Latest news with #DavidProbert
The Standard
14 hours ago
- Sport
- The Standard
Who is David Probert? Hong Kong's newest foreign jockey has the talent if not the big name
David Probert will join the Hong Kong jockeys' roster from the start of the 2025/26 season with a license that runs through to February (IDOL HORSE)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
NHS patients told to brace for strikes up to Christmas
Patients must brace themselves for the possibility of doctor's strikes until Christmas, the head of the NHS has warned. Junior doctors will on Sunday enter the third day of a five-day strike over pay, with NHS leaders warning that further walkouts are almost inevitable in the coming months. The latest talks between the Department of Health and the British Medical Association (BMA) have made little progress. 'This could be a marathon. We could be doing this until Christmas or maybe beyond,' David Probert, chief executive of University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and deputy chief executive of NHS England told The Sunday Times. Junior doctors have a strike mandate that runs until 6 January, but union leaders have suggested industrial action could intensify this autumn. Consultants and mid-grade doctors were sent indicative strike ballots last week in response to a government pay offer of 4 per cent, which they branded 'an insult'. The ballots close on 1 September. Elsewhere in the NHS, the GMB union is considering action among ambulance and hospital staff after 67 per cent of members voted to reject a 3.6 per cent pay offer on Friday. The Royal College of Nursing is also due to announce the result of its pay ballot this week, with sources reporting a 'strong turnout'. Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, warned that it will take a 'huge effort' to keep hospital waiting times down during a prolonged period of disruption. 'We know that continued disruption over the coming months could see a snowball effect for patients and for staff,' he said. 'We've seen that before and it has taken a huge effort over the last year to build momentum back up on reducing waiting lists and times.' Despite efforts to restart dialogue, tensions have escalated in recent days. Tom Dolphin, chair of the BMA council, said the union was consulting lawyers after both Sir Jim and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, signalled they may try to restrict striking doctors from taking on locum shifts, often a key source of income. Junior doctors are demanding a 26 per cent pay rise to reverse what the BMA says is a real-terms pay cut since 2008. The government argues it has already acted; last year, Mr Streeting awarded junior doctors a 28.7 per cent pay rise over three years, which brought an end to the previous wave of strikes. But medics say that increase followed years of pay erosion and still leaves salaries well short of 2008 levels in real terms, particularly given the sharp spike in inflation since 2021. There are signs, however, that public support for the strikes is beginning to slip. A YouGov poll last week found that just 34 per cent of the public backed the strikes, down from 59 per cent in March 2023. A majority of 52 per cent now say they are opposed.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
NHS patients told to brace for strikes up to Christmas
Patients must brace themselves for the possibility of doctor's strikes until Christmas, the head of the NHS has warned. Junior doctors will on Sunday enter the third day of a five-day strike over pay, with NHS leaders warning that further walkouts are almost inevitable in the coming months. The latest talks between the Department of Health and the British Medical Association (BMA) have made little progress. 'This could be a marathon. We could be doing this until Christmas or maybe beyond,' David Probert, chief executive of University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and deputy chief executive of NHS England told The Sunday Times. Junior doctors have a strike mandate that runs until 6 January, but union leaders have suggested industrial action could intensify this autumn. Consultants and mid-grade doctors were sent indicative strike ballots last week in response to a government pay offer of 4 per cent, which they branded 'an insult'. The ballots close on 1 September. Elsewhere in the NHS, the GMB union is considering action among ambulance and hospital staff after 67 per cent of members voted to reject a 3.6 per cent pay offer on Friday. The Royal College of Nursing is also due to announce the result of its pay ballot this week, with sources reporting a 'strong turnout'. Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, warned that it will take a 'huge effort' to keep hospital waiting times down during a prolonged period of disruption. 'We know that continued disruption over the coming months could see a snowball effect for patients and for staff,' he said. 'We've seen that before and it has taken a huge effort over the last year to build momentum back up on reducing waiting lists and times.' Despite efforts to restart dialogue, tensions have escalated in recent days. Tom Dolphin, chair of the BMA council, said the union was consulting lawyers after both Sir Jim and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, signalled they may try to restrict striking doctors from taking on locum shifts, often a key source of income. Junior doctors are demanding a 26 per cent pay rise to reverse what the BMA says is a real-terms pay cut since 2008. The government argues it has already acted; last year, Mr Streeting awarded junior doctors a 28.7 per cent pay rise over three years, which brought an end to the previous wave of strikes. But medics say that increase followed years of pay erosion and still leaves salaries well short of 2008 levels in real terms, particularly given the sharp spike in inflation since 2021. There are signs, however, that public support for the strikes is beginning to slip. A YouGov poll last week found that just 34 per cent of the public backed the strikes, down from 59 per cent in March 2023. A majority of 52 per cent now say they are opposed.
