Whip Rules debate

The controversial new whip rules implemented by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on October 10th have divided the sport, alienated its key actors, the jockeys, and are threatening to bring down horseracing altogether as the debate rages on.  The BHA thought last week that amendments made to the use of the final furlong whip would stave off the threat of jockey strike action, but this naïve counterpunch has only made the jockeys more determined to reverse the changes.

A furore over the grim scenes in April at the Grand National convinced the BHA that it was time for change with regard to the use of the whip, which was so crucial to the victory of Ballabriggs in that race under the ride of Jason Maguire. But this furore was made from watchers from the outside; the cries for change were seldom heard from the jockeys, trainers or owners who are the people actually involved with racing and to whom the horses mean the most to. The whip rules were made to appease a wavering public, but in turn have affected worst of all the people actually involved in the sport. In doing this, the BHA have made an act of self-implosion.

As well as the decision itself, the timing of implementing the changes on October 10^th was bizarre. On the cusp of the jumps season, the new regulations have hit jump jockeys significantly having been only allowed one more use of the whip than flat jockeys during races. This is despite the fact that jumps races are longer and more difficult to navigate, thus giving increased importance to the whip for steering and encouraging the horses. Jump racing’s two most decorated riders, Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh, have both declared their opposition to the rules, throwing the jumps season under a cloud before it has even begun.

Walsh incurred a ban of five days after using his whip once more than the allowed number of eight times on Edgardo Sol, whom he narrowly guided to a nose lengths victory at Aintree on Saturday. With horseracing finishes often being so tight, the new regulations present a dilemma: ride out and go for the win with all the means at your disposal, or accept defeat because you’re not sure whether you’ve exceeded the limit. The new rules are farcical, with jockeys so focused on the winning post to gain prize money and pride for them and their connections they don’t have time to consider how many times they’ve whipped the horse.

Perhaps the most controversial issue within the new regulations is the fines and suspensions handed out to jockeys. While Walsh’s ban got all the publicity, lesser known jockey Patrick Mathers got a seven-day ban for using his whip more than the allowance at Redcar this week which hammers a crucial point home. Most jockeys aren’t superstars, and despite the gruelling working hours, are not financially secure. Only a handful of McCoy’s and Walsh’s exist and become millionaires. For the others, it is a regular paying job, so fines and bans being handed out left, right and centre as the BHA are doing presently is going to hit some jockeys severely and force them to relinquish their licences.

The BHA’s whip rules have only succeeded in alienating the people most crucial to their sport, the jockeys. Strike action was narrowly averted at Aintree but is surely not far round the corner. If the BHA’s main employees unite and turn against it, it will have no choice but to amend the changes for the good of the sport, or risk sending horseracing into terminal decline.

Dalglish: a short term fix or the long term solution?

There is no doubt that Liverpool have come a long way since last January, when the club parted company with Roy Hodgson, but their indifferent start to this season has served as a sharp reminder that Kenny Dalglish’s charges are still very much a work in progress. But is Dalglish the man to guide them through this transition period and reassert their place in the Champions League among Europe’s elite?

After a ten year absence from football management, Dalglish was the popular choice to succeed Hodgson, who presided over the worst period in recent history for Liverpool. Dalglish’s promotion coincided with a takeover from Fenway Sports Group and a £50 million bid from Chelsea for prized asset Fernando Torres. This immediately gave the Scot the chance to breathe life into his beleaguered squad, signing Ajax’s Luis Suarez for £22.8 million and Newcastle’s Andy Carroll for a staggering £35 million, while offloading the want-away Torres.

Morale improved in the Liverpool camp, along with results, and Dalglish steered them to a respectable sixth placed finish with Suarez irrepressible. Another spending spree followed in the summer months, as Dalglish looked to sign young talent and clear out some of the ‘dead wood’ remaining from the Benitez and Hodgson regimes. Sunderland starlet Jordan Henderson was signed for £20 million, along with Aston Villa winger Stuart Downing (£15 million) and Scottish creative midfielder Charlie Adam (£7 million), who had both impressed in the previous Premier League season. The signing of Jose Enrique from Newcastle filled the problem left back position, while promising Uruguayan defender Sebastian Coates was also added to the squad having won Best Young Player at the Copa America over the summer.

An imbued sense of optimism led many fans to predict a passage straight back into the Champions League, in the face of a declining Arsenal following the departures of Cesc Fabreagas and Samir Nasri, and a stagnating Tottenham Hotspur with the future of Luka Modric under a cloud. But after wins against Arsenal and Bolton, Liverpool suffered a reality check at Stoke with a 1-0 defeat, before an ill-disciplined 4-0 mauling at White Hart Lane demonstrated how far they still have to improve to mount a serious challenge for fourth. Already Dalglish has shown signs of pressure by hinting towards a refereeing conspiracy against his team; such wild accusations will do his new-look Liverpool no favours in their bid to challenge again for trophies.

There has been scepticism among many about the size of transfer fees paid out to land their primary targets. The most glaringly obvious example of this is the £35 million paid to Newcastle to make Carroll, unproven at the highest level, the most expensive English footballer in history. Some have voiced their concerns over Carroll’s performances, maintaining that he looks sluggish and off the pace, and has been detrimental to Dalglish’s encouragement of a new, fluid passing style. £20 million for Henderson also seemed excessive. A hard-working, honest player, Henderson was mightily impressive at the beginning of his last season and was duly rewarded with an England call-up, but his form tailed off dramatically in the middle part of the season, and he is another player who still has plenty to prove. However, Dalglish maintains that these were buys with the future of the club in mind.

