Wimbledon’s bold expansion plans will be considered by Merton Council at a committee meeting on Thursday.
The All England Club’s grounds will almost triple in size if the ambitious scheme is given the green light.
Wimbledon bought the lease of the neighbouring Wimbledon Park Golf Club for a reported £65million in 2018.
It plans to use the land to build 38 new courts, including a third show court with a capacity of 8,000 seats.
Wimbledon will then be able to hold the qualifying tournaments at the grounds, rather than their current home a couple of miles away in Roehampton.
In outlining its plans, the All England Club said: “The AELTC seeks continually to ensure that the Championships, proudly a local and national asset, remains a world-leading sporting event.
“Bringing the qualifying event on site in order to improve it to be worthy of our world-class player field, enhancing practice and junior event facilities and providing a third ‘show court’ are all measures aimed at ensuring Wimbledon remains the world’s premier tennis tournament, with all the associated substantial social and economic benefits that the event brings, locally and nationally.”
The plans were originally submitted in 2021 and Wimbledon chiefs anticipate that the new courts, if they get the go-ahead, will be ready for use in 2030.
However, the scheme has not gone down well with some local residents, and a petition to ‘Save Wimbledon Park’ currently has more than 13,000 signatures.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that Brock Purdy has entered the NFL's concussion protocol, putting the team's starting quarterback's status for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals in question.
Shanahan said Purdy began to experience symptoms on the team's flight home from Monday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. The second-year pro played every snap of the 49ers' 22-17 loss.
"We found that out when we landed, we were all pretty asleep," Shanahan told reporters. "He got all checked up (Tuesday) and now he's in the protocol."
Veteran Sam Darnold ran the first-team offence in Wednesday's practice and would start Sunday if Purdy doesn't receive medical clearance. Shanahan said Purdy's availability will be determined later in the week.
"He does have enough time [to clear protocol], he just has to go through the process," Shanahan said.
Purdy, the 262nd and final pick of the 2022 draft, won his first 10 NFL regular-season starts dating back to his rookie year, but has lost his last two and struggled in both games. The 23-year-old completed just 12 of 27 passes for 125 yards in San Francisco's 19-17 loss at Cleveland in Week 6, then was intercepted twice against Minnesota.
The Iowa State product posted a 123.1 passer rating with nine touchdowns and no interceptions over the course of the 49ers' 5-0 start to this season.
Darnold started six games for the Carolina Panthers last season and went 4-2 in those games while throwing for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. The 2018 No. 3 overall draft pick signed a one-year contract with the 49ers in March and won the No. 2 quarterback job from another former No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance, during the preseason.
The 49ers subsequently traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys shortly before the start of the season.
LeBron James may have lost some explosiveness due to his injury struggles, but Andre Drummond believes the NBA's all-time leading scorer is as good as ever and can excel again this season.
James and the Los Angeles Lakers began their 2023-24 campaign with a defeat on Tuesday, with the Denver Nuggets opening their first-ever NBA title defence with a 119-107 win.
The four-time NBA MVP scored a team-high 21 points while shooting 10-of-16, also adding five assists and eight rebounds, but his limited time on court was the major talking point after the game.
James played just 29 minutes in Los Angeles' 2023-24 opener, with the team looking to manage his workload over the coming weeks after he missed 27 games with a foot injury last season.
With James into his 21st season in the league, Drummond – who played alongside the 38-year-old during a brief spell with the Lakers in 2021 – says his game may have changed, but not necessarily for the worse.
Asked what fans should expect from James this season, Drummond told Stats Perform: "Well, if he's anything like he's been the past couple of years, I guess the same thing.
"He's still averaging 25 points, still playing 30-plus minutes, and it looks like he hasn't slowed down. Well, I feel like he's lost a step, but he's still him, he's still him at the end of the day.
"He's still the same player, he's still able to be aggressive and get to the basket.
"Is he dunking over people all the time as he used to? No. But is he playing smarter now? Yeah, I think he's still just as good.
"LeBron James has been special for the NBA from the first day he came in, the amount of things that he's done for the community, not only just for basketball, but for his community and for every city he's been in… you have to respect the guy that does that."
Reflecting on his time as a team-mate of LeBron's, Drummond said the opportunity to see how the four-time NBA Champion prepared for games was invaluable.
"He's somebody I got a chance to play alongside, so to have that opportunity to see his greatness up close is something I didn't take for granted," Drummond said.
"It puts a lot in perspective, because when you see this guy do the things he does in games, you're like, 'I wonder what he does when he's not playing'.
"I always talk about preparation with guys and his preparation, what he does and how he takes care of his body, how hard he works each and every day, really shows why he's one of the best players to step on this court.
"I just have a lot of respect for him. It was an honour for me to be alongside him and see him be him. I wish we got more time together, but it was definitely excellent playing alongside him.
"I asked him what he does with his body because I'm in year 12 now, and obviously your body starts to break down, you start feeling it more when you get hurt, it lasts a little bit longer.
"I've been blessed to not be hurt severely. I've had bumps and bruises but nothing crazy.
"I definitely asked him what he does when he's not playing, how he takes care of his body and some of the things he does to keep himself engaged when he's not on the court."
James is the oldest player in the NBA. The Lakers star will now have his eye on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for the highest scoring average managed by the league's oldest player in any season (23.4 points in 1985-86, when Abdul-Jabbar turned 39).
While 30-year-old center Drummond clearly respects James' longevity, he will only continue his own career for as long as he feels able to make a valuable contribution.
"Playing as long as I have now is a blessing," Drummond added.
"I feel like I'm going to play as long as I can, until I just feel like I don't need to anymore, or I'm not as serviceable.
"I don't want to be someone that isn't playing, I have a family that I would rather hang out with than sit on the bench. I'll play until I'm not playing any more, or I'm not being played any more."
The Cleveland Browns have ruled out quarterback Deshaun Watson for Sunday's game at the Seattle Seahawks due to a lingering injury to his right shoulder.
Watson missed Cleveland's 28-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, and he remained on the sidelines for a 19-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6 after the Browns’ bye.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection returned last week but was removed from the game after taking a big hit in the first quarter of Cleveland’s 39-38 victory at the Indianapolis Colts.
P.J. Walker will start for Cleveland this weekend at Seattle in a matchup of 4-2 teams.
Walker was activated from the practice squad to start against San Francisco and took over last week in Indianapolis after Watson exited.
He has completed 33 of 66 passes for 370 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
LeBron James understands the Los Angeles Lakers' plan to manage his time on court in the coming weeks, with head coach Darvin Ham hoping it gets the best out of the four-time NBA MVP.
James played just 29 minutes as the Lakers opened their 2023-24 campaign with a 119-107 defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, with Nikola Jokic recording his 106th career triple-double for the reigning NBA champions.
Four-time NBA champion James added five assists to his team-high 21 points, but he saw his gametime limited despite the Lakers remaining competitive until late on, cutting Denver's lead to three points in the fourth quarter.
The 38-year-old averaged 35.5 minutes per game last season, his second-highest figure in five years with the Lakers, though that appeared to take its toll as he missed 27 games with a right foot injury.
James has missed a total of 111 games since joining the Lakers in 2018, most of them due to injury. While the NBA's all-time leading scorer always wants to be involved, he understands the benefits of managing his workload.
"Listen, I always want to be on the floor, especially when you've got an opportunity to win a game or you feel like you can make an impact," James said after Tuesday's defeat.
"But this is the system in place, and I'm going to follow it."
Asked whether he was surprised by his limited time on court, James clarified: "No, I'm not surprised. I talked to the coach and we had a game plan going into Game 1. I'm not surprised or upset."
With James approaching his 39th birthday and the likes of Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura providing the Lakers with depth, coach Ham says fans should expect more of the game.
"It's easy with him to get caught up in the emotion of the game, and you tend to forget you want to play these long stretches," Ham said of James.
"But in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are.
"It's going to be a day-by-day process, gauging how he's feeling, getting communication from him, our training staff, our medical staff."
Despite the defeat, James was satisfied with aspects of his own performance and does not believe he needs to adjust his game to the new role.
"Besides the fact that we didn't win, I think my performance and what I did individually in the time that I was out there… I think I was productive," James said.
"I mean, I was a plus-7 for the game. No turnovers. I like the no turnovers more than anything."
The Lakers are back in action on Thursday, with the Phoenix Suns visiting Crypto.com Arena.
Auguste Rodin and his old rival King Of Steel could lock horns once again as both feature among the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt came on top when they clashed at Epsom in the summer, wearing down Roger Varian’s charge deep inside the final furlong and was then much the best when claiming the Irish Champion Stakes in September.
King Of Steel finished well to be fourth on that occasion, and would head to California with confidence sky high having carried Frankie Dettori to a fairytale success on British Champions Day.
Plenty of familiar names could feature in the Turf, with Royal Ascot and Juddmonte International champion Mostahdaf set to represent John and Thady Gosden and Donnacha O’Brien’s Piz Badile joining Ballydoyle’s Bolshoi Ballet and Broome.
The Amo Racing-owned King Of Steel also has the Classic as a second preference, a race won last year by the all-conquering Flightline and this year could see a match-up between Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo and Kentucky Derby hero Mage.
Paddington has been given the option of ending his stellar 2023 campaign in the Mile, where he could meet Saeed bin Suroor’s 1000 Guineas and recent Keeneland scorer Mawj.
She is one of two for Godolphin alongside Master Of The Seas who will bid to give Charlie Appleby his third straight success in the race.
High-class duo Inspiral and Warm Heart will lead the raiding contingent in the Filly & Mare Turf with both operating at the peak of their powers this season, while Simon and Ed Crisford’s Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers is the sole British challenger in the Dirt Mile.
Brad Cox’s Caravel held off the British raiders in the Turf Sprint 12 months ago and has the likes of Adam West’s Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream and King’s Stand Stakes winner Bradsell to take on this time.