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Top Flat jockey on track for eighth century of winners takes up lucrative Hong Kong offer
Welshman David Probert, who regularly rides 1,000 horses a year, will move to the Far East in August where they only race twice a week One of Britain's busiest jockeys is cutting short his season to take up a lucrative offer to ride in Hong Kong. Welshman David Probert, 36, who regularly rides nearly 1,000 horses a year, is on track to reach a century of winners in a year for the eighth time in his career. Nine days ago he recorded his biggest success of 2025 when steering Royal Ascot winner Never So Brave to victory in the Group 2 Summer Mile, his 21st Group winner. Yet he accepts that when the exciting Andew Balding-trained four-year-old has his next start the mount is likely to return to Oisin Murphy, if he's available. So when the Hong Kong Jockey Club offered him the chance to join a growing colony of riders of ex-British based riders in the Far East, he accepted. The jockey from Bargoed in South Wales's Rhymney Valley, who has ridden 1,681 winners, will arrive with Derby winner Richard Kingscote to compete with the already established Harry Bentley and Andrea Atzeni for the first half of the season from September to February. 'I've always been consistent, riding 100 winners especially in the last six seasons, and I've probably been one of the busiest jockeys about, riding nearly 1,000 horses a year,' he told Mirror Racing. 'It's really difficult to compete with the top five jockeys in the country. The opportunities to have your chance in a Classic or a domestic Group 1 are few and far between. I've been riding for 20 years and to build my hopes up on gaining that Group 1 horse I could be waiting another five or ten years. 'For me as a rider I feel it would be beneficial to go to Hong Kong, open new horizons, new doors and challenge myself. The racing is very competitive, they have good prize-money. They only race twice a week but still the chances you get and the rewards are so much more beneficial.' Probert has made the most of his limited starts in Classic to finish second in the Derby and second in the 2,000 Guineas. He went on: 'To ride a favourite in a Guineas you need to be in the right place at the right time, have a retained job or be riding first jockey for a big trainer. Even though the majority of my rides are from Andrew, we have Oisin riding at the top of his game. A lot of our owners have their own jockey. 'I ride for a lot of different owners and trainers who have supported me massively and I enjoy riding for. This is about nothing more than me wanting to better myself as a jockey. 'I know it's going to be very difficult to start with because in Hong Kong they don't value you on your past success, they go by face value. 'I know I will have to build bridges, sell myself, book my own rides. It's an opportunity to better myself as a jockey and a person. 'I am really looking forward to it. I am always willingl to learn and if you want to learn more about international racing, Hong Kong is the best place to go.'
