Saracens star brings rugby to the City’s heart August 23, 2012 SARACENS caused a stir in the City again last night when the high-flying rugby team returned to the Honourable Artillery Club for a glitzy pre-season friendly against French stars Stade Francais. The 2011 Premiership champions won 61-17, with England winger Chris Ashton scoring a hat-trick. But it wasn’t just the rugby getting tongues wagging. The [...]
Newcastle can hold their own at Stamford Bridge once again August 23, 2012 FEW bosses came into the season under greater pressure than Roberto Di Matteo and the Chelsea manager has responded by steering his team to two wins from two to lead the way in the Premier League. The Italian has been helped by a forgiving start to the campaign, with Wigan away and Reading at home, [...]
Expect another Power surge in today’s Nunthorpe August 23, 2012 I WAS at York on Wednesday to see the great Frankel strut his stuff over 10 furlongs for the first time and it was an experience I will never forget. He could win just about any race and if he was to line-up in this afternoon’s Nunthorpe Stakes (3.40pm), the next round of the QIPCO [...]
Steps To Freedom looks a big price to defy welter burden in the Ebor August 23, 2012 ONLY one favourite has won the last 13 renewals of the Betfred Ebor (3.40pm) and Sir Mark Prescott’s Motivado, who sneaked into the UK’s richest handicap by the skin of his teeth, is a warm order to buck that losing trend. The four-year-old was an emphatic winner of a handicap over this trip at Glorious [...]
Frankie’s thoughts August 23, 2012 What is there left to say about Frankel? He is an unbelievable horse and we are very lucky to have him. It was nice to finish second to him on Farhh, but we never had a chance of beating him. I ride Spirit Quartz in the Nunthorpe this afternoon and he must have a reasonable [...]
McDermott maddened by offside goal as unlucky Royals suffer at hands of Chelsea August 22, 2012 CHELSEA 4 vs READING 2 CHELSEA manager Roberto Di Matteo brushed off a row over an offside Fernando Torres goal as his side came from behind to edge a wildly entertaining ding-dong with Premier League newcomers Reading. Goals from Pavel Pogrebnyak and Danny Guthrie stunned the European champions, after Frank Lampard’s penalty had put Chelsea [...]
Superb Frankel raises bar again to revive talk of Prix de l’Arc tilt August 22, 2012 FRANKEL’S connections will reconsider sending the celebrated colt to next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after he extended his flawless record with an emphatic victory in the Juddmonte Stakes at York yesterday. The Sir Henry Cecil-trained four-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest horses in racing history, bulldozed doubts over his ability to [...]
Blues close in on £7m move for Azpilicueta August 22, 2012 SPANISH defender Cesar Azpilicueta is expected to complete a £7m move from Marseille to Chelsea before the weekend after he was left out of the French side’s squad for tonight’s Europa League match against Sheriff Tiraspol. Azpilicueta is a long-standing Blues target and would provide competition at right-back for Branislav Ivanovic and Paulo Ferreira, following [...]
Harrington and Poulter would be my wildcards August 22, 2012 SERGIO Garcia won the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina at the weekend, and I’m delighted for him. I couldn’t be more delighted. I’ve known him since he was 14 years of age. He’s a dear friend and an absolute gentleman, and I’m delighted that that also now means he’s going to make the European Ryder [...]
Bopara bottles practice run as South Africa continue to win August 22, 2012 ENGLAND batsman Ravi Bopara yesterday experienced the embarrassment of securing just three runs en route to getting out when playing for Gloucestershire against South Africa. Bopara’s county side Essex were without a fixture this week so following a request from England national selector Geoff Miller, the batsman (right) represented Gloucestershire in an attempt to gain [...]