Shaquille’s participation on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot may rest on how he comes through a racecourse gallop next week.
Julie Camacho’s Commonwealth and July Cup winner ran no sort of a race when last seen in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, a performance which still has connections scratching their heads.
Having missed the break badly in both his Group One wins, he broke on terms on Merseyside only to be beaten by halfway.
Nothing has subsequently come to light, but should he continue to please on the gallops, then October 21 is likely to have a ring around it on the calendar.
“He’s fine, we’re just taking it one step at a time,” said Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant.
“He worked on Saturday and we were pleased with him, he’ll work again this week and the following week we’ll go away and have a racecourse gallop somewhere.
“Nothing is decided yet, that will be just to take him to a different environment and see how he handles it and to get him back on a racecourse, get the blood flowing a little bit and then we’ll see from there.”
Reflecting on Haydock, Brown added: “It’s disappointing that we haven’t found an absolute reason that he was so below form at Haydock but as I always say, sometimes you just don’t have an answer. We might like to think we do, but sometimes we just don’t.
“I’ve slightly taken the view that it was just too bad to be true unfortunately. Whilst we were all devastated on the day, the only thing we can do is regroup and look forward.”
Shaquille is one of 23 remaining in contention for the British Champions Sprint, for which last year’s winner Kinross is ante-post favourite following his near-miss in France on Sunday.
In the Champion Stakes, the progressive Horizon Dore heads the market with Coral with Bay Bridge, King Of Steel and Mostahdaf among the 16 contenders.
Paddington and Tahiyra headline 18 in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with Free Wind, Time Lock and Via Sistina among 26 possibles in the Fillies & Mares.
Trueshan, Kyprios, Courage Mon Ami and Coltrane are all still among 17 in the Long Distance Cup.
Shouldvebeenaring’s owners were delighted after they saw their late entry for the Prix de la Foret pay off with a gallant run at ParisLongchamp, but they could now face a similar conundrum with regards to Qipco British Champions Day.
The Richard Hannon-trained grey was supplemented for the French Group One after the ground, which is usually soft in Paris in autumn, turned out to be rather quicker than expected.
Ridden by Sean Levey, the colt held his own at the level once again, finishing third behind Kelina and Kinross in a field of 14 to justify the decision to add him to the line-up.
“Vindicated and relief are the two words that spring to mind! Spending €25,000 to go in comes with a little bit of pressure, so to see him run so well, we were absolutely thrilled,” said Tim Palin of owners Middleham Park Racing.
“Every day as the week went on it was drying up and then they were breaking track records, we knew it would play into his hands because he is best on the top of the ground.
“It was a great ride from Sean and there was a thrilling moment there when you thought he was coming to win, but of course the two class acts were just a length or two in front of him.
“For all that we got there, we couldn’t quite go past but to even finish in the same postcode as Kinross is a real feather in our horse’s cap, a real testament to his tenacity and his durability.
“He’s danced pretty much every dance this year, there’s only one month that he’s not run in this year.
“I think one of the beauties of him is the way that he switches off in his races and the way that Sean rides, it just means that he only ever has to sprint for two furlongs in his races. He’s not a make-all, eyeballs-out horse who is on the speed and in the thick of it from start to finish.”
The gamble also paid off financially as his prize-money well exceeded his supplementary fee, and similar calculations could now justify another late entry – this time for the British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.
Again the ground will prove pivotal with quick going preferred, meaning connections will keep a keen eye on the weather forecast as they weigh-up the Ascot race with the Challenge Stakes at Newmarket just over a week beforehand.
Palin said: “There’s a couple of options – he is in the Challenge Stakes, a week on Friday, the Group Two, that’s seven furlongs at Newmarket and he’d probably go there with a favourite’s chance. We’ll have to talk to Richard and Sean and give him a breeze next week to see if he’s over his exertions.
“That would be on the agenda, but that’s only about eight days before the Champions Sprint at Ascot. We’d need to look at the weather forecast to see whether we’d dare wait another week for the rain not to arrive or the heavens not to open.
“He’s not in there, realistically because at the time of entry you’re assuming it’s going to be soft or heavy ground. A bit like the Foret, he was never in that, we took the decision to wait and supplement and of course it paid off.
