Grade One-winning hurdlers Echoes In Rain and Vauban are part of a team of “four or five runners” Willie Mullins is preparing for Royal Ascot later this month.
The Closutton trainer was again a dominant force at the Cheltenham Festival in March – and is no stranger to success at the showpiece Flat meeting, with eight previous victories.
Two of those were provided by Stratum, who returns to bid for a Queen Alexandra Stakes hat-trick, having taken the 2021 and 2022 renewals.
Mullins, who has plundered the Ascot Stakes on four previous occasions, will try again, relying on Bring On The Night, who has not run since being beaten three-quarters of a length in the same race last year by Ascot Gold Cup favourite Coltrane.
But it is the high-class Echoes In Rain and Vauban who will provide the most intrigue from the Mullins raiding party.
Echoes in Rain, owned by Barnane Stud, has been well supported in the two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Gold Cup, the feature on Ladies’ Day, and is as short as 9-1 with Coral for the Group One prize.
The seven-year-old mare was beaten narrowly in the Irish Cesarewitch in September, and having won a Grade Three hurdle at Naas in January, she was subsequently fourth to Honeysuckle in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Grade One honours fell her way in the Mares’ Champion Hurdle, over two miles and three furlongs at Punchestown on her last run in April.
Mullins, though, thinks it will be tough to win the Ascot Gold Cup.
He said: “She’s in good form, working well and we’re very happy to take our chance.
“We’re delighted to have one to run in it. She has run well on decent ground before and I hope it won’t be an issue.
“It will be hard to think she’d have a winning chance, but if she could finish in the first six, it would be a tremendous run.”
Vauban, whose three Grade One wins last year included the Triumph Hurdle and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown, holds an entry in the Copper Horse Handicap on the opening day.
He was last seen chasing home stablemate State Man in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.
Meanwhile, the Tony Bloom-owned Stratum will doubtless have plenty of support to complete a momentous three-timer in the extended Queen Alexandra, the final race of the five-day meeting, which starts on June 20.
“Hopefully we will have a small team of four or five runners,” said Mullins.
“Stratum, who won there last year, will go for the same race again on the Saturday.
“Vauban will probably will go for the mile and six, while Bring On The Night, who was beaten in a four-way finish last year, will probably go back for the same race.
“We’ll have a small team, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will meet for the first time at a grand slam in Paris on Friday but the Serbian expects a familiar feeling.
Alcaraz was still a baby the last time the French Open was played without his compatriot Rafael Nadal in the draw.
Now Spain has a new hero to cheer and Djokovic a new rival to spar with at the top of the game.
“He carries himself very well,” said the 36-year-old. “No doubt very nice guy on and off the court. Brings a lot of intensity on the court. Reminds me of someone from his country that plays with a left hand.”
Djokovic and Alcaraz met for the first – and only – time in Madrid last year, when the young Spaniard served notice that he was the present as well as the future of tennis by beating Nadal and Djokovic back to back.
Since then they have frustratingly missed each other, with Djokovic unable to play in the US Open, where Alcaraz won his first grand slam title, because of his vaccination status, while the 20-year-old was kept out of the Australian Open by injury.
Djokovic claimed his 22nd slam title in Melbourne and can set a new all-time men’s record by lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a third time.
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“He deserves his success, no doubt,” said Djokovic of Alcaraz. “He’s working hard and he’s a very complete player already and only 20.
“So we played only once in Madrid last year, 7-6 in the third for him. Most of the tournaments this year we were not in the same draw but here we are.
“That’s the match that a lot of people want to see. It’s definitely the biggest challenge for me so far in the tournament. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. He’s definitely a guy to beat here. I’m looking forward to that.”
They both reached the semi-finals dropping only one set but, Alcaraz has been the more impressive, spending three-and-a-half hours less on court than Djokovic in his five matches so far.
The Serbian, who can reclaim the world number one ranking by winning the title, looked in trouble for a while against Karen Khachanov before playing a flawless second-set tie-break.
Djokovic’s ability to lock in at the most important moments is one of his greatest strengths and the Serbian’s extraordinary precision in the placement of his shots is unmatched.
If Djokovic is the old master, Alcaraz is the young impressionist, using the clay canvas to show off his talent and exuberance.
John McEnroe declared Alcaraz the most complete 20-year-old he has ever seen earlier in the tournament, and the audacity of his shots demonstrates the supreme confidence he has in his game.
He spoke of his excitement at playing Djokovic, saying: “Since the draw came out, everyone was expecting that match, the semi-final against Novak. Myself as well. I really want to play that match.
“Since last year I really wanted to play again against Novak. We both are playing a great level. I’m going to enjoy it.
“Of course, for me, it’s amazing to make history, playing a semi-final with such a legend like Novak. So it’s going to be a great match for me.
“I would say the match we played last year doesn’t affect too much this one. We both learned a lot from that match, so it’s going to be totally different, and let’s see what happens on Friday.”
