SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2014 SPORTS Stoute targets King George race with Telescope

ASCOT: Telescope, hugely impressive at Royal Derby before a setback robbed him of the chance over the fast ground, and plans to walk the course in trip to a mile and a half for the first time. Ascot last month, heads an intriguing renewal of of glory in the Epsom blue riband. before giving his colt the go ahead. “He’s a very Master Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who last won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Patiently handled, the son of Galileo is now nice horse, but I didn’t really want to run him twice the King George in 2008 with Duke of Marmalade, Saturday’s showpiece pitting established stars ready to fulfil his exciting promise, says the owner’s on too fast a ground,” Gosden told At The Races tel- holds a strong hand with Magician, last season’s against those brimming with potential. racing manager Harry Herbert. evision. “He did it well at Royal Ascot, but he’s bred Breeders Cup Turf hero and second in the Prince of The Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old faces a “Given the size and pedigree of him, there was more for good, good to soft ground.” Established Wales’s Stakes. O’Brien commented: “I think maximum seven rivals in the mid-season show- every chance he would be reaching his peak about classic form is represented by Taghrooda, the Magician will improve a bit from Sandown. I think piece after out-of-sorts French raider Flintshire was now. It is what Sir Michael excels at and Telescope Gosden-trained winner of the Epsom Oaks, and he’ll come on for the run and I think there’s a bit withdrawn Friday running a temperature. ticks a lot of those boxes,” Herbert said. Romsdal, third in the Epsom Derby. more there, so I’m expecting a big run on Telescope’s spread-eagling seven length suc- Telescope’s first appearance at this exalted level Taghrooda’s connections are hoping to be Saturday.” cess - the widest winning margin at Royal Ascot sees him likely being taken on by another who left rewarded for their bold plan in running here Ireland has two more representative in the this season - left a strong impression that he has an indelible impression at Royal Ascot in Eagle Top. against their smart filly’s elders rather than last shape of Trading Leather, runner-up in the Eclipse, the quality to lift a race that Stoute has previously The year younger winner of the King Edward VII weekend’s Irish Oaks. and his stablemate Leitir Mor. “He’s going there in claimed with Harbinger, Conduit, Golan, Opera Stakes was added to the King George mix as a sup- In a wide-open contest another with a strong good shape and I’m looking forward to riding him. House, and the brilliant but ill-fated Shergar. plementary entry at a cost of 75,000 pounds. chance is Mukhadram, who won the Eclipse Stakes I think he’ll put up a big show,” said the latter’s jock- Telescope was all the rage for last year’s Epsom Yet his trainer John Gosden has voiced concerns over a mile and a quarter this month and steps up ey, Kevin Manning. — AFP EPL youngsters face loan lottery

LONDON: As the Premier League’s leading clubs step but now I know better,” Kakuta complained last year. up their preparations for the 2014-15 season, some of “Chelsea have far too many players. At my age, I need their most promising young talents are stepping out to play regularly, but if I go back I’ll just get 10 minutes into the unknown. a month, and I don’t want that.” With teams like Chelsea and champions Manchester Chelsea loaned out 27 players last season-with six City boasting huge, star-studded squads, their going to Dutch side Vitesse, with whom the London younger players have no option but to go out on loan club have a strategic partnership-but technical direc- in search of the playing time vital to their develop- tor Michael Emenalo says the policy is well-inten- ment. For some players it can prove a richly rewarding tioned. “The loan process at Chelsea has become very experience. professional and a good deal of thought has gone into Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois has returned to Chelsea it,” he told the club’s website. after a three-year period at Atletico Madrid that saw “We don’t send players out because we are trying to him emerge as one of the world’s finest goalkeepers. recover some money. We send them because we want Courtois’s club and international colleague Romelu them to play and develop and we want to monitor Lukaku has also benefited from time on loan, excelling them.” at West Bromwich Albion and Everton, although it Eight Chelsea youngsters have already agreed loan seems he has yet to convince manager Jose Mourinho moves for the coming season. They include the Nigeria of his worth. international Kenneth Omeruo, who has returned to Joel Campbell harbours hopes of breaking into the Middlesbrough, and Thorgan Hazard, younger brother first team at Arsenal, meanwhile, after an impressive of first-team star Eden, who has joined Borussia season with Olympiakos that provided a launchpad for Moenchengladbach. BRAZIL: In this file picture taken on July 5, 2014 Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois dives for the ball. As the an excellent World Cup with Costa Rica. For others, At Arsenal, 21-year-old forward Wellington Silva- Premier League’s leading clubs step up their preparations for the 2014-15 season, some of their most promising however, the loan system can feel like being trapped who played alongside Neymar for Brazil’s under-17s-is young talents are stepping out into the unknown. — AP in a revolving door. gearing up for a fifth consecutive loan spell, this time Gael Kakuta, a precociously skilful attacking mid- at Spanish side Almeria. fielder, joined Chelsea from French club Lens at the It is a path similar to the one trodden by Mexican age of 16 in 2007, sparking a row that momentarily forward Carlos Vela, who was successively loaned out Setif move closer to CAF semis saw the English side banned from signing players. to four clubs by Arsenal before finally leaving for Real After he made an eye-catching debut against Sociedad in 2012. JOHANNESBURG: Algerians Entente eight points from four Group B match- Belameiri notched his sixth Wolverhampton Wanderers in November 2009, then Andros Townsend knows more than most about Setif moved closer to a first CAF es-four points more than Tunisians CS Champions League goal this season coach Carlo Ancelotti was moved to declare: “At that being a perpetual loanee, having played for nine dif- Champions League semi-finals Sfaxien and Benghazi. Another with a low shot across goalkeeper appearance by defeating Libyans Al- Tunisian club, Esperance, are bottom Wissem El-Boudi from just inside the age I have never seen a player with this talent.” ferent clubs before finally getting a chance to shine at Ahly Benghazi 2-0 in Tunisia this week- of the table with three points but can penalty area. However, with established players such as Joe Cole Tottenham Hotspur, but he says the experience was end. climb to second by winning at Sfaxien Zimbabwe-born Edward Sadomba and Florent Malouda cemented in Chelsea’s starting XI, worthwhile. El-Hedi Belameiri scored for the late yesterday. wasted several chances for Ahly before Kakuta found his route to the first team blocked. There “At a massive club like Tottenham opportunities will ‘Black Eagles’ after 18 minutes at Stade Group winners and runners-up Younis struck on 93 minutes with a followed a succession of underwhelming loan moves- come, but not straight away,” he told The Daily Chedli Zouiten and Sofiane Younis qualify for the semi-finals of a compe- looping header off a Lyes Boukria to Fulham, Bolton Wanderers, French club Dijon, Dutch Telegraph earlier this year. “You have to get out there claimed the other goal in stoppage tition offering a $1.5 million (1.1 mil- cross. Post-Moamer Kadhafi regime side Vitesse Arnhem, and Lazio-and at 23, his career is and prove that you deserve to have them coming your time. lion euros) first prize and a ticket to lawlessness in Libya forced Benghazi still awaiting take-off. way. The only way that’s going to happen is if people Victory lifted unbeaten Setif to the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. to play in neighboring Tunisia. — AFP “I don’t dream about Chelsea anymore. I used to, see you playing. It makes you.” — AFP Mata warms to Van Gaal tactics

LONDON: Manchester United play- pre-season schedule. maker Juan Mata yesterday gave his Mata revealed that the Dutchman seal of approval to the new tactical is also making his presence felt in the system introduced by incoming man- changing room by forcing all of the ager Louis van Gaal. club’s players to communicate only in Having set United out in a 3-4-1-2 English. “We only speak in English,” formation for their opening pre-sea- said the former Chelsea player. “He son friendly against Los Angeles says we have to speak in English.” Mata Galaxy on Wednesday, with Mata play- added: “He is very good, on and off the ing in support of the two strikers, Van pitch. He is a good man and a great Gaal saw his new charges stroll to a 7-0 manager. win. The 62-year-old coach used a sim- “He has a lot of experience, he has ilar formation with the Netherlands at won trophies in previous teams too, so the World Cup, where he guided his it’s a good chance for me to learn from country to a third-place finish, and him and for us to improve as a team. Mata believes it could bring out the “He is demanding. He is very hon- best in him. est, straight, speaks with everyone to “If I play behind the two strikers it’s his face. I think this is good, a perfect a good position,” the Spain interna- way to do it: saying what you think tional told BBC Sport. “I can look for about the players in front of them.” the ball, I can try to assist or score, so I Meanwhile, Portuguese champions will try my best. I will try to score as Benfica have signed striker Bebe from much as I can and try to help the team Manchester United on a four-year from that position. deal, the club announced on Friday. “If I have to play on the wing I will The 24-year-old, whose full name is try my best as well, but I feel comfort- Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, signed able in this role.” Only a handful of with United in 2010 but spent much of sides