Law firm Archer Cummings & Co. has described the current Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) board as “unconstitutional.”
The letter, released by the firm on Wednesday, October 24, highlighted the fact that, based on the JFF’s adoption of a new constitution at it’s congress in December 2022, the current board’s term, which began on September 15, 2019, should have ended on September 14 this year.
“As you know, Article 37.6 of the constitution states that the mandate of the President, Vice Presidents, and members of the board of directors shall be four years. As such, it would seem imperative that we now turn our collective attention to calling the needed election. Your mandate and the mandate of the current board and Vice Presidents commenced on the 15th day of September 2019. Naturally, by a simple calculation your four-year term of office constitutionally expired on the 14th day of September 2023. Meaning, the continuation of this administration is now operating ultra vires of your newly minted constitution. The nature of the standing order and said provisions is not discretionary, but indeed mandatory.”
“The requirement for the holding of a congress requires sixty days' notice to its members. The previous congress has already set the place for this congress and all that is remaining is for a date and time to be set. Although article 37.6 states that terms expire at the congress where a successor is elected, the fact that the current administration has gone beyond the mandated four years is disconcerting and warrants explanation.”
“There have been repeated public declarations defining yourself as the most successful president of the JFF and whilst statistics support the ideation of team growth under your administration, we are not convinced that any of your administration's successes warrant a breach of the federation's guiding principles.”
“Therefore, as we are all committed to the integrity and success of the JFF, we urge you and the current board to set the date for the required election, immediately. Any further delay compromises the electoral process by reducing its transparency, democratic protocols and equity for all stakeholders.”
Trainer Neil King was thrilled to see his stable star Lookaway continue his resurgence with an all-the-way victory in the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday.
The six-year-old was an expensive purchase at £170,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, but looked a smart recruit in winning a Huntingdon bumper and a Grade Two at Aintree last year.
It was therefore disappointing he failed to make a major impact on his first three starts of hurdles last season – but having got the show back on the road with a couple of spring wins at Uttoxeter, he was given another opportunity at Grade Two level on his return from a summer break.
Ridden by Jack Quinlan, partnering his first Cheltenham winner, Lookaway was sent straight to the lead from flag-fall and after being challenged from the home turn, he found more in the straight to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths from Kamsinas.
King said: “We were under a severe cloud last season when he wasn’t winning his races.
“He was a very well-handicapped horse coming into this race and it was a tough decision whether to go into a handicap or stay the novice route, but I just felt against we should for time being stay against novices.
“I think he can get up to Grade One level. I’m absolutely over the moon as he has got the most wonderful owner attached to him.”
Idalko Bihoue provided his connections with some compensation following the recent loss of stable star I Like To Move It with a dominant win in the 2023 Thoroughbred Census Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
High-class hurdler I Like To Move It, who like Idalko Bihoue carried the colours of Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepperd, was fatally injured on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter three weeks ago, with trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies describing it as “the worse racing day of my life”.
Idalko Bihoue (5-1) fell on his chasing bow at Warwick, but got his act together with a seven-length success at Prestbury Park under the trainer’s son, Sam.
“That was absolutely lovely. We thought he would do that the first time at Warwick, but he was too keen. He was very sensible around here and he is a really nice horse,” said Twiston-Davies.
“He is very exciting. We can’t go in a big handicap yet as he needs another run. There are very few ordinary novice chase races now so he will probably have to have another novice handicap run then we would have a think.
“This is lovely. I think that was the worst racing day of my life (losing I Like To Move It) and this all helps put it back together again.
“The owners have been very good supporters and they sponsor the yard. It very much makes this victory important.”
Our Champ provided jockey Freddie Gordon with the perfect 18th birthday present in the opening Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
Gordon, riding for his father, Chris, had not previously ridden a winner at Cheltenham and could hardly have broken his duck in more impressive fashion.
Having made a successful debut for the yard at Plumpton last month, the five-year-old was a well-backed 9-2 joint-favourite to follow up and streaked clear up the hill to score by seven and a half lengths.
