White Abarrio is carrying maximum stable confidence into the $20million Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.
The striking grey was last seen winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November, making it two Grade Ones in three starts for Rick Dutrow since moving from Saffie Joseph.
And Dutrow – who has returned to the big-race limelight after enduring a 10-year suspension imposed for medication and administration violations that forced him to build again from scratch – sees the world’s most valuable race as tailor-made for his charge, who will again be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
“All the work has been done with him and he’s in a zone that I wish every horse that ever lived was in that kind of zone,” said Dutrow.
“We just made a couple of minor adjustments with him (after he switched yards), they just happened to work out really well.
“I think the glue-on shoes sealed the deal for him. We did that after his Met Mile run, we knew we needed to make some kind of changes with his front feet, because he wasn’t level, wasn’t even.
“He ran a big race that day (Met Mile, third), we were extremely happy with how he finished his race. Then we went with the glue-ons, then we knew we were training better. The riders could just feel he was better.
“I feel if he is on his game and runs his race, he is going to be tough to beat.
“This race, a mile and an eighth (nine furlongs), around one turn…I feel as if he were to wake up in the morning and we were to ask him, ‘Hey babe, what do you wanna do for a $20million race?’, he’d say, ‘Make it a mile and an eighth around one turn’.”
Dutrow stressed he was “all in” on the Saudi Cup – but would love to go on from Riyadh to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup.
“We’re so excited to do something like that, but it’s going to be up to him. I want him to have an easy race here – I shouldn’t be saying that, because there’s so many good horses here. How are we expecting to have an easy race?” Dutrow said.
“We have a really good horse and he is on it, that’s what I’m hoping for. We’ll have a little chat with Irad, our main goal is to win and our second main goal is to save horse for his next race. If we can get those things done, we’re going to be excited going to Dubai.”
The five-year-old drew stall two at the post-position ceremony on Wednesday, with that doing little to dent confidence.
“He had the two-hole (in the Classic) last time, this can’t be a problem,” Dutrow said. “We’ve got the best rider, one of the best horses. It’ll be fun. We’ll be ready. He really takes my breath away every time I see him.”
Leading the opposition is the Hidetaka Otonashi-trained Derma Sotogake for Japan – just a length adrift of White Abarrio when second in the Classic.
He reportedly suffered a minor injury scare on the flight over, but rider Christophe Lemaire is happy with what he has seen.
“The horse has got more mature, stronger, I think. He looks happy here, so I’m very confident,” he said.
“He was still young last year as a three-year-old, as a four-year-old he’ll get better and better. He didn’t run much last year, of course they were tough races, but he’s the kind of horse who keeps himself safe, he still has many things to show us.
“The field will be very strong, but he’s a tough horse, he’s able to jump well from the gates and take a position, he can keep a strong pace.”
Otonashi said: “The accident during the flight is the only concern but we did everything we could have done. He is in good form.”
Bob Baffert has yet to win the race but has come close, with Charlatan the length runner-up to the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mishriff in 2021, while Country Grammer was half a length down on Emblem Road in 2022 and three-parts of a length second to Panthalassa 12 months ago, when ridden by Frankie Dettori.
His runner this time is National Treasure, winner of last year’s Preakness and second in the Dirt Mile at the Breeders’ Cup, before reappearing in the Pegasus World Cup, holding on to score from Senor Buscador, who reopposes for Todd Fincher.
Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes said: “He has matured into a fine horse. He likes to be on the pace, that’s clear, but he was able to back off a little when he won the Pegasus last month.
“If there is a speed battle in this race, we feel he will still be able to get the right trip under a strong rider (Flavien Prat).
“He has a good post to work from in seven. This is our fifth runner in this race, we have been second three times, so we are hoping to make the breakthrough.”
Sold-out signs and the sight of the world’s best player gunning for revenge are set to make it a World Club Challenge to remember when Wigan pit their wits against triple NRL defending champions Penrith Panthers at the DW Stadium on Saturday.
The Warriors will join the Sydney Roosters as five-time winners of the prestigious, if inconsistently contested, pinnacle of the global club game if they deal a further blow to a side still smarting from their golden-point defeat to St Helens a year ago.
For all their acclaim as one of the greatest sides to grace Australia’s high-profile and lucrative NRL, Penrith are still yet to lift the accolade, having lost all three of their previous finals, including to Wigan in 1991, and it is something their talismanic half-back Nathan Cleary is desperate to put right.
“Losing to Saints last year still hurts, but we’re lucky enough to get the chance of redemption,” said Cleary, who led Australia to World Cup glory on his last visit to the UK in 2022.
“As a club we haven’t won the World Club Challenge so that’s another thing we want to do, get the final trophy in the cabinet.
“I have fond memories of being over here and winning the World Cup, and although I’m back with a different team there’s the same desire and drive. It’s a great challenge but also a great opportunity and the end goal would be special.”
In contrast Wigan boast a stirring history in the competition, their notoriously brutal initial win over Manly at Central Park in 1987, starring the likes of Ellery Hanley, Joe Lydon and Henderson Gill, followed by subsequent triumphs in 1991, 1994 and 2017.
In centre Adam Keighran, whom they signed from Catalans at the end of last year’s Grand Final-winning campaign, they also possess something of an inside-track on what makes their rivals tick, the 26-year-old having spent two years with Penrith’s New South Wales Cup side from 2018.
