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The Rashid Awajan KA al-Khayarin-owned and Hamad al-Jehani-trained Toromona recorded a pillar-to-post victory to annex the Al Ghashamiah Cup at the QREC’s Al Uqda Racecourse on Thursday.Jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev took the six-year-old son of Shamardal to the front from the word ‘go’ and stretched away well to win the Thoroughbred Conditions over 2100m contest, the day’s feature, by two lengths. Sharq Stud’s El Chaco came second, while Al Wasmiyah Farm’s Maraseem finished third. Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.In the penultimate race of the day, jockey Szczepan Mazur, trained MHK al-Attiyah and Al Jeryan Stud completed a double on the card when the Polish rider guided Al Buraq, in the colours of Al Jeryan Stud, to half a length victory in the 2100m race for the Local Thoroughbred Conditions for three-year-old+.The owner-jockey-trainer pair was in the winners’ enclosure earlier in the day when Mazur rode AJS Haizum to win in the 1400m race for the Purebred Arabian Handicap (65-85) for three-year-old+.Wathnan Racing-owned and Alban de Mieulle-trained Farida won the 2100m contest for the Purebred Arabian Handicap (70-90) for four-year-old+ by a neck under a confident ride by Youssef Lachhab. In the card opener, Al Shaqab Racing-owned and Jean de Mieulle-trained Mawhob won the 1400m Thoroughbred Maiden Plate for three-six-year-olds by two lengths.RESULTS8th Al Rayyan Race Meeting -WINNERS: (Horse, owner, trainer, jockey)Al Ghashamiah Cup, Thoroughbred Conditions, 3-year-old+, 2100mToromona (IRE), Rashid Awajan KA al-Khayarin, Hamad al-Jehani, Bauyrzhan MurzabayevLocal Thoroughbred Conditions, 3-year-old+, 2100mAl Buraq (QA), Al Jeryan Stud, MHK al-Attiyah, Szczepan MazurPurebred Arabian Handicap (80-100), 3-year-old+, 1400mGinkeau (FR), Osama Omer E al-Dafea, Osama Omer E al-Dafea, Xavier ZianiLocal Purebred Arabian Handicap (70-90), 3-year-old+, 1400mHabes (QA), Abdulaziz Saleh al-Jaber, Hadi al-Ramzani, Soufiane SaadiPurebred Arabian Handicap (70-90), 4YO+, 2100mFarida (FR), Wathnan Racing, Alban de Mieulle, Youssef Lachhabocal Thoroughbred Handicap (40-60), 3-year-old+, 1300mIrtiqaa (QA), Meshaal bin Ali M A al-Attiyah, Mohamed Khaled Elahmed, Fayos Martin BorjaPurebred Arabian Handicap (65-85), 3-year-old+, 1400mAJS Haizum (QA), Al Jeryan Stud, MHK al-Attiyah, Szczepan MazurThoroughbred Maiden Plate, 3-6-year-olds, 1400mMawhob (FR), Al Shaqab Racing, Jean de Mieulle, Faleh Bughanaim

ReutersLondonWorld number two and five-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ), the International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Thursday.Swiatek tested positive in an out-of-competition sample in August but the ITIA, which runs tennis’s anti-doping programme, accepted that it was caused by contamination of her medication melatonin, which was manufactured and sold over the counter in her native Poland.Swiatek said she had been taking it for jet lag and sleep issues and as there was no significant fault or negligence, the ITIA ruled it was “the lowest end of the range” and offered the reigning French Open champion a one-month suspension which the 23-year-old accepted.“The player was provisionally suspended from Sept. 12 until Oct. 4, missing three tournaments, which counts towards the sanction, leaving eight days remaining,” the ITIA said in a statement.”She also forfeited prize money from the Cincinnati Open, the tournament directly following the test.Swiatek, who had pulled out of tournaments in Asia in September citing personal matters and fatigue, described the ordeal of testing positive as the “worst experience of my life”.She was world number one when she failed the test and having skipped the Asian swing, Aryna Sabalenka leapfrogged her in the world rankings to eventually end the year as number one.“In the last 2.5 months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence,” Swiatek said on Instagram.“The only positive doping test in my career, showing unbelievably low level of a banned substance I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question.“Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained, and with a clean slate I can go back to what I love most.”Swiatek, whose anti-doping violation was not made public at the time, had her provisional suspension lifted after providing samples of her melatonin product to the WADA-accredited SMRTL laboratory in Salt Lake City which confirmed detecting low doses of TMZ in both opened and sealed containers of the product.The provisional suspension was lifted on Oct. 4 and the case forwarded to an Independent Tribunal.Swiatek is not the first world number one to fail a doping test this year after Italy’s Jannik Sinner, the men’s top-ranked player, also tested positive for anabolic agent clostebol.However, Sinner was cleared of wrongdoing by an independent tribunal ahead of the US Open, which he went on to win. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the tribunal’s finding of “no fault or negligence”.With two of the biggest names in tennis escaping lengthy bans for anti-doping violations, questions are being raised about the sport’s reputation.Addressing the media on Thursday, ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse said: “These are not cases of intentional doping. We’re dealing with inadvertent breaches of the rules.“So I don’t think this is a cause for concern for tennis fans. I think the fact that we’re being clearly open, transparent, and it shows the breadth and depth of our anti-doping programme.”Swiatek played in Cincinnati, where she was the top seed and reached the semi-finals. The WTA said she won nearly $159,000 in prize money at the tournament won by Sabalenka.Swiatek then took part in the US Open where she was knocked out in the quarter-finals before the WTA Finals in Riyadh where she failed to advance from the group stage.She also represented Poland at the Billie Jean King Cup where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions Italy.The women’s tour (WTA) said they acknowledged the ITIA’s decision and that they “fully support” Swiatek.“Iga has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to fair play and upholding the principles of clean sport, and this unfortunate incident highlights the challenges athletes face in navigating the use of medications and supplements,” the WTA said.

