Lewis Hamilton hailed his 100th victory as a “magical moment” following a dramatic Russian Grand Prix, on this day in 2021.
Lando Norris, 21, looked set to knock Hamilton off his perch as the youngest Briton to win a Formula One race after a composed and mature drive at Sochi’s Olympic Park.
But the McLaren star was cruelly denied his first triumph when the arrival of rain with just seven laps remaining turned the race on its head.
Norris stayed out on slick rubber but the gamble backfired. Hamilton stopped for wet tyres and crossed the line 53 seconds clear of rival Max Verstappen to bring up his landmark win, 14 years and 108 days after his first triumph in Montreal, Canada in just his sixth race.
“It has taken a long time to get to 100 and I wasn’t even sure if it would come,” said Hamilton, then 36.
“It is a magical moment. I could only have dreamed of still being here, to have this opportunity to win these races, and to drive with such phenomenal talents this late on in my career.
“I am so proud of everything we have done with Mercedes, on and off the track, and this is a special moment for everyone that has been part of it.”
Hamilton’s landmark victory took him nine clear of Michael Schumacher in the all-time standings and gave him the advantage over Max Verstappen in the title race.
But the Dutchman ultimately pipped Hamilton in a controversial season finale after the British driver extended his win record to 103, with his last success coming in Saudi Arabia.
The Philadelphia Eagles maintained their perfect start to the season, proving too strong for previously unbeaten Tampa Bay.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts led his team to a 25-11 win as he masterminded a game-deciding drive that lasted nine minutes.
Hurts threw for 277 yards and scored a touchdown while running back D’Andre Swift racked up 130 yards on 16 carries.
The Eagles are 3-0 for the second successive season and join Miami and San Francisco as the only unbeaten sides.
Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow shook off a calf injury to throwing for 259 yards to beat the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 for the Bengals’ first win of the season.
Burrow, who picked up the injury in pre-season and aggravated it against Baltimore last week, only returned to training on Thursday.
Running back Joe Mixon’s 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the AFC North champions their first lead of the season.
Logan Wilson intercepted Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford twice and he was sacked six times.
Kyle Sinckler admits his relief at winning a race against time to be fit for England’s World Cup having succeeded in convincing Steve Borthwick that his body would not let him down.
Sinckler tore the pectoral muscle in his chest during the build-up to the final warm-up Test against Fiji in August, plunging his participation in France 2023 into doubt.
It resulted in veteran Dan Cole rolling back the years to start the opener against Argentina at tighthead prop and, eight days later, Sinckler’s promise to his head coach was honoured when he was given the all clear to face Japan.
“For me there’s a massive amount of appreciation and gratitude to be back out there because it was kind of touch and go,” the 30-year-old Bristol front row said.
“The scan came back and it didn’t look great but I knew it would be fine. Fair play to the medical staff and Steve for trusting me and to say: ‘I know my body, I am going to be fine’.
“And thank you to my team who work for me off the field. They have really stepped up and helped me and I have been on recovery 24/7 since that game so I am just very grateful to be here and hopefully get to do my thing again.
“I was keen to play against Japan and then to get the start against Chile, that was pretty cool.
“I’m just grateful to be here – my second World Cup and my 13th or 12th year playing professional rugby.”
England’s reliance on Will Stuart early in August’s warm-up fixtures suggested that Sinckler was no longer undisputed first choice for the number three jersey – a position he has held since 2018.
His torn pec exacerbated the situation but, two games into his return, he is expected to start the final Pool D match against Samoa in Lille on October 7. And he will do so knowing the demands on the modern prop are greater than ever.
“The only thing that is not expected from me is to kick and take high balls! The role has changed since I first came on the scene,” Sinckler said.
“The way I played tighthead prop, a lot of people said: ‘You can’t do it that way,’ because of my ball-carrying, tips, chasing. I had to really work hard on my scrummaging because that didn’t come naturally.
“Now it’s: ‘We want you to make 10 carries, we want you to make 10 tackles, we want you to get two or three scrum penalties, we want you to be strong in the kick chase, we want you to hit the rucks’. The standard is high and that is what I expect of myself.”
Stuart McInally declared it “a privilege” to have been able to end his rugby career at the Rugby World Cup with Scotland as he confirmed he has now retired from the game.
The 33-year-old hooker has endured a roller-coaster of emotions since he first announced in April his plan to retire after the global showpiece to pursue a new career as an airline pilot.
McInally, who captained Scotland at the last World Cup, looked on course for a fairytale career swansong in France this autumn when he was named in the provisional 41-man training squad in May but he suffered the anguish of being cut from the group when Gregor Townsend named his final 33 in August.