“Being second at Haydock in the Sprint Cup meant that he earned £91,000, so that gave us a little bit of financial wiggle room to be able to play the supplementary game. It cost €25,000 to go in the other day and he earned €40,000, so there’s plenty of money in the kitty if we need to supplement for that.
“The weather gods might shine on us, literally, in that week coming up to it but we’ll have to make a decision before we truly know – declarations for the Challenge Stakes will be on the Wednesday and it’s another 10 days to the Champions Sprint.
“It’s going to be a precarious weather watch to see which way we go.”
Danny Care believes hybrid contracts would be beneficial to English rugby if they succeed in keeping the nation’s stars in a financially viable Gallagher Premiership.
The Rugby Football Union and Premiership Rugby are at an advanced stage of negotiations to introduce an arrangement that would give England head coach Steve Borthwick greater control over a reported 20 members of his squad.
Apart from allowing Borthwick a say in how a player is managed and conditioned while on Premiership duty, the watered down form of central contracts would help clubs retain their England internationals in the face of the higher wages on offer overseas.
Extending Twickenham’s influence in this way would be a significant adjustment to the way the club-country partnership has worked since professionalism was introduced in 1995 – and Care can see the advantages.
“Is there one available for me?! Not sure I’ll see one!” scrum-half Care, 36, said from England’s World Cup camp in Le Touquet.
“We want to see English players playing in England, I’m definitely right in saying that.
“England need to have their best players in England and if there are ways that we can do it, which might help the club game and help the clubs be more sustainable, then I think the players would be on board with that. Hopefully that can be sorted.”
Borthwick is the driving force behind the plan to establish hybrid contracts as he looks to revive England’s fortunes.
Care insists elements of the plan that would form part of the new professional game agreement, such as joined up conditioning programmes and player development, began soon after he replaced Eddie Jones in December.
“Steve and the coaches are doing that already behind the scenes and they have been doing it since Steve took over the job,” Care said.
“If there was more structure to it that might help everyone but I know Steve is working hard behind the scenes to make sure the clubs are aligned and do the best thing for the players. The wheels are already in motion for that.”
The financial crisis gripping the English game has resulted in Wasps, Worcester and London Irish going out of business in the Premiership and Championship title holders Jersey Reds collapsing in the tier below.
While catastrophic for everyone directly affected, it has also presented the opportunity for the top flight to be restructured in a way that provides some benefits.
“With the club game going down to 10 teams it’s automatically going to be less games for the lads,” Care said.
“I’ve always pushed and been an advocate for Premiership games not to be played during the Six Nations window. Fans, clubs and everyone wants that.
“You want your best players playing and clubs want to have their best players available which helps everything in terms of TV revenue and fans coming to the stadium.
“Fans want to see Owen Farrell playing for Saracens as many times as he can. If there are ways and structures to do that, then I am all for them.
“I’ve said a few times that there are a lot clever, smarter people than me hopefully working on these decisions. Hopefully they get it right and the game in England can flourish.”
Luca Cumani, the man credited with launching the career of Frankie Dettori, has pinpointed a defining moment for his fellow Italian which he believes was key in helping him reach the top of the tree.
Dettori was just beginning to make a name for himself in the UK having replaced Ray Cochrane as Cumani’s stable jockey.
However, the young rider had decided to accept an offer to ride in Hong Kong at the start of 1993, without consulting Cumani, sending his boss into a tailspin.
“That was a major turning point in my life, in his life and it still causes me great sadness what happened then,” Cumani told OLBG.
“He had been riding for a year or two as my number one jockey and in those days, there was no all-weather in the winter and then after the November Handicap, jockeys would disappear off the face of the earth.
“They would go on holiday, go and ride in America, Australia, Hong Kong, wherever. I remember about January or February I was getting calls from the press asking if it was true that Frankie had signed to race in Hong Kong.
“It took me totally by surprise, I said I couldn’t believe it and said he wouldn’t be doing something like that at all. But it carried on, the press ringing up all the time and I kept saying it wasn’t true but I couldn’t get hold of him. We didn’t have mobile phones, I didn’t know where he was.
