My Gladiola has finally conquered the Group 1 challenge, clinching victory in the Moir Stakes held at Sandown.

This year’s Group 1 sprint over 1000 metres, usually contested at Moonee Valley, was shifted to Sandown as The Valley undergoes essential reconstruction.

The 1000-metre weight-for-age contest proved to be a thrilling spectacle. My Gladiola ($9.50), with jockey Jamie Mott in the saddle, surged past Cavalry Girl ($8.50) in the closing stages to win by a short-neck. The $3 favourite, Natural Fling, trailed a further three-quarters of a length behind in third place.

Prior to this Saturday’s triumph, My Gladiola had finished second to Tentyris on two occasions in both the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Lightning Stakes (1000m), races that are both run on the straight track at Flemington.

Trainer John McArdle commented that it was fitting for My Gladiola to finally break through at the highest level.

“She has run against the best her entire career,” McArdle said.

“We ran second to Tentyris a couple of times, in incredible times and she was deserving of this, but I didn’t think it was going to be today.

“I did before the rain came, but all the team at home have done a great job with her.”

McArdle had contemplated scratching My Gladiola when the rain arrived during the early hours of Saturday morning, softening the track surface.

The trainer had been considering reserving the mare for the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19.

“Thank God, I second guessed myself a little bit,” McArdle admitted.

“We were thinking about scratching and thankfully they put it up as a (soft) seven.

“If it had been an (heavy) eight, we may not have been here.

“Things went her way today. The wind and the sun dried the track out a bit, and Jamie gave her a great ride.

“Getting a good barrier we didn’t have to go as far back as we normally do and she’s got the job done.”

McArdle expressed that it was particularly pleasing to secure a Group 1 win alongside Mott.

“Motty has been our stable rider for a long time,” McArdle stated.

“When he was getting a couple of rides in the bush, we were putting him on in Group races with Humma Humma.

“I always said, ‘you stick with me, I’ll stick with you’ and we have. We’ve been close plenty of times and now we’ve done it.”

Mott, who achieved his fifth win at the highest level, shared his emotional experience in guiding My Gladiola home.

“Just to do it for John is just unbelievable,” Mott said.

“He’s had a Group 1 winner in the past and he’s loyal to me as a jockey, and I’ve loved working closely with him and his team.

“Obviously with her coming along, she’s been so special. (She was) yet to tick off that Group 1, but we knew she was good enough.

“I’m absolutely over the moon.

“My fifth Group I and I haven’t been this emotional (for the others), so it’s pretty special.”

Check out the betting sites for the upcoming racing season.

Under the rules as they stand, England are unable to call on players such as Toulouse back row Jack Willis – who was voted the best player in France in 2024-25 – as well as Kyle Sinckler, Manu Tuilagi, Billy Vunipola, Lewis Ludlam and former Exeter star Sam Simmonds.

Prem clubs benefit from central payments from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for their England players, with the national side having a greater say on their management as a result.

England’s policy is similar to that of Ireland and New Zealand, while nations such as Scotland, South Africa and Australia do pick players from overseas.

“You can’t pick and choose a model just to decide this is what will be good or bad for a country,” added Baxter.

“For some countries they’re very strict on it and it works really well for them. We’ve got to decide what we’re comfortable with and stick to it.”

Lindermann has returned to his peak form, while Fangirl may have raced for the last time following the delayed Group 2 $300,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick today.

A significant storm, bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds, swept across Randwick shortly after the Concorde Stakes, leading to a 20-minute delay for the Chelmsford Stakes.

The weather had improved by the time the weight-for-age mile race was run, and Lindermann, with Nash Rawiller in the saddle, led throughout, a near carbon copy of his victory in the same race last year.

The only notable difference this year was Lindermann’s more decisive win, finishing nearly two lengths clear.

Chris Waller, the Hall of Fame trainer who secured his ninth Chelmsford Stakes title with Lindermann, was full of praise for the horse and rider.

“That was Lindermann at his best, Nash at his best,” Waller said.

