Andy Murray fought back from a set down to beat Jason Kubler and reach the semi-finals of the Lexus Surbiton Trophy.
The 36-year-old, the last remaining British man in the singles, scraped past the Australian 3-6 6-3 6-4 as he continued his preparations for Wimbledon next month .
Murray, who is ranked 43 in the world and needs to climb 11 spots in order to be seeded at his home tournament, will now face another Australian, Jordan Thompson, for a place in Sunday’s final.
Both Murray and Kubler battled at a high intensity despite the heat and the 30-year-old’s fast serve paid dividends as he took an early 3-2 lead which left the three-time grand slam winner frustrated as he failed to find any rhythm.
Kubler replicated Wednesday’s first set dominance over Britain’s Ryan Peniston as Murray struggled to deal with his opponent’s shot selection and the Scot was made to scramble across the turf before losing the opening set 6-3.
The former world number one appeared rejuvenated by the home support, though, and it finally felt like he was beginning to find his feet after taking a 2-1 lead in the second set, only to be pegged back to 2-2.
Kubler voiced his satisfaction through a loud “come on” as the game approached the hour mark with the second set now locked at 3-3.
Murray responded with a frustrated groan as the world number 69 began to ramp up the pressure with powerful serves and verbal celebrations.
However, Kubler’s shouts ebbed away as second seed Murray’s precision started to force errors and the home favourite eased into a 5-3 lead before an ace saw him claim the last game to bring the tie level.
Murray started the third set where he left off and cruised into a two-game lead despite his remonstrations with the umpire over a Kubler shot which was called in.
Kubler was one point from pulling a game back but the experienced Murray came out on top after a series of exciting rallies as he stormed into a 3-0 lead and seemingly on course for victory.
But, fresh from a medical break, Kubler’s forehand shots began to fizz past a helpless Murray as the Australian’s never-say-die attitude began to shine through and he clawed the score back to 3-2.
Both players’ serves were important weapons on the day and it was further demonstrated when Murray found himself serving for the match at 5-4.
Murray’s power mixed with his deft slice left Kubler with no answers as he succumbed to the quality of his opponent as the two-time Wimbledon champion claimed victory.
Earlier, Katie Boulter fought off Swiss opponent Viktorija Golubic to win in straight sets 7-5 6-2 to progress to a last-four showdown with Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer .
Victory for Boulter confirmed her place as British number one for the first time at the expense of the injured Emma Raducanu.
Isabelle Lacy’s campaign came to an end when the 16-year-old fell to fellow Briton Yuriko Miyazaki 6-3 6-0.
Miyazaki advanced to the semi-finals where she will face compatriot Katie Swan, who batted back to beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria 3-6 6-3 6-4.
Bullish Josh Taylor has warned title challenger Teofimo Lopez he will be at the peak of his powers on Saturday night as he bids to reign at Madison Square Garden.
The 32-year-old Scot will take to the ring for the first time since his contentious victory, via a split decision, over England’s Jack Catterall in February 2022.
Taylor knows he was not at his best that night in Glasgow almost 16 months ago, but he is adamant he will be firing on all cylinders as he goes head to head with 25-year-old Brooklyn boxer Lopez in their WBO super-lightweight title showdown in New York.
“We could both go on our previous performances and say ‘you’re only as good as your last fight’ but I believe that’s a lot of s***,” said Taylor.
“I prepared crap for the last fight so I performed crap. I believe he was the same (when winning by a split decision against Sandor Martin last December). He took his eye off the ball and he performed crap as well.
“We’ve both got the bit between our teeth here. He’s up against the king of the division. I know he’s a good fighter. The version that beat (Vasyl) Lomachenko (in October 2020) is a very good fighter and that’s the version I’m preparing for.
“It’s all about your preparation. This time I’ve prepared diligently and to the best of my ability, and you’ll see the best of me on Saturday night.”
Taylor admits he is living out a childhood dream in topping the bill at the Garden.
“I’ve been here 10-12 days now,” he said of his preparations in New York. “I came over nice and early to get used to the heat.
“I was expecting the heat but it’s not been so hot. It’s been OK for me being Scottish, used to the cold weather, so I haven’t had to adjust too much.
“I’m excited to be here. To be involved in a big fight and the main event like this, doing the Empire State Building and stuff like that, it’s really cool.
“This is a dream come true. Starting out as a young kid, you always dream of coming stateside and fighting in venues like this.
“This is the ‘Mecca of Boxing’, Madison Square Garden. Fighting in a place like this, topping the bill, bringing the travelling fans – the Tartan Army – over as well, so I can’t wait to get in there to make this dream become a reality.
“This clown here (Lopez) is in my way but he’s another piece of cannon fodder, that’s all he is.”
The fight is due to begin around 3am BST on Sunday.
England’s Dale Whitnell carded a stunning second round of 61 to open up a commanding six-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Stockholm.