Keighran told the PA news agency: “I think there are similarities between both clubs. Penrith are a bit isolated out there in the west and they form a very tight-knit group involving the whole community, and I’ve noticed the same thing here.
“I know last year was a very disappointing loss for them and I think it’s something they’re very keen to change. I don’t think their perception of the English game has changed but they’ll be more hungry than they were last year to set things straight.”
After a sporadic start, the World Club Challenge has been played every year, barring Covid, since 2000, although it was not until 2014, when Wigan were swept aside by Sydney Roosters, that the event in its modern iteration was staged outside the UK.
The perceived reluctance of English teams to travel drew scorn from some in Australia who suggested clubs used the event as little more than pre-season preparation, but the nature and magnitude of Saints’ win last year appears to have contributed to a significant shift-change.
While the old days of well over 30,000 packing into the old Central Park to watch the win over Manly have long gone, the sold-out signs at the DW Stadium have been stuck up since January which bears testament to the enthusiasm for a fixture that could steer Wigan to the summit for a fifth time.
“There has been a real anticipation and buzz around the town for months now,” said Wigan captain Liam Farrell, who also played in his side’s defeat to the Roosters at the DW Stadium in 2019.
“The club has got a strong history in the World Club Challenge, so if we can play our small part in that and get a win on Saturday, that would be great for us to be a little piece of that special history.”
Wigan will draft academy product Harvie Hill into their line-up in place of new signing Luke Thompson, who is absent having failed a head injury assessment in the wake of their opening Super League win over Castleford.
Penrith head coach Ivan Cleary also turns to youth, with 20-year-old Jack Cole set to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves in the absence of the injured Jarome Luai.
Scotland talisman Finn Russell is unfazed by the prospect of being targeted by England’s new blitz defence in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown at Murrayfield.
The Red Rose have adopted a more aggressive approach for this year’s Guinness Six Nations after highly-regarded defence coach Felix Jones joined Steve Borthwick’s backroom team in the wake of helping South Africa win the World Cup.
England are expected to try to swarm stand-off Russell and his midfield colleagues in an effort to neutralise Scotland, but the 31-year-old has no issue with the possibility of being singled out.
“It’s probably similar to a lot of teams in that the 10s are the key players in attack,” said co-captain Russell. “I’m not sure what England are going to do – if they are going to fire out the line and try to take me out or shut me down from the outside.
“That is something we will have to figure out in the game. We will have to be able to adapt, with myself and Sione (Tuipulotu) and Huw (Jones) being on the same page and having Blair (Kinghorn) out wide as another option.
“Although the 10 controls a lot of the attack, it is not just down to me to create things. We will be looking to other boys to get away from them.”
Scotland were tamed the last time they came up against a Jones-inspired blitz defence when they lost 18-3 to South Africa at the World Cup in September, but Russell insists they have learned from that encounter.
“We have looked back and talked about that game, and obviously looked at England’s first two games of this campaign,” said Russell. “I think our learnings from the World Cup were not to go into our shells if we do feel the pressure.
“There were chances in that game against South Africa that we probably never saw on the pitch. Under pressure we probably went into our shell a little bit.
“Tomorrow we just need to have belief in ourselves and trust the work we have put in over the last six months to a year.
“At times we will be under pressure and it will be tough, but we can fall back to what we have done building up to this game.
“We can have belief and confidence in ourselves and hopefully we can take the chances that will be out there.”
After Russell lost his first three Calcutta Cup matches, including a 61-21 defeat at Twickenham in 2017, the Scots have won each of the last three meetings and have lost only one of the last six.
“With us and England, we have been progressing and over the last few years they have potentially not been as good as they can be,” said Russell. “But the World Cup showed how good they can be, getting to the semi-finals.
“Obviously they have won their first two games of this campaign so they are getting back to where they should be. They are one of the best teams in the world.
“We can’t look back at the last few games and think it has turned in our favour. Every time we play England, it is always a huge challenge and we have got to be at our best to be able to beat them.”
Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony says it would be disrespectful to regard rivals Wales as a “banana skin” ahead of Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash in Dublin.
Warren Gatland’s winless visitors arrive at the Aviva Stadium as major underdogs on the back of narrow championship defeats to Scotland and England amid a transitional period.
Reigning champions Ireland have not lost at home in three years and are in pole position to retain their crown following thumping bonus-point victories over France and Italy.
Munster flanker O’Mahony, who returns as one of seven personnel changes from the 36-0 victory over the Azzurri in round two, believes Wales’ players are a “different animal” when representing their country.
“I think a banana skin is a disrespectful term for this Welsh team,” said the 34-year-old.
“I’ve learnt the hard way a good few times; these people are very, very proud and they grow massively when they pull on that red shirt.
“They’re a different animal, a different team and I’ve been on the receiving end of some heavy losses to these guys a few times.
“There is transition but it’s the Welsh 15 coming tomorrow, it’s no one else and I know from experience they’re an unbelievably proud nation and they play big and earn the jersey.
“That’s what we’ll 100 per cent be expecting tomorrow.”
Ireland are chasing an 18th successive home win to equal England’s record, set in 2017, of 11 consecutive Six Nations victories.
Comments from the Wales camp suggest they will attempt to cause “chaos” in a bid to knock the hosts off their perch and register a first championship win on Irish soil since 2012.
O’Mahony accepts Ireland’s sustained form during the past three years has put a target on their back.
“Look, that’s the game, isn’t it? We’ve a good record, we’re playing well,” he said.
