Dorny Romero scored a hat-trick to lift Dominican Republic to a third victory in Group B of League B as the 2023–24 Concacaf Nations League continued on Monday.

Despite the win, Dominican Republic remains second in the group behind Nicaragua, who were also victorious in their fixture against Montserrat.

French Guiana overtook the top spot in Group C with a victory against St Vincent and the Grenadines.

French Guiana vs. St Vincent and the Grenadines 

French Guiana won 3-2 against St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Pierre-Aliker Stadium in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Thomas Nemouthe opened the scoring in the 9th with a right-footed shot from the penalty spot. The hosts were awarded a penalty kick following a tackle on forward Arnold Abelinti.

Cornelius Stewart equalized in the 16th after an intercepted ball made for a breakaway opportunity. Oalex Anderson provided the assist across the box for Stewart to tie the game.

Franz Gaubert retook the lead for the home side in the 44th off a free kick opportunity.

Gaubert gave up a penalty after a tackle on Anderson to start the second half. Anderson took the spot kick but was denied by Marvin Golitin.

Stewart tied it again for the visitors in the 73rd as St Vincent and the Grenadines were in transition.

Jules Haabo delivered the game-winning goal in the 76th on a takeaway in midfield that he then drove into the penalty area for a diagonal strike to the bottom left corner of goal.

Dominican Republic vs. Barbados

The Dominican Republic took a 5-2 victory over Barbados on home soil at the Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros.

Thierry Gale found the back of the net in the 10th to put Barbados up from the penalty spot. The spot kick was conceded on the previous play as goalkeeper Xavier Valdez was attempting to secure the ball but tripped Codrington Shane.

Riki Alba equalized for the home side in the 17th off an individual play from the right side of goal as he battled through three defenders and the goalkeeper.

Romero continued his goalscoring form with a header in the 30th as the Dominican Republic took the lead for the first time on the night with a corner kick.

Romero secured his second goal of the night in the 48th with another header inside the penalty area. Angel Melo provided the cross from the right flank for Romero’s double.

Heinz Morschel extended the lead in the 59th with a right-footed strike inside the box.

Gale took one back for the visitors in the 66th to complete his brace. The opportunity came from a second conceded penalty kick by the Dominican Republic.

Romero struck with a third header in the 79th, this time from a corner kick. It marks six goals in the tournament for Romero and puts him in the lead in the Golden Boot race.

Nicaragua vs. Montserrat

Nicaragua defeated Montserrat 3-0 at the National Football Stadium in Managua, Nicaragua to remain atop Group B with 12 points.

Montserrat’s Lucas Kirnon came up with a header in the fourth to impede an early goal from the home side. 

James Comley was ambitious from long range in the 28th in what was the best opportunity in the first half for the visiting team.

Juan Luis Perez broke through with the opening goal in the 38th on a free-kick opportunity. Defender Abraham Jeriel Dorsett tried to clear, but Perez got the header on the rebound.

Luis Coronel extended the lead in the 43rd with a hit from around the penalty marker. Bancy Hernandez supplied the assist inside the box to find his open teammate.

Matias Moldskred came on for the second half and immediately paid dividends with a third Nicaragua goal in the 48th. Goalkeeper Corrin Brooks tried to push the ball away from goal in the pouring rain to no avail.

From there, the Nicaraguan defense did the rest to nail down the clean sheet victory.

Billy Loughnane wants his 2023 champion apprentice title to be the springboard towards the next step in his career.

Loughnane has quite simply been a revelation. On New Year’s Day, he had ridden just six winners, yet he has now had over 100 following a startling season which is surely going to be the prelude to a successful career.

Almost 20 winners clear of last year’s champion Benoit De La Sayette in the title race, the expected slow down after losing his claim failed to materialise and the winners just kept on flowing.

He will be at Ascot on Saturday to pick up his award, where he expects to be in action in the final race of the meeting.

“I’m hoping to have a ride in the Balmoral, so I’ll be there on Saturday,” said Loughnane

“It’s been a crazy season, really. We’ve had a good year and I’ve had a lot of people supporting me, it’s been great.”