View this post on InstagramMcInally then got called out to France as cover for the concussed Ewan Ashman in the first week of September but he returned home when his fellow hooker recovered.
There was another twist in the tale when Dave Cherry fell on the stairs at the team hotel and suffered a tournament-ending concussion a fortnight ago, just after McInally had flown back to Scotland, so the long-serving Edinburgh forward was summoned back out to officially join the squad.
Agonisingly, however, just over a week after being added to the fray – and without playing a match at the tournament – he suffered a neck injury in training on Wednesday and it was revealed on Sunday night that he had been forced to withdraw from the squad and would not be able to win his elusive 50th cap.
McInally, who won the first of his 49 caps in 2015, posted a message on Instagram on Monday evening confirming that his “rugby story is over”.
“When I was at school I had a dream: to play rugby for Scotland,” he wrote. “That dream came true and I’ve had the time of my life.
“As Luke Patience (the British Olympic sailor) once said to me ‘it’s the arena that holds all of your hopes and dreams, but also your worst fears and nightmares’. And he wasn’t joking.
“Like all sportspeople, my story contains a mixture of highs and lows. On reflection, the good times have, overwhelmingly, outweighed the struggles and I wouldn’t change my journey. It has shaped who I am today.
“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to my career. There are far too many to name and I am forever grateful.
“And lastly thank you to the supporters. Without you, my dream of captaining and Scotland singing the national anthem at a sold-out Scottish Gas Murrayfield doesn’t happen.
“It was a privilege to end my career being being part of the 2023 Scotland Rugby World Cup squad and, for now, my rugby story is over.
“It’s time to start the next one.”
McInally’s message concluded with the emojis of an aeroplane and a pilot.
The reigning American Boxing Confederation Caribbean Champion, Jamaica's Sherikee Moore, will highlight the first female bout set to take place at the next staging of the exciting Wray & Nephew Fight Nights Series set for the Ebony Vale Community Centre in St Catherine on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
Seven other enthralling bouts are slated to take place on the night, but all eyes will be on the first female fight of the series which has been a boost for the sport of boxing on the island. Six professional boxers and 10 amateur boxers will take their enthusiasm and determination to the ring to secure needed wins to advance their careers. This fight features at least three boxers from the neighbouring GC Foster Boxing Gym.
Stephen Jones, President of the Jamaica Boxing Board, has high praises for the series which is sanctioned by his organization.
“From a boxing board perspective, we knew that the Wray & Nephew Fight Night series would create a platform capable of elevating the sport to levels never before seen in the Caribbean. What we didn’t realize is how quickly the impact would be felt since its inception. Female boxing has been the fastest-growing discipline in sport since it was first introduced to the Olympics in 2016, so it’s imperative that we place just as much emphasis on the opportunities provided for our females as we do our males, so having a female bout on the upcoming card will not only entertain but will certainly inspire other females to come on board to make a name for themselves and ultimately their country,” Jones shared.
A 21-year-old student of GC Foster College, Moore is set to compete against Shanika Gordon from the Jamaica Defense Force, and by all indications, the fight is expected to bring tremendous excitement as the both women will get a chance to showcase their talent while trading punches in front of what is expected to be a jam-packed venue.
Moore has been boxing for nine years and was introduced to the sport at a summer boxing camp at the Olympic Gardens Community Centre.
The first-year Massage student has since garnered a record of five wins and two losses in her seven bouts to date, and the featherweight novice is grateful that the Wray & Nephew boxing series is giving her the platform to showcase her talent.
“I think this is a great opportunity not only for us female boxers as we get a chance to show that there are not only male boxers but there are female boxers who are thriving in the sport,” said Moore.
According to Moore, who will be in her second fight since late last year, the opportunity provided by the Jamaica Boxing Board and title sponsors Wray and Nephew who embodies the statement ‘FI WI culture’ has truly been a masterstroke.
“Internationally, there are just three of us that box and I feel that more females should be getting into the sport. This kind of initiative spearheaded by Wray and Nephew cannot come at a better time because as females it is hard to get fights in Jamaica.”
Pavel Smith, Marketing Manager Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum is proud the series will host its first female bout. “The sport of boxing, like Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum a “Fi wi Culture”. The Fight Night series was developed to elevate Jamaican boxing talent and skill. We heartily welcome this first female exhibition as the series expands into parishes across the island.”
Moore, who trains at the Suga Knock Out Gym in Olympic Gardens, says she has benefitted tremendously from getting into the sport on a personal level.