deployed a three-man defence his career with the English club on in the Premier League last season, and loan. After spells with Turkish side FRANCE: Stage winner Germany’s Tony Martin celebrates on the podium after win- Mata feels it could give United an Besiktas and Rio Ave, he spent last sea- ning the twentieth stage, a 54 km individual time trial, as part of the 101st edition of edge. “It can be very dangerous for the son at Pacos de Ferreira before finally the Tour de France cycling race. — AFP opponent,” he said. “It is difficult for agreeing terms with Benfica, ahead of them to play against us in this forma- the upcoming campaign. tion.” Benfica were guided by coach Van Gaal has made a strong Jorge Jesus to the Portuguese title, Martin wins impression since succeeding the domestic Cup and domestic League sacked David Moyes, upbraiding his Cup last season, while they narrowly players during public training sessions lost the Europa League final against PASADENA: Manchester United’s Juan Mata (left) look on during a Tour time trial and openly criticising the club’s heavy Sevilla on penalties. -— AFP training session. — AFP

PERIGUEUX: Three-time world time trial podium. Pinot started the day second Monaco mounts comeback to reach final champion Tony Martin won the 20th but was only 13sec ahead of Peraud and stage 54km individual race against the 15sec ahead of Spanish time trial cham- STAAD: Argentine Juan Monaco claimed a by claiming the second set in a tiebreak The South American has been bothered clock at the Tour de France yesterday. pion Alejandro Valverde. place in his first final in almost a year yester- before collapsing in the third to exit as his by three different injuries this season-his Vincenzo Nibali finished fourth on the But already by the first time check it day as he defeated Robin Haase 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) serve was broken seven times. back, wrist and foot. His victory took his stage to ensure he will win the Tour after was obvious Valverde wasn’t having a at the Swiss Open, setting up a showdown Earlier, the 30-year-old Monaco went 2014 record to 13-14 and 5-1 at this alpine Sunday’s final stage finish on the good day as he had lost 43sec to Pinot with Spain’s Pablo Andujar. Monaco, whose through to his first final since Kitzbuehel 51 village whose clay stands 1,050m above sea Champs Elysees in Paris. and more than a minute to Peraud. ranking has plummeted to 105 after a series weeks ago after playing his first semi-final of level. On a great day for the French, Jean- Pinot was supposed to be the weakest of injuries going back to late 2013, recovered 2014. Monaco came from 2-0 down in the sec- Christophe Peraud took seventh on the of the three in the race against the clock from breaks down in both sets to claim victo- “At the start I didn’t play well, he ond set after trailing 3-0 in the first. He was stage to finish second overall while com- but he put in a stunning performance to ry over Dutch seventh seed Haase, a losing deserved his 3-0 lead. But I began playing eventually able to overpower a frustrated patriot Thibaut Pinot ended up third and finish 12th on the stage and secure third finalist here a year ago to Mikhail Youzhny. better and got into the match,” Monaco said Haase, who has won two claycourt trophies also on the podium. place overall. It will be a first-ever meeting for Monaco of a contest which began four hours late due at altitude in Kitzbuehel, Austria. Monaco Dutch time trial champion Tom Peraud, 37, had a scare after 33km in the final against world number 71 to rain. carried the second set into a tie-breaker and Dumoulin was second on the stage at when he punctured but it didn’t stop Andujar, who profited from seven double- “We had no time to really warm up but it advanced to the title match on the second 1min 39sec of the irrepressible Martin, him and by the end he had finished faults off the racquet of fourth seed was the same for both. I got some rhythm of three match points after one and three- with Czech Jan Barta third at 1:47. 44sec quicker than Pinot to claim second Fernando Verdasco in a 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1 and hit the ball harder than him. I was able quarter hours. “I’m glad to be playing again. Martin, who finished in 1hr 06min 21sec, stop. But there was disappointment for upset. to get into control. I’m just trying to be happy on court,” said was always expected to win this and he another Frenchman, Romain Bardet, who Verdasco, treated for a shoulder problem “In the second set I had some opportuni- Monaco, who won with four breaks of serve. didn’t disappoint. lost fifth place by 2sec to American Tejay after losing the opening set, broke in the ties that I didn’t take, I was a bit nervous, I’ve “I’m happy now to reach the final and I’m But behind him the true drama was Van Garderen after puncturing like his second set as his opponent served for a not played a semi-final this season. “But at looking forward to doing something good seeing who would join Nibali on the final AG2R teammate Peraud. — AFP straight-sets win. Verdasco then stayed alive the end I just relaxed and played my tennis.” tomorrow.” — AFP