It is fair to say Loughnane did have a head start on most apprentices – given his father, Mark, is a trainer.

But once he spread his wings, the 17-year-old flourished.

“Dad was very good to me at the start and obviously supported me a lot early in my career but I’ve also had a lot of support from a lot of other trainers,” he said.

“The main thing is they have kept using me even after I lost my claim, so it’s been great and I must thank everyone for the support.

“It’s always a worry for any jockey once you lose your claim but thankfully most of the trainers have stood by me and I’m very grateful.”

With 100 winners under his belt already and the victories continuing to flow without the help of a claim, what does 2024 hold?

“I think for the immediate future, I just want to ride as many winners as I can. My goal for next year is to ride 100 winners in the year. It will be very hard, obviously, without having a claim, but if I can manage that it will be great,” said Loughnane.

“On top of that, if I could ride a Group or even a Listed winner along the way that would top it off.

“All jockeys are the same, hopefully I can keep the numbers going but then you’ve got to look at raising the quality of the horses you ride. Hopefully, the more winners I ride, the more the quality will go up.

“I go into George Boughey’s to ride out two or three days a week and he’s been very good to me. He’s supported me since I was a 5lb and then a 3lb claimer. He’s got a yard with some nice horses and hopefully he’ll have a few to ride for me over the next few years.

“There’s a lot of people in the weighing room who have helped me along the way, just to help me in anything, really. The key thing when I first started was I couldn’t drive so I relied on a lot of them to give me lifts, but there were different aspects as well, they’ve helped me a lot.

“There are too many in there to single one out that has helped me, I feel comfortable talking to any of them and having a chat.”

Given how success has come so readily for one so young, he could be forgiven for getting ahead of himself but there is a constant in the background that will not allow that.

Loughnane said: “My dad has made sure that I stay grounded and don’t get too big for my boots!”

Charlie Fellowes is being encouraged by the Ascot weather forecast ahead of Vadream’s tilt at the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes on Saturday.

Fellowes’ five-year-old, who is owned by Coventry City supremo Doug King, has twice run with credit at the end-of-season showpiece, finishing a respectable fifth in 2021 and then a place further back when sixth behind Kinross 12 months ago.

However, both of those appearances on British Champions Day came on good to soft ground and she is yet to encounter her preferred testing conditions at the meeting.

She was seen thriving with plenty of cut in the ground at the beginning of the current campaign when picking up both the Cammidge Trophy and Palace House Stakes and having tuned up for a third crack at this Group One prize with a pleasing effort in the recent Bengough Stakes, her handler is hoping the weather forecasters have got it right.

“We might be in business,” said Fellowes. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on the forecast and every time I look at it, more rain seems to be coming into it.

“It’s a Group One and a very good Group One as always. But as everyone knows, she is excellent when the ground gets horrible.

“This year she has put in three of her best ever runs and if she does what she did at Ascot (last time) and behaves the way she did before the race and is able to jump out and get a position close to the pace like she did there, then she will go there with as good a chance as she’s ever had because she loves that ground and there are not many horses who are as good as her on that ground.”

Hukum has been retired and will join Darley’s stallion roster at Hokkaido in Japan.

Trained expertly by Owen Burrows, the six-year-old is a full-brother to the brilliant Baaeed, also owned by Shadwell.

The winner of 11 of his 18 races, he won twice at Group One level. Having beaten Pyledriver by over four lengths in the 2022 Coronation Cup, he looked set for a stellar season but unfortunately suffered a career-threatening injury.

Nursed back to health by the Shadwell team and Burrows, he beat last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes before claiming victory in a thrilling King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes over Westover.

Burrows said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to train Hukum over the last four seasons.

“I will forever be in his debt as he has brought my career to a whole new level. His enthusiasm for work and racing made my job easy.

“His win in the Coronation Cup by over four lengths and King George win this year showed off all his fine attributes perfectly. Class, guts and will to win. That race will live long in, not just mine, but many racing fans’ memory for years to come.

“A superb looking and athletic individual, a full-brother to Baaeed, whom I’m sure will be very popular with breeders in Japan.”

