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In the middle of Beethoven’s “Diabelli Variations,” from 1823, the pianist’s left hand starts rocking up and down the keyboard in a pattern that sounds uncannily like boogie-woogie from the 1930s and ’40s. For a choreographer courageous enough to tackle that score, this is low-hanging fruit. It’s easy to be witty by having the dancers … Read more
Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered to start negotiations to defend his WBO heavyweight title against Joseph Parker, potentially scuppering Daniel Dubois’ hopes of a rematch with the Ukrainian. The WBO has announced Usyk, who also holds the WBC and WBA crowns, has 30 days to “reach terms” for a mandatory title defence against New Zealand’s … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Preamble We’ve been here before this season … … so there’s no reason why Ange Postecoglou’s unpredictable side can’t repair the damage done in the Netherlands last week … … and keep alive hopes of their manager maintaining his record of … Read more
Just after 3pm on a Wednesday covered in spring sunshine and the hare is running at Wales’s last greyhound track. Nestled between the Rhymney River and the A469 at Ystrad Mynach, four miles from the historic town of Caerphilly, a small but loyal band of followers have made their way to the Valley Greyhound Stadium … Read more
EX FACTOR While the first-leg shellacking Arsenal dished out to PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands meant that Wednesday night’s return leg was predictably low on drama, there was at least one moment of highly performative nonsense for fans at the Emirates to enjoy. Handed a rare start by Mikel Arteta, Oleksandr Zinchenko repaid his manager … Read more
Lewis Hamilton has insisted he has nothing to prove and feels no pressure going into his first race for Ferrari at the Formula One season opener in Melbourne this weekend, with the seven-time champion simply revelling in what he described as the most exciting period of an already long and storied career. Hamilton, who made … Read more
The woman who accused the Kansas City Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy of attacking her last week has been granted a protective order against the wide receiver. An attorney for Tia Jones confirmed the order in a statement to the Associated Press on Wednesday night. They added that Jones is “fully cooperating with law enforcement as they … Read more
Four of the six odds-on favourites over the first two days of this year’s festival were beaten, leaving many punters in a deep hole ahead of the last day of the meeting on Friday. It will be the most significant shock of all, however, if Galopin Des Champs (4.00) does not deliver for the backers … Read more
The Irish wrote an anthem for Cottage Rake, the first horse from Ireland to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times, while the second, Arkle, transcended the sport to become an Irish cultural icon. And when Best Mate, trained in Wantage by the endearingly odd couple of Henrietta Knight and Terry Biddlecombe, completed his Gold … Read more
On a night when Arsenal ended the game with four left-backs on the pitch, this may not have been the biggest stage of Raheem Sterling’s illustrious career. But after a dismal loan spell from Chelsea during which the former England forward has failed to live up to his reputation, Sterling will be relieved to have … Read more