Match of the Day pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy finds it “baffling” that Erling Haaland’s winning goal in the Manchester derby was not ruled out by VAR, but think Phil Foden’s red card was the correct decision.

READ MORE: Refereeing body admits judgement error over Haaland derby winner

Available to UK users only.

A clearer picture of potential international contenders for this year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival features has emerged, with seven horses entering quarantine in the United Kingdom and Ireland late on Saturday.

The horses include Joseph O’Brien’s quartet – Kizlyar, Omni Man, Small Fry, and Starford – along with Roger Varian’s charge Enfjaar, who are in quarantine in Ireland. In England, the Harry Charlton-trained Wine Dark Sea and Ciaron Maher’s Point Of Law have also been isolated.

All these horses are nominated for both the $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) set for October 17 and the $10 million Melbourne Cup, which takes place 17 days later. They have all successfully navigated Racing Victoria’s necessary veterinary protocols up to this stage.

“The first seven international horses targeting the 2026 Spring Racing Carnival yesterday entered pre-export quarantine in the UK and Ireland where they will remain for two weeks prior to travelling to Melbourne,” stated RV head of racing Paul Bloodworth. “All seven hold nominations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and have satisfied RV’s pre-travel veterinary protocols, passing a compulsory scan of their distal limbs and completing two physical veterinary examinations so far – they must undergo a final examination in PEQ.”

By being part of this initial shipment, which is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne during the final weekend of the current month, these horses will be eligible to compete in the Caulfield Cup.

Currently, Enfjaar, the winner of the Group 3 Glorious Stakes last start, and Wine Dark Sea, a victor of the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer, are the shortest-priced international entries for this year’s Caulfield Cup. Following them are O’Brien’s Omni Man and Starford, as well as Point Of Law, who has joined Maher’s stable after previously being trained by John and Thady Gosden.

Small Fry’s participation in the Caulfield Cup is not guaranteed, as O’Brien and owners OTI are also considering a start in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m). Furthermore, Varian has not committed Enfjaar to a Melbourne Cup start, with the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington being a potential alternative.

Over the weekend, there were also developments concerning the Melbourne Cup, as Highwayman saw its odds shorten significantly following its victory in the Group 1 English St Leger (2921m) at Doncaster on Saturday night, Australian time.

Additional notable entries are expected on Sunday night, with Trustyourinstinct set to compete against established stayers Scandinavia and Jan Brueghel in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m). Check out the latest racing odds at racing betting markets.

Davey has primarily trained at scrum-half with Wales and faces competition from Keira Bevan and Seren Lockwood.

And contrary to the stereotype of the position, the nines get along with no animosity.

“We all really enjoy each other’s company. We want each other to do well, so there’s never that hatred towards each other,” said Davey, who has previously started at fly-half for Loughborough.

“Whoever goes out there and does the job first is the best pick for the team and you just need to back that completely.”

Wales open their WXV campaign against South Africa at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, 18 September (19:15 BST), and any potential involvement would mean the world to Davey.

“Playing international rugby is such a privilege and I want to make everyone proud – my family, but also the coaches that have been behind me for the last 15 years of my journey,” she said.

“It’s just that final step, like ‘I made it’. I’m really excited and hopefully it comes at some point.”

With the WNBA season on hiatus due to the FIBA World Cup, Sophie Cunningham has been keeping busy during her downtime. On Sunday, the Fever guard visited the World Wide Technology Raceway for the Illinois 300 and appeared to greet Michael Jordan during the NASCAR event.

Steven Taranto shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting Cunningham’s linkup with Jordan in the pit lane.

“Sophie Cunningham saying what’s up to Michael Jordan and Jeff Gordon before the green flag today,” Taranto wrote.

The post featured a couple of images of Cunningham at the event, where the guard appeared to shake hands with the Bulls legend and former racing driver Jeff Gordon. The images quickly went viral online, with fans going wild over the unexpected linkup.

“Sophie going for Jordan son,” a fan wrote.

“Sophie’s boyfriend better watch out!” another fan added.

While Cunningham’s NASCAR visit drew plenty of reactions from fans, the guard made the most of her appearance at the race. Apart from linking up with Jordan and Gordon, the Fever star made her way to the pit lane, where she appeared to interact with racers and engineers.

She also joined the pre-race stage, spent some time in the broadcast booth, and waved the green flag to start the race.

Cunningham has quickly become one of the biggest names in the WNBA, and her appearance at the race was another example of her growing popularity, as she was welcomed by the teams and even got the chance to meet the basketball GOAT.

Sophie Cunningham opens up on the mental side of the game during NASCAR visit

Sophie Cunningham had an eventful outing during her NASCAR visit on Sunday. While her link-up and appearance at the event turned heads, her interaction with fans also stood out as she kicked footballs and threw hats into the crowd while offering a candid interview with Kenny Wallace.

During the interview, Cunningham was asked about the mental side of sports and how she has “mastered” it through her antics during games.

“I think I’ve kind of mastered that art a little bit,” Cunningham said. “I get a little feisty, if you know what I’m saying. And you know, I do think it is part of the sport. And so, you got to have a one-up on people. And sometimes it’s not so physical, but it is the mental game. So, it’s fun.”

Advertisement

Cunningham has earned a reputation as a feisty figure, with the guard often finding ways to rile up her opponents through simple gestures and on-court antics.