Whitnell fired six birdies in his first eight holes and started the back nine at Ullna Golf and Country Club with three more in succession from the 10th.
A 10th birdie of the day on the 15th left the 34-year-old needing to play the last three holes in three under to card the second 59 in DP World Tour history, but he could only par 16 and 17 before making a birdie on the last.
At 17 under par, Whitnell held a six-shot lead over Germany’s Ryder Cup hopeful Yannik Paul, with Scotland’s Richie Ramsay another shot back after a bogey-free 66.
England’s Alice Hewson and France’s Emma Grechi were the leading female players on five under par in the unique event which sees 78 men and 78 women compete on the same course for one prize fund and one trophy.
Defending champion Linn Grant, who recorded a stunning nine-shot victory 12 months ago in Halmstad, added a 69 to her opening 72 to lie three under.
Carlos Alcaraz’s French Open hopes were hobbled by cramp as Novak Djokovic moved through to a 34th grand slam final in anti-climactic fashion.
Alcaraz had just won an electrifying second set to level the hugely anticipated match and looked like he might be grabbing the ascendancy when, after hitting a forehand, his right leg seized up.
The 20-year-old initially appeared unable to move but eventually limped back to his seat and was forced to forfeit a service game in order to have treatment.
The crowd loudly jeered when they realised the game had been awarded to Djokovic but that was the least of Alcaraz’s troubles, with the Spaniard, who had been wowing Philippe Chatrier with his incredible movement and dynamism, reduced to little more than walking.
He opted not to retire but could offer little challenge to Djokovic thereafter and won only one more game, with the Serbian completing a 6-3 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory to move through to his seventh final on the Parisian clay.
Djokovic, who has not lost a grand slam match since the quarter-finals here last year, said: “First and foremost I have to say tough luck for Carlos. At this level, the last thing you want is cramps. I feel for him, I feel sorry and hope he can recover and come back very soon.
“I told him at the net, he knows how young he is. He’s going to win this tournament I’m sure many, many times. He’s an incredible player. It’s tough obviously for him to not know whether he should finish the match but congratulations to him for the fighting spirit.
“Towards the end of the second set I wasn’t feeling fresh at all. We went toe to toe and then this thing happened. I just tried to stay focused. I saw that he’s struggling but I didn’t want to think too much what’s going on on the other side of the net.
“I’m incredibly proud to reach another final.”
It was a huge disappointment because the contest had been living up to the massive hype, with the pair meeting for the first time in a grand slam and only the second occasion.
The 16-year age gap was the biggest in any Roland Garros semi-final in the open era and it seemed a pivotal match in the generational battle going on in men’s tennis as well as for Djokovic’s hopes of pulling away from his rivals at the top of the all-time lists.
Now he will be an overwhelming favourite to become the first man to win 23 grand slam singles titles in the final on Sunday, when he can also reclaim the number one ranking.
The 36-year-old had been tested on his way to the last four but he stepped up his level significantly in the first set, breaking Alcaraz in the fourth game and proving the steadier in tricky, breezy conditions.
The match really came alive in the third game of the second set when Alcaraz, whose ability to have fun at what should be stressful moments is a key part of his appeal, hit one of the most outrageous shots seen at a grand slam.
Having been dragged short and wide by a Djokovic drop shot, the Serbian appeared to have dinked a winner into the open court but Alcaraz had other ideas, not just getting to the ball on the slide but, while still travelling in the wrong direction, twisting and flicking a forehand inside the sideline.
Djokovic could do nothing but laugh and applaud while Alcaraz soaked up the adulation.
It was Djokovic who called the trainer after the seventh game for treatment to his right forearm and Alcaraz finally clinched his sixth break point to move 5-3 ahead.
The young Spaniard was forcing the pace and beginning to have significant success with his signature drop shot, but Djokovic is the toughest of grand slam beasts and back he came with a backhand winner drilled down the line.
Alcaraz forced three set points in the next game but Djokovic saved all of them, and he might have claimed the set had he taken a break point in the next game but uncharacteristically dumped a routine backhand wide.
Alcaraz held and then went up 0-40 again, this time drawing the error from Djokovic as he levelled the match.
At that stage it appeared the contest had a long distance still to run but a few minutes later it was effectively over.
Alcaraz hobbled his way through the remainder of the third set in what seemed like a futile bid to keep going and then took a long bathroom break, giving himself all the time he could to somehow recover.
He certainly moved better at the start of the fourth set but not nearly well enough and Djokovic ensured he did not find a way back into the match, not losing another game until he was 5-0 up.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from June 9.
FootballOne more year for Ben Foster at Wrexham.
Declan Rice sent a message to the Hammers fans.
Long-serving Joel Ward extended his stay at Palace.
Liverpool remembered when captain Jordan Henderson signed for the club 12 years ago today.
CricketJoe Root was up for the Ashes.
