Townsend 'sad to see' Tandy leave for Wales
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
Two Tribes caps glorious training performance by Richard Spencer to win the Stewards' Cup
Two Tribes capped a fabulous training performance by Richard Spencer in defying a penalty to win the feature race on the final day at Glorious Goodwood, the Coral Stewards' Cup. With the stands side favoured the four-year-old, who was drawn in stall 25 of 28, got a dream run under David Egan. Always travelling, his pilot had him clear of trouble and he kicked on for a decisive two-length success, defying the penalty he'd earned for last week's Ascot win. Seven days ago he had won over a stiff enough 7f at the Berkshire track on ground described as good. The softer ground here probably helped him, in that it made the race a greater test of stamina than perhaps might have been the case on quick ground. In addition to the winner, Spencer also saddled fourth-placed Run Boy Run, who came from stall 19 and fifth-placed Twilight Calls (stall 11), who his trainer said he felt would have finished closer had he had a high draw. When the field split, he'd gone with the far side group. A cock-a-hoop Spencer admitted that he'd nearly swerved the race with Two Tribes after last week's exertions: 'It was just the way he came out of that race and the fact that he got in here under his penalty. 'He didn't have a saddle on his back until Wednesday and Danny who rides him out at home said he was fresh and well and I was happy with what I was seeing. He's done very little from Wednesday until today but we had to have a go. 'Today the ground was a bit easier and it's probably brought out a test of stamina and David seems to have a great tune out of him both last week and this week. He's jumped and travelled. He's actually laying up with Run Boy Run and I thought they were going quick enough because he's no slouch and he did well to finish fourth, so it was great. 'I thought they'd be bang close. I thought all three had really good each-way chances. I couldn't really split 'em. On the back of last week you always worry is it going to be too soon but it wasn't. I'm dying to get Run Boy Run back to six with the visors on and Twilight Calls... he will win a big one. He was drawn on the wrong side today and he's done well to finish where he did.' Earlier, Al Aawy got favourite backers off to a flying start (13.20). The first of a quickfire double for trainer William Haggas, he was held up by Jim Crowley, travelling smoothly throughout before asserting down the home straight to win by three lengths. That made it back-to-back wins in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes for him. A delighted Haggas said: 'Isn't Al Aasy marvellous? He is a fabulous horse. He is pretty reliable in this grade when things set up like that. They didn't go very fast today and he usually likes a stronger pace. But they picked up well up the straight, he still found a gear and actually ran on strongly today. Usually, he wins by half a length or a neck. 'He has been called some names. I just wish people would respect him for what he is. He is a very talented horse. You need to wait, and wait, and wait some more if you can. I think he enjoyed a bit of cut in the ground today as well.' Sam Hawkens set for trip Down Under The first of the day's tricky contest, the Coral Summer Handicap (13.55) saw Haggas-trained Sam Hawkens produced beautifully by Tom Marquand to become another winning favourite. Aeronautic ran up there in the vanguard throughout and travelled as well as anything through the first mile and a half. He looked to be in the best position, with plenty having won from the front during the week. However, when push came to shove, he was unable to quicken as well as either Dancing In Paris, who finished second, or the winner. Haggas, who owns the winner with his wife Maureen, said: 'My mother owned Silver Buck. He was a wonderful horse and she left the colours to me when she passed away. 'Our son Sam wanted us to buy Sam Hawkens in an online sale last year and I thought he'd made a mistake – we bought him and I didn't really like him, so I never sold him. 'Since we gelded him in the winter, he has taken a bit of time. He has a lovely girl, Michaela Weld, who rides him every day and absolutely adores him, and the horse has really thrived. 'He is obviously in good form and on good terms with himself. He went to Newcastle and won, he went to Hamilton and won, and he's come to a big race today and won, so it's great. 