
Connections looking to to see the real Falakeyah next time out
After sidestepping the Oaks at Epsom and being ruled out of the French equivalent, Falakeyah dropped back to a mile for the Coronation Stakes, but ended up racing too enthusiastically for her own good on the front end before weakening in the home straight.
Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, said: 'It was a pity, as I was very pleased with her before the race. She settled beforehand, I thought, she was good and calm in the ring and Jim (Crowley) said she went down brilliantly relaxed.
'I've only seen the replay once, but it looked to me like for the first 50 or 60 yards of the race she was OK and then when Hollie (Doyle, riding Duty First) came upsides her she just put her head in the air and took off basically. It just set her alight and that was it.
'On a hot day like that, she was never going to be able to keep going at that pace, so we'll just give her a bit of time. We didn't learn anything regarding distance or anything like that, all we learnt was she's not going to win races if she races like that.'
He added: 'We know she's considerably better than that, her work at home is very high class and that run didn't bare any resemblance to her work at home. We'll obviously have to try to settle her next time and maybe we'll have a look at something like the Nassau. We'll just see how everyone feels nearer the time.
'At home she settles beautifully and is quite happy to take a lead and doesn't fight the jockey, so we've just got to get her to do that on the racecourse if she's going to have any chance of finishing off her races.'
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Alan Shearer sends Alexander Isak tongue-in-cheek message after Hugo Ekitike strike
Liverpool's new signing Hugo Ekitike grabbed a goal and an assist on his Premier League debut as Arne Slot's side opened their campaign with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth Alan Shearer has warned Alexander Isak that he wouldn't be a guaranteed starter at Liverpool after Hugo Ekitike made an impact on debut. The Reds opened their Premier League campaign with a dramatic 4-2 win over Bournemouth on Friday night, with Ekitike the star. The French striker, who arrived in a deal worth £69million plus £10m in add-ons from Eintracht Frankfurt, hit the ground running at Anfield. He opened the scoring by coolly slotting into the net before half-time and he then turned provider, teeing up Cody Gakpo to make it 2-0. Bournemouth fought back admirably with a double from Antoine Semenyo, but were undone late on. Federico Chiesa volleyed in before Mohamed Salah got in on the act by rifling into the bottom corner. While there were worrying signs for Liverpool's defence, their new-look attack was impressive, with Ekitike taking home the Man of the Match award. With Isak refusing to play for Newcastle in an effort to force through a move to Liverpool, Ekitike's performance wasn't lost on Shearer. 'Surely any forward thinking of going to Liverpool, will be having second thoughts now having to play second fiddle to the brilliant Ekitike all season?' he wrote on X alongside a few emojis. Liverpool have seen one bid of £110m plus £10m in add-ons rejected by Newcastle for Isak and are yet to return with another offer. The Swede has burnt his bridges with the Magpies and is desperate to move to Anfield, where there is a space in the side. Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz this summer after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and Arne Slot has made it clear he wants another attacker brought in. Slot told Sky Sports before the Bournemouth game: "I see Hugo mainly as a No.9 that could also play from the left or together with another No.9. We need to have one more attacker at least." Isak has not been training with Newcastle and still has two weeks left before the transfer window closes to get his move. But Eddie Howe insists there is a way back for the 25-year-old at St James' Park. 'I want him to play. I want him to train," he said on Friday. "I've had those conversations [with Isak] but the details of those will remain private. "There is no change to the situation. All my focus has been on the training, Aston Villa and the transfer front in terms of getting players in – that is all-consuming for me. Alex's situation has been unchanged for a while and that will continue to be the case." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Leader Live
Pinhole aiming to justify connections' faith in Geoffrey Freer
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Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Liverpool 4 Bournemouth 2: Chiesa snatches dramatic winner after Semenyo double threatened to snatch draw in thriller
Game was suspended after Semenyo reported he was racially abuse CHIE SERA Liverpool 4 Bournemouth 2: Chiesa snatches dramatic winner after Semenyo double threatened to snatch draw in thriller Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Premier League has seen a few extraordinary opening nights down the years but never one to compare with this. Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo - who had earlier reported a fan at Anfield for racial abuse - hammered a sensational second-half double as the champions blew a two-goal lead. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Federico Chiesa climbed off the bench to score a late winner for Liverpool Credit: AFP 11 The Reds had thrown away a 2-0 lead to Bournemouth before Chiesa came to the rescue Credit: PA Yet Federico Chiesa's late volley rescued victory for Arne Slot's side - the Italian's first Premier League goal, a year after his arrival. Chiesa had arrived as a curious late sub for £100million debutant Florian Wirtz - yet ended up stealing the show. It had been a night when Liverpool paid poignant tribute to a fallen hero, Diogo Jota, and welcomed a new goalscoring star, Hugo Ekitike, but proceedings were soured by the alleged vile incident of racism. The Premier League was back and all facets of human life were very much on display. Not least the skill and courage of Semenyo, who equalised with a dash from 70 yards out, a cute dummy of Ibrahima Kobate and the coolest of finishes. It exposed the defensive frailties of Slot's new-look Liverpool - with full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong hauled off after shaky displays when the Reds were 2-0 up through Ekitike and Cody Gakpo. Slot has spent north of £300million this summer and wants to splash out plenty more but his champions - who lost last Sunday's Community Shield to Crystal Palace - are looking vulnerable., Just six weeks after the tragic death of Jota, Anfield put on stirring tributes to the late Portuguese forward - promising his widow and children that 'Anfield will always be your home' before an immaculate minute's silence. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS But marring it all was the antics of one Liverpool supporter, who was reported for racial abuse by Semenyo, who seemed to cop an earful from a supporter in a wheelchair, as he prepared to take a long throw-in - the incident causing a delay in play. As Slot paraded four new signings, Bournemouth had last season's first-choice back four torn apart, with three of them heading off to some of Europe's grandest clubs - including Liverpool's Kerkez. Palace Eyeing Liverpool's Elliott as Eze Replacement 11 The Cherries had played a major role in easing Liverpool's path to the title last season by doing the double over runners-up Arsenal. But they knew they had their work cut out due to the quality of the opposition and the emotion of the occasion. Iraola handed debuts to former Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic, as well as French defenders Bafode Diakite and Adrien Truffert. And the Cherries back line was soon under the pump, Ekitike sending a pass to Mo Salah, who cut inside Truffert and bent a shot which Petrovic pushed over the bar. 11 Hugo Ekitike fired Liverpool ahead just before half-time Credit: PA 11 Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool's lead early in the second half Credit: PA Virgil Van Dijk then headed over from a Salah centre - before Semenyo skied one from six yards from Truffert's cross. The first major controversy of the season did not take long to arrive - Marco Senesi stretched out an arm and handled to deny Ekitike a clear run on goal from the halfway line but VAR did not advise ref Anthony Taylor to award a red card. There had only just been a rousing, signing tribute to Jota on 20 minutes, when Liverpool were shamed by one supporter abusing Semenyo as he wound up to take a long throw-in. Soon, the match was paused while Taylor explained to managers Slot and Andoni Iraola that Semenyo had reported that he'd been racially abused. 11 Antoine Semenyo scored a double to bring Bournemouth back in Credit: Reuters 11 Semenyo had earlier reported a racist comment, suspending the game for several minutes Credit: Sky Sports The winger had just barged Wirtz off the ball firmly but fairly before he was hit with heavy challenges from Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool, who had looked defensively wobbly throughout pre-season, were still being unpicked down the flanks - and Marcus Tavernier soon scuffed a shot from an Adam Smith cut-back. The champions had been by no means convincing before they seized the line on 37 minutes. Collecting a Mac Allister pass, Ekitike ran at the Cherries defence and the ball ricocheted off Senesi before the Frenchman coolly slotted home, giving Petrovic the eyes and sending him the wrong way. 11 Chiesa showed his class with an 85th minute strike Credit: AFP 11 Mo Salah put the game to bed with a strike late on Credit: PA Ekitike gestured a two and a zero in tribute to Jota then clasped his hands in prayer. Within a minute, the scorer headed over from a Gakpo centre. Gakpo gave Slot's side a two-goal cushion on 48 minutes, collecting a pass from Ekitike, passing three defenders and side-footed inside the far post. Mac Allister's long-ranger was tipped over by Petrovic but with both of Liverpool's new full-backs struggling defensively, Slot sent on Andy Robertson and Wataru Endo in place of Frimpong and Kerkez. 11 Arne Slot passionately celebrated the three points Credit: Reuters 11 He was later seen talking to Semenyo about the alleged racist incident It didn't work for the Reds boss as Bournemouth pulled one back, an artful low centre from David Brooks attacked by a darting Semenyo, whose shot evaded Allison. Suddenly, Liverpool were seriously under the pump, Bournemouth pinning them back before Joe Gomez arrived as Slot's third right-back of the night and Ekitike was withdrawn. Semenyo then pelted forward from well inside his own half to outfox Konate and fire the equaliser. But on a night which was dramatic and unpredictable, Chiesa proved the most dramatic and unpredictable of match-winners in Chiesa, before Salah sealed victory with a tenacious run and clinical winner in injury-time.