He looked forward to sharing the limelight with Kramnik and put his defeat down to the fact that he hadn’t lost anything for two years.He chose to exclude all discussion of his turbulent private life with a swift “the reasons for my loss are purely related to my preparation”.But when he was asked how he could appear to be a calm and happy man, his expression immediately changed He looked, quite frankly, a bit annoyed “You want me to cry?” he hissed, raising a crooked eyebrow. “Lay down on the floor? I behave with class all my life and I behave with class now.” And he stalked out through the entrance hall, walking over the black and white squared motif on the floor.. Andrew Davies moved into fifth place in the Western European League of the World Cup on Saturday, when he rode Captain Wellington to win the qualifier at the World Cup Show here in County Cork. Andrew Davies moved into fifth place in the Western European League of the World Cup on Saturday, when he rode Captain Wellington to win the qualifier at the World Cup Show here in County Cork.
The Welshman, who had been in contention for a place on Britain’s Olympic team, completed one of only two clear opening rounds. First into the jump-off, he left himself vulnerable when the horse removed a rail from the last fence, but Ireland’s Edward Doyle, the Welshman’s sole rival, failed to capitalise on the mistake when his Wingates King Koal had two fences down in a faster time.Doyle had fallen off after completing his earlier clear round, but he had already gone through the finish and so remained eligible for the jump-off.

Meanwhile Robert Smith, who was favourite after winning the World Cup pre-qualifier on Friday night, had dropped out when Senator Mr Springfield lowered the second part of the double, the 12th of 13 fences.Carl Edwards also had a single error with his Olympic mount, the mare Bit More Candy, who hit the first and easiest fence on the course. Both Smith and Edwards were among the eight who shared third place, collecting 11 points each for the World Cup League.Davies now has to decide whether he will avail of the winning rider’s option to compete in another World Cup contest before he takes Captain Wellington to the Olympia Show Jumping Championships in December. “If we go anywhere it will be to Amsterdam, but I haven’t yet made up my mind,” Davies said, after winning his first ever World Cup class.Cameron Hanley, winner of the King’s Cup at Hickstead, took the Irish Indoor Grand Prix on Ballaseyr Leonardo.. Kieren Fallon is to make his comeback by riding for the trainer Kiaran McLaughlin in the United Arab Emirates this winter. Fallon has been absent since sustaining shoulder injuries in a fall at Ascot in June. Kieren Fallon is to make his comeback by riding for the trainer Kiaran McLaughlin in the United Arab Emirates this winter. Fallon has been absent since sustaining shoulder injuries in a fall at Ascot in June.
Limestone Lad had no more than a schooling session at odds of 1-7 at Punchestown yesterday to extend his unbeaten record over fences to three and retain 5-1 favouritism with Liam Cashman for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham in March.Al Capone was yesterday thwarted by First Gold, a King George VI Chase possible for François Doumen, in his attempt to win Auteuil’s Prix la Haye Jousselin for a world record eighth consecutive time..

It was a mixed weekend for Loughborough Students. Pride of place must go to their women, who overcame a first-minute goal to beat Chelmsford 3-2 on Saturday, thereby inflicting on the Essex club their first Premier Division defeat of the season

It was a mixed weekend for Loughborough Students. Pride of place must go to their women, who overcame a first-minute goal to beat Chelmsford 3-2 on Saturday, thereby inflicting on the Essex club their first Premier Division defeat of the season.
At Trent Park the men went even better on the same afternoon to beat second-placed Southgate 4-1 in their Premier Division with goals from Sam Ornbo, Tim Benford, Andrew Langlands and Jerome Goudie. Yesterday, however, in the EHA Cup they were leading Cannock 3-1 at the interval only to concede two late goals and end up being beaten 5-4 on penalty strokes.Bowden and Belper, both heading their regional leagues, accounted for National League First Division opponents in the Cup. Bowden, with Jeremy Plastow scoring twice, beat Barford Tigers 4-3 while Belper’s James Stedman scored both his side’s goals in a 2-1 victory against Stourport.The former Teddington striker Andy Billson, now Northampton Saints’ player-coach, scored twice as Saints beat another National League side Harleston Magpies 3-1, while Old Georgians thrashed East Grinstead 5-2.The day’s biggest Cup win was Beeston’s 10-2 defeat of Solihull Blossomfield, in which James McBlane scored five. Surbiton’s South African Greg Nicol got two in their 4-2 win at Guildford which keeps them top of the Premier Division and then four in yesterday’s 5-1 Cup win against Bromley..

To Kalanisi the spoils, to Giant’s Causeway the honour. When the first Breeders’ Cup of the new millennium is reviewed, the central thread may not be of Europe’ 18th winner at the series but rather its last loser

To Kalanisi the spoils, to Giant’s Causeway the honour. When the first Breeders’ Cup of the new millennium is reviewed, the central thread may not be of Europe’ 18th winner at the series but rather its last loser.
Indeed, the post mortem was already blazing furiously yesterday morning and Michael Kinane, Giant’s Causeway’s rider, was the man getting burned.The career terminus for the Iron Horse, in Saturday’s Classic at Churchill Downs, culminated in a neck second placing to the Chris McCarron-ridden Tiznow. That was the difference between the horses, but some believe it may have been provoked by the difference between the jockeys.Certainly Kinane got himself in a scruffy jumble coming down the stretch. In the cold, bright light of Louisville yesterday morning the Irishman admitted to an error of judgement “The whip just got caught in the rein,” he said “That’s what happens. It was a mistake I made for a stride or so, but it was very late in the day and I thought the horse had given everything he had.”I think the winner was stronger in the closing stages I thought my horse had given everything He ran his heart out. It was a mistake but I don’t think it had any bearing on the result.”This was no flagrant error, no repetition of Frankie Dettori’s assault on Swain in the same race, on the same track, two years ago.

But its consequences may have been as damaging.Aidan O’Brien, Giant’s Causeway’s trainer, yesterday talked in a way which suggested he had made a forensic examination of the tape of the race. He talked in a way which suggested that Giant’s Causeway was the moral winner. “The horse was very unlucky because when he [Kinane] went to pull his stick through he lost his reins at a vital time,” the trainer said. “About half a furlong out when he was just ready to go by.”He lost his momentum and he only gives you what you ask That’s the way he’s always been He never gives in, but he only gives what you ask for. You apply pressure to him, and the minute you ease up on him he just eases back. That’s just natural.”Defeat, though, did not diminish the Iron Horse.