“We have spoken about it and we have a target on us but that comes with the territory and you have to be cool with that and that you are going to get the best of every team.
“We know when we’re good that we’re going to put teams under pressure and other teams know that now as well.
“As a result, we expect to get the best of every team and we have no doubt but that we’re going to get the best of Wales tomorrow.”
Ireland are on course to become the first side to claim back-to-back Grand Slam titles in the Six Nations era.
Yet O’Mahony, who replaced the retired Johnny Sexton as skipper after the World Cup, is not getting carried away.
“Oh Jaysus,” he replied when asked about the prospect of lifting silverware.
“Look, it would mean a huge amount for me tomorrow to win tomorrow, that’s what I’m focusing on.
“People can, I suppose, predict all they want but you can’t drop the ball of what’s in front of you.
“You’ve probably heard that before but as soon as you look past that, you know teams can trip you up and catch you out.”
Professional Fighters League founder Donn Davis has predicted a “historic” night ahead of the first Mixed Martial Arts event to take place in Saudi Arabia.
PFL’s title holders go up against belt holders from Bellator in a never-seen-before night of champions in Riyadh on Saturday.
This comes after the PFL acquired Bellator in November 2023.
Davis is relishing the opportunity of becoming the first MMA promotion to tie a deal with the sovereign state in a sold out event.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Davis said: “It’s historic. It’s the first-ever MMA event to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we get to be a part of something historic in sport.
“I think Saudi Arabia is the future of combat sports.
“We’re a company of yes and there is another company out there who is the company of no and they can do what they want. We try to do things different and put the fans first.
“It’s a big deal, this is our first primetime event and media deal on ESPN. Acquiring Bellator has also been a big deal and now this is a big step in us becoming a co-leader in MMA and we’re excited for Saturday.
“This is a collaboration between our partners in Saudi Arabia and us at the PFL.”
The inaugural event will feature the likes of PFL’s Ray Cooper III, Thiago Santos and Clay Collard as well as Bellator’s Patricio Pitbull, Yoel Romero, Ryan Bader and Johnny Eblen.
Davis compared the format to an NBA All-Star game, insisting PFL’s putting the fans first mindset helped create the idea.
“We wanted to do the first event in Saudi but only if it was a great big event,” Davis added.
“We came up with an idea which has never been done before in combat sports. Champions against champions. PFL v Bellator.
“It’s like an All-Stars game which has real stakes where the players and athletes really care.
“We have big prize money with an extra belt where there’s a ring inside the belt. This is a big card with 12 current or former champions, six ultra champion bouts, this has never been done before.
“People are asking what if all the Bellator fighters win? Then they all win. We try and do things the fans want to see.”
PFL have worked alongside Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, who has helped put on major boxing events including the likes of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
When asked about his experience of working with leading figures in Saudi, Davis said: “Everybody here. Turki, the minister of sport (Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal), the PIF team, they all want to win and excel and that is the shared value. It’s been a pleasure.”
Warren Gatland wants Wales to show no fear and embrace the challenge when they tackle “world-class” Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Wales have been largely written off – they are a 14-1 chance with some bookmakers – on the back of successive defeats against Scotland and England, while their last Six Nations win in Ireland was 12 years ago.
Ireland have lost just twice in their last 40 home Tests, need one more victory to equal England’s Six Nations record of 11 successive wins and are on a seemingly unstoppable march towards achieving historic back-to-back Grand Slams.
“We know how good a side they are,” Wales head coach Gatland said. “They are a settled team. They are world-class.
“We have got to be smart and not allow them to play the game on their terms. That is when they are incredibly dangerous.
“Just one moment from them can change the momentum of the game. They have got some key individuals, but we’ve got to try and put them under pressure to unsettle them.
“There has been a lot said about us being underdogs, but that is not a motivation for us. The motivation is the pressure we are putting on ourselves to get better from game one and two.
“We have spoken all week about having no fear.
“We have reflected, and (Wales captain) Dafydd Jenkins has spoken about it, we probably went into that first game with a little bit too much respect for Scotland in that first half, and that was the message at half-time. I think we saw an improvement at Twickenham.
“It is going to be a huge challenge for us but you have got to embrace that, you have got to be excited about that.
“I have spoken to the players about stepping up in big moments and being the one who wants to be part of a big moment and not having any fear about that, not going into your shell.”
Gatland has made a solitary change from the England loss, with fit-again Sam Costelow returning at fly-half instead of Ioan Lloyd.
There are further opportunities for newcomers Cameron Winnett and Alex Mann, while Cardiff back-row forward Mackenzie Martin is set for his Test debut off the bench.
The 20-year-old has played only nine games of professional rugby, and he will become the 1,200th Wales men’s senior international if he features against Ireland.
Gatland added: “We feel we are building for the future, and we have got some really talented young players at the moment who need time.
“I think the players are aware we have a huge amount of growth in us and where we can be in the next 12 months or so.
“We can’t hide away from that fact of how important it is to win (in) international rugby, because that is the expectation.
“When you put that jersey on, everyone expects you to go out there to perform and win.”
And Wales skipper Jenkins said: “We just need to go out there, leave everything out there and see what can happen.
“If we didn’t think that (Wales can win) there would be no point in going there in the first place. We have full confidence we can win and do a job, although it is going to be tough.”
Richard Fahey will bid to provide Sir Alex Ferguson with further international success when Spirit Dancer lines up in the Howden Neom Turf Cup on Saturday.
