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Beiwacht’s Flemington straight trial in Lightning Stakes launches 2026 campaign

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In anticipation of possible global racing, Chris Waller alongside Godolphin moved Beiwacht to Melbourne to acclimate to straight-track conditions.

The three-year-old colt targets the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday, matched against Godolphin stablemate Tentyris, handled by Anthony and Sam Freedman.

These Godolphin colts are both tabbed for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington March 7, with overseas options including the June Royal Ascot meeting in Britain.

They previously dueled on the Flemington straight, Tentyris taking the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in November as Beiwacht came home fourth.

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Beiwacht‘s fourth came off a dominant score in September’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Chris Waller confirmed readiness, citing Ben Melham’s positive feedback from last week’s Flemington gallop, with the jockey aboard Saturday.

“Darren (Beadman) went down to watch it, and he gave us a glowing report,” Waller said.

“Everyone is happy.”

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Waller emphasized the Melbourne races prep for trips abroad, yet the key focus with Godolphin is revitalizing the colt’s form.

“We need him in form and we need him used to straight racing,” Waller said.

“We will let him run his race, not worry too much about other things. We will get him into a good rhythm and let him find his pace he’s comfortable with.

“I think that’s what we have to do with him, he showed that in the Golden Rose. Let him use his speed but harness that speed, a little bit like Nature Strip.

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“He’s not as free going, but we’ve just got to get it right.”

Waller replicated this strategy successfully with Home Affairs, Lightning Stakes winner after Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Nevertheless, Home Affairs couldn’t sustain momentum in 2022 Newmarket Handicap with 56kg, ninth place, before trailing at Royal Ascot in Group 1 Platinum Jubilee (1200m).

“To get him ready for the Newmarket, they need to have a run first so it might as well be up the straight,” Waller said.

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Visit the leading racing betting markets to place your wager on the Lightning Stakes.

“It could have been in the Eskimo Prince (in Sydney), but he’s won his Group 1, so I’ll keep him there and give him a chance the learn about straight racing.”

The post Flemington straight to launch Beiwacht campaign first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

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Terence Crawford predicts Errol Spence Jr’s reported comeback fight against Tim Tszyu

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It has been almost three years since Errol Spence Jr stepped through the ropes, but a summer return against Australia’s Tim Tszyu seems to be gathering pace.

Spence was handed the first defeat of his career back in 2023 by Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed welterweight world champion that night. Despite many feeling that it was a pick ’em fight beforehand, Crawford won handily, dropping Spence three times before scoring a TKO in the ninth.

After a lengthy lay-off and persistent rumours of a return, Spence reportedly has ‘a done deal’ with Tszyu provided the Aussie comes through Denis Nurja this weekend in Wollongong.

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Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Crawford praised Tszyu’s campaign so far.

“Tim Tszyu [has] had a great career, it’s still going. He’s accomplished a lot for what his experience entails. His fight this weekend – I don’t know too much about the opponent other than he’s undefeated. Will he be back on top and become a champion again? I can’t say he won’t, I can’t say he will. We just got to wait and see.”

However, the recently retired five-division world champion backs his former foe to win should all go to plan and the fight take place.

“I think Spence beats him. At this point in both of their careers, I think he beats him.”

Fans will hope to see a reinvigorated Spence, particularly since he will be returning at 154lbs after cutting to the welterweight limit of 147 for so long. However, questions remain over what he has left in the tank following various injuries – not least a serious car accident.

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Women’s Champions League: Arsenal beat Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate to reach semi-finals – Kim Little reaction

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Arsenal captain Kim Little says she believes her side are “getting better and better” as they reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League, after beating Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate to close in on successfully defending their title.

READ MORE: Arsenal hold off Chelsea to reach Champions League last four

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J.T. Brown’s wife Lexi LaFleur demands “lifetime ban” after Stars fans’ Nazi salute incident

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Former NHL player J.T. Brown’s wife Lexi LaFleur is calling for immediate action after a video surfaced online showing a group of Dallas Stars fans performing Nazi salutes during a game.

The incident reportedly happened on Dec. 21, 2025, when the Stars faced the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, ultimately winning 5-1. According to a Reddit post that has since gone viral, a fan who attended the game recorded a group of young men sitting in front of them doing a Nazi salute “every time the stars scored.”

“I was at the Stars game on December 21 and these boys were sitting in front of us doing a Nazi salute every time the stars scored,” the original poster wrote. “I’ve been to several games and never seen anything like this before. I recorded them and sent it to arena management, but they said they couldn’t find the boys despite me giving them their exact seat numbers.”

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LaFleur Brown quote-tweeted the post reshared on X with a strong message:

“Lifetime ban from all NHL arenas immediately. It’s literally in the NHL Fan Code of Conduct. If you ever see behavior like this at a game, alert staff. Unacceptable.”

In her follow-up comments, she attached a link to the NHL Fan Code of Conduct which explicitly prohibits such behavior.


Lexi LaFleur looks back on her days of playing on the boys’ team as a child

Lexi LaFleur herself has played junior hockey throughout school. Last week, LaFleur posted a photo from her elementary school yearbook on X revealing a childhood dream that has taken on new meaning in light of recent success of the PWHL.

“Crying over my elementary school yearbook in which I wrote ‘when I grow up I want to play in the NHL’ because now little girls get to dream of playing in the PWHL,” she wrote.

But her path to hockey wasn’t without obstacles. In a viral TikTok video that has garnered over 1 million views, LaFleur Brown shared her first experience with toxic masculinity in hockey at just 10 years old when several boys on her youth peewee hockey team voted to have her removed with the help of a parent.

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“It lit a fire under my ass that has fueled me for the rest of my life,” Brown said in the video. “My love for hockey is bigger and greater than anybody’s ability to hate me.” [H/T Glamour magazine]

Following the recent controversy involving President Donald Trump’s phone call to the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, she has been among those calling for greater respect for women in sports.

“It’s sad that fans are new to this and that was kind of their first hockey heartbreak,” LaFleur Brown said in response to the controversy. “I have seen people say, ‘That’s it, I’m just gonna support the PWHL.’ I think that’s great too. There are other ways to love hockey than to just support the NHL.”

The incident occurred when Trump called the men’s gold medal-winning team and joked that he would “have to” invite the women’s team to the State of the Union or risk being impeached. The comment drew rancorous laughter from players in the locker room.