Sport

FOUR DAYS OF PURE RACING BLISS

SPRING has sprung, March has arrived and the Cotswolds is once again buzzing as it’s about to unveil the annual Cheltenham Festival, the finest four days of National Hunt racing anywhere in the world. Forget imposters Royal Ascot, Kentucky, Breeders Cup and Arc weekends – all pygmies that pull up short when pitted against this iconic extravaganza, a spectacular coming together in glorious friendly combat of the greatest jumping thoroughbreds of Britain and Ireland. With the spectre of Covid-19 receding and restrictions being lifted, the sold-out signs are already up, as punters in their thousands from all corners of the home nations and beyond prepare to partake in the annual pilgrimage to Prestbury Park and indulge their love affair with the sport of kings.

Twenty-eight races, seven on each of the four days, herald the intense rivalry between British trainers and their counterparts crossing the Irish Sea to duel for the Prestbury Cup, the prestigious prize awarded to the winning nation. Last year, the Brits were routed 23-5, and, if current betting shows are an accurate reflection, this renewal could well turn out to be more of the same.

Having a flutter adds immensely to the festival fun, and I have put together a bet involving the four championship races – the Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother and the Gold Cup – along with the ever-popular Stayers Hurdle. The wager is called a Super Yankee or, curiously, it is also known as a Canadian and consists of various combinations totalling 26 bets. Come with me while we have a look at the action, and good fortune if you choose to invest.

THE ARKLE 

(Tuesday 15th March – 15:10 CET)

OPPORTUNITY knocks for the novices of the jumps game to follow in the hallowed hoofprints of the immortal Arkle who this race commemorates, by far and beyond the greatest steed since Pegasus to fly a fence. While none of the current batch of youngsters is destined to attain such fame, this race offers realistic hope of victory to beleaguered British trainers who have routinely suffered ignominious thrashings by routinely falling under the flailing hooves of the Irish invaders. My selection EDWARDSTONE, trained by Alan King at Barbury Stables in Wiltshire, has been most impressive in winning his last four chases and I’m more than hopeful that “Eddy” can see off the visitors and produce a home victory – a rare event indeed!

CHAMPION HURDLE 

(Tuesday 15th March – 16:30 CET)

BEING an unashamed honours graduate of the Fred Flintstone Caveman Academy,  my views on female emancipation do not include giving lasses the leg-up on any selection carrying my hard-earned dosh, a stance that sees me perched on the horns of a double dilemma, as not alone will my selection be ridden in my favourite festival race by a jockette, but the beast itself is also a member of the fair sex. Fragrant HONEYSUCKE, yet to taste defeat in 14 races, will be ridden by lovely Rachael Blackmore and the pair, successful in this race last year, will be seeking to repeat the feat and retain the crown this time round. Not only was Rachael the first female to ride the Champion Hurdle winner but the Tipperary girl went on to secure the Top Rider prize over the four days, and a month later sensationally became the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National. The pity was that due to Covd-19 restrictions this ground-breaking event was achieved in front of a virtually deserted grandstand. HONEYSUCKLE and Rachael  are short-priced favourites to do the double and should they be successful the famed Cheltenham Festival roar will carry all the way to Casemates.

QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE 

(Wednesday 16th March – 16:30 CET)

EAGERLY anticipated rematch between SHISHKIN, trained in England by Nicky Henderson and Energumene, the hope of Ireland, trained by maestro Willie Mullins, the pair having memorably  clashed at Ascot six weeks previously when SHISHKIN narrowly prevailed in a race described by legendary punter Harry Findlay as “the greatest ever”.  Well, I reckon Harry must have had a fair few quid on the winner to warrant such an accolade, but it was undoubtedly a fantastic spectacle and the prospect of the renewal quickens the pulse, a contest in which I expect SHISHKIN to confirm his superiority and keep the prize at home.

STAYERS LONG DISTANCE HURDLE 

(Thursday 17th March – 16:30 CET)

THE STAYERS – possibly the most popular race of the entire meeting, mainly because the same faces turn up year after year and the public get to know and love them. The classy CHAMP, another star trained by Nicky Henderson, has been burdened with my selection and I can picture the green and gold hoops of owner JP McManus coming late and fast up the Cheltenham Hill to scoop the pot.

CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP  

(Friday 18th March – 16:30 CET)

THE CHELTENHAM Gold Cup, the holy grail of steeplechasing, is the highlight of final day of the festival. It’s dangerous to be dogmatic about which steed will hit the winning line first, as my bank account bears cruel testimony, but I believe beyond reasonable doubt the Cheltenham Gold Cup will once again be making the crossing to the Emerald Isle, but the burning question is which of the Irish legion of runners will be the victor. A PLUS TARD is the one for me. Hopefully, it will round off the last leg of our Super Yankee beautifully. And then it’s off to the bar. Cheers!

Gibraltar’s Women’s National Team kicked off a busy year for Women’s Football on the international scene, with two international Friendlies in February, away in Andorra and then at home to the Faroe Islands. 

The two friendlies were part of the February FIFA international Window for Women’s Football and gave Gibraltar Head Coach, Janssen Olivero, a much-needed test against for his young Gibraltar squad against two very tough opponents, as he looks to build his team up towards entering UEFA’s next European Qualifiers. 

First up was Andorra away, on the 16th February, in what proved to be a game of two halves in the Estadi Nacional in Andorra La Vella. After a bad start, Gibraltar somehow managed to find themselves 4-0 down and shellshocked before a bursting run by Pizzarello down the left-hand side, where she took the ball from inside her own penalty area, ripping through the Andorran defence, before crossing for Joelle Gilbert to slot home Gibraltar’s only goal of the game. 

At half time, Janssen Olivero rallied his team, and made some crucial tactical changes before sending the Women’s Team out in the second half with nothing to lose. And they did not disappoint dominating the second half. Despite the 4-1 at the final whistle,  Gibraltar had taken control of the of the game after the interval and even though they could not break through a solid Andorran defence their determination and desire was there for all to see. The result slightly flattered the hosts, however valuable lessons were learnt, most importantly that at international level any mistakes made are punished by the opposition.

Gibraltar’s Women then returned to the Victoria Stadium to face the Faroe Islands on Sunday 20th February putting on a much better performance, in front of their home crowd, against much tougher opposition despite having injuries to key players Pizzarello and Doody.  

Playing on the counter with quick, aggressive forward running thanks to the speed of Joelle Gilbert, Shania Robba and Reighann Olivero, Gibraltar were always a threat to their Faroese opponents, who only won the game thanks to a misplaced pass which was picked up on by Mortenson who fired home the only goal of the game.  

Again, despite the score line, Gibraltar looked much more confident with plenty of youngsters on show and gaining valuable international experience. And Ellie Mason, playing international football for the first time slotted straight into the heart of the team bringing with her all her knowledge and expertise from playing professionally in the Championship, in England, with Lewes FC. 

After the two matches, Head Coach Janssen Olivero was happy with the week, despite the score lines, saying:

 “We faced an opposition who have come up against some top nations and are involved in World Cup Qualifiers against some of the toughest nations there are in Women’s Football.”

“It’s a massive step up for us. We put a lot of emphasis on a different style of play and it showed the versatility that these players have. Today I thought we found the right balance of solid at the back whilst also being a threat going forward.”

The attention, on the international scene, now turns to Futsal, with Gibraltar’s Women’s Futsal National Team who are set to host Moldova, Slovakia and Belgium in the Preliminary Round of the UEFA Women’s Futsal Euros at the Tercentenary Hall in May with the tournament schedule to be announced very shortly. 

CAP aims to raise awareness and to provide help to players and club personnel who may be suffering from mental health and behavioural issues through a confidential counselling service deigned to assist individuals in making fundamental and positive changes in their way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. 

As well as counselling sessions, CAP will also provide the opportunity for each club to appoint a Mental Health First Aid Officer. Once appointed, this person would receive training by Club House Gibraltar funded by the Gibraltar FA and importantly, the role of the Club Mental Health First Aid Officer will become a mandatory part of the Domestic Club Licensing Regulations as from season 2023/24.