Hosts Qatar scored a comfortable six-wicket win over Saudi Arabia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B match at the University of Doha for Science & Technology ground on Thursday.Qatar finished with a tally of 10 points from their six games to join Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea in the Regional Final.Also advancing were UAE with 12 points and Bahrain with 6 points.Saudi Arabia and Thailand also finished on 6 points each but were missed out on net run rate.Cambodia ended with 2 points while Bhutan had 0.Chasing a target of 166 for victory, Qatar were guided by Mohammad Ahnaff, who scored a fifty, while Saqlain Arshad and Muhammad Tanveer made 45 and 36 runs respectively, reaching home in 17.5 overs.The tournament, held at the West End International Cricket Stadium and the Doha University of Science and Technology Stadium, featured three matches daily.A total of 12 local referees and 21 international referees oversaw the competitions. The top two teams from the sub-qualifiers advanced to the second round of the World Cup qualifiers, with the venue yet to be determined.Khalid al-Suwaidi praises teamKhalid al-Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Qatar Cricket Committee, expressed satisfaction with the successful organisation and technical execution of the tournament.He praised the strong performance of the Qatari team, which qualified for the second round for the first time.Al-Suwaidi also acknowledged the positive feedback from participating delegations and guests, highlighting the high-quality facilities and comfortable accommodations provided. He expressed hope that the Qatari team would continue its strong performance and secure a top spot in the second round of the qualifiers.

British adventure brand Defender will be the official car partner of the Dakar Rally from 2025 and from 2026, a Defender works team will compete in what is the world’s toughest rally raid event.Starting with the 2025 Dakar Rally (3-17 January) and set to continue to 2028, the partnership will provide a fleet of Defenders to support the event, transporting rally officials and VIP media for the duration of the competition. Along with Defender branding across Dakar, a fleet of six specialised Defender recce vehicles will also be supplied to support officials of the Dakar organisation, to test routes for future Dakar events.In addition to its role as official car partner from 2025, Defender has confirmed its intention to enter a works team, beginning in 2026. Defender’s commitment will prove its extreme durability and capability in the world’s most demanding off-road competition. Details about the future Defender rally raid competition programme will be announced during Dakar 2025.Mark Cameron, Defender Managing Director, said: “Adventure is in the very DNA of the Defender brand, so we are inspired to partner with Dakar – the ultimate motorsport adventure – where competitors truly embrace the impossible.“Our partnership begins in 2025 when Defender will showcase its capability and durability as the official car of the event, but we are already looking to the future and entering a Defender Dakar works team from 2026. That Defender Dakar works programme will be led by James Barclay, JLR Motorsport Managing Director, and I know James and his team are inspired by the challenge that lays ahead.”James Barclay, JLR Motorsport Managing Director, said: “Anyone who loves motorsport will have a passion for Dakar. It’s the Everest of motorsport and an event where success is dependent as much on human determination in the toughest of conditions as it is ultimate test for vehicle and engineering capability. Bringing the world’s most capable and iconic 4x4 to the world’s most iconic rally-raid is a perfect fit.“Our first time ever with a factory entry into the Dakar means we are right at the beginning of our journey. We are conscious of how much we have to learn and achieve before taking the start in 2026, but we are already well under way and looking forward to the adventure. We will share more details of this exciting programme at the Dakar rally in 2025.”David Castera, Director of the Dakar: “We are thrilled to welcome Defender as the new official car partner of the Dakar. It is an iconic brand, present on all continents, that shares our passion for adventure, performance, and innovation. We are also excited that Defender will accompany us throughout the year, providing vehicles for the organising teams and for the route reconnaissance. Their reliability and robustness will help us improve our daily efficiency. Furthermore, starting in 2026, Defender will enter the competition as an official team. Together, we will shine a spotlight on Dakar on the international stage and offer a unique experience to all.”The fleet of Defender support vehicles will follow competitors in the 2025 Dakar – the 47 th edition of the event, and the sixth in Saudi Arabia – as they take on a course stretching from Bisha to Shubaytah. The epic route includes a demanding three-day adventure through the Empty Quarter, where the race will reach its conclusion.

Spinner Shoaib Bashir took four for 69 as England recovered from a poor start to reduce New Zealand to 319 for eight at the close of play on the opening day of an evenly poised first Test on Thursday. Seamers Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse also grabbed a couple of wickets apiece as the tourists dragged New Zealand back every time they looked like pulling away at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval. Kane Williamson was dismissed seven runs short of a hundred, Black Caps skipper Tom Latham three shy of a quickfire half-century, and four wickets were taken at the cost of 59 runs immediately after tea. Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry put together a stand of 46 for the eighth wicket to steady the innings but the latter holed out for 18 to give Bashir his fourth wicket.Phillips will resume on 41 not out alongside Tim Southee, who had made 10, with the late runs having probably nudged New Zealand back ahead in an intriguing contest.“I think both teams worked really hard, and I think from our perspective, we were pleased with the partnerships throughout,” said Williamson.England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl on a wicket with a green tinge but New Zealand denied him the early inroads into their batting order he would have liked. He did get an almost immediate return when Atkinson dismissed Devon Conway for two in the second over, while Carse also struck before lunch to halt Latham with an edge at 47.Williamson and Rachin Ravindra put on 68 for the third wicket, however, before Stokes brought on youngster Bashir, who separated them with a full toss.Ravindra took on the delivery but only managed to punch it straight to Zak Crawley at midwicket, leaving the New Zealand all-rounder shaking his head as he trudged off the field with 34 runs to his name. Williamson, recalled after a groin strain ruled him out of the recent series triumph in India, hit successive boundaries off Bashir to bring up a half-century off 90 balls and set about building towards his 33rd Test century. New Zealand headed to tea at 193-3 but England changed things up with a short-ball barrage after the second break and it had an almost immediate impact. Some injudicious shot-making from the home batters helped as Daryl Mitchell (19) holed out in the deep off Carse, while Tom Blundell (17) and new cap Nathan Smith (3) both fell to catches off the bowling of Bashir.Bashir, who can become the first spinner to bag five wickets in an innings at Hagley Oval, said the encouragement he received from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum gave him confidence.BRIEF SCORES(First Test, Day 1)New Zealand 319 for 8 (Williamson 93, Latham 47, Phillips 41*, Bashir 4-69)vs England (yet to bat)

Marco Jansen bowled South Africa into a dominant position as Sri Lanka crashed to 42 all out, their lowest total in Test cricket, on the second day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.The left-arm fast bowler took seven for 13 as Sri Lanka were bowled out in 13.5 overs – the second-shortest completed Test innings in history. It gave South Africa a first innings lead of 149 after they had been dismissed for a modest 191 in their first innings. The hosts stretched their lead to 281 runs when they scored 132 for three in their second innings.Yet the 2.06-metre Jansen, one of the tallest players in international cricket, admitted that he struggled to control the ball at the start of his spell with a strong wind blowing across the ground being a “massive factor”.Having played only in eight T20 matches since returning from a three-month “conditioning break”, the 24-year-old Jansen sent down a wide and a no-ball before opening batsman Pathum Nissanka had to put bat on ball. “I struggled to get my wrist behind the ball. It felt like I was battling something but I just tried to make it work,” he said. Kagiso Rabada made the breakthrough for South Africa when he had Dimuth Karunaratne caught at first slip before Jansen, in his second over, bowled a delivery close enough to Nissanka to induce an edge to third slip. It sparked an inspired spell. Jansen’s pace and bounce, allied with the ability to make the ball swing in as a variation to his natural angle across right-handed batsmen, proved devastating.But he still bowled another two no-balls. After at least two of his wickets he looked back anxiously at the umpire to make sure he hadn’t over-stepped again.He said, though, that once he found his rhythm, “the ball was moving nice and quickly off the pitch. We knew if we put the ball in the right areas we would always be in the game.”He said his break from cricket, ordered by Cricket South Africa, had refreshed him mentally. “I feel I can go for longer periods of time, concentrating at a high level,” said Jansen.Good work undone by collapseSri Lanka’s collapse negated the efforts of their bowlers, who dismissed South Africa in an extended morning’s play. Captain Temba Bavuma top-scored with 70 for South Africa.Opening bowlers Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando took three and two wickets respectively but the major damage was done by fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, whose figures of three for 70 did not do justice to an aggressive performance.Apart from his wickets, Kumara forced all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to retire hurt with a fractured right middle finger.Mulder was ruled out of bowling or fielding for the rest of the match – although he returned at the fall of the ninth wicket to help Kagiso Rabada add 26 runs for the last wicket.Surprisingly, he batted at number three in the second innings, scoring 15 in what seems certain to be his last involvement in the match.Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya provided a highlight for Sri Lanka when he dismissed Tony de Zorzi for 17 in the second innings. It was his 100th wicket in his 17th Test, the joint second-fewest matches in history to reach the milestone.“I am really pleased with the effort,” said Jayasuriya. “There’s been a lot of support from the team and the coaching staff.”Jayasuriya said the team were disappointed with their batting effort but were determined to fight back.BRIEF SCORES (Durban, Day 2)South Africa 191 (Bavuma 70, Maharaj 24, Asitha 3-44) and 132 for 3 (Markram 47, Bavuma 24*, Jayasuriya 2-48) lead Sri Lanka 42 (Kamindu 13, Jansen 7-13, Coetzee 2-18) by 281 runs.