Kevin Pietersen gave his view on the French Open crowd.
TennisMiyu Kato made amends.
Aryna Sabalenka was gracious in defeat.
SnookerStephen Hendry switched sports and demonstrated his coaching talent.
There was drama at Brighton on Friday when only two of the six declared runners in the sixth race on the card were permitted to take part.
The race conditions for the one-mile Follow @attheraces On Twitter Handicap stated it was for horses “for four yrs old and upwards, rated 46-65 which have not won more than two races”.
However, Kondratiev Wave, Rivas Rob Roy, Spirit Warning, Vitesse Du Son had all won more than two and were scratched less than an hour before the race was due off at 4.30pm, following what the British Horseracing Authority said in a statement was a “systems and administrative error”.
Shaun Parker, the BHA’s head of stewarding, told Sky Sports Racing: “Once the meeting started concerns were raised that in the sixth race certain runners were not eligible to run due to the conditions of the race.
“We then held discussions with representatives from Weatherbys, the BHA racing department as well as ARC (Arena Racing Company, owners of Brighton) and followed up with an inquiry with the trainers.
“When we ascertained having gone through all the documents that these horses weren’t eligible to race, we only have one option but to take them out at that stage.
“In terms of the conditions, there were two that qualified correctly so it was only fair to them to take the others out.
“I think what has happened, looking at the discussions we’ve had with representatives from Weatherbys, there has obviously been a glitch somewhere along the line, it is not the way we like to see a race taken apart but I’m sure there will be investigations under way and we will forward our findings to the BHA.
“We looked at everything to see if there was something we could do, but unfortunately there was not. It’s very strange and Weatherbys say it’s the first time they can recall something like this happening.”
Tony Carroll, trainer of Kondratiev Wave, said: “Everybody is very disappointed as it seems to have slipped through the system without anybody noticing.
“I’d have to go back and see what was printed in the Racing Calendar, but mine and a couple of the others could have run in other races. They generally come up as not qualified so I don’t know how it has slipped through but it has so there’s four or five very unhappy people.
“I’m sure we’ll be compensated but there’s a bit of sadness about the whole thing, I’ve not seen it before. There’s four of us that have not got it right, which is unusual.”
In a statement Brighton racecourse said: “Following the stewards’ inquiry regarding the declarations for race six this afternoon, Brighton Racecourse will make a goodwill payment to the owner and jockey of each of the four horses affected.
“They entered the race in good faith, and will have expected to run. As such, we can only apologise for the inconvenience that they have experienced.
“We will, of course, be in touch with colleagues at the BHA and Weatherbys to get to the bottom of the issue.”
In the race itself 3-1 chance Roscioli beat the 1-4 favourite Girl Inthe Picture.
Former AIG Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall hopes her relationship with fellow player Ryann O’Toole will encourage others to be “true to themselves”.
Hall and O’Toole had been acquaintances for several years before finally being paired in a tournament in 2022 and their relationship blossomed from then on.
“I knew her, knew her name and knew who she was but we really didn’t play together at all for like five years and we would never be near each other,” Hall said in an interview with the LPGA to mark Pride Month.
“Then we got paired together a couple of times last year, and we just got on really well and it’s went from there really.”
Although the couple are not shy about their relationship online, Hall admits she still feels her sexuality surprises some of her fans.
“There are so many comments from people we don’t know saying like, ‘So happy for you guys.’ They can see on our faces how happy we are and our love,” the 27-year-old from Bournemouth said.
“Maybe (there are) a few people kind of being like, oh, okay, she’s with a woman. That’s basically it. It’s not negative either.
Regional will bid for the first Listed win of his career when he lines up in the Sky Bet Achilles Stakes at Haydock.
Ed Bethell’s five-year-old has been an ultra-consistent performer in the handicap ranks for the Middleham-based handler and produced arguably a career best on his seasonal return, making all to claim a competitive York heat in fine style.
He showed plenty of pace when dropping back to the minimum distance on the Knavesmire and connections believe he can now repeat the dose in Merseyside.
“He looked pretty quick at York last time and was pretty exciting then and I’m hoping we might be able to emulate that on a similar track in Haydock,” said Bethell.
“I’m hopeful that the forecast thunderstorms don’t hit before 1.15pm because he likes rattling fast ground. He is in great nick at home and I would be hopeful for a good run.”
It will be the first time Regional has competed in Pattern company since his juvenile days, but he was given a career-high rating of 105 following his York triumph and his handler is excited to see if he can continue climbing the sprinting ladder.
Bethell continued: “He’s always promised that (to be a stakes-level performer) and if you go back to his two-year-old form, he was only beaten a one and a half lengths by Winter Power so on the basis of that form he should be bang there in these types of races.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on, he’s a bit of a stable legend so fingers crossed.”
It was Karl Burke’s Korker who played second fiddle to Regional at York and the Spigot Lodge handler is hoping the four-year-old can make a snappy exit from the stalls in order to make his presence felt.
