Gavin Carmody, host for Sky Thoroughbred Central, provided a concise assessment of the Cactus Imaging Handicap (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, noting Benevac’s commanding front-running display.

The talented young jockey Grima has now reached 32 city wins and is two victories ahead of her closest competitor, Braith Nock, in the Sydney apprentices premiership, having partnered Benevac for her maiden win with champion trainer Ciaron Maher.

She made the most of the opportunity on Benevac, starting brilliantly from the barriers, controlling the race from the lead, and cruising to a comfortable victory.

Maher’s Sydney stable representative confirmed that Benevac was the first winner Grima had ridden for the stable.

“Siena has only had a few rides for us before so it is great she has won for the stable on Benevac,” said Johann Gerard Dubord, Maher’s Sydney stable representative. “She’s riding really well and did everything right on the horse.”

Benevac, the striking chestnut runner priced at $2.70, led throughout the race and was never in doubt as the immediate chaser, Zoufame ($2.30 favourite), finished two-and-three-quarter lengths behind, with Escargoes ($6) securing third place.

Gerard Dubord noted that Benevac is a lightly-raced young sprinter who continues to improve as he gains more racing experience.

“He’s a lovely horse and we feel there is more to come from him,” Gerard Dubord elaborated. “He’s got a lot of upside.”

Benevac, cleverly named as he is by Godolphin’s highly-regarded young sire Bivouac out of Houston Benefactor, was purchased by Dean and Adam Watt’s Dynamic Syndications for $140,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale two years ago. His latest win at Randwick was the second of his career from 10 starts (plus five minor placings), and he has already earned over $290,000 in prizemoney, with the promise of more to come.

The Randwick meeting also featured a significant achievement for Eagle Farm-based trainer Todd Pollard, who prepared his first Sydney winner with All Kinds Of Folk in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1800m).

In fact, All Kinds Of Folk was Pollard’s inaugural runner in NSW, with the trainer having only obtained his licence in February.

Pollard has made a remarkable start to his training career, accumulating 10 winners from just 44 starters, including two wins at Listed level.

“I don’t think we will keep that strike-rate going but I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my career,” he commented. “And to get a winner here at Randwick with my first runner is a very special moment for me.”

All Kinds Of Folk ($4.40 favourite), ridden with skill by champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy, overtook the front-running Tambela ($4.80) near the finish line to win by a long neck, with Existential Bob ($5.50) finishing nearly three lengths behind in third place.

Take advantage of the racing odds for the next major event.

Florida State is expected to hire ex-Texas, Houston and FAU coach Tom Herman in a support staff role, Noles247 confirmed Monday. The 51-year-old coaching veteran’s position with the team has not yet been clarified, but he will likely assist Seminoles coach Mike Norvell on the offensive side of the ball as he resumes playcalling duties following Gus Malzahn’s offseason retirement. 

Florida State is counting on experienced transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels to jump-start an offense that sputtered last season. Herman brings two decades of coaching experience with him as the Seminoles look to get back on track.

Herman has never been short on offensive answers. At his best, he was one of college football’s most creative playcallers, building systems that marry quarterback strengths with tempo, spacing and a physical run game. His work as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator helped power the Buckeyes to the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship, while his offenses at Houston turned Greg Ward Jr. into a star. 

Even during an up-and-down tenure at Texas, Herman consistently produced explosive offenses that stressed defenses in multiple ways. Norvell isn’t handing over the keys, but adding Herman gives the Seminoles another experienced set of eyes in game-planning, quarterback development and in-game adjustments. The Seminoles don’t need to lead the ACC in scoring to rebound in 2026, but they do need consistency, and Herman has built a career helping offenses find it.

The Herman files

Herman’s first head coaching position came at Houston in 2015 after a couple of years on Urban Meyer’s staff at Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Herman won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant in 2014 and went 22-4 as the head man at Houston before that success led to him taking over at Texas. After posting a 32-18 overall record in Austin, Herman was fired following a 7-3 campaign during the 2020 COVID season. He earned a $15 million buyout from the Longhorns.

Herman later served as an offensive analyst for the Chicago Bears before accepting the head job at FAU. He went 6-16 over two years with the Owls before his firing — and $4 million buyout — after the 2024 season and hasn’t actively coached in the collegiate ranks since.

Florida State welcomed 57 newcomers to the roster this offseason, including 23 transfers, many of which have already found roles within the two-deep. In what amounts to a make-or-break season for Norvell, given recent struggles, perhaps Herman’s presence could help extend his tenure.

