Even in the days when the Craven meeting was the accepted proving ground for potential Guineas winners, the European Free Handicap was the poor secondcousin among the trials, and now that the major players are more likely to go to the Guineas without a run, its relevance can only erode further. But if a secondary function of races like these is to keep people dreaming, then the latest renewal, won by Misu Bond for the Thirsk stable of Bryan Smart, fulfilled its role admirably

Birmingham City fans have waited a long time for this moment. Some 15 months have passed since Robbie Savage departed St Andrew's in such acrimonious circumstances and with only three minutes remaining it appeared as if the Welshman would have the last laugh. His first goal in a Blackburn shirt, with only 12 minutes remaining, could not have arrived at a worse time and as he wheeled away in delight three quarters of St Andrew's was gripped with a raging sense of injustice

A linesman's flag in the 12th minute denied Thierry Henry an early chance to inscribe his autograph across last night's Champions League tie, an event on which his future at Arsenal may depend. It was a tight call, and replays suggested the official got it wrong, perhaps confused by another redcurrant shirt in a passive offside position just beyond Henry as Robert Pires threaded an exquisite pass to his captain

Arsenal showed the maturity of a team that belongs in the Champions League final. Having scrambled Villarreal's wits in the first half with a high-speed approach that achieved the breakthrough, they assumed a more contemplative style to protect that lead. It might well have been increased, but a 1-0 win, thanks to Kolo Touré's first goal of the season, is a better result than appearances suggest

Liverpool have dismissed as mischief-making suggestions from the out-going Real Madrid director of football, Benito Floro, that his club should attempt to entice Steven Gerrard to the Bernabéu this summer

Maybe it was because Winston Churchill's original iron curtain is no longer with us, torn down and trampled into the dust in cities such as this, or more likely it was for other reasons, but Steve McClaren landed in Bucharest with his own shield yesterday. He may have travelled thousands of miles away from Soho Square and Middlesbrough may be on the verge of their first ever European semi-final but there was no dodging those England manager questions

Mikael Forssell, spinning to fire the winner with three minutes remaining, not only lifted Birmingham City out of the Premiership relegation zone but also denied their former player Robbie Savage the satisfaction of seeing his first goal for Blackburn Rovers earn a point towards qualification for the Uefa Cup

The most important week in Middlesbrough's history commences here tonight with the most important decision of the Football Association's International Committee arguably resting upon the outcome. For the man who has delivered this defining phase in the club's 130-year existence and found himself favourite to succeed Sven Goran Eriksson as a result, however, events in Romania and Soho Square continue to remain mutually exclusive

The decision by Adrian Boothroyd, the Watford manager, to stage a pretend penalty shoot-out after Monday's 2-1 win over Ipswich came following a tip from Sir Clive Woodward, it emerged yesterday. Following the victory at Vicarage Road, Boothroyd divided his 16-man squad into two teams and ordered them to take spot-kicks, with the crowd even asked to boo their own players

Emirates Airline signed a $195 million deal with the Fifa to join the six-member elite club of the world football empire for the coming eight ears, it was announced here yesterday