“Come the middle of February, there is a knock on my door and Frankie walks in with a big grin, we hug, we go and sit down and he says ‘I am going to ride in Hong Kong’. I felt the blood just drain from my body, completely. I couldn’t believe it.”
Cumani went on: “Here was this great talent, who had everything in front of him, being a big-name jockey in Europe and throughout the world in time, was going off to go and ride in what – at the time – was a bit of a backwater racing nation, Hong Kong.
“I tried to dissuade him, we spoke for hours and hours and he was determined and said he was going, and then I lost my cool. I said to him ‘If you don’t change your mind then I will never speak to you again’. I was so angry. So we left on very bad terms.”
However, Dettori never did get to Hong Kong as he had planned, after receiving a caution for possession of a small amount of cocaine.
Cumani believes that course of events was a major turning point in Dettori becoming one of the most famed riders of all time.
He explained: “But then, Frankie has always been a very lucky person. He was lucky to come to England and then he went to an Arsenal game, because he was an Arsenal fan, with some friends and luck – or bad luck – would have it his car got stopped by the police and they found a minute amount of cocaine in the car.
“It hit the news and that got to Hong Kong, and they cancelled his contract straight away. That was the biggest stroke of luck for Frankie. If he had gone to Hong Kong then we would never have known Frankie as we do now.
“Unfortunately, by then we had burned our bridges and so he had to start from scratch again. He got lucky that John Gosden hadn’t been in the country long and didn’t have a jockey at the time, they started linking up and it took off from there and then on to Godolphin and the rest of the story.”
He added: “He and I probably didn’t talk for possibly a year or two and then, one day, he came to see me. He knocked on my door, it was pouring with rain, with a grin he said ‘Can I come in?’ and I said ‘No, you can stay out there and get soaking wet’. It broke the ice and then we started talking again, riding for me on occasions when he was available and we won some big races together, not enough, but big races like the Breeders’ Cup and Japan Cup.”
Dettori will bring his career to a close at the end of this year, although his former mentor believes he could have carried for a few years yet at the very top.
Cumani said: “I was very disappointed when he announced that he was retiring this year because he has been riding so well. In the spring whenever he was winning a big race I would always text him saying ‘What the hell are you doing retiring? You’re better than ever’ and he would come back and say it was decided. It just made me wonder why? He could have two or three more years. Look at Mike Smith in America, he is 56 and is still riding and is at the top of his game.
“I have tried to persuade him not to retire but I can see why, it comes to all of us and we move on to greener pastures. His last year has been fantastic, I am so glad for him and now I am resigned to the fact he is retiring, so he tells me, so all that is left is to applaud his career.
“Everybody can change their mind, Frankie could, but I think there isn’t a cut-off point where he stops riding altogether. I think when he goes to the States for the Breeders’ Cup, he could stay there for the winter and see how far he goes.”
Live In The Dream has been making himself at home in America as he prepares to take on the Woodford Stakes en route to his Breeders’ Cup target.
The chestnut gave connections an unforgettable day when landing the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, a victory that earned him a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November.
In preparation West has flown the four-year-old out to the States to contest the Woodford at Keeneland on Saturday, a five-and-a-half-furlong event worth the equivalent for £175,000 to the winner.
West reports Live In The Dream to have fared well following the journey, as he prepares to do his first piece of work on the turf ahead of the weekend.
“He’s very well, he’s out of quarantine and he took the travelling very well,” he said on Tuesday.
“You can’t do too much in quarantine, he had a little canter on the track for the first time yesterday and he’s breezing on the grass today, then it’ll be a light blow with Sean Kirrane on Thursday.
“We got the draw last night and we’re very excited to be drawn in stall two, which I think will be helpful. There are some good horses in it but Caravel hasn’t declared which is a bit of a relief.
“We should know what our sectionals are and how our form holds up in real life against the Americans on Saturday.”
Though the Woodford is clearly a prize worth winning, the bigger picture is the Breeders’ Cup, and West has been focusing on the meeting since the horse crossed the line on the Knavesmire.
“He was pretty much ready and raring to go before he went out there, as much as I want to win this race I also want to see him bang on for the Breeders’ Cup,” said West.
“I’ll be flying out with the jockey tomorrow and the owners and my assistant trainer, so it will be good to get a picture of it for ourselves.”
Assistant coach Mike Catt dismissed suggestions Ireland could collude with Scotland in Saturday’s pivotal Rugby World Cup clash in Paris in order to send home South Africa.
Complex permutations may come into play if Andy Farrell’s men do not win or draw the crunch Pool B clash at Stade de France.
A bonus-point victory for the Scots by a margin of 21 points or more combined with Ireland collecting a losing bonus point for scoring at least four tries would put both nations in the quarter-finals while eliminating the reigning champions.
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Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber insisted rugby is “clean” as he brushed off a potential “match-fixing” conspiracy after being asked about the situation on Sunday following his side’s 49-18 win over Tonga.
Catt says Ireland’s coaches are fully aware of the permutations but, unsurprisingly, gave short shrift to the notion his side are in “cahoots” with the Scots.
“I don’t know what to say about that,” he replied, when asked about Nienaber’s match-fixing comment.
“I think he was asked the question, wasn’t he? He didn’t actually say it was match-fixing, did he?
“That stuff is just white noise in the background. No, we’re not going to go in cahoots with Scotland.
“Firstly I’d ask you, would we want Scotland to beat us by 21 points? If you asked any player in this room, any of us, would they want Scotland to beat you by 21 points? No, sorry.
“Andy is fully aware of what’s going and what needs to happen.
“Ultimately, both teams need to win the game. If you do that then you put yourself in a good position. That’s what we will try and achieve.”
Ante-post Club Godolphin Cesarewitch favourite Pied Piper is on course for Newmarket on October 14.
Gordon Elliott’s dual-purpose performer had a spin on the Flat at Killarney in August, where he looked the likely winner only to fade into third close home.
A classy hurdler who was second in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, connections are hoping there is still some wriggle room from his Flat mark earned during his days with John and Thady Gosden.
“He’s in good nick and he’s on course to run in the big race later this month,” said Joey Logan, racing manager for owners Caldwell Construction.
“Killarney was his first run back, Gordon wanted to give him a run and he ran great, he just blew up and hopefully he’ll improve a lot from it.
“There seems to be a lot of jumpers, mainly dual-purpose horses, in there this year and I think the ground will suit him.
“The big thing this year is that he’s had a break. When we bought him the year before we just kept him going, he ran at Cheltenham, Aintree and then Royal Ascot – we did an awful lot with him.
“We decided to give him a good break this year through the summer and hopefully he’ll have got stronger and will be a fresher horse.”
Logan went on: “He’s not massively exposed on the Flat and his run at Royal Ascot was very good when you look back. He had traffic problems and wasn’t beaten all that far by Coltrane who is one of the best stayers around.
“We’d be hoping he should have a very nice run there before he goes back jumping.
“We’ll leave the jockey to Gordon, but he won’t be short of offers I wouldn’t have thought. He’s in good form and we’re really looking forward to it.”
Vandeek is to skip the Dewhurst Stakes and be put away with a sprinting campaign in mind next season.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the son of Havana Grey maintained his unbeaten record with a scintillating display in the Middle Park at Newmarket at the weekend.
Connections had left the door ajar for him to possibly step up to seven furlongs in the Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes on October 14, but after lengthy discussions the decision has been made to end his season and resist the urge to stretch his stamina.
Chris Wall, racing manager for owners KHK Racing, said: “Sheikh Khalid has decided to stick to sprinting.
“We had long discussions last night and that was the way he wanted to go and that is fine, we’re all supportive of it.
“There’s nothing else for Vandeek to run in now so we hope he winters well and he’ll come back with a view to the Commonwealth Cup as his principal early-season target.
“I think he’s all about speed so I think we should play to his strengths rather than ask him to do something out of his comfort zone.”
Sense Of Duty is still on course for her Qipco British Champions Day assignment, as long as trainer William Haggas is happy with both the filly and conditions nearer the time.
The daughter of Showcasing followed a debut defeat by skyrocketing up the sprinting ranks, with a four-race winning run culminating in an impressive Group Three success in Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes.
She spent the following 455 days on the sidelines, but was seen returning over five furlongs at Newbury last month, finishing an honourable third to race-fit rivals.
