LITTLER ADMITS VAN VEEN SILENCE AFTER SPAT

LUKE LITTLER has revealed he is yet to speak to Gian van Veen following their Manchester bust-up.

The world No.1 clashed with the Dutchman in an on-stage spat in the Premier League three weeks ago, with Littler accused of celebrating after his opponent missed a match dart. 

The Nuke has bounced back in style, beating Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Jonny Clayton in Liverpool to seal his first nightly win since the incident. 

Littler has not yet cleared the air with Van Veen but admits he is relishing the prospect of a rematch on the oche. 

He said: “No, we’ve not spoken. I’m not the type of person to go up and talk to him or something like that. 

“Maybe he’s waiting for me to go and talk to him, but I’m not the type of person to do that, even in the practice room, people will talk to me first. 

“I’m not the type of person to be chatting away.

“We can obviously settle it on the darts board, but back stage, it’s just been normal and been the same preparation-wise. 

“I think he’s forgotten about it. I’ve forgotten about it. I moved on the day after, went on holiday. 

“I don’t regret anything. Obviously, I have my opinion, he’s got his opinion, so we’re all entitled to it. 

“I think we’ve both moved on with our game on stage, but off stage, obviously we’ve not spoken. 

“It has been a tough couple weeks, but I just had to get on with it. 

“Just playing darts, that’s what I’ve done now, winning this night gives me confidence.” 

Littler currently sits second in the table, just two points behind Jonny Clayton, with a play-off spot almost guaranteed as the competition heads to Aberdeen for Night 13. 

The teenage sensation also lifted the lid on his latest business venture after teaming up with Stephen Bunting and former Manchester United striker Michael Owen to buy a racehorse. 

Littler has taken a liking to the sport and has already been spotted at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Festival earlier this year. 

The two-year-old colt was purchased for £54,000 and is being trained by Hugo Palmer in Cheshire. 

The horse has been named Bunting Mental, a nod to the famous darts chant “Let’s go Bunting mental” often heard when Bunting walks on stage. 

Littler added: Leading up to Cheltenham, I was right into the horse racing. 

“Even last year at the Aintree Grand National, me and Faith, we both backed Nick Rocket, I think it was like 33-1, so that was the proper race to watch. But going to Cheltenham this year was very good. 

“At the start of the year when we were in Saudi Arabia. I think Michael Owen messaged (Stephen) Bunting and he said, ‘do you want to get involved?’ I went, ‘yes, it’s worth a punt, worth a bit of money’. 

“Let Bunting have the name this time. Hopefully, if this one does well we can get another one with my name. 

“I think the Nuke would just be too boring. I’ll let Bunting have the name this time and then the jockey is going to wear purple and yellow.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.