Stephen Collins, Shadwell’s European Bloodstock Manager, told www.shadwellstud.com: “Shadwell are delighted that Hukum, a full-brother to Baaeed, the highest-rated turf horse in the last decade, will stand at Darley Japan.

“Hukum has all the attributes to be a hugely successful stallion. A top-class racehorse, possessing a wonderful physique, he hails from one of Shadwell’s most successful families tracing back to the highly influential broodmare Height Of Fashion.

“We are thrilled that Japanese breeders will be able to avail of such a wonderful bloodline that his late HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and his family have developed and maintained at the highest level over the last 40 years.

“Sheikha Hissa and her family very much look forward to following Hukum’s new career very closely and it wouldn’t surprise me if Shadwell were to support him with some high-quality broodmares going forward as he is held in the highest regard by us all.”

A new bonus points system is being introduced to the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup to encourage players and teams to align their style of play and performance targets with the West Indies One-Day International team’s new vision and brand of cricket. Cricket West Indies (CWI) unveiled the addition to the original points allocation of – 4 for a win, 2 for a no result and 0 for a loss.

Under the new structure teams will gain the bonus points for achieving various performance targets at stages during the match. These include runs during the Power plays, wickets during the Powerplays, decreases in ‘dot ball’ percentage, batsmen scoring centuries, bowlers taking five-wicket hauls, and fielders effecting run outs.

This year, the region’s premier List A 50-over tournament will run from Tuesday 17 October to Saturday 11 November with a new eight-team league format followed by Semi-Finals and Finals to determine the 2023 CG United Super50 Cup Champions.

Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket, outlined the reasons behind the additional bonus points and noted that the teams have expressed eagerness and excitement to play with the new points structure.

“The white ball head coach [Daren Sammy] presented to the franchise coaches about the brand of cricket we want to play in the 50-over format going forward and as we build from now towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027. So, our new bonus point system has been built around getting our regional teams to execute that brand. We have identified challenges with strike rotation, as well as other aspects necessary to compete in the modern game. This bonus points system is one way of putting the spotlight on these issues and addressing them directly through these incentives,” Bascombe said.

“By establishing a clear brand of cricket – we bring clarity to the planning and the preparation required for execution on the field – we believe that we will see the teams attempting to play the type of cricket required, which is a start. All that we do at the regional level has to be geared towards improvement and success at the international level.”

Looking ahead to the tournament Bascombe added: “We ensured with the new format every team plays against each other team so that we have a full round-robin and that would mean one additional game for each team. That brings some balance to the tournament before we head to the Final Four Semi-Finals. The teams are happy with this new format and with the additional preliminary game that provides our players more cricket, more opportunity and more exposure.”

The 50-over tournament will officially bowl off in Trinidad on the morning of Tuesday 17 October with the opening match between home side Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) at the Queen’s Park Oval (QPO) at 9am (8am Jamaica). Also on Tuesday, the Guyana Harpy Eagles will face the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in the first televised match at 1pm (12 noon Jamaica).

 The Tournament will feature 31 matches to be played at three venues: the BLCA, the QPO and the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Grounds of the University of the West Indies Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC) at the St. Augustine Campus.

All 13 matches at the BLCA, including the Semi-Finals and Final, will be televised live on ESPN Caribbean, with 12 of those matches being day/night games.

Garth Gayle, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) and Olympian Dr. Una Morris are among four sports personalities conferred with the Order of Distinction during Jamaica’s annual National Honours and Awards held on the lawns of Kings House in Kingston on Monday when the country celebrated National Heroes' Day.

Long-time sports administrator David Mais and many-time national table tennis champion turned coach Sandra Reittie also received awards.

Gayle, a long-serving member of the JAAA, was elected president in November 2020 but has had a long and distinguished career as a sports administrator. The principal of Charlie Mount High School since 2016, Gayle has served as chairman of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics, was a member of World Athletics Technical Committee between 2016 and 2019 and a member of the Organizing Committee of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association.

He was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen for his contribution to sports locally and internationally.