'I have something in mind, yes, I think it's at Rosehill. We have booked a place in quarantine on September 5, and the race is on October 18, so I think we'll go now. He will probably race for us, but he might not be owned by me!' Waardah wins battle royal in Lille Langtry Stakes There was a cracking renewal of the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (14.30), where the fillies and mares took centre stage. The 1m6f trip was clearly a step up that was relished by the Owen Burrows-trained Waardah. Travelling well off the pace, the winner had the game Danielle and the improving Irish filly Goodie Two Shoes, as well as leader Allonsy, in her sights throughout. The leaders got racing quite early but Callum Rodriguez sat tight and once Danielle had seen off the remainder, he produced Waardah down the outside. The pair then had a real set-to throughout the final furlong, drawing clear of the field, with Waardah eventually get up by three parts of a length. Burrows said: 'Callum said Waardah switched off great, and in hindsight, he probably got there a little bit too soon, but we are still learning about her. She is inexperienced but very honest. "I thought when the runner-up came to her, she was going to get outstayed, but in the last half furlong she was probably going away again. She will have no trouble going back to a mile and a half either, so she is an exciting filly. 'She has always shown up well at home, so it was no surprise she won first time up, even though it was only a four-runner race. We stepped her up into Listed class, but she didn't really handle Newmarket back then. 'I keep bleating on about it, but we could never get onto the grass to get some good work into her. She was a bit keen at home, that's why I ran her over a mile first time, I just needed to get that buzz out of her. 'She is in the Yorkshire Oaks, although I think it is important that she gets a little bit of juice in the ground. We will see how she comes out of this, but I think Ascot at the end of the year for the Fillies and Mares would be right up her street.' Mudbir continues to thrive with a win in the Whispering Angel Handicap John and Thady Gosden got what had been a relatively quiet day for them into full swing when Mudbir survived a stewards' enquiry to land the Whispering Angel Handicap (15.45). The Kingman colt, who is a sibling to two Group 1 winners, looks destined to be tried at a higher level after what was a third win from his last five starts. Having shown promise on soft ground on his debut, he won a Chelmsford maiden (1m, AW) and then looked suited when dropped back to a strongly run 7f at Sandown (good to firm). He showed improved form there when winning and defied a 2lb rise this time. He looks sure to go on to better things, while fellow Sandown winner Dance In The Storm lost no caste in defeat. The winner was the second leg of a double on the day for jockey Jim Crowley and a 100th Goodwood winner for the former champion. Aidan O'Brien is never too far from the winners' enclosure and he hit the mark again with Isaac Newton (16.20). Partnered by Ryan Moore, he always had the leaders in his sights, his pilot giving him plenty of time to line them up and take aim. His promising debut effort, which appeared to have taken connections slightly by surprise, was proved to be no fluke, as he came there with a sustained run to scored by three-quarters of a length from Evanesco.
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
How Australia and the Lions handled weather delay in third Test: ‘We had a plan'
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has revealed that his side had planned for the possibility of a weather delay after the Wallabies got the better of the British and Irish Lions in a chaotic third Test. The encounter in Sydney was paused for 40 minutes early in the second half after two lightning strikes were recorded within 10 kilometres of Accor Stadium. The officials took the players from the pitch and into the dressing rooms, while fans in the ground were advised to head inside for cover on a day of inclement weather. While the Lions were caught off guard by the interruption, which came moments after they had lost lock James Ryan to a serious head injury, Australia seemed rather more certain of their processes. The hosts emerged as quickly as possible once a restart had been agreed to make the most of a 10-minute warm-up period, and subsequently extended their advantage to power to a 22-12 victory and salvage pride after a 2-1 series defeat. 'It's certainly one of the more bizarre [games I've been involved in],' Wallabies boss Schmidt said. 'We had been warned that there might be a bit of lightning, so we had a plan and with that plan we made sure that guys kept moving. We had different guys rotating on and off the bikes, we'd a couple of bikes. 'We'd four balls in the changing room so guys could throw them around, so that guys could stay connected. The rest of the time, it was just trying to get us organised for the restart. 'We knew we had a penalty to touch and a plan, until it didn't work. The players stayed dialled in very well.' Australia led 8-0 at the time of the game's suspension, with further tries from Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott ensuring that they went on to secure victory. The Lions endured a disrupted 80 minutes that also included the loss of Maro Itoje and Tommy Freeman following failed head injury assessments, along with the worrying incident involved Ryan that the Irish lock appears to have escaped without serious injury. 'Rigor mortis was setting in at one stage there for the lads,' head coach Andy Farrell chuckled. 