Hong Kong Racing Tips: Take on the fav with Chater Pins February 2, 2021 YOU CAN guarantee that bettors will double-up on Maldives in his bid to follow-up last month’s track and trip victory, in the Stonecutters Island Handicap (12.45pm) over the extended mile. Backed late on as if defeat was out of the question three weeks ago, this New Zealand bred galloper looked likely to come home alone [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Size looks to have another Ace up his sleeve February 2, 2021 IT COULD pay to jump on the John Size bandwagon when the 11-time Champion Trainer sends a handful of raiders to Happy Valley on Wednesday. Records show the ‘master trainer’ saddled an incredible 14 winners last month, including 11 from his last 32 runners. He is now breathing down the neck of championship leader Caspar [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Yung and Purton looks a Union worth backing February 2, 2021 WHEN trainer Benno Yung books Zac Purton to ride one of his gallopers they are always worth close scrutiny. Yung’s stable is mostly full of middle of the road handicappers, but the trainer is a past-master of finding winning opportunities for the majority of his horses during the season. He looks to have found the [...]
Tokyo 2020 Olympics will happen this year regardless of Covid-19, organisers insist February 2, 2021 The delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will definitely go ahead this summer whatever the impact of Covid-19, organisers have said. Cases in Japan remain far higher than last year, increasing fears that the Games may have to be cancelled altogether. But Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said: “We will hold the Olympics, regardless of how the [...]
Australian Open prize money: Winners to earn 33 per cent less despite total pot growing to £45m February 2, 2021 Novak Djokovic just can’t catch a break: first his quarantine complaints were mocked; now he faces a smaller cut of Australian Open prize money. Total prize money for all tennis players at the first grand slam of the year has actually increased by 12 per cent to A$80m ($61m/£45m). But those who make it to [...]
Rugby World Cup could have joint hosts in 2027 and 2031, says governing body February 1, 2021 The men’s Rugby World Cup could be shared by joint hosts in 2027 and 2031, the game’s global governing body has said. France is due to stage the 2023 tournament and World Rugby has just officially opened the bidding process for the next two instalments. “We recognise that for some of our members hosting a [...]
Premier League set for its lowest January transfer window spend since 2012, barring unexpected deadline day splurge February 1, 2021 The Premier League is heading for its lowest January spend since 2012, barring an unexpected transfer deadline day flurry of activity. Heading into the final hours of the transfer window, English top-flight clubs had forked out around £78m. Unless they spend more than £40m before tonight’s 11pm deadline, it will represent their lowest outlay for [...]
Why football clubs face an increased threat from cyber criminals during the transfer window January 31, 2021 It isn’t just football’s wheeler-dealers springing into action this month for the January transfer window. Increasingly, it is open season too for cyber criminals who see the game as rich pickings for various forms of hacking. “Right now there are big amounts of money changing hands,” says Max Heinemeyer of cyber defence firm Darktrace. “So this [...]
Ollie Phillips: Private equity investment is the impetus rugby needs for short-term survival and long-term prosperity January 31, 2021 Private equity in rugby is back on the agenda, with the long-rumoured CVC Capital Partners and Six Nations deal now said to be imminent. Meanwhile, US buyout firm Silver Lake is keen to add a stake in the All Blacks to a portfolio that also includes Manchester City. All this will make some in sport [...]
Former England cricket chief Colin Graves: ‘I know Indian investment in The Hundred is there if the doors are opened’ January 30, 2021 Colin Graves may have stepped down as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year but he is not done shaping the game he loves. This month, the 73-year-old joined the board of Oakwell Sports Advisory, which advised CVC Capital Partners on its investment in Premiership Rugby and the Pro14. The man [...]