He said: “He makes his own problems messing around in the stalls, unfortunately. We’ve done a bit of work with him and if he jumps off anywhere near them he should run well.
“He’s got a lot of ability, but you can’t give three, four, five lengths away in these tough races.
“He the maker of his own downfall I’m afraid, but he doesn’t have a lot to find on ratings and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”
Mick Appleby’s Raasel claimed this prize 12 months ago but was disappointing in the Temple Stakes over course and distance most recently – a race in which Charlie Hills’ Equilateral showed there was plenty of life in his eight-year-old legs when second to Dramatised.
“Equilateral is one of the yard favourites and I was delighted with his run at Haydock last time,” said Hills.
“It was a hot race although it did look to favour those drawn near the stands side rail. However, he seems to have come out of that race really well and we are going to give it another go up there.
“Frankie (Dettori) rode him last time and he has won on him before out in Dubai so he knows the horse well enough. He doesn’t like the ground too soft and looking at it the ground at the weekend should be perfect for him.”
Keith Dalgleish’s Prince Of Pillo produced some fine efforts over this trip as a two-year-old and is one of two for Middleham Park Racing in the contest alongside Robert Cowell’s Clarendon House, who makes a quick return to the track following his third in the Dash at Epsom last weekend.
Clarendon House is joined by stablemate Arecibo, with Mondammej (Anthony Britain), Fine Wine (Scott Dixon) and Makarova (Ed Walker) the others heading to post.
Don't wish for it. Work for it.
That is the motto that United States-born Barbadian gymnast Olivia Kelly lives by, as she has always been motivated to turn her thoughts into actions.
In fact, at 17 years old, Kelly has her eyes set on accomplishing a goal which, if successful, will propel her budding career to higher heights. The goal? To be the first gymnast to represent the Eastern Caribbean Island at the Olympic Games.
Achieving such a dream is by no means impossible and Kelly, also known as "Storm," in gymnastics circles, positioned herself to bring it to fruition when she placed 10th at the PanAm Gymnastics Championships in Medellin, Colombia recently, and earned a spot to the World Gymnastics Championships for a second year consecutively.
The championships scheduled to begin late September in Antwerp, Belgium, serves an Olympic qualifier and, as such, Kelly is focused on ensuring her performance quality and the details of her routine are on point, while staying physically and mentally healthy.
"I’m not really aiming to do anything much different other than to stay healthy and keep training hard. My goals this year were always to just train hard, trust my training at Worlds, and hopefully qualify for the 2024 Olympics," Kelly, who has a number of first for Barbados, declared.
"I've devoted a lot to this sport and so I always want to be competitive, but my best is all I can do and if I do that, I will always be satisfied," she added.
At the PanAm Championships, Kelly, who earns her Barbadian stripes through her father, Tori, scored 12.867 for her vault routine, 11.867 on uneven bars, 12.267 on the balance beam and 12.467 for her floor routine, for an All-Around total of 49.468.
"Colombia, was so much fun and I’m very pleased with the performance. I definitely feel like I can work on little things for Worlds, but I think this was a great meet for me," Kelly noted.
That performance, she said, was a reflection of the lessons learnt from last when she made her debut appearance on the international stage.
"I gained a lot of experience from last year which was a learning year for me in the international field. At both the Pan American Championship in Rio and the World Championships in Liverpool, I fell on bars, but even then, I still had a great experience. So, coming into this year, I felt way more prepared and confident because of my 2022 season.
"That season taught me that I can be resilient and bounce back in the next event. I’ve learned that I can push that negative energy back and really focus on what’s happening now instead of the past," Kelly reasoned.
While she is clearly identified as one of, if not the best young gymnast for her country, Kelly, who got involved with the sport at two years old, when she took tumbling and mommy-and-me classes, knows she still has some ways to go.
As such, the North Stars Gymnastics Academy stalwart, guided by coach Ashley Umberger, a former member of the United States senior international gymnastics team, is determined to continue working over 30 hours per week to improve physically and mentally challenges to realize her dream.
"The aim is always to be better than you were before. So, I am going to add some skills for Worlds and clean up my routines, as well as build up my mental toughness and my confidence a little bit more," Kelly, who is homeschooled with Florida Virtual Global School, ended.
Just Beautiful will miss the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot as connections plot a course to the Breeders’ Cup.
Trained by Paddy Twomey, the five-year-old built on a comeback run in the Athasi Stakes to claim the Group Two Lanwades Stud Stakes from the front in great style at the Curragh last month, a victory that saw Just Beautiful trimmed to 5-1 for the Duke of Cambridge behind general favourite Inspiral.
However, with the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita highlighted as the mares’ main objective at the back-end of the season, a trip to Ascot is off the cards with Newmarket’s Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (July 14) or a cross-Channel raid to Deauville entering the agenda as a potential next port of call.
