Joe Lyons

1 week ago | punditarena.com | Joe Lyons

Aidan O’Brien is welcoming the challenge of the St James’s Palace with Henri Matisse in Tuesday’s feature race at Royal Ascot. The Group 1 over a mile sees the English, Irish and French 2,000 Guineas winners go head-to-head as Ruling Court, Field Of Gold and Henri Matisse take to the stage at the Berkshire venue. Field Of Gold is the odds-on favourite with the top betting sites in Ireland at 8/11, followed by Ruling Court at 3/1 and Henri Matisse at 7/2.

2 weeks ago | punditarena.com | Joe Lyons

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Charles Darwin’s target at Royal Ascot is the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday. The star two-year-old was also entered in the Coventry Stakes but Ballydoyle have opted to sidestep a stiffer six-furlong test in favour of the Norfolk’s minimum trip at five. The No Nay Never colt shaped as if he needed the run on debut at the Curragh in April when finishing fourth of seven before showing a massive improvement to win by five and a half lengths at Navan two weeks later.

2 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Joe Lyons

FENTON — The Clayton High girls soccer team believed. On Saturday, they made believers of everyone else. With a 1-0 victory over St. Vincent of Perryville at Soccer Park, the Greyhounds (14-10-1) captured the Class 2 state championship for the second time in three seasons. And they did it after starting the season with losses in their first six matches. "We play a tough schedule and we also ran into some injuries that cost us some games early in the season,'' senior Anna McAndrew said.

2 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Joe Lyons

FENTON — Nothing has come easy this season for the Clayton High girls' soccer squad. But after Friday's 1-0 penalty-kick victory over Pleasant Hill in the Class 2 semifinals at Soccer Park, the Greyhounds are right where they want to be — with a shot at their second state title in three seasons. Clayton (13-10-1) will take on St. Vincent (21-3) for the championship at 4 p.m. Saturday.

3 weeks ago | stltoday.com | Joe Lyons

ST. CHARLES — Clayton High sophomore Maxine Bejasa took a chance midway through the first half Saturday afternoon at Orchard Farm High. And it ended up paying off in a big way. In a Class 2 girls soccer state quarterfinal, Bejasa decided to go all out on a challenge at the edge of the Orchard Farm penalty area. She ended up blocking the clearing attempt of Eagles goalkeeper Ryan Strunk and the carrom deflected into the goal.