The sales of Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky, Alberto Aquilani and Sotiris Kyriagkos were largely approved by fans, but the most surprising sale was that of Raul Merieles to Chelsea on deadline day, a player who was voted the PFA fans Player of the Year for his exploits the previous season. This may have been a symbolic move to dismantle the last remnant of the Hodgson regime, but murky details surrounded the transfer, with both parties (Merieles and Liverpool) arguing that it was the other that forced the deal to go through. To some extent this has relieved some of the congestion in the Liverpool midfield, but the squad looked a much stronger one with Merieles a part of it, as demonstrated by his match-winning performance coming off the bench against Arsenal. I don’t think there would be many clubs that would pick Adam and Lucas Leiva ahead of a player of Meireles’ calibre and versatility.

However, while a couple of Dalglish’s decisions have come under scrutiny, he retains full backing from supporters. A club icon as player and manager, when compared with the Liverpool of last season, Dalglish’s work in rebuilding the team and restoring confidence has to be admired. But after such a long exodus, can Dalglish still deal with the pressure of day-to-day management? When the pressure at Anfield got too much for Dalglish in 1991, he resigned. 20 years on, football is an even tougher environment. It is when Liverpool endure a bad run of results, perhaps brought on by an injury crisis or a tough run of fixtures, that we will see whether Dalglish still has the hunger and the tactical awareness to turn things round, or whether a new man will be required to lead Liverpool back into the big time.

At 60, this will probably represent Dalglish’s last shot at management and the football community wishes him well. But it’s an unforgiving business; the honeymoon period was the back end of last season. Now, his signings must gel, and the team as a whole must become more difficult to beat. But judge Dalglish and his team at the end of the season. It is then that we’ll see how much progress has been made, and whether Carroll, Henderson and company will look like sound investments. 

The Championship promises to reach new heights

‘I was playing in Serie A last year and I don’t think the Championship is a step down. There are big clubs and the crowds are fantastic’. These were the words of talented Switzerland international Gelson Fernandes, who this week became big-spending Leicester City’s latest marquee signing. As the standard of football improves in the Championship year after year, it is becoming difficult to argue with the view of Fernandes, who becomes the latest of a number of high profile players such as Craig Bellamy, and more recently Kevin Nolan who have chosen to ply their trade in England’s second tier. Certainly in terms of excitement, competitiveness, and quality of football there are few leagues that can compare. We have constantly seen that anyone can beat anyone, and thrilling games have been aplenty in the last few seasons. 2011/2012 promises to be the best yet.

The Championship is an unforgiving league, and one that’s notoriously difficult to predict, and there are certainly a number of key players in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League this campaign. Coming down from the top flight are West Ham United, Blackpool and Birmingham City. West Ham will view themselves as big fish in a small pond, and, now under the tutelage of respected boss ‘Big’ Sam Allardyce, who has bolstered his squad with players such as Nolan and John Carew, will expect to bounce back at the first time of asking. For Birmingham, the task would appear much tougher, amid a cloud of financial uncertainty and an owner behind bars, but they retain a strong squad and have a hungry new manager in Chris Hughton, determined to prove a point. Blackpool have lost their talismanic captain Charlie Adam, but with a newfound respect and an admirable playing style, they can expect to be there or there abouts come the season’s finale.

Leicester City, under Sven Goran Eriksson, have been the most active club in the transfer window, bringing in quality players such as Fernandes, Kasper Schmeichael, Matt Mills and David Nugent, making them the bookies’ favourites to end the season as champions. Cardiff City finally lost patience with Dave Jones after another faltering campaign ended in play-off disappointment, and have brought in bright young manager Malky Mackay as his replacement. Mackay is renowned for encouraging slick, passing football, while his signing of Kenny Miller looks an astute piece of business. Fellow play-off semi-finalists Nottingham Forest opted to do the same, sacking the outspoken Billy Davies and replacing him with Steve McClaren, who will be confident he can achieve promotion after a spell abroad. However, losing play-off finalists Reading are unlikely to eclipse last season’s achievements, particularly with the departure of Mills and potentially Shane Long.

From League One arrive sleeping giants Southampton, who have a core of talented footballers spearheaded by the skilful Adam Lallana, and will be buoyed by their opening day 3-1 win against Leeds United, in which all three goals oozed class. Brighton will also expect to make an impression on the Championship under the guidance of livewire Gus Poyet, having dominated League One from first to last in 2010/2011. Hull City, Burnley and Middlesbrough will be looking to consolidate solid finishes last season, while Ipswich Town could be the surprise package under Paul Jewell, having spent wisely over the summer. At the other end of the scale, Barnsley, Watford, Doncaster Rovers and Bristol City are all expected to struggle, and could be facing a long season in which survival is the priority.

 But expect a season of twists and turns and of unpredictability, with six-goal thrillers, late comebacks, drama, slumps in form and promotion and relegation battles that go right down to the wire. Last season Cardiff, Middlesbrough and Burnley began the season as favourites to win the league but none of them got close. As Serie A declines in terms of footballing quality and competitiveness, look no further than the Championship to provide football at its entertaining best, the perfect supplement to the Barclays Premier League.