Gordon said: “This is what dreams are made of coming here on my 18th birthday. My dad has let me have a spin, more for a day out, and then he has gone and done that which is amazing.”
The triumphant trainer hinted the Grade Two Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton in February, which he has previously landed with Highway One O Two in 2020 and Aucunrisque in 2022, could be a target for his latest runaway winner.
He added: “It’s the boy’s 18th today so I got it right for once – that is his 18th birthday present.
“The horse came to us and went to Plumpton and won nicely there and I thought before the handicapper gets hold of him, let’s come here for the owners and he has done it really well.
“He is only a five-year-old and he is still a novice, so I might look at some of those novice graded races as the season goes on – we might have a look at the Dovecote at Kempton.
“I came here pretty confident for me as I’m always pessimistic. I rode him myself the other day in a bit of work against a very good horse in Aucunrisque and they worked extremely well.”
Saturday’s Kameko Futurity Trophy will evoke memories of yesteryear with Godolphin and Coolmore going head-to-head in the final Group One of the season, through Ancient Wisdom and Diego Velazquez.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw endless clashes between the two superpowers, which arguably peaked in the summer of 2001 when Galileo and Fantastic Light served up two treats in the King George and Irish Champion Stakes, winning one each.
Godolphin paid €2,000,000 for Dubawi colt Ancient Wisdom, while Coolmore went to 2,400,000 guineas for Diego Velazquez
It cost connections £17,500 to supplement Autumn Stakes hero Ancient Wisdom into the contest earlier in the week, and Charlie Appleby is confident his youngster can take another step forward from that impressive Newmarket success.
He said: “He won the Emirates Autumn Stakes in good style. He appreciated the ground and step up in trip. He has come out of the race very well and had an easy bit of work at Newmarket on Saturday where he showed his wellness.
“He has obviously done well for the break he had after Ascot, physically he has done very well from then until now.”
He added on the Godolphin website: “He showed at Newmarket that a mile on testing conditions suited him, so he ticks a few boxes in a race where stamina is going to play a part. It’s a competitive field and we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”
With Ryan Moore suspended Aidan O’Brien quickly snapped up the services of James Doyle, who has ridden two Group One winners for the stable this year through Warm Heart.
Speaking on news of his booking for Diego Velazquez, who is a son of Frankel, Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to it.
“We haven’t seen much of him, but the two starts we have done he looks very progressive and warms to the task.
“I don’t think he’s encountered ground like we’ll have so we’ll just have to see.”
Roger Teal saddled Dancing Magic to finish fourth in this race 12 months ago and connections are represented by Dancing Gemini this time around, who takes the step up to Group One company following a taking success at the track in the Flying Scotsman Stakes.
That four-and-a-quarter-length triumph came on soft ground and although not enamoured by the thought of heavy ground for his talented colt, Teal is hoping his agile nature will help him deal with the testing conditions.
“We are very happy with him, he came out of the Flying Scotsman Stakes very well,” said Teal.
“He beat what was in front of him that day and he beat them in style, it was faster than the Group Two the next day. It was a good performance, he did it very convincingly.
“It was pretty soft the day he won at Doncaster. It is not ideal for any horse, I don’t think any trainer would choose the conditions if they could. The way he travels, he is quite light on his feet so hopefully he doesn’t get bogged down too much.”
David Menuisier added a third Group One to his CV when Sunway claimed the Criterium International last weekend and bids to quickly add to his tally with Devil’s Point, who was third in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before racing at Saint-Cloud most recently.
He was not disgraced when an honourable fourth behind Criterium International runner-up Alcantor on that occasion and is one in the line-up set to relish the deep ground.
“He came out of the race at Saint-Cloud really well, the form of the race was franked in Group One Criterium International,” said Menuisier.
“The ground was potentially not quite soft enough for us last time, so I would expect him to improve a few lengths on what he did in the Prix Thomas Bryon and he was an unlucky loser in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before that.
“The horse is top notch and with the softer ground this weekend hopefully he can run a really good race.”
