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Thursday, October 29, 2020 44

NEWBURYNEWS

Newbury Weekly News

Glen raises the Stakes EUCHEN Glen turned on the style to win the Pravha Stakes at Newburyon Saturday.

Jockey Dane O’Neill bided his time before steering the 5/1 shot, who had been well-beaten in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last time, home inside the final furlong. He won by a length from 20/1 chance Percy’s Lad , with Saint Lawrence (14/1) battling well in third. Roger Charlton and Jason Watson completed a near 60/1 Newbury double when 9/4 favourite Love Is You took the Racing TV Stakes and One Jour- ney took theMolsonCoorsBever- age Company EBFFillies’ Novice Stakes.

Jockey Paul Mulrennan led from the front aboard the seven- year-old at York, but this time it was well inside the final furlong that the 9/2 shot hit the front to win by a length-and-three-quar- ters from Natural History (8/1) and Litigator (13/2). Trainer Jim Goldie said: “We were originally thinking the Melbourne Cup this year – he should be in quarantinenow, but because of Covid we abandoned it. “Shouldwe aimhimat the Cup raceshere? I don ’t know – we’ve a thousand dreams at the minute for next year.” Mujbar roared back to form in the Group Three Molson Coors Beverage Company Stakes.

EuchenGlen (PaulMulrennanw)insfrom  This was the final meeting of the Covid-affected Flat season at Newbury, but the course stages its first Jumps meeting of the 2020/21 campaignnext Thursday, again behind closed doors. Rachel can’t save Ladies NaturalHistory inthePravha Picture©: markcranhamphoto.com StakesatNewbuyr

Mujbar (DaneO’Neill)winsTheMolsonCoorsBeveragCeompanSytakesfortwo- year-olds

Picture©: markcranhamphoto.com

Netball’s set to return

NETBALL

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NETBALL is back! The Newbury League has taken an enforced break since March because of the coronavirus outbreak. But now, followingsocial-distanc- ing guidelines, they will return to action with a three-week series of friendly matches before the league itself recommencesin January. The friendlies will take place at Kennet Leisure on November 8, 15 and 22, with the top half of each division playing each other in a mini-series and the bottom four teams taking on each other. Then in January, the league will return with a normal fixture list that will run until August. The league is discouraging spec- tators from attending, but there will be full track and trace, temper- ature checks and sanitisation stations at the entry points to the courts. After the 9.30am games have finished, everyone must leave immediately and those who need to be in attendance for the 11.15 (delayed from the normal 11am start from last year) must go back through the track and trace system as this will count as a new ‘bubble’. Kennet Leisure is closed for the netball league apart from one female changingarea/toilets. The league is also looking for new players in all divisions. GemmaWhite from the Newbury League said: “Women in sport is at an all-time low thanks to Covid and so anything we can do to bring anyone back or try it for the first time, would be great. SHAUN Ponsford scored a remarkable 45 points to win the first round of the men’s Gillas Cup at West Berks on Sunday, a competition in which the best score of the first two rounds is added to the score in the final. Ponsford, with 10 pars and three birdies, set a high standard that was followed by a strong field, with 40 of the 102 entrants scoring 40 points or more. Jason Read and Andy Greaves were closest, both scoring 43 points and finishing second and third on countback. Jim Harris scored 41 points to win the men’s Saturday stableford, while Craig Marsh scored 38 to beat Adrian Monger on countback to take second place. Having won the September ladies’ medal, Chloe Somerville continued a winning start to her GOLF

season, but Oxford hit back to lead 2-1 before Isobel Kermode set up Kirstin Sullivan to make it 2-2. Newbury’s hopes of picking up a point were dashed, though, as Oxford scored from a late penalty corner. Newbury 4th sealed an impressive 2-0 win over Maiden- head 5th in Division 5. They took control early on and went ahead when a slick move led to Katy Hall firing home. Hall then set up Amanda Bicknell to make it 2-0 at half- time and it was only battling defence from Maidenhead that denied them further goals. Grace Hammond was named Newbury’s player of the match. Newbury 5th lot an exciting game 3-2 against Bicester 4th in Division 6, despite goals from Eva Ragousis and player-of-the- match Dani Smithers.

RACHEL Mulvany’s goal was all in vain as Newbury & Thatcham Ladies crashed to a 4-1 defeat against Oxford 2nd in the Trysports League Premier 1. Ciara Ayckbourn produced a player-of-the-match perfor- mance, but Oxford always had the edge in a hard-fought match. Keeper Sophia Zurek was also outstanding, but couldn’t prevent Newbury 2nd losing 3-1 at Bicester 1st in Division 1. Lucinda Jago was on target for Newbury. Newbury 3rd produced an excellent team display, only to lose 3-2 against Oxford 5th. Goalkeeper Philippa Saich pulled off several fine saves to keep out Oxford in a goalless first half, while Lucy Blair also went close on several occasions. Amy Russell fired Newbury ahead with their first goal of the

“There is a team for every ability andall theyneed to do is contactme or any of the committeeor just pop down and see us. “There’s a Facebook page and a website https://www.newburynet- ballleague.co.uk/contact-us “There are things called ‘Play Netball’, but it’s important to stress this is a profit-makingorganisation and the players are not insured when they play.

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“We have Covid insurance included among many other perks for all our players in the Newbury Netball League so that if there was a positive case that led to isola- tion/illness for any player in the league, then the insurancewill help towards the cover salaryandhealth care needs.” Shaun leads way in Gillas Cup

NewbuyrwinpossessioangainsOt xford Ref:44-0720C Newbury desperate to get back to winning ways Ref:44-0720D NewbuyrandOxfordbattleit outatHenwick

scored took the lead through Luke Barrington, only for Phoenix to level from a short corner. Newbury retook the lead with a volley from Nick Barrett, but again Phoenix hit back to equalise before the break. Phoenix were the better side in the second half and added two more goals to seal the points. Cam Dunlop hit a hat-trick as Newbury 3rd won 5-3 away at Reading 5th in Division 3. Dunlop latched on to a Max Masters ball to fire Newbury in front and he added a second

before Matt Wylie had a goal ruled out. Ed Langdon turned in a Wylie shot to make it 3-0, while keeper Lawrence McCabe denied the visitors until they reduced the deficit just before the break. Piers Cunliffe made it 4-1 from a short corner and Joe Ruggiero set up Dunlop to complete his hat-trick before Reading pulled two goals back late on. Newbury 4th produced an excellent display, only to go down 3-1 at the hands of Division 5 high-fliers Ashford. George Rimmer hit the

Newbury goal after a good move, while Johnny Neil and Paul Fowler were outstanding again. Kenny Coventry produced a man-of-the-match display, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Newbury 5th slumping to a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Thame 2nd in Division 6. Newbury 6th stayed top of Division 8 West after chalking up another impressive win, this time blasting Witney 3rd 6-1 with goals from Albie Kelly, Alex Philp, Barnaby Talbot-Williams, Mark Chapman (2) and Sean Cannon.

NEWBURY & Thatcham mens 1st XI are still searching for their first win of the season in the Middlesex, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Regional 1. They slipped to their fourth defeat in five matches after going down 4-0 at the hands of a strong Oxford Hawks 2nd team. But they will be looking to snap their losing streak when they host Sonning at Henwick on Saturday (11am). Newbury 2nd XI went down 4- 2 in an entertaining game against Phoenix & Ranelagh. They started brightly and

ShaunPonsford

golfing career when she clinched victory the October event this week with a gross 104 (nett 69). Georgie Seaman was second with nett 74, while Jane Wilmore third on nett 82.