West Ham United - where did it all go wrong?

This time two years ago, West Ham United had just cemented their place in the top half of the Premier League, finishing in a respectable ninth. They had done so under the tutelage of a bright young manager in Gianfranco Zola, who had got a good crop of youngsters playing some expansive, flowing football. Surely the future looked bright for West Ham. With relegation to the Championship confirmed last weekend after a 3-2 defeat to Wigan, the Hammers fans must be asking themselves; where did it all go wrong?

As with most things in football these days, money appears to be at the centre of it. Financial problems under their Icelandic owners created uncertainty which seemed to filter onto the pitch in the 2009/10 season, and while livelong fans David Gold and David Sullivan came to the Hammers’ rescue to buy the club and restore stability, their tenure at the top seems to have had the opposite effect. A wage bill too large, a defence too weak, a flop too many; a number of factors have interacted in the demise of West Ham United.

Let us start at the beginning of the 2009/2010 season. Having kept their spine of influential English players, those being Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole, there was a sense of imbued optimism around Upton Park that the team would continue in the same vein with which they ended the last campaign. British youngsters such as Mark Noble, Jack Collison and Junior Stanislas had come to the fore and would surely kick on and sustain West Ham’s glowing reputation of bringing players from their academy into the first team. However, funds were not made available to strengthen the squad, whose limits were laid bare in a run that saw them win just one game from eleven, leaving Zola’s men planted in the relegation zone. A mid-season takeover by former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan injected some much needed funds into a club in disarray, but the instability remained and performances remained below-par. Zola saved West Ham from relegation but this would not be enough to save his job.

I was a big fan of Zola, and admired the job he was doing in difficult circumstances. His attempt to maintain an attacking philosophy, trying to coax the best out of his players while blooding young talent was admirable, as was his gentlemanly conduct in interviews and press conferences when pressed with difficult questions. However, he lacked the knowhow for a relegation battle in the English Premier League, and it was ultimately because Portsmouth, Hull City and Burnley were even worse that the Hammers were able to survive.

 Zola also had an Achilles heel, which is unsurprising given his inexperience in top level club management; the transfer market. The Italian was not given much to spend during his tenure (by modern standards anyway), but of the players he did bring in, not many could be described as sound investments. The most glaring black mark here would be the signing of Savio Nsereko, a little known German youngster from Brescia, believed to be in the region £9 million, a club record fee. The forward failed to score in any of his ten appearances and can now be found plying his trade in the Bulgarian league.  £6 million for Alessandro Diamanti proved excessive, while the January 2010 signing of an unfit and past his best Benni McCarthy was nothing less than catastrophic, the South African leaving the club last month having cost a reported total of £6.7 million in transfer fee, wages and compensation payment.

Despite Zola’s flaws, the circumstances he was working in were less than ideal. Even if West Ham would have (dare I say it) suffered the ignominy of relegation that season, I think Zola would have been as well placed as anyone to bring them straight back up. He encouraged a stylish brand of football and enjoyed the support of his players, demonstrated by Scott Parker’s celebration with his manager after a crucial late goal against Wigan. After initially giving Zola their backing, Gold and Sullivan did anything but support their man in the second half of the season. A bid was apparently made for West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans without Zola’s consent, while their comments to the media were ill-judged. Scathing criticism of performances, talk about the necessity of wholesale pay cuts and the claim that every player except Scott Parker was on the transfer list, did nothing to restore fragile morale in the West Ham camp.

The poor season aside, the new owners had decided that Zola’s face didn’t fit their new regime, and dispensed with his services at the end of the campaign. However, more surprising for me than the sacking was the choice of replacement. In fairness the pallet was limited, but the decision to appoint Avram Grant as their next manager on a four and a half year deal was to me a very peculiar one. A man who came to within a penalty of becoming a Champions League winning manager (after inheriting Mourinho’s Chelsea) still had the taste of relegation fresh in his mouth with Portsmouth when he put pen to paper. So when Gold and Sullivan needed an established manager with a record of survival in the Premier League, they turned to a man who appeared bereft of inspiration in his attempt to halt a debt ridden Portsmouth sliding out of the top flight. Now, does that sound familiar? For Grant looked equally helpless throughout his tenure at the financially troubled Hammers.

He tampered with his team too often, rarely sticking with the same eleven, and seemed to lack tactical astuteness in the key matches. In addition, the players he brought in, aside from January acquisition Demba Ba, did little to aid his team’s plight. However, it was Grant’s motivational aspect of management which most concerned me. The air with which he conducted himself in post-match interviews was defeatist and negative; not the sort of response that players want to hear. Too often he berated referees for his team’s failings, including the outrageous riposte that refereeing decisions had cost his team ‘ten points’ this season. If this air of pessimism had its imprint in his conduct to the players in the dressing room, then how on earth could the Israeli motivate his players for a relegation fight?

Interesting reflections were made by squad members. On leaving the club, Benni McCarthy claimed he couldn’t remember the last time Grant spoke to him, which doesn’t say much for Grant’s man management ability. Then, after West Ham came back from trailing 3-0 at half time to snatch a draw against West Brom, Carlton Cole praised Scott Parker’s half time team talk as ‘inspirational’. Where was Grant during all this? Isn’t the manager supposed to inspire the players with their team talk? There is no doubting Parker’s influence as a captain; perhaps it outweighed Grant’s as a manager. I am not alone in thinking that West Ham would have been relegated a great deal sooner had it not been for the contributions of the Football Writer’s Player of the Season.

