Trainer Joe Pride is leaning towards having two starters in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap, with forecasts of intermittent rain throughout the next seven days suggesting he will likely accept with his star galloper Ceolwulf. The prestigious Randwick mile race has been a long-term campaign goal for stablemate Attica, while Pride has maintained flexibility with Ceolwulf, whose primary target is the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) on October 17.

Ceolwulf triumphed in the Epsom two years ago on his way to claiming his inaugural King Charles win. He followed the same trajectory 12 months ago, finishing sixth in the Epsom before securing consecutive victories in the Everest Day contest.

“I reckon we’ll have two runners, Attica and Ceolwulf. I’m confident now with the rain around and a bit more at the end of the week,” Pride remarked.

“I was happy to go straight to the King Charles if I needed to, but I’m also happy to give him the ‘prep’ I’ve given him for the last two years to get to the King Charles, which is running in the Epsom. I think we’re going to get the opportunity to do that. I haven’t locked it in yet, but I’d suggest we will.”

Ceolwulf is allocated 59kg for the Epsom, and no horse has carried this weight or more to victory since Super Impose’s success with 61kg in 1991. Pride is acutely aware that Ceolwulf faces a monumental task and is hopeful the gelding will draw a favourable barrier at Tuesday’s draw to mitigate the challenge.

A rain-affected track on Saturday is also expected to be a critical factor, with wet weather predicted for the end of the week. “You don’t want to draw outside fifteen because he’d be going right back and giving away a ridiculous start,” Pride commented. “Between five and ten, you’re probably two or three lengths closer. It’s a race we’ve used successfully. He won it two years ago, but he won it with about 54 kilos so winning it with 59, it’s not beyond him because he’s such a good horse, but it would want to be a bit of a wet track.”

Ceolwulf is currently a $15 outsider in pre-post markets, which are jointly headed by the Chris Waller-trained Autumn Boy and the undefeated New Zealander Well Written, both priced at $3.50. Attica is being kept safe at $6.

Punters keen on the Epsom Handicap can explore the available betting markets for the race.

India’s recent ICC success may have brought an end to their long-standing trophy drought, but some World Cup defeats continue to remain difficult memories for Virat Kohli.

India won back-to-back T20 World Cup titles before adding the Champions Trophy, but the heartbreak of November 19, 2023 still remains fresh in the minds of ardent cricket followers. Rohit Sharma has spoken about that defeat on several occasions.

For Kohli, though, the 2019 World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand remains an even more painful experience.

‘2019 was a jolt for us’

The semifinal in Manchester stretched across two days after persistent rain interrupted New Zealand’s innings in the 47th over. The Black Caps returned the following day to finish on 239/8 before India fell 18 runs short in the chase.

The match is particularly remembered for MS Dhoni’s heartbreaking run-out by Martin Guptill in the 49th over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took three wickets in the game, recently described the defeat as “heartbreaking”. Kohli agreed with his former India team-mate, admitting that the loss left him distraught.

“Playing Australia in the 2015 semifinal, you are very well aware of your strength and weaknesses and Australia is always difficult. We always knew that if it gets to a massive score, it will be tough, and that is what happened. They were phenomenal.

“But 2019 was a jolt for us. 240… it rained out. Had we played that day, things would have been different. But next morning, fresh new ball attack. They got the best of the conditions and they put us under attack and they banked on the hesitation that we had.

“That was too tough to swallow and process. I was distraught. After that I was totally gone mentally for a couple of months,” he told JioStar ahead of India’s first ODI against West Indies.

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Kohli remembers 2023 dressing-room atmosphere

Kohli viewed India’s run to the 2023 World Cup final differently, describing the campaign as a “massive step forward” in terms of both talent and performance.

More than the results, however, he remembered the atmosphere within the squad and the way the players responded to setbacks.

“That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other.

“Even losing someone like Hardik early on, we never spoke about what would happen next although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But, Shami came and you know what he can do.

“So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup,” he added.

‘I feel the same about the World Cup final’

India’s campaign ultimately ended with a defeat to Australia in the final in Ahmedabad, another result that Kohli found difficult to process.

He compared the feeling to the flashbacks he experienced after the 2016 IPL final, which continued until Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL in 2025.

“Before we won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well.

“I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game.

“But as soon as I played on, it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it.”

Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC tournament will be his last World Cup for India. That decision has given his next campaign an added significance.

“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India. And that is my motivation,” he added.

