TOP 100 SPORT SITES
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| Urban Meyer continues dodging questions about his health The great dodging act continues for Florida coach Urban Meyer. After first resigning then taking a leave of absence because of health issues ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
All-weather courses expect Saturday card • Lingfield and Kempton Park on course to race• Wolverhampton must pass inspection on FridayLingfield and Kempton Park have acted swiftly to guarantee medical services at tomorrow's two scheduled meetings, after cards at both tracks were lost today because ambulances were not available. Officials at both venues remain optimistic that the sport will avoid its first blank Saturday since March 2001, when the foot-and-mouth crisis was at its peak, and Lingfield hopes to race tomorrow.The South East Coast ambulance service, which provides medical cover to both tracks, decided early this morning that it could not spare any vehicles. "They were receiving an unprecedented number of calls, and they rang just before 8am to say that they would not be able to supply any ambulances," Brian Clifford, the clerk of the course at Kempton, said. "We could have tried to source an alternative medical provider, but there was another 20cm of snow forecast for late afternoon, so basically we took the commonsense route."We have already sourced a private company as a contingency for Saturday, and if the forecast is correct, I would not anticipate any problems, but there will always be forces that we can't control."Saturday's card at Lingfield includes a Class Two handicap worth £10,300 to the winner, as well as a Class Three conditions event with a first prize of nearly £7,000."We have guaranteed ambulance cover for the meeting tomorrow and also on Saturday," Neil MacKenzie Ross, Lingfield's clerk of the course, said. "We are obviously very concerned to do our utmost to get Saturday on, and these are key meetings throughout the winter."We have people here working all the time, and we are lucky enough to have plenty of rock salt, as nowhere is issuing any at the moment. The forecast is changing all the time. We are getting regular snow flurries, but we would hope that all will be well."Saturday is the biggest betting day of the week, and if both tomorrow's surviving meetings were lost, the cost to racing's Levy income – which is returned to the sport from off-course betting – would be significant. The loss of all British racing on Wednesday was estimated to have cost nearly £200,000, so the loss from a first blank Saturday for almost nine years would probably exceed £250,000.Should racing survive, though, it will further emphasise the importance of all-weather racing in guaranteeing income to the sport in the winter months. "We won't just be staging racing on Saturday, we will have very nice, interesting racing," MacKenzie Ross said. "All-weather racing attracts some criticism, but I think it is pretty unfounded and often made from quarters that probably don't actually examine it and look at what's running."There seems little likelihood that National Hunt racing will resume before the middle of next week at the earliest. Ffos Las bowed to the inevitable today and abandoned a card that was due to stage the revived Welsh Champion Hurdle as well as the Tolworth Hurdle, rerouted from an abandoned meeting at Sandown. Monday's cards at Taunton and Ayr have also been abandoned, while the meeting at Newcastle on Tuesday will almost certainly follow suit tomorrow.Southwell survived the freeze today, but Wolverhampton's meeting tomorrow is in doubt due to snow and the course will inspect at 8.30am.Horse racingGreg Woodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Sir Alex Ferguson’s compliance at odds with his achievements If you are a Manchester United supporter seeking someone to blame for the indignities of your club, just go to Old Trafford for today’s match against Burnley and turn your eyes to the dugout. There, furiously masticating, will be your culprit. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Elena Baltacha's prize is tough test against Dinara Safina Dinara Safina, the world’s leading female player for much of last year but somebody most believe needs a long overdue Grand Slam title to fully justify her lofty position, will pose the next test for Elena Baltacha’s admirable determination. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
2nd Wizards player pleads guilty to gun charge WASHINGTON (AP) -- Washington Wizards guard Javaris Crittenton has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge - 10 days after teammate Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge.... hosted.ap.org |