TUESDAY 2 JULY 2019 SPORT 21 It would definitely be good FOOTBALL CRICKET to be back on the top, but FIFA Women’s World Cup ICC World Cup to be honest, there was a Park says World No.1 rank sometimes has (semi-final) India vs Bangladesh lot of pressure when I was been a mixed blessing. ACTION England vs USA at Birmingham the No.1. TODAY’S Horse owned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani wins in Germany French King extends unbeaten record THE PENINSULA Jockey Olivier Peslier, who guided French DOHA King to victory in Hamburg poses for a picture on Sunday. After annexing the HH The Amir Trophy (Gr1) and Carl Jaspers- Preis (Gr2) earlier in the season, French King, owned by Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, stretched his unbeaten record this season to three at Hamburg on Sunday. The four-year-old chestnut colt landed his new group in the Group 2 Grosser Hansa-Preis. At the early stages of the 2400-metre run, the son of French Fifteen stayed in third keeping Royal Youmzain in his sights. He pounced after the leader Oriental Eagle switched completed the frame. He was French King’s victory in Carl left with 300m to go. With saddled by Markus Klug and Jaspers-Preis (Gr2) in May this Olivier Peslier astride, French ridden by Adrie de Vries. year made him the first Umm King’s brilliant turn of foot The winning trainer, Henri- Qarn-bred horse to take home enabled him to nail the race after Alex Pantall, said that his charge a Group success for thorough- effortlessly going clear. will now be aimed at the Grosser breds in Europe. On Sunday, he Jaber Abdullah’s Royal You- Preis von Berlin (Gr1), adding confirmed his class by adding mzain was the runner-up for that a return to Qatar during the another similar victory in less trainer Andreas Wohler with winter could also be on the than two months and the success Eduardo Pedroza in the saddle. cards. of Umm Qarn’s breeding Action from the Group 2 Grosser Hansa-Preis race in Hamburg on Sunday. Stall Reckendorf’s Colomano It is worth mentioning that operation. McIlroy sees no need for Nasser takes adventurous Ferrari decide superstar spirit to another level not to appeal caddie THE PENINSULA DOHA AFP REUTERS SPIELBERG forced off the track. “We NEW YORK Three-time Dakar Rally winner believe these are clear rules, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah took his Ferrari decided not to appeal which we may appreciate or adventurous spirit to another the decision to uphold Max not -- and these are exactly the Rory McIlroy has little interest level as he joined co-driver Verstappen as winner of same rules which have been in following Jason Day’s Mathieu Baumel on a new Sunday’s spectacular Austrian applied in past races. example and teaming up with adventure on the French Grand Prix in the best interests “Having said that, we a so-called superstar caddie, terrains, taking their SxS buggy of Formula One, said team boss respect fully the decision of the the Northern Irishman said in to the 6 Hours Endurance Race Mattia Binotto. stewards. They are the judge the wake of Day’s decision to in Orleans. The Italian explained that and we need to respect that and hire the sport’s best known The Qatari champion took Ferrari believed the decision more than that I think that as a bagman. on the six-hour endurance race to confirm Red Bull’s victory, Ferrari fan, I think it’s time for Day coaxed Steve Williams of Orléans. after examination of Verstap- F1 to turn the page and to look out of retirement starting at Al Attiyah and Baumel tested pen’s wheel-banging passing ahead.” Ferrari’s decision came the recent US Open, saying he the French terrains of Orléans move on Charles Leclerc, was just a week after the French thought the veteran caddie’s in six continuous hours of off- wrong, but they respected the Grand Prix where their bid to experience would be an asset road racing. stewards’ decision. overturn another decision - as he tried to play his way “This is a new type of race The stewards said it was “a against a five-second penalty Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel pose back to world number one for us. It’s casual, more about racing incident” and did not that deprived Sebastian Vettel for a picture during their SxS buggy adventure at the 6 Hours status. having fun and enjoying the merit any further action. of victory in Canada - had failed Williams caddied for Tiger experience. The goal of partici- Endurance Race in Orleans. The ruling brought