Then there is the issue of almost unparalleled defensive frailties. These were the areas that needed strengthening in the last four transfer windows, but West Ham instead opted for attacking full-backs, midfielders, wingers or strikers and not solid defenders. When Matthew Upson’s form took a nosedive, so did that of the defence around him. The young James Tomkins has potential but looked out of his depth, while foreign import Manuel de Costa, the ageing Lars Jacobsen and World Cup representative (for New Zealand) Winston Reid did little to stop the rot. Unfortunately, defensive organisation again doesn’t appear to be one of Grant’s strong points. West Ham shipped three goals or more thirteen times this season in what amounts to a woeful defensive record.

Thus, down went a club with internationals galore and a wage bill comparable to Tottenham Hotspur’s. The interaction of the factors mentioned above left survival a forlorn hope in the unforgivingly competitive climate of the Premier League, and the owners have to shelf some of the blame. They tried and failed to appoint Martin O’Neill as successor to Grant in January, but then backtracked on their decision to dispense with their manager after West Ham put a little run together to move off the foot of the table. At least with relegation confirmed they have now acted; but what they do next is the key.

West Ham are resigned to losing stars such as Parker and Upson, but if they appoint a manager with pedigree and self-assurance to shelve out the ‘dead wood’, convince a core of promising and committed players that its worth staying, and act sensibly and decisively in the transfer market, then they will have a good chance of bouncing back. Steve McClaren has already ruled himself out of the running, but Gus Poyet, Slaven Bilić and Chris Hughton are all viable candidates. With a new 60,000 seater stadium in the offing, whoever is given the job must get the Hammers back into top flight football at the first time of asking, and break a worrying tradition by acting wisely and rationally in the transfer market to rebuild a shell-shocked squad.

Sport: you've got to be mental

When most people think about sport and its elite performers, they consider the talent of the individual or team, and their tremendous skill level derived from hours of practice. However, in just as important a category as these attributes is mental strength. This is often what separates the good sportsmen or women from the very best; those who can go out and produce on the biggest stage, often in the face of adversity.

The importance of mental strength was illustrated in the cruellest possible way in the Masters golf on Sunday. Rory McIlroy, having led the tournament for three rounds, crumbled in dramatic fashion as his game unravelled resulting in an eight-over-par round of 80. It became painful to watch as the BBC replayed slow footage of the young Brit falling to pieces by missing a series of short putts and hooking into the trees, leaving an enduring image of him burying his head into his arm, seemingly stifling back tears and wishing that the ground would swallow him up. The 21-year-old had played superbly up until the final round, but his inexperience and mental immaturity proved telling as he faded while his competitors produced some fantastic golf in a thrilling finale.

I think age is important here; mental strength is built up with experience, and McIlroy, having learnt the harshest of lessons, should be stronger for this ordeal. At the tender age of 21, I have no doubts that the Northern Irishman will fulfil his potential and can secure a major in the next few years. McIlroy’s plight also has its parallels; Greg Norman collapsed in similarly spectacular fashion to gift victory to Nick Faldo in the 1995 Masters, while Jean Van de Velde’s capitulation at the final hole of the 1999 Open Championship was equally memorable.  The mental aspect has particular resonance in golf such is the judgement needed to make the best shot, but you cannot discount the importance of mental toughness in any other sport either.

Top performers such as Roger Federer, Tony McCoy and Phil Taylor would not have been as supremely dominant in their respective sports if they didn’t have a mental edge to match their immense ability, while Manchester United have shown time and time again that mental strength is vital to the long haul of winning the Premier League. Athletics also demonstrates the importance of mental toughness; a lack of it can be seen in those who make a false start in the 100m sprint, those who foul in the long jump or who lose their rhythm in the hurdles. These unfortunate athletes more often than not have prepared impeccably, but have lacked mental composition to perform to the best of their ability on the big stage.

Where does mental strength come from, then? I think a key element of it has to be natural; some are born fighters, but those who can maintain concentration alongside fierce competitiveness are usually the ones who succeed. In cricket, batsmen facing an aggressive bowling attack need concentration and mental stamina to maintain their wicket, not just hours of practice in the nets. Coaches, managers and parents can also have a significant impact on a sportsperson’s mental strength; those who have been instilled with a tough mentality in training sessions and practice situations are more likely to reproduce on the big day.

However, for me, experience is the most vital component of the mental toughness needed to succeed in sport at the highest level. The more experiences of crucial matches and tournaments that go right down to the wire, the more prepared a performer will be to produce his or her ‘A-game’ next time around, as McIlroy will learn. An athlete can practice all they want; whether on the training ground, in the nets or on the track, but nothing is comparable to situational experience at the top level. It is this which can help instil mental strength, which separates the elite from the also-rans throughout the world of sport.

Visit to Tim Vaughan's Stable

After winning part-ownership of the Student Racehorse Tae Kwon Do, myself and the other lucky students were offered an exclusive chance to visit Tim Vaughan’s stables in Cowbridge, Wales to see the environment in which the horse will train. My friends and I didn’t quite know what to expect as we passed a quarry upon arrival, driving up a long, bumpy road to reach the stables.