“Since I have been boxing, I have grown more confident and I have started to communicate with others better. I was a shy person, but the sport of boxing has helped me to be more confident and I have gotten better,” Moore noted.
She says she will be ramping up her training in the coming week in preparation for the bout and she hopes to one day take her skills to the highest level.
“I see myself becoming a professional in a few years and one of my other goals is to represent Jamaica at the Olympics. For that to happen, I will need more experience and exposure and I must say a big thank you to Wray and Nephew for giving us the avenue on our journey and ultimate goal,” Moore shared.
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 September 25.
FootballFormer Bolton winger Ricardo Gardner spent his birthday posing in a tunnel with Usain Bolt.
View this post on InstagramJoao Cancelo is loving life in Barcelona.
GolfIt’s Ryder Cup week.
View this post on InstagramEurope celebrated retaining the Solheim Cup.
View this post on InstagramChris Froome has some fun.
Gareth Anscombe admits there is an element of relief after Wales avoided a fight to the finish in their quest for a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place.
Wales’ record-breaking 40-6 victory over Australia meant they got the job done early in Pool C.
They preserved their 100 per cent record with one game still remaining – against Georgia next week – leaving other teams, led by Fiji, to fret over reaching the knockout phase.
Had Wales lost, it would have been a different story and meant them being caught up in a nervous scramble for two available places.
“It is probably relief. I don’t like that saying that, but we knew there was a lot on it,” Wales fly-half Anscombe said.
“We knew if we didn’t win we would go into the last week not quite having control. It is really rewarding because we do so much hard work.
“We’ve got a tricky little number in Georgia to finish off, and we definitely won’t overlook them, but it is nice to be in control of the group.”
Anscombe went on for an injured Dan Biggar after just 12 minutes in Lyon, and he promptly took charge, kicking six penalties, a drop-goal and conversion.
His 23-point haul equalled Biggar’s record for most points by a Wales player in a World Cup match, although the 32-year-old would have set a new mark had he not missed a straightforward conversion following captain Jac Morgan’s late try.
“‘Biggsy’ reminded me that apparently the last kick was to beat his record, so I am hacked off I have only tied that,” Anscombe added.
“Dan is a great man and we get along so well, but he has given me a bit of stick about that!”
Biggar looks likely to miss the Georgia game because of a strained pectoral muscle, but there are no suggestions at this stage that he could be doubtful for a potential World Cup last-eight clash against Argentina in Marseille seven days later.
“We know how important Dan is for the group, particularly on and off the field with the energy he brings,” Anscombe said.
“It was just really important when I went on that I brought some control and steadied the ship like he does so well.
“We always talk about nailing our roles, and all I was thinking about was making sure I was accurate and bringing some control.
“What was great was that we kept the scoreboard ticking. We have to give a lot of credit to our forwards. We squeezed them at set-piece time, took the points on offer and kept the scoreboard ticking off the back of that.
“I felt like I was building quite nicely in the summer (training) camps, and then I broke my hand. I thought at one point it was my World Cup done.
“I owe a lot of thanks to the team behind the scenes here. The medical team did a fantastic job to get me back on the field, and the coaching staff backed me without much game-time.
“There is still so much to work on from a personal perspective, but it was so nice to spend some time in the big arena.”
The Los Angeles Chargers will be without star wide receiver Mike Williams for the remainder of the 2023 season after an MRI confirmed he tore his ACL in Week 3, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
Williams went down in the third quarter of the Chargers’ 28-24 road win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday after recording seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Williams entered Monday’s action ranked 12th in the league in receiving yards (249), tied for 12th in targets (26) and tied for 13th in catches (19).
Since being selected seventh overall by the Chargers in the 2017 NFL Draft, Williams has 309 receptions for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Los Angeles lost its first two games by a combined five points before defeating Minnesota.
The Chargers went 10-7 last season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They led by 10 points after three quarters in the wild-card round at Jacksonville before the Jaguars rallied for a 31-30 victory.
Hercule Du Seuil extended his winning run over fences to four with a stylish success in the Ballymore Group Irish EBF Kilbegnet Novice Chase at Roscommon.
A winner in Grade Two and Three company over hurdles, Willie Mullins’ charge suffered a shock defeat on his chasing bow at Ballinrobe back in May.
However, he has barely put a foot wrong in three subsequent starts, returning to Ballinrobe to claim a first win over fences before following up at Killarney and then in Grade Three company at Galway.
Kept to that level here, Hercule Du Seuil took up his usual position at the head of affairs under Mark Walsh and the 2-5 favourite barely had to hit top gear as he strolled home by 12 lengths from Calico, with The Banger Doyle beaten just a nose in third.
Hercule Du Seuil was encountering heavy ground for the first time and Frank Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus, was delighted to see him rise to the challenge.
He said: “That was lovely. He jumped well, settled away and handled the ground.
“We didn’t know how he would handle the ground, but Mark said he handled it quite well. It’s loose and he got through it.
“We’ll see what happens when the better ones come out, but he’s going the right way and he’s had a good season so far. We’ll see what Willie wants to do with him.
“It’s a lovely race to find for him here and a flat track suits him well. You couldn’t have asked for better.”
A favourable weather forecast has prompted connections of Fantastic Moon to reconsider supplementing the German Derby winner for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.
Despite winning a recognised Arc trial over the course and distance in the Prix Niel, the Sea The Moon colt looked set to sidestep Europe’s premier middle-distance contest in favour of either a trip to the Breeders’ Cup or a tilt at the Japan Cup.
However, with little or no rain forecast in Paris in the run-up to Sunday’s showpiece, his team are now giving serious thought to adding him to the field on Wednesday at a cost of €120,000.
Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten of owners Liberty Racing said: “We discussed it yesterday, because the weather forecast is dry and the sun in shining in Paris, perhaps we will get good ground.
“We will decide as late as possible because every day is important for us. How the horse is, how is he looking and working.
“We have a few opportunities too with the Breeders’ Cup and the Japan Cup and now we have the option of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe again.
“We will see – our vet will check him, he will gallop in Munich and then we will see what’s going on and what the weather forecast will be in Paris.
“We decided two weeks ago that we would not run but the situation is new, the ground is better than we expected and the horse is better than we expected 14 days after the Prix Niel.
“It’s new information and a lot of horses are out of the race, so we will see.”
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald admits his team “have their work cut out” as they seek to wrest the trophy back from the United States.
After a record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021, Donald has the unenviable task of trying to maintain the hosts’ 30-year unbeaten record on home soil.
On paper the Americans have the superior team, with 10 of their 12 players currently in the world’s top 20, and even though Europe have three of the top four, Donald is aware of the challenge which awaits in Italy .
“I know it’s going to be a difficult next few days, it really is. The US are very strong. We know that,” he said at a press conference at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
“We are coming off our worst defeat ever in a Ryder Cup. US players are strong, high up in the world rankings and they have some great partnerships and have had a lot of success.
“We have our work cut out but as captain you have to be confident. I certainly have a lot of belief in my team and you have to have belief that you’re going to get them into a place where they are going to be successful.”
Marco Simone is likely to prove a testing layout for both teams due to the weather forecast for the week – temperatures are expected to hit 29 degrees Celsius over the three days – and the undulations and big elevation changes around the course.
Donald has not ruled out some of his players featuring in all five sessions but is more confident that no-one, not even rookies Ludvig Aberg, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and Nicolai Hojgaard, will be left on the bench until Sunday’s singles.
“In terms of playing five, I think there’s some guys that certainly could do that, and we have done that in the past. This is a very tiring, taxing golf course,” he added.
“It’s a long build-up so I’m wary of some of that. I’ll certainly be considering that but it’s not out of the question that some people might play five.
“I very much doubt that someone wouldn’t play until the Sunday singles.”
Unusually Donald has opted to begin the first two days with the foursomes format and leave the fourballs until the afternoon.
While the Americans traditionally pick that option when it is their honour, it is the first time since 1993, the last time Europe lost on home soil, that it will be played that way on this side of the Atlantic.
“It’s pretty simple really. We feel like as a team, statistically we are stronger in foursomes within our team than we would be in fourballs,” said Donald.
“Why not get off to a fast start? That’s it.”
USA captain Zach Johnson was asked whether he had second thoughts about his captain’s picks after the overlooked Bryson DeChambeau won his second LIV event in successive months on Sunday.
Brooks Koepka is the only player from the Saudi breakaway league to feature in the team having qualified by virtue of his performances in majors after winning the US PGA Championship and finishing second in the Masters.
On Sunday DeChambeau said it would have been “nice to have a call” but Johnson has freely admitted he paid no attention to the LIV Golf tour and so the 30-year-old was never on his radar, finishing 54th on USA’s qualifying list.
“We have a points system within the PGA of America, within the Ryder Cup USA. It’s pretty evident how you garner points and which tournaments can accumulate points,” said Johnson.
“When it got down towards the end of the process, it was the top 20, the top 25 guys in that point system that I felt like had the merit and should have my full attention.”