Furthermore, the Gibraltar FA will also be providing mental health awareness courses, which all club coaches will be encouraged to attend, aimed at training coaches and staff members to spot the signs of any potential behavioural and mental health issues in players of all ages.  

The Gibraltar FA is ready to enrol individuals on these courses, which will be valid for three 3 years, when refresher courses will be on offer to renew certifications.

The CAP programme will also be used as part of the reintegration process for any players or club officials who have received large suspensions for offences they have committed on the field of play. More details of this part of the programme will be published in the Gibraltar FA’s Disciplinary Regulations in due course. 

General Secretary Ivan Robba commented:

“Statistically one in four people experience mental health issues, meaning that within the Gibraltarian footballing community, there is likely to be a significant number of individuals who are suffering. 

We, as an Association, are determined to use football as a force for good in our community and we a are committed to helping our members, our players, our coaches and all of our clubs’ staff and representatives as much as we can. With the launch of our CAP, if anyone is in unfortunate need of such help the right framework is now in place for individuals to receive confidential and professional help and assistance.”  

The Gibraltar FA’s Human Resources Manager, Julian Valverde has been instrumental in setting up this project and added:  

“Mental health has always been very much of a taboo topic in society. Having experienced issues myself I know first-hand how lonely one can feel whilst suffering We all have our own demons that we sometimes battle silently. If there is one piece of advice I can give anyone is that you are not alone, support is out there, and talking about it really does help.  This is essentially why we have introduced CAP, to offer footballers in Gibraltar somewhere private and confidential to turn to if they find themselves in need of help, support or someone to open up to.”

Proves to be a great success

Ahead of the festive break, the Gibraltar Football Association organised a very successful Christmas Tournament for all of Gibraltar’s young footballers from the ages of six to sixteen. 

Under the guidance of the association’s new Youth Football leadership team, the weekend long tournament was centered around a community and family atmosphere with fun themed activities on offer, off the pitch, in the Victoria Stadium’s MUGA area as well as food and refreshment provided for all players taking part in the tournament. The aim of the weekends was a simple one – to give Gibraltar’s young footballers an enjoyable competitive footballing send-off ahead of their Christmas break.  

As is customary, at all Gibraltar FA organised youth football events and matches, Association Delegates were on hand to ensure the tournament run smoothly and First Aiders were in attendance at all times.    

In what proved to be something of a first in youth football locally, in recent times, the strongest teams in certain age groups were moved up a ‘level’ (age group) to play against older children. This would allow them to challenge their skill sets and also to make each tournament more and more competitive. 

Depending on the amount of teams and players, each age group had its own bespoke tournament in the traditional 5 or 7 aside formats and tailored at giving each team the maximum amount of playing time.  

Tournament organisers Scott Wiseman and Jansen Moreno were delighted with the way the tournament and weekend as a whole went, with over 400 youngsters taking part across all the different age groups, and are already looking at laying the groundwork for future tournaments throughout year and commented:

“On behalf of everyone at the Gibraltar FA, we would like to thank everyone involved in the tournament for making the weekend so successful and especially to our match officials, referees and delegates who dealt with the whole weekend programme tremendously given the different formats, age groups and matches. 

A huge thanks must also go to our clubs who instantly bought into the idea and to all of the parents for supporting the tournament throughout the weekend. We are already looking at how we can incorporate tournaments like this on a more regular basis throughout this year and beyond so that we can begin to ensure our youngsters are playing as much football as possible.”

AND GIBRALTAR CELEBRATES NATIONS LEAGUE PROMOTION

Suffice to say the application of cash and liberal distribution of extra-large brown envelopes to recipients who continue to remain anonymous are rumoured to have played a part in Qatar getting the nod – a decision that has resulted in the tournament being switched from its traditional summer schedule and searing 48-centigrade degree heat to a much more manageable December climate, consequently effecting a mid-winter suspension of major European domestic football competitions – boy, those inducements must have been very bulky indeed!

Away from the less than fragrant whiff of politics and corruption and on to the playing field, England qualified for the finals with consummate ease and may yet be joined in April’s group draw by either Wales or Scotland who have been drawn in the same playoff pool with Austria and Ukraine, with just one nation progressing.