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
The Derby 2025: horse-by-horse guide to all the runners
Trainer/jockey Owen Burrows/David Probert, stall 13 One of two runners in the green and white silks of Ahmad al Shaikh, whose twin passions in racing appear to be having runners in the Derby and paying as little as possible to buy them. It is a hard approach to knock, however, as Khalifa Sat, at 150-1, and Hoo Ya Mal, at 50-1, reached the frame in 2020 and 2022 respectively. In terms of value at least, the owner has excelled himself here, having paid €7,000 for the son of an obscure stallion Affinisea (so obscure that even his trainer admits he had to look him up when al Shaikh's latest purchase turned up on his doorstep). That said, a realistic view of his form – unraced at two, three runs since April, one minor win – gives him next to no chance of success, so each-way backers hoping for lightning to strike a third time are relying on the fact that, like his high-achieving predecessors, he can't read the form book. John & Thady Gosden/James Doyle, stall 15 One of the least experienced in the field with three outings in the book and it showed behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante at York last time. He took a few strides to go through the gears, edging left, before running on to finish second, one-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner. He did not see a racecourse until December and the rough edges in the Dante offer encouragement there is significant improvement to come,. Definitely an unusual profile for a potential Derby winner – maiden win on the all-weather in December, then two defeats at the start of his three-year-old season – but the talent is probably there if this unique test does not prove to be a step too far at this early stage of his career. Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore, stall 14 Effectively confirmed as favourite when Ryan Moore plumped for the ride on Wednesday from three Aidan O'Brien options and there was a lot to like about the way he put nearly three lengths between himself and the runner-up in Leopardstown's Derby Trial last month. He had solid, progressive form in his juvenile season too, culminating in defeat by a nose in the Group One Futurity at Doncaster, and the 12-furlong trip should be right up his street. The Leopardstown trial has not highlighted a Derby winner since 2002, however, and it was his seventh race, which leaves less room for improvement than most of his opponents Whether the pluses and minuses make him a genuine 3-1 shot is the first question every punter needs to consider. There are tempting options at better odds, and with more room scope for improvement, if they decide against it. Charlie Johnston/Billy Loughnane, stall eight The other half ofal Shaikh's two-pronged attack and his second-string behind Al Wasl Storm according to the betting, although since both are priced in three figures the concept of a first string is perhaps irrelevant. In typical al Shaikh fashion, he cost relative peanuts, having been knocked down for €12,000 as a yearling (Damysus cost nearly 50 times as much). He has already repaid that several times over after finishing one-and-a-half lengths behind Tennessee Storm in a French Group One event last October. Likely to be remembered only as the first Derby ride for the 19-year-old Billy Loughnane, the fastest-rising young star in the weighing room. Aidan O'Brien/Wayne Lordan, stall 10 The third-string in his trainer's challenge for a record-extending 11th Derby according to the betting, but since only three of O'Brien's winners set off as the clear favourite, that is perhaps not quite the red flag it may seem. Rain would be in his favour as he stayed on strongly to win the Chester Vase over an extended 12 furlongs last time out and also has winning form on soft ground, albeit in a weak event at the remote French racing outpost of Craon. Likely to be staying on most strongly in the closing stages, though the obvious concern is that a lack of tactical speed early in the race will leave him with too much to do. Charlie Johnston/Christophe Soumillon, stall three Finished just over a length behind the winner when second in the Chester Vase last month, which is a near-facsimile of the profile Wings Of Eagles brought before his 40-1 Derby victory in 2017. Adayar, in 2021, was another recent winner who was beaten in his trial and with jockey Christophe Soumillon flying in can catch the eye of each-way punters. Any rain will be in his favour. Francis-Henri Graffard/Mickael Barzalona, stall four This year's race is being run in memory of Aga Khan IV, who died in February and whose five Derby winners as an owner included Shergar, whose 10-length winning margin in 1981 remains the record. This late arrival will carry the same green and red colours to the start. It is clearly asking a lot for him to bring them back again in similar style, but he remains unbeaten after three starts and showed a