John and Thady Gosden will rely on God’s Window who was likeable winner of a soft-ground maiden during the St Leger Festival and is now upped to the highest level for just his second start.
He will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, who said: “He won his maiden nicely there on pretty soft ground on Leger day so the ground is not a concern.
“He definitely appreciates a cut in the ground but heavy ground is different altogether.
“He gave me a good feel on his debut, I felt when I crossed the line he was only just getting going and he ran all the way to the bottom of the hill.
“Diego Velazquez was impressive last time, Ancient Wisdom was impressive in the Autumn Stakes so it’s a good race, as it should be.”
Less than a length back in second in that contest was Redhot Whisper with his trainer Ben Brookhouse planning this outing ever since finishing third at Leicester on debut.
He said: “He came out of the race at Doncaster in good order, he seems to take to his racing really well.
“We aimed him at this race after running very well in his maiden, which was a very expensive maiden and he was beaten by a very smart horse. He was finishing off nicely that day and was giving away three pounds to the eventual winner.
“His preparation has gone very pleasingly, very straightforward to this point. We think he will see out the trip and will love the ground. We think he is still progressing.”
Deira Mile completes the field on his first start for Owen Burrows.
Officials at Doncaster are hopeful Saturday’s high-profile card will go ahead despite calling a second precautionary inspection for 7.30am.
With the ground already heavy, further overnight rain on Thursday evening left some areas of the track saturated and forced the abandonment of racing on Town Moor on Friday.
An initial 3.30pm precautionary check was announced to assess the prospects for Saturday’s card, due to feature the Kameko Futurity Trophy – the final Group One of the British season.
With his team having spent much of Friday moving rails to avoid the worst of the ground, clerk of the course Paul Barker is hopeful that he will be able to give racing the go-ahead on Saturday morning.
He said: “The picture is a lot more positive than this morning. We have had 1.4mm of rain today, but it’s been a brighter afternoon and we have a little bit of breeze as well.
“The precautionary inspection is there really because the forecasters haven’t been great to us in the last three or four days and we just want to make sure everyone is happy in the morning.
“We’ve moved a mile of rail on the home straight to avoid the area that was a challenge this morning. It’s been a great effort by the ground staff to take out that problem and the rest of the ground, at the moment, is OK.
“Fingers crossed we get here in the morning, the rain gauge is empty and we’re good to go.”
Saturday’s meeting at Newbury has already been called off due to a waterlogged track.
With Friday’s fixture cancelled on Thursday, an inspection was called for 2pm on Friday ahead of Saturday’s meeting but clerk of the course George Hill was able to make an early call after a further four millimetres of rain.
“The weather at this time of year means it’s either overcast or even if the sun comes out for a bit, like yesterday, it’s only up for about five hours,” said Hill.
“Our back straight remained in the shade so it’s very difficult. All the racecourses are suffering.
“We walked it this morning and it had improved a little but not enough and then we got another 4mm on top, so unfortunately it was an easy decision to bring the inspection forward.”
Newbury’s Saturday card was set to feature two Group Threes, the BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes and the BetVictor St Simon Stakes, as well as the Listed Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Stakes.
The British Horseracing Authority has announced both the Horris Hill and the St Simon Stakes will be rescheduled to Newmarket’s two-day meeting next week, with original entries for both races cancelled and entries for the replacement racing closing at noon on Tuesday, October 31.
My Mate Mozzie and Encanto Bruno both breezed to victory to provide trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Keith Donoghue with a double on the opening day of the new season at Cheltenham.
Having won a Grade Three over hurdles, as well as being narrowly beaten in the Grade One Royal Bond two years ago and in the Galway Hurdle this summer, My Mate Mozzie’s ability was not in question ahead of the squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase.
However, he has on occasion been a weak finisher, including when beaten by 50-1 shot The Big Chap at cramped odds on his debut over fences at Fairyhouse three weeks ago.
Despite the doubts, My Mate Mozzie was a 4-7 favourite to reward those who kept the faith with victory and ultimately got the job done with consummate ease.