Michael Appleby’s Big Evs will carry British hopes on the opening night of action when he looks to round off a brilliant juvenile campaign in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
The Philadelphia 76ers won’t have James Harden on the court during their season-opening two-game road trip as the 10-time All-Star will remain at the team’s practice facility and attempt to get into game shape, according to multiple reports.
It’s just another chapter in the saga of Harden, who in August blasted team president Darly Morey at a promotional event in China.
"Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of," Harden said. "Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of."
Harden's comments were a response to the 76ers telling Harden's agent that Morey was unable to find a trade for the 2017-18 NBA MVP, and the franchise wouldn't deal him unless it could find a trade that would help Philadelphia contend for a championship.
Harden picked up his $35.6million player option for the 2023-24 season in late June, and then immediately requested a trade.
He could have declined the option and become a free agent but was hoping by exercising his option it would facilitate a trade.
Harden reiterated his stance earlier this month, saying his relationship with Morey is beyond repair and he still wants to be traded.
Harden returned to the team Wednesday after being away for a “personal matter” and not practicing since October 15. He will not play in Thursday’s season opener at the Milwaukee Bucks and Saturday in Toronto against the Raptors.
It remains to be seen if Harden will take the court for Philadelphia’s home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Anzac Day earned quotes for the Derby following an impressive display at Newmarket in the Visit racingtv.com Maiden Stakes.
Trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by James Doyle, the well-named son of Australia stepped up markedly on his debut showing when fourth at Goodwood.
Always to the fore, he bounded five lengths clear of Tribal Star and is 25-1 with Paddy Power for the premier Classic.
Sue Johnson, of owners Brook Farm Bloodstock, said of the 13-2 winner: “He was absolutely fantastic. We expected him to come on for the run at Goodwood but not to win in the style that he did.
“He was slow away at Goodwood, but he was just learning on the job. Jason (Watson) said once he clicked at Goodwood he really went and he finished encouragingly.
“We are dreaming of the Derby next year but we need to talk to Andrew first. We are the dreamers and he is the realist, but you buy into racing for the dream.”
Charlie Appleby’s string are ending the season in fine form and Point Sur (13-8 favourite) was another winner in the Visit racingtv.com Maiden Stakes.
“He put his experience to good use. He is a horse with a nice pedigree and we know his family. Next year stepping up in trip he is a horse we will see further improvement from,” said Appleby.
“He was a horse that we were keen to get another run into. The ground is testing out there and probably in some ways I don’t think he handled the ground, but it brought his stamina into play as on pedigree he has an abundance of it.
“To be fair Kevin Stott, who rode him last time, said you could probably leave the hood off but I thought I will give him one more experience in it up here then put him away.
“He won’t go out to Dubai, and he will winter here before we look at something in the spring. It could come into the category of being a Feilden (Stakes) type of horse next year.”
Appleby and William Buick doubled up when Mountain Song (11-2) won the Every Race Live On Racing TV Fillies’ Handicap.
Another trainer to celebrate a double was Ralph Beckett. His Shemozzle got up late in the opening racingtv.com Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes.
“I trained her mother (Sibilance) and she was quite good as she was placed in the Michael Seely Stakes. She was quite good and hopefully this filly can do the same.
“She didn’t come to me until quite late and she has pretty much got there on her own. I’m very pleased she has won for her owner. She will get a mile no problem.
“The other filly (So Logical) had the rail, but she still showed a good attitude to get past her.”
Feigning Madness (9-4) completed Beckett and Hector Crouch’s brace in the British Stallion Studs EBF Future Stayers Novice Stakes when getting up in the final stride.
Tyson Fury has revealed his undisputed heavyweight showdown with Oleksandr Usyk is set to take place on December 23.
Fury and Usyk signed contracts last month for the eagerly-anticipated clash, which will take place in Riyadh and be the first undisputed contest in the blue riband division since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield at Madison Square Garden in 1999 when all the belts were on the line.
At the time of the September 29 announcement from Queensberry and K2 Promotions no date for the bout was revealed, but Fury has now seemingly confirmed it will take place two days before Christmas.
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Fury is currently in Riyadh preparing to face UFC fighter Francis Ngannou on Saturday, although has no concerns over the eight-week gap between this weekend’s tune-up bout and the proposed date to take on Usyk.
He told Sky Sports: “We’ve signed the contracts. December 23, that’s out there isn’t it? It’s only eight weeks away from Saturday. Why not?
“I’ve not even had a fight this year so to get two in before the end of the year would be fantastic.
“Double payday. There’ll be a nice big turkey in the Fury household this Christmas!
“If it happens December 23, I’ll be playing that song, ‘Driving Home For Christmas’.
“I won’t land back in the UK until Christmas Eve, late Christmas Eve and if we get a delay I’ll be spending Christmas with the reindeers in the airport!”
Fury will contest the 35th bout of his career this weekend, but his WBC title will not be on the line against Ngannou for the 10-round fight.
Ben Youngs will bring down the curtain on his England career in Friday’s World Cup bronze final against Argentina at Stade de France.
The nation’s most-capped men’s player with 126 Test appearances makes his first start of the tournament but also his final Red Rose outing, having launched his international odyssey against Scotland 13 years ago.
Steve Borthwick has saluted a scrum-half master who has been first choice for most of his career until slipping down the pecking order at this World Cup due to the emergence of Alex Mitchell.
“Ben has been a tremendous player for English rugby for such a long time. He’s a brilliant player and a fantastic team man,” Borthwick said.
“He’s our record cap holder, a player who has seen a lot in four World Cups and who has played an important role within this squad helping the team progress, particularly Alex Mitchell.”
Tom Curry locks horns with Argentina despite receiving online abuse in response to the allegation that he was the victim of a racist slur against South Africa.
Curry claimed that hooker Bongi Mbonambi called him a “white c***” in Saturday’s 16-15 semi-final defeat at the Stade de France, prompting World Rugby to launch an investigation that is ongoing.
The Sale flanker continues in the back row despite being in the eye of the storm, however, and will win his 50th cap in a rematch of the pool victory over the Pumas.
Owen Farrell leads a team showing eight changes in personnel and two positional switches, one of them Curry’s move to blindside flanker to accommodate Sam Underhill’s first appearance of the World Cup in the number seven jersey.
Marcus Smith is restored at full-back after passing the HIA that forced him to sit out the South Africa showdown and the knock-on effect is that Freddie Steward moves to the right wing.
Henry Arundell returns for the first time since running in five tries against Chile in the third Pool D match, providing firepower on the left wing, while the centre partnership of Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant remains intact.
Head coach Borthwick fields an entirely new front row made up of Ellis Genge, Theo Dan and Will Stuart, with tighthead prop Dan Cole poised to make potentially his final England appearance off the bench.
Ollie Chessum returns in the second row, but there is no place in the 23 for George Martin, one of the heroes of the defeat by the Springboks.
“After the disappointment of last weekend’s game against South Africa, it is important that this Friday we once again play with the determination and dedication that so nearly earned the team the result we wanted,” Borthwick said.
“The bronze final gives us a great opportunity to finish the tournament on a positive note, continue to build for the future, and to give our supporters one last chance to get behind the squad out here in Paris.”
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is Algiers’ only option at Santa Anita on Saturday week, as Simon and Ed Crisford bank on the six-year-old’s pace coming to the fore in California.
The Shamardal gelding showcased his talent on dirt in Meydan earlier in the year, finishing second in the feature Dubai World Cup over a mile and a quarter in March.
A tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic over that trip had not been ruled out by connections, but they had always been favouring a drop back to a mile for their visit to America and have elected to go that route having been encouraged by Algiers’ imperious displays over similar distances in the Middle East.
“He just looked very effective over a mile and a mile-and-one at Meydan and he has a lot of speed,” explained Ed Crisford.
“I’m not saying he doesn’t stay the 10 furlongs, it’s just that we felt at Santa Anita a mile may play to his strengths more.”
Since his exploits in Dubai, Algiers was given a long summer break before tuning up for the Breeders’ Cup at Woodbine when second in the Durham Cup.
Having bounced out of that first taste of North American dirt well, he is now poised for one final piece of work in the hands of big-race jockey James Doyle before crossing the Atlantic once again.
“It was like a racecourse gallop to be honest, but he has come out of it super well,” reflected Crisford.
“He’s had that run now and has come out of it fresh and well and looks great. He is going to have a good gallop under James Doyle before he leaves and hopefully that will be him set for the race next weekend.
“James knows him and what he can do and what is under the bonnet. He rides the American tracks really well and it should be perfect.”
Joining Algiers for the trip Stateside is impressive Rockfel Stakes scorer Carla’s Way, who is a leading fancy for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The form of that race got a real boost when the second and third fought out the finish of the Fillies’ Mile and her training team believe she has all the attributes to be right in the mix in her first try at a mile.
“She is in good form and won well at Newmarket,” added Crisford.
“She can quicken off a quick pace which is what you need in America and that track should suit her well, a two-turn mile on quick ground.
“We opted not to go for the Fillies’ Mile because that mile at Newmarket on soft ground wouldn’t really be for her, but she’s got a lot of ability and is progressing with each run and looks like a filly who could be a lot of fun for the future.
“I’m sure she will run really well at Santa Anita.”
A third Ryanair Chase is the ultimate goal for Allaho, who has been been pencilled in to return in the Clonmel Oil Chase having been given a clean bill of health by Willie Mullins.
The dual Cheltenham Festival winner has not been seen since claiming Punchestown Gold Cup glory in the spring of 2022 with a rare spleen injury keeping him sidelined for the whole 2022-23 campaign.
However, the master of Closutton is happy with where he has the nine-year-old ahead of his slated November 9 return, with sights firmly fixed on a third victory at Prestbury Park in the spring.
“Allaho had a very unusual injury last year, I think it was around this time,” said Mullins.
“He came back from the gallops and he displayed signs of colic and yet we couldn’t find any colic in him. All his vitals were all right but it transpired he had a bleed on his spleen which is very unusual, I’ve never heard of it before in a horse.
“He’s a huge horse, about the biggest in the yard, and one of the things with big horses is they can carry weight easier over longer trips but sometimes it makes it tricky carrying their own weight over their career.