The other semi-final pits fourth seed Casper Ruud against Alexander Zverev, who has found form again on the Paris clay 12 months after seriously injuring his ankle in a last-four clash with Nadal.
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The German did not play another match until the beginning of this season but insisted there is no mental scar tissue as he looks to reach a second grand slam final.
“I think I’m at a stage now where I’m not thinking about the injury so much anymore,” he said. “I’m not thinking about what happened. I’m just happy to be back where I was last year, and I have another chance. Hopefully I can take it.”
Ruud made his first slam final here last year before losing heavily to Nadal and has shrugged off his own difficult start to the season.
Eve Johnson Houghton is weighing up Royal Ascot options for Woodcote winner Bobsleigh.
The Elzaam colt made a good start to his career when winning a Brighton maiden by two and three-quarter lengths in early May, after which he took on stiffer company in the Woodcote, a conditions race known for producing future Group winners.
Under Charlie Bishop the bay was a 5-1 chance at Epsom and was at one stage in the trailing group, but the rider had timed his run well and when pulled out wide Bobsleigh passed every horse in front of him to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
Royal Ascot is the next step for the two-year-old, but as his debut was over five and a half furlongs and his Derby day win over six, both the Windsor Castle and the Coventry are under consideration.
“We were absolutely thrilled with him, really happy,” Johnson Houghton said of the Epsom success.
“Charlie gave him a good ride, he was very patient and he showed a lovely turn of foot so that was great.
“He’ll definitely go to Ascot but we just haven’t decided which race yet.
“I don’t know where we’re going to go, I honestly don’t as he’s won over five (furlongs) and six. We’ll have to look at both races and make a decision.”
Bobsleigh is owned by The Woodway 20, a syndicate assembled by Johnson Houghton who enjoyed Ascot glory in 2021 when Chipotle won the Listed five-furlong Windsor Castle in the same silks for the same trainer.
The partnership, for whom Johnson Houghton seeks to buy good value horses that will be sold at a profit at the end of the their juvenile campaign, will be relishing another day out at the Royal meeting with their latest prospect.
Johnson Houghton said: “Either way it will be a great day out for them.”
David Evans will send Rohaan to Royal Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes “with every chance – as long as the stalls open!”.
Evans is still smarting from Saturday’s Epsom Dash, where four stalls – 16, 18, 19 and 20 – opened marginally later than the others.
It seemingly affected the chances of a quartet of well-backed horses, including the trainer’s Lihou, drawn 18, who finished last in the five-furlong contest.
While the stewards admitted the four stalls had opened “fractionally slower” than the remainder, they decided the chances of the four runners in those stalls were not “materially impacted” by the start and therefore took no further action.
“It was a farce,” said Evans. “Something should be done.
“I’ve been through it and unless a third of the field were affected, you can’t void the race.”
Evans is hoping for better luck when crack sprinter Rohaan takes aim at the six-furlong Group One contest on June 24.
The five-year-old powered to success in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting for a second year in succession 12 months ago, and returned to the Berkshire track in October to take the Group Three Bengough Stakes.
Having only been beaten a length in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville, Evans feels he has the capacity to continue to be competitive at the top level.
Rohaan has had one run this term, when finishing eighth of nine under Tom Marquand in a Listed race at Salisbury.
The Monmouthshire handler feels a line can be drawn under that display.
He said: “It was a bit of a non-event. I just wanted to get a run into him and see how he came back.
“He came back fine. He wouldn’t let himself down on the ground. Tom said he jumped the path and after that he was on the wrong leg all the way, but all being well he’ll definitely go to Ascot for the Jubilee.
“He’s had a long old break since his last run. I thought he was fit enough, but he had a good old blow afterwards. He just wouldn’t let himself down.
“The aim with him has been to target Ascot all year and I don’t think it will be as quick as it was at Salisbury. They put a lot of water on, but it was very warm that evening. I just wanted to get him a run and that was the only opportunity.
“He’s done his bit, but will definitely go there and he loves the track. What will be will be. He goes there with every chance, hopefully – as long as the stalls open!”
Miyu Kato secured her French Open redemption by bouncing back from disqualification to win the mixed doubles title – and then publicly hit out at the controversial decision.
The Japanese player and partner Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted during their third-round women’s doubles match on Sunday against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo after Kato unintentionally hit a ball girl while passing a ball to the other end of the court.
It unexpectedly became one of the biggest stories of the tournament, with players and coaches past and present criticising the decision as too harsh.
Kato was at least allowed to continue in the mixed with German partner Tim Puetz, and they ensured a happy ending to the tournament by beating Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus 4-6 6-4 (10-6) in the final, with both claiming a first grand slam title.
Kato had been too upset to speak about the disqualification in English but prepared a speech to read out on court.