That return was always seen as a stepping stone towards her end of season target – the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes – and connections are hopeful of making the Ascot Group One on October 21, where the four-year-old would be returning to the more suitable distance of six furlongs.
“We’re just giving her a chance to come out of the race and then we’ll discuss things nearer the time, but certainly she was always going to need that first race,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.
“It was the wrong trip, we knew that, but we got the race into her. She was a bit ring rusty and I thought she actually ran OK under the circumstances and as long as she is fit and well, I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t be taking her chance (at Ascot) as long as there is some give in the ground – I think that is quite important to her.
“Six furlongs up the hill at Ascot is a completely different day’s work and that will be much more to her liking. I think as long as William and his team are happy with her and she’s in good form, then I would hope that we will get there.”
England became the first host nation to be knocked out of the Rugby World Cup at the group stage after losing 33-13 to Australia on this day in 2015.
Stuart Lancaster’s side had gone into the tournament on home soil with plenty of ambition to reclaim the World Cup they had famously won for the first time Down Under in 2003.
But those hopes were crushed on a damning night at Twickenham as the Wallabies cruised to a 20-point win to send England crashing out at the earliest stage possible.
England were in danger of exiting the tournament a week after they twice squandered a 10-point lead against Wales to lose 28-25 in Pool A, making this game a must-win encounter.
Victory over the Welsh would have seen England through to the knockout stages but they lost that match and were then ultimately outclassed by Australia’s brilliance, including an excellent performance from fly-half Bernard Foley.
The two teams exchanged early penalties but the Australians soon turned the screw, Israel Folau flying over the whitewash in the 20th minute and then again five minutes before half-time, with Foley’s conversions giving the Wallabies a 17-3 lead.
Another Foley penalty pushed England further towards the exit door and although an Anthony Watson converted try and an Owen Farrell kick pulled it back to 20-13, Farrell’s loss to the sin-bin alongside two Foley penalties put Australia further in charge before Matt Giteau dived over to rub salt into English wounds.
England’s failure to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time prompted Lancaster’s departure after a review just weeks later.
He said: “I ultimately accept and take responsibility for the team’s performance.”
After knocking England out, the Wallabies made it all the way to the final, but fell short of glory after they suffered a bruising 34-17 defeat to arch rivals New Zealand.
Seattle claimed their third-straight victory in dominant fashion as the Seahawks’ defence monstered the New York Giants en route to a 24-3 win.
The Seahawks sacked Giants quarterback Daniel Jones 10 times and came away with two interceptions, including a 97-yard pick six to rookie Devon Witherspoon.
The visitors opened the scoring at the end of the first quarter, Geno Smith finding DK Metcalf in the end zone on a six-yard reception.
New York were able to cut the gap through a 55-yard field goal from Graham Gano.
But the Giants’ offence was no match for Seattle’s defence and did not look like scoring again from there.
Seattle found the end zone again just before half-time and Witherspoon’s third-quarter score ultimately sealed the 21-point victory.
Phil Nevin will not return as manager of the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 after a second straight losing season.
The Angels declined Nevin’s contract option for next season, announcing they would find a new clubhouse leader in a statement Monday.
This winter, Los Angeles will hire their fourth manager in six seasons since Mike Scioscia’s 19-year tenure ended after the 2018 season.
Nevin, who took over for Joe Maddon during last season, went 119-149 as the Halos’ manager and missed the playoffs in both seasons.
The Angels flirted with a play-off spot and were five games over .500 at the end of July but went 17-38 down the stretch as stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout missed time due to injury.
ESPN reported Monday that general manager Perry Minasian will keep his job.
Los Angeles defeated the Oakland Athletics 7-3 Sunday to end the season.
“I know it didn't go the way we wanted, but I'm proud of the way that room held together,” Nevin said Sunday. “It wasn't fun. It's not fun ending the way we did, but it's a great group in there. There's a lot of great things that are on the horizon here with the young players and the guys coming back. Good future.”
The Angels are at a crossroads as an organisation with Ohtani set to hit free agency this winter and after Trout has missed significant time in two of the last three seasons.
Despite having two of baseball's most iconic stars, the Angels haven’t won a play-off game since 2009.