Dr Una Morris, was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for her contribution to the field of sports, especially track and field.

Dr Morris is a retired sprinter, physician, restaurateur, and food caterer.

She represented Jamaica at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. As a teenager she finished fourth in the 200m at the Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. She also won a bronze medal in the 4×100 metres relay at the 1967 Pan American Games and was Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year in 1963 and 1964.

David Mais, a former chairman of the board of the GC Foster College of Sports and Education is a long-time golf administrator and tournament director, was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for his contribution to sports, education and community development.

Reittie, an 11-time national table tennis champion, who now coaches young athletes was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Officer Class) for her contribution to sports, in particular, table tennis and the development of young athletes.

Reittie is a former table tennis coach at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus and has coached at Ardenne High School and Campion College.

One-hundred-and-twenty-six Jamaicans were conferred with national honours during the ceremonies on Monday.

Ahead of the start of the CG United Super50 Cup, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced a major increase in prize money and bonuses for teams participating in the tournament as well as other regional competitions – totaling over US$2.5 million over a four-year period.

With the region’s marquee List A tournament set to bowl off on Tuesday, there is the incentive for the champions to take home a top prize of US$100,000 as well as the Sir Clive Lloyd trophy when they win the grand final on Saturday 11 November under lights at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

The losing finalists will receive US$50,000 while the team that tops the points table in the league phase will also get US$50,000. This is the biggest prize money in the history of the tournament.

Dr Kishore Shallow, President of CWI said: “The aim is to incentivize our cricketers, which will ultimately result in more intense and competitive cricket. We expect this along with other developmental programs will help to close the gap between international cricket and our regional tournaments. These new prize monies represent a significant increase in the reward purse for teams in regional cricket. We firmly believe this will act as a fillip to players’ performances and their pursuit of excellence. This is part of our investment in the game and those who fly the flag on the field.”

The increase also extends to all senior men’s and women’s tournaments. There is a big boost in the West Indies Championship that will be played in the first half of 2024. The champions of this traditional “red ball” four-day, first-class competition will win US$250,000. The second-placed team will receive US$100,000.

There is an increase in winnings for the Women’s CG United Super50 Cup and the T20 Blaze. The winners of the 50-overs will receive US$20,000 next year with a minimum increase of US$10,000 annually over the next 4-year cycle. The runners-up will receive half these amounts.

The T20 Blaze winners will also be rewarded with an increase – US$10,000 for the winners next year - with further increases annually for the upcoming four years. The runners-up will receive half these amounts.

CWI is finalizing a new 4-year MOU with the West Indies Players Association, which will see further increases for individual players, including a major boost to women’s remuneration.

 

For more than two decades, Chris Gayle entertained cricket fans around the world with his phenomenal big-hitting ability.

His hitting prowess has made him widely regarded as the greatest T20 batsman ever, with his numbers dwarfing his closest competitors.

Since 2020, however, the “Universe Boss” has shifted his focus from cricket to another passion of his: music.

Gayle says his desire to pursue a career in music began during the COVID-19 pandemic when UK based artist, Stylo G, approached him to record a remix to his song titled “Too Hot.”

“When I listened back to it I was pleased with the outcome and that’s how it all started,” Gayle told SportsMax.tv.

From there, I recorded more songs until I started my own label named Triple Century Records and built my own recording studio in my house,” he added.

Fast forward to 2023 and Gayle’s album titled ‘Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica-The Asian Edition’ has entered the 2024 Grammy’s under the Reggae Album of the Year category.

“My entire music career has been surreal and being chosen as the headliner and face of the album was a great feeling. Being in the Grammy race for best Reggae Album is exciting because it’s a dream of mine to win a Grammy,” Gayle said.

The album features a number of musical giants such as Lauryn Hill, Morgan Heritage, Capleton and Sizzla to name a few.

The project, as the name suggests, was marketed mainly to Asia, specifically India, which Gayle describes as his second home. The 44-year-old had a phenomenal career in the Indian Premier League (IPL), first representing the Kolkata Knight Riders before donning the colors of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and finally the Punjab Kings. He was inducted into the RCB hall of fame earlier this year.

