Leeds 12

Castleford 15
A TRY from Andrew Schick 20 seconds into injury time gave Castleford victory in a knife’s-edge Silk Cut Challenge Cup tie at Headingley. Leeds’ dogged persistence seemed to have won the day as time ran out and Adrian Vowles kicked, more in hope than expectation, on the last tackle of Castleford’s last attack.His fellow Australian was surrounded by Leeds defenders but Schick leaped above them to claim the ball and plunge over. It was a fine trial for the Arkle Trophy – the two-mile novice chasers’ championship at the Cheltenham Festival. The tough little chestnut led Ask Tom until four out and chased him all the way to the line to be beaten only a length and a quarter with Viking Flagship nine lengths adrift. But the big nine-year-old, sidelined by a bug since December, made it clear he has retained all the ability he reserves for the track with a winning reappearance in the Game Spirit Chase.Runner-up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last year, he is now clear favourite to go one better this time, but just as eye-catching was the performance of the novice Kadastrof in the runner-up spot. Perhaps not quite so easily, but we did have home advantage this time.”Last year’s Tote Gold Trophy winner Make A Stand famously went on to glory in the Champion Hurdle. Yesterday’s first two hold the Cheltenham entry; Sharpical (reduced from 50-1 to 14-1 by the Tote) tentatively and Kerawi, who was conceding 11lb to the winner, as a definite contender.If Sharpical is one who shines on the gallops (and now, it must be said, in his races), Ask Tom would not, according to his trainer Tom Tate, “give you the time of day at home”.

It’s not that he’s wholly ungenuine, but we put blinkers on him just to get that last bit done.”He wore them for the first time in Ireland, and he was right there when he made that mistake. I’m not saying he would have won then, but I’m sure he would have been second, and at 6lb better off we were weighted to beat Graphic Equaliser today. “That was a dream of a ride,” he said, “you’ll hardly see better all season. The horse is one of the best workers we’ve got at home and has got loads of ability, but he doesn’t always finish the job off. Kerawi ran on stoutly to maintain second place, a length and a half in front of the best of the five Irish raiders, Tidjani, with Nahrawali fourth, Advocat fifth and Native-Darrig sixth. Fitzgerald said: “I was always exactly where I wanted to be and I never had a moment’s worry.”The well-backed 3-1 favourite Graphic Equaliser, easy winner of the Ladbroke at Leopardstown last month – when Sharpical finished sixth after a last- flight blunder – on softer ground than yesterday’s drying conditions, could beat only two of his 13 rivals, one of which, Mr Percy, broke a blood vessel.It was a first victory in the Trophy for both Fitzgerald and Nick Henderson, whose Lambourn yard is only 15 miles from the course And the trainer’s first plaudits were for his stable jockey. The six-year-old is a horse whose talent has in the past seemed to exceed his enthusiasm; the trick with the type is to lead at the last possible moment – and thus avoid the possibility of a battle to the line – and Fitzgerald carried out the strategy virtually to perfection.
By the time Sharpical’s blinkered head appeared in the firing line two hurdles from home it was apparent that he was travelling better than anything else, but the man on top did not send him past the long-time leader Kerawi until more than half-way up the run-in.And such were his reserves that he passed the post three lengths to the good.

In their search for more testing opposition Glasgow have lined up a match against the Heineken Cup semi- finalists Toulouse at Old Anniesland this Friday.Harlequins also have a French concern, but it is the loss of their fly- half Thierry Lacroix with a hamstring injury for today’s Allied Dunbar Premiership match at Newcastle. IT TAKES a brave man to jump the last flight in Europe’s richest handicap hurdle and then count to ten before releasing the brakes, but Mick Fitzgerald’s steely nerve held here yesterday as he won the Tote Gold Trophy on the 10-1 shot Sharpical. Rotherham stay third after a 31-18 win at Blackheath.In the Welsh National League Premier Division Pontypridd made the most of entertaining bottom-placed Newport with a 41-3 victory that secured enough bonus points to move level with Cardiff in second. Neath continued their resurgence with a tight 32-26 result at Bridgend.. If Quins lose it will be their worst run of successive league defeats since 1994.Bedford increased their hold on the lead of Premiership Two with a 24- 13 win at Wakefield, after second-placed London Scottish were held 18- 18 at home by Coventry. But last year’s runners-up were only able to gain a one-point lead over their Border rivals thanks to a last-minute try from the Melrose prop Millan Browne, his side’s fourth, which secured a bonus point.
Melrose got off to the perfect start with a try from the scrum-half Bryan Redpath, but the home side didn’t take long to respond and tries by Jamie Mayer, Cammy Murray and Andy Garry helped Watsonians to a 26-14 half-time lead.Melrose fought back after the restart, but all their good work was undone when Watsonians’ Scotland Under-21 star Jamie Mayer grabbed his second try with six minutes remaining.Glasgow Hawks, the runaway leaders of Division Two, continued their dominance with a 62-3 thrashing of Peebles. WATSONIANS mugged visitors Melrose of the lead in Scotland’s Tennents Premiership title race by edging out the champions 33-24 at Myreside yesterday.

No, this honour goes to John Feinstein and his book A Season On The Brink, an insight into the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team and their legendary coach, Bobby Knight.Brad Keast, HalifaxANSWERS PLEASEQ The 1998 Winter Olympics are termed the XVIII Olympiad. This figure can only be arrived at by including the non-events of 1940 and 1944. Upon what grounds does the Olympic movement ignore history?A Wolstenholme, LeedsQ. As the amount of shipping has increased in the English channel has this affected the attempts to swim the channel? It was the vogue to try to do so at one time.Kevin Maguire, BatleyIf you know the answers to either of these questions or have a sporting question of your own, write to Q&A, Sports Desk, Independent on Sunday, 1 Canada Square, London E14 5DL Fax: 0171-293 2894..

He has since returned to the Republic and plays for Dukla Pribram. That will only happen if they hit the game at three times the speed they showed against Italy.
The Welsh coach, Kevin Bowring, talked about how many rucks and mauls they won against the Italians. Lubos Kubik was transferred to Fiorentina and has returned to the Czech where he plays for a second division team, Slovan Pardubice. Both enjoyed successful international careers after they left Derby County.
Michael Wooldridge,BirminghamQ.