and building lower order partnerships, that will help to expand our batting options,” Coley said.
“Once we are able to tick the boxes that we have agreed upon, 75 per cent or more of what we have aimed for, that will help to define success,” he ended.
In a bid to secure maximum points and boost their chances of qualifying for the next Concacaf Gold Cup, the St Kitts National Senior Football Team, affectionately known as the Sugar Boyz, is gearing up for two crucial CONCACAF Nations League matches. The team, under the guidance of Coach Austin 'Dico' Huggins, is set to face St. Lucia at the SKNFA Technical Center on Thursday at 7 pm, followed by an away clash against Guadeloupe on Sunday, November 19, at 3 pm.
Coach Huggins, expressing confidence and optimism ahead of the matchups, shared insights into the squad's preparations on Tuesday evening. Major changes have been made to the squad, with the inclusion of players who were unavailable during the previous Gold Cup encounter. Coach Huggins highlighted the importance of having a full-strength team, stating, "A few of the guys that we brought in were with us when we went to the Gold Cup in the last encounter...for whatever reason, with their clubs (overseas) they were not able to make the trip with us. But they are here now, and we are thankful for that, so hopefully, we will be at full strength."
The first of the two matches will be hosted at home, and Coach Huggins called upon the fans to play a pivotal role. "Home fans are always beneficial to the home team. We call them the 12th player, so we are hoping that they will give us their support, cheer on the team, encourage the guys positively, and let us all win this game together," Coach Huggins emphasized.
The Sugar Boyz are aware of the significance of securing victories and maintaining a superior goal difference in the Nations League to enhance their chances of qualifying for the prestigious Concacaf Gold Cup.
The upcoming matches are crucial for St. Kitts and Nevis, and the squad is set to face St. Lucia on Thursday, November 16, at the SKNFA Technical Center (7 pm) and then take on Guadeloupe on November 19 at 3 pm. The selected squad for these vital matches includes:
Julani Archibald – CD Victoria, Zaykeese Smith – Village Superstars FC, Xander Parke – Leek Town FC, Gerard Williams – Trau FC, Andre Burley – Oxford City FC, Ethan Bristow - Minnesota United FC, Lois Maynard - Ratcliffe FC, Jalden Myers – Bath United FC, Jameel Ible – Guiseley AFC, Ezrick Nicholls - University of Tampa, Romaine Sawyers – Cardiff City FC, Tyrese Shade - Swindon Town FC, Omari Sterling-James – Ebbsfleet United, Ronaldo Belgrove - FC Miami City, Nequan Browne – United Old Road Jets FC, Yohannes Mitchum – Newtown United FC, Raheem Somersall - North Carolina FC, Harry Panayiotou – F.C. Bruno’s Magpies, Tiquanny Williams - United Old Road Jets FC, Diego Edwards – Notts County, Kimaree Rogers – Village Superstars FC.
The Sugar Boyz and their supporters are ready for an intense battle on the field, and the entire nation anticipates thrilling encounters in the upcoming Nations League matches.
Joe Tizzard is in no rush to firm up plans for Elixir De Nutz following his emotional success in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last week.
Tizzard landed the the Grade Two feature three times during his riding career, striking gold aboard Lake Kariba (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Cue Card (2012), and was thrilled to get his name on the winner’s board as a trainer.
What made the victory all the more notable was the fact that Elixir De Nutz was ridden by 17-year-old Freddie Gingell, son of Tizzard’s late sister, Kim, and the Venn Farm handler admits it is almost a case of ‘job done’ for the season for the Terry Warner-owned grey.
“He’s come out of it absolutely lovely,” said Tizzard.
“We made an entry for the Tingle Creek (Sandown, December 9), that might be a step too far but we’ll just see if it cuts up.
“It was a lovely day and an emotional day with Fred riding him and Terry Warner had two of his grandchildren there as well. Exeter is obviously a local track to us and it meant a lot.
“I was conscious to get his first run into him as he always comes on for a run, it was a bit of plan and thankfully it came off.
“Life is not going to be easy for him, but that was his Gold Cup for the season and we’ll pick and choose our way round. He loves a small field.”
Laura Morgan could be set for the biggest day of her training career so far at Cheltenham on Saturday as she prepares to fire a twin assault on the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Waltham On The Wolds handler enjoyed her best ever season last term with a tally of 40 winners, seven of which were provided by the two horses she saddles in this weekend’s prestigious handicap.
Morgan is not expecting such a prolific campaign this term, but is hopeful she can make her presence felt on the big stage.
She said: “Last season, we had 40 winners and a lot more horses in, whereas this year we’ve only got 25 horses to run and 10 three-year-olds.
“I bought some three-year-olds with nice pedigrees that will hopefully be nice horses for next year, that’s the idea.
“We’re not going to have the season we had last year, but I’ve tried to up the quality and hopefully we can have runners on the bigger days.”
The stable’s first string on Saturday appears to be Notlongtillmay, who won his first three starts over fences last term before filling the runner-up spot behind the reopposing Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The seven-year-old returned to Prestbury Park for his seasonal reappearance in a two-mile handicap chase last month – and having finished a creditable fourth under the welter burden of 12 stone, Morgan feels he is cherry-ripe for his latest big-race assignment.
“Two miles is way too short and I’d left him short enough as well – it wasn’t like he was fully tuned up for that,” she added.
