TOP 100 SPORT SITES
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| Study: Austin is ready for a pro sports team Could there come a day when Austin sports fans don a color other than burnt orange? bizjournals.com |
Henderson beats Cheltenham freeze • Sequence of big-meeting success continues for Henderson• Cheltenham survives with a will and frequent inspectionsCheltenham braved freezing temperatures and a handful of dissenters to pull off an unexpected success as more than 30,000 enjoyed a memorable day's racing, highlighted by a treble for Nicky Henderson and his stable jockey, Barry Geraghty. That the winners came for racing's most profitable current partnership, despite the absence of its stable star Punchestowns – the odds-on favourite was withdrawn from the Dipper Novices' Chase on account of the trainer's concerns over the ground – made the achievement even more remarkable as it left the duo with only three runners at the meeting.But then there was nothing usual about today's meeting, which had to survive two morning inspections before the action was again delayed for 35 minutes after the first race while another deputation of trainers, jockeys and stewards inspected the course.Opinion was divided, with some happy to take their chances, while others insisted that sections of the track which had frozen after the blankets were removed were unsafe. Geraghty and Tony McCoy were adamant that racing should continue while others were just as adamant to the contrary and their opinions ultimately led to a glut of non-runners which reduced the Dipper to a two-runner contest.Proceedings verged dangerously towards a poor exercise in public relations, with a broadcast manager from Channel 4 left waiting outside the stewards' room five minutes before their live show was due to go on air, unsure as to whether the programme would happen at all or be replaced by a stand-by film.Cheltenham's clerk of the course, Simon Claisse, admitted that it had been "a very close call" but ultimately the decision to race was proved right as the seven-race programme was completed in the gathering gloom and racing will benefit by a small but significant amount in levy yield on an otherwise blank day for jumps racing."On another day at another racecourse under the same conditions, we might not have been racing today but we were determined that racing would go ahead if it was safe and it was a great team effort," said the track's managing director, Edward Gillespie."I wouldn't want to go through it every day but I think we took the right decision. What was most pleasing was that trainers and jockeys were prepared to look at the individual picture for themselves and, although some decided against running, others were happy to let their horses take part."Gillespie added that the decision had been taken during the inspection after the first race that racegoers would all have received a full refund on admission had the meeting been abandoned.Jonjo O'Neill, who celebrated success in the most valuable event, the £50,000 victorchandler.com Chase with Can't Buy Time, was also pleased that racing went ahead. "We've raced on worse ground even this week," he said. "It's fine out there. There's a bit of a crisp on top but it's perfectly safe, good ground. When I was riding we'd have had no hesitation in getting out there. I couldn't believe that they were thinking of calling it off after the first race."Can't Buy Time was behind when falling in the Grand National last year but O'Neill was not ruling out another trip to Aintree after today's success, gained under a fine waiting ride from McCoy who brought the 8-1 chance through to lead at the second-last fence and hold off Private Be by two and a quarter lengths. "I don't think his preparation was quite right for the race last year and I wouldn't mind him having another crack at it, if everyone is in agreement," he said.Horse racingTony McCoyWill Haylerguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
NFL Replay: Can anyone cool off Cardinals QB Kurt Warner? Kurt Warner, talk about a hot hand. The Arizona Cardinals' gloved one passed for 379 yards in the 51-45 shootout against Green Bay and had more ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
David Attoub faces lengthy ban after judgment on gouging David Attoub is likely to face one of the longest bans in European rugby history after the Stade Français prop was found guilty of gouging yesterday. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Former England bowler Chris Tremlett signs three-year deal at Surrey • 28-year-old moves to Surrey from Hampshire• Tremlett: 'This opens an exciting chapter in my career'Former England bowler Chris Tremlett has signed for Surrey on a three-year deal.The 28-year-old has joined Surrey from Hampshire to continue a first-class career that has involved him taking 289 wickets and playing in three Tests, nine one-day internationals and one international Twenty20.Tremlett will join Jade Dernbach and Andre Nel in the Surrey attack and also the recently-arrived Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.Surrey's professional cricket manager, Chris Adams, said: "In Chris Tremlett, Surrey have signed a bowler of Test match ability who is just beginning to approach the prime of his career."His height, action and pace make him very well suited to bowling at the Brit Oval and I am looking forward to him developing partnerships with our existing pace attack. He is joining a very different and highly-motivated Surrey side and I feel we have got somebody that has the right attributes to continue his England career."Chris Tremlett said: "Coming to Surrey will open an exciting chapter in my career and I am very much looking forward to getting the opportunity to work alongside my new team-mates to help return this great club back to the top of English cricket."I would also like to place on the record my sincere thanks to Hampshire. I leave the club with many fond memories of both the players and coaches who have helped me hugely over the past nine years."SurreyHampshireCricketguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |