Quartet face drug charges June 17, 2009 RUGBY UNION: England flanker Michael Lipman and three fellow ex-Bath players have been summoned by the Rugby Football Union to answer drugs-related charges. Lipman, Alex Crockett, Andrew Higgins and Justin Harrison – who deny the allegations – terminated their contracts with Bath after the club accused them of failing to take drug tests. An RFU [...]
Murray seeded third at SW19 June 17, 2009 TENNIS: Britain’s Andy Murray has been confirmed as the No3 seed for Wimbledon. World No1 and defending champion Rafael Nadal is the top seed for SW19, which starts on Monday, followed by five-time winner Roger Federer.
Boucher eyeing T20 final spot June 17, 2009 CRICKET: South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher insists they are ready to end their semi-final curse against Pakistan at the World Twenty20 today. The Proteas have repeatedly lost in the last four, but Boucher said: “We hope this time we can go the whole way.”
COUP FOR D’ETAT June 17, 2009 LAST year’s French Derby winner Vision d’Etat (above) scooped the most valuable prize on offer at Royal Ascot yesterday by claiming the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Ridden by Olivier Peslier, the four-year-old edged favourite Tartan Bearer into second. Elsewhere, 10-1 shot Spacious, ridden by Johnny Murtagh, edged out Heaven Sent to win the Windsor Forrest [...]
Tartan Bearer to prove he is too good in Prince of Wales’s Stakes June 16, 2009 The feature race on the second day of Royal Ascot is the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Sir Michael Stoute’s TARTAN BEARER looks the one to beat in the Group One contest. Last year’s Derby runner-up showed he was as good as ever when winning a tactical affair at Sandown last time when looking to [...]
Stoute mare is Heaven Sent in Windsor Forest June 16, 2009 When Ryan Moore booted HEAVEN SENT two lengths clear at the distance in this contest 12 months ago, the race looked all over bar the shouting. However, the daughter of Pivotal became a sitting target as she idled in front and was claimed late on by Sabana Perdida. It was an understandable manoeuvre for a [...]
The INSIDER June 16, 2009 Day two and Richard Hills, not everyone’s favourite jockey, may chalk up Group race success with INFIRAAD in the Jersey Stakes. LUSH LASHES won the Coronation Stakes last year and goes for the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes this year. Even with her Group 1 penalty she should take all the beating. The Royal Hunt [...]
Bruised Lions count cost of unbeaten run June 16, 2009 SOUTHERN KINGS (8) vs. BRITISH LIONS (20) THE British and Irish Lions were left counting the cost of their bruising encounter with Southern Kings as preparation for the first Test with South Africa suffered a new double setback. Prop Euan Murray and fly-half James Hook both limped out of the hard-fought 20-8 victory in Port [...]
Colly showed his limitations June 16, 2009 AT THE CREASE WITH ANDY LLOYDTHE British summertime might have conspired against England in Monday night’s World Twenty20 elimination against the West Indies, but the truth is that, over the whole tournament, Paul Collingwood’s men did not deserve to go beyond the Super Eights stage. Let’s face it: they were beaten by Holland and played [...]
O’BRIEN’S MASTER CLASS June 16, 2009 ODDS-ON favourite Mastercraftsman pipped Delegator to hand trainer Aidan O’Brien his sixth success in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Elsewhere, 11-4 favourite Scenic Blast blew away its rivals for a fourth Australian win in the King’s Stand Stakes in five years, while 100-30 shot Paco Boy cruised home in the Queen Anne [...]