First Published: Jul 13 2026 | 11:26 AM IST

LAS VEGAS — After almost 10 years away, college coaches have returned to what’s essentially the mecca of the summer recruiting scene.

For over two decades, Las Vegas played a big role in the summer live evaluation period. This city was the biggest pulse of the offseason, the dream destination for independent and shoe-company-sponsored teams alike. Wide-eyed teenagers and eager college coaches would descend upon this glitzy domain in the desert and commingle in a variety of tournaments, providing some all-time recruiting stories along the way. 

Going to Vegas became part of the fabric of the offseason in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Some kids had their lives changed forever after playing some of the best games of their high school careers in Las Vegas. And the same coaches who handed out those scholarship offers also lost thousands of dollars thanks to regrettable late-night decisions in smoke-scented casinos, just running on fumes for the love of the grind. It was perfect. 

That disappeared in the past eight years because, in 2017, an FBI investigation rocked college basketball that led to a lot of fallout (and even more wasted time and energy). Vegas proved to be one of the settings of some rule-breaking behavior (I know: shocking!) and that empowered the government to successfully convict 10 men, including four college basketball assistants. The case catalyzed the NCAA to form a commission to assess what was ailing the sport.

The live evaluation period in Las Vegas immediately went away and the offseason recruiting calendar went through multiple experimental changes in the ensuing years that barricaded a quick return to the land of milk and honey.

Eventually, NIL rules were put into place — making the decision to strip Vegas from the recruiting calendar altogether seem silly in hindsight. While high school prospects have played in smaller summer events in Sin City in the years since the FBI case broke, there was no evaluation period with a big-tent event.

That all changed, in a huge way, this past week. 

Who’s who of basketball descends on Sin City 

Nike’s EYBL circuit just completed four days worth of competition for hundreds of its boys and girls teams at the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center. The setup was magnificent. There were 22 courts for the boys competition inside the Convention Center’s West Hall, hosting games for EYBL’s 15s, 16s, and 17s divisions. Nearly every big-name head coach could be seen here, in addition to at least half the NBA‘s high-level general managers and presidents of basketball operations. 

A few weeks ago, John Calipari was dapper as could be, sitting courtside at MSG for the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. On Friday, he was waiting in line for the same oversized, $12 slice of pizza as me and everyone else, stealing a bite in between games. You were just as likely to bump into Tom Izzo or Dan Hurley as you were Brad Stevens or Danny Ainge. 

Why were so many other high-level NBA executives courtside for some of the biggest Nike games? The NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League is also happening right now, of course. And that’s the magic of it. For the first time ever, a live evaluation period in Sin City is happening concurrently with Summer League. Because of that, it’s brought thousands of people from the high school, college and NBA communities together, in one city, for the first time. 

This needs to be the standard moving forward. 

You’ve got college coaches bouncing over to the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League at UNLV‘s Thomas & Mack Arena, to see their guys who just got drafted in the lottery get their first taste of NBA life. Others are watching their former players try to break through and hopefully make an NBA roster. 

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson deliver glimpse of the NBA’s bright future in Summer League showdown

Gary Parrish

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It was also a common sight to see familiar NBA faces (Kevin Durant the most famous of them all), in addition to recent draft picks, popping over from to summer league games just to say hello to their old coaches, both college and AAU, at the Convention Center. 

In hotels all up and down the Strip there are lunches and dinners and agency parties happening every day. All hustle and bustle. Vegas always has a buzz, but the basketball takeover here is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s essentially a huge hoops convention.

“This is now going to be the most important week in basketball moving forward,” one high-level agent told CBS Sports. “The whole industry is going to be here. It will be the epicenter of basketball. Coming to Vegas will be even more important than going to the Final Four.”

Meeting with agents more valuable than evaluating players 

In talking to more than two dozen college coaches, all of them raved about recruiting’s return to Vegas. And it’s not because of the access to the blackjack tables. (Though there were a few who predictably found their way to some late-night action there as well.) It’s about having so many people in one place, at one time, just taking in the games and continuing to network. The logistics of the court setups also make this a lot more practical. The game windows don’t start at 8 a.m. and go past 9 at night, either. It’s a little more than six hours in the middle of the day and early evening. 

That allows plenty of time for the biggest reason coaches are out here. No, it’s not to evaluate players. It’s to meet with player agents. This has become the game. Agents now populate the sidelines and alleyways of these AAU games the same way coaches and media do, as they continue to grease their connections as well. One Big East coach told me he talked in casual conversation with at least 20 agents in Las Vegas alone. 