The seven-year-old gave the former Manchester United manager and his fellow owners, Ged Mason and Fred Done, a day to remember when scoring in the Bahrain International Trophy last November and attentions were soon turned to securing more valuable prizes in the region.
Spirit Dancer tuned up for his crack at this $2million prize by finishing fourth in Meydan’s Jebel Hatta last month and his handler believes that will have put him spot on for this Saudi Cup night assignment.
“I felt he would need the run the last day and it looked that way as well,” said Fahey.
“He has had four or five weeks to acclimatise now. It’s all stuff of dreams, which is becoming a reality when we get to run on Saturday.
“It’s fantastic here, we are well looked after and the horse is happy. When you come on these trips, the most important thing is how the horse is – and the horse is in good order. I’m very pleased with him and at the moment I wouldn’t swap my fella.”
Fahey admitted to being awestruck by the footballing great in the early stages of training for him, but now relishes the time they spend together comparing notes on how to prime star sporting talent for action.
“To be fair, when I first started training for him, I was a little bit humbled,” Fahey this week.
“I have some fantastic conversations with him and he has been to the yard three or four times now. He is just a wonderful man and you can see why he has been a success.
“It’s a humbling experience but it’s amazing, because even this (Thursday) morning we were discussing footballers and horses and Sir Alex was asking why we didn’t canter on the grass.
“I explained we race on the (grass) surfaces because if we were to train on them all the time, we wouldn’t have many horses left, so we tend to use the artificial surfaces – and he compared it to a very good football team whose training pitch was quite quick and a lot of the players were getting hurt, so there is comparisons with football and racing.”
There is plenty of British and Irish involvement in the extended 10-furlong event, with Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg a clear favourite with the bookmakers, having knocked on the door behind Auguste Rodin on home soil in the autumn before also going close in Hong Kong in December.
Andrew Balding’s The Foxes is another who is no stranger to international competition, having finished second in the Belmont Derby last summer, and the Dante winner is expected to take a step forward from his comeback run at Southwell recently.
A January afternoon at Rolleston is poles apart from the pressure cooker of Riyadh on Saudi Cup night, but connections are confident of a bold bid from their four-year-old.
“He’s got here in great form,” said the trainer’s wife and representative Anna Lisa Balding.
“I was very pleased with how he looked out there on Thursday morning.
“Last year, we took him to America and he finished second in a Grade One, so we felt he would be up to the travel again.
“We’re delighted with his position in gate six and Oisin Murphy is back on and he rides him so well. He needed the run last time at Southwell but it was a good effort and he will come on for it.”
John and Thady Gosden struck gold with subsequent Royal Ascot and Juddmonte International Stakes champion Mostahdaf 12 months ago and will look to repeat the dose with stable newcomer Jack Darcy.
Astro King has been something of a superstar for Daniel and Claire Kubler and their Cambridgeshire hero should not be underestimated after being far from disgraced in sixth behind Spirit Dancer last time.
“With a little more luck, he might well have placed second or third (in Bahrain),” said Claire Kubler.
“He was on the rail in Bahrain and ran into traffic. It was frustrating but we had to notice that it was established horses like Point Lonsdale and Nations Pride that were in his path and he was finishing stronger than them.
“It’s amazing for our team and his owners to be a part of this occasion. It’s so exciting and we feel he can run well.”
Lewis Hamilton said his Mercedes exit to join Ferrari is because he believes it is time to write “a new chapter” in his record-breaking career.
Hamilton was speaking for the first time at length since his blockbuster move to the Italian giants in 2025 was confirmed earlier this month.
The 39-year-old, who joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013, signed a two-year contract extension only last August.
But over the winter he elected to terminate his £100million deal 12 months early to make the switch.
“Obviously in the summer we signed and at that time I saw my future with Mercedes,” said Hamilton as he opened up on his decision to make the move to Ferrari.
“But an opportunity came up in the New Year and I decided to take it. I feel like it was the hardest decision I have ever had to make.
“I have had a relationship with Mercedes since I was 13. They have supported me, and we have had an incredible journey together, created history within the sport and it is something I take a lot of pride in.
“But ultimately I am writing my story, and I felt like it was time to start a new chapter.”
Scotland and England renew hostilities when they meet in rugby’s oldest international fixture at Murrayfield on Saturday.
For both sides it is win or bust in a critical Guinness Six Nations round-three clash that will shape their respective Championships.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five talking points heading into the Edinburgh showdown.
Furbank’s second coming
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Steve Borthwick is capable of throwing curve balls in selection – think Marcus Smith at full-back, Alex Mitchell starting at scrum-half at the World Cup – and the latest example is George Furbank’s return at full-back. Freddie Steward controls the air against any opposition but Borthwick has cast aside England’s safety blanket in favour of a more natural ball player who will provide a counter-attacking threat and greater mobility in defence. Promoting Furbank is a bold call and even if the six caps won between 2020 to 2022 failed to provide compelling evidence of his Test pedigree, he is an exciting pick who has been on fire for Northampton this season.
Heavyweights collide
England take a more balanced backline to Edinburgh after recalling Ollie Lawrence at inside centre. For the first time in this Six Nations there will be genuine ball-carrying clout in midfield after Lawrence recovered from the hip injury that ruled him out of the wins against Italy and Wales. In the words of assistant coach Kevin Sinfield, the powerful Bath runner is “ready to kick the door down” and it will be hoped he can provide a counter weight to the similarly physical Sione Tuipulotu. It is a heavyweight collision that will influence the outcome of the match.
