Ballarat conditioner Dan O’Sullivan is conscious of the path forward in his pursuit of the Adelaide Cup with the gelding Berkeley Square.

After securing a placing at Caulfield over 2000m last Saturday, Berkeley Square takes a fast follow-up at Flemington on Saturday in the Be Captivated Trophy (2500m).

O’Sullivan indicated that the priority is to ready Berkeley Square perfectly for the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville come March 9.

Traditionally, the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville on February 21 leads into the Adelaide Cup, but O’Sullivan aims to sidestep two Adelaide visits with Berkeley Square to protect the gelding’s campaign.

“It’s about getting the miles into the legs before the Adelaide Cup, so that’s why I’m running him on Saturday,” O’Sullivan said.

“The Lord Reims would quite possibly be a suitable race for him, but I don’t want to do two trips, I don’t want to go over, come home and then go back again.

“Plus, he’s in a good routine at home.”

O’Sullivan feels Berkeley Square will relish Saturday’s 2500m and highlighted that the gelding fails to hit top form at Caulfield inexplicably.

The trainer observed that Berkeley Square is nervous in the Caulfield stalls on race day but handles Flemington with greater ease.

“The way he raced last week he’s looking for the extra trip now and after this we’ve got three weeks leading up to the Adelaide Cup, so that’s up to me to get it right,” O’Sullivan said.

“I think he’s in good spot.

“It would be good if we could win the Adelaide Cup. He’s owned there and the breeder (David Peacock) is very keen for him to go there.”

Berkeley Square boasts dual wins in the Ballarat Cup and has appeared in two races following his second such success in December.

Saturday sees Luke Nolen return aboard after steering the galloper to Ballarat victory. Explore the racing betting markets available now.

The post Quick back-up for Berkeley Square first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

U.S. men’s figure skater Ilia Malinin revealed his mind became flooded with “thoughts and memories” before his performance in the men’s free skate final at the Winter Olympics Friday. 

Malinin, a top contender to win gold for the U.S., surprisingly fell twice during his routine. He fell all the way to eighth place and missed out on the podium. 

“I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” Malinin told NBC Washington in a reporter scrum after the competition.

“So, I just feel like it’s the pressure of especially being that Olympic gold medal hopeful. It was just something I can’t control now.”

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Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s free skate program in figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)

Malinin emphasized the impact of the “pressure of the Olympics” in his first ever Olympic games.

“The pressure of the Olympics, it’s really something different, and I think not a lot of people understand that. They only understand that from the inside and going into this competition, especially today, I felt really confident, really good,” he said. “But it really just went by so fast I did not have time to process.” 

Malinin took solace in knowing he will return to the U.S. with the team gold medal he helped contribute to earlier in the week as he tries to mentally process what happened on Friday. 

“I think that’s definitely a positive for me. And it honestly maybe gives me thoughts that I need to understand why that happened in the individual event. I think going into this competition I made sure that I was able to prepare myself for at least four programs or four performances,” Malinin said.

“So, honestly, I haven’t had time to fully understand what went on.” 

WHO IS ILIA MALININ? ‘QUAD GOD’ MIGHT ALREADY BE ONE OF THE GREATEST FIGURE SKATERS OF ALL TIME

Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in the men’s singles skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Malinin dominated the short program earlier this week, entering the day leading by more than five points with a score of 108.16.

But his final performance was his worst.

When his routine started Friday, Malinin connected on a quad-flip to start but then settled for a single axel. He then had a double loop instead of a quad loop.

He then fell on a quad Lutz attempt and then fell on another jump shortly after. He scored a 156.33, a far cry from the world record of 238.24 he set in December and the 200-mark he routinely hits in the free skate.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won the gold with a total score of 291.58, a personal best. His 198.94 score in Friday’s free skate was also the highest of his career.

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan got the silver, and Shun Sato, Kagiyama’s teammate, came away with the bronze.

Malinin, who posts total scores in the 300s regularly, settled for just 264.49. His personal best is 333.81.

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Ilia Malinin of the United States reacts after competing in men’s singles skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, Feb. 13, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Malinin congratulated his Kazakhstani competitor right after the event concluded.

While on the bench, Malinin said if he had been in Beijing four years ago, he would not have skated as poorly as he did. Malinin was 17 when he was left off the roster in favor of veterans. That was a tell-tale sign of a mental battle, which Malinin confirmed almost immediately after he left the ice.