“India is my second home and cricket is the national sport there. I have many great cricket memories there and I am loved by the Indian people. I have two songs with Indian artists that did really well there with Emiway Bantai and Arko,” he said.

“So, with India being such a huge market and with my popularity there, we decided to merge sports and music fans and market the music there,” Gayle added.

The Jamaican has not limited his sights to just music, however, as he also mentioned a desire to one day be on the big screen in Bollywood.

“I recently came in an Ad campaign for the Cricket World Cup with a major Bollywood actor for Zomato which is a food delivery giant in India. So, I hope to have more roles with Bollywood actors and even act in a Bollywood film soon as well as have my music featured in Bollywood soundtracks,” Gayle said.

Gina Kennedy’s career ambitions have been changed almost overnight after the “game-changing” announcement that squash will finally make its Olympics debut at the 2028 Games.

Squash has been overlooked by the International Olympic Committee at the past three Games, while the sport’s community reacted with incredulity at being ignored in favour of breakdancing for Paris 2024.

But the IOC on Monday green-lit the proposal for squash – alongside cricket, lacrosse, flag football and baseball/softball – to be included on the Olympic schedule at Los Angeles in five years’ time.

Kennedy, the top-ranked British female player in the world, had long ago given up hope this day would come but now that it has, the 26-year-old’s aspirations have been given a welcome shake-up.

She told the PA news agency: “It’s absolutely incredible. When there were rumours flying around last week, it honestly took me by surprise, I had absolutely no idea squash was even being considered.

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up having been in that position before. To wake up today and see that it’s confirmed is a dream come true. I still can’t really believe it because it came out of nowhere.

“I can’t wipe the smile off my face, it’s the best surprise I could have asked for. It’s just such an exciting time, this could be game-changing for us in terms of exposure and everything.

“All my goals are going to completely change now because the Olympics in five years’ time is going to be the number one goal. I’m going to do what I can to keep my body in the best shape.”

Kennedy, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and achieved a career-high of sixth in the world rankings last month, believes hers is a sport that has been on the up in recent years.

But she recognises how much of a boost being included on the Olympic programme will be.

She said: “A lot of squash players have been a bit perplexed as to why it’s not been involved (in the past); it’s perfect for the Olympics, it’s a niche sport, it’s a sport people play across the world.

“We’ve definitely felt hard done by in the past, losing out to a few different sports. Maybe the issue has been with the televising of it, it can be a bit difficult, plus if you don’t play squash then the rules can be quite difficult to understand.

“But it has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years and it’s becoming a great sport for TV. Hopefully now more people will be excited to learn about the rules and everything.

“It’s absolutely going to be the pinnacle of our sport. It’s going to be the biggest opportunity we have to expose the sport to the mainstream.”

Kennedy was brought back down to earth from her Commonwealth triumph at Birmingham 14 months ago – where she became the first Englishwoman to win a singles gold medal in her sport – as a torn hamstring in her first event back was followed by a flare-up of her ulcerative colitis condition.

The inflammatory bowel disease – which affects around one in 200 people in the UK – led to Kennedy being hospitalised and bed bound for months, but she has flourished this year.

She added: “It was a massive learning curve for me because the emotions after such a big win like that was quite difficult to explain and I didn’t give my body adequate time to rest.

“I went straight back into tournament mode and my body just completely shut down on me for months. It was difficult, but now I’ve managed to get it under control.”

Shuwari will be pointed towards the Qipco 1000 Guineas, with Ollie Sangster delighted to have unearthed a Classic contender in his first season in the training ranks.

The daughter of New Bay has been the standout performer of Sangster’s Manton-based string during the early stages of his career and capped a fine juvenile campaign by finishing second to Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

Shuwari fell victim to the winner’s superior stamina in the closing stages of that Group One event but Sangster was more than happy to come so close to registering a first top-table success as attentions turn to next season.

Sangster said: “It was great and we were delighted. If you could have told me at the start of the season that I would have a horse contesting a Group One, let alone finishing second, I would have been thrilled.