French recruit Jetronic took the field along for much of the two-mile contest on his British debut for Paul Nicholls, with Al Zaraqaan his nearest pursuer and My Mate Mozzie settled third of the four runners in the hands of Keith Donoghue.
Jetronic and Al Zaraqaan were both still in there pitching approaching the last, but My Mate Mozzie threaded between the pair under a motionless Donoghue and got up to beat the former by three lengths.
Coral make My Mate Mozzie a 33-1 shot for the Arkle Trophy at the Festival in March.
Cromwell said: “It was good. He jumped out a little bit to his right, and he made a couple of little novicey mistakes, but I’m happy with the result anyway.
“He arrives in all of his races travelling very well, and he has got beaten odds-on in running trading very short on a few occasions, but thankfully he didn’t today.
“On ratings he should have won at Fairyhouse no matter what way you rode him, but I think he really needs to be ridden to arrive late on and he probably only just barely sees out the two miles.”
Cromwell will consider a return to Cheltenham for the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial on November 17, but future plans are ground dependent.
He added: “He could possibly come back here for the Arkle Trial next month, but it will all be ground permitting. I don’t think you would run him on ground that’s too soft. We will give him a little break in the middle of the season then bring him back in the spring.
“He will have to get another bit of experience along the way somewhere and step forward plenty from that to be competitive at the Cheltenham Festival, but we wouldn’t rule it out.”
Encanto Bruno won in similarly dominant style on his debut for the Cromwell team in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle.
The five-year-old won a bumper at this meeting last year for John McConnell before going on to contest the Champion Bumper and returned to the Cotswolds as the 11-4 favourite, despite being pulled up on his most recent appearance at Galway.
Encanto Bruno cruised into contention under an ice-cool Donoghue before kicking two lengths clear of Gordon Elliott’s Mel Monroe, with the Henry de Bromhead-trained Tag Man making an Irish one-two-three.
Cromwell added: “He was keen quite early, and he jumped a few of them quite big, but he travelled very strongly and won very well.
“Although he goes quite well at home I’d say he is a far better racehorse than he is a workhorse, which is always the way you like to have it. I’m delighted with that, and it was a good performance.
“He is a pretty straightforward horse and I’m delighted to have him. It was one of those runs (when he pulled up the last day) that you leave behind you as there was something amiss and I wouldn’t read into that.
“He is versatile, as he has won over two and a half miles today, and although he doesn’t show much pace at home he could certainly come back to two miles as he was quite keen at home.
“He is a lovely horse to look forward to. I think he will be a lovely horse when he jumps a fence too.
“We will go away and have a think about it and have chat with the owners and Keith (as to what we do next).
“I don’t think he would like deep Irish winter ground so he would be more for the spring.”
Betfair left Encanto Bruno unchanged at 25-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and 33-1 for the Ballymore.
Cromwell added: “We will have to look at a better race next and when life gets harder that’s when we will see how good he is.”
Auguste Rodin is firmly on course for what is shaping up to be a top-class edition of the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The dual Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner has enjoyed a break since his victory at Leopardstown, with Aidan O’Brien reporting the Deep Impact colt in good heart ahead of his date at Santa Anita on Saturday week.
The mile-and-a-half contest is also the destination for Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf, as well as Champion Stakes victor King Of Steel.
Speaking on a Breeders’ Cup teleconference, O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with him, everything has gone well. He’s had a nice long lead up into this race and it’s a race we always thought would really suit since the last day.
“Obviously Leopardstown is a flat, left-handed track and we thought and hoped it would set him up nicely for the Breeders’ Cup given we’ve had our eye on it all year. Hopefully everything goes well for the next few days.”
Despite disappointing in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day, Paddington, a multiple Group One winner this season, is heading for the Mile.
“Paddington has had a very busy season, he turned up time after time and he wasn’t having a big break between them but he kept producing in all the top races,” said O’Brien.
“He went from the Irish Guineas and on from there. The last day at Ascot he was just a bit fresh and ran too keen in very deep, heavy ground and Ryan (Moore) just looked after him so it was one of those races you could put a line through.