“You almost have to come out here because of all the agents,” another coach said. “You can get so much shit done here now. This was really smart by Nike. It’s an unbelievable setup.”

Another coach told me, “Meeting with the agents here is more productive than anything.”

Twenty years ago, it used to be that Reebok, Adidas and Nike held their events in Vegas in three different parts of the city. Coaches would rent a car and spend half the day driving from one gym to another. The savvy ones would ask the AAU coaches which hotels they were staying in, then book a room there, just so, if by some crazy coincidence, they happened to bump into a player in the lobby, well, funny how that happened!

That’s no longer the calculus. Everything is in the open and the temperature has changed on how business gets done. Some coaches have adapted more quickly than others, but everyone understands how things operate now. 

And then there’s the chance to see NBA scouts and front office executives. It’s a basketball lover’s paradise.

Nike and the NBA working in harmony to make this happen just changed the paradigm of the summer recruiting calendar. While the Peach Jam will continue to be Nike’s championship event in North Augusta, South Carolina (and will be played later this week), the setup in Vegas seems poised to immediately become the primary destination for coaches, media, scouts, agents, everyone invested in all three levels of basketball. 

“Many of our alumni can’t make it to Augusta for Peach Jam during summer League, so we brought the show to them,” a Nike spokesperson told CBS Sports. “Over 100 of our NBA player alumni attended Session 4 in Vegas.”

And the fact that Adidas, Under Armour and the rising Puma circuit weren’t out here feels like a correction that needs to be made by those companies in 2027, or else they’ll be left behind.

“I don’t know why Adidas and Under Armour aren’t here as well,” one coach from the Midwest said. “Vegas is big enough and can handle it.”

Another source speculated that Adidas, at minimum, would be course-correcting and returning to Vegas next summer. (For a couple of years in the 2010s it hosted its premier tournament at the nearby Cashman Center.)

Nike told me it hasn’t yet 100% committed to coming back in 2027, but believe me, it will be back in 2027. I was told the decision would hinge on the feedback from the teams, parents and college coaches. Other than the regrettable decision to hang some banners that reinforced some of the worst stereotypes about grassroots basketball (a baffling call that was roundly mocked by a lot of people), I haven’t heard a single bad thing about the setup this week in Vegas. 

And credit to Nike for making it affordable for parents as well: It cost $10 per session for parents to watch their boys play this week. I spoke to the father of a girls player who told me it was less than $90 for a four-day ticket at the other end of the Convention Center. Nike has put an emphasis on making the game ticket affordable, and that should be commended in an age where youth sports pricing continues to get worse, a reality that’s faced increased scrutiny in the aftermath of the United States’ World Cup flameout. 

On the basketball side, things seem to be improving. Being here in Vegas this week, it felt like the start of a sea change for the offseason. This can be the template for offseason basketball, staging it in a familiar place with irresistible energy. Marrying the recruiting calendar with the Las Vegas Summer League fosters a productive networking environment — and reinforces what everyone knew all along.

The recruiting scene should have never left Vegas to begin with.

Now it’s back, it won’t be going away, and it will almost certainly get even bigger — and better — by the end of the decade.

Manchester City’s summer transfer business has kicked into gear in recent weeks.

The £116million capture of Elliot Anderson saw the Blues secure their top target early in the transfer window and City have since added goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday and highly-rated winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Mathys Detourbet has also joined from Troyes and subsequently left for Monaco on loan.

While Detourbet, and to some extent Monga, are buys for the future, Charles will fill a crucial goalkeeping role given the uncertainty surrounding James Trafford’s future and the desire for City to ensure they hit homegrown squad quotas in the Premier League and Champions League. Monga, tipped for top, was snatched from under Arsenal’s noses and is viewed as a first-team prospect by the Blues.

So far so good for City, who would still like to add a right back and another winger but in Anderson have achieved their statement signing already.

The Blues face a pivotal summer with Enzo Maresca now in charge after a decade of Pep Guardiola and have made a good start to the window, particularly considering there is a World Cup ongoing.

And a quick glance around the rest of the Premier League shows how calm City’s summer has been compared to the choppy waters elsewhere.

Manchester United wanted Anderson and Mateus Fernandes and missed out on both, while an agreed move for midfielder Ederson could yet fall through. The Reds are set to sign Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively but have moved for both after missing out on top targets.

Villa didn’t want to lose Tielemans but have gazumped Newcastle to the signing of highly-rated Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi to leave serious questions on Tyneside given the departure of Sandro Tonali for Tottenham and the historical issues of missing out on top targets at the last minute and seeing key players leave. Bruno Guimaraes could also depart St James’ Park with Arsenal keen, but the Gunners have not yet struck a deal.