“Obviously, we all want to win and to come so close was tough, but she ran fantastically and gives us a lot to look forward to next year.

“I see us being a miler and I suspect the winner will probably end up getting a bit further. I think in the last 50 yards, Shuwari just got outstayed really.

“You dream to have a horse like this any year, so for one to come along now is just great.”

Another trip to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas is now firmly on the radar and having had the honour of being the young handler’s first runner in a Group One, she could be his first in one of racing’s crown jewel events when she returns next spring.

However, her route back to the Rowley Mile is still to be finalised, with Newbury’s Fred Darling looking the most likely destination if an early-season tune-up is required.

Sangster added: “Touch wood she can stay healthy through the winter and the spring and hopefully that (the 1000 Guineas) will be on our agenda.

“She’s not a filly I feel I would need to (run before) and she’s kind of straightforward to train, but if I did, I suspect I would probably go for the Fred Darling.

“Newbury is our local track and she also has the course experience already, so I wouldn’t feel the need to go back to Newmarket probably. But equally she could easily go straight there.”

Sangster is also retaining plenty of faith in Per Contra, who after two eye-catching victories in minor events, finished fifth when upped in class for the Autumn Stakes.

“I thought he ran a nice enough race,” continued the trainer.

“Obviously, it was a big step up in class and completely different tempo to what he has had before. In reality, it was sort of his first proper race and his first two races have been fairly non-events where he has won them straightforward.

“He will have learned a lot and I kind of wish he had just got into the race a bit earlier. James (Doyle, jockey) kind of had the revs up the whole way. He made a nice mid-race move and then he just got tired.

“If he had got a tow into the race, he may have finished a bit closer, but in reality, he ran a nice race and hopefully he will have learned a lot for next season.

“He’s a big horse and a horse for next year. I suspect a mile will be his minimum – a mile, mile and a quarter. He’s a big horse and should do very well from two to three over the winter.”

Officials at Ascot have raised the possibility of the inner track being used on Qipco British Champions Day if the expected rainfall later in the week hits the track.

Conditions are currently described as soft at the Berkshire venue, but following a dry weekend the track is bracing itself with estimates of 15-20mm total rainfall forecast from Wednesday onwards.

If that was to come to fruition, then conditions are envisaged to deteriorate to heavy on the round course, which would bring a switch to the inner hurdles track for races such as the Qipco Champion Stakes into the equation – something which happened in 2019 when sections of the course were waterlogged.

“At the moment, we are soft and we’ve got a couple of fine days forecast today and tomorrow up until Wednesday afternoon and then we’re due to get rain/showers from Wednesday afternoon all the way through to racing,” explained clerk of the course Chris Stickles.

“Around 15-20mm is kind of the predicted amount in total from Wednesday through to Saturday but that could change.

“That would be highly likely to prompt a change to the inner track. The race conditions at the moment state that if heavy features in the going description on the round course, then races will move to the inner track.”

Stickels went on: “So that is potentially on the cards and if we had that volume of rain then I would imagine we would be talking about some heavy ground on the round course and therefore those round course races could move to the inner track.

“Of course, we’re not there yet, we’re only soft ground and we haven’t had any rain since Friday. But if we did get that amount, there is the potential.”

Horizon Dore, Mostahdaf, King Of Steel and last year’s winner Bay Bridge are among 11 horses confirmed for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) are among the recent French-trained winners of the Champions Day highlight – and having extended his winning streak to four in the Prix Dollar, Patrice Cottier’s Horizon Dore bids to add his name to the roll of honour.

The home team is led by John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf, the Roger Varian-trained King Of Steel and Sir Michael Stoute’s defending champion Bay Bridge.

Mostahdaf demonstrated his top-level capabilities by winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International at York during the summer, but connections will be concerned about the prospect of significant rain later in the week for a horse who prefers fast ground.

King Of Steel, last seen finishing a close-up fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes, is set to be partnered by Frankie Dettori for what could be his final ride in Britain before retirement, while Bay Bridge will step back in distance after finishing sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Gosden team have also confirmed Nashwa, while William Haggas has left in both last year’s third My Prospero and the globetrotting Dubai Honour.