Instead of the usual platitudes, the 28-year-old fought back tears as she said: “It has been really challenging mentally for me the past few days due to the unjust disqualification from the women’s doubles.
“I want to thank the players and coaches for all the heartfelt support. I was able to use all the positive energy to move forward so I could be here today.
“It was unfortunate that we were disqualified but I’m doing my best so we can return one day and claim the women’s doubles final. Hopefully the ball girl is OK.
“Lastly, to Roland Garros, it is unfortunate for the disqualification situation but I’m looking forward to a positive result of my appeal so I can claim my points and prize money.”
Being defaulted from a tournament normally means forfeiting the ranking points and prize money you have earned but Kato is hoping the nature of the offence means that will be overturned.
The umpire initially only gave the Japanese player a warning but, with Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo drawing attention to the crying ball girl, the supervisor and referee were called to the court and eventually decided a default was merited.
Neither had seen the incident and Kato was unhappy with Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo’s role, saying in Japanese: “What I can’t swallow is that at first the chair umpire gave me warning, but then our opponents said that he had made a mistake.
“The opponent made a big appeal, and then the referee came down and overturned the decision. My opponent probably didn’t see where I hit her.”
Kato thanked Puetz for being a key support, and the German was delighted to help her create more positive memories of the tournament.
“Miyu, unbelievable what has happened the last 10 days,” he said. “I hope this helps you. I’m very happy to win even without all the drama.
“I hope this is somewhat redemption with everything that has happened. We saw you get so much support from everywhere and I think it’s well deserved.”
Less-than-stellar campaigns may have left their regular-season stranglehold in peril but Wigan boss Matt Peet maintains there remains no bigger match in Betfred Super League than the Warriors’ ongoing rivalry with four-time defending champions St Helens.
The sold-out signs are expected to be propped up outside the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday night for part two of a tussle that saw Peet’s men reign supreme in their first meeting of 2023 with a 14-6 win on Good Friday that oozed quality.
Peet’s men limped out of Magic Weekend last Sunday after a dismal 46-22 defeat to Catalans, while Saints’ season-best 48-6 win over Huddersfield cannot disguise the fact that they have reached the halfway point of the year, having nudged into the sixth and final play-off spot.
In a game given an extra dimension by the fierce loyalty inspired by two men who were brought through the ranks at their respective home-town clubs, Peet insists recent shifts in momentum matter little.
“I know other teams would like to think they’re our rivals, but really it’s Wigan and Saints because of the size of the game and two clubs’ histories and mutual respect,” said Peet.
“It’s a special game whenever you run into it and there are always sub-plots. One team might be flying and the other not doing so well but we know in games like this that form counts for nothing.
“It’s a big challenge and it’s exactly what we need. We can’t wait to get last week out of our system. The lads know they let themselves down, they got the basics wrong, and hopefully they’ll be much improved.”
In contrast, Saints head into the game on a high after what felt like a breakthrough performance against the Giants, coming in a season in which they have struggled to shrug off the after-effects of their World Club Challenge win in Australia.
With an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, Paul Wellens is approaching his first home clash with the Warriors as coach increasingly secure in the knowledge that his side are rediscovering their best form at the right time.
“It’s my first derby at home as a coach, which means a lot,” said Wellens. “Both myself and Matt are hugely passionate about coaching our home-town clubs, that’s a given, but the players are the ones people are paying to see.”
The prospect of Jack Welsby’s 100th game for Saints gives an already-titanic clash an additional dimension and Wellens reflected on the stunning trajectory of the 22-year-old since he made his debut in the Challenge Cup against Hull in 2018.
Wellens, who had retired as a player two years’ prior to Welsby’s first-team emergence, coached Welsby in the junior ranks and said, despite recognising his precocious talent, he could not have envisaged the speed with which his fellow full-back had surged to the top of the sport.
“I always remember knowing very little about him when he came up to the first team and he started opening up and scoring tries and you just knew then, he had something a bit special,” said Wellens.
“I was quite surprised to hear he’s only reached 100 games and when you think about what he’s achieved as an individual in those games, it is quite remarkable.
“He’s so mature for someone his age and he’s already been part of our leadership group for 18 months. The scary thing with Jack is that he is always striving to get even better.”
Richard Riakporhe questioned Lawrence Okolie’s mental strength after he lost his WBO cruiserweight title and was knocked down three times during his defeat to Chris Billam-Smith in May.
Riakporhe, who is the second-ranked fighter in the WBO standings, highlighted Okolie’s lacklustre performance and questioned if issues behind the scenes played a part in the defeat.
Having switched camps earlier this year, Okolie was up against former trainer Shane McGuigan in Billam-Smith’s corner which Riakporhe believes gave him a mental disadvantage going into the bout.
“On Okolie and his performance – I don’t know, I feel like there are underlying issues that he needs to deal with because I think he’s better than that for sure,” Riakporhe said.