Ireland prop Finlay Bealham is determined to “make the minutes count” as he prepares for a crucial showdown with Scotland following a frustrating start to his maiden Rugby World Cup.
Australia-born Bealham made his first meaningful contribution of the competition by coming off the bench to help secure a statement 13-8 victory over defending champions South Africa in round three.
He had been left out of the matchday 23 for his country’s opener against Romania and was then forced off by a head knock just 10 minutes into a second-half cameo the following week against Tonga.
Bealham, who showed his quality with some fine performances in this year’s Six Nations Grand Slam triumph, has won most of his 34 Test caps as a replacement and is understudy to first-choice tighthead Tadhg Furlong.
But the 31-year-old is ready and raring to go when called upon as Andy Farrell’s men attempt to avoid a shock early exit at the hands of the Scots.
“From a mindset point of view, when I’m on the bench, I don’t care how many minutes I play,” said Bealham.
“It’s ‘make the minutes count’. I try my best to do that.
“Personally it was a frustrating start to the campaign but some of that stuff was out of my control.
“When I got my chance, I just tried to come on and make a positive impact. It was incredible to get that experience.
“I’m looking forward to the Scotland game.
“Obviously there’s no team been named yet and it’s just about focusing on what I can control, fixing up things from the South Africa game and then bringing my game on top of that.”
Three successive Pool B wins have put the world’s top-ranked nation on the cusp of the quarter-finals.
Yet Ireland’s progression is far from assured going into Saturday evening’s pivotal Paris appointment.
Bealham turns 32 next Monday and will celebrate his birthday either preparing for a last-eight clash with France, New Zealand or Italy, or reflecting on elimination.
The Connacht player is eager to extend the “surreal” experience of playing on the world’s biggest stage and continue representing his late Irish grandmother, whom he thinks about when singing Ireland’s Call.
“I moved over originally when I was 18, 19 years of age having a dream of playing professional rugby and I moved over because the dream seemed a bit harder where I was in Australia,” said Canberra-born Bealham.
“I had that Irish heritage through my mum’s side of the family.
“I was really tight with my nana at the time. She used to ring me every day when I was in Galway and I remember one time I forgot to bring my phone to training and she ended up calling me like 70 times, it was something crazy, you wouldn’t believe it.
“I suppose to represent my nana, who I was always close with growing up, representing all them, would I have thought I’d be here a good few years later at a World Cup? It’s pretty surreal.
“Every time I get to wear the jersey, every time I sing the anthem, I always think of my family and everyone who sacrificed for me to get to where I’m at.”
World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall was dumped out of the World Grand Prix by Stephen Bunting on the opening day of the tournament in Leicester.
Bunting was able to checkout 42 to claim a 2-1 win in an error-strewn contest with Aspinall, who lost in the final to Michael van Gerwen at Morningside Arena in 2022.
Two-time semi-finalist Bunting clinched the opening set by a 3-1 score before Aspinall hit back with a superb 140 finish to level at 1-1 and force a decider in the first-round clash.
The deciding set went down to the wire but Bunting got a grip on his game to edge out his rival in the double in, double out event.
“I have been flying in the Pro Tour and for whatever reason I got up there and I was very nervous playing one of my good mates,” Bunting told Boyle Sports.
“I’m playing Martin Schindler in the next round so I’ll be ready for him.
“Every player in this tournament is dangerous and double off makes it a bit of a leveller. If I can hit my doubles – not like I did there but like I did in the practice room – then I should be good.”
Former winner Gerwyn Price had no trouble booking his place in round two after he beat Danny Noppert by a 2-0 score.
It was not all straightforward for the 2020 champion, with Noppert able to establish a 2-1 lead in the first set, but a timely maximum by Price was followed up with the Dutchman failing to take out 76.
View this post on InstagramPrice pounced to take out 101 before he checked out 40 in the decider to move one up in Leicester.
Set two was more routine for Price, who landed his double 20 throw to progress with an 88.23 average.
“I was terrible on doubles to start. I was all right on doubles to finish and I think the 180 and the 101 out won me the match,” Price reflected.
“My starting doubles, I need to stop thinking too much, but I think that is just first-round jitters. I will be a lot better in the second round.”
World champion Michael Smith dropped only one leg on his way to a comfortable 2-0 victory against Callan Rydz.