Mikel Arteta’s men are also eyeing Julian Alvarez but Atletico Madrid are unwilling sellers and Barcelona are also interested, while the Argentine is still at the World Cup, and so far Arsenal are having to wait on their top targets.

Liverpool have spent big on Víctor Muñoz and Jérémy Jacquet as their rebuild under Andoni Iraola begins, while Spurs have also hit the ground running with a slew of spending. The picture is more complicated at Chelsea, with the Blues once again experiencing a fraught summer with big money deals expected but several departures necessary as they try to balance the books for new boss Xabi Alonso.

It all adds up to a chaotic summer as Premier League clubs scramble for the best talent. City still have work to do, and the window is open for another 50 days so there will be no great panic elsewhere, but the early signs show just how calm, considered and calculated City are in the window, particularly considering the change in management this summer.

It doesn’t guarantee success, and there will be more twists and turns to come, but the Blues are well placed to transition from one era to the next.

For the first time in history, the World Cup final will feature a halftime show modelled on the US Superbowl’s. The show will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the tournament. FRANCE 24 spoke to its CEO, Hugh Evans.

Tim Bradley has considered the “freaky strength” of Rolando Romero, believing it could play a factor in his welterweight showdown with Teofimo Lopez.

The pair will collide at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, on August 22, with Romero making a first defence of his WBA world title.

He became the sanctioning body’s regular champion by defeating Ryan Garcia, who he floored in round two before winning their contest by unanimous decision in May 2025.

Since then, the American has been elevated to full WBA champion, only to remain out of the ring after attempting to secure fights with the likes of Devin Haney and Conor Benn.

Now, though, Romero will finally return to action against Lopez, who comes off a wide unanimous decision defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January.

As a result of being comprehensively outboxed, the 28-year-old was relieved of his WBO super-lightweight title but now looks to reinvent himself at 147lbs.

According to Hall of Famer Bradley, however, facing the hard-hitting Romero in his first outing at the new weight could prove to be a catastrophic mistake for Lopez.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bradley highlighted the difference in power as a major factor when assessing their WBA title fight next month.

“What [version of] Rolly gonna show up? Do we need the more calculated Rolly – the one that fought Ryan Garcia … a very awkward boxing style?

“Or, do we need the Rolly that’s gonna bring it to Teo? Teofimo Lopez ain’t got no power. 140lbs – he ain’t knocked nobody out.

“He going to [147lbs], jumping up 7lbs. Rolly is thumping – he can punch. He’s been at [147lbs] for some time now. It’s a different feeling when you get hit with them bricks, and Rolly got that freaky strength.”

Bradley went on to admit that his comments can also be applied to Lopez, in terms of wondering which version of ‘The Takeover’ will actually show up.

The unofficial halfway point of the MLB season is already here, and fans all over the country will be tuned into one of baseball’s spectacles on Monday night.

This year’s Home Run Derby, however, might be the most-viewed ever, as it will be streamed on Netflix.

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be really exciting. What they’re doing to our sport, getting basically worldwide recognition. Fans that maybe aren’t interested in baseball see that it’s on Netflix and think, ‘Hey, I’m gonna watch this.’ So, we have a really good opportunity to bring baseball to viewers that don’t necessarily see it on a daily basis,” former All-Star and Derby participant Anthony Rizzo, who is a Netflix analyst for the event, said recently to Fox News Digital.

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MAY HAVE LEAKED SOME MLB ALL-STARS HOURS BEFORE THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Elsa/Getty Images)

“They bring stardom everywhere. Everything they do, Netflix is first class. So, I’m excited for the guests we’re going to have on, the baseball players, the celebrities, the whole shebang.”

In an era where All-Star Games have turned into simply careful scrimmages, baseball’s remains different, as 100 mph fastballs with devastating breaking balls are still constant.

“I think when you get between the lines, it’s all fun and games until the game starts. It’s still relaxed and fun, but when you’re in the box or on defense, it’s very competitive. You want to take the guy deep, you want to get a hit, you want to showcase your All-Star talent on the national stage. If you get out, it doesn’t matter as much. If you get a hit, it doesn’t matter as much. But it feels good to perform at the All-Star Game,” Rizzo said.

One All-Star phenomenon in the NBA’s Dunk Contest unarguably has been watered down due to the fact that simply the game’s stars don’t participate. But that is not the case with the Home Run Derby, even with the exhaustion it brings.

Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs bats during the Gillette Home Run Derby at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

FORMER SAVANNAH BANANAS PLAYER NAMED MLB ALL-STAR HOURS AFTER HITTING FOR CYCLE AS A ROOKIE

“I’ve done the Derby myself, and I was sore for a week afterward just because of how hard I was swinging. So, you’ve really got to assess where you’re at physically and mentally. It’s mentally grueling, too. The magnitude and the emotion that go into the Derby and the All-Star Game are intense, and then two days later you’re back playing. So, you’ve just got to know yourself,” said Rizzo.

But Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero, and Ben Rice are just some of the top names that will be in Philadelphia attempting to hit as many home runs in 20 swings each round.

“The Derby brings adrenaline that you’re just not used to having in July,” Rizzo said.

“You want the big stars in it all the time. It’s also really good for young players to showcase themselves. I don’t think the game will ever shy away from it, and the incentive to win now is higher than it’s ever been. To hit a few home runs over a couple of hours and win seven figures is a pretty nice outcome, for sure.”

The break, Rizzo inclined, has the potential to be one of the best ever.

“I think it’s just so hard to be an All-Star every year. What goes into being an All-Star in Major League Baseball, especially as a position player, is you’re not just going to roll out there and hit 20 to 30 home runs by the All-Star break and have a .280 to .300 average. There’s so much work that goes into it,” he said.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looks on during batting practice before the 86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

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“Then you get to enjoy and celebrate that moment with all your peers who have also had a great first half. The Home Run Derby is awesome. It’s in Philly, and I feel like Philly right now is just on fire. The Phillies have completely turned their season around and are looking like World Series contenders again. It’s America’s 250th birthday, the World Cup is coming, and everything’s going right right now. Philly, the Home Run Derby there, the All-Star Game, I would imagine the city’s going to be rocking.”

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Former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville has delivered his verdict on which Liverpool player he would like to see play for his old side

Gary Neville has picked Ryan Gravenberch as the Liverpool player he would sign for Manchester United. United have been in need of midfield reinforcements after Casemiro’s summer departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious injury.

United confirmed the £50m signing of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea on Monday. The club are also set to sign Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans after activating the Belgian’s £35m release clause.

But a move for Atalanta’s Ederson has still not been completed despite a £38m fee being agreed with the Serie A side in early June. The 27-year-old has been eager to join the Reds and hinted during the World Cup that the move was all-but confirmed.

The Manchester Evening News understands that United may seek to renegotiate the deal, which became complex after medical tests raised concerns about a knee injury sustained last season. Regardless of what happens with Ederson, United will still look to sign a third midfielder after Santos and Tielemans.

And former Reds captain Neville has told the Overlap podcast that he would like to see Gravenberch at Old Trafford if he had to choose a player from United’s bitter rivals.

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He said: “It’s harder because [Florian] Wirtz, Isak aren’t jumping out to me, [Hugo] Ekitike yeah, [Dominik] Szoboszlai maybe, [Alexis] Mac Allister hmm. I’d go Gravenberch.

“If you said to me now, I’d take Gravenberch because I think he’s the best of the three midfielders and we need a midfielder desperately.

“The forwards are good but I wouldn’t swap them over [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha, Bruno [Fernandes], Amad, I’d don’t think I’d be jumping to take any of them. I think they’ve got potential to do brilliant things but they’ve not proved it yet.”

Michael Owen was the last player to play for both Liverpool and United when he arrived at M16 in 2009. The striker went on to win the Premier League title and League Cup during his time in Manchester.

Neville was also asked which manager in world football he would most like to have played under. The 51-year-old said: “[Jurgen] Klopp. I’ve said this before, I think Klopp with his football, his personality, I just love it. Mad.

“For five or six years you couldn’t help but admire the team that I dislike the most, the team that I don’t want to win. Every time you went and watched Liverpool it was a proper game of football, you knew they weren’t holding back and you knew they were going to go for it.

“You knew they were electric in attack, speed, particularly in that two or three-year period when they had [Sadio] Mane, [Mohamed] Salah and [Roberto] Firmino at their peak. That was a proper front three, that. The runs of Salah and Mane and the goals, then you’ve got Firmino just dropping in and pulling centre-backs out and then they go in behind. It was devastating, honestly, it really was.

“It was an aggressive backline. If you think of the three, the two full-backs and [Virgil] van Dijk, [Andy] Robertson at his peak, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk and then you had [Joel] Matip or someone… but they were three brilliant defenders and Alisson was the best goalkeeper in the world. So for me, the style of football, the personality of Klopp, yeah, I’d say Klopp.”

Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.

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