Ex-Gunner the new ‘champion’ of rugby league

COUNT CALABASH (175) Eve J-Houghton 4 9-7 (CD) .C Bishop WINTERLUDE (36) Jennie Candlish 8 9-7 (C) .......... E Greatrex DESERT WIND (154)EVaughan39-2 .................. SDonohoe DANCER CROSS (44) M Botti 3 9-1 ................... M Monaghan PIPES OF PEACE (9) S Durack 4 9-0 (CD) .................. D Probert WEST COAST FLYER (111) D M Simcock 5 9-0 (CD) C Shepherd C NOTE (6) Mrs H Main 5 9-0 ....................................... L Morris EXCEEDING POWER (23) M Bosley 7 9-0 (CD) ............ G Wood GRAND INQUISITOR (22) I Williams 6 9-0 ............... K O’Neill CASPAR THE CUB (30) A King 3 8-11 (CD) ................ M Harley BETTING: 3 Caspar The Cub, 7-2 Pipes Of Peace, 7 C Note, 8 Desert Wind, Exceeding Power, 10 Grand Inquisitor, 12 Dancer Cross, Count Calabash, West Coast Flyer, 14 Winterlude.

1-1fav Held up, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, hard driven, stayed on strongly, won at Kempton 1m 4f hcp 0-95 (3) pol in Nov beating Grand Inquisitor by 1/2l, 7 ran. 7-1 Towards rear, wide into straight 3f out, ridden and headway over 1f out, ran on towards finish, 4th of 10, 2l behind Spark Plug at Kempton 1m 4f Listed stks (1) pol. 12-1 Prominent, every chance 2f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong, 4th of 10, 6l behind Grey Britain at Wolverhampton 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2). 12-1 Close up 2f, in touch, ridden 2f out, headway inside final furlong, ran on towards finish, 4th of 9, 3 1/2l behind Communique at Newmarket 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2) gf in Jul. 16-1 Led early, chased leaders, ridden to lead over 1f out, soon hard pressed, just held on, very game, won at Kempton 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Nov beating Landue by shd, 7 ran. 4-1 Close up, headway approaching 2f out, ridden and unable to quicken final furlong, 5th of 9, 2l behind Seafarer at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp (2) in Nov. 10-1 Prominent, led over 8f out, headed over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 17, 26l behind Dash Of Spice at Royal Ascot 1m 4f hcp 105 (2) gf in Jun.

8-1 Prominent, pushed along over 2f out, stayed on same pace from over 1f out, 3rd of 5, 3 1/2l behind Dramatic Queen at Kempton 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-100 (2) pol in Oct. FORMER England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams has been named as the Rugby Football League’s new president.

Adams, who has forged close links with the RFL through his Sporting Chance charity, will replace current president Andy Burnham next summer.

The former defender made more than 500 appearances for Arsenal and won 66 caps for England. Adams founded the Sporting Chance clinic in 2000 following his own experiences with alcohol and drug addiction.

Adams, 52, feels he can help ‘champion’ the sport’s profile.

“It will be an honour to become the next president of the RFL,” he said.

“I am passionate about working with everyone in the sport to raise the profile of mental health, wellness and resilience for players and for everyone in rugby league.

“I’d like to play my part in championing this brilliant sport on the national stage.” Adams is set to become the 29th president of the RFL in 2019.

RFL chairman Brian Barwick said: “Tony Adams is known and respected throughout sport and beyond, not only for his outstanding playing career with Arsenal, but more recently for his pioneering work with Sporting Chance.

“The charity has helped more than 400 rugby league players since the RFL entered into an official partnership with Sporting Chance in 2011, and Tony himself delivered seminars at Wigan and Hull earlier this year.

“The game has recognised the importance of mental health, for players and everyone else involved, and Tony’s election is another significant step in that regard.”

At a rugby league council meeting in Huddersfield yesterday, Doncaster rugby league club’s chief executive Carl Hall was nominated to succeed Pat Crawshaw as the RFL’s new vice-president and Chris Hurst, a digital sports specialist, will join the RFL board as a nonexecutive director.