NFL CONFIRMS FATE OF LONDON 2020 INTERNATIONAL SERIES FIXTURES

The NFL has cancelled the International Series scheduled to take place in London and Mexico City later this year. All four games in London 2020 would have been shared between Wembley and Tottenham there should have been two fixtures involving the Jacksonville Jaguars which would have been scheduled for Wembley, with two more matches due to be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The London games were set for autumn 2020, but no firm dates had been set. It will be the first time an NFL regular season game has not been played in London since 2006. They will now be held in the US after organisers decided it was impossible to arrange games in a different continent because of the coronavirus pandemic.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made the decision after consultation with a number of stakeholders including clubs, local governments and medical authorities. The NFL had also been planning to play one game at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico, but that too will now take place in the USA.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "While the NFL's many fans in London, the UK and Europe will obviously be disappointed by this news, it is absolutely the right decision to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the sport. I know that the NFL remains fully committed to London and I look forward to welcoming NFL teams back to the capital in 2021." while Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said they "fully appreciate the difficult decision that the NFL has had to make".

Mark Burrows, The FA's Chief Operating Officer, said: "Wembley Stadium has had the privilege of hosting NFL games for the past 13 consecutive seasons, and they are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the stadium's calendar. We were of course looking forward to welcoming teams back to Wembley this autumn - in particular, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were due to be the first NFL team to play back-to-back international games here in London. However, we understand the challenges that sports across the world are facing as a result of this crisis and, as a valued partner, we fully support the NFL in their decision to schedule all games in the US this year. We wish them every success for the new season and stand ready to welcome the NFL back to our iconic venue in the near future."

This news is hardly unexpected given no-one knows when top-level sport will be played in the United Kingdom - and when it is, it will almost certainly be behind closed doors for the remainder of 2020 at least. However, it is another financial blow to both Tottenham and the Football Association, given the games have proved themselves to be useful money-spinners over the years.

10 HORSES TO FOLLOW (When Flat Racing Restarts) PART ONE - IRELAND

While looking to pass the time while under the recent lock down, and with no actual racing taking place in UK or Ireland, we thought that we'd have a look at some horses to follow for when the racing begins. Shall be updating three different posts for both Flat racing and National Hunt rules, this one will focus on the Irish Trainers and I've been reading up on their stable notes, as well as Timeform and other publications. At time of writing racing is currently suspended but we've included mention of possible Group One entries as we are to understand that ever effort is being made to ensure that races such as the Guineas, Derby and Oaks are re-scheduled. Also note that we've only selected a few trainers, the likes of Aiden O'Brien is only omitted as they have 100's of high class horses and it would take an age (and possibly a blog in their own right) to go through them all.
Jim Bolger

Fiscal Rules – He was beaten a head by Wichita on his only start to date over seven furlongs at the Curragh in late August. A son of Make Believe, he hasn’t been seen since but holds entries in various big races like the Guineas. He looks a sure-fire maiden winner and a high-class prospect in the making. 
Moments Linger – She could have a good handicap mark by accident. She’s a three-year-old daughter of Dawn Approach and wasn’t beaten far on debut at Dundalk, where she was beaten by Ickworth, who also beat her in a Listed race at the Curragh on her last start. Rated 84, she’s got an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas, so it will be interesting to see the route she goes.
Ten Year Ticket – He’s by Rock Of Gibraltar and won at a big price on debut at the Curragh, beating Tiger Moth, and he looks a smart prospect going forward. The fact he’s a gelding means he won’t be campaigned down the obvious races and he should be able to make hay on the back of that debut win.

Dermot Weld

Emiyn - A sure-fire maiden winner for the yard is Emiyn. He ran a lovely race at the only turf meeting held this year at Naas. It looked a well-contested race and he had a wide draw and travelled extremely well into the race. On a day when the yard had three of four strongly fancied runners, he was the only one to run well. He holds an Irish Guineas entry which is a nod to the esteem he’s held in at home although we will have to wait and see if the Classics can be saved in Ireland as the BHA appear to be doing over in the UK.
Shekhem - Of the younger generation a colt to keep on your side is Shekhem. He belongs to the Aga Khan and ran a huge race to finish second in the Beresford Stakes in the autumn. He ran with the choke out on the round mile track there, which is downhill all the way, and was still only caught late on by Inch Free. He’d previously won a maiden at Listowel nicely and he’s one to have on your side in the better races moving forward.

Joseph O’Brien

Big Call - I’d always be inclined to give a horse of his who wins first time out a huge upgrade as they tend to be green and learning their job. If they win on debut they tend to be start. A horse who fits that bill is Big Call who win at Limerick at the back-end of the year having missed the start. He had 10 or 12 horses in front of him own the relatively short home straight there but when he was asked for his effort he picked up really well to win by three lengths. The second horse, Hong Kong, has a rating of around 90 for the Ballydoyle team and gives the form a strong look. The ground was very testing but I loved the way he did it and he’s a very promising son of American Pharoah.
Buckhurst - Among the older horses I’m mad about Buckhurst. We haven’t seen the best of him yet, he’s been minded by Joseph, and beat Sir Dragonet at the Curragh in August. He’s won three of his six starts and finished second to Norway in a Group Three on his final start. That was run on the inside track at Leopardstown and he had to work hard all the way round on the outside of the field and you can upgrade that run. There’s definitely more to come from him.
Crossfirehurricane – He has won his three starts to date, the last two at Dundalk. He’s a son of Kitten’s Joy who is already a Listed winner and there should be more to come as he goes up in trip on good ground. But given the year it is if there’s more polytrack racing that would very much suit him too.