Only licensed in 2008, the stables represent an enterprising move by Vaughan and they were in impressive order given that they were only constructed a few years ago. We got out and were acquainted with some familiar names of horses in the barns; notably Beshabar and Destroyer Deployed, who had both impressed recently at the Cheltenham Festival.

We then got a warm welcome from Vaughan himself, who made time from a busy morning schedule to tour us around the stable and introduce us to our very own racehorse, Tae Kwon Do. The horse has just returned from injury and looked in good shape; Tim reckoned he would be good to go in a couple of weeks.

We were then invited to travel to the gallops to watch Tae Kwon Do train among his stable mates. This was a unique opportunity, especially as I had never seen horses in training before. Tim knew every horse by name, recognising them instantly and calling out to us who was who as they bounded past us under the horsemanship of the stable lads.

Vaughan’s enthusiasm was plain to see, as he exchanged banter and yelled out encouragement to the jockeys; this workplace camaraderie gave the impression of his yard being a vibrant and enjoyable working environment. Vaughan himself was an infectious character; his loud laugh could be heard from metres away and he took a genuine interest in the students who had come to look around his yard.

He described his rise to prominence as a trainer as ‘meteoric’; the Welshman started basically from scratch but now has around 100 horses in his ranks. It was insightful to see the day-to-day business of a horserace trainer, and how the horses are prepared for racing.

All in all it was a great day out, and well worth the 6am alarm clock! Tae Kwon Do was impressive in training and looked lively; I for one can’t wait to see him in action over hurdles!

Memorable Moments of Cheltenham 2011

Last week’s centenary staging of the Cheltenham Festival was one of the best in recent history, containing four days of top class horseracing, glorious weather, close finishes and fine individual and team efforts which will not soon be forgotten. As always, there are a number of standout moments which made this year’s festival so very special, and these were my most memorable features of the Cheltenham Festival 2011.

Ruby’s hat-trick After breaking his leg in November in a horrible fall at Down Royal, it became doubtful whether Ruby Walsh would recover to fitness in time to ride at Cheltenham. Thankfully, he did; his return to the saddle on the Tuesday was eagerly anticipated and the mercurial Irishman did not disappoint. He partnered 11-1 shot Al Ferof in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, and on the run-in it looked like a three horse race between hot favourite Cue Card, Spirit Son and Sprinter Sacre. However, a great leap at the last flight and a perfectly timed run saw Walsh come from nowhere to burst through on Al Ferof, passing the leaders to claim a brilliant victory for the leading festival jockey of all time. Walsh’s pièce de résistance, however, came in the Champion Hurdle aboard the great Irish hope Hurricane Fly. A great ride saw the horse power through to take it up and shake off the attentions of the unbeaten Peddlers Cross, securing Ruby’s first Champion Hurdle success. After these two victories it was expected that Walsh would complete his hat-trick of winners on odds on favourite Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle. It couldn’t have been any easier for him, as he sat tight on a horse of true class to destroy the field, this marking Walsh’s 28^th Cheltenham Festival winner. It capped a superb day for the Irishman on his return to form and fitness; he would go on to be the leading festival jockey for the third year in a row – another hat-trick for a true Cheltenham legend.

Star Performer There were many incredible shows of racing ability on display throughout the four days; Quevega, Sizing Europe and Bobs Worth to name but a few. But for me, the most impressive performance came from Big Bucks in the World Hurdle on the Thursday as he became the first horse to win the race in three consecutive runnings. The David Pipe trained Grands Crus was seen as a major threat to Big Bucks’ crown in the preamble to the race after putting in a superb display in January to win over course and distance. And the 7-2 chance ran another corker at Cheltenham, possibly the race of his life as he threw down the gauntlet to Big Bucks, drawing alongside him and at one point looking as if he was going to beat the powerhouse. Ruby Walsh had inexplicably dropped his whip prior to the run-in; surely a costly error in a race of such magnitude, but alas, it made no difference. Big Bucks got into top gear and seemed to draw on extra energy reserves to shake off his challenger and pull clear in brilliant fashion, claiming his third and most impressive World Hurdle for trainer Paul Nicholls.

New kid on the block As well as seeing a true great trained by Paul Nicholls do the business, I also believe this festival saw a future great trained by Nicholls win in some style. The triumph hurdle is always a very competitive field and has produced some quality winners in the past. Zarkandar had made an impressive hurdling debut at Kempton Park, winning a competitive race as an outsider; nonetheless it was a surprise when he headed for Cheltenham in this embryonic stage of his national hunt career. However, the four-year-old banished any doubts when sweeping aside a handy field to win the Triumph Hurdle for Nicholls, finishing ahead of leading fancies Unaccompanied and Grandouet to give jockey Daryl Jacob a deserved first Cheltenham victory.  That’s two out of two for Zarkandar, and the horse is sure to have a bright future; he had already been quoted at 12-1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle. I for one tip him for greatness, so expect to see him back at Cheltenham next year.