“He seems to have come out of the race very well, he’s fast, he’s tough he’s hardy and tactical as well so we’re looking forward to him.”
The Ballydoyle handler will be well represented in California, with Cherry Blossom and Pearls And Rubies in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Content (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Johannes Brahms (Juvenile/Juvenile Turf), Mountain Bear (Juvenile Turf), River Tiber (Juvenile Turf), Unquestionable (Juvenile Turf), Warm Heart (Filly & Mare Turf), Bolshoi Ballet (Turf), Broome (Turf) and Aesop’s Fables (Turf Sprint) all nominated.
One who will not be travelling, however, is 1000 Guineas fancy Opera Singer, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.
“Opera Singer had a busy enough season here,” explained O’Brien.
“After her last piece of work she worked very well but was a little bit quiet after it. The season was long here. We just felt to be fair to her, with a few to next year, it was the best thing to do not to ask her to travel.”
Flooring Porter is the star attraction at Cheltenham on Saturday as the dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner returns to the Cotswolds to make his debut over fences.
Gavin Cromwell’s stable star produced two tremendous front-running performances to lift the three-mile hurdling crown in 2021 and 2022, but could finish only fourth when bidding for the hat-trick in March.
The eight-year-old subsequently finished third at Aintree before failing to make an impact in the French Champion Hurdle, and Cromwell feels the time has come to switch to the larger obstacles.
“He’s jumped well at home so hopefully he can transfer that to the track,” he said.
“He was running well last season, but he didn’t win at all and we just thought he still had a bit of time on his side and he can always go back (over hurdles) if it doesn’t work out for him over fences.”
Flooring Porter will be a warm order to dispatch of three rivals in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Novices’ Chase, with Henry de Bromhead’s Toss Again and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained pair of Weveallbeencaught and Broadway Boy taking him on.
Cromwell added: “It’s a small field, but it’s not a bad race and while I won’t say he has to put his best foot forward, he’ll have to be doing things right to be winning.”
Proceedings get under way with the £60,000 Epic Value At William Hill Handicap Chase, in which Laura Morgan saddles the top-weight Notlongtillmay.
The seven-year-old enjoyed an excellent novice campaign over fences last term, winning his first three races before finishing second to Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Other contenders for the two-mile contest include Gary Moore’s Haddex Des Obeaux, Emma Lavelle’s Red Rookie and course-and-distance winner Before Midnight, who made an encouraging debut for Fergal O’Brien when fourth over hurdles at Chepstow a fortnight ago.
“I was very impressed with him at Chepstow – I didn’t expect him to run as well as he did,” said O’Brien.
“He does have form on soft and heavy ground from a long time ago, but I expected him to need it a bit, maybe finish fifth or sixth and come on for the run, but he was actually bang there turning in.
“He probably ended up having a harder race than we hoped for, but he’s come out of that very well, he seems very well in himself and Ben Sutton came in and schooled him on Thursday morning and he jumped very well, so we’ll take our chance.”
Tiger Roll (2014), Sceau Royal (2016), I Like To Move It (2021) and Pied Piper (2022) are among the recent winners of the Masterson Holdings Hurdle and another intriguing renewal looks in store.
Blueking D’Oroux and Spirit D’Aunou are the top two in the market for Paul Nicholls and Gary Moore respectively, while Lucinda Russell sends recent Kelso scorer Bois Guillbert from Scotland.
She said: “He took in those junior hurdles last year which are a great initiative and it taught him so much. He won two of them, he ended up with a mark of 116 and he’s won off that mark at Kelso this season, so they’re being realistic about their marks.
“He’s still a novice, which is great, and we’re running him in a four-year-old conditions race here. It’s a huge step up in grade, but I think it’s worthwhile doing that with him and it will give us an idea about what we do next.”
Last year’s winner Lord Accord bids for back-to-back victories in the Epic Jumps Season At William Hill Handicap Chase, while Noel Meade’s Bugs Moran, the Willie Mullins-trained We’llhavewan and Ringdufferin and Gortmillish from Gordon Elliott’s yard lead a strong Irish contingent in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.
