STAR juvenile filly Lake Victoria will only run at the Breeders’ Cup if she races again this season.
It had been mooted that the brilliant Cheveley Park heroine, terrifically handled by Aidan O’Brien, could step up two furlongs in trip for her next outing in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
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The Breeders’ Cup could still be on the agenda for unbeaten filly Lake VictoriaCredit: Getty
But O’Brien, buzzing after a fabulous weekend in France, told me this morning: “The Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) is a possibility Matt, but not the Fillies’ Mile.”
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If she travels, Lake Victoria would still be stepping up to a mile in America but Del Mar is much more of a speed test than Newmarket with the tight bends.
It would seem a very good spot for her and the Coolmore lads – and she’s currently a best-price 2-1.
Lake Victoria us currently top priced as the 7-2 favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
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In other news another Group 1 heroine, Tamfana, might be seen again this season on Champions Day at Ascot.
Tamfana provided the always charming David Menuisier with a well deserved Group 1 success in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
Plans remain fluid, but Menuisier said to me this morning: “I don’t think the Breeders’ Cup will be on for Tamfana. We might think about the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot run in memory of our late and loved Queen.”
Speaking of high class horses, it’s sales time this week and the first offspring of Lady Bowthorpe goes under the hammer (for sale) in Newmarket on Wednesday.
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Lady Bowthorpe was a terrific beast for music mogul Emma Banks, finishing second in the Group 1 Lockinge, third in a QEII and landing the Group 1 Nassau at Goodwood in July of 2021.
“Lady Bowthorpe’s colt yearling sells on Wednesday at Tattersalls. I went to see him in the sales grounds yesterday and he’s looking great and seems to be really well received,” Banks said.
ITV schedule undergoes major change with new broadcast of historic sporting event confirmed
“Now I’m no expert (being modest here!) on this stuff, but people tell me he walks really well for a Dubawi – apparently they are known not to be the best of walkers – and he seems to have a bit of a swagger.
“When I saw him he was still very interested in everything at the end of the day so I’m excited and nervous and full of trepidation of what is going to happen.
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“I think he’s a lovely yearling and I’m really proud of him and I know his mother, Lady Bowthorpe, is really proud of him. We’ll see what happens but Im not sure I’ll be eating much before Wednesday afternoon but that’s probably not a bad thing!”
Owner-breeders are so important to this game. Banks is not short of a few quid, but let’s hope this is a case of ’Show me the Money’.
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THE best candidate for the Manchester United manager’s job has been identified.
But top options Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter would both be WORSE than current boss Erik ten Hag.
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Erik ten Hag is only the seventh-best fit to be Manchester United managerCredit: Reuters
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He pips Gareth Southgate on the list but both are well off the leaderCredit: Getty
Dutchman Ten Hag is clinging on to his position as Old Trafford chief after going five matches without a win.
And now data gurus Carteret Analytics have crunched the numbers and worked out who would be the ideal fit to take the reins at United.
And it is Ruben Amorim who comes out at the top of the pile.
Ironically, the Sporting Lisbon boss was a target for arch rivals Liverpool when they replaced Jurgen Klopp before settling on Arne Slot.
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But now, if United’s chiefs look at the numbers, he could be approached for the potential vacancy at Old Trafford.
Amorim was handed a top score when the numbers were crunched.
The data analysts show Amorim scoring extremely highly for ‘Strategic Intelligence’, a measure that looks at a manager’s ability to set their team up for victory. He also scored incredibly high for his ability to transform matches during games.
Those attributes put him clear of Zinedine Zidane in second with the ex-Real Madrid boss pipping Simone Inzaghi on the podium.
Thomas Tuchel has already been linked with replacing Ten Hag and the German comes up as the fourth best candidate for Manchester United in the data.
Kieran McKenna – the Ipswich boss who was previously a coach at United – is fifth, just narrowly edging out Ten Hag’s current No2 Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Erik ten Hag really did not help himself with what he said after Man Utd’s draw with Aston Villa, slams BBC pundit
Interestingly, Ten Hag is said to be the seventh-best fit for the Red Devils.
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That places him directly above free agent Southgate, who is admired by the Ineos bosses and is available after quitting from his role as England gaffer following the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.
Southgate scored particularly poorly in the ‘Tactical Command’ measure. This looks at a manager’s ability to transform a match during the game – something many England fans who felt he was too often tactically outwitted will concur with.
Middlesbrough’s Michael Carrick, Roberto De Zerbi of Marseille and finally Brentford boss Thomas Frank complete the list of the 12 managers who were looked at.
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Carteret Analytics, quantitative analysis experts who have built a series of algorithms that utilise a huge amount of raw data, looked at a number of areas.
Objective achievement, strategic intelligence, tactical command, attacking coefficient, shot creation and conversion, possession and formations over the past six seasons were all taken into consideration.
When Ten Hag was first employed by Manchester United, their analysis correctly warned fans of the Red Devils not to expect all out attacking play, and that rather than have a specific style, he adapted his tactics match-by-match.
Their latest number crunching now indicates where Manchester United should turn next.
And although Inzaghi is third on the list and largely beats Ten Hag in most areas, he does play a far more defensive style of football that may not be popular with the United hierarchy and fans.
Amorin’s preferred 3-4-3 formation would be a shake-up from the 4-2-3-1 under Ten Hag.
With the Manchester United hierarchy meeting this week to discuss their options, the data suggests they could improve on Ten Hag, but they must be careful because things could get even worse.
Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man Utd
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SunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.
THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.
And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.
If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.
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The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.
He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.
None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.
Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.
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Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.
And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.
Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.
Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.
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Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.
Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.
Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.
Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.
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Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.
Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.
Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.
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Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.
So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.
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Ruben Amorim is the top pick according to the statsCredit: Reuters
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Zinedine Zidane could also be well suited to the Old Trafford jobCredit: Reuters
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Graham Potter was way down on the listCredit: Getty
Alex Pereira’s remarkable run in the UFC continued with a fourth-round knockout of Khalil Rountree in the main event of UFC 307 to retain the light heavyweight championship. “Poatan” has many options in front of him, and while he says he plans to remain at 205 to defend his belt, is that what ultimately happens for one of the UFC’s biggest stars?
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could be next for Pereira and Rountree following their thrilling headliner on Saturday night in Salt Lake City. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for new women’s bantamweight champ Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington after their co-main event ended with a controversial split decision, Mario Bautista following his split decision victory against Jose Aldo, Roman Dolidze after his injury TKO win over Kevin Holland, along with fellow main card winner Kayla Harrison, and more.
Watch the UFC 307 edition of On To the Next One in the video above. Audio-only versions of the podcast can be found below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
Carling will partner with the SPFL for the next three seasons
Health campaigners have criticised the Scottish Professional Football League’s new sponsorship deal with a major lager brand.
The SPFL announced the partnership with Carling for the next three seasons, which will see the brand promoted at league and Premier Sports Cup matches.
However Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) said the deal will lead to more consumption of alcohol during a public health crisis.
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Figures released last month by National Records of Scotland revealed there had been 1,277 alcohol deaths in Scotland in 2023, which marked the highest number in 15 years.
The partnership will see the company marketed as the official beer of the league.
The SPFL said this would include a number of “engaging opportunities for supporters” to get involved with.
‘Out of step’
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Dr Peter Rice, the chairman of SHAAP, said mass marketing lager to fans is “out of step” with the need to tackle the harm alcohol can cause.
He added: “All the evidence shows that the more we are exposed to mass marketing of this sort, the more alcohol is consumed and therefore the more damage to our health is done.
“Right now Scotland is in the grip of an alcohol public health crisis that needs to be addressed – encouraging people to consume more is not the answer.
“This lack of duty of care to fans flies in the face of our research which shows that while many football fans recognise the need to generate income for Scottish football, there is not so much appetite for that income to come from the alcohol industry.”
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Alison Douglas, the CEO of Alcohol Focus Scotland called the decision “particularly disappointing” given the recent statistics regarding alcohol deaths.
She said: “This marketing will be on full display to children across Scotland who idolise their teams and their favourite players. Big alcohol brands capitalise on this, signing deals with sports teams and leagues as a means to ‘recruit the heavy using loyalists of tomorrow’.
“The evidence is overwhelming, alcohol marketing increases alcohol consumption and early onset alcohol use by children and young people.”
‘A rich history’
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Dr Rice called on authorities to “aim a bit higher” with sponsorship deals, and both SHAAP and AFS pointed to Scottish women’s football as an example of this – with SHAAP itself having partnered with the women’s game since 2019.
Neil Doncaster, SPFL group chief executive, said the deal was “fantastic news” as the company has “a rich history” of supporting the Scottish game.
Carling previously sponsored Celtic and Rangers, as well as the Scottish national team.
A number of clubs in Scotland have alcohol related sponsorship deals.
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Lee Willett, Carling brand director at Molson Coors Beverage Company, said they were “committed to supporting the beautiful game at every level here in Scotland”, citing grassroots initiatives.
The partnership was secured for the SPFL by the Scottish Football Marketing venture.
Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and centre-back Daniel Ballard have been ruled out of Northern Ireland’s Nations League games against Belarus and Bulgaria.
Birmingham City keeper Peacock-Farrell has a shoulder problem with Sunderland’s Ballard unavailable because of an ankle ailment.
Both players have returned to their clubs for treatment from Northern Ireland’s base this week of Stockport County’s training ground at Carrington in Greater Manchester.
Manager Michael O’Neill has opted not to call up any replacements at this stage.
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Another couple of Northern Ireland players are understood to be carrying knocks but are expected to be available for both games.
Northern Ireland will train at Carrington until Thursday when they travel to Hungary for Saturday’s game against Belarus at the neutral venue of Zalaegerszeg.
O’Neill’s side will then face Bulgaria at Windsor Park three days later.
“We have a longer lead-in time to this game (against Belarus) than for previous games so we’ve got to make the most of the time we have here,” said the Northern Ireland boss.
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Northern Ireland began their Nations League campaign last month with a 2-0 victory over Luxembourg in Belfast but then lost 1-0 to Bulgaria in Plovdiv.
O’Neill’s side sit third in Group 3 of League C Group – a point behind Belarus and Bulgaria.
Prior to beating Rountree for his third title defense in seven months, Pereira expressed interest in dropping back down to middleweight to challenge Dricus Du Plessis. But with his training partner Sean Strickland looking for his title-fight rematch with Du Plessis, “Poatan” has now changed his tune.
“We saw that Dricus is going to be fighting Sean Strickland. (Strickland) is a training partner of mine,” Pereira told Joe Rogan in his post-fight octagon interview (h/t UFC). “I don’t want to get in his way. I can move up to heavyweight, but this division is great. I feel great with this weight cut, and this is where I’m at.”
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That doesn’t mean Pereira doesn’t have heavyweight in his sights. He may plan on staying at light heavyweight for the time being, but he hopes to eventually make the move up.
“I’ve called for (heavyweight) before, and Dana came in there and was very happy, and he said he was going to take care of me,” Pereira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at the UFC 307 post-fight press conference. “I think that if the UFC wants to please me, I think maybe a fight at heavyweight one day would be something that would really please me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
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