“Prior to the fight McGuigan was talking about mental aspects of Okolie, which we didn’t know because he’s never been tested in that regard, and that (loss) pretty much confirmed that for me. From the way he performed there may be – I’m not saying 100 per cent but maybe there’s something going on with him.
“He was training with Billam-Smith, he left his former coach McGuigan and he’s now preparing his stable-mate to beat him based off flaws that he’s noticed over the years. That’s a very difficult task if you ask me.
“If a man has sparred 300-400 rounds and you also have Okolie’s former coach in your corner that knows everything about him then you have got an advantage.”
Okolie was deducted two points for persistent holding on the night – a style Riakporhe criticised in the aftermath of the fight.
And Riakporhe called for officials to clamp down on the “very dirty tactics” which he insisted are tainting boxing’s image.
“I was surprised, I didn’t think he (Billam-Smith) was going to be able to knock Okolie down,” Riakporhe added.
“But Okolie’s style of boxing with the holding he does is pretty strange. In my opinion that’s not the noble artform of boxing for me.
“It’s some 1940s or 1930s boxing style with the grappling and holding back like in the Jack Johnson era. That’s not boxing.
“Like anything, you need to train to exploit that, but really I think that shouldn’t be allowed and that’s very dirty tactics. It’s not boxing, the referees need to be very firm, it’s not fair, it’s not good for the fans and it’s bad for boxing.”
The south London fighter vowed it is only a matter of time before he gets his hands on cruiserweight gold as he eyes a shot at the title later this year.
“My main takeaway from the fight is just further conviction that I’m the number one and that I’m the best in my mind,” he said.
“This year (is when I will be champion). I’ve already spoken to my team and I’m ready to dance this year, it’s going to be big.”
Jessica Harrington will turn to Colin Keane and Ronan Whelan to ride her strong team at Royal Ascot, but hopes Shane Foley will be back to partner Sprewell in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
Foley suffered a broken collar bone when the Harrington-trained Snowhaven clipped heels on the home turn in the final race at Gowran Park on Monday evening.
He now faces a race against time to be fit to renew the partnership with the talented son of Churchill for the Curragh Classic on July 2.
Foley was aboard when Sprewell landed the Group Three Derby Trial at Leopardstown last month and again when coming with a withering run in Saturday’s Betfred Derby, only to find his path blocked on two occasions.
Sprewell, who was stabled with Harrington’s great friend Nicky Henderson before heading to Epsom, has taken his fourth-placed effort behind Auguste Rodin in his stride.
Harrington said: “He went to Nicky’s beforehand and he came out of the race grand.
“He just had a nice trot and little canter on Wednesday morning. He looks well and I’m happy enough with him. He’s eaten up well and put on weight.
“I’m not saying he would have won or been second, but I thought he would have been third, had he had a clear run. He was blocked twice.”
Though Harrington has yet to finalise her Royal Ascot team, which looks set to include Sounds Of Heaven, who will bid to land the Coronation Stakes, she is has her fingers crossed Foley makes a quick recovery for a rematch with Auguste Rodin.
She added: “Sprewell will go to the Irish Derby next. Hopefully Shane will be back to ride him by then.
“Ronan Whelan has won a couple of stakes race for me already this year, or there’s Colin Keane. They are the two most likely jockeys to use at Ascot. We will have a nice team of horses, hopefully.”
Paul McGinley believes commissioner Jay Monahan faces a “real problem” to persuade PGA Tour loyalists they are not the losers in golf’s peace deal.
Players reacted with shock and a sense of betrayal at the proposed merger of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour’s commercial operations with those of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.
Rory McIlroy, whose previously close friendship with Sergio Garcia broke down after the Spaniard joined LIV, admitted he felt like “a sacrificial lamb” after being the most prominent supporter of the PGA Tour, only to see it join forces with an entity he “still hates”.
Monahan faced calls to resign at a heated players’ meeting on Tuesday and McGinley believes he faces a huge task to win over the players who, in some cases, turned down massive payouts to remain loyal to the PGA Tour.
“He’s obviously in a very tricky position,” former Ryder Cup captain McGinley told Sky Sports News.
“He’s got his players to back him, he’s been very, very strong anti-LIV, he’s been very, very strong trying to build up the PGA Tour. A lot of players have not gone over to LIV because of his persuasion and now all of a sudden there’s a deal done and these guys look like they’re isolated.
“And that’s the issue I have with the statement that came out a couple of days ago.
“When a deal is done in the City they make sure that both sides are the winners. And when this was announced this doesn’t look like there were two sides that were winners here.
“It may look like the LIV guys that went over there and took the money are now coming back in and they’re the winners.
“They’ve been very giddy on social media and they look like they’re the smartest guys in the room now because they went over there and that really isolates the PGA Tour players who remained loyal.
“I think that’s where there’s a disconnect for Jay and that’s where he’s got a real problem.