Lopsided rivalry
Scotland are odds-on favourites to retain the Calcutta Cup – and rightly so. They have won their last three Tests against the ‘Auld Enemy’, whose victory in 2020 is their only triumph in the last six meetings. The games have been ferociously competitive but Scotland are simply a better team, having turned a one-sided rivalry on its head. Defined by this fixture, these are the glory days for Scottish rugby and for a measure of England’s decline in recent years – finishing third at the 2023 World Cup aside – look no further than their recent struggles against their oldest foes.
Moment of truth
Gregor Townsend admitted that the history and emotion of a clash with England made it Scotland’s “most important game of the season”, but the head coach also knows that settling old scores is only part of the bigger picture. A golden generation in the nation’s rugby history, epitomised by their fly-half genius Finn Russell, is in danger of passing without winning any silverware and after the injustice of seeing a late match-winning try disallowed against France in round two, they can not afford any more slip ups. Time is running out for Russell’s Scotland to prove they are a serious team.
Cautious optimism
England arrive at Murrayfield with two wins in the bank and alongside Ireland they are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament. Coupled with their bronze medal finish at the World Cup and that should be cause for optimism when they face Scotland for the 142nd time. But a side in transition that is attempting to evolve its attack and get to grips with a new blitz defence has so far faced the Six Nations’ two weakest sides. The level of competition cranks up significantly on Saturday and while there is no danger of Borthwick’s resilient side being blown away, defeat would signpost another Championship of underachievement.
John and Thady Gosden’s Lord North will look to retain his BetUK Winter Derby title as he blows away the cobwebs ahead of his usual Dubai travel.
The Dubawi gelding won the race last season when defeating Roger Varian’s Tyrrhenian Sea by three and a quarter lengths and was second the year prior when coming home behind William Haggas’ Alenquer.
The Group Three contest has become something of preparation run for him before he heads out to Meydan for the World Cup meeting in March, where he has won the Group One Dubai Turf for the past three seasons.
He landed that contest by three-quarters of a length last year and has not been seen since, meaning he returns from a significant break to try to regain his Winter Derby title at its new home – and distance – of Southwell.
“He’s won the race and finished second, it’s served him well as a good prep race for the Dubai Turf,” said Thady Gosden of Robert Havlin’s mount.
“Although of course the race switching from a mile and a quarter at Lingfield to a mile and three furlongs at Southwell significantly changes the dynamic of the race.
“In a similar fashion to last year we hope he’ll come forward for the run, though obviously it’s his first run back since Dubai last year.”
The Gosden team also run Godolphin’s Forest Of Dean (Kieran O’Neill), a race regular who has been part of the line-up for the past three seasons.
The eight-year-old was the winner in 2021 and then finished fourth in the 2020 and sixth last year.
“He’s obviously well versed on the all-weather, he’s been in good order at home,” Gosden said of the bay.
“Again, it’s a different type of track to last year but hopefully the track and the trip should suit him.”
The flashy grey Tyrrhenian Sea takes his place again, with Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Claymore making his second start on the all-weather.
There is a fascinating contender in Eydon, who represents his new trainer Andrew Balding as he returns to action.
The five-year-old won the Listed Feilden Stakes in 2022 and was fourth in the 2000 Guineas that same season before injury intervened when being prepared for the Derby.
He has now moved stables having previously been trained by Varian and he will be partnered by Kevin Stott on his comeback.
“Andrew has been pleased with him and was pleased with his gallop at Kempton,” said Ted Voute, racing manager to owner Prince Faisal.
“We’ve got a Group One-winning jockey – all the jockeys seem to be out in Saudi Arabia – but I think we we have a good young jockey on and we will see what happens.
“It’s a pretty even field and they are all rated around the same figures apart from Lord North and we will see.”
Jamaica Hurricanes Academy U19s will square off against touring Wigan-Leigh College from England in a groundbreaking rugby league test match at the UWI Mona Bowl on Saturday, February 24. This marks the first time Hurricanes will field an U19 team against international opponents in the 13-a-side version of the game. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
The Wigan-Leigh College team, currently on a development tour to Jamaica, are from the North of England and linked to English professional club Leigh Leopards, competing in the Super League. During their stay, they have conducted coaching and match official seminars with local personnel and hosted coaching clinics at The Cedar Grove Academy and Campion College. They are the fourth international team to tour the island within the past six months.
The Hurricanes have already gained a significant milestone from the tour, securing a 12-8 victory over the visitors in the U19 Academy Finals at the New Year 9s on February 17. The historic win marked the first time a domestic Jamaica team earned a win against a team from England in any format of the game. The Hurricanes are comprised of Jamaica’s top High School and Club U19 players, the Academy is an integral part of the domestic development for elite players.
Looking towards the game, Antonio Baker, Hurricanes Academy Coach, said, “Rugby League Jamaica has dedicated considerable effort to developing rugby league at the grassroots level. The Test will offer a valuable opportunity to assess our progress, facing top-tier opposition from England. I am confident the team will give their best effort, as they all aspire to represent their country admirably.”