Malinin’s finish sparked widespread disappointment among Team USA and ice skating fans in general across social media. 

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The Super Bowl is in the rearview, and truth be told, the Minnesota Vikings are glad because the general population can move on from the skewering unleashed over the Sam Darnold fallout. But there’s a whole new batch of rumors, as the offseason approaches Week No. 7.

Three Vikings rumor threads are circulating: McCarthy trade buzz, Carr’s status, and a Flores-linked cornerback target.

Per the weekend routine, we’ve got all the Vikings-themed rumor hot and ready.

Three Threads Driving the Vikings Rumor Mill

It’s the Purple Rumor Mill for Saturday, February 14th — Valentine’s Day.

Rumor: The Vikings could trade J.J. McCarthy to the Arizona Cardinals in a deal for Kyler Murray.

At the top of his quarterback carousel predictions list, Bleacher Report‘s Moton floated McCarthy and Kirk Cousins to Arizona, writing, “The Arizona Cardinals could turn over their quarterback room under new head coach Mike LaFleur. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team is ‘likely’ to move on from Kyler Murray before his guaranteed money raises the cost to keep him.”

“The Cardinals should call the Minnesota Vikings about a signal-caller swap to dump Murray’s contract and take on J.J. McCarthy’s rookie deal. The third-year quarterback’s contract would cost only about $6 million against the cap. In addition, Arizona can add Kirk Cousins to replace Jacoby Brissett, who may not fit into the new coaching staff’s plans.”

McCarthy would link up with Arizona’s new offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, who previously coordinated MVP-caliber units in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers.

Moton continued, “Because of the perceived gap between Fernando Mendoza and the other quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft class, the Cardinals are unlikely to add a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Instead, they can develop McCarthy, who’s only 23, and have him battle Cousins for the lead job.”

“If Arizona doesn’t think the former is ready to play, the latter can run the offense as the unquestioned starter for at least a year. In this scenario, LaFleur would have an experienced quarterback under center while working on a high-upside developmental player who showed flashes in the previous season.”

That setup would basically create Vikings of the AFC West, which will turn Vikings fans’ heads.

Rumor: Derek Carr, considering unretirement, is an option for Minnesota.

Carr has surfaced in the quarterback carousel this offseason after a season-long retirement. NFL.com reported Monday, “As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement, sources tell The Insiders.”

“The Bengals, for instance, contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with his turf toe injury. That work continues, and an offseason of quarterback uncertainty — with limited options in free agency, trades and the draft — makes Carr a possible solution in the right situation.”

Carr started 10 games for the 2024 Saints, posted a 15-touchdown to 5-interception split, and New Orleans went 5-5 in those outings.

NFL.com added, “The Saints still hold Carr’s rights, though Tyler Shough’s impressive rookie season, the amicable end to Carr’s time in New Orleans and the way the sides worked through any salary-cap issues add up to his tolled contract being an unlikely hurdle in the process.”

“The Saints could ask for compensation in a trade, though the price surely wouldn’t be an unreasonable ask for a player who has no future in New Orleans.”

There aren’t many good teams that need quarterbacks this offseason, rocketing Carr’s name into the Vikings’ orbit if the unretirement comes to fruition.

Rumor: Brian Flores and Co. could sign Kansas City Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson in free agency.

Ryan Wilson jumped on CBS Sports airwaves this week and mapped out preferred landing spots for several of the league’s top free agents.

On Watson, he said, “I love the idea of Brian Flores getting his hands on Jaylen Watson in Minnesota. There will be competition, and that will only drive his price up.”

Kansas City selected Watson in the 7th Round of the 2022 draft, and he’s developed into one of the better late-round wins from that class. Cap space, however, remains tight in Kansas City, which could complicate efforts to secure him on a second contract.

Watson would fit in nicely with the Vikings, though many expect the club to use the 1st Round of the draft on a corner rather than free agency.

Here’s Watson’s Pro Football Focus resume:

2025: 74.1
2024: 69.6
2023: 68.5
2022: 61.2

Sportrac expects Watson’s next contract to pay him around $13 million per season. It’s unclear if Minnesota can afford that. Stay tuned.

Arsenal and Chelsea will face off at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, with the Gunners holding a narrow 3-2 lead from the first leg at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal have been in exceptional form during the 2025-26 season, sitting atop the Premier League and progressing in the Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup. 