Via Sistina (George Boughey), Royal Rhyme (Karl Burke) and Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Point Lonsdale and Paddington are the other acceptors, although the latter is widely expected to line up in the preceding Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile.

Paddington has been one of the stars of the season for Ballydoyle, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes before meeting with defeat for the first time this year when third behind Mostahdaf on the Knavesmire in August.

Among 13 possible rivals this weekend are Dermot Weld’s Irish Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes heroine Tahiyra, Nashwa, her stablemate Inspiral, 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and the supplemented Angel Bleu.

The afternoon gets under way with the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, which is set to stage a mouthwatering clash between Trueshan and Kyprios.

Alan King’s Trueshan has bounced back from an underwhelming start to his campaign by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix du Cadran in the autumn and he now gets the opportunity to land this Group Two prize for the fourth year in succession.

Kyprios won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger in 2022 before registering a remarkable 20-length verdict in the Cadran. He was beaten on his return from nearly a year on the sidelines in the Irish Leger last month, but can be expected to take a significant step forward.

Coltrane is also among 10 hopefuls, but Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami is a notable absentee.

Kinross (Ralph Beckett) and Shaquille (Julie Camacho) are two of 18 speedsters to stand their ground for the Qipco British Champions Sprin.

There are also 18 horses in contention for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes including Free Wind (Gosdens), Time Lock (Harry and Roger Charlton), Sea Silk Road (Haggas) and the doubly engaged Via Sistina. Henry de Bromhead has supplemented Group Three winner Term Of Endearment.

The Balmoral Handicap is the concluding race and Lincoln winner Migration, trained by David Menuisier, is at the head of the weights after 32 horses were confirmed.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has revealed he was not surprised to see Frankie Dettori extend his riding career and is relishing the prospect of locking horns with the Italian again when he relocates to California.

Dettori was due to hang up his saddle following a year-long retirement roadshow which started in America last winter and has taken in far-flung places such as Hungary and Sweden during the height of the European summer.

His last day riding in the UK remains scheduled to be Qipco British Champions Day before taking to the road for the Breeders’ Cup, Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong’s valuable international meeting in December.

However, the 52-year-old has U-turned on his decision to retire completely and will head to America to be based out of Santa Anita, as he was during a successful spell earlier in the year which saw him finish second in their jockey standings.

Having seen first hand how well Dettori was riding and enjoying his time in the US, the man who partnered Justify to Triple Crown glory in 2018 is delighted to see his long-time weighing-room rival return Stateside.

“I chose to ride a little longer and if he has done as well then that’s wonderful,” said Smith.

“He was welcomed here with open arms when he came last time and he was an amazing addition to American racing.

“He came in and adapted well and was winning races left and right and was having a really fun time doing it.

“So I can’t say I am shocked and you could say the writing was on the wall a long time ago maybe.

“I say that just because he was having such a good time here and I thought if you stay healthy and in good shape, which he is, then you can keep riding for a good few more years.”

Dettori has highlighted winning the Kentucky Derby as one of his main ambitions for making the switch to America permanently.

And although admitting it may be a tough ask, Smith – who has partnered two winners of the Run for the Roses – believes there is no reason why Dettori can not stumble across a Churchill Downs candidate while still riding at the peak of his powers.

He added: “Winning the Derby is hard and whether that is winning the Derby here or a Derby in Europe.

“It’s extremely hard, but it can be done and for a rider with his talent, it’s not like you need to get to know him. He’s already proven he rides the dirt every bit as good as he rides the grass and all it takes is one good opportunity on a really good horse – and we all know what a good horse can do for a jockey.”

The 58-year-old Smith is also embracing the chance to ride against his slightly younger rival once again and cannot wait to welcome him back into the US weighing room.

He explains how he understands Dettori’s decision to continue riding, admitting he has no desire to hang up his own saddle while still enjoying the thrill of competition.

“There’s nothing like great competition with great, wonderful people. It makes you rise to the occasion and makes you a better rider yourself. I look forward to him coming,” continued Smith.

