For months, Bendigo-based trainer Tim Fitzsimmons has been meticulously planning an assault on one of the final Stakes races scheduled for the Australian racing calendar this season.

The upcoming Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville is one of three races across the nation that carries ‘Black Type’ prestige. It shares this distinction with the Listed H G Bolton Sprint (1200m) held at Belmont and the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Fitzsimmons is en route to Morphettville with Yuuki, a filly who has achieved two victories from nine career starts. She will compete in a set-weights race specifically for two and three-year-old participants.

Yuuki clinched her maiden win at Swan Hill three starts ago, subsequently adding another triumph at Seymour before her last outing. On June 7, at Swan Hill, she finished sixth behind the highly regarded Cruiserweight.

To ensure optimal readiness for Saturday’s event, Yuuki completed a 700m jump-out at Bendigo on July 14, emerging victorious.

“She’s going really well,” Fitzsimmons stated.

“She didn’t have much luck at her last start when she was four-wide with no cover at Swan Hill, but that has proven to be a pretty strong form race with Cruiserweight coming out and winning and her form was pretty hard to fault before that.

“She’s always run into a good one. Point Barrow, then Celtics and Cruiserweight and even the horse she beat in her maiden, Scoobartie, has come out and won two convincingly.

“She’s drawn wide, which is a pain, but we’re hoping for a bit more rain as she loves it with a bit of sting out.

“We’re chasing some ‘Black Type’ as the owner wants to breed with her eventually and this has been a long-range plan. We planned this race six months ago.

“Hopefully we can get a nice run from that gate, and it seems at Morphettville they do get away from the fence, so hopefully it’s not the worst place to be.”

The riding duties for Yuuki, along with Fitzsimmons’s stablemates Olatunde and Blazing Sword, have been entrusted to Queensland-based jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor.

Fitzsimmons explained his rationale for securing a dedicated rider for his trio, particularly for Yuuki in the day’s main race.

“We asked Michael Rodd who came to Albury for us earlier on, but he couldn’t make it,” Fitzsimmons shared.

“We used Kyle when I was in Singapore and he came up and rode Golden Monkey, so there’s that connection.

“I like the way he rides, he’s a patient rider, and he jumped at the opportunity, so it was good to lock someone in early and not have to worry about it.”

Ready to place a wager on the Lightning Stakes? Compare betting markets for the race at leading Australian bookmakers.

True to his word, Kyler Murray has been putting in work during the summer break.

National NFL reporter Jordan Schultz passed along the news: “#Vikings QB Kyler Murray and WR Jordan Addison have been working out together for the past 2 months in Dallas. Both players reported to Minnesota early this week to prepare for the start of training camp, with hopes of a big year ahead.”

Kyler Murray Works Out with Jordan Addison

Check out the video of the passes:

Obviously, these videos are going to build hype. A football-starved cluster of fans is eager for training camp to begin. Seeing the probable QB1 throwing with the probable WR2 therefore functions as the spark for some ultra-dry, easily-ignited wood.

But then there’s another reality that needs to be considered: these guys are throwing in shorts and shirts.

Both of Murray and Addison are elite athletes, meaning they’ll easily look great in this sort of environment. If you ever get the chance, go to a game early to watch NFL athletes warm up. Even the NFL’s worst athletes are elite in essentially any other context. They all move with some combination of elegance and explosiveness when there’s zero resistance.

What happens, though, when there is resistance? Putting on pads and getting walloped by opponents who are working to feed their families does make moving around considerably more difficult.

At the very least, Mr. Addison should be very good. He has proven capable of taking the top off a defense while also being somebody who can score a pile of touchdowns. All that has been missing so far in his still-young career has been consistent quarterback play and an ability to stay out of trouble off the field. Playing a full seventeen games could very plausibly lead to clearing 1,000 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns.

Working with Kyler Murray helps Addison to build chemistry to reach heights that have so far eluded him.

Murray’s arrival in the Twin Cities is a reality that carries significant debate.