Johnson also confirmed there would be no morale-boosting last-minute visit from Tiger Woods, who is still recovering from ankle surgery, despite him being part of the process this year and the 15-time major winner would be relegated to the role of cheerleader from back home.
“No, Tiger will not be joining us in Italy. He’s got a lot on his plate. As far as communicating with him, we have up to this point but he understands that now that our feet are on the ground, it’s probably kind of best that we navigate this ourselves,” said the USA captain.
“At this point it’s more encouragement on his side, whether he’s texting the guys or texting the vice-captains and captains, he’s there to encourage because he’s very invested in what we do year-in and year-out with Team USA.
“We are going to utilise his knowledge and his wisdom, his candour and his passion the best we can but when it comes to the week of the tournament, if you’re not in on it and inside the team room, inside the ropes, shoulder-to-shoulder with these guys, it’s not fair to ask him questions.
“At the same time, I don’t know if that’s proper and I think he would understand completely.”
John Dalziel is adamant new recruit Johnny Matthews will prove a perfectly able deputy after Scotland’s World Cup hooker curse continued with the departure of Stuart McInally from the squad.
It was announced on Sunday night – after the bonus-point 45-17 win over Tonga in Nice – that the 33-year-old Edinburgh forward was heading home from the tournament with a neck problem less than a fortnight after being called up when Dave Cherry departed the camp due to a concussion sustained when falling on stairs at the team hotel.
In addition to the travails of McInally and Cherry, Ewan Ashman was unable to be involved against South Africa after getting concussed in the build-up, while Fraser Brown – who was on the bench for four of the Six Nations games earlier this year – would almost certainly have come into contention if not for the ACL injury he suffered at the end of last season.
First-choice George Turner is the only hooker who has stayed injury-free throughout the World Cup training camp and tournament itself, meaning coaches have had to draw on their depth of options for the specialised position.
“When we were picking the hookers initially, there were a lot of names in consideration,” said forwards coach Dalziel on Monday afternoon. “We were unlucky to lose Fraser Brown to injury prior to the tournament.
“We’ve never really had a campaign where we don’t use four hookers plus, it’s a position that’s right in the firing line, there’s a lot of injuries that come with it because of the scrummage and set-piece requirements.
“There’s been a bit of change there, with Rambo (McInally) disappointed to miss out (on the initial 33-man squad) and then he got a lifeline and thought it was going to happen for him.
“He added a huge amount while he was with us but it’s unfortunate that he’s got to go home again.
“It’s been a bit of a merry-go-round for Rambo and we’re disappointed to see him go.”
Matthews’ only previous outing with the national team came for Scotland A against Chile in June 2022. The Liverpool-born 30-year-old – whose mother was born in Glasgow – would effectively have been sixth in the pecking order if all other options were fit.
But after flying in to join up with the squad in Nice over the weekend, he now finds himself up to third behind Turner and Ashman and in contention to win his first full cap in Saturday’s World Cup pool match against Romania in Lille.
“It’s a huge opportunity for Johnny, who was another one in great form for Glasgow last season and was unfortunate to miss out on selection,” said Dalziel.
“We all know the speed and physicality Johnny brings, it’s probably his point of difference. Glasgow had an extended off-season but they were working hard away from it and they’ve been back in for pre-season.
“By all accounts, he’s been training really well. As a hooker, a specialised position, he’s always working on his craft anyway so he’s arrived in good condition and he’ll be a good addition to the group.”
Dalziel also reported that Jamie Ritchie suffered no ill effects overnight following the dangerous high tackle he was on the receiving end of from Tonga wing Afusipa Taumoepeau.
The Scotland captain was forced off in the first half off after taking a bang to the head and is now in his 12-day concussion stand-down period, meaning he will miss the Romania game and only be allowed to return to training on the eve of the potentially-critical match against Ireland in Paris on Saturday week.
“It was pretty nasty in terms of the head collision but in terms of after that and post-game, he’s been OK,” said Dalziel. “He’s not had any dramatic extra symptoms with it.
“You’ve got to take full care with anything to do with the head so he’ll just be managed along with the protocols. He’s up and about and his family are here so he’ll get a day off to chill.”
Dalziel was pleased to see the rest of the squad come through a bruising encounter intact.
“There are a couple of sore bodies this morning, it was a pretty physical game – as we knew it would be – but it’s miraculous how everybody rocks up and looks fine today and gets food into them,” he said.
“Credit to the conditioners as well, the boys were all in the pool nice and early doing their recovery. Apart from a couple of bumps and bruises, the majority of the group are OK and good to go.”