fine turn of foot to quicken clear in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud in May – the same race Pour Moi, the last French-trained Derby winner and with Mickael Barzalona in the saddle to boot, used as their stepping stone to Epsom immortality in 2011. Henri Devin/Alexis Pouchin, stall 17 The powerful Juddmonte operation stumped up £75k to add Henri Devin's colt to the field so he has clearly been showing a good deal more at home than he has on the track. He has finished a close third – at Longchamp and Chantilly – on his two outings this year. In the first of those, he was less than a length behind Andre Fabre's Cualificar, who finished a half-length behind the winner (and from a much wider draw) in the French Derby at Chantilly last Sunday. The 12-furlong trip is also likely to see further improvement. The case in his favour is based on ifs, buts and maybes and he will do well to reach the fourth place required to get his entry fee back. Richard Hannon/Jamie Spencer, stall nine Set off as an unfancied 9-1 shot for the Lingfield Derby Trial – which looks below-par this year – and was beaten nearly four lengths behind Aidan O'Brien's Puppet Master, who was taken out of this race before the final declarations. Has masses of stamina in his pedigree but rather less of the speed a Derby winner needs to go with it. The St Leger already looks a more convincing option even if he is up to running in Group One company (and the jury is out on that too). John & Thady Gosden/Tom Marquand, stall five Finished fifth of 11 in the Dante Stakes at York last month, three-and-a-half lengths behind Pride Of Arras and two-and-a-quarter behind his stable companion, Damysus. Since that was his fifth start there is no obvious reason why he should improve past either of those colts, who have fewer miles on the clock. Bare form does not tell the whole story as he fell out of the stalls and was well off the pace before making eye-catching progress. He joined Damysus on a jaunt down the hill and around Tattenham Corner on gallops morning last week and handled the track well. He seems sure to improve for the mile-and-a-half trip and a top-four finish may not be beyond him. Uttoxeter: 2.00 Miss Goldfire 2.30 Ernest Gray 3.00 Lost Connections 3.30 Baltray 4.00 Hecouldbetheone 4.33 Auntie Maggie 5.05 Crystal Mer. Hamilton: 2.12 Blue Nguru 2.42 Betweenthesticks 3.12 Sea Legend 3.42 Korker 4.12 Yermanthere 4.43 Sir Garfield (nap) 5.17 Arch Legend. Lingfield: 2.20 Dubai Harbour 2.50 Blewburton 3.20 Keybaar 3.50 Gallant 4.25 Touchwood 4.55 Maid In Chelsea. Chelmsford City: 5.00 Eclipser 5.35 Nifty 6.05 Smokey Malone 6.35 Hot Dancer 7.07 Danza Parigina 7.42 Maxident 8.17 Ornately (nb) 8.47 City Captain. Ffos Las: 6.15 Reina Del Mar 6.45 Unspeakable 7.20 Gavin 7.55 Ferret Jeeter 8.30 You Say Nothing 9.00 Twist Of Fatecatch. Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan, stall 16 A skim through the list of Derby winners of the past 25 years may suggest the days when a small owner-breeder could mix it with the big guns from Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte are long gone. This year's Dante Stakes winner, though, may beg to differ. David and Vimy Aykroyd have four mares at their Yorkshire stud farm and their once-raced colt by up-and-coming sire New Bay was an 18-1 shot for his trial at York. He showed all the attributes you would look for in a Derby winner – tactical speed, balance, a turn of foot and a willingness to quicken between horses – on the way to victory. His best days are ahead of him with two runs in the book. Soft ground could be a concern – though the same is true for many of his rivals – but he stayed on well on Knavesmire, should get the trip and is a must for any shortlist. James Owen/Luke Morris, stall one As ever, there is a scattering of runners ithat are seemingly there mainly to give their owners a day out. While James Owen is very much one of the trainers of the moment, with a number of decent winners on the Flat and over jumps since taking out a licence three seasons ago, this syndicate-owned runner seems to fall squarely into that category. Well beaten in the Lingfield Trial and the slimmest hope of any on that form. Last of six in what looked a poor renewal of that race last time and while a repeat of his winning form in a maiden in April should be enough to finish in front of Al Wasl Storm – who was a length-and-a-quarter away in second – the other 18 runners will be more of a problem. Charlie Appleby/William Buick, stall seven A Classic winner already in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last month and the form of that race received a significant boost when City Of Gold, the runner-up, ran away with the Irish equivalent a couple of weeks ago. That is more than enough to send him to Epsom at the top of the ratings – Timeform has him 4lb clear – but the obvious question is whether his stamina will stretch to another half-mile. The recent record of Guineas winners in the Derby