McCoy v Walsh Possibly the two best and most decorated jump jockeys in the history of the sport, Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy have been dominant in big races over the last ten years, and a thrilling finale to the County Hurdle on day four saw them battle it out once again. If McCoy could win this one aboard the well-backed Get Me Out Of Here, who finished second in last year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle, then he would only trail Walsh 4-3 in 2011 festival winners. The Jonjo O’Neill trained horse looked to have the race sewn up when pulling clear into the final furlong, until a fantastic late burst from near the back of the field saw Walsh’s mount Final Approach meet him on the line. A tense photo finish revealed that Final Approach had done enough to see off his rival by the narrowest of margins,  giving the mercurial Irishman a fifth winner and securing the prize of the festival’s leading jockey. This was horseracing at its very finest; two incredible sportsmen doing battle aboard top class horses to delight the capacity crowd at Cheltenham.

Triumph and Cruelty My final pick also took place on day four of the festival, where two races showed not only the triumph that characterises the Cheltenham Festival, but also the cruelty of crushed hopes and dreams. There was a frenzy of excitement ahead of the Gold Cup as a strong field lined up, including previous winners Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander, as well as the new sensation Long Run. As the race panned out most of the challengers and even the defending champion Imperial Commander would fade, and at the bend with two to jump, it was the two veterans, and two of the best chasers of this century, Kauto Star and Denman who lined up in front to battle it out. Long Run, almost half the age of the two stalwarts, appeared to be ridden hard but managed to find extra to range up alongside Kauto and Denman to set up a mouth-watering final few furlongs. The young challenger had been supremely impressive in winning the King George VI Chase at Ascot back in January, and showed his class once again, managing to kick clear of the valiant pair and win his first Gold Cup, under the mount of amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, an incredible achievement. Denman finished second under a tremendous ride from Sam Thomas, while Kauto Star was third in what amounted to a superb effort from a horse of true class but whose powers are on the wane. To me, it seemed like the two legends handing over the crown to the new hero, a truly special moment. I for one couldn’t have asked for a better Gold Cup.

In horseracing, names of the winners will endure in memory, but what of the losers? The next race, the Foxhunters Chase, would demonstrate how cruel the sport can be. Favourite for the race and last year’s victor, Baby Run, was partnered by 16-year-old jockey Willy Twiston-Davis, son of trainer Nigel. The fledgling jockey guided the horse over a near perfect round of twenty fences, and was still traveling well to lead the race from 33-1 shot Zemsky with two remaining. Disaster struck on the penultimate fence; Baby Run didn’t get high enough and unseated Twiston-Davies, leaving Zemsky with a clear run to the finish line to claim victory. The young jockey was seen beating the turf after his fall, and was inconsolable when walking off the track. It was impossible not to feel for him; indeed, it capped a bitterly disappointing day for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ yard after great hope Imperial Commander failed in the Gold Cup. Nonetheless, his two sons’ are promising young jockeys, and there will plenty more years for Willy to claim a Festival winner.

The two races showed the ups and downs of a career in horseracing, and that there is a thin dividing line between triumph and failure.

Cheltenham Festival 2011 Preview

From Tuesday 15^th to Friday 19^th of March, the standout event in the horseracing calendar, the Cheltenham Festival will be taking place. A week of emerging heroes, fallen dreams, drama and excitement is in the offing as the best horses in the business go up against each other for the most prestigious national hunt prizes.

On Tuesday the highlight of the day is the Champion Hurdle, which looks to be as keenly contested as ever this year. My money is on Menorah; the Phillip Hobbs trained 6-year-old offers a strong chance having won twice at Cheltenham already this season, showing a frightening turn of foot when beating Cue Card last time out. He won the Supreme Novices Hurdle last year; always a sure sign of a potential Champion Hurdler and is saddled by the dependable Richard Johnson. His biggest challenge could perhaps come from the Willie Mullins’ trained Irish raider Hurricane Fly, who is unbeaten this season, but is an unknown quantity outside of Ireland. Last year’s winner and A.P. McCoy favourite Binocular can never be discounted, while many punters fancy the unbeaten Peddlers Cross, who also won at the Festival last year.

Meanwhile, Cue Card is expected to justify strong favouritism to land the Supreme Novices Hurdle, although he could face stiff competition from Recession Proof who was impressive in winning at Newbury last weekend. In the Arkle Chase, Medermit is strongly fancied, but I definitely believe this horse can be beaten; it may be worth taking a gamble on Captain Chris, who has been consistently impressive in this his breakthrough season.

On to Wednesday, and the highlight is certainly the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The line-up oozes class; Big Zeb is likely to go off favourite after his dominating victory in this race last year, but it looks as if the classy two times winner of the race Master Minded will be lining up alongside him in a bid to regain his crown. This could be a fascinating battle, but it would be unwise to rule out Somersby, who may have something to say about the outcome if he is on song.

One of the safest bets of the festival is surely Time For Rupert in the RSA Chase provided he jumps well, and it remains to be seen whether the Paul Nicholls trained Aitenthirtythree can come of age to mount a serious challenge. The Coral Cup has always been something of a lottery due to the big field, but if I had to make a selection I would say that Get Me Out Of Here should provide good each-way value.

Thursday’s World Hurdle exhibits one of the greats in Big Bucks; the powerhouse has incredibly won his previous ten races and is bidding to secure a hat-trick of world hurdle victories. This year he faces a young pretender in Grands Crus, who was mightily impressive winning at Cheltenham a few weeks ago, and David Pipe will no doubt have got his crown jewel in great shape for this one.