Sunday’s match was Scotland’s first for a full fortnight after their opener against the Springboks and Dalziel was delighted to see them return to action with a seven-try victory to get their tournament up and running.
“It’s been a really weird World Cup for us,” he said. “That first week seemed very busy and hectic. We felt a huge part of it building up to the first game against South Africa and then there was a real lull after that.
“Two weeks of just training and having the appropriate time off so we didn’t feel we were really part of the tournament, to be honest.
“You have to sit on those bad memories (against South Africa) and you’re just desperate to get back out there again so it was brilliant to get back out there and score some points and get that bonus point and get back on track.”
Grand Alliance will not take up his entry in the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp on Saturday after suffering a season-ending setback.
Winner of the Group Three John Porter Stakes at Newbury in the spring, the four-year-old was subsequently well held in both the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting.
However, stepped up to just shy of two miles for the Group Two Prix Kergorlay at Deauville last month, Grand Alliance bounced back to form to finish second under Ryan Moore, giving trainer Charlie Fellowes more options for the future.
But while the Newmarket handler had the option of sending his stable star back to France on Arc weekend, he has now been forced to draw stumps for the year.
He said: “Unfortunately Grand Alliance had a setback after France and we just decided to call it a day for the year. We’ll give him some time and hopefully he’ll be a nice stayer next year.
“He stayed the two miles well at Deauville, so it opens up a lot of doors. Ryan felt he’d stay as far as you want him to.”
Another horse who held an entry at ParisLongchamp for Fellowes is Marbaan, winner of last year’s Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and third in the Lennox on his return to the Sussex Downs last month.
However, the trainer revealed the son of Oasis Dream will not contest Prix de la Foret, having left his yard to continue his career in Dubai.
David Menuisier’s Sunway has Group One targets in France after his valiant second-placed run in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
The two-year-old, who is a full brother to 2021 Champion Stakes hero Sealiway, came into the race with something to prove after coming home sixth in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot in July.
He was beaten 15 and a half lengths by Richard Hannon’s Rosallion that day when starting at 5-2 after making a convincing winning debut at Sandown earlier in the term.
Rosallion also lined up on Town Moor and was the 4-5 favourite, but it was Charlie Hills’ Iberian who strode to a two-length success as Sunway came home the runner-up and Hannon’s contender was a further length and a half behind.
The run could now pave the way to Group One level for Sunway as Menuisier intends to target the horse at either the one-mile Criterium International or the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
“He ran really good race, he redeemed himself and that was important, for him to show what he’s truly capable of,” he said of the Champagne Stakes effort.
“He is definitely a really nice horse, he showed that he belongs to the elite.
“He is likely to go to France for one of the Criteriums next month, either the Criterium International or the Criterium de Saint-Cloud – one over one mile and one over one-mile-two.
“Mainly it is the going that will decide, because at that time of year you don’t really know what sort of ground you’re going to get.
“The main target will be the mile race, I think that is probably the most suitable for him at the moment.”
Also headed to Saint-Cloud is stablemate Devil’s Point, last seen finishing third when beaten a length and a half in the Solario Stakes at Sandown earlier in the month.
The Prix Thomas Bryon now awaits, a seven-furlong Group Three, after which the Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster will come into the picture.
“Devil’s Point is good, he’s got an entry in the Group Three at Saint-Cloud on Friday and that’s where he’s likely to go,” Menuisier said.
“It’s likely to be a stepping stone to potentially the Futurity Trophy at the end of October.”
One-time Classic hope Nostrum is unlikely to return until next season after connections ruled out an outing in Friday’s Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.
Having rounded off his juvenile campaign with a third placed finish in the Dewhurst, the Kingman colt was considered a legitimate 2000 Guineas contender before injury intervened in the spring.
A spectacular return in a Listed event at Newmarket’s July meeting suggested Nostrum was ready to make up for lost time, but he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Epictetus on his next start at Goodwood and finished lame when trailing home last of six in York’s Strensall Stakes last month.
The three-year-old is now back in work, but he will not take up his engagement on the Rowley Mile this week and connections are preparing to draw stumps for the season.
Barry Mahon, racing manager for Nostrum’s owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: “He won’t run on Friday, I spoke with Sir Michael this morning and he just wants to give the horse more time.
“It’s more than likely you won’t see the horse until next season.”
Task Force looks set to represent race sponsors Juddmonte in this weekend’s Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, with Saturday’s Mill Reef hero Array more likely to wait for a possible tilt at the Dewhurst Stakes next month.
