Latest news with #DavidYates
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Racing chiefs must ban Oisin Murphy immediately after drink-drive conviction
Chief racing correspondent David Yates, aka Newsboy, urges the BHA to do its job in the wake of the four-time champion jockey's appearance at Reading Magistrates Court Everyone is equal before the law - a fundamental legal principle that, in theory, applies equally to both Oisín Murphy and a chalk jockey who has ridden a mere handful of winners. Now it's up to the British Horseracing Authority to apply it. Murphy is in the very elite category of Flat jockeys. He's won four championships and will very likely capture a fifth if the BHA allows the 29-year-old to carry on riding after his conviction for drink driving at Reading Magistrates Courts last Thursday. Murphy, who was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £70,000, also rides for some of British racing's most powerful players. We are not yet at the halfway point of the 2025 Flat season, but Murphy has won Group races in Britain carrying the colours of Juddmonte, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, Prince AA Faisal, King Power Racing and Jeff Smith, on horses trained by Andrew Balding, John and Thady Gosden, André Fabre and Ed Walker. So the British Horseracing Authority will need to stand up to - or at least inconvenience - some of the sport's biggest names if it revokes Murphy's licence to ride. But it has no choice but to do exactly that. Murphy's previous brushes with racing authority are well chronicled. Banned for three months by French regulator France Galop in November 2020 after testing positive for cocaine, the Irishman was stood down from riding at Newmarket the following October thanks to a failed breath test, hours after reportedly being involved in a fracas in one of the town's pubs. The latter offence - the breath test, not the incident in the pub - and an identical transgression at Chester in May 2021 were also on the rap sheet when Murphy appeared before the BHA in February 2022 to face a charge of misleading its officials over his holiday destination during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020. A disciplinary panel found he had lied about his whereabouts in that Murphy had been in Mykonos - at the time Greece was on the government's COVID 'red' list of countries - while claiming to have been in Lake Garda, Italy, which was not. The panel handed down a 14-month ban, of which the relevant part to last Thursday's court case relates to the additional conditions attached Murphy's licence when he returned to race-riding in February 2023. The BHA didn't make the details public, but stated they 'include the need for Mr Murphy to remain sober and avoid the use of any illicit substances or social drugs'. The phrase about remaining sober is a woolly one, and no figures were published in terms of micrograms of alcohol per millilitres of breath to set a bar for the increased testing Murphy faced. But there's no need for any numbers, given the information put before district judge Sam Goozee in court last week. We learned, and it seems the BHA learned at exactly the same time, that Murphy, who courtesy of 'a misunderstanding' did not provide a roadside sample to police officers after driving a Mercedes A Class into a tree in the early hours of April 27, was tested at 7am that day. The reading showed he had 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 so, seven hours after the crash - and just under eight hours before the start of Southwell's card on which he was booked for four mounts - Murphy, who didn't make it to Nottinghamshire, was still almost twice over the limit. Factor in that the threshold for jockeys is 17mcg per 100ml of breath and Murphy was four times over the riding limit that morning. There's no precise formula to work out how quickly alcohol leaves the system - it depends, among other things, on the metabolism and size of the person in question. But the very notion that Murphy, four times over the riding limit on the morning of four booked rides, was not in egregious breach of the BHA requirement to 'remain sober' is laughable. The BHA would be failing in its regulatory duties if it didn't revoke a jockey's licence in such circumstances, and that applies just as equally to a rider of Murphy's status as one significantly lower down the food chain. Such an omission would place in danger every other jockey, and every horse, taking part in a race. The life-changing injuries suffered by Freddy Tylicki at Kempton Park in October 2016 give all too stark an illustration of how tragically this can play out. In the wake of Thursday's case, a 'disappointed' BHA, while permitting Murphy to carry on riding, said: 'His conduct fell a long way short of the standard we expect of all licensed individuals, in whom we place trust that they will represent our sport to the best of their abilities, upholding our collective reputation and ensuring racing is a safe place for all.' Words are all very well. Now is the time for action.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Mirror tipster Newsboy gets 7 winners from 7 with amazing 12,936-1 result
Daily Mirror Chief Tipster David Yates, aka Newsboy, went on a fabulous winning spree by picking every winner at Beverley today Daily Mirror Chief Tipster Newsboy (David Yates) left his followers in seventh heaven when going through the card at Beverley with a sensational 12,936-1 seven-timer. Vincenzo Peruggia got the ball rolling at the East Yorkshire track with a 15-8 victory, with even-money chance Mo Of Cairo doubling up in the next. Successes for Lady Roxby at 4-1 and Candleford at 2-1 meant Beverley punters were well ahead as proceedings passed the halfway point. But Yates hadn't finished punishing the bookies – not by a long chalk. Take A Breath (6-4) left the layers gasping for air, and they were out for the count when Beverley specialist Dandy's Angel took the penultimate race at a whopping 14-1. It was all down to 3-1 shot Dolly's Delight to wrap up the accumulator in the finale and the Julie Camacho trainee spared her backers any anxious moments, coming home three and a quarter lengths clear of her hapless pursuers. 'I hope Daily Mirror readers made a few quid,' said Yates. 'Beverley is one of my favourite tracks. It's a fair course and a beautiful place to go - not to mention a profitable one!' And he was not the only Mirror tipster in fine form on Saturday. The paper's Value Scope column, written by tipping titan Steve Jones, singled out 11-1 winner Expert Angel at Haydock and two other each-way bets were both placed at 18-1 – Arisaig and Night Breeze. For good measure, his fourth each-way selection Shagraan was also placed at 11-1.