The Ryanair Chase is always a memorable clash of top-class steeplechasers and this year Poquelin looks set to head the market after a fine run last time out, but he is not consistent enough for me. There are plenty in with shouts and the Birmingham based Weird Al could be an interesting proposition should he run.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the pinnacle for jumps horses, jockeys and trainers and on Friday this should be the theatre for some fantastic entertainment as the usual suspects lock horns once again. Those connected with Imperial Commander will be confident that he can repeat last year’s success when he surprised many punters by beating the favourites Kauto Star and Denman, who will be seeking retribution. A lot has been said about the in-form Nicky Henderson’s young horse Long Run, who was superb in putting his rivals to the sword in the King George Chase at Kempton Park in January, while Irish horse Pandorama could be in with an outside chance, having only failed to win one of his trips over fences. It is a mouth-watering reunion and a race that is bound to be filled with excitement and drama.

So get down to your nearest bookies, place some bets, and sit back and enjoy the ‘Sport of Kings’. It promises to be a week of five star entertainment!

Sport and Politics: an uncomfortable alliance

Sport. That divine thing; the one entity which competitors and viewers alike can participate in physically and emotionally while bigger issues, such as world politics, take a backseat. In theory, sport and politics should remain separate, but in practice the two are inextricably linked and can have a major influence on each other.

Take the recent example of Bahrain. This was supposed to be the scene of the opening Grand Prix of the Formula One season, an occasion that would arouse excitement considering the thrilling finish to the previous campaign. However, the political turmoil and violent protests in the country make it an unsafe venue to stage the event; nobody wins here, from the Bahrain track organisers, to the Formula One moguls and benefactors all the way to the television companies – but it is a decision which cannot be argued with. This is nothing new; a parallel can be seen in the cricket world where the politically volatile situation in Pakistan has made it too risky an environment to stage international cricket matches, which has been to the detriment of the Pakistan team.

The last thing fans of sport want is for politics to affect how tournaments are conducted. But this has been rife all the way through sport, from Olympic Games boycotts due to Cold War tensions, to the recent decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite its colossal summer temperatures.

Nonetheless, sport and politics can be of simultaneous benefit to each other. The examples are widespread; Jesse Owens’ medal haul in the 1936 Berlin Olympics generated pride in the black race, while South African victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup went some way to breaking down Apartheid prejudices and promoting national unity.

Whether providing positive or negative ramifications, sport and politics will remain inseparable. The venues, the competition formats, the money involved; these decisions all have their roots in politics. But one hopes that no matter where the event is contested, under what circumstances and in what temperature (stadium cooling technology anyone?), political concerns will never encroach on the raw emotion of competitive sport.

What the future holds for Ernests Gulbis

Promising Latvian tennis player Ernests Gulbis lost in straight sets to Benjamin Becker in the Australian Open last month to make it five Grand Slam exits in a row at the first hurdle. It is a worrying pattern emerging for a young man talked up as having so much potential, and who has been tipped as a future slam winner.

Let's not get carried away here; Gulbis is only 22, but it has been four years on the circuit now and the Latvian hasn’t managed to build on his French Open quarter final effort in 2008 when at the tender age of 19. Standout performances on the ATP tour have not been backed up with consistency, and while his rank has improved recently, I’m concerned that this wonderful talent will not fulfil his true potential.

Gulbis is from a wealthy family in Latvia, and was given top coaching from a young age to nurture his considerable gift for tennis. He turned professional in 2004 when at the age of 16, and alerted the world to his ability with a fearless display in reaching the fourth round of the US Open in his first Grand Slam. His fine performance at Roland Garros the following season led some in the tennis world to tip him for greatness, but a combination of injury, temperament and unconvincing work ethic caused the Latvian’s career to stagnate somewhat.

However, a maiden title at Delray Beach in February 2010 confirmed Gulbis was back on track, before a remarkable performance to stun the imperious Roger Federer in the Italian Open hinted that this could be a breakthrough year for the effervescent European. His fine form on clay led to him being seeded for the French Open, and made him an outside tip to break the Federer/Nadal Grand Slam stronghold. Alas, Gulbis disappointed again, going out with a whimper in the opening round as he limped off when two sets down to Frenchman Julien Benettau. Failure in Melbourne has followed, so it’s back to the drawing board for Ernests.

What is the clue to this fascinating riddle then? Gulbis is certainly unique. His exciting stroke-play and fearless commitment to hitting outright winners makes him an extremely watchable player as well as an unpredictable opponent. However, this spontaneous tendency to go for the outrageous can frustrate as much as it can draw resounding praise; while the drop-shot can be regarded as Gulbis’ pièce de résistance, it can also be seen as his bête noire when things aren’t going well for the Latvian. Gulbis’ mentality has also been called into question; he hasn’t developed a mental toughness in the same way as the likes of Novak Djokovic, which can put him at a serious disadvantage in important, closely fought matches. Then there is his lax off-the-court attitude; Gulbis admittedly ‘hates training’ and indulges in nightclubs and women more than a tennis protégé probably should do.

He has drawn comparisons to Russian former world number one Marat Safin and it is not hard to see why. The aggressive playing style and powerful serve is matched by the volatile attitude, while Gulbis is even coached by Safin’s former employer, Argentinian Hernan Gumy. Safin managed two Grand Slam victories in his career, but there always lingered a sense of what might have been, for the Russian was unbeatable on his day.