“But he’s in great shape this year and I’m very happy with him and he’ll probably start off in the Clonmel Oil, I think he’s ready for that and hopefully he’ll be back for the Ryanair again if we can.
“People will maybe say the Gold Cup but I think the trip is too long for him. He’s good around Cheltenham over that Ryanair trip.”
It is also set to be business as usual for Galopin Des Champs, whose quest for back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup will begin in Punchestown’s John Durkan Memorial Chase on November 26.
The seven-year-old was an emphatic 13-length winner of the race last season and Mullins has no issue with the race’s new place on the calendar as part of the Kildare track’s two-day Winter Festival.
“I’m happy enough (with him) and I know the John Durkan is a week nearer the start of the season this year which is probably better and I assume we go there,” added Mullins.
“I imagine I will try to do what I did last year with him and keep the same routine. He will set off there and hopefully he will be all right and then Christmas at Leopardstown, then the Dublin Racing Festival and then on to Cheltenham and Punchestown.”
With dual Champion Chase winner Energumene out of action, it could be left to El Fabiolo to try to continue Closutton’s dominance in the two-mile chase division.
First port of call for last year’s impressive Arkle winner is filling Energumene’s shoes in Cork’s Hilly Way Chase before connections plot a course to the Champion Chase in March.
Mullins said: “He’s our replacement at this stage of time for Energumene.
“I think he will start off in the Hilly Way, I think that is the place to go. Then plan a route to Cheltenham.”
Also set to start off over two miles is the gallant front-runner Dysart Dynamo, who could contest Naas’ Barberstown Castle Poplar Square Chase on November 12.
“Dysart Dynamo’s ability seems to be the fact that he can jump and gallop from the start and he probably needs nice ground to do that,” said Mullins.
“I think he is a Poplar Square chaser, start him off at Naas and we will take the two-mile route with him for the rest of the season I think.”
Blue Lord is another who could make his mark in the two-mile division this term, although he will join Allaho at Clonmel to start his campaign.
Mullins went on went on: “Blue Lord is another pencilled in for the Clonmel Oil Chase. He was very impressive at Leopardstown over two miles but we know he stays two and a half. I don’t want to go much further with him I think.
“So he will go down the two to two-and-a-half-mile route. Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase are the type of race we will look at and we will see where he puts himself after a couple of races. We will start off at the Clonmel Oil and then go back to that race at Christmas that he won last season.”
Sir Gerhard will return with chasing on the agenda, however, his handler is willing to make a mid-season switch to the smaller obstacles if things do not go to plan and he could feasibly become a Stayers’ Hurdle contender by the spring.
Mullins explained: “He won well the first day and I think he jumped poorly enough after that. He was just beaten in the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, he jumped well I think that day and was just beaten.
“We were wondering did he not stay and his pedigree suggests he should stay much further than that. He is horse who I think if I can get his jumping right, then he should stay over fences.
“I’m not sure which trip, at one stage I thought he could be a Champion Hurdle horse when he won his maiden hurdle in Leopardstown and then we went out in trip with him because he didn’t jump well enough. We know he has the ability to jump well when he wants to.
“What we might do is if things don’t go well over fences in the early part of the season, I might switch him to be a staying hurdler. That’s the way I’m looking at him, but I would rather stay over fences if I can get his jumping right.”
Also with a brief hurdling foray looming is Monkfish who seems to be over the worst of his injury worries, with his trainer even speculating a Gold Cup entry could be on the cards.
“I was very happy how he came out of the season with his two runs and he is in great shape on the gallops,” said Mullins.
“I imagine I will start him off over hurdles, just to get a run under his belt and then I would hope to go back chasing, that’s the plan anyhow.
“So far so good and his health problems have been no problem this season. Who knows he may get a Gold Cup entry, if all goes well.”
However, one still very much on the road to recovery is Ferny Hollow, with Mullins envisaging a back-end return if the former Champion Bumper winner is to race this season.
“Ferny is making very slow progress, we were not very happy with him at all last spring and we decided to give him the summer off and reports are a lot better now given more time,” he explained.
“I’m hoping we just give him all the time that he wants, he is too good a horse to put by the wayside at this stage.
“I don’t think we’ll make a plan for him this season, if anything it will be the very end of the season, but I wouldn’t be putting him in any 10 to follow or anything like that.”
Meanwhile, all roads lead back to Aintree for last year’s Grand National third Gaillard Du Mesnil.
“He looks the obvious horse to stay going for the Aintree Grand National,” said Mullins.
“I’m wondering which direction to go with him and I know I want to get a few more runs into him this year.
“Whether I start him off over hurdles or fences, the Aintree National will be the main target and I have no plan made for him at this stage. But he might have three or four runs before the big one.”
Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion has the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in his sights after a pleasing victory on seasonal debut at Ffos Las.
The six-year-old was a Grade Two-winning novice last season when taking Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso but still looked to have taken strides forward with an assured round of jumping in the Welsh Champion Hurdle.
The latter run under rider Richard Patrick has seen his rating rise to 140, the mark he will carry at Cheltenham on November 19.