“The release sounded, and the optics of it were, there were winners and losers and the PGA Tour players looked like they came out on the wrong end of that. That’s why there’s so much angst among them at the moment.”
It has been reported the merger will face scrutiny from anti-trust regulators in both the United States and Europe, with Monahan openly admitting that a competitor had been “taken off the board”.
And McGinley believes there is no guarantee the deal will go ahead as planned.
“The work only starts now, there’s so many complexities here if there is going to be this merger,” he added.
“There’s so much to entangle here. How are you going to bring the guys from LIV back in, how are you going to make it equitable for the guys who remained loyal to the tours? What’s the schedule going to look like?
“It looks like a huge amount of complexity. This is far from over or a fait accompli. I think there’s so much that has to happen before we get to even a stage where there’s a kind of equilibrium, never mind anything put in place.
“The players will be looking at what’s in it for me, how much prize money am I going to get, what’s my job security?
“The players in Europe are going to think that I’m glad we have this strategic alliance (with the PGA Tour) in place, that puts us at the top table and gives us access to these incredible amounts of funds.
“Everything is open and on the table. I think the LIV events are very, very complex to integrate back in again because the players own equity in these teams.
“So if you’re going to have the likes of Rory McIlroy playing in these team events, where the other players are benefiting because they have equity and he doesn’t, how do you make that right?”
The Denver Nuggets are following the "phenomenal" Jamal Murray in the NBA Finals, says Nikola Jokic.
Jokic and Murray became the teammates in NBA Finals history to record triple-doubles as the Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 109-94 on Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Two-time NBA MVP Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists for the first such game in Finals history, or at least the first since assists were tracked.
The triple-double was his 10th this postseason and 16th of his career, a number that trails only LeBron James (28).
Murray had 34 points and 10 assists and completed his first career playoff triple-double with a rebound with nine seconds remaining, and Jokic lauded his teammate for leading the Nuggets through the playoffs so far.
"He's playing phenomenally, I think, the whole playoffs," Jokic said of Murray.
"We're just following him and he's a really good leader. His energy is amazing, and we are just following.
"He's reading the game really well. He's getting guys involved, and I think he's mature, if that makes any sense, and he knows where to find the guys and how to control the game.
"It's not just us, it's the team, and like I said even before the series started, the Denver Nuggets need to beat Miami, not me and Jamal and whoever is on the other side. We as a group need to beat them."
Asked how proud he was of his record-achieving performance, Jokic replied: "To be honest, I just think it's a win because if you lose, nobody is going to even mention it. I don't care. It's just a stat."
The Nuggets' win came after they had lost Game 2 of the series at home.
Jokic added: "When you lose the game, of course it's a bad atmosphere, whatever, it's a bad momentum. But maybe it helped us to refocus and just be better in the details. But that doesn't mean that we can relax now or whatever. We need to have the same effort because they're going to be even better."
Nuggets coach Michael Malone eulogised over the performances of his star players.
"I think it's the first time in Finals history or maybe NBA history that two guys have 30, 10 triple-doubles, so that's incredible right there," Malone said.
"Regarding Nikola, nothing he does surprises me ever. This guy has shown time and time again that he's built for these moments. He thrives in these moments, the biggest stage. He did that once again tonight.
"I'm really proud of Jamal, and I could tell speaking to him yesterday, being around him the last 48 hours, that he was putting a lot of Game 2 on him, and it wasn't just him. It was me and every one of our players. It was collective.
"But that's what champions do. That's what warriors do. They battled back. I felt his presence all day long. Forget the stats for a second. I felt Jamal's presence, his energy, and he was here in the moment and for him and Nikola to do what they did tonight in a game that we needed to take, regain home-court advantage of the series was special to watch."
Reflecting on his performance in Game 2, Murray said: "I felt like I didn't bring the intensity that the moment called for. Even though I didn't play terrible, I felt like I could have done a lot more.
"Most people that have watched the Nuggets play, when I have a game like that, I'm most likely going to bounce back. Just one of those days. I think not just me but everybody bounced back. Everybody brought the energy.
"Everybody was just coming into the game and wanting to bring the intensity that we're used to playing with."
The Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud are the two options under consideration for Westover following his fine effort in defeat in last week’s Coronation Cup at Epsom.
A luckless third behind Desert Crown in last year’s Derby, Ralph Beckett’s colt went on to win the Irish equivalent before failing to fire in the King George at Ascot.
He finished sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his final start as a three-year-old and made a most encouraging return when runner-up to Japanese star Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.
Off the back of that run, the son of Frankel was the 5-2 favourite to strike Group One gold on Friday – and while he was unable to keep tabs on top-class filly Emily Upjohn, connections were thrilled with his performance in finishing best of the rest, setting up an exciting second half of the season.
Barry Mahon, racing manager for Westover’s owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: “We were absolutely delighted. He was second to an exceptionally good filly, the time of the race was very strong – three seconds quicker than the Oaks I believe – and he has run a great race.
“The slow early fractions probably didn’t suit us 100 per cent, but we have no complaints. Frankie (Dettori, on Emily Upjohn) went past us at the three-pole and it was hard to get him back, but we were getting there at the line.
“He’s a high-class horse and apart from in the King George last year, he’s never run a bad race.
“The Hardwicke is a possibility. It’s probably coming too soon, but it’s a possibility. It’s a toss-up between that and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he’ll run in one or the other of those hopefully.”
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray created a piece of NBA Finals history as they inspired the Denver Nuggets to a 109-94 win over the Miami Heat and a 2-1 lead in the series.
The pair became the first teammates in finals history to chalk up triple-doubles – Murray finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Jokic added 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in Miami.
“I’m just glad that we won the game,” Jokic said. “It was a big one for us because they won in our arena. We just didn’t want to go down 2-1. We were more locked in, more focused.”
Jimmy Butler scored 28 points for the Heat and Bam Adebayo finished with 22, but the hosts were unable to produce one of the comebacks which have been their trademark during the play-offs.
Seven times in the post-season they have rallied from at least 12 points, but down by 14 heading into the final quarter they were unable to produce another late rally.
The lead, which Denver had taken after sharing the first quarter and never surrendered in the second half, stretched out to 21 and even though Miami got it back to nine inside the final 90 seconds, they would get no closer.
Jokic finished with 12 for 21 from the floor as he extended the single-season record with his 10th triple-double of the play-offs and became only the seventh player to have more than one in the same finals series – only Magic Johnson and LeBron James have managed three.
Miami’s Udonis Haslem, who turns 43 on Friday, came off the bench in the final 30 seconds to become the oldest player in the NBA Finals, taking the record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray became the teammates in NBA Finals history to record triple-doubles and the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 109-94 on Wednesday for a 2-1 lead.
Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists for the first such game in Finals history, or at least the first since assists were tracked. The triple-double was his 10th this postseason and 16th of his career, a number that trails only LeBron James (28).
Murray had 34 points and 10 assists and completed his first career playoff triple-double with a rebound with nine seconds remaining.
Christian Braun provided Denver with a lift off the bench, scoring 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting in 19 minutes. Aaron Gordon had 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists to help Denver win its fourth straight postseason road game.
The Nuggets took the lead for good late in the first half and outscored the Heat 29-20 in the third quarter for an 82-68 advantage heading into the final quarter. The lead ballooned to as big as 21 points before Miami whittled it down to 103-94 with just over a minute left.
Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, but Bam Adebayo was the only other Heat player with more than 10 points, adding 22 and 17 rebounds. Miami lost its third straight home playoff game after winning six in a row there.
Game 4 is Friday in Miami.
It is so far so good for top Trinidad and Tobago cyclist Nicholas Paul on the international circuit, and he is determined to keep that rhythm going for the remainder of the season.
While he is well aware that it is easier said than done, Paul has no intentions of overthinking things. Instead, the 24-year-old is focused on the basics –ensuring he is fit, healthy and trusting the process.
Paul's revelation came after he won the Men’s Elite Sprint gold medal at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Class One event in Germany recently, which he believes puts him on course to achieve his targets this year.
The win followed his series of unstoppable performances at the UCI Nation’s Cup in Milton Canada, as well as the ‘Speed Paradise’ and the Carnival of Speed events at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) in Balmain, Couva, all in April.
"My race in Germany was great. I came away with the victory in the sprints and I executed all my other races well, so I’m really pleased with my performance," Paul said.
"So, in terms of my readiness and preparations, I am on track in regard to my set goals, I just have to keep working hard to get faster, stronger and smarter for the rest of my upcoming races," he added.
In any sport, there are always ups and downs and when things are going bad it seems a bit harder, much like Paul experienced during a challenging but successful 2022 season through which he had to exercise patience, persistence and more importantly, smile in the face of adversity.
At the start of that season, Paul crashed and broke his collarbone at the First Nations Cup in Glasgow, Scotland and was out of training and competitions for about two months.
After recovering from that injury, the Gasparillo-born cyclist went on to win two gold medals at the Third Nations Cup in Cali, Colombia and followed that up with impressive performances at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, setting a new Games Record in the flying 200m Time Trial. He also won a full set of medals gold, silver and bronze in the Keirin, Sprints and 1km Time Trial.
But then came another setback.
"My last event should have been the World Championship in France. However, another unfortunate crash in preparation for the World Championship prematurely ended my 2022 season," Paul shared.
"So, there were a lot of highs and lows last season, but they taught me a lot as an athlete. My mental preparedness in sports has been enhanced and I am very clear that nothing is impossible once you put your mind to it. Hurdles are sometimes a part of life but the lesson is how you rise above your hurdles," he said.