Raymond van Barneveld sent down three 180s but he suffered a 2-1 loss to Schindler on his return to the World Grand Prix stage for the first time since 2018.
James Wade was also a high-profile casualty after Krzysztof Ratajski fought back from 2-0 down in the final set to send the two-time World Grand Prix champion packing and set up a last-16 tie with Price.
Gary Anderson averaged 95.41 in his 2-1 success over Jose de Sousa with six maximums landed by the flying Scotsman.
Brendan Dolan was the first winner of the tournament after he claimed six of the last seven legs to down 2020 runner-up Dirk van Duijvenbode in a thriller.
Later in the night, Andrew Gilding secured a first World Grand Prix win in nine years with a 2-1 triumph over Rob Cross in a low-quality first-round match.
Courtney Lawes insists England have forged an identity based on self-sacrifice as the personalities of the World Cup heavyweights begin to emerge.
England have crushed Argentina, Japan and Chile to claim a quarter-final place as Pool D winners with a match to spare and their procession through the group phase will be completed against Samoa on Saturday.
Expectation is rising, even allowing for the fact they have been gifted the easiest route into the knockout phase, but the likes of Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand have been making greater waves.
After the All Blacks’ 14-try rout of Italy on Friday, head coach Ian Foster made a pointed reference to the grinding nature of Ireland’s seismic victory over the Springboks.
“If you look at the South Africa-Ireland game, it was a different game of rugby,” Foster said.
“The ball was in play for 27 minutes throughout the whole game. It was a very stop-start game, very physical, very combative.
“You saw a different spectacle from us and at some point the world has got to decide which game it would rather watch.”
Lawes sees room for all playing styles and is satisfied with the traits developed by Steve Borthwick’s side.
“Our way is the England way. Doing it our way is doing it for each other,” the Northampton back row said.
“I like that it’s now really obvious what is every team’s DNA and what they’re trying to do. All the top teams have got really different genetics as a team, if you will – a team strategy.
“It’ll be interesting when they play each other how that is going to play off. I think that’s really good for us as players to see and be a part of.
“We’re a really strong defensive team. That’s our backbone. We’ve conceded one try in three games. We’re an aerial, kicking team and are very good at getting the ball back.
“We’re looking to build an attack off that, and hopefully by the time we get later on in the tournament that is where we want to be, and we will show a bit of a different side to us.
“Especially at the 2019 World Cup and this time, in terms of a team of players, we are so much more selfless.
“We want to play, we want to go out there and put our bodies on the line for each other and that is what really makes a difference when it hits the fan and you are under the cosh.
“You have got to want to get into it for each other or you get found out pretty quickly.
“We know what works, we want everybody to buy in, we do this for each other, not for ourselves.
“We hit a ruck and forego the glory so we can get the ball and someone else can score.
“Those are the things we pride ourselves on as a team and what we want to carry on into the future as well.”
The Indianapolis Colts could be getting a big part of their offence back for Sunday's game against the visiting Tennessee Titans.
The Colts will activate Jonathan Taylor from the physically unable to perform list this week, and depending how he looks in practise, he could be on the field for their next game.
Indianapolis' first practise of the week is Wednesday, and it will mark Taylor's first of the season after he was placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp while recovering from ankle surgery.
Colts coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Monday that Taylor is excited to rejoin the Colts and get back to work.
The ankle injury wasn't the only issue this offseason for Taylor, as the 2021 NFL rushing champion had been mired in a contract dispute and had requested a trade.
Taylor, the runner-up for the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, is entering the final season of his rookie deal and is scheduled to earn $4.3 million in 2023.
The fourth-year pro ran for a franchise-record 1,811 yards in 2021, but was slowed by injuries last year and was put on the PUP list earlier this summer as he recovered from ankle surgery that ended his 2022 campaign in December.
Ankle issues limited Taylor to 11 games last season, which he finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.
Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his sensational 2021 season in which he also tied for the NFL lead with 20 total touchdowns while playing in all 17 games.
He'll be joining a 2-2 team that got No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson back in Sunday's 29-23 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams after the rookie quarterback suffered a concussion in Week 2.
