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BBC News
25-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Reece lightning!
Tuesday's back pages are emblazoned with pictures of Reece James after the Chelsea captain scored his first international goal on his first start for England since September 25-year-old curled a stunning first-half free-kick into the top corner to break the deadlock in Monday's 3-0 World Cup qualifier win over Latvia, and played the full 90 minutes."It's been a long time. I've had a frustrating two and a half years and I was so happy to get called up for my country again," James told ITV Sport."I saw the wall and I felt I could bend it around, and thankfully I managed to hit the back of the net."James won the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea in 2021 and says the new England boss has been direct about what he expects from his squad during the qualification process and beyond."His ideas are clear, his goals and his targets," he added."He set them out from the minute he came in, and we have one objective. It starts with this international and we have to keep on building right up to the World Cup."Tuchel was also full of praise for James: "I know Reece and I know the quality the boy has."He is amazing. He has every right to be proud and happy and satisfied with his performance."Did you know?James became the first player to score a direct free-kick for England at Wembley since John Barnes in April England's players rated
BBC News
15-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pic D'Orhy seals back-to-back wins in Ascot Chase
Pic D'Orhy won the Ascot Chase for the second successive year, outclassing Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders Corbetts Cross and L'Homme Presse in the process. L'Homme Presse was pulled up by jockey Charlie Deutsch midway through the race following a poor jumping display, while 7-4 favourite Corbetts Cross trailed home by 10 lengths in second place, just fending off Blue Lord in third. It was a first Grade One victory in 12 months for trainer Paul Nicholls and came a year after Pic D'Orhy's last victory in the race."I would say this was a career-best performance - he loves it here," said Nicholls, who reiterated his horse would not be competing at next month's Cheltenham Festival. Jockey Harry Cobden, who was equally pleased to return to the winners' circle on the 9-5 chance, said he always felt in control of the race after making the running from the opening fence."He's a great horse we've had so many good days. I really enjoyed that, this is massive," he told ITV Sport."I looked at the big screen halfway round and I knew all I had to do was stay in the saddle." Elsewhere, Famous Bridge produced an eye-catching display to win the Grand National Trial at Haydock, landing neck and neck at the last with 11-4 favourite Apple Away, before powering home to win by two National winner Val Dancer was leading, but fell away badly between the final two obstacles. At Wincanton, 6-5 favourite Golden Ace beat Burdett Road by three-quarters of a length to win the Kingwell Scott's seven-year-old beat Brighterdaysahead in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at last season's Cheltenham Festival but failed to reproduce that form in her first two outings this returned to winning ways on Saturday, though, after being dropped back down in distance to two miles for this Grade Two contest.