The Andrew Balding-trained Array notched his second win from five career starts in Group Two company at Newbury and retains the option of turning out just seven days later for a Group One assignment on the Rowley Mile.
However, while no final decision has been made, Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon raised the possibility of the youngster instead being supplemented for the Dewhurst on October 14.
He said: “We left Array in to keep options open until we speak with the ownership group, but it’s probably less likely that he’ll run and we’ll see if the owners would like to give consideration to the Dewhurst a couple of weeks later.
“We just said we’d leave him in there (Middle Park) in case there was a lot of rain and the ground came up on the soft side, as he obviously showed he liked that on Saturday.
“He came out of the race so well Andrew just said we’d keep our options open.
“He’s not in the Dewhurst, so he’d have to be supplemented. Once we’ve spoken to the ownership group we’ll come up with a plan.”
Task Force, a son of two Guineas winners in Frankel and Special Duty, impressed on his debut for Ralph Beckett at Salisbury before landing a Listed prize at Ripon and further improvement can be expected.
Mahon added: “He’s an intended runner in the Middle Park. He’s in good form, Ralph is happy with him and he worked nicely on Saturday.
“It’s a big jump from a Listed race to a Group One, but he’s a well-bred horse and we’re hopeful he can make the jump.”
Beckett has a second string to his bow in the supplemented Sirenia Stakes winner Starlust, while Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Battle Cry, Military and Coventry Stakes hero River Tiber, with the last-named colt the obvious candidate as he looks to bounce back from defeat in the Prix Morny.
He could renew rivalry with the winner of that Group One contest at Deauville six weeks ago, Simon and Ed Crisford’s Vandeek.
The William Haggas-trained Gimcrack winner Lake Forest and Paddy Twomey’s Round Tower Stakes victor Letsbefrankaboutit also feature among 13 contenders.
Fourteen fillies remain in the mix for the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, with Relief Rally the potential favourite for the Haggas team.
The daughter of Kodiac’s only defeat in five starts to date came at Royal Ascot when beaten a nose by American raider Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary, since when she has landed the Super Sprint at Newbury and the Lowther Stakes at York.
Her potential rivals include unbeaten French-trained filly Jasna’s Secret, Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna, Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom and the consistent Soprano from George Boughey’s yard.
A top-class card gets under way with the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, in which Solario Stakes winner Aablan must be considered a major player for Charlie Appleby.
Aidan O’Brien is responsible for six of the 18 acceptors, with Capulet perhaps the most interesting having pushed stablemate Diego Velazquez close in a Leopardstown Group Two last time.
Roger Varian’s pair of Al Musmak and Defiance are also on the list, as are Ollie Sangster’s unbeaten youngster Per Contra and Beckett’s Macduff, runner-up to Al Musmak in a Haydock Listed event last time in the Juddmonte silks.
Mahon added: “It’s a possibility Macduff will run, it’s not a definite. We left him in there and we’ll see how he is during the week.
“I think we’ve said a few times he’s a big horse and it’s all about next year with him, but he seems in good shape and we’ll give strong consideration to running him.
“The horse that beat him at Haydock looked a very good horse that day, but you’re always hoping on a different day, on a different track and with a different set-up you might get a different result. You should never be afraid to give it a go.”
The Juddmonte team are also responsible for the ante-post favourite for the bet365 Cambridgeshire in Harry and Roger Charlton’s Greek Order.
A winner at Sandown in May and Newbury last month, the three-year-old will look to complete his hat-trick in the prestigious handicap.
Mahon said: “I’m looking forward to seeing him – he was very impressive on his last start.
“You’re always going to need a lot of luck in a Cambridgeshire with plenty of runners, but the ground should be OK and hopefully we get a nice draw and everything goes well.”
The weights for the Cambridgeshire are headed by Daniel and Claire Kubler’s York scorer Astro King, who is 1lb above the King and Queen’s Saga.
Captain Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are not thinking about anything beyond Scotland as they seek to avoid complacency following previous World Cup failures.
Andy Farrell’s men are within touching distance of the quarter-finals and a likely clash with either hosts France or three-time winners New Zealand.
Yet, despite defeating defending champions South Africa in Paris to register a third consecutive Pool B victory, rugby’s top-ranked nation could still be denied a spot in the knock-out stages by the Scots.
Experienced fly-half Sexton, who has suffered last-eight exits at his previous three World Cups, admits his side cannot get ahead of themselves.
“We are not talking about being champions, we are talking about the next game,” he said on the back of the 13-8 win over the Springboks.
“Now it’s all about Scotland. We’re not thinking about anything beyond that.
“Scotland are an excellent team. I think that they would be frustrated about how they played against South Africa (an 18-3 loss on September 10).