Twomey said: “She’s not going (to Ascot). I would say she will go to Deauville maybe. We may look at the Falmouth, but she might go to France for the Prix Maurice De Gheest (August 6) or Prix Rothschild (July 30).
“The long-term aim would be the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.”
While Just Beautiful will not be sighted at the Royal meeting, one who looks to have a fine chance of breaking Twomey’s duck at the summer showpiece is well-regarded two-year-old Noche Magica.
An impressive winner at Cork on debut, he was agonisingly rUn down when sent off favourite for the Marble Hill over six furlongs next time, a reverse that will see him drop back in trip for the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot.
Twomey continued: “We’ll run Noche Magica in the Norfolk Stakes. He’s a nice horse with a high cruising speed and we’re looking forward to running him.”
Ex-Williams driver Susie Wolff has urged Formula One team principals to back new initiatives designed to accelerate the debut of the championship’s next female driver – someone she predicts is a 12 to 14-year-old girl today.
Wolff is now the managing director of the F1 Academy, the all-female single-seater series which debuted in April and next season will join F1 race weekends, ultimately aiming to launch drivers into higher levels of competition.
It has been almost 50 years since a woman – Lella Lombardi – started an F1 Grand Prix. Wolff is adamant one will do so again, but believes the success of corresponding efforts rests in ensuring they are not seen as segregated from the sport as a whole.
“That day will come. Of that I have no doubt because we’re doing too much and we’re putting (up) too many strong foundations for it not to happen,” the former Formula E Venturi Racing team principal and CEO told the PA news agency.
“When I was announced in my new role in Bahrain I met all the team principals and I said ‘please don’t look at this as a woman’s initiative run by a woman. This is for the greater good of this sport. It’s for the greater good of your platform, for the business, but we have the chance to also inspire other industries by getting this right.’
“The success of F1 Academy and Discover Your Drive will come down to the collective, it will come down to the whole community of the sport getting on board and really understanding that this will be for the greater good of all of us.
“But I will be hugely, hugely proud when I see a woman either on track or off track and they are in a top position because of F1 Academy. That will definitely be a moment where we can take a moment of real pride.”
F1 Academy Discover Your Drive, launched this week, is a global initiative targeted at girls.
Central among the programme’s ambitions is talent identification. In the UK, that means closing a considerable gap, with females accounting for just five per cent of all senior Motorsport UK race-license holders.
The first phase will begin with six Motorsport UK venues, with plans to expand to 35 next year.
Instructors have been trained to identify promising girls aged 8-12, who will be offered development sessions designed to facilitate a move into junior karting – potentially the first step on a road to F1 like it was for Brits Lando Norris and George Russell.
Spotting talent at an early age is a critical component for Wolff, who was 12 when she started believing motorsport could be her career, and in 2014 became the first woman in 22 years to take part in an F1 race weekend when she took the wheel for a practice session at Silverstone.
She said: “That’s the age that if you want to get to the pinnacle of the sport, you need to start having an idea of, ok, I need to do this more often.”
Wolff eventually hopes to see some of those girls in F1 Academy, which consists of seven three-race rounds. Five are on current F1 circuits, including the season finale alongside the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
The incentive for the eventual champion is tantalising, while the prospect of joining the F1 calendar in 2024 looks to benefit the entire grid.
“Our winner is guaranteed to move on,” Wolff vowed. “We will put the budget together for her to progress. I’m not committed to which series because I want it to be the best progression for the driver.
“But I think moving onto the global stage brings much more possibilities for the drivers to get backing and make sure they’re finding people that will help them further in their career.
“Because in the end not everyone is going to make it to Formula 1, but if they can go on to be successful in a different category or area, then I think that is still something that can still be seen as a success for the Academy.”
Mimikyu bids to open her account for the season in the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock.
The daughter of Dubawi saw off the reopposing Time Lock to land a novice event over this course and distance 12 months ago and went on to win a Newmarket handicap and the Group Two Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster before the end of her three-year-old campaign.
She was narrowly beaten by River Of Stars in the Bronte Cup at York a fortnight ago and joint-trainer Thady Gosden is expecting her to take a step forward in a race his father John and owner George Strawbridge won in 2016 with Mimikyu’s sister and subsequent Group One heroine Journey.
He said: “She ran a very nice race first time out this year in the Bronte when just denied.
“She’s come out of that well. She’s obviously dropping back down in trip two furlongs at Haydock and she’s got the hood off, which will help we think.
“It was fast ground at York last time and she’s won on soft, so she’s not ground dependent, and Haydock is a nice, even track for her.”
Following her neck defeat to Mimikyu at Haydock in June last year, Time Lock went on to push fellow Juddmonte-owned filly Haskoy close in the Galtres Stakes at York.
The winner went on to go close in the St Leger and won a Group Three on her recent reappearance, while Time Lock again finished second on her comeback in a Listed race at Goodwood.
Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon is hoping for a sound surface on Merseyside to give Time Lock the best chance of running up to her best.
He said: “Hopefully we get good to firm ground as we want proper summer ground for her, so hopefully there’ll be no over-watering going on.
“I think she’s going to develop into a good filly this year. She’s a big, scopey filly and hopefully she could develop into a very good filly.”
Roger Varian switches Modaara to the turf following a 13-length victory on the all-weather at Kempton, while German hopes are carried by the Peter Schiergen-trained Nachtrose.
William Haggas won last year’s renewal with Sea La Rosa and would love to follow up in a race now named in honour of his legendary late father-in-law with Sea Silk Road.
Haggas said: “I think it is a great honour that officials at Haydock Park have named the race in memory of Lester. The family are absolutely thrilled.
“Haydock was the place where Lester had his first winner and rode his last winner so there is no more appropriate venue to have a race run in his memory.”
He added: “It would be lovely if Sea Silk Road could win on Saturday. She is a filly that has not yet won a Group race but she won a Listed race last year and was second in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.
“First time out this year in the Middleton they went too slow for her over that extended mile and a quarter and she didn’t really relax.
“She has come forwards for that run though and going back to a mile and a half I think will suit her. We are hopeful she will go well.”
The field is completed by Poptronic, who finished third behind the Gosdens’ Free Wind in the Middleton Stakes and trainer Karl Burke feels she may have been underestimated in the market.
“She ran a good, solid race first time up and will improve for stepping up to the mile and a half. I think they’re making her the outsider of the field, but she’ll run a good race, she’s a good filly and she’s in good form,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
Australian challenger The Astrologist gets the opportunity to reassert his Royal Ascot claims in the Sky Bet John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
Trained in partnership by the father and son team of Leon and Troy Corstens, the six-year-old has been placed at Group One level on multiple occasions in his homeland and was beaten just a head by Danyah in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan in March.
That excellent effort encouraged connections to target the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the big meeting and he made his British debut in last month’s 1895 Duke of York Stakes under Ryan Moore.
While on the face of it The Astrologist’s performance in finishing seventh at York was underwhelming, hopes in the camp are high he can bounce back to something like his best on Merseyside.
“We’re very happy with the way he came through York. Obviously, as everyone knows, he needed the run and that is why he is having another run before Ascot,” said assistant trainer Dom Sutton.
“It is a strange one because we were hoping he’d have a little bit more residual fitness from Dubai, but it was a formula we’d never used before – he’d never had eight weeks between a run and obviously he had to deal with the flight and the travel.
“Back in Australia we use barrier trials as stepping stones to getting them to the races and obviously we couldn’t do that here, so we were kind of a little bit in the dark.
“He handled everything well leading up to York and we were hoping he could run a nice, bold race, but Ryan got off him and said in the last furlong he really needed it.”
With a step up from six to seven furlongs not expected to be an issue on a flat track and fast ground, Sutton is optimistic about his chances of victory, with Moore once again in the saddle.
He added: “He’s been pretty competitive over seven furlongs back home, the ground should suit and he’s ticked every box fitness-wise and gallops-wise in between runs, so hopefully it shouldn’t be a problem.
“Looking at the field you’d hope that he’ll be going pretty close. If circumstances mean he doesn’t win, as long as he’s hitting the line and running well we’ll be happy.”
A horse going the other way in distance is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Jumby, who was last seen finishing down the field over a mile in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
The son of New Bay won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes over the intermediate trip last summer and his trainer is confident of a bold showing.
She said: “He’s won a Group Two over seven furlongs and a mile just stretched him in the Lockinge.
“He likes fast ground and we’ve been very pleased with him since Newbury.”
El Caballo bids to get his season back on track for the in-form Karl Burke team.
The four-year-old won his first four starts of last year, including the Group Two Sandy Lane at Haydock, but disappointed in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and missed the rest of the campaign.
He trailed home last of 10 runners on his reappearance in the Cammidge Trophy on heavy ground at Doncaster and Burke is hoping conditions will be more favourable.
“We don’t want fast ground and I’m just hoping they put a decent amount of water on – they usually do at Haydock,” said the Spigot Lodge handler.
“We’ve got to get him started, he’s working really well and if we can’t run here on good, fast ground we’re going to struggle for the rest of the summer.
“Hopefully he can go and show himself to good effect. We’re stepping up to seven furlongs, he’s won over seven and I think that will help him.
“This looks a nice race for him to go for and he’s still got the ability, I have no doubt about that.”
Tim Easterby’s Boardman and the Charlie Fellowes-trained Gorak are both course and distance winners but face a step up in class, while Stan Moore’s The Wizard Of Eye, who also contested the Lockinge last month, completes the line-up.
Comparisons with her idol Rafael Nadal may be distinctly premature but Iga Swiatek can take another step towards establishing her own dynasty at Roland Garros with a third title on Saturday.
