Equestrian Sport: Robert Smith, son the legendary Harvey, took the top prizemoney in last night's Waterford Crystal World Cup preliminary round at Millstreet to claim the coveted last-to-go slot for tonight's seeded draw for the World Cup qualifier itself.
Smith's winning partner in last night's one-round speed, which decided the 18 that go through to tonight's World Cup round, was the Irish-bred Mr Springfield. The Western Promise gelding won the Irish Horse Board six-year-old championship for owner Jimmy McCloskey at Cavan last year and joined Smith's string on a lease agreement with McCloskey in March.
The gelding scorched round the Millstreet track to clock 61.09 to beat Smith's 33 rivals. Tim Stockdale was more than two seconds adrift for the runner-up spot on Wiston Bridget. Edward Doyle finished best of the home side in third with Windgates King Koal and will start three from the end in tonight's qualifier.
World Cup Preliminary Qualifier: 1, Britain's Mr Springfield (Robert Smith); 2, Britain's Traxdata Wiston Bridget (Tim Stockdale); 3, Ireland's Windgates King Koal (Edward Doyle); 4, Ireland's Cruise Line (Harry Marshall); 5, Ireland's Garronturton Lady (Dermott Lennon); 6, Ireland's Cruisehill (Captain Gerry Flynn).
Rugby: Honours were even in Paris last night when France met Ireland in two under-21 internationals which were played in quick succession. Ireland won the first match 21-19, but France exacted revenge by thrashing the visitors 64-10 in the second.
IRELAND UNDER-21 (Team One): D O'Riordan; K Barry, G Brown, C McNaughton, M McPhail; B Lynn, B O'Riordan; B Young, H Bourke, G Power, T Hayes, P Griffin, J Murphy, A Conboy, C Hartigan.
IRELAND UNDER-21 (Team Two): F Baynes; J Norton, K Lewis, M Lawlor, A Maxwell; G Duffy, P McCarthy; R Flanagan, G Hickie, N Treston, A Maher, M McCullough, P Malone, D Dillon, N McMillan.
Replacements (for both matches): C Atkinson, W O'Driscoll, D Crotty, E Reddan, T Morton, C Tucker, C Prime, C Murphy, D Barbour, W Wallace.
Motor Racing: Paul Stewart, who is being treated for cancer, has resigned as executive director of Jaguar's Formula One racing team, the British outfit announced.
"The doctors are satisfied with my progress, but I'll be visiting the hospital regularily for another two years to complete my treatment, so it's difficult for me to fulfil my duties with the company (Jaguar)," Stewart said from his Minnesota hospital.
Tennis: Lleyton Hewitt ended Greg Rusedski's remarkable comeback run at the $2.95 million Stuttgart Masters Series yesterday with a 6-4, 6-4 quarter-final defeat.
The Briton failed in his bid to reach a second consecutive semi-finals as Hewitt earned a break per set.
The Australian teenager moved into today's showdown with Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who advanced over Holland's Sjeng Schalken 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Rugby: South African Springbok player Cobus Visagie has tested positive for a banned substance. The South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) confirmed the positive result but did not disclose the name of the player.
But Cape Town television station e.tv said the player was Visagie, a Springbok and Western Province prop forward.
Visagie, who is not on the Springbok's current tour of Argentina because of injury, has denied taking any banned substance, his lawyer told the private television station.
The test is believed to have been carried out before last weekend's Currie Cup final and the player is said to have tested positive for steroids.
Rugby: The All Blacks shrugged off a slow start to beat a Pacific Barbarians XV 50-10 in a UNICEF charity match in Tokyo yesterday. The game was a warm-up for the New Zealand team's upcoming European tour.
Rowing: The Fours head of the river scheduled for London today has had to be called off because of the weather. A number of Irish crews had been entered.
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