Geek Tyrant
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Doug Liman Set to Take on Stephen King's THE STAND for Paramount Pictures — GeekTyrant
Stephen King's The Stand is finally getting another shot at the big screen, and this time, Doug Liman is taking the reins. Paramount Pictures has tapped the Edge of Tomorrow and The Bourne Identity filmmaker to direct a feature-length adaptation of King's post-apocalyptic epic. There's no script yet, which means we're still in early development territory. But Paramount reportedly sees this project as a high priority and is 'moving forward aggressively to make it happen.' That's no small task considering the unabridged version of King's novel clocks in at a hefty 1,153 pages. Boiling that sprawling narrative down into a single film is going to require some serious narrative triage. I'm not sure they will be able to effectively pull it off and make a great film. I don't think even a trilogy would work for this story! It's just so big and so epic. The story's scope, jumping between dozens of characters and timelines, has made it notoriously difficult to contain in a single format. Originally published in 1978, The Stand remains one of King's most ambitious works, a vast tale of good versus evil set against the backdrop of a deadly pandemic that wipes out most of the world's population. Previous attempts to bring it to the big screen have fallen apart, with directors like Ben Affleck, Scott Cooper, David Yates, and Josh Boone all attached at various points before eventually stepping away. While the book has been adapted for TV twice, first as a 1994 ABC miniseries and again as a 2020 limited series for Paramount+, no one has quite cracked the code on a successful feature-length version. This new film marks Liman's first collaboration with Paramount. Lately, he's been keeping busy in the streaming space with Apple TV+'s The Instigators and Prime Video's Road House remake. He also has a working history with producer Tyler Thompson, having last teamed up for 2017's American Made , which reunited Liman with his Edge of Tomorrow star Tom Cruise. Will Liman finally be the one to bring The Stand to the big screen in a way that actually works? We'll have to wait and see how the adaptation takes shape. Source: Variety
Daily Record
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Harry Potter film with 96% rating dubbed 'perfect as entire franchise ranked
The Harry Potter films are a mix of fantasy and adventure, and we've ranked all 10 of them from best to worst, according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores - so you can see how they stack up Author J.K. Rowling is in the spotlight once more for her controversial views on the trans community, this time drawing criticism from Stephen Fry – the voice behind all seven Harry Potter audiobooks – who has labelled her a "lost cause". Despite the controversy surrounding its creator, the Harry Potter film series has continued to fare well. And now all the movies, including the less-celebrated Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, have been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, with some doing better than others. Topping the list as the most acclaimed adaptation is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hailed as a fitting adieu to the cherished magical realm by both critics and fans alike. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the 2018 release, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which failed to win over many viewers, reports the Express. Below is the Rotten Tomatoes ranking of the Harry Potter films, from the highest to lowest rated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96% Helmed by director David Yates One critic perfectly captured the sentiment towards the final instalment, stating: "For a grand finale to a truly epic, good-natured franchise, this is a perfect goodbye that's very hard to beat." Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96% Directed by Alfonso Cuarón The third instalment in the Harry Potter film series garnered effusive accolades from reviewers, particularly lauding Cuarón's contribution: "Prisoner of Azkaban is a standout entry in the Harry Potter franchise - it establishes an effective tone under Alfonso Cuarón's stellar direction." Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88% Directed by Mike Newell Describing the fourth film, a succinct Wall Street Journal critique exclaimed: "It's downright scary how good this movie is." Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 83% In the directorial hands of David Yates One reviewer's insight into the penultimate Harry Potter chapter spoke volumes: "The strangest thing about the new Harry Potter movie is not that it's unusually good, which it is, but that it unequivocally illustrates just how poorly we've been served by the previous five instalments in the franchise." Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82% Helmed by Chris Columbus Columbus' second venture into the wizarding world was met with observations of progress: "Director Chris Columbus has pushed the envelope farther, made a sequel that is pacier and more swashbuckling. Yet it still feels cautious and reined-in." Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 80% The first foray with Chris Columbus at the helm. Critics were unanimously taken by Harry Potter's initial cinematic adventure, noting: "The quickest, zappiest two and a half hours of entertainment you'll ever see." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 78% Directed by David Yates, the fifth instalment in the Potter series didn't quite live up to expectations, with one critic bluntly stating: "Brought me straight back to one of the most enduring of childhood feelings: boredom." Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) also saw Yates at the helm Rotten Tomatoes rating: 77% The seventh film received its fair share of criticism as one reviewer observed: "The trouble with Harry, as becomes clear from this seventh and penultimate installment, is not that we have lost the plot -- the film is as tangled and as corkscrewed as Bonham Carter's hair -- but that we are in danger of losing everything else." Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), another Yates-directed venture, struggled to impress, with a commentator noting: "The film strains considerably under the weight of all its plot lines-it's never fun to be the movie with the origin story." Rotten Tomatoes rating: 74% The subsequent Fantastic Beasts instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), directed by Yates too, faced similar critique. Rotten Tomatoes rating: 46% A disappointed reviewer remarked: "Even taken on its own merits, it's a case of a sequel too far. There's no getting away from the fact that, without Harry Potter, this (movie) doesn't seem to know where to go." Furthermore, the prior Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) had also seen Yates in the director's chair. With a disappointing 36% rating, The Crimes of Grindelwald sits at the bottom of the Harry Potter series, receiving a drubbing from both critics and cinema-goers alike. One reviewer described it as: "About as exciting as a trip to Hogwarts's most neglected lavatory." For those in the UK looking for a magical fix, the complete Harry Potter collection is now on Netflix, ready for streaming. Across the pond, US folks can find all the Harry Potter films up for rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. David Yates launches campaign for Jefferson County clerk
Democratic state Sen. David Yates launched his 2026 campaign for Jefferson County clerk at the Roots 101 African American Museum on June 9. Yates, who has represented District 37 since 2021 and currently serves as the state Senate minority whip, said he is running for the position because it presents an "opportunity to better serve my people and get them real, genuine results and propel Jefferson County to be a leader for the nation." County clerks are responsible for overseeing elections and maintaining official records, among other responsibilities. The current Jefferson County clerk is Republican Bobbie Holsclaw, who first stepped into the local office in 1998. In announcing his campaign, Yates said, "We want to make sure that we have the very best processes in place, best practices, so that we're not only leading for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but for the nation." Prior to serving in the Kentucky Senate, Yates held a seat on the Louisville Metro Council from 2010 through 2020. He is also a practicing attorney and maintains a law office in downtown Louisville. Former Metro Council president and current Deputy Mayor David James spoke in support of Yates' campaign, calling him an "extremely compassionate person." "David has led the Metro Council through a lot of hard times and times where he had to really work with others across the aisle, many times, in order to get things accomplished," James said. Democrats currently hold a super minority in the state Senate, with six of the body's 38 seats. When asked if it's been difficult to get legislation passed as a member of the minority party and whether that influenced his decision to run for county clerk, Yates said the office presents an opportunity to "have a very large and big impact on my hometown." "I know that being part of a super minority is tough sometimes, but if you look at the record, I actually did get several bills passed, bipartisan bills and amendments to things over and over again, and I felt like I was being successful in leadership there," Yates said. Yates isn't the only Democrat in the race. Rosalind 'Roz' Welch, vice-chair of the Louisville Democratic Party, also recently announced her candidacy. A Louisville native, who lived in Lexington for several years before returning home, Welch said her background in guest services and customer relations, along with her ties to the local political scene, would give her the 'expertise' needed to succeed as county clerk. Her priorities, she said, include improving communication with Jefferson County residents so they understand services provided by the county clerk, ensuring personal information is secure and opening a clerk's office closer to the Watterson Expressway corridor. 'The work that is happening in the clerk's office is monumental, and we need somebody in there that not only understands the work but understands the people and understands the guest-facing part of this work so that we can get the job done,' she said. Reporter Lucas Aulbach contributed to this report. Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky state Sen. David Yates to run for Jefferson County clerk