“He always brings excitement to the jocks room wherever he goes, he’s fun to have around. It’s going to be great and I’m happy for him. As long as he’s happy and it’s what he wants to do, then I’m all for it.

“At my age, and I’m older than he is, I’m enjoying it every bit now as I did back then.

“I don’t ride as many as I used to, but you can still ride quality and there’s just nothing quite like riding a wonderful horse – and the only way you will get that feeling is to be on one and doing it.

“When you do hang it all up, you will never feel that again, so I’m going to hang on as long as possible myself.”

Both Jamaica and Honduras are on their way to the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals after claiming victories against Haiti and Cuba, respectively, while Suriname staved off relegation by downing Grenada on the final match day of Group B of League A.

Jamaica clinched the top spot in Group B by rallying for a 3-2 victory over Haiti at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica finished in first place with 10 points to book their quarterfinal spot, while Haiti finishes with three points and has been relegated to League B.

It was an ideal start for Haiti, as they grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute through Frantzdy Pierrot, who polished off a quick counterattack with a header into goal off a cross from Fafa Picault.

But Jamaica would strike right back just a few minutes later in the 18th to even the score at 1-1, with Demarai Gray taking advantage of a misplayed clearance from the Haitian defense.

It stayed level going into the second half when things began to tilt in Jamaica’s favor. The Reggae Boyz started to take control and seized a 2-1 lead in the 57th when a cross from Michail Antonio reached the boots of Shamar Nicholson, whose shot squeezed past Haiti’s goalkeeper Jhony Placide for the goal.

Jamaica kept moving forward in search of an insurance score and it dutifully arrived in the 66th thanks to Leon Bailey, who slipped past the Haitian defense onside to receive a free kick and finish past Placide for a 3-1 Jamaica lead.

Haiti refused to give up though, and Pierrot made it a 3-2 affair in the 87th by heading in a corner kick.

But the spoils belonged to Jamaica, as they avoided any stoppage time drama to pocket the victory.

 

Honduras vs. Cuba

In a must-win match for both sides, Honduras topped Cuba 4-0 at the Estadio Nacional Chelato Ucles in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to qualify for the quarterfinals. Honduras finish second in the group with seven points, while Cuba complete their campaign in third-place with five points.

Honduras could not have asked for a better start, as they scored early in the 9th to help settle any nerves, with Denil Maldonado spearing home a header at the far post off a cross from the left flank.

Honduras were flying and quickly it became 2-0 to the home side in the 13th, as a Cuba giveaway led to a quick break and a pass into Antony Lozano, who finished past Cuba’s goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena.

The Catrachos kept their foot on the gas into the second half and stretched the lead to 3-0 in the 67th through Romell Quioto, who calmly converted a penalty after Alberth Elis was fouled in the area during a corner kick.

Honduras then added a late goal for good measure, with Bryan Rochez finishing from inside the area in the 90th to complete the 4-0 score-line.

 

Suriname vs. Grenada

Four first-half goals powered Suriname to their first victory of their CNL campaign in a 4-0 final versus Grenada at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Suriname complete the 2023-24 CNL with five points and have avoided relegation with the win, while Grenada finish with one point and have been relegated to League B.

Djevencio van der Kust opened the scoring for the home side in the 12th minute with a left-footed laser from outside the area to make it 1-0 to Suriname.

The home side kept things rolling and the lead was doubled to 2-0 in the 27th when 2019-20 CNL top scorer Gleofilo Vlijter found the back of the net by turning in a rebound after a Van der Kust shot hit the crossbar.

Suriname stayed on the front foot and the scoreboard read 3-0 in the 35th thanks to Leo Abena, who was able to squeeze a shot in over the line after Grenada goalkeeper Jason Belfon had made a save moments prior.

Suriname then tacked on a fourth in the final moments of the first half, this time via an own goal from Grenada’s Jacob Bedeau, who accidentally deflected a deep Suriname cross into his own net for a 4-0 Suriname lead.

The second half saw Suriname calmly see things out despite a few looks from Grenada to secure the precious victory to keep themselves in League A for another campaign.

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