SPORTS DIGEST:ATHLETICS: Former Olympic marathon silver medallist John Treacy is to lead a team of competitors from Ireland at the Great Ethiopian Run next November as part of a fund-raising drive for aid agency Concern, writes Ian O'Riordan.
The Great Ethiopian Run, at 10km, is Africa’s largest race, with 33,000 people taking part last year.
Treacy has agreed to head the Concern team, and is seeking fellow runners of all abilities to join the efforts.
This evening, Treacy will stage a seminar in the Great Outdoors on Chatham Street in Dublin, beginning at 7pm, to help competitors prepare for the race.
Also in attendance will be Myles Wickstead, who was one of the founders of the Great Run back in 2001, and ultra runner John O’Regan, who was joint winner of the Inca Trail marathon in 2009.
Booking at www.concernchallenge.org.
Simpson’s first England tour over before it starts
RUGBY:Joe Simpson's first senior England tour ended before it began yesterday after he was forced to pull out of the trip to Australia and New Zealand with a hamstring problem.
The Wasps scrumhalf was injured during his appearance off the bench against the Barbarians on Sunday and has been replaced in England’s 44-man squad by Paul Hodgson.
There was better news for Jon Golding and Charlie Hodgson, who were also injury concerns after England’s 35-26 victory but both boarded the flight bound for Perth.
Golding, the Newcastle prop, suffered a blow to the ribs at Twickenham while Sale outhalf Hodgson left the field with a facial injury.
England’s medics will assess the pair upon arrival in Australia.
Paul Hodgson was originally seen as the main casualty in Martin Johnson’s tour selection, having been relegated to the England Saxons’ Churchill Cup squad.
The London Irish scrumhalf made three substitute appearances during the Six Nations but lost his place as Danny Care’s back-up to the Leicester tyro Ben Youngs and then slipped behind Simpson and Richard Wigglesworth in the pecking order.
“It is a tough call on Paul Hodgson but we feel Richard Wigglesworth suits what we are trying to do at the moment,” Johnson said at the time.
England’s five-match Antipodean tour includes two Tests against the Wallabies, on June 12th in Perth and June 19th in Sydney.
O’Brien names six for Epsom Classic
RACING:Aidan O'Brien left in six of his Derby entrants, led by plunge horse Jan Vermeer, for Saturday's premier Classic at Epsom.
Dante winner Cape Blanco, vanquished favourite St Nicholas Abbey, Derrinstown Derby Trial winner Midas Touch and likely pacemaker At First Sight and Bright Horizons also represent Ballydoyle.
Godolphin swelled the €1.5 million Derby prize-money fund to the tune of another €177,000 yesterday after supplementing both Rewilding and Buzzword.
Sheikh Mohammed’s operation confirmed Rewilding would be added to the field after he impressively won the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.
The last horse to win that event, formerly known as the Predominate Stakes, and then go on to Derby glory was Troy in 1979.
However, Godolphin also produced a surprise by adding the Mahmood Al Zarooni stablemate Buzzword, last seen finishing fourth in the French 2000 Guineas.
The move was made after the Pivotal colt, who finished fifth in the Dewhurst last season, completed a very pleasing piece of work.
Al Zir will also run, representing Saeed bin Suroor.
“We have decided to enter Buzzword in the Derby after he worked nicely at the weekend,” racing manager Simon Crisford said.
“We have wanted to try him over a longer trip ever since he stayed on so well in the French 2,000 Guineas. His work was strong and this has prompted us to go for the Derby.
“We continue to be delighted with Rewilding and also have Al Zir in the Derby. Riding plans will be announced within the next 24 hours.”
Henry Cecil goes in search of a fifth Derby with Bullet Train, impressive when winning the Lingfield Derby Trial.
In the same Prince Khalid Abdullah ownership is Michael Stoute’s Workforce, trying to break a statistic that says no horse beaten in the Dante Stakes has won the Derby. Michael Bell’s Coordinated Cut falls into that bracket.
John Gosden’s Dee Stakes victor Azmeel and the Mark Tompkins-trained Ted Spread are other trial winners going forward.
Michael Jarvis’ Hot Prospect completes the 15 possibles and while he may be a 66 to 1 outsider, his trainer Michael Jarvis does not believe the Lingfield Derby Trial third will be disgraced.
“He’s obviously an outsider, but he’s a good horse in his own right,” said the Newmarket handler.
“His price probably reflects his chances, but I think he will run respectably. Both Classics are wide open this year.”
Totesport have Jan Vermeer as their 9 to 4 favourite.
“It’s looking increasingly likely that Jan Vermeer will go off favourite for this year’s Derby and will surely shorten further if Johnny Murtagh decides to ride him instead of St Nicholas Abbey,” said spokesman George Primarolo.
DERBY BETTING: (Totesport): 9-4 Jan Vermeer, 4-1 St Nicholas Abbey, 7-1 Bullet Train, Midas Touch, 15-2 Workforce, 9-1 Cape Blanco, 12-1 Rewilding, 14-1 Azmeel, 25-1 Coordinated Cut, 33-1 Al Zir, Ted Spread, 50-1 Buzzword, 66-1 Hot Prospect, 100-1 At First Sight, 150-1 Bright Horizon.
McGarrity gains ground on Maguire
MOTOR SPORT:Although Derek McGarrity (Subaru WRC) finished second in Sunday's Cavan Rally, the Glengormley driver still took maximum points in the Dunlop series to move to within six points of series leader Niall Maguire.
The event was won by Meath’s Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC), who overcame a time-consuming spin on the second test to take a 13-second victory over McGarrity. McNulty isn’t registered for the Dunlop series.
Maguire edged out Mel Evans, albeit on a tie-break, to complete a Subaru lock-out of the top three places.
Dunlop contender Kevin Barrett’s Subaru retired with a broken release bearing as he exited the pre-event service.
Gary Jennings (Mitsubishi) overcame problems including a puncture on each of the final three stages to win the Group N showroom class.
Two year doping ban for Valverde
CYCLING:Tour of Spain champion Alejandro Valverde was banned for two years yesterday for an anti-doping violation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS made the decision following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cycling Union (UCI). The ban was back-dated to start on January 1st.
Valverde was already serving a two-year ban from racing in Italy.