Cromwell houses the hot favourite for the William Hill Epic Weekend Free Bet Novices’ Hurdle in Antrim Coast, who impressed when opening his account over obstacles at Punchestown last time out.
Cromwell said: “He’s a nice horse and he put up a nice performance in Punchestown the last day.
“Obviously we’re stepping up a bit further in trip, but we’re chasing a bit of nice ground and if he takes a step forward, he definitely has a good chance.”
The Cheltenham & South West Racing Club Open National Hunt Flat Race brings the Showcase meeting to a close and there are plenty of interesting protagonists, including Kim Bailey’s Huntingdon scorer The Kemble Brewery, Ben Brookhouse’s point-to-point recruit Martin Plage and Mullins-trained newcomer Catch Yourself On.
Saturday’s meeting at Newbury has been called off due to a waterlogged track.
The card was set to feature two Group Threes, the BetVictor Horris Hill Stakes and the BetVictor St Simon Stakes, as well as the Listed Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Stakes.
With Friday’s fixture cancelled on Thursday, an inspection was called for 2pm on Friday ahead of Saturday’s meeting but clerk of the course George Hill was able to make an early call after a further four millimetres of rain.
“The weather at this time of year means it’s either overcast or even if the sun comes out for a bit, like yesterday, it’s only up for about five hours,” said Hill.
“Our back straight remained in the shade so it’s very difficult. All the racecourses are suffering.
“We walked it this morning and it had improved a little but not enough and then we got another 4mm on top, so unfortunately it was an easy decision to bring the inspection forward.
“The only positive of it is the jumps track will be enjoying this weather.
“We’re not looking at rescheduling the Group races, obviously our Flat season has come to an end, it’s late in the season for us.”
Saturday’s fixture at Doncaster will need to pass a 3.30pm precautionary check after Friday’s action was called off.
A total of 2.3mm of overnight rain on Town Moor has left some areas of already heavy ground saturated, forcing the cancellation of the seven-race card.
The track is due to stage the Kameko Futurity Trophy – the final Group One of the British season – on Saturday and clerk of the course Paul Barker is optimistic on the chances of that meeting going ahead.
He said: “Unfortunately we have had overnight rain which has caused the abandonment of today’s card.
“We are just looking at some rail movements to cover the affected areas and once we have done that, if the forecast is right, we would be pretty confident about tomorrow.”
Lucinda Russell is readying two of her stable stars for next week’s bet365 Charlie Hall meeting at Wetherby, with Ahoy Senor and Apple Away both in line to make an appearance in West Yorkshire.
Ahoy Senor disappointed in the Charlie Hall Chase itself last season, but will be given the option of contesting the Grade Two feature once again, with the bet365 Hurdle being considered as a possible alternative.
The eight-year-old went on to prove his worth in the second half of the last campaign, winning the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and signing off with a runner-up finish behind Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl.
“Ahoy Senor is getting himself ready for Wetherby, that’s the plan,” said Russell.
“He might get an entry in both races (Charlie Hall and bet365 Hurdle). We’ll see how he goes this weekend and that’ll give us a better idea.”
Apple Away won four of her seven starts over hurdles for William Hill ambassador Russell last season, including a Grade One victory in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring.
The six-year-old is set to embark on a novice chasing campaign this season and with connections having decided against a trip to Cheltenham, she could instead head to turn out next week.
Russell added: “She’s in good form and she might go to Wetherby.
“She’s been schooling really well, but it a combination of things led to us deciding against going to Cheltenham this weekend and we felt we’d try to find something a little bit quieter.”
Friday’s fixture at Doncaster has been called off following a morning inspection.
A total of 2.3 millimetres of overnight rain on Town Moor has left some areas of already heavy ground saturated, forcing the cancellation of the seven-race card.
The track is due to stage the Kameko Futurity Trophy – the final Group One of the British season – on Saturday and clerk of the course Paul Barker is optimistic on the chances of that meeting going ahead.
