Bowen and Curtis bag famous home win in Welsh National with Haiti Couleurs

It is seven years and counting since Native River became the last horse trained in Britain to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the beleaguered home team has conceivably emerged from the first two days of the Christmas programme with not one, but two realistic contenders for next year’s race, after Haiti Couleurs put up a magnificent performance to win the Welsh Grand National here under 11st 13lb on Saturday.Or, as Haiti Couleurs’ connections might prefer it, England has a chance with Friday’s King George winner, The Jukebox Man, and Wales has a shout with Haiti Couleurs, who is trained by Rebecca Curtis in Pembrokeshire and ridden by Sean Bowen, the champion jockey, who was born just down the road from her yard.Bowen gave another demonstration on Haiti Couleurs of what is now his trademark ability to seize the initiative in a race and not let go. His mount was a little free behind the pace on the first circuit, and despite his big weight and the distance still left to travel, Bowen did not hesitate to allow him to stride on into the lead.Haiti Couleurs did not see another rival from there, and there were definite echoes of Native River’s front-running performance under a similar burden in this race in 2016, 15 months before his Gold Cup victory, as the eight-year-old powered clear with O’Connell turning for home and then held him at bay with an unflinching gallop from two out

Bristol survive scare but Newcastle off the mark in Prem as Spencer seals bonus

In the end Bristol had too much. A display of equal parts grit and skill by Newcastle threatened a huge festive upset in the freezing-cold south-west, but two tries by the elusive Louis Rees-Zammit and some classically fluent attacking by Pat Lam’s buoyant team eventually enabled them to overpower their spirited visitors.After the Bears ruined Harlequins’ Christmas at Twickenham last Saturday, sticking 40 points on the London club in Big Game 17, they were widely expected to ease to victory against the Prem’s bottom side, who were yet to muster a bonus point after seven matches. The question seemed to be not if Bristol would win, rather by how many.But the work Newcastle are doing under the head coach, Alan Dickens, now assisted by the former Wales international Stephen Jones, is beginning to bear fruit

Haiti Couleurs victorious in Welsh Grand National: racing from Chepstow and Kempton – as it happened

Haiti Couleurs was the toast of Chepstow after producing a magnificent front-running display to add the Coral Welsh Grand National to the Irish equivalent he won earlier in the year.Trained by Rebecca Curtis, the 5-1 chance was fittingly ridden by another home native in champion jockey Sean Bowen, who was picking up a welcome consolation just 24 hours after being agonisingly denied in the King George VI Chaseat Kempton aboard Banbridge.It was also a win that served a reminder of the Cheltenham Festival winner’s class, having disappointed in the Betfair Chase last month, but there is no doubt about his star quality now after shouldering 11st 13lb to a thoroughly impressive three-length success over Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith’s recent Sandown scorer O’Connell.Bowen told Sky Sports Racing: “What a racehorse and what a training performance to get him back from Haydock. That was just over a month ago and to get him back is just incredible

Naoya Inoue sees off Picasso to set up Tokyo super-fight with Junto Nakatani

Naoya Inoue moved a step closer to the biggest bout in Japanese boxing history after outclassing Alan Picasso by unanimous decision in Riyadh on Saturday, retaining his undisputed super-bantamweight titles and clearing the runway for a long-anticipated showdown with countryman Junto Nakatani.Inoue, widely regarded as one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters in the world alongside Oleksandr Usyk and the recently retired Terence Crawford, was in control from the opening bell at the Mohammed Abdo Arena, neutralizing the previously unbeaten Mexican challenger with precision, speed and sustained pressure over 12 rounds. The judges scored the contest 120-108, 119-109 and 117-111 in favor of the 32-year-old champion.The victory marked Inoue’s sixth successful defense of his undisputed crown at 122lb and improved his record to 32-0 with 27 knockouts. While the finish never came, the result was rarely in doubt, even as Picasso showed durability and defiance to hear the final bell

The ascendant San Antonio Spurs are the gift the NBA needed

I’ve seen enough: Give the San Antonio Spurs the keys to Santa Claus’ workshop. Put Stephon Castle in charge of toy assembly. Let De’Aaron Fox toss presents into chimneys, from whatever range he’d like. Devin Vassell can customize the Christmas cookies. Harrison Barnes has the army of elves covered

England’s MCG triumph is a genuine coup – and a picture of what might have been | Barney Ronay

Na-na na-na na-na na na na, Duckett’s on the piss. On the piss. Duckett’s on the piss.Don’t take me home, please don’t take me home. And while we’re here, stand up, stand up, please do stand up if you love a two-day Test on a pitch as green and ridged as an under-ripe roasting potato