The Pole has only suffered two defeats on the Parisian clay, winning her first title as an unseeded teenager in 2020 then reclaiming it last year.
Swiatek is yet to drop a set this year – although she was pushed hard in the semi-finals by Beatriz Haddad Maia – and will be a big favourite to beat Czech Karolina Muchova for what would be her fourth grand slam title overall.
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“Rafa, what he did and what he’s still doing, it’s pretty amazing,” said the 22-year-old.
“So it was totally out of my reach. And still he played so well so many years. I don’t know if it’s going to be possible for me. But I just try to compete, keep it cool year by year and just do everything step by step.”
At 43rd in the world, Muchova is the fourth-lowest ranked woman to reach the final of the French Open, continuing a trend of unexpected slam contenders.
The Czech certainly has not come from nowhere though, having made at least the quarter-finals at every slam except the US Open, and would surely have been a consistent member of the top 20 but for injuries.
She produced a stunning victory over second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals on Thursday, battling back from 5-2 down in the deciding set and saving a match point in a three-hour epic.
What stood out most was Muchova’s variety and intelligence as she fought Sabalenka’s pace with craft and guile.
Her final opponent is a fan, with Swiatek saying: “I really like her game. I really respect her, and she’s, I feel like, a player who can do anything. She has great touch. She can also speed up the game.
“She plays with that kind of freedom in her movements. And she has a great technique. So I watched her matches and I feel like I know her game pretty well.”
Muchova’s style is a throwback in a game now dominated by power, but the 26-year-old is happy to be different.
“I think I have it like that in everything in life, I don’t really want to be like anyone else,” she said.
“It’s the type of game I enjoy and I believe in. We are trying to improve it with the team. Now we can see as well that it works, so that’s nice. I’ll keep it this way.”
The strength of Czech women’s tennis is one of the enduring wonders of the game. Ten of the world’s top 100 hail from the country and they have a number of promising teenagers.
“I’ve been asked this every time I’m in the press conference,” said Muchova when asked for an explanation of her country’s success.
“I think I’m always trying to come up with a different answer to make it a little different. I think there is plenty of Czech players playing, good Czech players, and the younger generations, they look up to us and we practise with them.
“I think they can see it’s possible to be a top tennis player. We have as well great coaches.”
Muchova and Swiatek’s only previous meeting came back in 2019, when the Czech won a close battle.
Intriguingly, Muchova maintained her perfect record against players ranked in the top three by beating Sabalenka, extending it to 5-0.
“I don’t think I will be the favourite,” she said. “It’s nice. I didn’t really even know about this statistic.
“It just shows me that I can play against them. I can compete, and obviously the matches are super close. It’s great to know that I win against the top players, and that for sure boosts my confidence.”
Karl Burke expects to have a clearer idea of Cuban Slide’s capabilities after he contests the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy at Beverley on Saturday.
The Spigot Lodge handler has been firing in juvenile winners left, right and centre this season and few were more impressive on debut than this son of Havana Grey.
Cuban Slide was an odds-on favourite for a five-furlong novice event at Musselburgh and justified the cramped odds with a nine-length demolition job.
But while that Scottish success was visually striking, Burke is not convinced of the depth of the race and is anticipating he will learn more about his colt’s big-race credentials in East Yorkshire this weekend.
“I think he’s a nice horse, he’s obviously got good ability and he works well at home,” he said.
“I don’t think it was much of a race that he won, so we’re on a finding-out mission as much as anything.
“I do think he’s useful, but whether he’s top class or not I’m not sure. Stepping up to six furlongs could see him to good effect, but he’s not slow and a stiff five with a good draw should be fine.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him run and learning a bit more about him.”
Richard Fahey is represented by Bombay Bazaar, a Kodiac juvenile who also comes into this in winning form having been victorious over the course and distance last month.
He was previously third in a Thirsk maiden when beaten four lengths, with Kevin Ryan’s Sergeant Wilko the winner and Dominic Ffrench Davis’ Valadero the runner-up.
The latter was previously second in the Brocklesby, while Sergeant Wilko has some positive collateral form having finished second on debut to Hugo Palmer’s Balon d’Or – subsequently third in the Lily Agnes and second in the Woodcote.
Next time out Bombay Bazaar got off the mark by an easy four and a quarter lengths and Fahey is looking forward to seeing him return to the Westwood.
“He improved a lot for his first and second runs and he seems to have gone on again,” Fahey said.
“I don’t know what he beat that day (at Beverley) but he beat them well, he will be a better horse again and whether or not he’s good enough, we’ll see.
“The form will do and we’re getting better, so we’ll see.”
Other contenders include the Ryan-trained Room Service, who was a debut winner at Wetherby, and Richard Hannon’s Fusterlandia, second on his introduction at Leicester late last month.
