Paul Nicholls’s horses are in exceptional form and Hermes Allen posted an impressive front-running success at CheltenhamEven by the standards of a 13-times champion, Paul Nicholls’s horses are in exceptional form at present and Hermes Allen, a £350,000 purchase to run in Sir Alex Ferguson’s colours after winning an Irish point-to-point, extended the trainer’s record this November to 17 wins from 32 runners with an impressive front-running success in the Grade Two Ballymore Novice Hurdle here on Friday.Hubrisko, a rare runner for Willie Mullins at Cheltenham’s November meeting, was sent off favourite for the card’s feature event, but while he travelled well enough until the turn for home, the five-year-old could not respond as Hermes Allen skipped further clear in...
Club remain weirdly in thrall to a 79-year-old man who has not coached in almost a decade when a cultural reset is neededIt was a few months into David Moyes’s ill-fated reign at Manchester United, and with results in freefall and the dressing room in mutiny, Patrice Evra decided to go to see the only man he knew who could fix things.“Boss, you have to help David,” he pleaded with Sir Alex Ferguson on a visit to his home in Cheshire. Continue reading...
The number of big names to play for both sides is remarkable – but none made a bigger impact than the only player to have won titles with themManchester United versus Leeds will always be one of the most evocative fixtures in top-flight English football, even if Sunday’s game at Old Trafford will be the first league meeting for more than 16 years. Their rivalry is surprisingly intense given that Leeds won their first title in the Don Revie era in the 1960s and have spent much of their time outside the Premier League since becoming the last winners of the old First Division in 1992.Ignore anyone who tells you this has anything to do with the Wars of the...