King’s star can come out on Top
TOP Tug can make his experience count and claim victory in the Betfred November Handicap at Doncaster today (3.15).
The mile-and-a-half contest is the traditional feature as the curtain comes down on the Flat turf season on Town Moor and another maximum field of 23 runners will go to post.
The unexposed Royal Line is likely to be popular with punters as he bids to provide John Gosden with a record sixth victory, but a mile and a half on soft autumnal ground will be a decent test and at more rewarding odds, the ultraconsistent Top Tug is preferred. Formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute before joining Alan King in the spring of 2016, the six-year-old chestnut has won four times on the level.
The son of Halling has enjoyed another fine season, adding to his tally at Goodwood and most recently finishing a fine second under a big weight at Leicester. The winner that day, Dance The Dream, also lines up at Doncaster, but Top Tug is marginally better off at the weights and is capable of reversing the form. WASPS Netball have re-signed two England international stars following a trophy laden off-season for the duo.
Natalie Haythornthwaite and Rachel Dunn will be back in black and gold for the 2018 Superleague season, after winning the Fast 5 World Series with the national team in October.
Wasps Netball have also announced the return of World Youth Cup bronze medallist Francesca Williams and talented midcourt dynamo Lucy Harris – as the team moves closer to finalising its squad for the new season.
Goal attack Haythornthwaite was one of the stars of Wasps Netball’s title winning campaign earlier this year, proving a lethal attacking combination with veteran goal shooter Dunn.
Dunn finished the last campaign as the league’s fourth leading scorer, scoring 86 per cent of her shots with 618 goals from 716 attempts. Haythornthwaite registered 180 goals in her supporting role.
Williams captained the England Under-21 team at the World Youth Cup in Botswana and can play in either defensive position.
She won the Under-21 Netball Performance League with Wasps Netball last season and went on to star in the Superleague Grand Final for the senior team.
Harris also starred for the team last season, after injuries in the midcourt gave her an opportunity to shine, and both Harris and Williams have been highlighted as stars of the future at Wasps.
Tamsin Greenway, Wasps Director
These are four players we were determined to bring back and all will play an integral part for the team during 2018
of Netball, said: “These are four players we were determined to bring back and all will play an integral part for the team during the 2018 season.
“Natalie Haythornthwaite is one of England’s top senior players, our key attacking player and was a real game changer for us last season. It’s vital we can keep hold of players of her calibre if we are to have sustained success here at Wasps.
“It will be brilliant to work with Rachel Dunn for another season, she is without question a superstar in this league and has been at the top of the scoring charts for years.
“In Francesca Williams and Lucy Harris we have two of the most promising netball talents in the country.
“We have always focused on securing a strong future for Wasps Netball and I see these two as part of that, I am sure they will continue to improve this season.
“We have had a good pre-season so far, but we know there is a lot of hard groundwork to do to make sure we are ready for the start of the season next year.
“We’re confident we will be at the top of our game and an improved side from last season on opening night in February.”