Some see upside aplenty. Few, if any, are so gifted as Kyler Murray, the No. 1 selection from the 2019 NFL Draft who never had a competent team around him. Journeying to Minnesota should involve getting the support he has needed all along.

Those who have a more pessimistic outlook will note the clunky scheme fit. Worse yet, Murray has battled injury in his career alongside questions about his commitment to the game. How do these criticisms show up as a Vikings quarterback, if at all?

Moreover, there’s the presence of J.J. McCarthy. Chosen at No. 10 in 2024, McCarthy inspires love and hate. Some view him as a snake bitten young fella who needs a fairer shot. Others see him as a bust after a pair of injury-filled seasons and very poor play when he did get onto the field.

Murray’s presence alongside McCarthy can be understood as the plan to get a new QB1, to challenge the true QB1 to elevate, or some combination.

The Vikings will welcome rookies to TCO Performance Center tomorrow. There will then be the veterans getting to work on Tuesday. Soon enough, there will be football being played in Minnesota.

Kyler Murray, 28, has completed a sizzling 67.1% of his career passes.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

NEW DELHI: Ishan Kishan was the undisputed star with the bat as India sealed the T20I series against Zimbabwe on Saturday, but it was a comical run-out miss behind the stumps that had social media buzzing long after the final ball.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who smashed a brilliant 81 off 44 deliveries to earn the Player of the Match award, became the centre of attention for an amusing fielding lapse during Zimbabwe’s chase. Kishan later saw the funny side of the incident, joking about it during the post-match presentation.

The viral moment came in the 15th over when Zimbabwe’s Tadiwanashe Marumani nudged the ball towards deep backward point. A mix-up between the batters left both stranded near the bowler’s end, presenting India with what appeared to be a straightforward run-out opportunity.

However, Kishan casually underarmed the throw towards the stumps, seemingly believing the batter had already made his ground. The throw neither hit the stumps nor reached Ravi Bishnoi for a backup attempt, allowing Zimbabwe to escape.

Realising what had happened, Kishan immediately placed his hand on his head with a sheepish grin as teammates and fans were left in disbelief.

WATCH: Ishan Kishan’s run out miss

Anthony Joshua looks to clear the final hurdle ahead of a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury as he takes on Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia.

‘AJ’ will compete in his first significant bout under the coaching of Team Oleksandr Usyk after his event with Jake Paul last year. The fight also marks his return following a tragic car crash in Nigeria, which killed two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

In the opposite corner is Albania’s Prenga, who has 20 knockouts from 20 wins and just one defeat, but has fought nowhere near this level. The 35-year-old is seen very much as a warm-up for Fury – a fight that could be finalised and announced as early as next week if ‘AJ’ does the business.

Stay with Boxing News for a live scorecard and final fight result.

Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga live scorecard

This is a Boxing News live scorecard and not the official score from the judges.

Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga fight result

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Nowacki becomes just the fifth person to ever win a Commonwealth Games medal while representing Jersey.

The last time Jersey made it onto the podium was in 1990 when Colin Mallett won the island’s only gold medal in fullbore shooting, before teaming up with his father Cliff to win pairs bronze.

Four years earlier, bantamweight boxer John Sillitoe won bronze in Edinburgh, while Jersey’s first-ever medal was also in the ring when Albert Turmel won welterweight bronze in Perth in 1962.

Islanders have won medals for England – diver Dot Macready won 10m gold in 1934, while more recently Serena Guthrie was part of the England team that won netball gold in 2018.

In 2006 Rebecca Herbert was part of the England hockey team that won bronze, while there were two bronze medals in 2002 for islanders representing England – Elizabeth Cann in badminton and swimmer Simon Militis in the 200m backstroke.

With two more events to go, Nowacki has the chance to equal Colin Mallett as the only islander to win two medals.

But at the age of 18 who would bet against the swimmer going on to become the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete in Jersey’s history?

