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Boniface makes strong debut Australian win in 2026 Premier’s Cup

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Boniface, ridden with the conviction of the race’s standout performer, finally rewarded the patience of punters with a victory in the Group 3 $250,000 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The French import had experienced a series of unrewarding runs in his four previous starts in Australia, but star jockey Tommy Berry guided the gelding with confidence, proving too formidable for his rivals.

Berry eliminated any chance of misfortune by positioning Boniface directly behind So You Are, maintaining this order until well into the home straight.

However, Boniface seized control of the race and secured a commanding win, signalling his potential for the upcoming spring carnival.

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“We got the first half too easy and Rachel’s (King, rider of So You Are) has got a beautiful knack of getting horses into a lovely rhythm, slipping you down the side and you can’t get her back,” Berry said. “So, I just had to make sure I was close enough without trying to get to the front too early on my bloke.

“When they haven’t won for a while, they lack a little bit of confidence and he needed that today, so I’m sure he’ll go on with it now.”

Berry, taking over as Boniface’s rider, made a point of acknowledging the crucial role played by the gelding’s previous jockey, Tyler Schiller, in the Premier’s Cup triumph.

“I’ve got to say, full credit to Tyler, who’s ridden him at his last couple,” Berry stated. “He obviously didn’t get the ride today, but he came around and saw me and told me everything I needed to know about the horse. That just shows what a top bloke he is, and he’ll obviously get his turn.”

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Boniface ($2.45 favourite), prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior, overcame the early leader So You Are ($3.60) by a half-length, with Matusalem ($8) finishing with determination for third place, a short head behind the runner-up.

Ben Elam, the Sydney stable representative for Price and Kent, declared that Boniface’s strong performance was a clear demonstration of his developing talent.

“We had to feel our way with him trying to get into this race,” Elam said. “It’s a race that always has some nice horses in it but it doesn’t get a massive field every year so we thought he was a chance of getting a run.

“We got the run on Monday with nominations being a little bit skinny. He’s trained on really well, we haven’t done a lot with him as he’s a highly strung horse, albeit he is relaxed.

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“He puts a lot into his work so we don’t do much galloping with him. He’s a French import that we have had to ‘unwind’ a little bit.

“So, it was really good to see him relax outside the leader. I would like to see him with a bum in front of him so he can follow and be dragged into the race.

“He did a pretty good job and hit the line strongly so we are very pleased.”

Elam added that there was significant merit in Boniface’s win, noting the gelding is “definitely a better chaser, for sure.”

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“But I said to Tommy I don’t care where you land just get him to relax,” Elam continued. “If he finds a rhythm he will give you that sharp turn of foot he has got and he can sustain the gallop.

“I know he didn’t win by a big margin but I think you can say this horse has won by a margin that was respective of the run he had in transit.”

Elam indicated that Boniface is likely to be aimed at the Group 2 $300,000 Kingston Town Stakes at Royal Randwick on September 12, followed by the Group 2 $2 million Hill Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on October 10.

Punters checking the racing betting markets will find Boniface a strong contender for future events.

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‘My Team Would Not Even Have MS Dhoni’: Ex-India Star Picks Asia Test XI

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A visionary captain and an even better leader, Imran Khan is widely considered Pakistan’s greatest-ever cricketer. In 1992, he led Pakistan to its first Cricket World Cup title at the age of 39, becoming the oldest captain to lift the coveted trophy. Fast forward to 2026, and Imran is currently in prison. After serving as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, the 73-year-old received multiple prison terms following his removal from office.

Amid concerns over his health, several former cricketers and Imran’s associates have written to the Pakistan government, urging it to ensure proper medical treatment for the legendary all-rounder.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, former India batter Wasim Jaffer said that if he had to pick an Asia Test XI, he would choose Imran Khan as the captain of the side. He also named Sachin Tendulkar as the vice-captain.

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However, Jaffer grabbed the spotlight by picking Rishabh Pant ahead of the legendary MS Dhoni as the wicketkeeper in his team.

“For a Test match, my captain would be Imran Khan. My vice-captain would be Sachin Tendulkar. MS? I think my team would not even have MS Dhoni. For me, Rishabh Pant would get into the team,” said Jaffer.

Jaffer also backed the appeal by 22 former international cricket captains to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeking proper medical treatment for Imran.

“Giving him better treatment is basic; he’s a source of pride for Pakistan. He won them the World Cup; he was a great player, captain, and leader. He could have easily gone and settled in England or somewhere else, but he stayed and fought to improve things for his country. It’s the right initiative. He was a fantastic cricketer and a role model. Even today, the players from the 90s rate him as one of the best leaders in world cricket. The way he bowled, batted, and led his team was exceptional. He was an Oxford Blue, an educated man, and he’s done so much for his country,” he added.

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Jaffer also recalled his only meeting with Imran, praising him for his work as Pakistan’s prime minister.

“I got to meet him in 2006, and we also visited his cancer hospital, the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. It’s an amazing facility where poor people get treatment for free or at very low cost. He’s done so much for Pakistan… He was a great leader, a visionary. It’s just Pakistan’s misfortune that he was not the Prime Minister for a long time,” said Imran.