Andrew Balding’s Loaded Gun, David O’Meara’s Scoops Ahoy and the unraced Mehigburn from Roger Fell and Sean Murray’s yard complete the field.
Ziggy’s Phoenix makes a swift return to action as she bids for a third win this season in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley on Saturday.
The two-year-old, who is owned by Middleham Park Racing, won a Ripon novice earlier in the season and was then victorious in the Lily Agnes at Chester.
She subsequently headed to Chantilly in search of Listed honours in the Prix la Fleche, but could finish only fourth of eight runners in the hands of Gerald Mosse.
Richard Hannon sends the Kodiac filly back into battle just six days later, with connections “hopeful” the quick turnaround will not be a problem.
“She got caught out on a wing and raced away from the rail in France, but she kept on well to the line,” said Middleham Park’s director of racing, Tim Palin.
“She is down in grade a notch to a level she’s already been successful at and escapes a penalty.
“We’re backing her up quite quickly, but she’s got a decent draw (stall four) this time and we go there hopeful.”
Richard Fahey saddles Midnight Affair, a daughter of Dark Angel who caught the eye finishing second to the Royal Ascot-bound Soprano on her debut at Newmarket last month.
Midnight Affair was unlucky not to make more of a race of it after meeting traffic problems and is a hot favourite to go one better on the Westwood under Danny Tudhope.
“She ran a good race first time out. Things didn’t happen for her, but she still went well for a first run,” said Fahey.
“She’s drawn in stall six and I’d be happy with that.”
Other hopefuls include Charlie Johnston’s Never Fear, the winner of a Wolverhampton maiden, and Andrew Balding’s Flora Of Bermuda, who was beaten just half a length when fourth at Sandown on debut.
Tallulabelle (David O’Meara), Alfa Moonstone (Craig Lidster), Callianassa (Brian Ellison), Miss Woo Woo (Robert Cowell) and La Boo (Mick and David Easterby) complete the field.
Plans remain fluid for Soul Sister following her Betfred Oaks triumph at Epsom last week.
Disappointing in a soft ground Fred Darling at Newbury on her three-year-old debut, the Frankel filly bounced back with a surprise victory in the Musidora Stakes at York last month.
Soul Sister proved that was no fluke by clinching Classic glory on the Surrey Downs a week ago under Frankie Dettori and she holds an entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, while joint-trainer Thady Gosden reports the three-year-old to have taken her Epsom exertions well, connections have not got as far as finalising the next plan of attack.
“She’s come out of it well. Obviously every Classic is a hard race, but she seems happy and well in herself at home,” said Gosden.
“We’ll see how she is, but it was fantastic to win the Oaks with her.”
On the other side of the coin there was disappointment for the Gosden team ahead of the Oaks, with their other leading contender Running Lion withdrawn on veterinary advice just seconds before the off after kicking the back gate of the starting stalls.
The daughter of Roaring Lion is set to bid for compensation and redemption in the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, at Chantilly on Sunday week.
“It was obviously frustrating with Running Lion, it was sort of a freak event really. The plan is for her to go to France, I think,” Gosden added.
Cory Hill has become the latest player to withdraw from Wales’ preliminary World Cup training squad.
The former Cardiff and Dragons lock, who had been playing in Japan, was recalled by Wales head coach Warren Gatland following two years out of Test rugby.
But 31-year-old Hill has pulled out of the squad to pursue a club contract opportunity outside of Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union said.
“I am gutted to be leaving the squad, but an opportunity has come up and I need to take it for my family,” Hill said.
“Wishing the boys all the best at the World Cup, and I hope to be back in a Wales jersey in the future.”
Gatland named a 54-man group last month for the tournament in France later this year.
Lock Alun Wyn Jones, flanker Justin Tipuric and scrum-half Rhys Webb, who have 291 Wales caps between them, subsequently announced their retirements from international rugby.
And Cardiff prop Rhys Carre was then released from the squad after he failed to meet individual performance targets.
The PA news agency understands that Gatland has no plans to call up a replacement for Hill, whose new club want him available for them during the World Cup period in September and October.
Hill made his Wales debut against Australia in 2016, while a 32nd and latest appearance came during the 2021 Six Nations against France.
Gatland’s remaining second-row options in his squad are Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Teddy Williams and Christ Tshiunza.
Frankie Dettori will replace Richard Kingscote on Desert Crown in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Kingscote won the Derby on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old last season, but the colt was beaten on his first run since Epsom in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown by Hukum.
With Dettori available, owner Saaed Suhail has decided to snap up his services in what will be the Italian’s last ever Royal Ascot ahead of his retirement later this year.
Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast: “He (Suhail) just feels that for Desert Crown to win this race is all important and while Frankie is around he wants to give the horse every chance.
“He believes Frankie is unbeatable around Ascot and that is why. It’s no disgrace for Richard at all, I myself was jocked off Carroll House when he won the Arc.”
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