Kamran Ghulam struck a maiden one-day international century as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 99 runs in Bulawayo on Thursday to seal a 2-1 series victory.His 103 helped Pakistan reach 303-6 in 50 overs at Queens Sports Club – a total Zimbabwe never look like bettering and the hosts were all out for 204 in 40.1 overs.It was Pakistan’s 56th victory in 65 ODIs against Zimbabwe.After losing a rain-shortened first match in the southern city by 80 runs last Sunday, the tourists bounced back to wallop the home team by 10 wickets two days later.Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan said: “I am proud because we lost the first game and expectations from the country were high.“We came back to win the series and that has given us confidence. Away matches are always difficult, always different from home.”Pakistan won the toss, opted to bat and after the loss of opener Saim Ayub with 58 on the scoreboard, Ghulam took centre stage.Initially cautious, the No. 3 batter gradually accelerated the run rate and put on 54 for the second wicket with opener Abdullah Shafique.Having posted a half century, Shafique fluffed an attempted sweep and was trapped leg before by Pakistan-born all-rounder Sikandar Raza. His 68-ball knock included a six and five fours.Ghulam continued to torment the Zimbabwe bowlers with various partners, striking four sixes and 10 fours off 99 deliveries before becoming the fourth Pakistani wicket to fall, caught at deep cover by Clive Madande off Richard Ngarava.Raza and Ngarava took two wickets each for Zimbabwe, but at a heavy cost, conceding 102 runs between them. The last five overs were particularly expensive as Pakistan added 69.Zimbabwe began disastrously in response to the formidable Pakistan total with opener Joylord Gumbie and Dion Myers out and just 10 runs on the board.Veteran captain Craig Ervine made 51 in a 63-ball stand that included six boundaries, one a six before dragging an Aamer Jamal bouncer on to the leg stump.Raza, often the Zimbabwe saviour, was also fell to Jamal for 16, caught at deep square leg after mistiming a short delivery from the fast medium pacer.Zimbabwe and Pakistan begin a three-match Twenty20 international series in Bulawayo on Sunday.The tourists then head to South Africa for an eight-match all-formats tour, including two Test matches.Brief scoresPakistan 303-6 in 50 overs (K. Ghulam 103, A. Shafique 50; M. Rizwan 37, S. Ayub 31, A. Salman 30; S. Raza 2-47, R. Ngarava 2-55) v Zimbabwe 204 in 40.1 overs (C. Ervine 51, B. Bennett 37, S. Williams 24, T. Marumani 24; A. Jamal 2-19, Ayub 2-29, H. Rauf 2-34, A. Ahmed 2-45)Result: Pakistan won by 99 runsSeries: Pakistan won 2-1Toss: Pakistan

DOHA: South African Ian Snyman made a promising start, taking a one-stroke lead on the opening day of the US$2.5mn International Series Qatar at Doha Golf Club (DGC) on Wednesday. Snyman shot a confident seven-under-par 65 to lead the way, ahead of compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, Spaniard David Puig and Zach Bauchou from the United States, who all carded a rounds of 66. Two other Spaniards, Luis Masaveu and Eugenio Chacarra, posted 67s, along with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, in the penultimate event of the season on both the Asian Tour and The International Series. Patrick Reed, winner of last week’s Link Hong Kong Open, shot a 71. After Wednesday’s opening round, consisting of an eagle, seven birdies and one double, Snyman is on track to make his 12th successive cut on the Asian Tour and put himself in a strong position to claim his first title on the circuit. The 29-year-old from Bellville gave credit for his recent strong performances to South Africa’s David Frost, winner of the Hong Kong Open in 1994 and 29 titles worldwide. “My coach, Paul McKenzie, and I have been working on a few things, and I also got some advice from David Frost – he’s a former Asian Tour winner, having won in Hong Kong,” said Snyman. “About five months ago, we spent two days with David. We were trying to find some consistency, which was my main concern. It looks like we’re getting there. We just need to post more low scores like we did today, which is exciting. “The big thing we worked on with David was the takeaway. I always take the club back outside and get laid off at the top. He helped me feel a way to get it straighter. Another big thing was not being so rigid. I used to be very stiff like a stickman, with my left arm being very stiff and strong, but he got me to relax a bit more. You can actually bend that left arm.” Puig, one stroke behind the leader, is making his first appearance on the Asian Tour since April. Since then, he has played on the LIV Golf League, three majors, and the Olympics. “Pretty solid, especially after a month off tournaments. I’m super, super proud of how I fought,” said Puig, winner of the season-opening Malaysian Open and runner-up in the International Series Macau, where Catlin defeated him in a playoff. “Didn’t hit it that well, but somehow managed to post a pretty good score. Hit a lot of greens in regulation, which is something I’ve been working on.” John Catlin, leader of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings with just two tournaments to go, signed for a 2-under 70 to sit tied for 34th. Catlin can secure the Merit list title this week if results permit. His nearest challengers are Richard T. Lee, second in the rankings, and Ben Campbell, who is third. Lee shot a 3-under 69 (tied 20th), while Campbell posted a 2-under 70 (tied 34th). The International Series Rankings, which will see the champion earn a spot in next year’s LIV Golf League, will go down to the wire at next week’s US$5mn PIF Saudi International.

Amateur star Adam Bresnu of Morocco showed the strength of the regional game in round one of International Series Qatar, as a contingent of promising talent from the region took the next steps on their careers alongside some of the biggest names in world golf at Doha Golf Club.Bresnu, the recent Pan Arab Golf champion, carded three birdies and one bogey for an impressive two-under 70, and sits just seven shots off first-round leader Ian Snyman of South Africa. Bresnu continued the fine form he showed at Al Zora in the UAE, and is in with a great chance of making the cut at the weekend. He said: “It is an honour for me to present my country and to present Arabs. My goal is just to show that as Arabs, we are here, we can compete against the best in the world, and we can do it.“It is incredible. You see those names and you are like, wow, I am playing with them. It truly is an honour to be here, but as I say, my goal is to beat them.”Qatari amateur Saleh al-Kaabi carded a four-over 76 while Daniil Sokolov, aged 13, scored a two-over 74, in a star-studded field that includes three major winners, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup players, and the cream of the Asian Tour.Al-Kaabi said: “It is a great experience for us to play against these big names. Every time I play one of these type of tournaments, you can see the levels getting better at each event.”Sokolov added: “The course is playing tough but it was amazing seeing my name up there with some of the best players in the world, major champions, LIV Golf League players. I know I have prepared well for it. I know I have done all the preparation, so all I can do now is just play my game and see how it goes up against the best.”Bresnu’s Moroccan compatriot Othman Raouzi, the only professional of the quartet, finished one two over, and he said: “It is such a great opportunity to play in The International Series, it is a great experience for us to play these big names and I would like to thank everyone who helped us here this week.”All four are still in with a good chance of making the midway cut at the end of round two in the ninth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League for golfers from all over the world, and provide promising local professionals and amateurs with a chance to test themselves and learn against some of the biggest names in the game.Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “The International Series offers opportunity on a number of levels. Across 10 tournaments we provide talented amateurs and professionals with the chance to play alongside the best in the world and that incredible exposure can only help to nurture natural talent in the destinations we play.“Playing alongside major champions, Ryder Cup players, Presidents Cup players, and winners on different tours across the world elevates the game, and ensures that players from the Mena can learn, thrive and grow.”