“He’s entered in the Greatwood, he’s had a pop this morning and he seems in great form,” said Lee.
“We’re very happy with the way he’s come out (of Ffos Las), he’s gone up 5lb so he goes into the Greatwood off 140 – onwards and upwards hopefully.
“He did everything right, he was much more the professional and it was really reassuring to see that, having been quite so novicey in his novice season.
“We’ve worked hard, Richard has worked hard to hone his jumping technique and he looked to really enjoy himself and relish the hurdles.”
Alongside a Grade Two success last term, Nemean Lion was also third in the Grade One Tolworth, though Lee is mindful that the gelding will need to step forward again if he is to mix it in the same company this year.
“For that to happen he’d need to be rated a little higher, so we’d need a good run in the Greatwood and then we can really look and see how to shape our season,” she said.
“The Greatwood isn’t the be-all and end-all and if the ground doesn’t lend itself then there are options, but for now we’ll focus on that and see what happens.”
Two-time rugby World Cup winner and self-confessed “golf tragic” Dan Carter is eager to see the result of a new programme aimed at boosting participation for golfers with a disability in Ireland.
The former New Zealand fly-half was in Dublin this week to help launch the partnership between Golf Ireland and ISPS Handa which will see the latter sponsor the Irish Open for Golfers with a Disability in June 2024 and become the lead partner of Golf Ireland’s Golf4All programmes.
Carter, who is an ambassador for ISPS Handa, said: “I know at ISPS Handa they are going to look at different sporting events, different organisations about partnering with them.
“One of the most important things is they really have a lot of values. So to learn about Golf Ireland and wanting to make Golf4All is a perfect alignment for ISPS Handa.
“It’s a really exciting partnership and one that’s going to work for both sides. I’m really intrigued to see how this partnership evolves and also the uptake of golf here in Ireland.
“I’m a bit of a golf tragic, I think I’m much better than I actually am, so it’s great to be back here in Ireland and next time I can guarantee I will be bringing my golf clubs.”
Fellow ISPS Handa ambassador and world number two Brendan Lawlor added: “The beautiful thing about this partnership is it’s going to give so many disability golfers in Ireland a chance at every level, a chance at G4D events, to get disability children into the game and also to get anyone in any walk of life into the game and it’s fantastic.
“Golf Ireland are definitely the most progressive foundation and organisation in disability golf at the minute.
“We meet every few months for different meetings to talk about different ways to try and boost the game and get different people into the game.
“It’s wonderful to see an organisation that’s willing to work with you to make great things happen.”
Owen Farrell has condemned the online vilification of Tom Curry after the England flanker alleged he was racially abused in Saturday’s World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa.
England are furious that Curry has been targeted online for claiming to referee Ben O’Keeffe that he had been called a “white c***” by Springboks hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
World Rugby is examining audio and video footage from the Stade de France clash as part of its investigation into the incident which is still ongoing, but in the meantime Curry has been the victim of a social media pile-on described by his club Sale as “disgusting”.
A visibly angry Farrell on Wednesday defended his team-mate, who wins his 50th cap in Friday’s bronze final against Argentina.
“Tom has been first class this week, like he always is. He’s one of the most honest, most hard working blokes I’ve ever played with,” England captain Farrell said.
“What isn’t understandable is the amount of abuse he’s got. The effect that has on him is the bit that I, and we, really don’t understand.
“And I know it seems to be going more and more like this, but it shouldn’t be, it shouldn’t be.
“You are dealing with people, with human beings. Just because you’re saying stuff on your phone or behind a computer screen doesn’t make it acceptable. I don’t think it’s acceptable.
“This doesn’t make me look fondly at engaging with people outside of the people that are close to you.”
Head coach Steve Borthwick has made it clear that Curry has been unjustly thrust into the eye of the storm in a doubling down of England’s claim that the Sale forward was racially abused by Mbonambi.
“This is not a Tom Curry incident. Somebody said something in a game that he has reported,” Borthwick said.
“Now this is a World Rugby and SA Rugby matter to deal with, not an England rugby nor a Tom Curry matter.”
Curry continues in the back row, although he shifts from openside to blindside flanker as one of 10 changes – eight in personnel – made to the side to face Argentina.
Borthwick insists he had no hesitation in standing Curry down for the rematch of the Pool D opener which England won despite having the 25-year-old sent off in the third minute for a dangerous tackle.
“The way Tom play means he has more involvements than any other player on the pitch. And they are physically powerful involvements,” Borthwick said.
“When he came off the pitch against South Africa he was cut and bloodied and that’s exactly how Tom Curry plays.
“I chatted to him early in the week about how he was physically with another six-day turnaround and he looked straight at me and point blank said: ‘I am desperate to play on Friday night’.
“This guy wants to play. There is no doubt in my mind he wants to be out there and the way he has prepared through the week has been incredible.
“But that’s Tom Curry. It’s the way he does it every single week so I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
With no indication of when World Rugby’s inquiry will conclude, Mbonambi will take part in Saturday’s World Cup final against New Zealand with a cloud hanging over him.