One hopes Gulbis can match and even eclipse Safin’s significant achievements, but persistent doubts remain over whether the young Latvian has what it takes to go this far in his tennis career. He needs to mature quickly; dedication has been a key element in the rise of other young stars such as Djokovic and Andy Murray who now occupy world number three and four rankings respectively.

With players of this calibre in front of him, and of course with the impervious Rafael Nadal in the prime of his career, it is an unenviable task for Gulbis to match these players on a regular basis. Unfortunately, unless his temperament and consistency improve rapidly, I can’t see him doing this. However, I believe that his swashbuckling play could reap rewards when all the positive aspects of his game come together in a major tournament, and that this maverick talent will one day see his name appear among the greats as a Grand Slam winner.

Hodgson's new home the Hawthorns as he returns to managerial hot-seat

West Bromwich Albion this week appointed Roy Hodgson to succeed Roberto Di Matteo at the Hawthorns, scarcely a month after his unceremonious departure from Liverpool. The Roy Hodgson saga at Anfield brings one common phrase to mind; the grass is not always greener on the other side. His achievements at Fulham were magnificent; after narrowly saving them from relegation, Hodgson steered the Cottagers to a more than respectable seventh in the subsequent 2008/09 season. However, the highlight of his time at the West London club was a marvellous run to the Europa League Final, exemplified by a 4-1 demolition of Italian giants Juventus, leading to Hodgson being voted LMA (League Managers Association) Manager of the Year after the 2009/10 campaign.

Rarely has a managers stock plummeted so dramatically. After a summer move to Liverpool, Hodgson endured a miserable six months at the helm of the most successful club in English history. His tenure at Anfield saw the Reds make their worst start to a league campaign in 82 years as they dropped into the relegation zone, and Hodgson was relieved of his duties at Melwood with the Merseyside club languishing in 12^th place in the league, having won just seven of twenty league games with the 63 year-old in charge.

In the end it simply appeared a job too much for the popular Englishman. The stress told on Hodgson and he no longer gave the appearance of a man capable of improving the team’s fortunes. A couple of his comments to the media defied logic; describing League Two strugglers Northampton Town as ‘formidable’ opponents ahead of Liverpool’s shock Carling Cup defeat to the Cobblers was particularly bemusing, as well as his assessment of a 2-0 defeat to bitter local rivals Everton as ‘as good as we’ve played this season’. Fans did not take to Hodgson’s defensive tactics or his perceived criticism of their support, and there was a feeling of relief among many, possibly even Hodgson himself when he parted company with the Reds on 8^th January 2010.

Surely a break from the stresses of football management was the antidote. However, just a month later we find Hodgson back in the managerial hot seat at West Bromwich Albion, a club battling to retain their Premier League status. A run of 13 defeats in 18 matches convinced West Brom’s board to take evasive action and dismiss Roberto Di Matteo. This provided another example of a manager’s stock falling in a short space of time. After a great start to life back in the top flight for the Midlands side, Di Matteo was awarded Manager of the Month for September and was widely touted as one of the brightest young managers in the English game.

However, just four months on Di Matteo finds himself out of a job. The sacking attracted widespread criticism; LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan commented that ‘Roberto represents another victim of the hire-and-fire mentality that pervades our game’. It is difficult not to sympathise with the Italian, but you can also see the logic behind the dismissal. West Brom have gained the reputation of a ‘yo-yo’ club in recent years, renowned for adventurous passing football, but unable to establish themselves as a permanent fixture in the Premier League. Financial concerns now make survival imperative, and the board clearly see Hodgson as a man who can tighten up the defence and put to bed the Baggies’ reputation as chronic division changers.

Hodgson admitted that he didn’t intend to get back into football so quickly, stating that the West Bromwich Albion board ‘sold the project’ to him. It is believed that Hodgson will be in charge of coaching and team selection, whilst the highly rated Sporting and Technical Director Dan Ashworth will handle player recruitment, another aspect of management that Hodgson received criticism for during his time at Liverpool. It remains to be seen whether this partnership set-up will help one of football’s true gentlemen restore his reputation as a manager of the highest calibre.

So what can Roy Hodgson bring to West Brom? The well-travelled coach has achieved Premier League survival in a relegation scrap before with Fulham after being appointed mid-season, so he brings vital experience that Di Matteo lacked. This was surely an important factor in the board’s decision to appoint Hodgson and not former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton, who also held talks with the club. Hodgson’s pressing style, attention to set pieces and well drilled training methods should tighten up a defence that has been leaking goals as of late, and with quality attacking players such as James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Peter Odemwingie all impressing this season, his new side should be able to find the net often enough themselves.

Nonetheless, Hodgson definitely has a tough job on his hands, albeit under less pressure than he was at Liverpool. West Brom’s defence is undoubtedly one of the weakest in the division, which was evident from the weekend’s game against West Ham in which they managed to throw away a three goal lead with some kamikaze defending. Hodgson was in the stands for this one; the way the Baggies contributed to their own downfall may have alarmed him, but he has this week to prepare his team for a crucial six pointer against bottom club Wolves on Sunday. One eye may well be creeping a bit further down the fixture list as well to a 2^nd April clash against none other than Liverpool, Hodgson’s previous employers. The wounds of his short lived spell at Anfield will still be raw, but what better way to lay his demons to rest than to win at the Hawthorns in that encounter.