NEW DELHI: India’s Harita Bhadra secured a hard-fought bronze medal in the women’s 200m at the Asian Games 2026 on Sunday, edging Japan’s Abigeirufuka Ido in a thrilling photo-finish.Harita clocked 23.20 seconds to finish third, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Ido, who was timed at 23.21s. Indonesia’s Shanti Pereira won the gold in 22.78s, while China’s 100m champion Yujie Chen took silver with a timing of 22.93s.The bronze was India’s ninth athletics medal at the ongoing Games, taking the country’s track and field haul to four silver and five bronze medals. India are still waiting for their first athletics gold in Aichi-Nagoya.Asian Games Full Coverage | Medal Tally | Schedule

Harita holds her nerve in photo-finish

Harita produced a strong finish to secure the final podium position in a closely contested race. The Indian sprinter had little margin for error, with Ido pushing her all the way to the line.The Japanese athlete clocked 23.21 seconds, but Harita’s 23.20s was enough to secure bronze and add another medal to India’s growing athletics tally.Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland, the other Indian in the final, finished sixth with a timing of 23.46 seconds.Harita’s medal added to an increasingly productive athletics campaign for India, with the track and field contingent now having collected nine medals.

More athletics medals in sight

India remained in contention for more medals in athletics later on Sunday.The women’s long jump final was underway, with Ancy Sojan leading after her first two attempts. Her best effort stood at 6.49m at that stage of the competition.Tejaswin Shankar was also still in medal contention in the decathlon, sitting third with only the final event remaining.Few minutes later, India’s Animesh Kujur finished fifth in the men’s 200m final after clocking 20.80 seconds. Thailand’s Puripol Boonson won the race in spectacular fashion, setting a new Asian record with a time of 19.88 seconds.

Olympic medallist Mallory Franklin completed her return to action by winning canoe gold and kayak cross silver at the Paddle Europe Slalom Championships in Ivrea.

The 32-year-old delivered a flawless, penalty-free run of 100.47 seconds to beat France’s Doriane Delassus by 0.03 seconds and claim her third career European C1 title.

Victory marked Franklin’s first individual medal since the birth of her daughter, having opened her week in Italy with a bronze medal in the team event.

“It’s a really nice way to end the year. It’s been a tough one coming back and getting back on the start line,” said Franklin.

“I’ve been building throughout the year and it’s just a nice way to finish it.”

Franklin went on to complete a full set of medals on the final day, battling through the kayak cross knockout rounds under the floodlights to secure silver behind the Czech Republic’s Tereza Kneblova.

Great Britain enjoyed double success in the kayak cross as two-time Olympic medallist Kimberley Woods took individual gold, winning the morning time trial in 48.02 seconds ahead of Poland’s Klaudia Zwolinska.

And there was bronze in the men’s K1 team event for Ben Haylett, Sam Leaver and Joe Clarke, to go with the one won by Woods, Franklin and Ellis Miller in the women’s C1.

In the men’s events, Clarke and Sam Leaver missed out on the podium in the kayak final, finishing fifth and sixth respectively behind Czech winner Jakub Krejci.

It’s happening again!

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will face off in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series for a second consecutive year, as Boston’s Friday afternoon victory over the Chicago Cubs secured its spot as the No. 2 American League wild-card seed; New York secured the No. 1 AL wild-card seed earlier in the week.

Game 1 of the three-game set will come on Sept. 29, as the series takes place at Yankee Stadium, like last year when New York defeated Boston in three games.

Here’s how the two AL East rivals fared against each other this season and their historic postseason history:

The Yankees won seven of their 13 games against the Red Sox this season, with New York going 4-2 at home and 3-4 on the road.

New York entered Sept. 25 at 92-67, with Boston entering the day at 85-74.

The two teams first met in the playoffs in the 1999 AL Championship Series, with the Yankees handling the Red Sox in five games and going on to win the World Series in what was the first season superstar right-hander and then-five-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who spent the first 13 seasons of his MLB career with the Red Sox (1984-96), was with the team.

Their next postseason meeting came in 2003 in a dramatic showdown that went the distance. A series that included benches clearing in Game 3 and competitive games on the whole ended with a walk-off home run from Yankees third baseman — and now manager — Aaron Boone — to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 in a game where New York trailed 4-0 in the fifth inning.

The two teams ran it back the following year (2004), but it had a much different outcome. After going down 3-0 in the series and giving up 19 runs on their home field in Game 3, the Red Sox became the first team in professional sports to win a series after trailing 3-0. Boston then went on to win the World Series for the first time since 1918.

The Red Sox and Yankees wouldn’t find each other in October again until 2018, with Boston defeating New York 3-1 in the AL Division Series and going on to win the World Series for the fourth time in the 21st century (the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2018). Three years later, Boston made it three consecutive playoff series wins over New York, defeating the Yankees in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game, 6-2.

Last year, the Yankees evened the score with the Red Sox at three series wins apiece, winning Games 2 and 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series to advance to the ALDS.

At just 18, Anahat Singh scripts history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Asian Games singles final and secure a silver medal in the event. In doing so, she surpasses the achievements of Indian squash stalwarts Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa, both of whom had previously won bronze medals in the women’s singles competition.

Meanwhile, Abhay Singh becomes only the second Indian male squash player to advance to the men’s singles final at the Asian Games, emulating the feat achieved by Saurav Ghosal.

