Horse Racing: Tony McCoy gained great satisfaction from another personal milestone as he overtook his former boss and mentor Martin Pipe with victory aboard It’s A Gimme in the Betfred Summer Plate at Market Rasen. The record-breaking champion can finally claim bragging rights after he surpassed his old ally’s career tally of 4,191 winners as a trainer. McCoy had equalled the mark with the appropriately-named On The Record at Uttoxeter in midweek, and went one better on Saturday as the Jonjo O’Neill-trained 2-1 market leader It’s A Gimme claimed the feature event of the day at the Lincolnshire track.
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Snooker: Blackpool will stage a sensational week of snooker next March with the World Seniors Championship followed by the dramatic Shoot-Out. The World Seniors will take place at the Blackpool Tower Circus Arena for the first time, on March 2 and 3. Then the Shoot-Out returns to the same venue for the fifth consecutive year, from March 4 to 6. The World Seniors Championship has been running since 2010 and brings together legends of the sport. Steve Davis is the defending champion while favourites like Jimmy White (picture), Dennis Taylor and Cliff Thorburn have been recent regulars in the popular event. The Shoot-Out is a one-frame knockout featuring 64 of the world’s best players, with a shot clock and plenty of crowd participation.
Cricket: England face an uphill battle to save the second test at Lord’s after slumping to 105 for four at the close of yesterday’s fourth day in pursuit of 319 to beat India. England, chasing a first test win in 10 matches after series defeats by Australia and Sri Lanka, lost three wickets in 20 balls to leave them teetering at 72 for four. Joe Root (14) and Moeen Ali (15) ensured there was no further damage, and will resume today needing a further 214 runs for victory as England eye their second-highest successful fourth-innings chase and biggest at Lord’s.
Tennis: Top seed Caroline Wozniacki proved far too strong for Roberta Vinci as the Dane powered to a simple straight-sets victory to claim the Istanbul Cup yesterday. Second seed Vinci would have been hoping to challenge Wozniacki after a strong week in Turkey, but the world number 15 eased to a comfortable 6-1 6-1 win. 2009 US Open finalist Wozniacki celebrated her 24th birthday last week and needed a little over an hour to secure her 22nd WTA title.
Basket, NBA: Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said he is “scared” about his future after basketball. Bryant, 35, played just six games last season after sustaining a knee injury. He is the subject of a documentary on Showtime in November. “Kobe Bryant’s Muse” looks into his life last season when the Lakers went 27-55 as he recovered from the injuries. The absence forced Bryant to think more about his future after his playing days are over. “I’m afraid, too,” he said. “You really have to lean on muses and mentors going forward, just as I did as a kid. It’s about having that next wave of things, which is scary as hell, but its fun at the same time.”
Cycling: The 2017 Tour of Spain will start from Nimes, France, the city’s mayor said yesterday. “The Grand Depart of the 2017 will be held in Nimes, it will be the first time (the race will start from France),” Jean-Paul Fournier told l’Eaufficiel, a free newspaper circulating on the Tour de France. “It will start with a team time trial.”