“I was going to go to Wetherby for a two-and-a-half-mile race on the Friday of the Charlie Hall meeting, but obviously that was abandoned, so thank God I actually gave him a prep run before then.
“This was the aim, we’re 3lb better off with Stage Star and Stage Star isn’t going to get an easy lead like he did in the Turners – there’s going to be a lot of pace in this on Saturday.
“With The Real Whacker running, our lad goes in there with a nice racing weight (11st 4lb) and he’ll go through the (soft) ground, that wouldn’t worry me at all.”
Notlongtillmay’s stablemate Whistleinthedark also enjoyed an excellent first season over fences, climbing from a mark of 113 to his current perch of 144 with four wins from four starts.
He has not been seen in competitive action since scoring at Perth in late April, but Morgan is confident he is ready enough to do himself justice.
She said: “I had planned to give him a prep run – he was going to go to Market Rasen for the Prelude (Handicap Chase), but it was abandoned.
“I’m not too fussed about not getting a run in as he’s done a lot of work at home. We’ve got a two-mile grass gallop and he’s fairly ready without having had that run to sharpen him – he’s not far away.
“I never thought he’d be rated what he’s rated and would do what he did when he first arrived. I thought he’d be an average, fun, handicapper, but he’s been brilliant.”
Morgan is fully aware that winning one of the season’s biggest prizes is no easy task and she is just pleased to be heading to the Cotswolds with a fighting chance.
She added: “They’re all up against it, not just us, but it’s very exciting for a small yard like ours and fingers crossed they’ll both go and run well.
“They won’t let us down, anyway – these two don’t know how to!”
2021 champions Garvey Maceo and Dinthill Technical both secured their spots in the semi-finals of the ISSA/Wata DaCosta Cup on Tuesday.
Garvey Maceo booked their passage through to the last four with a 2-0 win over Cornwall College at Glenmuir.
The first few minutes of the contest saw both teams playing some untidy football. Garvey Maceo was first to register a shot on target through Jelani Williams in the sixth minute.
The 2021 champions continued to apply early pressure before it was finally rewarded through a brilliant individual goal from Williams in the 10th minute.
He picked up the ball from just outside the half-way line and dribbled past three players before slotting the ball home past the Cornwall College goalkeeper for his 11th goal of the season.
Cleo Clarke almost made it 2-0 for Garvey Maceo in the 30th minute but his close-range shot only found the side netting.
Cornwall’s best chance of the first half came in the 33rd minute when Lincoln Cox found himself free for a header from a corner that he put wide of the mark.
Three minutes into the second half, Garvey Maceo doubled their lead through Cleo Clark’s 20th goal of the season.
After an Everton Swaby shot was parried well by the Cornwall College goalkeeper, the ball ricocheted to Clark who finished well with his weaker right foot.
Swaby almost added a third for Garvey Maceo in the 62nd minute but pushed his shot wide of the goal.
Dane Buckley almost pulled one back in spectacular fashion for Cornwall College with a volley that went just over the bar in the 65th minute. He also came close in the 67th minute.
Garvey Maceo advanced second place with six points, the same as Dinthill Technical, and will take on Clarendon College in the semi-finals. Clarendon College secured top spot on group A with a 2-1 win over Glenmuir at Manchester High.
Dinthill will face Glenmuir in the other semi-final.
The day’s other game saw Manchester beat Christiana 2-0 at Brooks Park.
Jamaican 400m hurdler Jayden Brown has signed will be competing on the NCAA circuit next year for Clemson University after the school officially announced his signing on social media on Tuesday.
Brown attended Iowa Western Community College this season and finished second overall in the 400m hurdles with a personal best of 51.13 at the NJCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track & Field Championships in New Mexico from May 18-20.
He also took top spot in the event at the Drake Relays with a 51.18 effort on April 28.
The 20-year-old competed for both Kingston College and Jamaica College at the ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, winning the Class Two 400m hurdles title while competing for the former in 2019.
Top bumper mare Dysart Enos made the perfect start to her hurdling career with an easy success at Huntingdon.
The Fergal O’Brien-trained five-year-old was unbeaten throughout her bumper campaign, including a one-length defeat of Queens Gamble at Market Rasen and a nine-length victory in the Grade Two Nickel Coin at Aintree.
The latter start was the end of her season in the spring and she returned to action this time around to make her debut over obstacles in the RhinoBet Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Under Paddy Brennan, the mare started as the 1-7 favourite and justified those odds when making light work of a field of 10.
The bay jumped fluently throughout the two-mile event and was able to pull away after a big leap at the last, prevailing by seven and a half lengths and finishing full of running.
“We were delighted with today, she jumped and travelled as well as we’d hoped and we were really pleased,” O’Brien said.
“It’s just lovely to get that first run over hurdles out of the way, I know she had jumped point to point fences but it’s still nice to see her jump out on the track.
“She did very well, I am delighted. I couldn’t be happier with her today.
“I think that’ll stand her in good stead, she’ll have learnt a lot today. Hopefully, in a slightly better race when she’s going in her stride, she’ll jump even better.
“She loves being a racehorse, she enjoys racing and being competitive.
“At Newbury on the 2nd of December, there’s a mares’ Listed race there, we’ll tread that path for now and see how we go.”
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