He said: “Unfortunately we have had overnight rain which has caused the abandonment of today’s card.
“We are just looking at some rail movements to cover the affected areas and once we have done that, if the forecast is right, we would be pretty confident about tomorrow.”
A superb all-round performance from Yanic Cariah inspired Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to a three-wicket victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their CG United Insurance Super50 Cup encounter at the Brian Lara Academy on Thursday.
Cariah took five wickets in the Leewards’ innings of 198 and then scored an unbeaten 45 as Trinidad and Tobago reached their target of 199 for the loss of seven wickets but with 26 balls to spare.
Batting first, Leewards got solid starts from their openers Kieran Powell and Justin Greaves. Powell would make 75 from just 48 balls with five fours and six sixes while Greaves compiled 58 from 71 balls. However, it would all fall apart soon thereafter.
Cariah dismissed both openers and the rest of the batting offered little resistance. Jahmar Hamilton (18) and Hayden Walsh Jr (15) were the only other batters in double figures as Cariah finished with the admirable figures of 5-48 from his 10 overs.
Sunil Narine took 3-30 while Terrance Hinds claimed 2-24 from his four overs as Leewards collapsed to 198 all out in 37.2 overs.
Trinidad lost three wickets early to the bowling of Alzarri Joseph, who took 3-45 and when Kofi James dismissed Kjorn Ottley for nine, Trinidad were in a spot of bother. However, Jason Mohammed helped cauterize the rot with 41, despite Walsh’s bowling efforts which saw him take 3-32.
Cariah’s patient knock of 45 not out from 102 balls put Trinidad back on a path to victory and he got help from Hinds, who scored a solid 21 and Narine who smashed 33 from just 16 balls to get the Red Force over the line in 45.4 overs.
A member of the ground staff at Carlisle avoided serious injury in a nasty incident at the start of the seventh race on Thursday.
The man jogged across in front of the tape, but was still in the process of leaving the track when the tapes went up and was immediately knocked over as the runners set off, sent tumbling across the ground as the field galloped on.
A report from the stewards read: “An inquiry was held to consider the circumstances as to why a member of the ground staff had crossed the track at the start as the race was started resulting in his being knocked over by Euchan Falls.
“The clerk of the course, the member of ground staff, the starters and Gavin Sheehan, the rider of Euchan Falls, unplaced, were interviewed.
“Having heard their evidence and having reviewed video recording of the incident, the matter was forwarded to the head office of the British Horseracing Authority for further consideration.”
On a dramatic afternoon of National Hunt action, jockey Daire Davis was banned for 21 days at Ludlow for improper riding.
Daire was leading on Faha Belle in the fifth race of the day, but in moving right-handed – and about to take the wrong course – he clipped heels with Von Hallers who unseated David Bass. Daire corrected his mount to take the correct course, but in doing so ran into a group of other runners with his mount falling having gone through the rail.
Daire himself crashed into the Tom Bellamy-ridden Kit’s Coty, leading to Bellamy unseating.
Officials at Doncaster will carry out a precautionary inspection at 7:30am ahead of Friday’s meeting due to the threat of further rain.
Conditions on Town Moor are described as heavy but raceable ahead of what is scheduled to be a two-day fixture, with Saturday’s card due to feature the Group One Kameko Futurity Trophy.
Doncaster’s clerk of the course Paul Barker admits any rainfall over the next 24 hours would be problematic with Friday’s racing in mind.
He said late on Thursday afternoon: “We’ve had more rain than was forecast initially this morning. We’re OK at the moment, just, so it’s a case of what tonight brings us and tomorrow morning really.
“Some of the forecasters are saying we might get some more rain tonight, which we wouldn’t really want, and tonight is going to be a foggy, damp evening whatever happens. We won’t necessarily get a lot of rain, but it won’t dry anywhere.
“We don’t really want any more rain in any way, shape or form as we’re nearly as capacity.”
Assessing the prospects of Saturday’s high-profile meeting going ahead, Barker added: “The forecast after tonight’s threat of showers is relatively dry, although they did tell me that this morning and we got more rain than we were expecting today.