Kieron Purtill, Coach of Wigan-Leigh College, expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the Jamaican rugby league community, remarking, “The reception we've received in Jamaica from the rugby league community has been outstanding since the day we arrived. Participating in the Nines tournament was a fantastic experience for our team, showcasing a very high standard and significant participation. We eagerly anticipate our test match this Saturday as we prepare to take on a swift and robust Jamaican teamAnt. Rugby league emerges as the ultimate victor, and our partnership between Leigh Leopards, Wigan-Leigh College, in conjunction with Rugby League Jamaica, has provided a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all the young players involved. We hope this tour paves the way for other teams to visit and partake in what we've experienced, further aiding the development of rugby league in Jamaica.”
Ferny Hollow is due to make a belated return to action in the Newlands Chase at Naas on Sunday.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned nine-year-old looked at one stage to have the world at his feet when winning the 2020 Champion Bumper and then his maiden hurdle start ahead of Bob Olinger.
Injury interrupted his career after that and he returned in December 2021 to skip straight to chasing, winning both starts over fences including the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
He then met with a further setback and has not been seen since, with trainer Willie Mullins intending to run him in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran last weekend but eventually deciding against it.
Now his long-awaited comeback will come at Naas at the weekend, where he is booked to run in the Grade Three Newlands some 791 days after his last start.
“He’s entered at Naas on Sunday and hopefully he’ll run,” said Mullins, whose charge holds a Queen Mother Champion Chase engagement.
“He was ready to run last weekend in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran, but we had Saint Sam for that and he also gets in here without a penalty which is nice.
“He seems in good form so hopefully he can stay right. We’re very happy with him.”
Paul Townend’s mount will face five rivals, including Ash Tree Meadow (Gordon Elliott) and Espanito Bello (Barry Connell).
Andy Farrell is braced for a “war of attrition” against winless Wales and knows any hint of complacency could wreck Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slam titles.
The reigning Guinness Six Nations champions are overwhelming favourites to back up dominant bonus-point wins over France and Italy with another victory on Saturday afternoon in Dublin.
Warren Gatland’s side arrive at a sold-out Aviva Stadium seeking to stave off the threat of the wooden spoon following narrow losses to Scotland and England.
Ireland head coach Farrell acknowledges Wales could very easily have been in contention for a championship clean sweep of their own at this stage and is taking nothing for granted.
“It’s certainly not how we view it,” he replied when asked about the visitors being written off. “We view them in the highest regard.
“It’s a Test match. It’s a war of attrition and they’re going to give it absolutely everything they’ve got.
“We’ve got to manage ourselves from the start of the game to the end in the best way possible because if we don’t we’ll come unstuck, there’s no doubt about that.”
Wales have not won a Six Nations match in Dublin since 2012.
Members of Gatland’s squad have spoken about a fast start being crucial to their chances of pulling off a shock success to snap that statistic.
“We obviously know what they’ve been talking about, coming out of the blocks and causing chaos and we know it’s going to be a fight, we know they’re going to make it as tough as possible for us,” said Farrell.
“But what we always concentrate on is ourselves and making sure that we put our game to the match, whoever it is that we’re playing.
“We have full respect in regard to what Wales are going to bring because they’re always unbelievably hard to beat and we expect them to be chomping at the bit.
“The two performances that they had (against Scotland and England), they could be coming here with two wins and no losses so we know exactly what we’re up against.”
Ireland are bidding to extend their three-year winning run at home to 18 Tests and equal England’s record of 11 successive Six Nations victories.
Farrell has triumphed in 23 of 24 matches on Irish soil during his reign, with a 15-13 loss to France in 2021 the only blemish.
Speaking of the record, the Englishman said: “It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s not something that I keep track of, all these bits.
“’Breener’ (Peter Breen, IRFU communications manager) tells me them every week but they just roll over my head because it’s always just about the performance and getting the best out of ourselves and trying to be better the whole time.
“That’s what drives us more than anything.
“I suppose if you have that type of mentality hopefully things will chug along in the right direction but it’s nice to be told these things on the periphery, so that you’re aware of the progress that you’re making.”
Igor Shesterkin took a shutout late into the third period and Alexis Lafreniere scored twice as the New York Rangers rolled to their ninth straight victory, 5-1 over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist and Artemi Panarin set up three scores for the Rangers, who moved within one point of Boston for the Eastern Conference lead.
Shesterkin finished with 39 saves, allowing only Jack Hughes’ goal with 2:07 remaining, and also picked up his first assist of the season.
The Rangers killed off all five New Jersey power plays and have remained perfect since a loss to Stanley Cup champion Vegas on Jan. 26.
New York’s nine-game streak is tied for the third-longest in franchise history, bettered only by 10-game runs in 1939-40 and 1972-73.
The Devils lost their second straight and third in four games.
Hurricanes end Panthers’ 11-game road winning streak
Sebastian Aho scored with 18.9 seconds left and Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside 44 shots to help the Carolina Hurricanes to a 1-0 victory, snapping the Florida Panthers’ 11-game road winning streak.
Kochetkov stopped 16 shots in the first period, 12 in the second and 16 more in the third for his third shutout of the season and seventh of his career.
Florida’s 11-game road streak was one short of matching the NHL record.
Carolina has won four straight and six of seven to tighten its grip on second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Panthers played the final two periods without star forward Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Gustav Forsling.
Maple Leafs handle Golden Knights
Auston Matthews kept up his torrid pace with his league-leading 52nd goal and the Toronto Maple Leafs rolled past the Vegas Golden Knights, 7-3 for their sixth straight win.
