Trainer Lloyd Kennewell is already identifying a significant Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds in Melbourne as the next target for his debut winner, Mbube.

The two-year-old colt, a son of Rubick, was heavily backed to claim the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday. Kennewell indicated that the colt would be turned out on Monday to commence preparation for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day this spring.

Having been supported from as much as $12 earlier in the week with online bookmakers, Mbube ($3.50) proved too strong under jockey Billy Egan, winning by 1-½ lengths. He defeated the $2.90 favourite Stars Of Dom, with Aston ($6.50) a short-half-head away in third.

“He will be in the paddock at Fulmen Park on Monday morning getting ready for hopefully a Coolmore prep,” Kennewell said.

“He’s a highly talented galloper, probably as good as I’ve got in the yard, and I’ve been waiting probably 12 months for this horse. Watching him canter around as a yearling, you sort of knew what you had, and it’s a big call, because they need to gallop, which he could. He changed ownership because he was sold through a breeze-up sale for my other clients, and then we had to spend a lot of money to buy him back, but I knew how good he was.”

Kennewell stated that he made a personal inspection of the Sandown track to confirm its suitability for Mbube’s first start. He was pleasantly surprised to find the surface rated better than the Heavy 9 recorded on Friday morning, with an upgrade expected before racing.

The track condition had improved to a Soft 7 by the time of the race.

“He wasn’t going to be running yesterday morning because of the track condition,” Kennewell explained. “We had a few people walk it and I came and I walked it myself, and I said the track should be upgraded before the first, and it was. We wouldn’t have been running on a (heavy) nine or ten, that’s for sure. He’s very good on top of the ground. He’s got a beautiful action, a very good turn of foot, a very good brain for a colt. I’m looking forward to the spring. This is a pretty serious horse.”

Considering a wager? Explore the available betting markets for the upcoming Coolmore Stud Stakes at leading online bookmakers.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: The India A-Sri Lanka A clash in the Tri-Nation A Series in Dambulla had everything – a thrilling chase, a controversial finish, heated arguments with umpires, a Super Over and an angry exchange involving teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.What started as a routine group-stage fixture turned into one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. With fading light, disputed decisions and emotions running high, players, umpires and team officials were involved in several tense moments before Sri Lanka A eventually emerged victorious.At the centre of the drama was 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who was seen first joining discussions with the umpires, then trying to pull captain Tilak Varma away from an argument and later getting involved in a heated exchange with Sri Lankan players after India’s defeat.

India A vs Sri Lanka Super Over drama in Dambulla: How it unfolded

India A recover from trouble

Batting first, India A got off to another brisk start through Sooryavanshi, who struck 21 off 14 balls with a six and two boundaries before being dismissed.Tilak Varma (23) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) added 52 runs for the third wicket, but Sri Lanka A’s spinners triggered a collapse. India A slipped from 91/2 to 143/7 before Suryansh Shedge (72 off 66) and Vipraj Nigam (51 off 49) rescued the innings with a crucial 104-run partnership for the eighth wicket.India A were eventually bowled out for 265 in 49.2 overs.

Samarawickrama takes Sri Lanka A close

Sri Lanka A looked set for victory thanks to Sadeera Samarawickrama’s excellent 93. The hosts needed only five runs from the final over with wickets in hand.But left-arm pacer Arshad Khan produced a superb over full of yorkers, conceding just four runs and forcing the match into a dramatic final-ball finish.

The controversy begins

On the last ball of the innings, Chamika Gunasekara was struck on the pad and completed a run before being run out while attempting a second.The run levelled the scores, but Tilak Varma immediately questioned whether the run should have counted. India A argued that Gunasekara had not offered a shot and therefore the leg-bye should not have been awarded.What followed was a lengthy discussion involving the umpires, players and team officials as fading light added another layer of uncertainty.

Tilak argues, Sooryavanshi intervenes

As Tilak continued his discussions with the umpires near the boundary ropes, Sooryavanshi also entered the conversation.In a video that later went viral on social media, the teenager was seen joining the debate before India A head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar pulled him away from the officials.Moments later, Sooryavanshi appeared to urge Tilak to move away from the umpires as the India A captain continued to press his case.After several minutes of deliberation, the umpires ruled that the match was tied and would be decided through a Super Over.

More drama in the Super Over

With floodlights unavailable for the tournament and visibility worsening, concerns remained over whether there was enough light to complete the contest.Sri Lanka A batted first in the Super Over and scored 16 runs off Arshad Khan’s over. India A were unhappy with a wide and a no-ball call during the over, leading to further discussions with the officials.The no-ball proved especially costly as it allowed Sri Lanka A to push their total to 16.

Sooryavanshi’s challenge falls short

Chasing 17 to win, India A sent out Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge.However, Sri Lanka pacer Kugathas Mathulan kept his composure brilliantly under pressure. The slingy fast bowler restricted the pair throughout the over and conceded only nine runs.Sooryavanshi faced the final three deliveries but could not find the big hits India desperately needed as Sri Lanka A completed a memorable victory.

Tempers flare after the finish

The drama did not end with the final ball.As Sri Lanka A celebrated wildly, Sooryavanshi appeared visibly frustrated. Television cameras showed the teenager exchanging words with Sri Lankan players before briefly pushing one of them.Players from both sides quickly stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating further, with senior Sri Lanka cricketer Niroshan Dickwella among those helping calm tempers.For India A, it was a second defeat in the tournament.

AEW stars Will Ospreay and his longtime partner, Alex Windsor, revealed some heartwarming news and took their relationship to the next level.

In a new Facebook post, Ospreay announced that he and Windsor recently got married. The Aerial Assassin is seen wearing a smashing suit, while Windsor is wearing a beautiful traditional white dress. The former AEW International Champion captioned his post with a four-word message:

“Hey we did it.”

Will Ospreay and Alex Windsor have been together for several years and have been seen together on social media on numerous occasions. The couple had announced their engagement on June 14th 2025. They tied the knot exactly a year after that and have taken the next step in their lives.

On the other hand, both stars are thriving as major attractions in All Elite Wrestling. The Aerial Assassin joined the Death Riders faction sometime after returning from a neck injury and is one step closer to winning the Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament this year. Alex Windsor is herself the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion and part of the Brawling Birds alongside Jamie Hayter.

AEW star Will Ospreay’s take on the upcoming pay-per-view

As mentioned, Will Ospreay is headed to the Owen Cup finals set to take place at AEW’s upcoming pay-per-view, Forbidden Door 2026. In an interview with njpw1972.com, the former International Champion gave his take on the entire event concept. Ospreay said that the show began as a platform for dream matches.

However, as the years progressed, it became a major stage for wrestling from different cultures. Moreover, Ospreay wanted to see more promotions included in future Forbidden Door events.

“Well, at first it was about dream matches, and I think now it’s shifted a little bit. It’s a bigger look at the different cultures of pro-wrestling, be it Japanese, Mexican or the joshi style as well, which is different from Japanese men’s wrestling. I’d love to see a European company like RevPro in there as well to really accentuate things.”- H/T njpw1972.com

With The Aerial Assassin getting married right before his major showdown at Forbidden Door, it could surely bring some luck to win the Owen Cup this year. We at Sportskeeda extend our wishes to the newest married couple in town, Will Ospreay and Alex Windsor.