Red-hot World Cup action from Qatar’s seven newly built air-conditioned stadia in December, with kick-offs at boozer-friendly times of 16:00 and 20:00 (CET), mixed with the Christmas jingle bells is quite an intoxicating prospect, so lets get ready to rock and roll! Bung the missus an extra few quid for the shopping and get down the pub! 

FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup

21st November – 18th December

ON THE HOME FRONT, pandemic permitting, Gibraltar can look forward to an exciting sports calendar, with football and darts topping the tasty menu.

Fresh from promotion to League C of the UEFA Nations League – a remarkable achievement that, sadly, received little fanfare, Julio César Ribas’s boys have been drawn in a far from formidable group containing Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Georgia, and the prospect of a positive points haul is much more realistic this time round than the recent World Cup campaign. Yes, Gibraltar’s Qatar 2022 qualification record of Played 10, Lost 10,  goals for 4, goals conceded 43, at first glance appears to be poor, but that would be a tad harsh as the opposition contained world superpower the Netherlands along with top class footy nations  Norway and Turkey, and there is little of that calibre to fear here.

The action kicks off with a helter-skelter schedule of four matches in June, starting with an away trip to Georgia, followed by two home ties when the visitors to the Victoria Stadium are North Macedonia and four days later group favourites Bulgaria come calling, with the fortnight’s frenetic action concluding with the reverse fixture to North Macedonia. Gibraltar will be seeking a first win against all three opponents, having played Georgia four times, North Macedonia twice and Bulgaria once, battling gamely but ultimately tasting defeat in all seven ties – but let’s not be too despondent, points can be gained in this group, especially in the home games.

Whatever the on-field results, the prime return for Gibraltar is continuing to introduce The Rock to the rest of the world through international competition – everybody is familiar with the Rock of Gibraltar – an iconic picture postcard destination that all have heard of but not that many have visited, a sun-kissed paradise, with a friendly populace eager to explore the wider world of sport, blessed with a first-class but sadly under-used airport. The curse of Covid has just delayed but definitely not derailed Visit Gibraltar, and sport continues to light the path in opening up hitherto seldom crossed frontiers.

Gibraltar’s 2022 UEFA Nations League
Fixtures

Thursday June 2nd Georgia v Gibraltar KO 17:00

Sunday June 5th Gibraltar v North Macedonia KO 17:00

Thursday June 9th Gibraltar v Bulgaria KO 19:45

Sunday June 12th North Macedonia v Gibraltar KO 17:00

Friday Sept 23rd  Bulgaria v Gibraltar KO 19:45

Monday Sept 26th Gibraltar v Georgia KO 19:45

THE PDC European Darts Tour reaches an exciting finale on the Rock next autumn when the world’s top-ranked arrowsmiths step up to the ‘oche’ in the Gibraltar Darts Trophy that is due to be staged at Victoria Stadium. 

World Number One and defending champion Gerwyn Price will be a short-priced favourite to retain the trophy and grab the lion’s share of the £140,000 prize fund, though the ex-rugby league star can expect stern slings and arrows from fellow Welshman Johnny Clayton, Dutch master “Mighty Mike” van Gerwen, Scottish duo Gary Anderson and Peter “The Parrot” Wright, plus Scouser and regular Rock visitor Stephen “The Bullet” Bunting.

A refreshing feature evident when the darts kingpins come visiting is their willingness to explore the Rock and mix freely with the locals, unlike stars of other sports who choose to stay aloof in their hotel rooms, often flying out immediately after their event has concluded. I well remember two years ago, Gerwyn Price, who a few months later would be crowned world champion, and who glories in the role of pantomime villain, sat at the bar in the Sports Arena, chatting amiably to everyone, and a few months ago, I was lucky enough to be in my local, The Quarterdeck Tavern, when Stephen Bunting wandered in with his charming family and regaled us for a couple of hours with derring-do tales from the world of darts. No prima donnas among these darting sharpshooters!

Gibraltar Darts Trophy

14-16th October – Victoria Stadium