The World Military Equestrian Championship kicked off on Wednesday with an impressive opening ceremony at Al Shaqab’s Longines Indoor Arena. Hosts Qatar picked up a silver medal in the first event with First Lieutenant Hamad Ali al-Attiyah finishing second with a flawless round of 32.11 secs in the 120/125 class. Romania’s Captain Schumann-Raducanu Norbert topped the event clocking 31.43 secs while Ecuador’s Captain Mosquera Salgado Xavier Alejand finished third with a time of 34.52 secs. Action continues today with the event culminating on Saturday following a rest day tomorrow. As many as 15 nations comprising three riders each are taking part in the competition hosted by Qatar Military Sports Association under the auspices of the International Military Sports Council (CISM). Major Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Thani and First Lieutenant Salman Mohammed al-Emadiare other members of Qatar’s squad.

Jassim Ghazali and Marco Casamento teamed up to record a fourth victory by the trainer and a third win for the jockey on the day as the Mansoor Ebrahim S I al-Mahmoud-owned Dubawi Spectre came out on top in the Doha Cup at the QREC’s Al Rayyan Racecourse on Wednesday.The four-year-old son of Dubawi came with a late, yet big, run on the outside in the final 300m to hit the lead, kick away and take the 1700m race Thoroughbred Handicap by three lengths ahead of Time Farm Syndicate’s Al Sahman.Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, crowned the winners.In the second last race of the day, Casamento rode Al Wasmiyah Farm’s Kassir De Carrere to victory in the 1900m Purebred Arabian Novice Plate race for the three-year-olds. Ghazali-trained three-year-old bay gelding won the race as he beat Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Jori by five lengths.In the 1900m race for the Local Purebred Arabian Handicap, Casamento guided Ghazali-trained Hazm Al Sulaimi to half a length victory. Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid bin Nasser al-Thani’s nine-year-old horse won the race ahead of Saeed bin Mubarak Saeed Aljafali al-Naimi’s Jadal.Earlier in the day, Abdullah Mohammed Al Kuwari & Sons-owned and Ghazali-trained Shellbrook won the 2500m Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65) contest for three-year-old. Jockey Alberto Sanna guided the eight-year-old grey gelding to three quarters of a length victory over Al Fakhama Racing’s Embarator.In the card opener, Tomorrownevercomes, in the colours of Al Azraq Stable, won the Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65) race for three-year-old+. Rashid Mohammed Alathba-trained horse won the 1100m contest by a nose.

Iran’s Tractor FC fought back to hold Qatar’s Al Wakrah 3-3 in Group A of the AFC Champions League Two at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Wednesday. The result meant Al Wakrah joined Tractor FC in the knockout stage with the Qatar side to play Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan in their concluding tie next week.Al Wakrah, who needed just a point to join Tractor in the Round of 16, had a dream start when Shojae Khalilzadeh gave the ball away to Farid Boulaya to set up Ricardo Gomes for a simple finish from close range. Gomes nearly doubled his tally two minutes later when he broke free of his marker before striking a low drive which was comfortably saved by Tractor keeper Alireza Beiranvand.Tractor should have levelled after Aissa Laidouni’s deft pass put Farid Boulaya through on goal but the midfielder’s effort was easily collected by Al Wakrah custodian Mohammed al-Bakri. Al Wakrah maintained their intensity and Beiranvand was forced into action in the 10th minute when he kept out Boulaya’s low effort, before Gomes gave the Iranian shotstopper a scare seven minutes later but pulled his glancing header just wide of the right post.Tractor stepped up a gear just before the half hour mark when a quick attacking break saw Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh cut through the right flank before sending an inviting cross for Mehdi Hashemnejad, whose shot was kept out by al-Bakri’s quick reflexes. The Iranian side, however, were back on level terms in the 45th minute after Ricardo Alves sent a well-timed long ball to Hosseinzadeh, who muscled his way past his marker before lifting the ball over al-Bakri.Al Wakrah came back fighting and retook the lead six minutes after the restart from a set-piece situation with Almahdi Ali steering Gelson Dala’s set-up into the back of the net. The Qatari side netted again in the 69th minute after Dala found space inside the area before finishing with a curling effort.Tractor, however, refused to concede defeat with Hashemnejad narrowing the deficit after finishing a fine team move in the 75th minute. A lapse in concentration paved the way for the Iranian side to draw level for the second time after Hashemnejad’s clever touch past his marker provided the opening for the midfielder to score a clinical finish in the 87th minute.

