SPORTSPORT 24 METROSPORT Wednesday, December 9, 2009 D Certified Distribution October 5 to November 1, 2009: 60,200 Published by Fortunegreen Ltd, Embassy House, Herbert Park Lane, Dublin 4 Printed by The Irish Times at Citywest in Dublin Editorial: (01) 637 5900 Advertising: (01) 637 5989 Classified: (01) 637 5979 Distribution: (01) 637 5901 Arc glory: Kinane went out on a high on legendary Sea The Stars Oxx leads praise as Kinane calls time John oxx has hailed the burning ambition of Mick Kinane that kept the veteran jockey at the top of his game during an outstanding 34-year career which he brought to an end yesterday. The trainer saw Kinane partner his colt Sea The Stars to six Group one wins this year including the 2000 Guineas-Derby-Arc treble, leaving the jockey with virtually nothing left to achieve. Kinane said: I have decided this is the right time to retire from race- riding. At 50, I still feel fit and sharp enough to do any horse justice but, after the season I have just had in partnership with Sea The Stars, I have the privilege of being able to end my career as a jockey on an incredible high and thats what I want to do. Teamwork is the key to success in racing and I have been blessed with some of the best alliances a jockey could have. Kinane hangs up his riding boots with nearly 1,500 winners to his credit and a string of victories across the world, with the list of great horses he rode almost endless. And like many of the greats of the industry, oxx cannot speak highly enough of him. Michael Kinane was just the complete professional in every way, said oxx. not only was he a top jockey with great skill and determination, but he always conducted himself perfectly. he had a great work ethic and he never let anybody down. The Arc [on Sea The Stars] is the one everyone will remember. You couldnt have predicted it or planned it but it has been great for him to have had the best horse he ever rode in the final year of his career. Its the sort of end that he deserves. Leinster name squad for vital European visit to Scarlets Page 21 Rafa plots return to Europes top table RAFAEL BEnITEz has vowed to take his struggling Liverpool team back into the Champions League as they prepare for the embarrassment of a dead rubber against Fiorentina at Anfield. Unlike tonights visitors, Liverpool are already out of this seasons competition, having failed to finish in the top two in Group E, a humiliating experience for the five-times European champions. That failure will truly hit home at Anfield against an Italian club who beat the Reds 2-0 in September at the start of a terrible run for Benitez and his team. Liverpool had won six successive games ahead of the match in Florence but have managed just two victories in 13 fixtures since. Benitez knows the only way to get back into next seasons Champions League is to finish in the top four of the Premier League, on current form not an easy task. But he said: I am convinced we will have Champions League football back here next season. We have a good team, a good squad and we can win games in a row now. We have not lost in six and kept three consecutive clean sheets, that is positive and an improvement on what was happening a few weeks ago. We know what it means to play in the Champions League. The players certainly understand. We have the right experience and I am confident we will finish in the top four, at least, so we must concentrate on our league games to achieve that. We have Arsenal next, then Wigan in midweek before Portsmouth away the following Saturday. We must win those games to get ourselves back into a strong position to make sure we qualify for the tournament next season. First start for Aquilani: Page 23 Convinced: Benitez Owens up By KeviN AiTKeN Hats what im capable of: Owen celebrates scoring his third goal against Wolfsburg last night Picture: Getty MAnCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expressed his delight for Michael Owen after the strikers hat-trick helped the Red Devils tri- umph 3-1 at Wolfsburg to finish top of Champions League Group B. Owens first treble for the club he joined in the summer helped United overcome the absence of 14 players to record a memorable win over the German champions last night. Asked about the former Liverpool forwards contribution, Ferguson said: Fantastic.You know what he is. In the penalty box, hes on the shoul- der, making runs across defenders... the timing of the runs is fantastic and Im really pleased for him. The victory was a record 15th away game unbeaten in the Champions League and only Uniteds third in ten attempts on German soil. Ferguson was also satisfied with how the rest of his makeshift team performed. Theres players with quality there. Youve got to trust them. Theyre do- ing their jobs and proving it tonight again. Theyve applied themselves and thats important. Chelsea finished the Champions League group stage unbeaten but their defensive shortcomings are under the spotlight again after they allowed minnows APOEL nicosia to snatch a late 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Juventus were the big casualties of the night after they crashed 4-1 at home to Bayern Mu- nich and out of the competition. Striker hits hat-trick as United win group Reports: Pages 22-23 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html