Now that things are back on track and he is currently enjoying a high, Paul is hoping to add more silverware from the Pan American Cycling Championships, the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, World Championships and the Pan American Games, to his collection.
"But my overall goal for this year and beyond is to firstly qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games and secondly, try to win a medal or medals at the Olympic Games for Trinidad and Tobago," Paul declared.
Chris Paul's time in the Valley of the Sun is over.
The Phoenix Suns informed Paul on Wednesday that he will be waived, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer will become a free agent after spending the last three seasons with the Suns.
With two years left on a four-year, $120million contract, Paul was due to make $30.8million this season but only $15.8million of that was guaranteed.
By clearing cap space, the Suns will now build around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as they again try to capture the franchise's first championship under new coach Frank Vogel.
Despite being near the end of his career, Paul will still be considered one of this summer's top free agents, as he can still efficiently run an offense and excels at finding open teammates.
In his first season in Phoenix in 2020-21, he helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
With Paul running the point, Phoenix won a franchise-record 64 games in 2021-22, but the season ended at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
This season also ended with the Nuggets again eliminating the Suns in the conference semis with Paul missing the final four games of the series after injuring his groin in Game 2.
A 12-time All-Star, Paul finished the 2022-23 season with a career-low 13.9 points per game, but still showed a proficiency at distributing the ball, with an average 8.9 assists to rank fourth in the NBA.
With career averages of 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals, he is the only player in NBA history to average at least 15 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals.
His 11,501 career assists and 2,544 career steals are both third most in NBA history, trailing only John Stockton and Jason Kidd in both categories.
The fourth overall pick of the 2005 draft, Paul was named Rookie of the Year in 2005-06 and has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive first team seven times. The 18-year veteran has also been an All-NBA first-team selection four times, a second-team selection five years and a third-team selection twice.
Andrew 'Beef' Johnston feels Rory McIlroy "wasted a lot of energy" in his staunch support of the PGA Tour.
McIlroy was one of the biggest opponents of the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, which lured huge names from the PGA Tour, including Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau.
Yet in a shocking turn of events this week, it was announced that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) had merged with LIV Tour's backers – Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
That has left McIlroy, who said he still "hates LIV" in an awkward position, and Johnston feels the world number three has expended unnecessary energy defending the PGA Tour.
"Potentially, I think in some respect it could help him because I think he's just going to turn around and say, 'Alright, I'm going to concentrate and I'm going to do me'," said Johnston in an interview with Stats Perform.
"And that's what he should [do]. I've kind of been hoping Rory would do that. He shouldn't have to get involved and back the PGA Tour as hard as he has.
"I think he's wasted a lot of energy on that and I'd love to just see him focus on golf and pick up more titles and more majors because he's one of the best golfers we've seen.
"I just want to see him concentrate on his golf. So hopefully he gets through this meeting and he just goes, 'Do you know what I'm looking forward, just let it be.' And he can crack on. I'd like to see him do that, to be honest."
Reflecting on the news, Johnston said: "It's just insane. It's nuts. For what, two years, it's been so far away from that, so far away from doing that.
"I think I was talking about it a week ago or so. I said 'There's never ever going to be a deal because there's lawsuits going on and everything's kicking off, and no one will budge at all'. And all of a sudden, bang! That news comes out of the blue. And when I mean out of the blue, I don't think anyone knew.
"I don't even think Tiger [Woods] or Rory knew. I mean if they don't know that none of us are going to know."
Asked if it was a positive step for the sport, Johnston said: "It depends how they format it.
"If they format it where a player can tee up on any of the three tours knowing that if I have a good couple of seasons I can get into the Ryder Cup, I could get into LIV or however they're going to format the tournaments, and there's a way that you could be rewarded for playing good golf and getting into these high money bonus events, which I'm sure is going to happen, then great.
"There's going to be a lot of unhappy people and a lot of unhappy players right now. My first thoughts are people who have backed the tour, like Rory and Jon Rahm, people like that, and they've turned down a hell of a lot of money.
"They really propped the Tour and backed the Tour only to be sort of stabbed in the back. Absolutely blindsided by this. I can't imagine how they're feeling, they've got to be absolutely fuming about it."
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Islandsinthestream is set for an immediate step up to Pattern level after coming from last to first to make a winning start to his career at the Curragh.
Connections went to €135,000 to secure the Wootton Bassett colt as a yearling in October and he was a 9-1 shot on his competitive debut for Joseph O’Brien in the Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Maiden, a race won by subsequent Group-race winners Point Lonsdale and Crypto Force in the the last two seasons.
Ridden confidently by Declan McDonogh, Islandsinthestream swooped on the outside of the field to beat 5-2 joint-favourites School Of Law and Portland by a length and a half-length respectively.
The winner does not appear bound for Royal Ascot, but does have some high-profile options on home soil later in the summer.