'I suppose that is what you come to expect with a schedule like the Lions schedule. We have seen it all now haven't we. 'We were trying to work out what the rules were and what was going to happen, at one stage it looked like it was going be 45 minutes then it was pulled back to 30 minutes. There were updates constantly coming in but the lads stayed relaxed enough, had five minutes of a warm-up and got the show back on the road. What came off the back of that is Australia hit the ground running and thoroughly deserved their win.' Footage from the Lions dressing room showed a couple of Lions players on their phones and others perched on bean bags, while their re-emergence came several minutes after that of their opponents. Farrell insisted, though, that his side were fully ready for the resumption. He said: 'We agreed on 10 minutes for the warm-up and through our advice from our experts in that field, we made the call to come out five minutes before and stay out there so that we would be ready to go.' Providing a player's perspective, Lions forward Tadhg Beirne said: 'It was just a bit strange, I suppose. I've never experienced something like that, there was a bit of the unknown. 'We were kind of told it was going to be 45 minutes, so you start trying to relax a little bit before having to get back up for it, and then all of a sudden it was, 'you are out in seven minutes', so all of a sudden you are trying to get switched on to focus again. That's the challenge of it. I've never experienced it before, but I have now so I'll know what to expect next time, I guess.'
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
England facing daunting chase as more dropped catches aid India's cause
England were facing another big chase to win their series deciding fifth Test against India, with a fine century from Yashasvi Jaiswal and some poor catching making life hard for the hosts. Jaiswal made a classy 118 as the tourists reached 304 for six on the third afternoon, a lead of 281 at tea. After 15 wickets fell on day two, a patched up England attack were unable to pose a consistent threat. With Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse all missing the Test and Chris Woakes unable to play his part due to a dislocated shoulder, the task seemed too steep for a seam trio of Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton boasting just 18 previous caps. Three more drops hurt their cause – Zak Crawley, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett taking the innings tally to six missed chances – but Jaiswal was the cornerstone of India's defiance. He was gamely assisted by nightwatcher Akash Deep in the first session, with the latter crashing his way to a career-best 66 to set the tone for a difficult day in the field. Deep, sent in on Friday evening to shield captain Shubman Gill, scored the majority share in a demoralising stand of 107 with the unflappable Jaiswal. The tourists were just 52 ahead and two down overnight but England were insipid in the opening session. Deep fully embraced what was a bonus innings for his side, slogging the third ball of the morning for four, heaving Atkinson across the line and angling Josh Tongue wide of the slips with soft hands. He should have come unstuck for 21 in the eighth over, narrowly surviving Tongue's lbw shout on umpire's call and then edging the next delivery to third slip. Just as it did on day two, England's catching was faulty with Crawley fumbling. That was as close as they came to parting the duo as they lost control in a dispiriting hour of play that saw India add 52 runs to the total. England produced a few false shots after drinks but to no avail, with at least three edges skimming into the same gap wide of third slip. Deep advanced to an unlikely fifty with three fours off the tiring Atkinson – showing off unexpected range with a square cut, an uppercut and a pull. Overton finally ended his fun with the lunch break moving into view, digging in a short ball that took the leading edge and popped to backward point. It was a handy delivery but, after 28 wicketless overs on a helpful pitch, the Surrey quick owed his side one. Gill survived an awkward spell before the break but fell to the first ball after lunch, lbw to Atkinson for 11 to conclude a prolific series with 754 runs at an average of 75.40. Karun Nair has fared considerably less well and his latest unconvincing stay ended with wafting Atkinson through to Jamie Smith for 17. At the other end Jaiswal was quietly getting on with job of a potentially match-defining hundred. He was put down on 20 and 40 earlier in his innings but there was a sense of calm as he progressed towards the first ton of a bowler-dominated match. He was given a third life on 110, Duckett fluffing a tricky one at leg slip, but finally ran out of luck when he flashed Tongue to Overton at deep third. England needed more quick successes to build on his departure but their overworked pace bowlers were creaking as Ravindra Jadeja (26no) and Dhruv Jurel (25no) extended the advantage.