“It’s all geared up towards that game now and making sure that we do what’s required to try and win the pool.
“But we can’t look beyond the next game. This competition will hurt you, that’s the biggest lesson we can take from the last few World Cups.”
Ireland return to Stade de France on October 7 to take on Gregor Townsend’s side after upsetting South Africa.
Head coach Farrell believes the narrow win from a bruising encounter with the reigning champions is ideal preparation for future challenges.
“Let’s be honest, it’s wonderful to win, but there was not much in it between two good sides,” said Farrell.
“I think the best thing about it for us is we get to feel the intensity of a big game within this World Cup and know what that feels like for further down the line.
“How we are able to be a little bit more composed, be a little bit more accurate and play our game a little bit more. It’s invaluable to be able to learn those lessons with a win.
“But what I would say is when you love defending as much as we did within that game, it stands us in good stead as far as our want and our fight for the rest of competition.”
Kevin Philippart de Foy’s Alshinfarah could be headed for Newmarket’s Rockfel Stakes after a pleasing juvenile campaign so far.
The Shadwell homebred filly, who is by Noble Mission, made a winning start to her career when taking a Doncaster fillies’ maiden over seven furlongs in July.
She followed that victory with another at Haydock, this time in a novice event that she won by a length and a quarter when the only filly in the field.
Alshinfarah then took a step up to Group Three level at ParisLongchamp in early September for the Prix d’Aumale over mile, making the running under Jim Crowley and missing out by half a length when passed in the final strides of the race.
Philippart de Foy was nevertheless encouraged by the run and all being well, the bay will drop back to seven furlongs to contest the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, a Group Two for which she is currently a 10-1 chance.
The trainer said: “The filly has been confirmed for the Rockfel on Friday and, depending on the weather, we will make a decision on Wednesday as to whether she runs or not.
“She came out of her French race in good form, she did a good piece of work on Saturday and we are very happy, everything is good with her.
“Her run in France was very good, she had to make the running for the first time over a mile, she was just caught in the last 50 yards but she didn’t disgrace herself at all. She was very gutsy.”
Warren Gatland has hailed Wales’ ability to keep “punching above our weight” after clinching a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
It maintains Gatland’s 100 per record of reaching the last-eight in four World Cup campaigns as Wales head coach.
And the achievement is further underlined by where Wales were just six months ago on and off the pitch.
They finished fifth in the Six Nations, with a solitary win being against Italy, while Welsh professional rugby was engulfed by financial issues and contractual uncertainty for many players.
That scenario almost led to Gatland’s squad going on strike in protest over the situation just days before Wales faced England in Cardiff.
Now, though, they find themselves at the business end of a World Cup, having progressed from Pool C with one game to spare and seemingly on course for a quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille on October 14.
“There were a lot of things going on before the Six Nations,” Gatland said, following a record 40-6 victory over Australia that confirmed Wales’ progression to the knockout phase.
“Contract issues and the players getting offered them, and then just understanding the frustrations from them in terms of security, future, families and stuff.
“I probably didn’t realise at the time the impact that had on the coaching staff and probably even myself.
“I had to sit back and let things unfold until after the Six Nations, when you can get a squad together.
“We have been together for four months now. You know you can put the detail, preparation and hard work in that we always pride ourselves on.
“We are such a small nation as a tier one nation in terms of playing numbers, and we are proud that our success has been based on hard work and punching above our weight.
“Everyone has made a lot of sacrifices in the last four months, and the message from me beforehand was ‘you get what you deserve in life’ from putting that hard work and effort in.
“We have been through some pain and tough times. We have pushed some players right to the edge, and they have fronted up.
“We have got a brilliant balance in this group in terms of taking the mickey out of each other and some real banter, which is brilliant.
“But when they are asked to front up and perform at training, they get their heads on and they knuckle down.”
Wales were World Cup semi-finalists in 2011 – the first time for 24 years – and 2019, with that achievement now having an outstanding chance of being repeated.
Among Wales’ many successes in the tournament so far has been co-captain Jac Morgan’s form and leadership, which he highlighted through an immense display against Australia.
It evokes memories of New Zealand in 2011 when a 22-year-old Sam Warburton was handed the captaincy reins and delivered magnificently. At 23, flanker Morgan is so far ticking every box.
Gatland added: “He is still a young man, and I threw him in at the deep end. He has been absolutely outstanding.
“I have a huge amount of admiration for him. He is definitely a player who leads from the front, and he did exactly that (against Australia). It was a brilliant performance from him.”
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