Grand National gets taps turned on to ensure safe ground after long dry spell

Jon Pullin, the acting clerk of the course at Aintree, said on Wednesday that he will do whatever it takes to ensure the Grand National meeting opens ton Thursday on good-to-soft groundThis will be despite unusually low levels of rainfall in the weeks running up to one of jump racing’s showpiece events.March was one of the sunniest on record for much of the UK and watering of the track is likely to continue overnight once racing is under way to ensure the going is as safe as possible for horses that will be taking off and landing at least eight times in every race.“We’ve been watering since the week beginning 17th March and we’re now up to an average of 60-65mm across the track, with some areas having had more and some a little less,” Pullin said.“We’re watering again today and it’s a warm and breezy afternoon with a similar forecast, if not a degree or two warmer, for tomorrow. So we’re hoping to certainly start with good-to-soft as the lead description and then we’ll reassess after racing as to what we may or may not need to do

Pérez in talks with teams about F1 return as Lawson reflects on demotion

The former Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez says he is in talks with Formula One teams about a return to the grid after having his contract ended two years early. The 35-year-old Mexican, who won six races during his 14 years in F1, was replaced at Red Bull this season by Liam Lawson, who also struggled and was quickly demoted after two races. “Especially last year, I didn’t get to show what I’m able to do as a driver,” Pérez told the F1 website. “Now, all of a sudden, people realise how difficult the car is to drive.”Pérez said he had been “approached by a few teams since Abu Dhabi”, a reference to his final race last December as teammate to the eventual champion, Max Verstappen

Minister seeks inquiry into British Basketball’s ‘potentially criminal’ deal

The sports minister, Stephanie Peacock, has asked the government body responsible for elite funding, UK Sport, to investigate allegations of unlawful tender made against the British Basketball Federation. On Wednesday, the BBF signed a 15‑year agreement with an American consortium to operate a new men’s professional league from 2026.The existing nine Super League Basketball clubs are deeply unhappy with the BBF’s plans for the sport. On their behalf Vaughn Millette, the Sheffield Sharks owner, wrote in February to the government after the BBF had entered exclusive negotiations with Marshall Glickman’s GBB League Ltd (GBBL), to outline their concerns.In a reply seen by the Guardian, Peacock describes the issues raised in the letter as varying between “serious” and “potentially criminal” and that officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will ask UK Sport to investigate

After devastating BMX injury, Kai Sakakibara makes winning return as para cyclist | Kieran Pender

Five years after a crash that left him with a life-changing brain injury the former Olympic hopeful has a national title to his name – and his sights set on the ParalympicsFive years ago, Kai Sakakibara’s life nearly came to an end doing what he loved – bike racing. At a BMX world cup event in Bathurst, the Olympic hopeful was heading downhill into a turn when his front wheel seemed to buckle. The momentum saw Sakakibara slam headfirst into the dirt, causing carnage as a rider behind him tried to avoid the inevitable collision. In a split second, Sakakibara suffered a devastating brain injury.It was unclear whether Sakakibara, who was 23 at the time, would survive

The Spin | Intriguing and deep list of overseas stars head for County Championship

Those of us lucky enough to watch county cricket in the 1980s, with a packet of Salt’n’Shake in one hand and an autograph book in the other, could tick off Viv Richards at Somerset, Malcolm Marshall at Hampshire, Michael Holding at Derbyshire (imagine!) and Courtney Walsh at Gloucestershire in only a couple of games. And that was just for starters.The growth of franchise cricket means that players at the peak of their powers will rarely now sign on the dotted line to spend their entire summer in northern climes perfecting their red-ball skills. But the appeal remains, like a sudden blast of Madonna’s Into the Groove from a passing car as you wait for the lights to change. The 2025 County Championship overseas roster is an intriguing one

The NBA’s tank-off isn’t just embarrassing. It’s unnecessary

A third of the league is tanking with a third of the season remaining, creating a lose-lose situation for the NBA, its fans and TV partners. What’s the fix? The Toronto Raptors aren’t new to losing. But they are new to whatever this is.After taking over as the Raptors’ president of basketball operations in 2013, Masai Ujiri refused to embrace the blatant, in-your-face tanking that Sam Hinkie and the “process” Philadelphia 76ers were busy popularizing during that same era, instead opting to build from the middle. “I’m not sure the karma is great when you do stuff like that,” Ujiri said about tanking