He has completed the last two matches – fierce battles against France and England – and given the lack of front line hooker cover, is set to play another 80 minutes against the All Blacks.
South Africa assistant coach Felix Jones said: “Bongi has come through both of those games fine. Any player who is getting ready to play in a World Cup final won’t moan about how many minutes they’ve had. They’ll be ready to go.”
Connections of Impaire Et Passe are keen to have a crack at the Champion Hurdle despite the imposing figure of Constitution Hill standing in their way.
Trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Impaire Et Passe looked imperious in winning all four outings last term.
While his six-and-a-half-length victory over stablemate Gaelic Warrior in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle last season was impressive, he is a best-priced 13-2 for the Champion Hurdle, with current title-holder Constitution Hill the general 4-9 favourite after his connections ruled out a chasing switch.
“Impaire Et Passe is staying hurdling. Connections are keen to have a crack at the Champion Hurdle,” said Mullins.
“I’m not sure if that decision was made before the Constitution Hill one or not, but I think he has a fair crack at the Champion Hurdle.
“He won the Ballymore, the only reason he ran in that was because we had Facile Vega in the Supreme, so that is the route he will go down.
“If he improves any little bit – he’ll probably have to improve a fair bit to beat Constitution Hill – but I think he can and that is the decision we’ve made. I think he might start in the Hatton’s Grace.”
Second to Constitution Hill last season was Mullins’ State Man. He won all his other four outings at Grade One level but has nine lengths to find with Nicky Henderson’s supreme talent.
“I think when you can win four Grade Ones in Ireland – every horse is only one gallop away from an injury – it’s all to play for. Constitution Hill has to get there and so do we, so we just felt that he could earn his keep easier over hurdles, that was the main reason (for staying over hurdles),” said Mullins.
“The obvious race is the Morgiana. It’s hard to see him beating Constitution Hill, but I’m hoping he’ll improve.
“The two of them will get entries in both the Morgiana and Hatton’s Grace, the two could run in either, it will depend on who is ready first. Whoever runs in the Morgiana, we might let the other go for the Hatton’s Grace.”
Some bookmakers have Mullins’ Triumph Hurdle winner Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle betting but she is likely to stick to her own sex.
“Lossiemouth could go for the Champion Hurdle or the Mares’ Hurdle but it will more than likely be the Mares’ Hurdle,” said Mullins.
“I haven’t decided where I will start her yet as she had a busy enough season last season, she’s only four. We’d probably like to run her at Christmas, Dublin Festival and Cheltenham so whether she runs before Christmas, I’ve not decided and might just keep her fresh.”
Million-pound purchase Rogue Lightning will return to action next year for a top-class sprint campaign for new owners Wathnan Racing.
The bay son of Kodiac has worn the silks of The Rogues Gallery all season, chalking up a hat-trick of five-furlong sprints that culminated with Listed success in the Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster.
The gelding was then stepped sharply up in grade to take on the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp and was not beaten far when fifth and only a length and a quarter behind the winner Highfield Princess.
He was then auctioned via the Goffs Qipco British Champions Day Sale prior to racing at Ascot on Saturday and fetched an impressive £1million as Richard Brown was the winning bidder on behalf of Wathnan Racing.
Rogue Lightning will stay in the care of trainer Tom Clover and will return to training next season with an eye on a programme of valuable sprint contests.
“It’s absolutely fantastic news, it’s terrific to have a horse like him in the yard,” Clover said.
“He’s been a great horse for the Rogues and for us, as an ambitious yard, to keep him for some fantastic new owners in the yard is very exciting.
“We’ll have to speak to Richard Brown but the plan for now is that we’ll give him a break and bring him back fresh in the spring.
“He’s the type of horse where you’d hope that the programme would work itself out, all the obvious races – King’s Stands, Nunthorpes, who knows?
“He should winter very well, I hope, and should shape into a top-class sprinter.”
London Broncos appear to have been doomed to spending a single season back in the Betfred Super League under rugby league’s new grading criteria which will determine the composition of the top flight from 2025 onwards.
The Broncos, who stunned Toulouse to clinch promotion via the Championship Grand Final earlier month, have been ranked a lowly 24th in the indicative grades which were released by RL Commercial and their strategic partner, the sports media giant IMG, on Wednesday.
Under the new criteria, promotion and relegation will be axed next year and replaced by a system which awards points across five key factors including support base, performance, finances, facilities and community integration – with the top 12 scorers automatically assuming a Super League place.
Seven clubs – Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Catalans Dragons, Warrington, Hull KR and Hull FC – have been awarded Grade A status, which effectively makes them immune to relegation, with the remaining places allocated to the best-scoring Grade B clubs.
London scored just 8.07 out of a possible 25 under the new metric, leaving them, for example, six places below Newcastle Thunder, who resigned from the league and declared themselves unsustainable in the wake of relegation from the Championship last month.
IMG vice-president Matt Dwyer, who is heading the project, denied it was impossible for London to stay up but conceded: “Across all categories London need to be improving, (and) there’s plenty of room for them to improve.