As it relates to veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Minnesota could be confronting a “now or never” scenario. The Vikings FA option and former All Pro is getting an opportunity to see if he wants to start his coaching career, doing so over in New England.

On Friday, Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team sent along the update: “#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel says WR DeAndre Hopkins is with the team helping out in a potential coaching/personnel role as he figures out his future and what he wants to do next.”

Others made note of the development.

Mike Reiss, for instance, wrote, “DeAndre Hopkins is here visiting the Patriots, per Mike Vrabel, with Vrabel saying Hopkins is considering the possibility of a coaching career.” Various other spots — Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, and so on — commented on the news on social media. Why all the fuss?

Vikings FA Option DeAndre Hopkins May Turn to Coaching

Hopkins, 34, is getting very close to the end of his career. As the dalliance with coaching suggests, the time may be over as it relates to Mr. Hopkins catching passes on Sunday.

In his prime, Hopkins was among the best in the game.

For the Vikings, the intrigue largely rests in his capacity to shore up the depth alongside his built-in chemistry with Kyler Murray. The pair played together with the Cardinals, putting a fright into corners for several seasons. Hopkins’ best year in Arizona arrived in 2020 — Justin Jefferson’s rookie season — a year where he tossed up 115 catches, 1,407 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

DeAndre Hopkins commands a pile of respect around the NFL as an accomplished talent who works hard and who has proven to be a winner. He understands the game well and is a leader, making his transition to coaching a logical move. Plus, he has a connection to Patriots coach Mike Vrabel from their shared time together with Tennessee in 2023.

That is, of course, as long as no team comes calling.

The NFL’s website passed along the news (among various other spots) that Hopkins wanted to play alongside Murray again. Since that time, the Vikings have added Jauan Jennings, seemingly eliminating the need for an older receiver who boasts good size and high compete. At the same time, though, Tai Felton has appeared to stumble, creating some intrigue about how things will unfold for the depth receiver jobs.

In 2025, Mr. Hopkins played for the Ravens, serving in a depth job. He had 22 catches for 350 yards and a pair of touchdowns. PFF was impressed by his play, tossing over an impressive 81.3 grade for his efforts.

In all likelihood, the Vikings will desire young, cheap talent in the WR4 and WR5 jobs. Hopkins therefore faces an uphill battle to command one of those spots in Minnesota even if he did sign for a bargain deal. Think 24 instead of 34 as the age that will create the most interest here.

Furthermore, there will be an emphasis on those players contributing on specials. Whoever functions as a depth receiver isn’t likely to demand a ton of targets within the Kevin O’Connell offense.

As a result, these depth guys need to find a way to help the team without getting the ball a ton. Being a bulldozer as a blocker would be a nice way to prove one’s value. Or, perhaps, be like Myles Price, who is an assassin as a returner. Hopkins doesn’t appear to be an option on specials apart from perhaps the “hands team” for an onside kick.

DeAndre Hopkins would add value to the Vikings. He’ll someday get into the Hall of Fame as one of the best of his generation. For several months, though, Minnesota could have signed him but opted not to do so. Seeing Hopkins put pen to paper to formalize a coaching contract could be the final move in ending the speculation.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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With four fourth places in Birmingham in 2022, Richards was looking for his first Commonwealth medal to complete the set of Olympic, world and European podium positions.

Wales opted for an entirely different quartet in the pool in the final after Kieran Bird, Harry Milne, Medi Harris and Meghan Higgs had qualified fourth fastest in the heats.

Sutton and Taylor had qualified for their respective individual semi-finals in the 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, but both pulled out with a full focus on the relay.

The policy paid off and Taylor brought Wales back from fifth to third on the final leg.

Earlier, Rose Williams finished fourth in the women’s S14 200m freestyle final.

The S14 category covers swimmers who have an intellectual impairment, which typically leads to the athletes having difficulties with regard to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which impact on sport performance in general.

Tyler Melbourne-Smith finished sixth in the 400m freestyle final, while Lewis Fraser qualified for the 100m butterfly final to be staged on Sunday evening.