Matthews was held off the scoresheet until he tallied midway through the third period to extend Toronto’s lead to 7-3.
He has goals in five straight games with 10 during that span and has 18 with nine assists in his past 14 contests.
Max Domi scored twice and Pontus Holmberg, David Kampf, Jacke McCabe and John Tavares also had goals to help the Maple Leafs win their 10th in 12 games.
Vegas set a season high in goals allowed and lost its fourth in five games.
Nikola Jokic registered his 16th triple-double of the season and was 10-for-10 from the floor in the Denver Nuggets’ 130-110 win over the reeling Washington Wizards on Thursday.
Jokic had 21 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists to become the third player in NBA history to record at least one triple-double against every opponent in the league. He had 10 points, 14 boards and nine assists in the first half alone.
LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are the only other players with a triple-double against every opponent.
Michael Porter had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Jamal Murray added 18 points and eight assists as the Nuggets returned from the All-Star break and snapped a season high-tying three-game skid.
Kyle Kuzma tallied 31 points and 13 rebounds, but Washington dropped its ninth straight to match a season high.
The Wizards shot 38.8 percent from the field and fell to 1-34 against opponents with winning records.
Doncic powers streaking Mavericks
Luka Dončić scored 41 points and fell a rebound shy of a triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns, 123-133, for their seventh straight win.
Doncic handed out 11 assists and grabbed nine boards while shooting 14 of 27 from the field and 6 of 11 from long range. He just missed his 11th triple-double of the season.
Kyrie Irving scored 13 of his 29 points in the first quarter and restored a double-digit lead for Dallas early in the fourth with a nifty behind-the-back dribble and spin move for a layup.
Devin Booker scored 35 points and Kevin Durant had 23 but was 9 of 22 from the floor and 2 of 8 on 3-pointers. Phoenix lost for the second time in seven games.
Celtics extend winning streak to seven
Derrick White scored 28 points and Jayson Tatum added 25 to lead the Boston Celtics to their season-high seventh consecutive win, 129-112 over the Chicago Bulls.
Jaylen Brown had 21 points and White and Tatum each made five of Boston’s 23 3-pointers as the Celtics padded their lead atop the NBA’s overall standings.
Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who have lost all three meetings against the Celtics this season.
Michael van Gerwen is seeking further glory after earning his third successive Premier League Darts victory with a 6-4 win over Nathan Aspinall.
The Dutchman beat Gerwyn Price and teenager Luke Littler to secure a spot in the final, where the seven-time Premier League champion came from behind to beat Aspinall.
Aspinall started brightly, winning two successive legs but was left to rue missed doubles which had troubled him throughout the evening as Van Gerwen hit a 10-dart break on his way to leading 5-2.
Although Van Gerwen needed one leg to win, Aspinall clawed his way back and nearly took him to a decider in the 10th leg, but missed double 16.
The Dutchman made no mistake finding double 18 to wrap up victory and hopes to put himself in a comfortable position in the upcoming weeks.
He told a post-match press conference: “I think it was really big of course to win another Premier League night it’s match three, it’s hard.
“I think I had a tough draw tonight this night, to win the first game against Gezzy then Luke Littler then of course Nathan Aspinall in the final, it wasn’t easy, but of course you still have to do it. Then to make it actually happen is always a great feeling.
“Of course you want to make yourself as comfortable as possible but I think with this win I can look forward next week but that’s what I want to do.
“I want to make sure I put myself in a comfortable position, make sure I do the damage again and make sure I get more points, that’s the only thing I can do.”
After beating Price in the quarter-finals, Van Gerwen edged to the final with a 6-5 victory against Littler in the final four.
The teenager beat Peter Wright 6-5 in the quarter-finals in a close encounter that went the distance to set up a final-four clash against the world number two, where Littler piled on the pressure.
Van Gerwen missed six match darts allowing “the Nuke” to take it to a decider, but the Dutchman kept his composure in the final leg, hitting a 90 finish to win.
He now leads the standings by eight points and believes he has a different mindset in his approach this year.
“When you play the best players you have to play the best game, you have to perform and have to win,” he added.
“Of course over so many weeks you’re going to have bad days, you’re going to have good days, but overall you need to make sure you keep your momentum going and that’s what I’m doing at the moment.
“I think I have a different mindset now, I’m going to look week-by-week, don’t put myself in the same position last year.
“Last year was another week, I wasn’t really there mentally and I’ve changed that this year.”
Thursday was Aspinall’s first Premier League final of the season following victory over Rob Cross in the semi-finals.
After narrowly beating Michael Smith 6-5 in the quarter-finals, the Asp faced a tough test against Cross, where missed doubles allowed “Voltage” to get his foot back into the game.
His struggles on the outer ring saw him miss three match darts before Cross missed double 16 and Aspinall made no mistake to wrap the game up with the following dart.
Jamie George will draw inspiration from the heartwarming thought that his late mother will be watching down on him as he prepares to lead England into Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown with Scotland just over a week after her death.
The 33-year-old Saracens hooker found out on the same day that he was appointed captain of the Red Rose last month that his mum Jane had been diagnosed with cancer. Her situation deteriorated quickly and she died last Wednesday.
George takes some solace from the fact a woman he described as “the biggest rugby fan on earth” was able to see her boy skipper his country for two matches, the Guinness Six Nations victories over Wales and Italy.