Johnny Murtagh

Know It All – She’s a filly by Lord Kanaloa, which is interesting breeding. He’s a Japanese sire and won in Hong Kong, while he was Japanese horse of the year – he only got better with age and he’s the sire of Almond Eye. Know It All won a winners’ race at the Curragh on her second start, but it was her run behind New York Girl in a Group Three on her final start at two that confirmed her as a high-class prospect. She travelled strongly throughout in a handy position but took it up a long way from home on testing ground. Inside the furlong pole she was a couple of lengths clear but she got tired and was run down to be beaten a neck and half a length. I think she was the best filly in the race, it was just the way it was run left her vulnerable to closers. She looks smart and there’s more to come from her.
Springbank – He’s a very well-bred Galileo. His dam was a multiple Group Three-winning mare and if you go back to his first start at the Curragh, where he was a two lengths third to Wichita, he has the look of a very well handicapped horse off a mark of 78. His next two starts were on heavy and he didn’t run badly on his last start at Leopardstown, where he was beaten nine lengths by Celtic High King. He’s bred to improve with age, he’s a full brother to Expressionism who won over 1m 4f, and given the promise he showed on his debut he’s worth following in middle-distance handicaps.

Further blogs focusing on Uk Flat horses and also National Hunt selections will appear soon, there will be no NH racing till at least July according to a statement from the British Racehorse Association.

MAY 2020 UPDATE ... #2 'SELF ISOLATION, THE STORY CONTINUES'.

As we enter May 2020 and are still following HM Government advice on lock-down although the numbers being published each day suggest we have peaked, it would be ill advised to think that we'll be allowed out 'en masse' any time soon. As this blog tends to focus on two primary activities most of the year we have a look at the latest situation for both the UK Football leagues, of which we have an interest in League One for AFC Wimbledon. And also the equine interest in Flat / NH Horse racing which is currently curtailed and unlikely to return in the short term and even then would surely be without on track spectators. We do miss out sports, a regular attendee and had plans to celebrate my own birthday as I have for the past twenty years by visiting Ascot, but that can wait.  

Football
Recently UEFA provided an update on plans to finish the 2019-20 season to all its 55 national associations with European football's governing body still hoping to end the campaign in August, although with every league bar Belarus still suspended there are doubts over whether that deadline can be met. The continuing uncertainty over the spread of coronavirus is creating major issues, with some leagues - including Germany and Denmark - talking optimistically about a resumption next month, while others - England among them - believe it will be June at the earliest before they can play games, and some Premier League clubs feel it will be longer than that.

UEFA are still planning for a June restart across its leagues but says in "special cases" some could be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Each involved a June start, with the Champions League final planned for 29th August. However, the uncertainty over when football can restart has made detailed planning impossible and for the first time, UEFA has accepted completing the season in some countries may not be possible. "There was a strong recommendation given to finish domestic top division and cup competitions, but some special cases will be heard once guidelines concerning participation to European competitions - in case of a cancelled league - have been developed".

From a personal point of view as an AFC Wimbledon supporter there is a chance that League One will continue with games being live streamed somehow, we await further news on this with nine games to play that will decide if we stay up or not. The National League have also announced that their board had urged clubs in its three divisions to vote in favour of ending the regular season without further games because of coronavirus. The league said there was a "clear majority of clubs in favour" from the almost 90% of responses returned. Further discussions on what this means for promotion and relegation are still to be held but it would clear the way for their seasons to start again on time for the 2020/21 season.

Horse Racing
British Horseracing Authority's "best-case scenario" planning for a resumption of UK Flat racing includes a Guineas meeting in early June and the Derby and Oaks run in early July. With racing currently suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the season's first four Classics have been delayed from their usual slots in the calendar. However, the sport's 'Resumption of Racing Group' is working to draw up provisional plans for when racing is able to return, with "a phased approach" to racing behind closed doors anticipated in the immediate stages. Royal Ascot is currently still due to take place in its traditional mid-June slot, the meeting could be sandwiched by the Classic cards, although all plans very much depend on racing being given the go-ahead to resume. We've missed out on my birthday meeting at Ascot in April and looks unlikely that we'll be at Sandown for their end May card that featured the Brigadier Gerard Stakes either.

National Hunt jumps racing is currently scheduled to recommence on July 1st and the BHA is planning to base those fixtures on the original programme book, although "trainers are currently being asked for details of the horses they expect to have ready to run at that time so that appropriate revisions to the programme can be made".

We've planned some "10 to follow" lists for UK and Ireland, across both codes and while the season has been truncated we still think there's a few winners to be had amongst them in the future. Hopefully they'll be published in the next week.