Al Arabi went down 1-2 to Al Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia in the Group B match of the Gulf Club Champions League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.Karl Louis Ekambi scored a brace for Ettifaq in the 18th and 76th minutes while Ibrahima Diallo pulled one back for Al Arabi in 45+3rd minute.The hosts could well have been in the front as early as the fourth minute of the match but a Diallo diagonal kick just wide to right. Ettifaq then gained advantage through a defensive lapse as Jassim Gaber lost hold of the ball and Ekambi snatched the chance to move ahead and score past a diving goalkeeper Jassim al-Hail.In the 42nd minute, a Wassim Kedari header after he leapt high to connect a corner kick missed the top of goal on left by inches. Soon, Diallo provided a fine strike to level scores for the hosts, heading into the break.The second session saw both sides launching attacks but failing to find a finish.With action becoming more intense past the hour mark, Al Arabi also survived a VAR check against substitute Ahmed Alaaeldin for a red card as the referee ruled out any foul play.Al Arabi then suffered a setback as Ettifaq launched a concerted attack from the right and Joao Gabriel broke in but his kick was well saved by Al Arabi’s Abdulla al-Sulaiti but the ball flew towards a waiting Ekambi on the left to encash on the chance.Al Arabi tried hard to score another equaliser but were met with a lot of resistance but they come close on a few occasions. The result took Ettifaq’s tally to 6 points from two wins in two games while Al Arabi have 1 point after two matches. Al Riffa and Al Qadsia, who have played three matches each, have 4 and 2 points, respectively.This new version of Gulf Club Champions League includes eight teams divided into two groups with matches held on home-and-away basis. The top two teams from each group qualify for the semi-finals.

Pep Guardiola insisted on Wednesday he did not mean to make light of issues of self harm after comments about a cut on his nose following Manchester City’s Champions League collapse against Feyenoord.The City boss was spotted with the scratch during Tuesday’s 3-3 draw at the Etihad, in which they blew a 3-0 lead, and was asked about it during his post-match press conference.Guardiola replied that he had caused it with a fingernail, adding apparently as a joke: “I want to harm myself.”City went into the game on the back of five straight defeats in all competitions. Guardiola held his head in his hands in the dugout after a Josko Gvardiol blunder gifted the first Feyenoord goal to Anis Hadj Moussa.The Spaniard took to social media to clarify his response on Wednesday, saying: “I was caught off guard with a question at the end of a press conference last night about a scratch which had appeared on my face and explained that a sharp fingernail had accidentally caused this. “My answer was in no way intended to make light of the very serious issue of self harm.“I know that many people struggle with mental health issues every day, and I would like to take this moment to highlight one of the ways in people can seek help, by calling the Samaritans hotline on 116 123 or e-mailing [email protected].”Meanwhile Ilkay Gundogan admits defeat at Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday could end Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge as they scramble to end their poor run of form.For the first time in what was the 942nd game of his managerial career, Guardiola saw his side fail to win a match after leading by three goals.City have won the past four Premier League titles but are already eight points behind Arne Slot’s Liverpool following three straight defeats in the English top flight.Guardiola conceded City’s title defence would realistically be over should they lose at Anfield after last week’s 4-0 humbling by Tottenham. Germany international Gundogan agreed with his manager’s assessment following the Feyenoord defeat.“To stay in the title race, probably yes, (it’s a game City can’t afford to lose), because 11 points would be a huge gap,” said the midfield veteran.“Anfield is always tough, no matter the situation. We’ve struggled in recent years going there and we know Liverpool are a great team full of confidence right now.“It’s going to be as tough as it is possible to be but that sums up the situation right now. It seems we have to go through this season the toughest way possible.”City appeared to be back on track when leading 3-0 against Feyenoord, thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland either side of a deflected Gundogan effort.But two errors from Josko Gvardiol late in the game allowed Feyenoord back into the game before an Ederson blunder led to a last-gasp David Hancko equaliser.Gundogan, the 2022-23 treble-winning captain who rejoined the club in August after a short spell at Barcelona, admitted the nature of the draw made it feel like a defeat.The 34-year-old said: “The sensation right now is big disappointment but football is football and football sometimes creates incredible moments and difficult moments that you have to face.”

The Qatar Chess Association (QCA) on Wednesday revealed the final preparations for the start of the fourth edition of the hugely popular Qatar Masters.The tournament, set to include a group of world champions, will be held from December 2 to 12 at the Aspire Zone.This was announced at a press conference held by the tournament’s organising committee at the Torch Hotel, the official headquarters of the participating delegations.Mohammed al-Mudahka, President of QCA, said 300 male and female players representing 25 countries will be seen in action during the course of the tournament. India are participating with the largest number of players – 110, the QCA chief confirmed on Wednesday.“The registration process has closed. We can announce that Nodirbek Abdusattorov, ranked sixth in the world and runner-up in the last tournament, will be the top player at this year’s event,” al-Mudahka said.“Nodirbek Yakubboev, the defending champion along with India’s Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh Dommaraju and Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo are also confirmed entries,” he said.Al-Mudahka said international grandmaster Hussein Aziz, who will represent Qatar, and UAE’s Salem Abdulrahman Mohamed Saleh will also be present in the tournament, as well as Adham Fawzy from Egypt.Al-Mudahka said the absence of Norwegian chess star Magnus Carlsen, the world champion, would be felt by fans in Doha. “The player’s commitments to several other international events and the crowded international agenda prevented him from playing in Doha this year,” al-Mudahka said.Also absent will be American Hikaru Nakamura, one of the top ranked players, and Dutchman Anish Giri. The winner in Doha will bag $25,000. Al-Mudahka, who holds the position of Director of International Relations at FIDE, said his federation and the game’s ruling body enjoy a great working relationship. Al-Mudahka said the International B Championship will witness participation of 20 Qatari players. “Top international events in Qatar provide a great opportunity for many of our players to raise their level of classification. Qatar players also get the chance to interact with different schools of thought in chess,” he said.Regarding the extent of the benefit of organising this tournament for players ranked under 2500 points, al-Mudahka said: “In recent years, we have been keen to promote chess in schools which is a very important project that includes 12 government schools. Also there is co-operation with the Qatar Foundation in this framework.“We thank the Ministry of Sports and Youth for their great support for this tournament, which will help develop the game of chess and expand it across Qatar. We will continue our efforts to bring Qatari chess to the position we aspire to,” he added.Hamad al-Tamimi, Executive Director of QCA and Tournament Director, stated that hosting the tournament at Aspire Zone is a significant development. He emphasised the venue’s strategic location within the integrated sports city and its suitability for a successful tournament. Al-Tamimi also indicated that the organising committee will host accompanying events and activities related to chess for the public’s interest.The tournament is scheduled to commence on December 2nd, with participants arriving in Doha on December 1.A technical meeting will be held at the Torch Hotel on the morning of December 2, followed by the competition at Aspire Zone Hall.

