Having claimed the Pierro Plate, Ciaron’s Star was retrieved from the paddock and now eyes a last-minute Golden Slipper attempt contingent on success in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.

Her most recent run saw her finish sixth behind yardmate Spicy Miss in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), after which plans shifted to wrapping up her campaign for a spell.

Yet the filly flourished in her brief downtime, encouraging trainer Ciaron Maher to reinstate her and target a place in a particularly unpredictable edition of the Golden Slipper.

Failing that, the Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) during The Championships remains a solid backup plan.

“The original plan was to give her a break after last start, but she had a couple of days in the paddock, and she was feeling very well,” Maher’s assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said.

“We thought, it’s (Golden Slipper) very open this year, so she will run this week.

“If she happened to win, we could consider the Slipper, but she is second favourite for the Percy Sykes Stakes, so it’s hard to bypass that, especially because she is so well.”

Spicy Miss is already confirmed for Ciaron Maher in the Golden Slipper (1200m), while Tornado Valley’s Magic Millions placing makes him a doubtful starter, with preferences leaning towards extending his trip.

“Tornado Valley, he probably goes to a Sires’ Produce Stakes,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“He showed us the other day that 1200 metres is a bit sharp.”

Debutant Hellenic Belle, owned by Annabel and Rob Archibald, will tackle the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) after bypassing a softer option at Warwick Farm midweek.

With a strong barrier trial under her belt, the filly by Hellbent shows promise warranting an immediate black-type test.

“We were in (Wednesday), but we have opted to wait and have a throw of the dice at black type first-up,” Rob Archibald said.

“We think she has got ability, whether she’s ready to do it first-up, I’m not sure. But we can’t fault her, and it’s a nice lead in to a race like the Percy Sykes Stakes if she shows she is up to that level.

“We like her, she looks talented, and we will learn a bit more about her on Saturday.”

The winner of the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill both earn ballot exemptions for the Golden Slipper (1200m) seven days later.

For the best racing odds on the Magic Night Stakes, check out these betting sites.

Head Coach Andy Farrell’s Ireland side play Scotland this afternoon in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations at a sold-out Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 2.10pm).

The game is live on Virgin Media One television, with live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio One.

Captain Caelan Doris leads Ireland into their final game of this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Jamie Osborne, Rob Baloucoune and Tommy O’Brien are the Ireland back three.

Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose are again named in midfield, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley linking up in the half-backs.

In the front row, Tom O’Toole, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are chosen. Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne will start in the engine room.

Jack Conan is the choice for the role of blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier will start at openside, while Caelan Doris completes Ireland’s starting team at number eight.

Ireland Bench

Andy Farrell has strong options on the bench.

Rónan Kelleher, Michael Milne, Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray – who is in line for his Six Nations debut – and Nick Timoney make up the forward replacements.

The backline replacements are Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley and Bundee Aki.

Trophy up for grabs

Speaking during the week as he looked forward to this afternoon’s game, Andy Farrell stated:

“It is an incredible privilege for the squad to play at home in front of a packed Aviva Stadium with a trophy up for grabs. We know about the challenge facing us on Saturday and Scotland will travel with confidence. You’ll see two teams who like to attack and we’ll look to implement our game plan to get the performance that we want. When you factor in a loud home support, and with the game taking place on St Patrick’s weekend, it really has all the ingredients for a cracking contest.”

Ireland Team

15. Jamie Osborne, 14. Rob Baloucoune, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Tommy O’Brien, 10. Jack Crowley, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park.

1. Tom O’Toole, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Jack Conan, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris (captain).

Ireland Replacements:

16. Rónan Kelleher, 17. Michael Milne, 18. Finlay Bealham, 19. Darragh Murray, 20. Nick Timoney, 21. Craig Casey, 22. Ciaran Frawley, 23. Bundee Aki.

When he first stepped into a boxing gym, Colm Murphy was immediately teased for having a ‘Posh Boy’ accent.