After a dramatic penalty win over Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals, Arsenal edged past Chelsea in the first leg, with goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, despite a strong fightback from Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho.

Chelsea, under new manager Liam Rosenior, have found their rhythm, winning five consecutive matches, including a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over West Ham. However, they will need to overturn a tough record at the Emirates, where they’ve failed to beat Arsenal in their last 10 meetings, including three consecutive defeats at the stadium. 

Arsenal are aiming to defend their slender lead and book a place in the final, while Chelsea seek to bounce back and make a dramatic comeback.

Arsenal Team news

Arsenal will be without Max Dowman, who is sidelined due to an ankle injury, while Bukayo Saka remains a doubt. Mikel Merino may miss the rest of the season with a foot issue.

In Saka’s absence, Noni Madueke is likely to retain his spot on the right wing, partnering with Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyökeres in attack.

In midfield, Zubimendi and Declan Rice are expected to continue their roles at the base, and the defense could remain unchanged following the 4-0 victory over Leeds.

On the Chelsea side, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Jamie Gittens are unlikely to feature due to injuries.

Chelsea Team news

Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Jamie Gittens are all unlikely to be available due to various injury concerns.

On the other hand, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro, and Reece James, who made significant contributions off the bench in Chelsea’s comeback win over West Ham, are expected to start in this match.

As a result, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Jorrel Hato, and Alejandro Garnacho may find themselves on the bench.

Arsenal vs Chelsea EFL Cup semi-final Probable starting 11

Arsenal starting 11: Arrizabalaga; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Martinelli; Gyokeres

Chelsea starting 11: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Pedro; Delap

EFL Cup semi-final 2nd leg: Arsenal vs Chelsea live telecast and streaming details

When will the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be played?

The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be played on February 4 (according to IST).

What time will the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea begin on February 4?

The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will start at 1:30 AM IST.

What will be the venue for the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea?

The EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be hosted at the Emirates Stadium.

Where will the live telecast of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be available in India?

The live telecast of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will not be available in India.

Where will the live streaming of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea be available in India?

The live streaming of the EFL Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be available on the FanCode app and website in India.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych’s push to legally wear a customized helmet as he competed in races at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics ran into perhaps its most daunting obstacle Friday.

Heraskevych took his plea to don the helmet that paid tribute to Ukrainian war victims to the winter sliding sport’s highest court.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled against Heraskevych’s appeal, effectively ending his final opportunity to compete for a medal at this year’s Games. 

Heraskevych was disqualified from a skeleton race over the helmet, which displayed the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian coaches and athletes who have been killed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men’s skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.  (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation also concluded that Heraskevych’s intention to wear the helmet was in direct violation of Olympic rules. The IOC cited rules against making political statements on the field of play. 

IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych before Thursday’s men’s skeleton event to try to change his mind about wearing the helmet, ultimately to no avail. 

“We didn’t find common ground in this regard,” Heraskevych said.

Heraskevych’s attorney, Yevhen Pronin, reacted to the court ruling in step with the IOC, arguing his client did not actually commit misconduct.

“The court sided with the IOC and upheld the decision that an athlete could be disqualified from the Olympic Games without actual misconduct, without a technical or safety threat and before the start,” Pronin said.

Vladyslav Heraskevych of Ukraine during training wearing a helmet in tribute to athletes who have died in Russia’s attack on Ukraine Feb. 11, 2026. (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)

CAS, the sole arbitrator hearing the case, said it “found these limitations reasonable and proportionate,” especially since Heraskevych could show his helmet away from the racing surface, such as in interview areas and on social media. Heraskevych also wore the helmet in training runs.

The appeal was largely moot anyway. He was disqualified from the competition less than an hour before its start on Thursday, and whatever CAS said on Friday wouldn’t have changed that. 

“Looks like this train has left,” Heraskevych said after Friday’s hearing.

AMERICAN OLYMPIAN AUSTIN FLORIAN GOES VIRAL FOR INCREDIBLE HELMET DESIGN

He left Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Olympic Village on Thursday night with no plans to return, then headed to Milan and arrived in Munich on Friday night — helmet in hand — for a dinner with Ukrainian officials at a security conference. He is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this weekend as well.

