As the name suggests, the Ascot Chase is a Grade 1 steeplechase run over 2 miles, 5 furlongs and 8 yards at Ascot in February. Inaugurated, as the Comet Chase, in 1995, the race was orginally run over a distance of 2 miles, 3 furlongs and 110 yards, but has been lengthened, shortened and lengthened again at various points in its history. The 2005 and 2006 renewals – staged at Lingfield Park during the multi-million pound redevelopment of Ascot – were contested over 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 110 yards. Back at Ascot, on the partially reconstructed National Hunt course, in 2007, the distance was shortened to 2 miles 2 furlongs and 175 yards before being lengthened to the current yardage the following year.
Worth £150,000 in guaranteed in prize money, the Ascot Chase has the distinction of being the most valuable steeplechase run at Ascot. It is also the third, and final, National Hunt race of the season at the Berkshire course and, more importantly, the final Grade 1 race, of any description, before the Cheltenham Festival. The intermediate distance is ideally suited to top-level horses who lack the speed for two miles and the stamina for three. That said, the indomitable Kauto Star – a Grade 1 winner at two miles, three miles and three-and-a-quarter miles – demonstrated his versatility with an easy 8-length victory in 2008.
A total of four horses – Tiutchev (2001, 2003), Monet’s Garden (2007, 2010), Riverside Theatre (2011, 2012) and Cue Card (2013, 2017) – have won the Ascot Chase. Paul Nicholls, trainer of Kauto Star, also saddled Rockforce (2000) Silviniaco Conti (2016) and Cyrname (2019) to victory and, alongside Martin Pipe, is jointly the most successful trainer in the history of the race.
The 2023 renewal of the Ascot Chase is scheduled for Saturday, February 18. Ante-post prices are not yet available, but favourites have an excellent recent record, winning six of the last 10 renewals.
While many could have predicted the long-unbeaten Argentina side of 2022 reaching the last four in Qatar, Croatia are a different prospect. Despite being the finalists four years ago, Hrvatska have gone back the way in terms of results, playing style, and of course the age of key players. Despite the passing of time, though, the likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic are still going strong.
Can the tiny Balkan nation, though, overcome an Argentina team that feels like it is playing against an act of destiny?
Argentina News
Argentina are going to feel the loss of two players – one more important than the other. The main miss is Marcos Acuna. The left-back is going to miss out with suspension, having picked up a yellow card in the brawl against the Netherlands. He will be a huge miss; his energy, power, and ability to fill in across midfield when needed makes him a very useful asset for this Argentina team.
The other miss will be Gonzalo Montiel. The full-back came on as a sub in the Netherlands game and was quickly booked, meaning that he will miss out. Argentina went for a 3-5-2 in the last game, but that was a tactical counter to the Dutch system. Expect them to return to their more traditional 4-3-3 for this one. Definitely the favourite going into this game, but the loss of Acuna could become a major detriment later.
Croatia News
Croatia will only be missing one player, Josip Stanisic, who has not even played a minute at the showpiece tournament. It is likely that goal scoring striker Bruno Petkovic will get a chance after his heroics against Brazil. However, it has to be noted that until his deflected winner Petkovic spent most of his time on the pitch losing the ball and genuinely being a nuisance to his team, not the opposition.
Zlatko Dalic is expected to stick with a Luka Modric-Marcelo Brozovic-Mateo Kovacic midfield. All three can control the ball, and as the Dutch made the Argentines suffer with possession football so can Croatia.
Verdict
It is hard to call for sure, as this should be a tight and challenging game for both sides. Extra time was played by both, and both have found relative success in penalty shootouts. We think it might go all the wa again.
Score: 1-1 (Argentina win on penalties)
For the uninitiated, Super 6 is a free-to-play game, promoted by Sky Sports, which involves predicting the correct score in each of six football matches, usually on a Saturday afternoon, chosen. Obviously, the odds against doing so are phenomenal, but the jackpot prize for a sole winner – typically £250,000, but occasionally £500,000 or even £1,000,000 – has been won on numerous occasions down the years.
