Autumn is upon us with career-defining races in the Arc and beyond

With the Arc trials at Longchamp on Sunday afternoon to weigh up in addition to four Group Ones on the second day of Ireland’s Champions Festival at the Curragh, many punters will have had a severe case of information overload as a weekend with top-level action in four countries and on two continents finally drew to a close.Oisin Murphy and William Buick, who both contested Grade One events at Woodbine in Toronto, Canada on Saturday, before a transatlantic hop to ride in Ireland a few hours later, would probably share the general sense of exhaustion. The autumn is upon us, and with it the career-defining races that will crown the champions of 2024 in every generation and division.The ante-post markets for next year’s 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas and, more immediately, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on 6 October were all the subject of significant shake-ups on Sunday afternoon, and the imminence of Europe racing’s showpiece event means that it is the obvious place to start.Look De Vega went into Sunday’s Group Two Prix Niel as the unbeaten winner of the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby), and the clear market leader for the Arc with British bookies at around 7-2

Sebastian Coe faces a fight to become IOC president – but write him off at your peril | Sean Ingle

While most Britons were demolishing the last of the Christmas turkey in 1979, Sebastian Coe ran a punishing 14.4 miles up the Derwent Valley, defying everything that nature and the elements dared to throw at him. “It was a hard effort, a 5:30 pace in wet tracksuits and slickers,” wrote the Olympic marathoner Kenny Moore, who tried to keep up. “The wind and rain howled out of the Pennines, stopping the men cold in places, blowing white water back up from the spillways into the lakes.”Eventually Moore had enough and went to sit with Coe’s father, Peter, who was driving behind them, listening to Schubert in the car

Gutsy play: Packers QB Malik Willis declines to pass after teammate vomits on ball

Malik Willis decided to decline a passing play after he found the ball slick with an unexpected substance during the Green Bay Packers’ win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.The quarterback was snapped the ball on third and 10 on what appeared to be a passing play. But he instead elected to take the ball and run.We left it all out there today pic.twitter

Lilia Vu sinks winning putt as USA hold off Europe fightback to lift Solheim Cup

They say Virginia is for lovers. The US ensured the overdue resumption of its relationship with the Solheim Cup on an afternoon when the heroics of Charley Hull almost inspired her European teammates towards the making of history. Watching golf fans were given cause to remember why the Solheim Cup is held in such deep affection. The event will return in the Netherlands in 2026; a wait that for now is unsatisfactory.It feels like an understatement to point out Suzann Pettersen’s European contingent battled hard to keep their hands on the trophy for what would have been a record-breaking fourth time

USA win Solheim Cup 2024: final-day singles – as it happened

Stacy Lewis raises the Solheim Cup into the blue Virginia sky. The light dancing through its gorgeous glass. Lexi Thompson, at the end of the road, and draped in the stars and stripes, hugs the trophy tightly with a huge smile on her face. What a way to end a glorious career. What a way to end another week of sensational Solheim drama

Harry Brook named England’s fifth captain of summer for Australia ODIs

Harry Brook will become England’s fifth captain of the summer when he takes the armband for the upcoming five-match one-day international series against Australia. Jos Buttler has been ruled out with the same niggling right-calf injury that has kept him on the sidelines since July.Brook, who was Ollie Pope’s deputy for the Tests against Sri Lanka, will lead England for the first time, though he does have some captaincy experience under his belt. He led Northern Superchargers this summer and has a handful of games in charge of both Yorkshire and England Under-19s – where Will Jacks was among his teammates.It is a vote of confidence from an England management keen to test their young players with leadership experience – especially as it was only last November that Brook admitted he was still learning how to find “the tempo” of how he wanted to play in 50-over cricket