Rollenspiele » performances at Cheltenham and Aintree, as

PULLMAN, Wash. -- An empty chair sat at the end of Washington States bench at the beginning of the game. Coach Ernie Kent was on the opposite side of the court, seated next to Idaho coach Don Verlin.Both coaches lost their fathers to cancer, so when Verlin donated a Coach for a Day package to an auction for Coaches vs. Cancer, Kent beat out other bidders and chose to spend the first 30 seconds of the game on Idahos bench.I dont think anybodys ever seen that anywhere in the country, where opposing coaches stood on one side of the field, sat on another teams bench, sat in another teams dugout, Kent said. But thats not the importance of what transpired. It was the fact that you have coaches, again coaches, standing up for such a worthy cause.Kent said it ranked near the top of his favorite coaching memories, as it brought awareness to trying to find a cure for cancer.Kents Washington State team beat cross-border rival Idaho 61-48 on Wednesday night in the 271st meeting.Ike Iroegbu had 16 points and seven rebounds for Washington State (5-4), which scored the first four points of the game, never trailed and led by 18 in the second half. Malachi Flynn added 12 points before getting into foul trouble and the Cougars shot 39 percent from the field. Josh Hawkinson had his 47th career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.Washington State snapped a two-game losing streak to the Vandals in the oldest continuous rivalry west of the Mississippi.Idaho (4-4), coming off a win against UC Davis, shot 26 percent from the field. Victor Sanders lead the Vandals with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting.Down 11 points at the half, the Vandals never got within single digits in the second half as they went seven minutes without scoring. Washington State also went scoreless for five-plus minutes after halftime.Idaho turned it over 14 times but grabbed 20 offensive rebounds. Verlin said the teams biggest issue was not being able to score.Just missed a bunch of shots. You gotta give credit to Washington State, Verlin said. Their defenses size really bothered us around the basket. We just didnt score our ball the way we needed to tonight.The all-time series record belongs to the Cougars, who have won 162 meetings compared to Idahos 109.Those games are always the fun games, you know, Iroegbu said. Especially UW, Idaho, Gonzaga, those are the games where you see your schedule come out every year and you circle them, get ready for that one. And when youre in the gym by yourself, those are the teams you think about playing, one of those three teams here at Washington State. These rivalry games are really important to us.BIG PICTUREWashington State: The Cougars ended a four-game home stand with two wins and two losses, and have three games left before conference play begins. After coming in last place in the Pac-12 last season, the Cougars are looking to put together some momentum before they face Washington to open conference play.UP NEXTIdaho: The Vandals will continue their road trip and play at South Dakota State on Dec. 10. They have two games left before conference play.Washington State: The Cougars will travel to face the Big 12s Kansas State. Wholesale Nuggets Jerseys . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Cheap Nuggets Jerseys Authentic . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. http://www.cheapnuggetsjerseys.com/ . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Michael Porter Jr. Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Jarred Vanderbilt Jersey . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two.Nine of the 11 Grade 1 winners from Aintrees Grand National meeting have been entered at the Punchestown Festival, while nine of the 13 Grade 1 winners from last months Cheltenham Festival are also engaged. A vintage jump season looks set to end on a high with a potential clash between Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack, Cue Card and Vautour in the €200,000 Grade 1 Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday, April 27.The latter, part of a sizeable potential Punchestown raiding party trained in Dorset by Colin Tizzard, fell at Cheltenham but made amends in style when winning the Grade 1 Betfred Bowl by nine lengths at Aintree. Cue Card and Don Cossack are among 20 entries that also include the Cheltenham second, third and fourth - Djakadam, Don Poli and Carlingford Lough. Ryanair Chase winner Vautour, a faller at Aintree last week, could step back up in trip for this contest.Both Tizzard and Don Cossacks trainer, Gordon Elliott, are looking forward to the big race.The plan always was to go on to Punchestown and I dont see any reason to change that, Tizzard said.He fell at Cheltenham and mentally didnt have a hard race. He also didnt have too hard a race at Aintree and hes come out of it all fine.From three out to two out at Aintree he came through a gap and came eight lengths clear without ever seeming to do too much.Hes in the form of his life so theres no reason not to go.Speaking about Don Cossack, he added: Hopefully they both jump a clear round. Don Cossacks fallen once, weve fallen once and hopefully they both jump clear and well see who finishes in front. Sky Racing Tickets Fast, secure racing tickets: Exclusive racing offers near you Gordon Elliott, trainer of Don Cossack, reports his charge to be in good shape, as he bids for back-to-back victories in the race. He worked Don Cossack work over a mile and a half alongside stable companion Cause Of Causes in front of media at Punchestown on Monday.He said: We havent done anything serious with him since then and today was the first time that hes really stretched his legs since Cheltenham.Cue Card is a horse Ive got massive