Olympiad has the class to defy wide draw in the Cesarewitch October 11, 2012 TOMORROW’S Dubai Future Champions Day at Newmarket promises to showcase some of the best juvenile talent around but, from a punting perspective, it is the long distance stayers that take centre stage in the Betfred Cesarewitch (3.35pm). Even though this marathon test is run over 2m2f, the draw can still play a big part with [...]
Excitement builds ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot October 11, 2012 THE inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series culminated in glorious fashion last October on British Champions Day and this year’s sell-out edition next weekend promises to be even better. A richly endowed six -ace card featuring five Group contests has attracted a stellar field and worldwide attention. Much of the focus revolves around Sir Henry Cecil’s [...]
Goal thirsty England can enjoy a 7 Up at Wembley October 11, 2012 WITH an international goals-per-game ratio only a little better than Emile Heskey’s seven strikes in 62 appearances for England, it takes San Marino an average of exactly six matches to score. But despite managing to put the ball in an opponent’s net on just 19 occasions in 114 fixtures, the tiny nation can still lay [...]
French champions Toulouse look the value for European glory in competitive Heineken Cup field October 11, 2012 RUGBY’S best northern hemisphere cup competition kicks-off this evening as the strongest sides around battle for the Heineken Cup crown. It’s a grueling seven months and the question on everyone’s mind is whether anyone can stop the formidable Leinster. The defending champions obliterated rivals Ulster in last year’s final 42-14 at Twickenham to bring home [...]
Hodgson backs Bertrand after latest England Twitter gaffe October 11, 2012 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson has refused to criticise defender Ryan Bertrand for creating football’s latest Twitter controversy but accepts that his decision to swear was ultimately wrong. The furore surrounding Ashley Cole’s contentious labelling of the Football Association as a “bunch of t***s” had yet to completely clear when Bertrand, the left-back’s understudy at Chelsea, [...]
History with the minnows October 11, 2012 HOW THREE LIONS HAVE FARED AGAINST SAN MARINO, THE JOINT 207TH-BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD There have been two previous fixtures between England and San Marino. Both were during the Three Lions’ doomed campaign to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in USA, even though both ended in six-goal victories. Worryingly, there are several similarities [...]
Nike sticks by Armstrong despite dope row October 11, 2012 SPORTSWEAR giant Nike has refused to bow to mounting pressure to sever ties with Lance Armstrong, despite the cyclist being accused of masterminding sport’s most sophisticated doping programme ever. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Wednesday backed up its claims against the seven-time Tour de France winner by publishing more than 1,000 pages of what [...]
Armitage: London Irish lure forced me to end France Exile October 11, 2012 AHEAD of London Irish’s Amlin Cup match away to Bordeaux-Begles, Exiles centre Guy Armitage has revealed that the pull of returning to the club persuaded him to leave his brothers in Toulon. In addition to his siblings Delon and Steffon, Armitage earlier this year agreed a transfer to Toulon before returning to Irish on a [...]
Milan chief’s fears over Financial Fair Play October 11, 2012 ONE of the leading executives in European football has voiced his fears that impending Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules could damage rather than improve the sport. AC Milan organising director Umberto Gandini, also a vice-chairman of the influential European Club Association, predicted FFP could force clubs into making cuts at a time when investment was [...]
Rooney to lead team’s mission for goal glut October 11, 2012 ENGLAND striker Wayne Rooney is aiming to fire himself into elite territory after being named captain for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against San Marino. Rooney needs two more goals to surpass Alan Shearer’s tally of 30 international strikes and break into the top five on England’s all-time scorers’ list. “People have mentioned I will get [...]