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych arrives at the finish during a men’s skeleton training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.  (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Heraskevych admitted he was surprised by the strong reaction. 

s”I never expected it to be such a big scandal,” he said.

He also said he found his accreditation for the Games being taken away, then returned shortly afterward Thursday in what seemed like a goodwill gesture, puzzling.

“A mockery,” he said.

CAS did agree that Heraskevych should keep his accreditation.

Tributes from other athletes competing in Milan Cortina were permitted without penalty, including American figure skater Maxim Naumov displaying a photo of his late parents who were killed in a plane crash last year.

Italian snowboarder Roland Fischnaller had a small Russian flag image on the back of his helmet during the Games, and Israeli skeleton athlete Jared Firestone wore a kippah bearing the names of 11 athletes and coaches killed while representing that country during the 1972 Munich Olympics.

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The IOC said those cases were not in violation of any rules. 

Naumov showed his photo in the kiss-and-cry area and not while he was actually on the ice. Fischnaller’s helmet was a tribute to all the past Olympic sites he competed at, with Sochi included. And Firestone’s kippah “was covered by a beanie,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.

The IOC offered Heraskevych a chance to compete with a different helmet and bring the tribute through the interview area after his runs. He also could have worn a black armband.

“I think it’s the wrong side of history for the IOC,” Heraskevych said.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Last month, Gervonta Davis was stripped of his WBA lightweight world title and a date for a clash for the now vacant belt has been confirmed, with one of boxing’s most exciting prospects involved in the bout.

Davis was winless since June 2024 prior to being stripped, with his lone outing since being a debatable draw against Lamont Roach Jr last March, that almost cost him his undefeated record.

Since then, a number of external issues have been behind the inactivity of ‘Tank’, who was issued with an arrest warrant issues based on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping.

As a result, the WBA have decided to demote Davis to champion-in-recess, meaning that their lightweight title is now vacant, but that Davis will be well poised to challenge the new champion upon his return.

On Instagram, the WBA’s number one contender, 23-year-old Floyd Schofield, has revealed that he will be fighting for the vacant title in April.

“We been through the fire to get to this point in our life.

“We have so much more to do and so much more life to live. Stay tuned and continue to watch the growth of both me and my son.

“Tune in April for our @wbaboxingofficial World Title fight. Thank you to all our sponsors, fans and friends.”

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It is believed that ‘Kid Austin’ will collide with Canada’s Lucas Bahdi, despite the latter being ordered for an IBF final eliminator against Albert Bell earlier this week, with Saturday, April 11, the anticipated fight date.

Tempers flared at an Olympic curling match between Canada and Sweden Friday with a profane insult being hurled after allegations of cheating were made. 

Canada beat Sweden 8-6, and Canadian third Marc Kennedy and Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson got into it after Eriksson accused Kennedy of an illegal procedure called double-touching stones after releasing them at the hog line.

Kennedy shouted, “I haven’t done it once. You can f— off,” at Eriksson.

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Canada’s Ben Hebert, Brad Jacobs and Brett Gallant compete in the men’s curling round-robin against Sweden during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo Feb. 13, 2026.  (Tiziana Fabi/AFP)

Eriksson replied, “I’ll show you a video after the game. I’ll show you a video where it’s two meters over the hog line.”

Both sides appealed to the officials, but no results were changed.

Swedish team leader Fredrik Lindberg said in a statement, “At this point, the Swedish Olympic Committee will not seek an investigation regarding the events during Friday’s game,” according to The National Review. 

POWER OUTAGE HALTS MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS CURLING COMPETITION MOMENTS AFTER MATCHES BEGIN

Sweden’s Rasmus Wranaa, left, reacts next to Canada’s Ben Hebert during the men’s curling round-robin during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo Feb. 13, 2026.  (Tiziana Fabi/AFP)

Kennedy responded to the allegations after the match.

“I have a ton of respect for Oskar Eriksson,” he said. “He’s one of the best players to ever play. I just told him … I would never accuse you of cheating. I’ve been on tour for 25 years. He pulled a hog line official on us to make sure we weren’t double-touching. The hog line official was there for six ends, never said a thing and he’s still talking about it in the ninth end.

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The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on Feb. 4, 2026, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“I don’t like being accused of cheating, so I told him what I thought of it.”

According to World Curling policy, a moving stone cannot be touched beyond the hog line, but it is not a violation if a thrower double-touches the rock before the line.

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