O’Brien said: “Declan rode him in a few bits of work at home and he’s quite a laidback horse. We thought this would be a lovely starting point for him and didn’t expect him to go and win.
“Dec was very impressed with him. He really got the hang of things late and was green when he hit the front but is smart.
“We thought if he ran into a place that he would be hard to beat here in a month’s time.
“He’ll probably be making his way into a Tyros or a Futurity Stakes on his next start.”
O’Brien completed a double as Nusret (3-1 favourite) landed the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap in the hands of Mikey Sheehy.
Hot favourite Alabama was upstaged by his stablemate The Liffey in the Oak Solutions Group Irish European Breeders Fund Race.
Alabama was all the race as an 8-15 shot, having finished third on his Cork debut in April, but weakened late on and passed the post in fourth place.
But The Liffey, a half-brother to last month’s Dee Stakes winner San Antonio, ensured victory went to Aidan O’Brien in any case on his introduction, repelling the late surge of My Mate Alfie by a neck in the hands of Seamie Heffernan.
“He was working nice, but first time we thought he’d be green,” said O’Brien.
“He jumped quick and travelled well. He got the trip well and Seamus said he felt like he had loads of speed.
“He’s a big horse so he will improve plenty. You could say he’s an Ascot horse but maybe we might take our time and come back here for the Railway Stakes.
“He’s a big, powerful horse, he’s growing and putting on plenty of weight, so it’s a balancing act between backing off him and keeping him going. If you back off him too muchm he’ll get too heavy and yet you don’t want to push him too much. Hopefully he’ll keep progressing.”
Run Ran Run (5-1) got the best of thrilling finish in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day, holding Maria Branwell by a head, with a further head back to Cash Or Crypto in third and the fourth, Apache Outlaw, just a neck behind him.
Winning trainer Fozzy Stack said: “He could go for the three-year-old five-furlong handicap (Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes) at Royal Ascot on the Friday.
“It would suit him as needs to get there late and presumably there will be plenty of pace on.
“We won this with Son Of Rest (in 2017, who went on to win the Ayr Gold Cup the following year) and if he turns out winning what he did, we’ll be all right!”
World Snooker chairman Steve Dawson is confident the sport can move forward from an investigation into match-fixing – but warned corruption will continue to be stamped out.
Following a disciplinary enquiry by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, Liang Wenbo and Li Hang were banned from snooker for life.
Eight other Chinese players – including 2021 Masters champion Yan Bingtao – were suspended for between five years and four months, in the case of Lu Ning, to one year and eight months for Zhao Xintong.
While commending the WPBSA for the thoroughness of the “very complex” and independent investigation, Dawson accepted it had been a “difficult time” for the sport.
Dawson, though, feels snooker can now come together in moving forwards and continuing to educate players on potential pitfalls which could blight their career.
“Snooker is renowned for its integrity and the highest levels of player conduct,” Dawson said in a statement on the WST website.
“It is the duty of any sport to stamp out instances of corruption, as tour organisers we have that responsibility to our fans and players.
“WPBSA’s disciplinary commission, which is completely independent of WST, has to be transparent in dealing with corruption and punish any athlete found to have offended, with strong deterrents.
“WPBSA is a world leader in terms of their sophisticated tracking systems, and the manner in which they have pursued this matter to its conclusion proves their determination to stamp out corruption.
“The message to players is clear: if you cheat, you will get caught, and punished severely.
“Player education is crucial so that they are aware of the pitfalls, and the focus is on prevention rather than cure.
“WPBSA has a strong focus on educating, supporting and protecting players, and offering them confidential lines of communication if they have any concerns or information.
“Together, we will move forward with exciting plans for future growth.”
Alexander Zverev battled his way back into the French Open semi-finals a year after suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
The German left Philippe Chatrier in a wheelchair 12 months ago after being forced to retire during a compelling last-four clash with Rafael Nadal.
Zverev had struggled since returning to the tour in January but has buried his demons on the Parisian clay and fought for three hours and 22 minutes to make it past surprise package Tomas Etcheverry 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4.
“That was the most difficult year of my life,” he said.
“I love tennis with all my heart. I’m so happy to be back at this stage, I’m so happy to be able to play for a Roland Garros final again. I can’t be happier.”
Argentinian Etcheverry, 23, did himself huge credit in the biggest match of his career, wowing the Philippe Chatrier crowd with thumping winners and fighting to the end.
But it was Zverev who was just the stronger in the big moments, saving six of the nine break points he faced to make it to the last four here for the third year in a row.
Zverev said of his opponent: “He’s playing incredible tennis, he reminds me a lot of (Juan Martin) Del Potro, the way he hits his forehand especially. If he continues playing like this he’s going in the quarter-finals here a lot more often for sure and I think he can be top 10.
“I just had to remember that I have a pair of balls that I can use. I hope, I think I deserved to win. I’m just happy to be through.”
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