Ver- at a stewards’ hearing. Woods in 13 of the American’s pating in a rally like this is we stappen his and Red Bull’s first “As we often said, we 15 major victories. get to know the drivers and the “We had a great day at the during the main event. The race win of the season and in 11 races, should leave the drivers free Day’s decision to hire Wil- organizers. We’re still exploring qualifiers, setting the fastest time wasn’t a piece of cake for the ending Mercedes’ record run of to battle,” he added. liams raised the question of these kinds of events”, said Al and securing the first position. dream team who had out their season-opening victories. “So, we may not be happy whether other top players Attiyah. This means that we’ll be taking utmost effort to stay in the lead. “We still believe this is a at the decision, we are not sup- might follow suit, perhaps The challenge behind off as the first out of 52 cars. Yet Mechanical failures came in wrong decision, that’s our own porting the decision, but trying to lure someone such as endurance races is to see how We’re always aiming for the their way. “This will still be a opinion,” said Binotto. somehow we understand the Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, who long the drivers and their best”, explained Al Attiyah. very special experience for us “We believe that Charles fact that we need to move worked for Phil Mickelson for vehicles can go on for. Coming Al Attiyah and Baumel part- and we will definitely come back left the entire space, he had no forward and, overall, I think 25 years. in first would be a bonus, and nered up with French rally again for more SxS adventures fault, a collision has happened that’s good for the sport and McIlroy has been using his that’s exactly what the dynamic veteran Thierry Magnaldi, and with Nasser next year,” added and he has been pushed and good for F1.” lifelong friend Harry Diamond duo plan to do. all three took part as drivers Baumel. for nearly two years now, with the Northern Irishman saying Kevin Durant of the that he no longer needed an old Golden State Warriors hand on the bag. reacts against the Durant opts for Nets as NBA “Maybe back in the day Toronto Raptors in the when I wasn’t as experi- first half during Game enced, but I’ve been on tour Five of the 2019 NBA free agent frenzy begins for 12 years,” McIlroy said in Finals at Scotiabank a recent interview. Arena in Toronto, “Caddies don’t hit the shots. AFP with the Brooklyn Nets,” said a returns from an upcoming year Canada in this June LOS ANGELES I want someone out there I’m 2019 file picture. post on the Instagram and of rehabilitation, provided comfortable with first and Twitter accounts of The Durant can regain the form that foremost that’s the big thing for Two-time NBA Finals Most Boardroom, his company- helped power the Warriors to me and that’s why I have Harry Valuable Player Kevin Durant owned sports-business network. the 2017 and 2018 NBA crowns. on the bag.” announced on Sunday that he A max deal for Durant would Durant had the Warriors Diamond is expected to will leave the Golden State be worth some $164m over four looking like champions again work for McIlroy at next week’s Warriors, his team since 2016, years. The Warriors could have this year before a right calf injury Scottish Open and the following to join the Brooklyn Nets. offered him $221m over five sidelined him. He missed nine week’s British Open at Royal The 30-year-old star years to stay. games before returning in game Portrush, where McIlroy shat- forward made his Under NBA rules, teams five of the NBA Finals against tered the course record with an announcement on social media cannot sign contracts with Toronto. He scored 11 points in 11-under-par 61 in the 2005 moments after the start of the players until Saturday, but there 12 minutes before suffering the North of Ireland Amateur NBA’s free agency period, saying was still plenty of action in the ruptured tendon that required Championship. he will sign a maximum-level opening hours of the free agency surgery two days later. McIlroy, 30, has not tasted deal with the Nets. period. Durant and Irving were both victory in one of golf’s four Durant commands top dollar Multiple US media outlets reported to be targets of the New biggest championships since despite suffering a ruptured reported that Boston Celtics York Knicks -- who were 2014. Achilles tendon in game five of playmaker Kyrie Irving would coming off a league-worst 17-65 His previous caddie J.P.