“He came through that first-up run which had a frantic pace and bounced back today.

“He has his confidence back now.”

Lindermann, the $2.70 favourite, shot clear in the straight and ran away to win by almost two lengths from the closing Ceolwulf ($3.60), with Fangirl ($3.30) a further three-quarters of a length behind in third.

Both Ceolwulf and Fangirl surpassed the $11 million prizemoney barrier with their placings in the Chelmsford Stakes, but the reactions from the connections of each horse were starkly different.

Trainer Joe Pride and jockey Chad Schofield were ecstatic with Ceolwulf’s fast-finishing second, which puts the horse in a strong position for a third consecutive victory in the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 17.

“He was huge,” Schofield stated regarding Ceolwulf. “We knew the race lacked pressure and we knew Lindermann would get the lead he got.

“We just didn’t want to go reinventing the wheel with him second up by putting him up on speed. I took him back from a bad draw and he ripped home late. I’m very happy.”

Fangirl had won the King Charles III Stakes in 2023, but Waller admitted the mare is not performing at her peak.

“Fangirl was brave again but I would say that will be her last run,” Waller conveyed. “I will have a talk with the Ingham family on Monday.

“She was gallant but nowhere near her best. She would have got them a year ago, even a few months ago.

“She has been an awesome horse for Sydney to follow but I would say she has run her last race. She has been so good for so long.”

Lindermann has also been a standout performer for the Waller stable, and as a seven-year-old gelding, he is racing as well as ever.

“We were going hard enough early and you don’t have to be in a hurry to get over with this horse,” said Rawiller after his fifth win in the Chelmsford Stakes.

“Once Lindermann got into that rhythm, he is tough to run down. He is a beauty.

“I trialled him and was so happy with him then his first-up he was too bad to be true but to Hugh Bowwan’s credit, he didn’t knock the horse around when he was beaten and that was why he was able to bounce back today.

“The last 12 months have been his best, he is going so well. There is some talk he might go to the Group 1 Underwood Stakes next – he would be hard to beat around Caulfield.”

Waller admitted he was unsure about Lindermann’s next step, though he hesitated at the possibility of a clash with stablemate, the champion mare Autumn Glow, in the Group 2 $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 19.

“I’m not sure where to go next with Lindermann, we will have a look at things,” Waller concluded.

“Then the 7 Stakes is going to be tricky in two weeks time but we will weigh everything up and see what is best for him.”

Get the best racing odds by checking out these online bookmakers.

The biggest stars in European athletics head to Birmingham this week for the 2026 European Athletics Championships with continental titles and in some cases world records on the line, just a week after the close of the Commonwealth Games.

A world-class field is headlined by the likes of Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, who has endured a stop-start season and faces fierce competition in what should be an electrifying 800m event, with Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, the fastest woman in the world this year, and Femke Broeders-Bol – stepping up from her usual 400m hurdles – also on the startlist.

Hodgkinson’s training partner and new Commonwealth Games 800m champion Georgia Hunter Bell is in action but only in the 1,500m, while reigning European 100m champion Dina Asher-Smith is back to defend her title alongside another British hope in world 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt.

In total, 10 reigning world champions will be in action, including legendary pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, while Norway’s Olympic 5,000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will make his long-awaited return from injury having not competed at all in 2026.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When are the European Athletics Championships?

The European Athletics Championships take place in Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium from 10-16 August, the first time they have been held in the UK.

How can I watch it?

The European Athletics Championships will be broadcast live on the BBC and BBC iPlayer. Coverage begins on 10 August on BBC Two from 10.30am.

European Athletics Championships 2026 schedule

All times BST

Monday 10 August

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Tuesday 11 August

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Wednesday 12 August

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Thursday 13 August

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Friday 14 August

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Saturday 15 August

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Sunday 16 August

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Sporting platforms do not just produce gruelling contests; they also generate off-the-field stories that are revered for decades. One such story was shared by Indian boxer Narender Berwal, who returned from the Commonwealth Games with a silver medal. During a felicitation ceremony at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, Berwal shared an anecdote from 2015, when he fought a boxer from Pakistan in the World Military Games. After Berwal won the match, he engaged in a hilarious conversation with his Pakistani opponent. As he recounted the exchange, even PM Modi was left in splits.