“We’ve been going through a lot as a family for a long period,” he said, speaking with remarkable composure about his ordeal from England’s team hotel in Edinburgh city centre on Thursday evening.
“The deterioration she had was really fast. I found out on Sunday about the fact that she was terminal, and she passed away on Wednesday [last week].
“My mum was the biggest rugby fan on earth, she loved this team, loved watching me play, she never missed a game.
“The text I’ve got from her before my first game as captain is something I will treasure forever. She said it was the proudest day of her life so given what she was going through, to still be able to put a smile on her face was huge.”
George was adamant he did not want to excuse himself from England duty. He turned up on the Friday after his mum’s death to participate in an open training session at Twickenham and had no doubt in his mind that he wanted to lead his team into battle with Scotland.
George’s father, his brothers, his uncle and his cousin will be at Murrayfield for what he hopes will be a cathartic experience for the family amid the trauma.
“Taking time off is the last thing she would have wanted me to do,” said George. “It’s not what I wanted to do.
“I feel very privileged to do what I do and hopefully the boys will agree that I’ve been able to fulfil my role as captain and fulfil my role as a player in this team.
“It’s not an ideal situation to be in, but there was never any doubt in my mind that I wanted to be involved in this game.
“Wherever she is now, she will be looking down telling everyone that is there that her son is the England captain. I know for a fact that meant a huge amount to her.
“Whenever I’ve played, I’ve always wanted to make my family proud. It’s been a huge driver for me. That won’t change this weekend – it will probably be enhanced this weekend.
“It will be emotional for me coming out. It will be the first game that she won’t be there. She wasn’t able to come to the first two games to watch, which has been tough in itself, but before that she was always there, she never missed it.
“My dad, my uncle, my cousin and both brothers are coming up this weekend. It’s going to be great for them to be able to be there. It’s amazing what rugby can do in situations like this.
“When I first became captain, I spoke a lot about showing how much it means to play for England and what an amazing impact you can have on people’s lives.
“I have seen it first-hand because my mum was on her death bed talking about the England rugby team and how proud she was of me being able to do what I do.
“That’s absolutely incredible. She will be with me in some capacity on Saturday and that means a huge amount to me.”
Mark Selby produced a vintage display to sweep past Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 and secure his place in the semi-finals of the Players Championship in Telford.
World number one O’Sullivan had looked pretty much untouchable this season, with four major ranking titles already.
However, it was Selby, himself a four-time world champion, who produced a high-quality display with half-century breaks or higher in five frames to end O’Sullivan’s 16-match unbeaten run.
There had been a controversial start to the match in the opening frame when referee Desislava Bozhilova failed to warn O’Sullivan after a second missed attempt when he could see one side of a red.
She swiftly realised her error, apologised to both players and promptly informed the world number one he would forfeit the frame if he did not hit a red with his next shot.
O’Sullivan’s response was to smash into the reds, opening up the table which allowed Selby to eventually clinch the frame with a break of 65.
Selby, who will play either China’s Zhang Anda or John Higgins in the semi-finals, soon built early momentum following a clearance of 91. After O’Sullivan did not make the most of a chance in the third, another break of 81 further extended his advantage.
It was turning into a vintage display from the Jester from Leicester, who produced another fine break of 105 to go into the mid-session interval in complete control at 4-0.
Following the resumption, O’Sullivan continued to make some wayward shots, going in off a red and into the top pocket as Selby went on to take the fifth frame with a 59 clearance.
The Rocket finally kicked into gear in the next frame with a break of 58, only to run out of position and then see an attempted safety shot back up the table edge the green to leave a red on.
Following couple of tense exchanges, Selby sunk a long red at pace into the bottom left corner and then dropped in a deft final red after O’Sullivan had left it just over the pocket before clearing the colours to take the frame 70-58, completing a memorable win.
During Thursday’s afternoon session at the International Centre, Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen came through a marathon four-hour contest to beat Gary Wilson 6-4.
Allen, celebrating his 38th birthday, moved into an early 2-0 lead after two half-century breaks and went into the interval 3-1 ahead with a run of 75.
Wilson, who won the BetVictor Welsh Open on Sunday, then mounted a recovery as he fought back to level at 3-3 on the back of a 76 break.
World number three Allen, though, dug in again to take frames seven and eight, before missing a match-ball chance in the next and then eventually getting the job done with a 69 break.
Allen, who had beaten former world champion Mark Williams in the first round, goes on to play Ali Carter for a place in Sunday’s final.
Cameron Norrie remains on course to defend his Rio Open title after easing into the quarter-finals.
The British number one won last year’s tournament in Brazil and his path to repeating his glory opened up earlier in the week when top seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew because of injury.
And he made light work of Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera on the clay, dropping just two games in a 6-1 6-1 victory.
Barrios Vera, ranked 120 in the world, was no match for the Norrie, who overcame an early exchange of breaks to reel off four successive games and win the first set.
Another run of four games on the spin was enough to get the job done with little fuss to set up a quarter-final meeting with Thiago Seyboth Wild.
“I really played well and was accurate, I hit the lines and was able to control the games,” Norrie said on Sky Sports.
“I enjoyed it, last night waiting around, it rained a lot and I had to come out and reset and I was able to do that so I was really pleased.
“I am going to keep focusing on myself and my level and I want to make sure I take care of my matches like that.
“It’s tough, it’s humid, there’s been a lot of rain and the clay is heavy. It’s not easy out here but I feel like I can play well when the matches go long.”
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