“It’s a bit more misty and foggy than wet. If it stays dry, with the time we’ve got before we race on Saturday, I’d be hopeful we could be in a better place.
“We could be here in the morning and be good to go on Friday and no problems for Saturday, but we just felt to be fair to everyone we’d hold a precautionary inspection.”
Friday’s meeting at Newbury has already been called off, with Saturday’s card also under threat due to a waterlogged track.
The Berkshire venue had 13 millimetres of rain on Wednesday and a further 3.8mm overnight on already heavy ground, leaving some areas of the course unraceable ahead of Friday’s fixture.
Saturday’s card is due to feature two Group Three contests in the BetVictor Horris Hill and St Simon Stakes, plus the Listed Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Stakes which is better known as the Radley.
However, the track must pass a 2pm inspection on Friday if the meeting is to go ahead.
Guyana moved to the summit of Group A, while Martinique earned their first victory, as the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifiers resumed with three League B encounters on Wednesday.
Dominica also earned their first point of the season with a draw against Antigua and Barbuda. Four goalkeepers came away with a clean sheet, as stout-heart defending was the order of the third matchday.
Dominica vs. Antigua and Barbuda
Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda played to a scoreless draw at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia.
The visitors were nearly off to a dream start in the fifth as a cross into the box was on its way into goal from Kevoncia James, but Dominica goalkeeper Celia Gregoire grasped the ball to deny the opportunity.
James set up another dangerous opportunity in the 12th, but Donesha Samuel did not get her preferred hit on the ball to keep the scoreline level.
Antigua and Barbuda goalkeeper Anik Jarvis left her line well in the 27th to deny Le-Myah Forde in a one-on-one situation. A minute later, Jarvis delivered back-to-back saves as Dominica could taste the lead.
Ajahna Martin then tested Gregoire from a distance in the 54th but the goalkeepers continued to star into the second half.
Jarvis registered 10 saves and the clean sheet to help Dominica earn its first point of the tournament. Gregoire ended the day with six saves to help Antigua and Barbuda gain an away point and stay within striking distance of first place.
Suriname vs. Guyana
Guyana earned a 1-0 victory over Suriname to move to the top of Group A at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium in Paramaribo.
Both goalkeepers were asked to make timely saves early on. Suriname's Mayra Tjin A Koeng made one of her three critical saves in the 18th, as Stefanie Kouzas looked primed to score from a through ball.
On the other end, Chante Sandiford got her hands to divert a dangerous attempt in the 29th, in what was one of her four saves on the night.
Shanice Alferd broke through for the only goal of the night in the 41st by connecting with a cross into the box from Jalade Trim.
Suriname’s attacking front tried desperately to get the elusive equaliser in the second half, as Andaya Lantveld had one of her team’s best opportunities in the 55th. But Sandiford provided little room to work with and the woodwork did the rest.
The encounter was decided by small margins as Guyana and Suriname have now switched places in the standing, separated by goal difference.
Martinique vs. Nicaragua
Martinique registered their first victory of the tournament with a 1-0 result over Nicaragua at the Pierre-Aliker Municipal Stadium in Fort-de-France.
Maeva Salomon struck from distance in the opening minute of play and forced Nicaragua's goalkeeper Angela Gutierrez to get a hand on the ball which bounced off the woodwork.
Mylaine Tarrieu continued the menacing start from Martinique with an attempt in the 11th that went just wide of the mark.
Nicaragua’s Nuria Marquez dribbled into the box in the 28th, but her final touch was deflected by the outstretched leg of Emmeline Mainguy.
Ludmila Gaydu pounced inside the box for the opening goal in the 43rd, taking advantage of Gutierrez diving to punch away another attempt a few seconds prior.
Salomon continued to threaten with attempts on goal and service to her teammates, with a 68th-minute attempt from distance that went just wide.
Nicaragua never gave up searching for the equaliser as Niurka Molina had opportunities on goal in the 87th and 90th, but Mainguy maintained the clean sheet.
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