Their remarkable runs also mark a historic first for India, as the country has representatives in both the men’s and women’s individual squash finals at the same Asian Games edition for the first time ever.

The Oasis frontman has spoken out during the latest ticket sale for the band’s epic 42-date tour next year

Liam Gallagher has issued a warning to those trying to “destroy” Manchester City after the football club was found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. As reported on Friday, they now wait potential punishment, which could be significant and far-reaching.

On Friday, the Oasis frontman took to X to voice his feelings after news began to break that the club had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges they faced. City were charged back in February 2023 for allegations of breaching the league’s financial rules.

Liam initially responded to a post from journalist Ben Jacobs, Liam said on X: “Get your OASIS tickets bought and stop talking out your f****** ar** you S****BUBBLE.”

READ MORE: POLL: What should happen to Manchester City next after being found guilty of 114 charges?

In another post on X replying to Jacobs, he added: “CTID.”

The comments came during the first day of on-sales for Oasis Live ’27. Since Friday, fans have been attempting to get tickets for the band’s tour next year, which will span 42 dates, including 11 nights at The Etihad, home of Liam and Noel’s beloved Manchester City.

This morning, during the first of three ticket windows today, Liam commented further on the Manchester City guilty verdicts. Liam was responding to a fan who asked what he thought of suggestions that Manchester City fans will “give up” on their club.

He wrote: “Don’t be RIDICULOUS we’re gonna win this appeal clear our good name and then sue all those little SPUNKBUBBLES who have tried to destroy us.”

Liam’s defiant response was echoed yesterday by his brother Noel, who said he is ‘shocked and saddened’ by the news that the club has been found guilty on almost all charges of breaching Premier League financial rules.

Appearing on the City podcast Let Me Talk, Gallagher said he felt “quite sad” for the fans and the players.

“[I’m] surprised, because … the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges,” he said. “So it was a bit of a shock to find out that we’ve been found guilty of all but one. But really overall, just quite sad really. Sad for the fans and for the players.”

Asked if it changes moments like Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal in 2012, Gallagher said: “Our focus as fans is always on the pitch and we know what we saw – they won it on the pitch.

“Whatever goes on in the boardroom, it’s nothing to do with the supporters or the players. The players won that game and won that title on the pitch.

“Whether some of those players should have been there or not, that’s nothing to do with the fans. We were there, we know what we saw.”

In a statement released to the Manchester Evening News, a City spokesperson said: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.

“As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the Club’s statement of February 2023.

“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows what to expect when President Donald Trump attends Saturday’s college football game at Tennessee — and it goes well beyond drumming up the atmosphere. 

Sarkisian said Thursday that coaches can lose headset communication when Trump enters a stadium, leaves the stadium or moves to a different location — something Texas will have to be prepared for when it faces the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.

“The one thing that you have to be aware of when the president goes to any game is that any time he enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication,” Sarkisian said during a Zoom call on Thursday. “So they cut your headsets. They cut the headsets to coaches. They cut headsets for coach-to-player communication. So you have to have a plan for that, if and when it happens, and you get no warning. It just gets cut out.”

The potential disruption could create challenges for both Texas’ offensive and defensive staffs. Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp calls the defense’s plays from the sideline, while Sarkisian communicates the offense’s plays directly to quarterback Arch Manning.

Knowing that could be an issue he has to deal with, Sarkisian reached out to a coaching colleague who has dealt with Trump’s presence at the stadium before. He texted Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, seeking guidance of how Cristobal managed Trump attending the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. 

“A good friend of mine is Mario Cristobal,” Sarkisian said. “Last year, when they were playing Indiana in the national championship, they had that drive at the end of the game; they had no communication because he was leaving early before the game ended. You get no warning; it just cuts out. You have to be prepared for that.”

Miami ultimately lost the national championship game to Indiana, but Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti pushed back Thursday against claims that a loss of communication led to the final result.

Cignetti said Trump’s departure did result in a brief communication issue earlier in the fourth quarter.

“President Trump left the game around the seven-minute mark in the fourth quarter, there were two or three plays we couldn’t hear at all,” Cignetti explained on Thursday. “The second play was when they gave the ball to (Malachi) Toney, pitched it to him, for the touchdown with 6:37 to go.”

“What’s floating around on social media is, the communication device went down on Miami’s last drive of the game on offense,” Cignetti added. “‘Oh really?’ So I had to dispel that.”

The White House Rapid Response account also disputed the claim that Trump’s departure affected Miami’s headset communication during the final drive.

“No, President Trump’s departure from the CFP championship in January did not cause headset or comms issues for the team,” the post read.

Trump’s presence could create an unusual logistical challenge for both teams, and Sarkisian said the key is simply being prepared for the possibility that the headsets could suddenly go silent.

“You have to have a plan to adjust if and when he comes in the middle of the first quarter, leaves in the fourth quarter, or decides he’s got to use the restroom, whatever that looks like,” Sarkisian said. “You’ve got to be prepared to have no communication for a short amount of time.”