Qatar’s SHEIKH JOAAN BIN HAMAD AL THANI paid "a world-record" 5M guineas ($8.3M) for a 1-year-old female horse at the annual Tattersalls bloodstock auction of Europe’s top young thoroughbreds. The yearling filly, a daughter of '01 Epsom Derby winner GALILEO, "was the most expensive horse of any age sold at auction in Europe," beating the 4.6M guineas paid in '06 for MAGICAL ROMANCE (BLOOMBERG, 10/9). NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN was at the Mall of Asia in Manila on Thursday for the 2013 NBA Global Games showdown between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers (INQUIRER.NET, 10/10). ... EPL Cardiff City and South Korea player KIM BO-KYUNG has been named Southeast Asian Player of the Year at the 2013 Asian Football Awards at London's Wembley Stadium on Tuesday. He has 21 caps for his country and was a squad member at the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics (Cardiff City). ... Former Croatian national team coach LJUBOJEVIC ZIVCO "took over" Chinese Basketball Association side Jilin Northeast Tigers on Thursday. Jilin's former coach, WANG HAN, "will be Zivco's assistant in the new season of the CBA league" (XINHUA, 10/10). ... Supporters of Bulgaria side Levski Sofia "have won their fight" to get rid of new coach IVAYLO PETEV, who has resigned just 24 hours after his appointment. In his official presentation to the media, "furious fans attacked Petev and stripped him of his shirt in front of journalists and photographers." Immediately after the incident, two of the club's most senior executives, IVO TONEV and NASKO SYRAKOV, "resigned" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/10). ... Serbian VLADISLAV HERIC has quit South African National First Division side FC Cape Town. Club manager EDWARD GREY "confirmed the well-travelled Heric has resigned." A replacement for Heric, who has also coached Black Leopards and Bay United, "is expected to be named before the end of the week" (SOWETAN LIVE, 10/9). ... FC Barcelona footballer NEYMAR wants "to open a restaurant in Barcelona." Neymar now owns part of the Spanish location of the "Paris 6" restaurant. The Sao Paulo restaurant owned by businessman ISAAC AZAR is known to name plates after celebrities, and "already has a dish named after Neymar" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 10/10).
IN AUSTRALIA: Australian Football League side Essendon unveiled MARK THOMPSON as its interim senior coach during JAMES HIRD's 12-month suspension. NEIL CRAIG was appointed -- on a two-year deal -- to the new position of head of coaching, development and strategy (THE AGE, 10/10). A vote of directors from National Rugby League club Parramatta "is expected to confirm" JASON TAYLOR as the next Eels coach within days. Taylor, who has previously coached Parramatta in a caretaker capacity before taking charge of South Sydney for two seasons, was an assistant to Sydney Roosters mentor TRENT ROBINSON (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/11). ... Racehorse owner GAI WATERHOUSE "faces a possible suspension" after her appeal against guilty findings from the MORE JOYOUS affair "was dismissed by the NSW Racing Appeals Panel." Chair JOHN HIATT "warned Waterhouse under a legal precedent known as the 'Parker direction' that she should consider her options or could face an increase in fines," which total A$7,000 ($6,620), and/or risk suspension (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/11).