Since then, he has taken ownership of the label – originally intended to be an insult – and used it to his advantage, often fighting with a degree of ferocity that contradicts his intriguing moniker.

It is perhaps because of this that the 26-year-old has always fought with a chip on his shoulder, hoping to show the world exactly what he is made of, which equally explains why he is taking on a sizable challenge against former world title challenger Jono Carroll tonight.

Ahead of his assignment in Dublin, Murphy recalls being underestimated by those who, in the nicest sense, could not even dream of lacing his boots.

“Growing up, I went to a grammar school where the boys played rugby, so it was unheard of for someone to box.

“But I went to my local boxing club [aged 14] in West Belfast – I’m originally from South Belfast – and I stood out with my voice and stuff like that, so they kind of took the piss out of me and called me the ‘Posh Boy’.

“None of those people box anymore, so with me turning professional and reaching a level they couldn’t reach, I now own that [‘Posh Boy’] label.”

While those at Murphy’s gym overlooked his true potential, the kids at his school seemingly gave him no chance of even entering a competitive bout, let alone having considerable amateur success and crafting a 16-0 (6 KOs) professional record.

“People at my school laughed at me for trying out boxing – they all said I’d quit after a few months. Now they get to watch me on TV.

“It’s funny, but I’m also grateful for it. I went to a school that was a wee bit stuck-up, but everyone was really challenging.

“As a kid with learning difficulties, it ended up actually bringing out the best of me, because I was so competitive [with them].”

Having only just claimed the Commonwealth super-featherweight title – scoring a sixth-round finish over Saleh Kassim at the end of January – Murphy will now face Carroll, who fell short on points against then-IBF champion Tevin Farmer in 2019.

But while acknowledging that the 33-year-old is his toughest opponent thus far, by some distance, Murphy equally believes that he is ready for an opportunity of this magnitude.

“When opportunities like this come up, you have to roll the dice a wee bit and take them. I know it’s a huge step-up, and it’s going to be a big challenge, but I believe I rise to these moments.

“I’ve been in with really good operators my whole life, even as an amateur, and me and Jono don’t fall far from the same tree.

“He entered the same competitions as me as an amateur boxer himself, so I think a warrior like him is going to bring out the best out of me.”

The pair will square off for the vacant IBO title, featuring on the undercard of Jazza Dickens vs Anthony Cacace tonight, with Murphy looking to continue proving his detractors wrong.

The much-awaited wedding celebrations of Kuldeep Yadav and Vanshika Chadha are set to begin with grand festivities this week

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav is set to begin a new chapter in his life as he marries his longtime partner Vanshika Chadha on March 14, 2026, in the scenic hill town of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The wedding comes just days after Kuldeep was part of India’s historic triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Preparations for the grand ceremony are already underway at the historic Savoy Hotel in Mussoorie, where pre-wedding festivities have begun with traditional ceremonies including haldi, mehendi and sangeet. After the wedding, a grand reception will be hosted in Lucknow on March 17, where several prominent personalities from cricket, politics and business are expected to attend.

Star-studded Guest List

Several current and former members of the India national cricket team are expected to attend the wedding celebrations.According to reports, the guest list includes:Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Sunil Gavaskar, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif and Piyush Chawla

Chahal and Tilak Varma share excitement

Meanwhile, fellow Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal arrived in Dehradun on Friday and expressed his excitement about attending the wedding of his close friend.“I am very excited for my brother’s marriage. I will dance a lot and enjoy,” Chahal said.Meanwhile, Tilak Varma said he plans to enjoy the wedding celebrations before shifting his focus to the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 season with Mumbai Indians.“We’re going to Kuldeep’s wedding to have fun. After that, we’ll prepare for IPL,” Tilak said.

A special moment after World Cup glory

Kuldeep’s wedding celebrations come at a particularly memorable time in his career. The spinner was part of the Indian team that recently won the T20 World Cup 2026, defeating New Zealand in the final to claim India’s third title in the tournament’s history.

PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.

The P/PTSD Perspective: March 14th, 2026

1) Presumably, Kevin O’Connell Isn’t Pleased with the Latest News: Coaches have feelings, folks. Is Minnesota’s skipper sad to see Johnny Mundt opt for the Eagles? Coach O’Connell has been quite outspoken about how he feels about the veteran TE3.

2) Vikings Suddenly Hold Major Leverage: Good chance that Mr. Greenard sticks around. Capable pass rushers are hard to acquire. Even harder is getting capable pass rushers who are operating on strong contracts and who provide excellent leadership. Kicking over some added compensation to keep him happy makes sense.

3) Well, At Least the Vikings Now Have Firm QB News: For a little while, the QB conversation was pretty quiet. Passers with connections to Minnesota were getting deals but nothing was getting done in the Twin Cities. In the end, the Vikings landed Mr. Murray.

4) Vikings See a Young, Ascending Talent Stolen Away: The price tag is large. But, to be sure, Ryan Wright has improved a ton over his career (and may still have more development in front of him). Wish him well in New Orleans. Meanwhile, the Vikings are on the hunt for a new punter.

5) Kyler Murray Sweepstakes Looking Like a Two-Horse Race: The final race may have simply been the Vikings competing against themselves. Going to Pittsburgh made sense insofar as there’s a QB need alongside a roster that’s looking to compete. The Vikings, though, make a lot more sense.

Enjoy the extra reading, Vikings fans.

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

Carl Froch believes Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao 2 is “more exciting” than their first encounter, with the American hoping to avoid a “stain on his legacy”.

Their welterweight showdown in 2015 resulted in a clear unanimous decision victory for Mayweather, who largely controlled proceedings with his sharper movement and defensive nous.

It was later revealed, however, that Pacquiao had suffered a shoulder injury during his training camp, which only added to the frustration that their clash had arrived far too late.

Although it is statistically the most lucrative boxing event of all time, most believe the contest failed to live up to its billing as the ‘Fight of the Century’.

As for their rematch, which takes place at the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19, it is difficult to know exactly what to expect from the two Hall of Famers.

This is largely because Mayweather has not fought professionally since 2017, back when he secured a 10th-round stoppage victory over Conor McGregor.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, boxed to a draw against Mario Barrios, the then-WBC world welterweight champion, in July, proving that he is still capable of maintaining a considerable pace.

For that reason, Froch has said on his YouTube channel that Mayweather must be careful not to lose his unbeaten record – which currently stands at 50-0 (27 KOs) – or else he risks diluting his legacy.

“This fight’s probably a little bit more exciting than their first fight, because Mayweather’s still unbeaten – he still keeps himself active [in the gym] – but Manny Pacquiao has just gone 12 rounds and got a draw with Barrios.

“So Manny Pacquiao can obviously still fight a little bit. Mayweather has got to be careful because, if he gets beat, he’s lost that unbeaten record, and that would be a little stain on his legacy. He’s one of the all-time greats.”

While Mayweather is risking his legacy, to some extent, by putting his unbeaten record on the line, many believe he ultimately has enough left in the tank to defeat Pacquiao once again.

First Published: Mar 14 2026 | 3:05 PM IST

Next week, another wave of NFL free agency will hit, but let’s take a moment to examine who went where for the Minnesota Vikings, a team with a tranquil philosophy, other than Kyer Murray, regarding adding newcomers.

A handful of ex-Vikings quickly came off the board as free agency moved into its next phase.

It’s the quietest Vikings free agency since 2020; here’s a look at who left for other ventures.

Minnesota’s Departures Are Starting to Fill Out around the League

No real surprises, aside from the punter, on the list.

Jonathan Allen, DT
Cincinnati Bengals

Allen inked a two-year, $26 million contract in Cincinnati, an advantageous development for Minnesota because Allen’s dead cap charge will become a financial wash for the Vikings next offseason.

After five days of free agency, the Bengals’ defensive tackle roster includes:

• B.J. Hill
• Jonathan Allen
• Kris Jenkins Jr.
• T.J. Slaton Jr.
• McKinnely Jackson
• Jordan Jefferson
• Howard Cross III

Despite this depth, the Bengals may still select another defensive tackle early in April’s draft, given the DT talent available.

Javon Hargrave, DT
Green Bay Packers

This man pulled the turncoat maneuver, signing in Green Bay and adding a veteran presence to Jonathan Gannon’s defense, hoping his experience and pass-rushing skills can offset the loss of Kenny Clark, who was traded to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal.

According to Pro Football Focus — and the eye test — Hargrave is a slightly above-average interior defender. In 2025, he earned a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-defense grade, resulting in an overall score of 68.0, ranking him 35th among interior linemen. While his pass rush remains a strength, his run defense has been less consistent.

His raw statistics bear it out. In 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53% of the time), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures. That pressure total ranked him 34th among all defensive tackles.

Hargrave is expected to provide stability for Green Bay’s iDL, though his recent performance metrics suggest he is a middle-of-the-road NFL defensive tackle. And — there’s the inevitability that Minnesota will face him twice annually.

Jalen Nailor, WR
Las Vegas Raiders

Nailor secured $35 million over the next three years from Las Vegas, the city that raised him. He’s instantly the WR1 on the Raiders’ depth chart — believe it or not — which was probably an alluring factor. Nailor has never accrued more than 500 yards in a single season. That might change in Sin City.

Nailor will also catch passes from Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to go off the draftboard first in April. Meanwhile, there’s a decent chance that Nailor gets an old friend at quarterback if the Raiders sign Kirk Cousins for bridge passer duty.

Regardless, Nailor got his bag.

Silver and Black Pride‘s Marcus Johnson on Nailor: “The former Michigan State receiver didn’t have a major role with the Vikings in Minnesota and has a chance to showcase his skill set with the Silver and Black. The Vikings lined him up inside and outside, which displays what his role will be with the Raiders.”

“This past season, he was in the slot 60% of the time, making a play that could move around all over the line of scrimmage. Nailor becomes a replacement for Jakobi Meyers, who was traded midseason in 2025. Nailor has upside that goes along with all the free agent signings this offseason. If he could reach his potential, he could add a hidden gem to Klint Kubiak’s offense.”

Ben Sims, TE
Miami Dolphins

Following the first three days of free agency and the acquisition of Ben Sims, the Dolphins’ tight end roster includes:

• Greg Dulcich
• Ben Sims
• Jalin Conyers
• Cole Turner
• Zack Kuntz

Darren Waller, the team’s primary tight end last season, is still a free agent. However, due to Miami’s offseason coaching and front office changes, his return appears improbable.

David Njoku is another free agent to monitor. While he has had a productive career, he hasn’t attracted much free-agent attention so far. A team seeking a tight end, like Miami, could be a possible destination.

Sims played in eight games for the 2025 Vikings, catching 3 passes for 30 yards when given the chance.

Ryan Wright, P
New Orleans Saints

Most fans thought Wright would return as the Vikings’ punter in 2026, and that’d be that.

But then he swerved, signing with the New Orleans Saints for $14 million over the next four years. Wright’s career has resembled an odyssey — fantastic in 2022 as a rookie, snakebitten by struggles in 2023 and 2024, and back to majestic form in 2025.

As a result, Minnesota will need a new punter, and all signs point to a rookie, either in the last round of the draft or shortly after, from undrafted free agency.

The Vikings also lost valuable continuity in the field goal process, as Wright was Will Reichard’s holder in 2024 and 2025. Just Minnesota has a good thing going — Reichard was the best kicker in the NFL last season — a bit of disruption arose.