“I would suggest that in 2024 they will be wanting to perform as well as they can to move along that path to being a category A club, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
The Broncos were not immediately available to comment on the damning verdict, but it represented another blow for the sport in the capital, long championed as a “key area for growth” by rugby league chiefs, following the loss of London Skolars at the end of last season.
But Dwyer insisted the sport has a big future in London, adding: “Interest and participation is still quite high in London, so it still has the base that should make it a core market going forward.
“All that has been identified is the challenge we have to grow the market based off that score for London. It’s a hard market to crack and it’s a market we’ve tried to crack for a long time. It has the right ingredients, but we have to put those ingredients together and bake the cake.”
Based on the current rankings, which have been released in order to give clubs just under a year to address issues and potentially move up the table which will be released at the end of next season, Toulouse and Wakefield would be promoted back into Super League at the expense of London and 13th-placed Castleford.
Castleford have indicated they intend to appeal their indicative grade based on confusion over a point relating to finance, which if accepted would move them into the top 12 at the expense of Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards.
Championship winners Featherstone, who lost to the Broncos in their play-off semi-final, also expressed concern over the grading criteria which appear to diminish their own long-held hopes of reaching the top flight.
Featherstone rank 15th on the current list with a score of 10.65, meaning only a prospective expansion of Super League to 14 teams would give them a realistic chance of promotion.
In a wide-ranging statement, Featherstone questioned the weighting of some of the criteria towards what it called “future promises of potential” and said it was deflecting from deeper issues within the game.
“The leaders of the game, including key partners such as IMG, should urgently refocus its attentions on the marketing of the game rather than waste any more time on looking at structures and scoring systems,” said the statement.
“The excitement and jeopardy of our game is driven by what happens on the pitch, as has been admirably shown by London Broncos in their run to Super League.
“We have been promised that this would be at the forefront of the strategy under IMG – we remain unconvinced.”
Victory for either Vauban or Absurde in the Lexus Melbourne Cup would rank alongside the highlights of Willie Mullins’ career, according to the multiple Irish National Hunt champion trainer.
There is barely a prize in jumps racing that Mullins has not won, with the County Carlow handler counting three Cheltenham Gold Cups, four Champion Hurdles and two Champion Chases among his 94 Festival winners, plus the Grand National and any amount of the jewels of the Irish season.
However, Mullins believes a win the Flemington Group One on November 7 would match any of those achievements.
He said: “Looking at the profile of our yard, I don’t think we’re going to win a Breeders’ Cup, the chance of winning an Arc is going to be tough, so to us, the type of horse we have, it would probably be the biggest race in the world we could win.”
The Closutton handler acknowledged the historic nature of such a win, with County Carlow native George Watson among the 25 founding members of the Victoria Racing Club and the starter for the inaugural Melbourne Cup in 1861.
Mullins explained: “The guy who started it all was only two miles over the road, George Watson. He left here in 1840-something with a pack of hounds, started the Melbourne Hunt, that in turn founded the racecourse and in turn started the Melbourne Cup.
“He was the starter for 30 years, he was on the board that started Flemington and the Melbourne Cup, so it would be sort of rounding off the circle if we could bring it back to Carlow.”
Mullins is no stranger to Flemington, having first sent Holy Orders to finish a distant 17th behind Makybe Diva back in 2003.
He has hit the crossbar since with Max Dynamite finishing a half-length second in 2015 before returning two years later to take third, but he ranks ante-post favourite Vauban and Ebor victor Absurde as his best chances yet.
He said: “We’re very happy with Vauban and Absurde, both seem very well in Australia and David (Casey, assistant trainer) is very happy with the two of them.
“Both horses will handle any ground I think down there – probably softer ground would suit us better than a lot of the Australian or foreign horses. The weather down there, there’s a lot 30-degree days but it changes all the time. It’s not an issue I think with either of our horses, they could both go on fast ground.”
Vauban is a three-time Grade One winner over hurdles and made an immediate impact on the level when strolling home by seven lengths from Absurde in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot before a cosy Group Three win in the Ballyroan Stakes.
Absurde benefitted from an inspired Frankie Dettori ride to win the Ebor, but the Italian will not be in the plate again as even before he was given a 16-day ban that starts on November 7 for whip offences on Champions Day, he would not have been able to make Absurde’s weight of 8st 5lb.
Top Hong Kong jockey and old ally Zac Purton will instead take the ride as Absurde looks to make up the Ascot deficit with his yard’s number one hope.
Mullins said: “Zac Purton rides Absurde. He was third on Max Dynamite so I know Zac from before and he gave Max Dynamite a fantastic ride that day, so we were very happy when he became available. He can do the weight easily – Absurde has a light weight and it’s very hard to get top-class jockeys at that weight.
“I know their form ties in at Royal Ascot, Frankie gave him a good ride to get him settled and introduce him at the end but the race was over by the time he got going.
“You’d be hoping the Melbourne Cup would be a different pace and Zac can get Absurde settled. However, looking back on the Ebor, Frankie came up the wide outside from a wide draw which helped him to settle hugely.
“It might be harder for Zac to do something like that, although the straight in Melbourne is long enough from the two-mile start. We will have to see where we are drawn and what have you.”
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