In fact, the first sole winner of the £250,000 prize was Fred Crossman, a 68-year-old pensioner from Ripon, North Yorkshire, who did so on Saturday, October 1, 2016. Crossman correctly predicted away wins, to nil, for Chelsea, Huddersfield and Newcastle and score draws between Watford and Bournemouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough and Sunderland and West Bromwich. His success was never a foregone conclusion, though, with Patrick van Aanholt coming off the bench at the Stadium of Light to score a late equaliser for Sunderland, with just seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Not that Crossman was bothered, in any case. Engrossed in the drama of the Ryder Cup from Hazeltine National Golf Club, he missed Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports and remained blissfully unaware of his good fortune until his son showed him a video clip of presenter Jeff Stelling announcing that the winner was a 68-year-old from North Yorskhire. Afterwards, he said, ‘I’m still shaking. It’s hard to take in at the moment. I thought it was a scam when I got the email asking for my documents.’, adding, ‘It feels unreal.’
In Pennsylvania, there are many successful sports teams. From high school to the collegiate level, these teams have brought pride to their respective cities and states. In this essay, we will explore some of the most successful sports teams in Pennsylvania and what makes them so great. We will also take a look at some of the challenges they face and how they overcome them. Finally, we will give our thoughts on why these teams are so successful.
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia is home to some of the country’s most successful sports teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, who are one of the best-known teams in Major League Baseball.
The Phillies have had a long history of success in the baseball world, winning World Series titles in 1983 and 1993 and a National League pennant in 2008. The team’s failure to win a championship in the league from 1983 to 2008 was often referred to as the “curse of Billy Penn.” Philadelphia sports fans, however, considered the 2008 World Series championship the team’s best moment. In addition, several of the team’s players have won the league’s most valuable player award during the regular season. The MVP award is given to one player in each league by the MLB.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the state. In the past, they have reached the NFL playoffs six times and won two Super Bowls, but their popularity has decreased over the years. The Pittsburgh Penguins are another team that has achieved great success in the league, reaching the playoffs four times and winning the Stanley Cup in the last five seasons. Their colors are black and gold, and they are based on the coat of arms of William Pitt. The team is a mainstay in PA sports betting since they are one of the most consistent winners in their field.
The team has a rich history in Pennsylvania, beginning in 1933. Its home games have been played in Forbes Field and Pitt Stadium. Since their inception, they have been one of the most successful sports teams in the state.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The state of Pennsylvania is home to many college teams such as the Penn State Nittany Lions. Many of these teams have strong rivalries with each other. However, the Penn State-Pitt rivalry is perhaps the most memorable. The rivalry began in 1893 and has grown into a legendary rivalry.
The Penn State athletic program has consistently placed among the nation’s top ten sports programs. A five-year survey by Yahoo! Sports ranked Penn State ninth among 65 Autonomy Five schools. The Nittany Lions have finished among the top 15 in the Directors’ Cup rankings nine times in the past decade, most recently in 2017.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional hockey team. The Flyers were founded in 1967 as one of six NHL expansion teams, and they have reached the Stanley Cup Finals ten times, winning it twice in 1974 and 1975. They have also won the conference championship eight times and the division championship nineteen times.
The Flyers play their home games at the Wells Fargo Center, which they share with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. The arena is located in South Philadelphia. It replaced the Spectrum, which was their home from 1967 to 1996. The team is nicknamed “the Broad Street Bullies” because of their physical style of play.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are an NHL team. The Penguins were were also one of six expansion teams, and they have won five Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2016. They have also won the conference championship eight times and the division championship eighteen times.
The Penguins play their home games at the PPG Paints Arena, which they share with the NBA’s Pittsburgh Pistons. The arena is located in Downtown Pittsburgh. It replaced the Civic Arena, which was their home from 1967 to 2010. The team is nicknamed “the Crosby Show” because of their star player, Sidney Crosby. Other notable players include Evgeni Malkin and former great Mario Lemieux.
Conclusion
Pennsylvania is home to many successful sports teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Penn State Nittany Lions. These teams have a rich history in Pennsylvania and are some of the most popular and successful sports teams in the state. The rivalry between the Steelers and Eagles is one of the most memorable in Pennsylvania. The Penguins and Flyers also have a fierce rivalry that is worth watching and betting on.