Tottenham ready to mount a league title challenge – Bale July 8, 2010 TOTTENHAM flyer Gareth Bale believes Spurs are ready to take another step up and mount a challenge for the Premier League title next season. Harry Redknapp ended years of frustration in May when he led the White Hart Lane outfit to fourth place and a first ever shot at the Champions League. And Wales star [...]
Cavendish claims 11th stage win July 8, 2010 CYCLING: Mark Cavendish recovered from his recent setbacks to claim his 11th Tour de France stage victory after a sprint finish in Montargis. The Manxman crashed out of the first stage and finished a disappointing 12th in Wednesday’s fourth stage, but showed his class to hold off German Gerald Ciolek and Team Sky’s Edvald Boasson [...]
Slow start for Mickelson July 8, 2010 GOLF: Phil Mickelson suffered a disappointing opening round 71 at the Barclays Scottish Open as he attempts to overhaul Tiger Woods as world No1. Mickelson needs to finish first or second at Loch Lomond to leapfrog Woods ahead of next week’s Open, but struggled with a level-par round. Ulsterman Darren Clarke leads on six-under-par, ahead [...]
Sir Frank steps down July 8, 2010 FORMULA ONE: Sir Frank Williams handed over his role as team chairman to Adam Parr yesterday – but insisted he is not ready to retire. The 67-year-old remains as team principal, while Parr, who has been acting chairman since March, will take over the day-to-day running of the team with the experienced Patrick Head moving [...]
Spain can hold their nerve to lift the title July 8, 2010 HOLLAND vs SPAIN SUNDAY – 7.30PM BBC 1 AND ITV 1 MOST football purists would have been purring at the start of the tournament if I’d said it was going to be a Netherlands v Spain final in Johannesburg on Sunday 11th July. However, the Dutch have taken a far more pragmatic approach to this [...]
Flying filly Fleeting Spirit to take July Cup for second year running July 8, 2010 THERE is an international flavour to today’s July Cup at Newmarket with speedsters from Australia, the US, France and Ireland taking on the home contingent. However, I think the prize will stay in Newmarket and Jeremy Noseda’s FLEETING SPIRIT can become the first horse since Right Boy in 1959 to win the race back-to-back. This [...]
The INSIDER July 8, 2010 Ihaven’t had too many two-yearold bets so far this season but I’ll be changing that tomorrow with a hefty wager on MAJOR CONQUEST (8%) in the nursery at Ascot (2.20pm). John Hills’ runners often improve and this son of Librettist has been going the right way. The form in the book is very strong with [...]
Puyol power takes Spain to the brink July 7, 2010 GERMANY (0) VS SPAIN (1) CARLES PUYOL finally broke German hearts by heading Spain into their first-ever World Cup final in an intriguing match in Durban. The Barcelona centre-back thundered home a winner from Xavi’s corner 17 minutes from time to hand the European champions a date with Holland – their first-ever World Cup meeting [...]
It’s a final for the purists July 7, 2010 WITH their slick passing styles and fantastic quality on show, Holland and Spain will provide the perfect showpiece at Soccer City on Sunday. We saw last night just what a complete side Spain are. Xavi and Andreas Iniesta controlled the midfield, while Carles Puyol was a real hero at either end, scoring what proved to [...]
Koscielny seals £10m Arsenal deal July 7, 2010 ARSENAL new boy Laurent Koscielny set his sights on the Premier League title after completing his £10m move to Emirates Stadium last night. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has tracked the 24-year-old centre back for some time after he impressed for French Ligue 1 side Lorient. And Koscielny, who can play for either France or Poland, [...]