Political relations between India and Pakistan have been tense for decades. Narrating the story, Berwal revealed how he was cautioned by the Indian military not to lose against his opponent, given the ongoing border conflicts between the two nations.

“Since we were talking about Pakistan, a story came to my mind, sir. It was the 2015 World Military Games, and my first fight was scheduled against a boxer from Pakistan. Because it was the Military Games, I received calls from officials telling me, ‘You must not lose to Pakistan,’” he revealed.

Berwal went on to win the bout, but both fighters suffered facial cuts, which led to them visiting a hospital together.

“I won the first round 4-1 and the second round 3-2, but both of us got cuts. I won the fight, and afterwards, we both went to the hospital to get stitches.”

Berwal continued: “In 2014, you [referring to PM Modi] became the Prime Minister for the first time. The army coach who was with us was named Narendra Rana. The Pakistani boxer thought about it for a while and then said to me, ‘Brother, can I say something?’ I said, ‘Yes, go ahead.’”

#WATCH | “Pakistani boxer said to me ‘Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai’…” says Heavyweight boxer and silver medallist Narender Berwal narrating his conversation with a… pic.twitter.com/qvmwO5D2sz

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— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2026

The Pakistani boxer then remarked: “Aapka naam Narender hai, aapke coach ka naam Narender hai, aapke Pradhan Mantri ka naam Narendra hai. Mujhe Narendra naam se nafrat ho gayi hai” (“Your name is Narender, your coach’s name is Narender, and your Prime Minister’s name is Narendra. I have started to hate the name Narendra”). As Berwal shared the story, PM Modi could not hold back his laughter.

At his residence, PM Modi held one-on-one conversations with several athletes, lauding their contributions to taking India’s sporting journey to new heights.

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In football, Monaco pulled off an upset against Liverpool in a pre-season friendly, whilst Marseille beat Bilbao. Manchester City beat Atlético Madrid, whilst Arsenal lost to Dortmund. In tennis, Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Cincinnati tournament.

CM Punk is one of the most popular stars in WWE. While the fans love him, some members of the roster are not so fond of the Second City Saint. One such star is former Intercontinental Champion, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio.

During a recent Meet & Greet ahead of the SummerSlam Premium Live Event, the self-proclaimed King of the Luchadors was seen demanding a kid stop wearing any Punk merchandise. Mysterio said that if the kid wants to come and get an autograph from him, then the young fan should not be wearing any Punk merchandise.

“Hey man! I know you got me to sign this ‘Dirty Dom’ card, but you got to get into a different shirt. No more. You can’t come up to me with those CM Punk merch on. Alright? Anything… I’ll take Penta, anything else, but CM Punk. You promise me on that.” Dominik Mysterio said.

Dominik Mysterio still gave the kid an autograph, but he made the young fan to promise that next time he would not be wearing any Punk merchandise during the next Meet & Greet.

When Will CM Punk Defend His WWE Undisputed Title?

A couple of weeks ago, on Night 1 of the SummerSlam Premium Live Event, the Second City Saint managed to retain his championship against the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes.

The following night, a new number one contender for Punk’s title was determined. It was none other than a returning Kevin Owens. On the following episode of SmackDown, Owens confronted the Second City Saint and promised that he would be the one to dethrone Punk.

Following the war of words, Kevin Owens ran into SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis backstage and named the date and place when he wanted to challenge CM Punk for the Undisputed title. Owens demanded that he wanted to wrestle the self-proclaimed Best in the World in his home country, Canada.

WWE is prepping for its Canada tour, and as part of that tour, an episode of SmackDown is set to take place in Toronto, Canada. It will take place on the 21st of August. Thus, Owens will be challenging Punk on that episode of SmackDown.

Do you think Kevin Owens can dethrone Punk?