respect for. Its going to be a very good race at Punchestown.He (Don Cossack) will have one more good bit of work and then its all systems go.The Punchestown Gold Cup promises to be the most enthralling race of this years Festival, with brilliant Ryanair Chase hero Vautour, who suffered a shock fall at Aintree last Friday, also a likely runner.Trainer Willie Mullins said: Theres a very good chance Vautour will run in the Gold Cup.Hes as fit as a flea and as long as hes sparkling at home, hell take his chance.Sprinter Sacre has been entered for the Grade 1 €200,000 BoyleSports Champion Chase on Tuesday, April 26. Nicky Hendersons brilliant performer won the Punchestown contest in 2013 and looked as good as ever when winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last month.Punchestowns racing manager Richie Galway revealed that Henderson has not yet ruled out a return to Ireland with his stable star, who claimed the same prize in 2013.Galway said: Myself and Shona Dreaper met Nicky in Newbury recently and we said weve love to have Sprinter Sacre running.He said the day that he won in Punchestown for himself and the owners was one of the great days they had with Sprinter Sacre.Cheltenham runner-up Un De Sceaux and third Special Tiara, trained by Henry de Bromhead, are also engaged, as well as Sprinter Sacres stablemate Simonsig, who has not run since November, and Kerry Lees recent Normans Grove Chase winner Top Gamble.Other highlights on Tuesday include the Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles. It could feature a clash between the Willie Mullins-trained Yorkhill, a Grade 1 winner at Cheltenham and Aintree this year, and the Henderson-trained Buveur DAir, winner of a Grade 1 novicce hurdle at Aintree on Friday.ddddddddddddhere are 30 entered for the Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase the same day. Native River, winner of the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices Chase at Aintree, is set to represent Colin Tizzard in the 3m 1f contest, while Sandy Thomsons stable star Seeyouatmidnight is another possible runner from Britain.Alongside the Bibby Financial Services Punchestown Gold Cup, Wednesday also features the Grade 1 Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle.Among the 36 entries is Yorkhill, who could step up to three miles for this event, while the Ben Pauling-trained Barters Hill, winner of the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury, is among those expected to travel over from Britain.All eyes will be on the brilliant Thistlecrack on Thursday when he is expected to start in the €200,000 Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle.Colin Tizzards brilliant hurdler ran at last years Punchestown Festival, where he came second in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle, and he has not been beaten since. Having won Saturdays Grade 1 Stayers Hurdle at Aintree and the Grade 1 Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham, he is set to bid to complete a rare treble at Punchestown.Willie Mullins has given his star mares Annie Power and Vroum Vroum Mag this option - although the former is more likely to stay at two miles - while the Coral Cup winner Diamond King could bid to continue his upward career trajectory for trainer Gordon Elliott. The Dan Skelton-trained Value At Risk, winner of the Grade 2 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle at Fairyhouse on April 28, is in the reckoning to bid for another fruitful foray to Ireland.The fantastic Douvan heads the entries in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase.Despite being only six, he has already won six times in Grade 1 company, including effortless displays at Cheltenham and Aintree. His potential opponents include Kylemough Lough, who gave rookie British trainer Kerry Lee a first Grade 1 success in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on March 27.No less eagerly awaited will be the expected appearance of the great Annie Power in the €200,000 Grade 1 Betdaq Punchestown Champion Hurdle on Friday.She would line up in the race on the back of superb wins in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and by 18 lengths in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle. The runner-up on both occasions, My Tent Or Yours, could reoppose for trainer Nicky Henderson.Mullins confirmed on Monday that Annie Power was on course to run.Annie Power seems fine and the plan is to go for the Champion Hurdle, he said. It will only be her fourth run of the season.I imagine all the top guns will run as its the last big Festival of the season.Yorkhill must have some engine to do what he did in Aintree the other day. If hes recovered, he could go to Punchestown. Hes a good eater and he drinks well and hell get a good rest before then.Apples Jade was a revelation at Aintree. She had some training problems after Christmas and (in hindsight) we obviously didnt have her as straight as wed want at Cheltenham.Theres a bumper 39-strong entry for the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle with the likes of Barters Hills, Buveur DAir and the aforementioned Yorkhill all being given this option.Improving Brain Power is another entered by Nicky Henderson, Aidan OBrien could run recent Fairyhouse Grade 2 winner Slowmotion, and Apples Jade has also been entered.Dick OSullivan, Punchestowns General Manager, said: These are vintage times for jump racing with some fantastic horses based both in Ireland and across the water in Britain.Weve seen a series of great performances at Cheltenham and Aintree, as well as at home, in recent weeks and we are obviously thrilled that so many of the top horses look set to line up at the 2016 Punchestown Festival. There are some fantastic showdowns in prospect at wha' ' '