Ruben Amorim said struggling Manchester United need a win to kickstart his Old Trafford revolution as he prepares for a “special” first home match against Bodo/Glimt today. United had a disappointing 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Sunday in Amorim’s first game in charge since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, leaving them 12th in the Premier League table.Today they face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League after one win and three draws in their opening four matches in the competition. “It is said to me that it will be a special time,” Amorim told his pre-match press conference . “I just want to win the game, just to give that happiness to the supporters. Before the match it will be like a new sensation but after the whistle it will be one more game and we want to win that match.”Amorim, who changed United’s formation against Ipswich, said the club needed to feel “momentum”. “It’s important when you are putting an idea,” he said. “If you win it’s a big help.”The former Sporting Lisbon boss admitted after the draw at the weekend that United would “suffer for a long time” as he puts his stamp on the club. And on Wednesday he admitted he did not know how long it would take players to get used to his methods, explaining it was difficult to draw parallels with his previous experiences.“You can say that this is a different league so it’s harder than in Portugal,” he said. “But I also have more experienced players and all these guys play for national teams. They just need to increase their confidence and at the moment I don’t know how to answer that question. I don’t know how long. But I will know that with a lot of games without time to train it will be tough for me but it will be tougher for them because they are on the pitch and they will suffer a little bit. I will try to help and we have to manage to win some games and try to increase that idea in the team.”Amorim said United had firepower in their ranks despite their lack of goals this season and that he would try to help out-of-form Marcus Rashford. “We will try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players,” he said. “He has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment. Then he will have the help of all the staff, all the club and all the fans because he’s a Manchester United boy. But he has to be the first one to really want it.”Postecoglou backs Forster to step up after Vicario’s surgeryTottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou praised Guglielmo Vicario for playing with a broken ankle in their 4-0 win over Manchester City before he underwent surgery but said that he had full faith in Fraser Forster stepping up.Vicario completed the full 90 minutes of the game away at City where they recorded a famous win but the 28-year-old Italian is now set to be sidelined for a few months as Spurs enter the busiest period in the calendar. Postecoglou said losing Vicario to injury is a big blow because he was having an “outstanding season” while he was growing as a leader in the squad.“It’s not going to be weeks, it’s going to be months... With surgery, there are certain timelines,” Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Europa League game against AS Roma. “I don’t like giving timelines so early in the process on something like that because it puts undue pressures on the player and also, maybe some expectations. I think once we get the past the rehab stage, we will have a clearer idea.“Externally, people now realise and it is a testament to him. He’s as tough as nails, as tough as they come. The fact he played at that level for 60 odd minutes with a fractured ankle was quite outstanding.”

Paris Saint-Germain’s Goncalo Ramos insisted it was “not the end” of their Champions League campaign despite Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Bayern Munich which left them stuck in the lower reaches of the standings.The defeat left PSG 26th in the 36-team table, outside the qualifying places for the knockout phase.The top eight sides go straight through to the last 16, while those from ninth to 24th enter an extra knockout round.Ramos, who made his return off the bench after injury, said the French champions were “not afraid of anything” and still confident of making it to the next round. “We are all disappointed but there’s nothing more we can do today. We are focused on the next game and we can still go to the next round and we are focused on that,” he said.“We will keep working. It’s not the end of the Champions League for us.”The hosts took the lead in Munich when PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov, starting ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, failed to clear a corner, allowing Kim Min-jae to head home.PSG’s hopes of fighting their way back into the match were dashed when Ousmane Dembele was sent off after picking up a second yellow with just over half an hour remaining for an unnecessary challenge on Bayern’s Alphonso Davies.“We have three games in the next months and we will work hard to win the games and to go to the next round,” Ramos said.PSG still have to host English champions Manchester City, themselves looking to get out of a form slump, and also have tricky away trips to Red Bull Salzburg and Stuttgart.A “disappointed” midfielder Joao Neves said his side were on the right track.“The most important thing is that we play our football. We are sure that is the best way to get through this stage and we will stay the same team from the beginning to the end,” he said.“We will stick together, nobody will point fingers at each other.”