Without Taylor in the fold, Zack Moss has emerged as the team's No. 1 running back, and has rushed for 280 yards with a touchdown through three games.
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Ja Morant won't be able to play his first game for the Memphis Grizzlies until December 19.
He will, however, be allowed to train with the team immediately.
The Grizzlies confirmed Monday that Morant is allowed to travel, practise and even participate in shootarounds during his 25-game suspension.
"I think it's great for Ja, and I think it's great for the group that he can be with us day to day," Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said during the team's media day. "The NBA basically has said that as long as Ja continues to stay on track, he's going to be clear to participate in all private team activities, so practices, shootarounds, traveling with the team. He's not going to be with us obviously for preseason games and the first 25, but we'll see him out there and we can't wait to have him back Game 26."
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games without pay on June 16 for appearing in a second video on social media while brandishing a gun. He had posed with a firearm for a social media live stream on May 13, less than two months after serving an eight-game suspension for posing with a gun for a video in a Denver nightclub on March 4.
Kleiman said having Morant able to train and be around the team will be beneficial to both the Grizzlies, as well as, Morant as it will help keep him accountable.
"There's steps that I think Ja is continuing to take that are really positive and in the right direction," Kleiman said. "It's great to have him here. I think he's put himself in a position where there’s no reason why he can't keep following through on this. So we're glad he's here and can't wait to have him back."
Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant won't be working with the starters during practise, seeing as he won't be playing in any games for the first two months of the season and the team needs to be able to function without him, but they have a plan to get him ready.
An All-Star each of the last two seasons, Morant averaged 26.2 points with career highs of 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 61 games last season.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year is entering the first year of a five-year $197million maximum contract.
Owen Burrows was left to rue conditions at ParisLongchamp as Hukum was unable to build on his stellar 2023 when only ninth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Shadwell-owned six-year-old headed to France at the peak of his powers following a thrilling Group One triumph in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in the summer, but an unfavourable draw in stall 14 combined with drying ground saw the son of Sea The Stars at a disadvantage.
Despite jockey Jim Crowley’s best efforts to get his mount in a handy position, Hukum was simply unable to pick up when asked in the unseasonable conditions as he faded through the field in the closing stages.
“Obviously the draw didn’t help but to be fair to Jim, he was able to get him in a good position and the ground was just too quick, pure and simple,” said Burrows.
“It was balmy weather and felt like we were there in July, but we had a bit of luck with the King George being run on good to soft, so we take it as it comes. We were unfortunate but that’s the way it goes.”
Having suffered an injury after his first Group One triumph in last year’s Coronation Cup, Burrows’ stable star returned from almost a year off the track better than ever this term.
He ended Derby winner Desert Crown’s unbeaten run in the Brigadier Gerard on his reappearance at Sandown and having skipped Royal Ascot on account of the ground, got his moment in the spotlight at the Berkshire track when outbattling Westover in the King George.
It was only Hukum’s third outing of the season in the Arc, but with the ground conditions oversees unlikely to be in his favour, an international campaign seems unlikely and Shadwell’s Sheikha Hissa is set to have the final call on his next move.
“It will be for Sheikha Hissa to decide, I’m sure we will catch up over the next few days and see what’s what,” added Burrows.
“All the international races will probably be run on the faster side, so we shall see, but there’s nothing jumping out at us.
“He’s only had the three runs but to come back and win the Brigadier Gerard and then to win a King George, you can’t be disappointed at all. He’s been a wonderful servant for me and he’s definitely justified being kept in training.”
Meanwhile, an encouragingly dry forecast is increasing the prospect of Hukum’s stablemate Alyanaabi taking his chance in the Dewhurst Stakes later this month.
The son of Too Darn Hot claimed the Tattersalls Stakes with a stylish late rattle and with his running style meaning minimal energy was exerted during his first taste of the Rowley Mile, a return to Newmarket for Group One action later this month could be on the cards.
Burrows said: “He didn’t really have much of a race, he only really raced the last furlong and he ate up the next morning and didn’t lose a kilo in weight, so he didn’t have a hard time. The initial signs are he’s come out of it well.
“I will have a chat with Sheikha Hissa. I think he likes the ground on the faster side of good and the forecast I’ve seen looks predominantly good so we’ll see.”
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