Archive News
Off the Pitch
Michael Owen leaps to the defence of England's Rugby World Cup stars - 19th September 2011
Having been granted a night off following their unconvincing 13-9 group opener against Argentina - Tindall, Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and others were photographed being jovially rowdy in a Queenstown bar.
The reaction has been less than favourable, especially as the booze-fuelled antics come on the back of an underwhelming showing on the field, but veteran striker Michael Owen has been quick to offer his backing to his fellow sportsmen.
‘Why the fuss? Have our rugby players done that much wrong? Hard enough to win a World Cup without people making something out of nothing,’ wrote Owen on his Twitter page.
Owen Hails 'Dream Panther' - 11th September 2011
Michael Owen and Tom Dascombe were both thrilled with their Ladbrokes St Leger runner-up Brown Panther.
The colt found only Masked Marvel too good under a strong Kieren Fallon drive and Owen said: "It was a great run and we're very proud of him. We were confident he would run well because Tom had him in tip-top form.
"Kieren (Fallon) said the ground may have been a little quick and he didn't feel the horse was really letting himself stretch on it.
Fallon handed St Leger mount aboard Panther - 7th September 2011
Though his own professional prospects seem increasingly restricted by the passing of time – whether through injury, or a boss who is giving youth its chance – Michael Owen showed yesterday that experience still counts for plenty in another field of athletic endeavour. The Manchester United striker authorised a decision that even Sir Alex Ferguson might admire as hard-nosed in the replacement of Richard Kingscote by Kieren Fallon when Brown Panther lines up for the sport's oldest Classic at Doncaster on Saturday.
Disappointment for Owen as Brown Panther trails triumphant Census at Newbury - 14th August 2011
Michael Owen left the running to others on Saturday as he spent the opening day of the new football season watching his homebred colt Brown Panther race at Newbury.
After a week out with a back injury, Owen trained with Manchester United in the morning before dashing south to see Brown Panther keep his Classic dream alive by finishing a creditable second to Census in the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes.
Both the winner and runner-up are firmly on course for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster next month.
Panther Declared For Freer - 11th August 2011
Michael Owen's Ladbrokes St Leger hope Brown Panther is among a batch of four three-year-olds taking on their elders in the CGA Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Brown Panther, trained by Tom Dascombe, made an unsuccessful trip to Hamburg where he could manage only fifth in the German Derby, but he had looked good when slamming fellow Geoffrey Freer rival Census by six lengths in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot.