A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Camphire to have three-star class
EQUESTRIAN: The Camphire three-day event, which takes place on the banks of the River Blackwater near Lismore, will stage a three-star class for the first time this year over the weekend of August 3rd-5th.
The organisers have engaged Britain’s Mike Etherington-Smith to design the course. He designed for both the Sydney and Beijing Games and the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.
In addition to the CIC*** competition, Camphire will stage a new CCI** class and the usual programme of CIC* classes, national young horse classes and pony and sportsman classes.
Ireland’s international show jumpers, meanwhile, are competing in six countries this weekend, while at home the Horse Sport Ireland/Bluegrass Horse Feeds spring tour continues on Sunday at Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre near Ashbourne.
Mullins may have four runners in festival Bumper
RACING: Willie Mullins could have up to four runners as he attempts to stretch his remarkable Weatherbys Champion Bumper winning streak to seven next week, writes Brian O’Connor.
As well as ante-post favourite Champagne Fever, the trainer has left open the chance of also running The Paparrazi Kid, Pique Sous and Mozoltov.
Another leading Irish hope is Clonbanan Lad, who beat Mozoltov by a dozen lengths on his last start at Naas. However, he is rated only 50-50 to travel to Cheltenham by trainer Mikey O’Connor because his owner is in Italy.
“I don’t really want to go with the horse unless he can be there,” said O’Connor.
A total of 25 entries remain in the bumper, including three-time winner Moscow Mannon from Brian Hamilton’s Co Down yard.
Boston Bob is the standout Irish name among the 34 entries left in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.
Mullins has still not made his mind up whether Boston Bob runs in this race over two miles and five furlongs or in the Albert Bartlett next Friday over three miles.
Mullins has a number of other possibles, including Felix Yonger, Make Your Mark, Marasonnien, Simenon and Sous Les Cieux.
Simonsig was given the green light for this race by trainer Nicky Henderson.
Noel Meade’s Monksland is still engaged in the Supreme, but is more likely to run in the longer race.
St Munchin's maul way to final
RUGBY: PBC Cork 13 St Munchin’s 17: St Munchin’s mauled their way to their first Munster Schools’ Senior Cup final since 2006 by outscoring PBC Cork three tries (Mathew McSweeney, Edward O’Keeffe and Eoghan Kelly) to one (Séamus Glynn) at Temple Hill yesterday.
The Limerick school led 12-7 at half-time after playing with a very strong wind and despite eight minutes of injury-time, they were able to hang on to set-up a March 19th decider against Rockwell College at Thomond Park.
PBC CORK: B Crowley; J Barrett, S Glynn, C Murphy, P O’Brien; R Scannell, P O’Leary; A Slattery, M Abbott, D Hartnett, R McCarthy, R Callanan; I Silke, J Fitzgerald, K Farmer.
ST MUNCHIN’S: C O’Donnell; E O’Keeffe, D Goggin, T O’Neill, D Morrissey; S Airey, B Nugent; E Kelly, L O’Halloran, E Ryan, G Ryan, M McSweeney; E Nugent, L Nicholas, D Ryan. Replacements: D O’Byrne for E Ryan (injured 34min), J Clancy for Morrissey (48min), G Powell for McSweeney (63min).
Referee: D McCormack (Munster).
Wiggins retains yellow in Paris-Nice
CYCLING: Britain’s Bradley Wiggins holds a six-second advantage with three days remaining in the Paris-Nice race.
The Team Sky rider retained the yellow jersey after finishing in a group six seconds behind stage five winner Lieuwe Westra of Vacansoleil, the Dutch rider taking second in the general classification.
American Levi Leipheimer (Omega-Quick Step), Wiggins’s chief rival for the overall race win, is a further four seconds back in third, with Spain’s Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) 18 seconds behind Wiggins in fourth.
Wiggins said: “It was a day in hell with the cold air and wind all day. It was a little bit warmer on the climb and I really must thank Richie (Porte) and Rigoberto (Uran), who did an amazing job.
“It wasn’t my kind of climbs but we’ve been working on it this winter. It’s very promising.”