is distinctly mixed with the past three – Dawn Approach, Saxon Warrior and Kameko – all beaten after setting off as favourite. If he stays, he will probably win. If he does not, he certainly won't. Simon & Ed Crisford/Harry Davies, stall 18 The only runner in the field with a 'C' – for previous course winner – against his name, thanks to a narrow success in the Blue Riband Trial over 10 furlongs in April and this is a track that can take some getting used to, running downhill at speed. That is pretty much the only tick in a positive box and the same was true of many previous winners of the same race (in recent years, it has guaranteed a place in the Derby lineup so there is often no reason not to run). The last Blue Riband winner to follow up was Blue Peter in 1939. Ralph Beckett/Hector Crouch, stall two There has been plenty of attention on the trainer's prime contender, Pride Of Arras, but less of a focus on his second string, who has had an unconventional preparation but has some interesting form. The most obvious is a close second behind Delacroix in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last October and it is notable that Beckett has made every effort to get him to the post, even persuading Salisbury to stage a race at an evening meeting last month that would give him much-needed prep for the Classic. Stanhope Gardens duly made short work of two opponents and there is little doubt his trainer sees him as a serious contender. Well adrift of his stable companion in the betting and the ratings, but probably close to the top of many punters' lists for each-way purposes. Joseph O'Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle, stall 12 A Group One winner as a two-year-old in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud, a race that has been won by plenty of top-class colts on the way to a glittering three-year-old career. So far so good in terms of his record at the highest level – Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, is the only other in the field with a previous Group One success. On the downside, last season's Critérium – when Green Storm was second – had three runners and was probably the weakest in the race's history. Returned to action in Leopardstown's Derby trial, where he finished around six-and-a-half lengths behind Delacroix. He was noticeably weak in the market beforehand – the implication being that he should improve significantly for the run – but seven lengths is probably asking too much. Aidan O'Brien/Colin Keane, stall 19 The undoubted enigma of the race, not least as his trainer's Derby winners in the past two seasons have been bouncing back from disappointing runs on seasonal debuts. Unlike Auguste Rodin in 2023 and City Of Troy last year, however, The Lion In Winter has been passed over by Ryan Moore after surrendering his unbeaten record with a tame sixth behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante at York. He is bred to appreciate the step up in trip and handed Ruling Court the only defeat of his career, in the Acomb Stakes at York last August, but will struggle to get home if he again fails to settle. A draw in the widest stall may not help in that regard. Respected if only because he has the initials 'A.P.O'B' on his saddlecloth, but the Moore Factor – or rather, the lack-of-Moore Factor – has to be a concern. Saeed bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy, stall 11 The racing landscape has changed significantly since Saeed bin Suroor saddled Lammtarra to win the Derby in 1995, in the earliest years of the Godolphin operation. The trainer's fortunes within the organisation have since waxed and waned, to the point where the man who won four UK trainers' championships between 1996 and 2004 is now a furlong behind Charlie Appleby, his near-neighbour in Newmarket, in the pecking order. Appleby has won two Derbys since Bin Suroor saddled his most recent runner in 2017 and having landed the Classic at the first attempt three decades ago his 24 runners since have all been beaten. Ran a fine race to finish fourth in the 2,000 Guineas and has Oisin Murphy, the reigning champion jockey, to do the steering. He took a strong hold to lead the field for the first six furlongs at Newmarket and looks more likely to appreciate a drop in trip than a step up to a mile-and-a-half. Raphael Freire/David Egan, stall six Kia Joorabchian has ploughed millions into his Amo Racing operation in recent seasons and been rewarded with a couple of placings for big outsiders in the Derby, but his only representative in this year's Classic may struggle. He is, at least, stabled in the right place for a potential winner, as his young handler has taken over at Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge stable in Newmarket after the legendary trainer's retirement at the end of last year. His form is well short of what is likely to be required as he seemed to struggle to get even the 10-furlong trip at York when finishing seventh in the Dante.
