Something From The Weekend: Mickael Barzalona; Sonny Bill Williams; Damien Delaney

The Good

Mickael Barzalona

There was plenty of televisual tutting as the 19-year-old raised his arms in triumph as he rode across the line to win the Derby on Pour Moi this Saturday. He could have lost the race, BBC pundit Willie Carson's logic appeared to argue. Do me a favour. Pour Moi was going like a train and it would have taken more than an admittedly hefty tug on the reins to prevent The Independent racing correspondent's tip from winning the big one. You can't help feeling that much of the grumbling about Barzalona's success derived from unhappiness over the failure of the Queen's horse, which is pretty bizarre. Perhaps the greatest joy for this viewer on Saturday was a victorious Barzalona donning the French flag, a suitably republican gesture given the circumstances.

The Bad

Sonny Bill Williams

one of the elements used in support of the notion that Sonny Bill is the hardest man currently playing international rugby union is the fact that he also turns his hand(s) to boxing. Well, the All Black centre was in action over the weekend and he won, but it wasn't exactly Rocky. The chap he beat – Tongan Alipate Liava'a - is reportedly claiming a disability pension for an elbow injury and still Williams could only close things out after six rounds thanks to an unanimous points decision. It does, it must be said, extend Williams' unbeaten start to his boxing career to four, and the New Zealand coach Graham Henry, who was at ringside, seemed suitably impressed. He was happy that Williams, a likely member of his World Cup squad, "hardly got hit."

The Odd

It's Keano's fault

Roy Keane can clearly be a tad difficult, but I'm not sure he deserves this. Ipswich Town footballer Damien Delaney has blamed Keane for his speeding, saying that he was only breaking the limit because he was worried the club's ex-manager would fine him thousands of pounds for being late. South East Suffolk magistrates refused to sympathise, fining him £235 and putting four points on his licence. They presumably wondered why he hadn't just got up a little bit earlier. Probably best, too, that they nipped in the bud an excuse that has the potential to be used in all manner of situations: 'Where's your homework, boy?' 'Roy Keane ate it, sir.' Utter madness.