Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend as the Hollywoodbets Sharks lifted the Challenge Cup, while Man United booked their European ticket by winning the FA Cup.
MONACO GP AGAIN DECIDED IN QUALIFYING
From the moment Charles Leclerc claimed pole for the Monaco Grand Prix, you knew that barring accidents, he would end up winning in front of his home crowd. Which he did, and he deserves every celebration that comes his and Ferrari’s way. Even the fun of leaping into the marina, clothes and all, afterwards.
They say that Monaco is the race every driver wants to win, and is the jewel in the Formula One crown. Personally? I don’t even know what it’s doing on the F1 calendar, given qualifying plays such a crucial role in determining the race outcome itself. As an example: the grid positions, from 1-10 were Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Albon and Gasly. How did they finish the race? From 1-10 in exactly the same order that they started in their Sunday afternoon drive around the streets of Monaco.
Look at this diiiiiiveeeeee.
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) May 27, 2024
Thank you again to everyone for all the messages I received since yesterday. It means a lot ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ihfIGjql5o
DURBAN JULY FAVOURITE MADE TO WORK
The victory by Green With Envy in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 split opinion among the racing fraternity, given he only just managed to hold off Flag Man in the finish. However, many felt that it wasn’t jockey Craig Zackey’s finest hour and that it was only the three-year-old’s class that saw him home. I was interested to see how the sponsors would react in the betting for the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
They did so by nudging Green With Envy out from 9/4 to 5/2 favourite, with Future Swing and Flag Man (now both 10/1) the two significant movers in the market. Richard Fourie won the other Gr1 race of the weekend, aboard Silver Sanctuary, and another three winners on Sunday took his season tally to 313. He’s now 25 winners short of winning the R1m incentive offered by Hollywoodbets to break Anthony Delpech’s season record of 334.
Daily News 2000 (G1)
— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) May 25, 2024
2.000 m - 2.000 000 ZAR - for 3yo+
🇿🇦 Greyville
Green With Envy (SAF)
(3C Gimmethegreenligt- Miss Coco, by Galileo)
J : @craig_zackey
T 😀 Kannemeyer
O :Khaya Stables Pty Ltd
🥈Flag Man (Flying The Flag) pic.twitter.com/njblDNVf43
SHARKS SHOW THEIR TRUE COLOURS
It already seems like a while ago, but the Hollywoodbets Sharks’ win over Gloucester (36-22) in the European Challenge Cup final made for a weekend of celebration in Durban. The wags will tell you that it’s the first piece of silverware raised at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in ages. The forwards laid the platform for the win against a side many considered favourites.
This was a win full of merit for the visitors, with flyhalf Siya Masuku enjoying playing behind a dominant pack and kicking 21 points. The Sharks are far better than their 13th position in another European competition, the United Rugby Championship, suggests. They will be preparing to make a massive statement next season. The “main event”, the European Rugby Champions Cup, was won by Toulouse, who beat Leinster 33-21, away.
UNITED GET THEIR EUROPEAN PASSPORT
Also winning silverware and hoping to put down a marker for next season was Manchester United. Like the Sharks, they have largely disappointed this past season, but their 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Wembley, which ensured they won a 13th English FA Cup final, will be cause for plenty celebration.
The FA Cup might not be considered in some quarters as dreamy as it was in past years, but you try telling that to anyone involved with, or who supports the club. Most importantly, it gave them a ticket into Europe for next season, and that will have massive spin-offs as we head into the off-season and the player (and manager) movements that it brings.
KKR TRIUMPH IN ONE-SIDED FINAL
After all the run-fests of the Indian Premier League, the final was surprisingly flat – unless you support the Kolkata Knight Riders of course. The Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat in the final. They put together a meagre 113 – 185 has been a par score this competition – with captain Pat Cummins, batting at No9, top-scoring with 24.
Aiden Markram (20) and Heinrich Klaasen (16) will be wondering how it all went wrong. In response, KKR knocked off the runs in 10.3 overs, in the most one-sided final in IPL history. KKR had won the league round-robin format of the competition, so are deserved champions.
📽️ 𝗥𝗔𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2024
Moments of pure joy, happiness, jubilation, and happy tears 🥹
What it feels to win the #TATAIPL Final 💜
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/lCK6AJCdH9#KKRvSRH | #Final | #TheFinalCall | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/987TCaksZz
PUTTING SPORT INTO PERSPECTIVE
Much more important than any of the above was news of the passing of 30-year-old PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray. Family said he took his own life, having withdrawn from the Charles Schwab Challenge “feeling ill” with two holes of his second round remaining. This is another tragic reminder that as much as we love sport, it is, after all, only sport. Our sincere condolences to all those affected by Murray’s passing. RIP
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler paid tribute to Grayson Murray today and said, "I was with him for a few hours he was at our rental house last week & its a tough day for all of us out here on tour & we're thinking about his family & we're praying hard for them." pic.twitter.com/PS35W3DVkT
— Chris McKee (@mrmckee) May 26, 2024
AROUND THE WATER COOLER…
Southampton bounced straight back to the top flight after being relegated last season by beating Leeds 1-0 in the Championship play-off final. They join Leicester and Ipswich in the English Premiership next season. Sheffield United, Luton and Burnley are the teams going in the opposite direction …
Francesco Bagnaia won the Catalunya MotoGP, while second-placed Jorge Martin remains the leader in the overall standings. Brad Binder was 8th in Catalunya and stays 6th in the standings .. the Proteas men lost their “friendly” series 3-0 to West Indies ahead of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
In the last game, the hosts were set 164 to win and knocked off the runs with 37 balls to spare … Tadej Pogacar duly wrapped up cycling’s Giro d’Italia. The only question from a fortnight ago was by how big the winning margin would be. The answer was 9min 56sec.
For you, #SaintsFC fans 🥲 pic.twitter.com/AfFp13NG8P
— Southam(P)ton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 27, 2024