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Norris wins Dutch Grand Prix after daring pass on Antonelli

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F1 Lando Norris Dutch Grand PrixF1 Lando Norris Dutch Grand Prix

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain wins the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort , Netherlands, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands  — Lando Norris had a clear message for his Formula 1 rivals after a spectacular race-winning pass on standings leader Kimi Antonelli. Write off his title defense at your peril.

“This fight is still on,” Norris said over team radio after winning the Dutch Grand Prix for back-to-back F1 victories and a trophy presented by the King of the Netherlands.

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Norris asked his McLaren team to “just keep bringing upgrades (to the car), just keep bringing performance please” as he eyes an 83-point gap to Antonelli.

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READ: F1: Lando Norris clinches pole for Dutch Grand Prix

Max Verstappen nearly reeled in a similarly vast lead last year as Norris held on by just two points. Now the British driver is the hunter.

“There’s still plenty of things we can do better and need to do better if we’re going to fight for a championship,” Norris added.

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Norris seizes chance

Norris started on pole but was overtaken by Antonelli’s Mercedes at a restart after the race was stopped for a heavy crash by home hero Verstappen, who was unhurt, shortly after the start.

Norris reeled in Antonelli before passing him around the outside of the first corner in a daring move on lap 54 of 72, then took the lead from Ferrari’s Hamilton before the lap was over.

The defending champion held on with old tires to take the win. “This fight is still on,” he said over team radio.

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“The move (to pass Antonelli) was good. I knew I was not going to get many chances. Every lap I spent behind him my chances got lower and lower,” Norris said. “Well played from my part…I probably had one chance.”

READ: F1: McLaren boss glad of ‘harmony’ between Norris, Piastri

Antonelli was second after his Mercedes teammate George Russell was ordered to move out of his way, following a failed gamble on a tire change by Antonelli. Russell clung on to finish third ahead of Hamilton.

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Antonelli’s standings lead grew to 59 points over Russell and Hamilton, who are now level. Norris moved ahead of Charles Leclerc for fourth.

Antonelli, Russell question Mercedes strategy

There was tension at Mercedes as both Antonelli and Russell criticized the team’s decisions over the radio.

Antonelli called his team’s strategy “too risky” when the team congratulated him on second place, while Russell earlier seemed to object to being asked to give way to his teammate.

“Is he fighting for the win? Or is he planning to catch Norris?” Russell questioned, at a point where Norris was far ahead of both.

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Russell relented after the race and said he felt Mercedes had made the right decision to avoid the two battling for position as Hamilton closed in behind.

Antonelli “would have overtaken anyway so it was the right decision,” said Russell, who won the sprint race Saturday. “It’s been a strong weekend overall so I’ll take the positives.”

Verstappen’s big crash, Hülkenberg’s big save

There was a half-hour delay after Verstappen slammed into the wall on a damp first lap, stopping the race and ensuring a nightmare end to his last home race in the Netherlands for the foreseeable future.

READ: F1: Max Verstappen signs new Red Bull contract until 2030

Just a couple of seconds later, there would have been another huge collision if not for lightning reactions by Nico Hülkenberg. As his Audi teammate Gabriel Bortoleto span across the track, the German swerved around him through a cloud of tire smoke.

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“It was crazy with Gabi, I almost T-boned him,” Hülkenberg said over team radio.

The Dutch Grand Prix is dropping off the schedule after this season and the many orange-clad Dutch fans who turned up to support Verstappen instead saw Norris and his orange McLaren take the win.

Verstappen said he simply misjudged his speed on the damp track after pre-race rain.



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Charles Leclerc was fifth on another disappointing day for Ferrari ahead of its home race in Italy in two weeks’ time. Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri was sixth after running in the top three early on, and Liam Lawson salvaged seventh for Red Bull after being called in to replace the injured Isack Hadjar.

Hulkenberg was eighth for Audi, with Fernando Alonso ninth in the best result of an otherwise-disastrous 2026 for Aston Martin. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten.

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WWE Legend Returns After 221 Days; TNA Wrestling Sees Huge Comeback

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A WWE legend made a return after 221 days and this happened at TNA Lockdown. This was a huge comeback and the fans would have been shocked at what they saw.

The legend in question is none other than Candice Michelle. Michelle is one of the most well known female stars of all time. She had a memorable time during her stint in WWE before she left in 2009. After all those years, in 2026, she signed up with TNA Wrestling to work as a producer and agent.

She was last seen as a part of the audience for the premiere episode of TNA Impact on January 15th, 2026. She has since been working backstage until last night where she showed up to speak with the panel at TNA Lockdown.

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Candice admitted that she was happy to be back and that she couldn’t wait for all the stars to be involved in the show.

WWE legend Candice Michelle reveals what is missing in women’s wrestling

Candice Michelle was one of the main trailblazers in the 2000s who helped WWE gain more fans. Thanks to her natural ability to reel fans in, she was seen as an integral part of the locker room.

She recently sat down for an interview with TMZ Sports’ Inside The Ring when she revealed what is missing in today’s era of women’s wrestling. She said:

“I think what we are missing is a little bit more of the femininity. What I mean by that is we have pushed so hard, ‘Oh, women are equal to men,’ like we get equal time, equal pay, and yeah, there is a part of that. But like by the end of the day I want the men to be a little bit more masculine.”

It will be interesting to see if anyone in the wrestling world will pay heed to what Candice has to say and make changes where necessary.

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