Hanlon set for racing return following suspension
Irish trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon can make his comeback to racing from Saturday after having his licence suspended for transporting a dead horse in public view in an open trailer.Hanlon initially received a 10-month ban but this was cut to six months after an appeal and he could make an application to suspend the final three months if certain conditions were met.The Referrals Committee met earlier this month to consider his application to review the ban and his licence was restored on February 14 in the knowledge that he would not be able to run any horses until March 1 due to a new ruling."They gave the licence back to me two weeks ago in fairness, but there's a new rule in Ireland that you have to have horses in training for 14 days before you can run them, so we'll be ready to go again from 1 March," said Hanlon on Tuesday.Hanlon added that he plans to run 2023 King George VI Chase winner Hewick in this year's Grand National instead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which the 10-year-old is entered for."I think we'll miss the Gold Cup, the National is the plan and has been for a while."The handicapper has dropped him a little bit after his last couple of runs and he gets in the National with 11st 7lb, which I think is a nice weight because it looks like 10st 10lb could be bottom-weight, so he wouldn't be giving loads of weight to anything."As long as we get good ground, that's the main thing, and I'd rather go there fresh than be taking on Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup."
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North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
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The Sale captain linked up with Steve Borthwick's squad just three days after his club were denied a place in Saturday's Premiership final by an agonising 21-16 semi-final loss to Leicester. Flanker Curry is among the senior figures in a 37-man training camp, containing 16 uncapped players, ahead of upcoming Tests against Argentina and the United States. Head coach Borthwick is currently without players from Premiership finalists Bath and Leicester in addition to a host of star names, including Curry's twin brother Ben, who are involved in the Lions' summer tour of Australia. While in an ideal world he would have been in different surroundings this week, Curry is not contemplating what might have been. 'It's very easy to do the opposite of that,' he said. 'There's always something different to go after. Obviously you've got to address the emotional disappointment but, with professional sport, there's always something thrown at you next. 'Essentially, you can't rest, it's about just cracking on to the next thing. The challenge we've got this tour is properly exciting. 'I think it's a perfect position. Obviously very disappointed after that semi-final but the beauty of rugby is there is always something next and we're quite fortunate it's straight away. 'In five weeks I might address those emotions, but right now it's quite nice to just throw yourself into something different.' Curry impressed during a Guinness Six Nations campaign which brought four wins from five for England and a second-placed finish behind champions France. Yet the 26-year-old was subsequently left out of the Lions squad revealed by head coach Andy Farrell in May. 'I haven't had anything, so for me, I just want to play for England,' said Curry when asked if he retained hope of a late Lions call-up. Training squad announcement 📋 Steve Borthwick has named a 36-player squad for a four-day training camp ahead of the upcoming match between an England XV and a France XV at @allianz_stad on Saturday 21 June.@O2 | #WearTheRose — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 10, 2025 'I've literally had nothing, so I wouldn't have a clue.' England front-row pair Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour were this week added to Farrell's group as injury cover, with Ireland prop Finlay Bealham taking the place of stricken Scotland tighthead Zander Fagerson. Speaking of the opportunity for 20-year-old Sale team-mate Opoku-Fordjour, Curry said: 'He's still very young. He's got so much potential to grow. 'For him to be around the best players in the world, I think could do wonders for him. 'His ceiling is so high, it's unbelievable. Even to have a sniff of that, he's going to come back and he's just going to go from strength to strength. I've got full confidence in that.' Meanwhile, Henry Arundell has been drafted straight back into the England setup after finishing his spell with Racing 92. The former London Irish wing, who has agreed a return to the Premiership with Bath for next season, was unavailable for international selection during his time in France. Arundell scored a try on his Test debut against Australia in 2022 and registered five scores during England's pool-stage victory over Chile at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Asked for his initial impressions of the 22-year-old, Curry said: 'Very quick. He's unbelievable, isn't he? We're definitely blessed to have him back.'
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
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South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Ben Curry happy to throw himself into England duty after Sale disappointment
The Sale captain linked up with Steve Borthwick's squad just three days after his club were denied a place in Saturday's Premiership final by an agonising 21-16 semi-final loss to Leicester. Flanker Curry is among the senior figures in a 37-man training camp, containing 16 uncapped players, ahead of upcoming Tests against Argentina and the United States. Head coach Borthwick is currently without players from Premiership finalists Bath and Leicester in addition to a host of star names, including Curry's twin brother Ben, who are involved in the Lions' summer tour of Australia. While in an ideal world he would have been in different surroundings this week, Curry is not contemplating what might have been. 'It's very easy to do the opposite of that,' he said. 'There's always something different to go after. Obviously you've got to address the emotional disappointment but, with professional sport, there's always something thrown at you next. 'Essentially, you can't rest, it's about just cracking on to the next thing. The challenge we've got this tour is properly exciting. 'I think it's a perfect position. Obviously very disappointed after that semi-final but the beauty of rugby is there is always something next and we're quite fortunate it's straight away. 'In five weeks I might address those emotions, but right now it's quite nice to just throw yourself into something different.' Curry impressed during a Guinness Six Nations campaign which brought four wins from five for England and a second-placed finish behind champions France. Yet the 26-year-old was subsequently left out of the Lions squad revealed by head coach Andy Farrell in May. 'I haven't had anything, so for me, I just want to play for England,' said Curry when asked if he retained hope of a late Lions call-up. Training squad announcement 📋 Steve Borthwick has named a 36-player squad for a four-day training camp ahead of the upcoming match between an England XV and a France XV at @allianz_stad on Saturday 21 June.@O2 | #WearTheRose — England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 10, 2025 'I've literally had nothing, so I wouldn't have a clue.' England front-row pair Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour were this week added to Farrell's group as injury cover, with Ireland prop Finlay Bealham taking the place of stricken Scotland tighthead Zander Fagerson. Speaking of the opportunity for 20-year-old Sale team-mate Opoku-Fordjour, Curry said: 'He's still very young. He's got so much potential to grow. 'For him to be around the best players in the world, I think could do wonders for him. 'His ceiling is so high, it's unbelievable. Even to have a sniff of that, he's going to come back and he's just going to go from strength to strength. I've got full confidence in that.' Meanwhile, Henry Arundell has been drafted straight back into the England setup after finishing his spell with Racing 92. The former London Irish wing, who has agreed a return to the Premiership with Bath for next season, was unavailable for international selection during his time in France. Arundell scored a try on his Test debut against Australia in 2022 and registered five scores during England's pool-stage victory over Chile at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Asked for his initial impressions of the 22-year-old, Curry said: 'Very quick. He's unbelievable, isn't he? We're definitely blessed to have him back.'
