SPORTS DIGEST:RACING: So You Think is set to have his next start in the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 3rd.
Aidan O’Brien’s Australian import has won three of his four races since moving to Europe, his sole defeat coming against the ill-fated Rewilding in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
So You Think bounced back to win the Eclipse at Sandown and while he holds an entry in the Juddmonte International at York this month, Coolmore Australia racing manager Tom Magnier said Leopardstown was his likely destination.
“There are plenty of options for him,” Magnier said. “His next run is going to be in the Irish Champion Stakes.
“But there are a couple of other races that the trainer could run him in as well.”
Martin second on testing fourth stage in Poland
CYCLING: Irish pro Dan Martin made his first big move towards defending his 2010 Tour of Poland title when he finished second on yesterday's testing fourth stage from Oswiecim to Cieszyn.
The Irish Garmin-Cervélo rider was prominent in the tough finale, shadowing the Liquigas Cannondale team and putting in one testing dig.
He and the others fighting for the win were frustrated by the Slovenian Peter Sagan, who followed up that work by his Liquigas team in kicking clear inside the final 600 metres.
A powerful, explosive rider ideally suited to the cobbled ramp up to the finish line, Sagan opened a three-second gap on Martin.
He took over the yellow jersey of race leader from the German rider Marcel Kittel, who won the opening three stages but struggled on yesterday's climbs.
Sagan begins today's stage five seconds clear of closest rival Marcel Marcato (Vacansoleil), with Martin a further two seconds back in fourth place.
Singhs to miss rest of series
CRICKET:Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh will both miss the remainder of the npower Test series against England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India have confirmed.
It was already feared off-spinner Harbhajan was out of next weeks third Test at Edgbaston because of an abdominal injury, while batsman Yuvraj was struck a painful blow on the left hand during Indias defeat against their hosts at Trent Bridge.
They will be replaced by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and batsman Virat Kohli.
Frankel may opt for Ascot mile
RACING: Henry Cecil's unbeaten colt Frankel features among the entries for both the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 15th.
The phenomenal 2000 Guineas winner was perhaps not quite so explosive when following up in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he silenced any doubters by annihilating Canford Cliffs in last week’s Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
The three-year-old is among 31 entries for the one-mile Qipco-sponsored QEII, with Canford Cliffs once again a possible rival.
Other contenders include brilliant French mare Goldikova and the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair Await The Dawn and So You Think.
Frankel’s name also appears among the 40 given an entry in the Champion Stakes, but Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, insists the QEII remains top of his agenda.
“He’s fine. We’ve left him in the Champion Stakes and we always said we would do that, but in principal, he will go for the mile.”
Hamilton doesn’t rule out Ferrari
FORMULA ONE: Lewis Hamilton has refused to rule out a future move to Ferrari but insists he is not currently thinking of joining the Italian team.
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has previously said his team could attempt to sign the former world champion even if it means pairing him with Fernando Alonso again.
Hamilton and Alonso endured a tumultuous season together at McLaren in 2007 and many thought that they would not be able to work together again.
But Hamilton hinted that he may still be open to driving for Ferrari, although he says he has no plans of pursuing the switch.
“At the moment I don’t have any plans to do so, it is not something I desire or feel that I have to do,” he said.
He added: “But we are talking about a fantastic team and you never know what could happen in the future.”
McBrine century sets up Ireland U19s Injured
CRICKET:An unbeaten century from Andrew McBrine helped Ireland's Under-19 side record a massive 165-run victory over Vanuatu in Coleraine yesterday to put them in a share of the lead with Scotland at the top of the World Cup qualifier table, writes EMMET RIORDAN.
Donemana all-rounder McBrine, a son of former Ireland international Alex, hit 107 not out after being moved up the order to number three as Ireland scored 313 for nine off their 50 overs having won the toss, the highest total so far in the competition.
The left-hander shared a 137-run stand for the third wicket with skipper George Dockrell (62) and brought up his century off 87 balls, hitting 11 boundaries.
It was a target far beyond the reach of the South Pacific islanders, with a brave knock of 62 from Nalin Nipiko their only score of note.
Vanuatu did survive their 50 overs, closing on 148 for nine, with Ireland receiving a further boost with the return of Shane Getkate to bowling duties following his recent health scare.
Getkate finally ended Nipiko’s resistance, one of two wickets he took in the 46th over, while Dockrell, McBrine and Graeme McCarter also picked up two wickets.
