MO’S ON DOUBLE
LIVERPOOL last night opened talks to sign TWO defenders to solve their injury crisis on deadline day.
Jurgen Klopp’s side went third in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over West Ham, inspired by a double from Mo Salah.
And, after lining up a surprise £2million move for Preston’s Ben Davies, the champions were last night locked in negotiations with Marseille for Croatia international Duje Caleta-Car.
However, while the 24-year-old has agreed join the Reds, the French side’s inability to find an immediate replacement threw the deal in to doubt. Caleta-Car, a 6ft 4in centre back, is an excellent passer of the ball and previously played for Red Bull Salzburg.
West Ham made a £22million bid for him in October but Caleta-Car chose to stay with Marseille to play in the Champions League. Liverpool
CONTROVERSY reigned at Naas following a unsatisfactory start to the Celebrating The 2020 ITBA Award Winners Handicap Hurdle.
The two-mile contest was significantly delayed as Melly And Me got loose on the track for several minutes before eventually being caught – but that was only half of the story.
As the remaining runners walked in to face the starter, Shakeytry dived left and unseated jockey Phillip Enright, badly hampering both Sean Says and, more notably, Aarons Day. Despite the incident, starter Derek Cullen allowed the race to get under way, instead of calling a false start, leaving Aarons Day to go in pursuit from a long way behind.
Remarkably, the Oliver McKiernantrained 9-1 shot managed to get himself back into contention and was beaten just over four lengths into second by Conor O’Dwyer’s 9-2 favourite Capilano Bridge.
Winning jockey Ricky Doyle said afterwards: ‘I hadn’t a clue (what had happened) – I think I was nearly the first one out the gate. It was only when we pulled up that Liam McKenna (rider of Aarons Day) told me he got left 30 lengths. I thought his horse must have stood still, but watching it back now – it didn’t look great.’
The stewards inevitably called an enquiry before referring the matter to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. McKiernan said: ‘They were hanging around for nearly half an hour at the start, and then that happens. It’s beyond belief.’
Former jockey Ruby Walsh was reporting on-course for Racing TV, and did not mince his words. He said: ‘That should have been a false start – absolutely no doubt.
‘There is no way on earth Derek Cullen can start that race – that is shambolic.
‘I feel sorry for Oliver McKiernan. How that horse finishes second is beyond me.
‘Let’s be fair, everybody is human and everybody makes mistakes. But it is frustrating that an owner, a trainer and a jockey can be sanctioned for mistakes they make, but nobody else seems to be.
‘That is what is really frustrating from a professionals’ point of view – that the officials aren’t held to the accountability of the participants.’