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal delivered a Champions League statement of intent with their 5-1 demolition of Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.Arteta had demanded a dynamic display from his team ahead of their trip to the Jose Alvalade stadium and they responded in style.Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard lifted the Gunners into seventh place in the revamped Champions League as they chase a place in the last 16. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since Arsene Wenger’s men thrashed Inter Milan by the same scoreline in 2003.“I’m very happy. It’s a big result against a big opponent. We wanted to make that statement,” Arteta said. “I felt really good energy and belief before the match. The first half was exceptional, you have to put it into practice.“We were really clever, really intelligent and really efficient.“After we conceded, we showed a lot of personality to bring the game back. Then we scored the fourth goal and that’s when the game changed again.”Ending Sporting’s 18-game unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, just weeks after the Portuguese champions had crushed Manchester City 4-1 in Lisbon, served notice that Arsenal are back on track following a damaging slump. The Gunners have fallen nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, but last weekend’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest was the first sign of a revival that gathered pace against Sporting. While Arsenal will still need a huge surge to win their first English title since 2004, Arteta can take heart from a dynamic display he rated as their best away-day in Europe since he took charge five years ago.“For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home, who have not lost a game in 18 months, so to play with the level, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good.”

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone expressed his excitement after he was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, stating that his new team would be a better fit for his playing style next season.Livingstone, who made his IPL debut in 2019 with Rajasthan Royals, spent the last three seasons with Punjab Kings where the middle-order batter scored 827 runs in the world’s richest Twenty20 league.But the 31-year-old was released ahead of the mega auction and Bengaluru, who were revamping their squad, bought him for $1.04mn after a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings.Livingstone said he could not wait to play for RCB, especially in home games at the Chinnaswamy Stadium which has often produced high-scoring games due to shorter boundaries.“The fan base is very passionate. It’s probably one of the biggest franchises in IPL... It’s a bit of a fresh start for me,” Livingstone told Reuters.“I think Bangalore is going to be very good for my game. It’s a little bit smaller than some of the stadiums in India, certainly better than what Punjab was for me. Hopefully, my game should suit that place well.”Livingstone said he vividly remembers watching RCB’s batting trio of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers on TV.But he added that “there’s a lot of work to be done” before he can recreate a similar impact with Kohli and English opener Phil Salt, who RCB bought for 115 million Indian rupees as they seek their first IPL trophy.“I think we had a really good auction. We’ve got some good players, we picked up quite cleverly,” he said.“There’s a few people in that team I know really well, so I’m pretty excited to get out there as a group. Playing with the likes of Virat is going to be really cool.”Livingstone is currently in swashbuckling form for Bangla Tigers in the Abu Dhabi T10, where he smashed a 15-ball 50 earlier this week.“I think T10 is great for me, for my role, because we come in with not many balls left to play. So that certainly sets me up for the rest of the year,” he said.Livingstone has been making his mark in white-ball cricket and even captained England in the absence of injured skipper Jos Buttler in the recently concluded one-day international series against the West Indies. Although England lost the series 2-1 in the Caribbean, Livingstone displayed his batting prowess with a magnificent century in the second match - his first ODI ton. “I enjoyed captaining my country, it’s a very proud moment for anybody to do that...thankfully I’m fit at the moment and it’s great playing something that we love,” Livingstone said.England will feature in next year’s Champions Trophy under Brendon McCullum after the Test coach agreed to take charge of the white-ball teams too.“It’s going to be a little different environment with a few changes, let’s see what happens when that comes along but I’m looking forward to it,” Livingstone added.“It’s going to be a different time for English cricket but I’m excited for how it’s going to unfold.”Meanwhile dashing England opener Phil Salt has also been roped in by RCB for the next IPL season.In a stunning IPL auction bid last Sunday, Salt was acquired by RCB for a staggering $1.37mn. The English opener will join forces with Virat Kohli at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium next season.The right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper said: “They’re (RCB) one of a few teams who, when I was watching IPL years ago, if they were playing, I’d turn the TV on. Obviously they’ve got Andy there and Mo Bobat (as director of cricket), and I’m really looking forward to playing under them. Having been around them a little bit, I know that we’re quite similar thinkers on the game in some ways - and their track record speaks for itself.”

South Africa have closed a rain-affected first day against Sri Lanka on 80 for four at Kingsmead on Wednesday, after no play was possible after lunch in the first test in Durban.Lahiru Kumara took 2-35 as the visitors used the seamer friendly conditions to dismiss the South African top order in a fixture both will be desperate to win to maintain their final chances in the World Test Championship.Home captain Temba Bavuma (28 not out) and Kyle Verreynne (9 not out) will resume today, with the weather forecast for the next few days good.Sri Lanka won the toss and asked South Africa to bat in overcast and blustery conditions, and had them in early trouble as they found prodigious movement off the wicket.The first three South African wickets fell to catches in the slips as Sri Lanka’s seamers found the edge of the home bat.Aiden Markram (9) nicked Asitha Fernando to Angelo Mathews at first slip, before fellow opener Tony de Zorzi (4) edged Vishwa Fernando to Kamindu Mendis at second slip.Tristan Stubbs reached 16 before he became Kumara’s first victim when he was caught by Dimuth Karunaratne at third slip as the visitors continued to find a probing line that forced the batters to play.David Bedingham (4) was then bowled through the gate by a delivery that nipped back into him from the dangerous Kumara.The latter also had Bavuma caught down the legside, but was left frustrated when the umpire signalled a no-ball for an over-step.Both sides are still in the running for a place in the WTC final but will likely have to win at least three of their final four tests in the cycle. A draw suits nobody.South Africa host Pakistan for two Tests after the two-match series with Sri Lanka, who welcome Australia for two matches starting in January.BRIEF SCORES(Durban Test, Day 1)South Africa 80 for 4 (Bavuma 28*, Kumara 2-35) vs Sri Lanka.