Horse Racing: Betfair are to sponsor Newbury’s big National Hunt meeting in February, featuring Europe’s richest handicap hurdle with prize money upped to £152,500. The race, formerly known as the Totesport Trophy, will be run as the Betfair Hurdle, as part of a minimum three-year deal. The supporting card on Saturday, February 11 includes the Betfair Denman Chase. The Grade Two contest, formerly sponsored by Aon, has been renamed in honour of the recently retired 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup and dual Hennessy hero.
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Rugby League: Ben Galea (picture) will captain Hull KR for the 2012 season, the club have announced. The 33-year-old Australian of Maltese descent, who joined the Robins from Wests Tigers in 2008, replaces Mick Vella who did the job for four seasons before retiring in September. An NRL winner with Wests in 2005, Galea will be assisted by half-back duo Michael Dobson and Blake Green, with new coach Craig Sandercock favouring Galea’s experience. “I’m over the moon to be named as captain,” Galea said. “It’s been something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Cycling: Russia’s 2008 road race Olympic bronze medallist Alexander Kolobnev was not offered a new contract by the Katusha team following his disqualification from this year’s Tour de France for a positive dope test. The team decided not to extend his contract for another year despite him receiving a light punishment from his national federation in October of a fine of $1,700 and no suspension, contenting itself with a formal warning. Kolobnev, 30, tested positive on July 6 for a masking agent that hides the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in the system.
Auto Racing: England’s Mike Conway, who won his first IndyCar race last season at Long Beach, was yesterday named as the driver for the IndyCar team of series racing legend A.J. Foyt. Conway’s only victory in 39 series starts over the past three seasons came at the Long Beach Grand Prix road course. His top four finishes came on road circuits and Foyt, a four-time Indiana-polis 500 winner, liked that talent.
Rugby Union: Scotland’s most-capped player Chris Paterson is poised to end his 12-year international career. The 33-year-old, who has won 109 caps and scored 809 points – both Scotland records – is also the only Scot to have appeared in four Rugby World Cups, most recently this year’s edition in New Zealand. A versatile player capable of appearing in several positions in the backline, Edinburgh full-back Paterson has been hampered lately by a groin injury.